| From the Foundation |
 The Annual Giving Campaign Launches Today!
The Annual Giving Campaign has become a cornerstone of the success of our schools. Last year, your donations through the Foundation represented the second largest revenue source for the District. These funds make up for the difference between a good and great education by helping us maintain smaller class sizes, enhance our curriculum, and deliver educational excellence.
Our goal this year is to raise $3 million. This amount will enable us to hire the additional teachers needed for our growing enrollment as well as invest in academic innovation and excellence. This translates to a funding need of a little over $2,000 per student. Our goal is 100% participation among District families. Any contribution you can make that is meaningful and significant for you is appreciated.
Today you will receive, via your youngest child, the Foundation's Community Report which presents a detailed picture of our school community and its financing. We encourage you to read it! You may also view the Report online here.
Please join us in contributing this year and investing in our children's future. Together, we make a difference.
To donate now, please click here.
New Challenge Grant!
To kick start the launch of the Annual Giving Campaign, 95 District families who passionately believe in educational excellence have created a $300,000 Challenge Grant by increasing their aggregate gifts over last year by 53%, to inspire other District families to increase their gifts as well.
The Challenge Grant will match dollar for dollar any family's new gift or incremental increase over last year's gift. All together, that is an incremental $600,000 that we can raise for our schools!
 
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PTA News
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Project Cornerstone
Please come and join us to learn more about Project Cornerstone!
Project Cornerstone is committed to helping all children and teens in Silicon Valley feel valued, respected and known. Cornerstone helps individuals and communities build a web of support around young people so that they grow into healthy, caring, and responsible adults.
Come hear about the Developmental Asset Model and the ABC Program coming to our school!
Take It Personally
Take It Personally is a class for parents to come and learn about Project Cornerstone. This class will meet for 6 consecutive weeks beginning on October 23rd at 7:00 PM.
Asset Building Champions Program (ABC)
ABC volunteers read specially selected books and lead classroom activities and discussions that are designed to create a common language and vocabulary about student respect for the entire school. The stories and activities focus on issues like building friendship skills and increasing student-to-student respect. Students also learn about values such as honesty, caring, responsibility, and friendship. If you've been looking for a way to get to know the kids in your child's class and help build a great community for them, this is a wonderful way to get involved. The approximate time commitment is about 2-3 hours each month.
Five times this year, parent volunteers will meet as a group to review a story and lesson plan that they will present to the class. We are hoping to have two parents for each classroom.
Contact Katie Boland ( kboland@gmail.com) if you have any questions or want to learn more. LA ENTRADA GEO BEE - NEW DATE
Due to a conflict with 5th grade Outdoor Education, the Geo Bee has been moved. Mark your calendar. The Geo Bee will be held on Friday, December 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Jensen Hall. The review session will be held by Michele on Tuesday December 4, 2012 at 7 a.m. in the MUR.
This is a fun experience for kids who would love to explore the world.
Check out the questions from previous Geo Bees!!
1. Uluru or Ayers Rock, is a sacred area to the aboriginal people of which continent?
2. To visit the home of famous painter Rubens and to walk through the world's largest diamond district in Antwerp, you would travel to what country?
3. To visit a mosque in the country with largest Muslim population and to stay at a luxurious resort on the island of Bali, you would travel to what country?
BOOK FAIR
Save Your Books for the La Entrada Book Fair!
Hold on to those books! The La Entrada Used Book Fair is coming to town on November 13th-November 16th and We Want Your Books! Donations accepted October 15th-November 5th. Details follow soon.
FAMILY PICNIC
Thanks to everyone for coming out to the 2012 Family Picnic! We hope you and your family had a wonderful time. Special thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this year's picnic a success: Susan Baker, Susan Dan Zhou, Alison Dundas, Pam Easton, Kristin Galvin, Laura Glader, Maureen Goode, Adele Gursky, Michele King, Brian McGarry, Jen Overholt, Tanya Rianda, Tracey Seymour, and Jane Wong. And we can't thank Karen Fryling enough for her generous donation of all the bottles of water for the event. She has been providing water for years and even though her kids graduated last year, she continues to support our picnic-- thanks Karen!
Maryellen McCabe and Liesl Noble
DADS AT LUNCH
First one of the year is this Friday - Dads at Lunch! We're bringing back this program where dads (and other interested and caring adults) can come and connect with the kids at lunch. The kids loved having dads at lunch last year. Put it on your calendar for the first Friday of each month and come when you can. Last year some dads played touch football, some played kickball, some played frisbee and some just hung out with the kids. It was really fun. We'd love to have a lot of you there for the first one of the year and make it a special lunch for the kids. Grab a friend and come - 4th and 5th grades eat from 11:35-12:15 and 6th-8th grades eat from 12:15-12:50.
