| From the Principal |
La Entrada Community:
I am sure you have read the information sent out by Superintendent Cesario's about a child in our area that was approached by a stranger a week ago. We are all grateful that the child responded appropriately by running away and immediately telling an adult what happened.
It is important that all parents take time to talk with their child about what to do if approached by someone they don't know or who they are not expecting. Occasionally the students prefer to walk home instead of taking the bus. Please speak to them about walking home with a buddy and if that isn't possible, then have them wait for the buses. I encourage you to work together as neighbors to have an adult meet the students at the bus stops when possible. Being vigilant neighbors will help ensure the safety of the students as well as build the developmental assets/characteristics we are aiming to increase in all La Entrada students. By working together, we will teach our students how to manage their personal safety at school, at home and away from home. Thank you for taking an active role in keeping our students safe.
Up and Coming Events
We have some important up and coming events at La Entrada. The first event is parent/teacher conferences being held November 13-16. As a reminder, please contact your 4th and 5th grade teachers directly for an appointment and for 6th-8th grade, log on to the wizard to make an appointment at https://llesdms.ptcwizard.com. If you have any questions please contact the office at 650-854-3962 and Marja Rudge or Marie Stosz can assist you.
Also coming up quickly is the Used Book Fair. A huge thank you to the community for the donations and to the volunteers that have worked at organizing and pricing the books. I look forward to seeing the fair set up with the 6,000+ books November 13-16.
The third event is our Project Cornerstone data rollout. Some of your students have already had a conversation with Ms. Dineen and me about the data. Some of the parents have seen snippets as well. Please join us on November 19th at 7:00 pm to see what our students think about their friends, family, school and larger community relationships and influences.
School Site Council
The La Entrada School Site Council will meet on November 27 at 3:15 pm. The School Site Council is made up of equal representatives from the school and the parents/students. The terms of the positions are for two years. One teacher is returning for her second year and we recently elected two new teachers and one support staff member to join us. The students will be electing three student representatives. This is a two-year commitment to sit as a council member in an advisory role to the site. The teachers and staff are working diligently on the Single Plan for Student Achievement for review at the first meeting in November. All parents are invited to attend the meeting to hear the discussion on the school plan, but the conversation and voting will be limited to the council.
Private School Recommendations
The season of private school applications is upon us. If your child will be applying to a private school for next year, please make sure that we have any recommendation forms (that need to be filled out by a teacher or administrator) by Wednesday, December 5. All forms must be given to Marja Rudge (in the main office) and she will make sure they get to the correct people.
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Shannon Potts
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PTA News
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REMINDER: Please support the PTA!
There is still time to contribute your support the La Entrada PTA. Only 55% of our families have joined so far. As a result, we are still approximately $3,000 short of our fundraising goals. These funds support many amazing enrichment programs at La Entrada - field trips, the science fair, assemblies, the holiday workshop, the student directory and so many more.
Please click HERE to support the PTA today.
Your participation really does make a difference!
THANK YOU FOR DONATING THOUSANDS OF BOOKS TO THE LE USED BOOK FAIR!!!
Come shop for all of your favorite books!
Dates: Tuesday, November 13th - Friday, November 16th
Time: 7:3
0 am - 4:00 pm
Where: La Entrada, in MUR across from school office.
Cost: $1, $3, $5, $8
Cash and checks only accepted.
100% of the proceeds go directly to the La Entrada PTA.
A few notable books to mention:
Dr. Seuss, Olivia, Good Night Moon, Brown Bear Brown Bear, Penney, How I became A Pirate, The Kissing Hand, Where the Wild Things Are, Skippyjon Jones, Baby Mouse
Magic Tree House, The Puppy Place, Ivy and Bean, Big Nate, Captain Underpants, Diary of A Wimpy Kid, Junie B Jones, Judy Moody, Dan Gutman books, Hardy Boys, Rainbow Magic, DragonBreath, Harry Potter, Twilight Series, Hunger Games, Girl With Dragon Tattoo, Pretty Little Liars, Rick Riordan: the Mark of Athena, Heroes of Olympus, The Help, Cooking Light Cook Books, Gone Girl, Snow Queen, James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Tina Fey Bossy Pants
4TH AND 5TH GRADE LATIN CLUB
Even if you have not already signed up, please feel free to join us at lunch period in MUR for our next meetings on December 13th, January 17th, February 14th, March 21st and April 18th.
Some quotes from our current club members:
"I signed up because I thought I would have fun and my friend is in Latin Club."
"I signed up so I can be more educated in spelling and history, and so I can have fun with my friend.""I think it will be an interesting language to take..... help with root words." "My family took a vacation in Italy and when I was in Rome I thought it was the best place. ... I got hooked. I want to understand some of the words that were written about the ruins and other places we visited."