GRADE LEVEL GATHERING
Grade Level Gatherings are a chance for the parents in each grade to get to know each other better. They are festive adults-only cocktail parties, hosted by families in the different grades Please come!
4th Grade
- October 6th from 7:00-9:00 pm
- Hosted by Julie Clugage and Richard Hardegree, and Katharine Moir and Steve Westermann
- At Julie and Richard's home, 14 Shasta Ln, Menlo Park
- Last names A-M please bring dessert or an appetizer and last names N-Z please bring wine or beer
- Please RSVP to Julie at clugage@pacbell.net or 233-9377
6th Grade
- October 27th from 7:00-9:00 pm
- Hosted by Ashley Banks and Doug Laird, and Sandie and Aaron Timm
- At Ashley and Doug's home, 39 Sneckner Ct., Menlo Park
- Last names A-M please bring wine or beer and last names N-Z please bring appetizer or dessert
- Please RSVP to Ashley at ashleysbanks@gmail.com or 650-544-8968
8th Grade
- October 5th from 7:00-9:00 pm
- Hosted by Pam and Stephen Ellingson and Cathy and Kurk Mathews
- At the Ellingsons' home, 941 Continental Drive, Menlo Park
- Last names A-M please bring wine or other beverages and last names N-Z please bring an appetizer
- Please RSVP to Pam at pamela.ellingson@cna.com or 234-9934
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| School News | |
Save The Date!
M-A Information Night - Thursday, October 18th at 7:00pm in the MUR
M-A Principal Matthew Zito is coming to La Entrada to talk about the many opportunities available at M-A for prospective students. All 7th and 8th grade families are invited to learn about M-A academics, athletics, music program, clubs, etc. Don't miss this opportunity to ask questions and hear different prospectives from current M-A students. This event is geared towards parents but students are also welcome.
Shadowing at M-A
Is your 8th grader interested in shadowing at M-A with a current freshman? Applications will be accepted for shadowing spots starting in early October. For more information and to download an application, please see the M-A Shadowing page at http://www.sequoiadistrict.org/domain/245
Chorus Rehearsals
- Oct 4 (Thu.): 4/5 Chorus rehearsal "Pirates of Penzance" 2:45 - 3:35 pm, music room
- Oct 18 (Thu.): 4/5 Chorus rehearsal "Pirates of Penzance" 2:45 - 3:35 pm, music room
Leopards' Lounge
Leopards' Lounge is a new resource for kids who may be struggling making friends and or finding something meaningful to do with their lunch time. It is located in Room 45 and is open during 4/5 and 6/8 lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, starting October 2, 2012. Student's can bring their lunch and choose from a variety of activities that are structured to foster meaningful social interaction with other children. The activities are supervised by the District Behavior Specialist and Guidance Counselors, with the support of paraeducator staff.
Six Pillars of Character for Leopards' Lounge:
Trustworthiness: Fostered through honest participation in the cooperative group activity. Students must trust each other to play fairly and follow the rules.
Respect: The foundation of Leopard's Lounge is an environment of respect. Students must feel safe with their peers, which begins with treating each other with respect. Students learn to respect differences in others and respect others for the unique perspective they offer.
Responsibility: Students are responsible for care and maintenance of all Leopards' Lounge materials and facilities.
Fairness: Students are responsible for playing games fairly and following the rules of each activity. The Leopards' Lounge promotes turn taking and sharing. When a dispute arises regarding rules, negotiation between students is facilitated.
Caring: Caring about others is evidenced by inclusion of all students. Students' sensitivity toward the importance of friendship heightens their awareness of the way they are treating others.
Citizenship: Leopards' Lounge builds a cross grade of students with diverse interests, abilities and needs. Student's will learn how to mentor each other, fostering a stronger sense of community with one another.
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| Las Lomitas League News |
BASKETBALL SEASON AND REGISTRATION
Basketball registration opens next week. This is a very popular winter sport that is open to all students in 3rd through 8th grade. All children registered are guaranteed a place on a team. Please mark your calendars for the following dates:
Oct 8th (Monday) at 7pm: Basketball registration opens
Oct 26th (Friday) at 7pm: Basketball registration closes.
Nov 1st (Thursday) at 6:30pm: Basketball Coaches Meeting in the La Entrada library. Required for all coaches. We will choose practice times as well as go over rules, expectations, evaluations, etc. Practice times are selected based on coaches' availability and a lottery system.
Nov 3rd (Saturday) & Nov 4th (Sunday): Basketball Evaluation Days (schedule to be determined)
Evaluations are used strictly to divide each grade level into fair and balanced teams. Your grade will be assigned a specific day and time closer to the date. Check back here or on the LLL Basketball webpage later in October.
COACHES ARE NEEDED!!!
The basketball league is run by parents. We need parent coaches so we can offer fair playing time to all the kids. (Fewer coaches mean fewer teams with a lot of players. The larger the team, the less playing time for each player.) You do not need a lot of experience to coach; we can pair you with a more experienced coach. Also, we provide a coaching clinic. Please contact Sue Bartalo at sbartalo@mac.com or Keri Tully at keritully@gmail.com if you are available to coach.
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| Sequoia Union High School District News |
M-A PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
Kepler's Books and the M-A Parent Education Series present Dr. Madeline Levine, "Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success"
Thursday, October 11, 7:00 p.m.
M-A Center for the Performing Arts (PAC)
Psychologist Madeline Levine brings together cutting-edge research and thirty years of clinical experience to explode once and for all the myth that good grades, high test scores, and college acceptances should define the parenting endgame.
Parents, educators, and the media wring their hands about the plight of America's children and teens-soaring rates of emotional problems, limited coping skills, disengagement from learning and yet there are ways to reverse these disheartening trends. Teach Your Children Well acknowledges that every parent wants successful children. However, until we are clearer about our core values and the parenting choices that are most likely to lead to authentic, and not superficial, success, we will continue to raise exhausted, externally driven, impaired children who believe they are only as good as their last performance
Madeline Levine, PhD, is a clinician, consultant, and educator; the author of The Price of Privilege; and a co-founder of Challenge Success, a project birthed at the Stanford School of Education that addresses education reform, student well-being, and parent education.
REGISTER AT: http://menloathertonmadelinelevine.eventbrite.com/
For more information, contact Charlene Margot, M-A Parent Education Series, Program Director, cmargot@csmconsulting.net
This event is FREE to the public and sponsored by Kepler's Books, the Menlo-Atherton PTA and the Sequoia Healthcare District.
Kepler's Books will have copies of "Teach Your Children Well" for sale at the event. Or click here to buy the book online.
Tickets will go QUICKLY, so register EARLY for this special event!! Attendees will need to bring EventBrite Ticket registration.
Seating available on a first come, first served basis.
Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
Robotics
Interested in Robotics??
Come see the M-A Robotics team at CalGames competing for the last time with this year's FIRST Silicon Valley Regional Winning Robot !! These games will be held at Woodside High School's Main Gym, 199 Churchill Road, Woodside, Saturday, October 13th from 8am-6pm. Admission is free. Come on down on cheer on the M-A Bears Robotics Team #776. The CalGames contribute to the improvement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for K-16 students. For more information visit our websitse, www.marobotics.org.
2012 MENLO-ATHERTON GIRLS VOLLEYBALL COMMUNITY CLINIC
The M-A Girls Volleyball team welcomes all girls K-8th grade to participate in the Fall 2012 community clinic fundraiser. Focus will be on hitting, setting, passing, digging, blocking, serving, and ball control. The current M-A team will lead the clinic stations. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to engage with positive role models and strengthen your volleyball skills! All proceeds go to the M-A Girls Volleyball program. Friday, October 5, 4:00-6:30pm (registration 3:45-4:00) at Menlo-Atherton High School. Cost $25. Download the registration form at www.bearsathletics.org > Team Selection > Girls Varsity Volleyball > Camps & Clinics, or register that afternoon at the gym.
Summit and Everest Open House
Summit Preparatory Charter High School (one of Newsweek's"Ten Miracle High Schools" in the country) and Everest Public High School are public, tuition-free, charter high schools in Redwood City. Our schools strive to provide students with a small and personalized educational experience with guaranteed college preparation in a physically and emotionally safe environment. Summit and Everest would like to invite parents and students to learn more about their schools and the admission process at their upcoming Open Houses:
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Tuesday, November 13th, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, December 13th, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, February 9th, 2013 at 10:00 AM
All open houses will be at Summit, 890 Broadway, Redwood City.
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| Community News |
These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the La Entrada School or the La Entrada PTA.
Have any Outgrown or Gently Used Halloween Costumes to donate?
Haven House of Shelter Network is in need of all sizes of costume donations (infant through adult) for their children's school events and mega Halloween party. The Girl Scouts of La Entrada and Las Lomitas Schools will be coordinating the annual costume collection this year. Please drop any new or used costumes off in the donation bins outside of La Entrada from 9/24 through 10/15. Stay tuned for collection dates and times at Las Lomitas in the Lion's Roar. Or bring your costumes to Suzanne Mitchell in the Tech Office at La Entrada.
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From the Editors
| The Leopard's Spot is published by the La Entrada PTA as a service to the La Entrada families and community. Before submitting an article, please read our newsletter policies.
To submit an item, email it to the editors at leopardsspot@llesd.org by 12 noon
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Submission Requirements:
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