"I really like the Rick Riordan books like Son of Neptune and the Percy Jackson series."
"I thought it would be fun to see how we evolved, what people used to do." " I thought it would be cool to learn about it, and I heard it was really interesting."
AROUND THE WORLD
We're very excited to be able to add another program to the LE Lunchtime Enrichment Program this year. "Around the World" led by Meenu Bhasin, will be introducing our children to cultures and customs from other countries. The program will consist of a short presentation and quiz, followed by games and a snack from the country!
Session One: Thursday, January 31st - Sikhism, led by Alka Sehgal
Session Two: Thursday, April 25th - India, led by Meenu Bhasin
Session Three: Thursday, May 2nd - England, led by Meenu Bhasin
Stay tuned for more details closer to these dates. SCIENCE FAIR SEASON IS UPON US!  Last year the science fair was a blast with with over 80 projects and 140 students involved. Many of the winners went on to the County Fair, the Bay Area Fair, and some to the State Fair. The presentations will be on Wednesday January 16th, but the kids should register by November 20th, have a topic by December 6th, and submit an abstract by January 10th. The sooner they start thinking about what they want to do the better! We need more volunteers to coach the kids, set up for the event, and help judge the event. Please contact Bardia Pezeshki (bardia@pezeshki.org) or Ann Crady (acrady@gmail.com) to help out.
SAVE THE DATE: SPELLING BEE
The annual La Entrada Spelling Bee will take place Friday, January 11, 3:00pm to 5:30pm.
Here's how it works: All students are given a spelling test in class, on a date of their teacher's choosing between Oct 29 and Nov 9. (In the event of absence, make-up testing should be coordinated directly with the teacher.) Qualifying students are identified based on the test scores, invited to the Bee, and provided a study packet. The Bee champion advances to the San Francisco Chronicle Spelling Bee. The Bee follows the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Ways to prepare:
1. Watch the movie Akeelah and the Bee to get inspired.
2. Check out the spelling words at http://myspellit.com/.
3. Quiz your family and friends on tricky words, and have them quiz you.
4. Keep on reading!
NOTE: A few spots are still available for the event of the year: Spelling Test Grading Party: Thursday, Nov 15, from 9:00am to 11:00am. Snacks! Camaraderie! Learning! Laughs galore!
Questions? Contact Kari Mueller (Kari.rae@gmail.com) or Janelle London (jlondon@stanfordalumni.org).
LA ENTRADA GEO BEE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Calling all geography enthusiasts for a fun geography learning experience on Friday December 7th 3:00-5:00 pm. Join us if you like to travel and are curious about geography and the world around us. Parents, please give your support in the audience. Our school level Geo Bee is the first stage of a US wide program. All students are encouraged to participate in this fun and educational event by simply completing the permission slip on the PTA website and submit to the school office.
Each grade level has a winner. The winner of La Entrada's Bee will advance to the next level, a written exam, to qualify for the California State Bee to be held in spring of 2013. The top 100 students will compete at the state level and the winner proceeds to the national competition .
Want to brush up on your geography? Get some tips and recommendations on how to prepare for the Bee. Need more information? Please log on to www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee or join Michele for informal bee practice on December 4th at 7:00 am.
Sample Questions from 2010 Geo Bee
1. Which city is located just north of the aquatic Biscayne National Park- Minot, North Dakota, or Miami , Florida?
2. Which city is located by the Arctic Ocean - Barrow, Alaska or Seattle, Washington
Questions? Ask Michele at michelecleclerc@aol.com or Alka at alkasehgal@gmail.com.
CAREER DAY - SEEKING SPEAKERS!
We are planning a Career Day for the Feb-Apr time period, for 7th and 8th graders. We are looking for parents and non-parents with careers that will inspire the children...mainstream careers, unique exciting careers, interesting career paths, etc. If chosen, you will speak 3 times, 30 minutes each, in the morning. If you might be available to speak or can suggest someone else with an interesting career (parent or not), please send an email to litskovitz@gmail.com (Subject: Career Day Speakers), with the following information: - Name
- Functional Area/Title
- What you do ;)
- Company
- Email
- Phone
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| School News |
8th Grade Information Night
8th Grade Information Night is an opportunity for interested parents and students to meet members of the school community, including current M-A students, parents, faculty and administrators. Leadership students will lead groups in rotating through various classrooms so they can learn more about the school's excellent academic programs. Parents and students from all of M-A's feeder schools are invited to participate on November 14th starting at 6:00 p.m. in Ayer's Gym.
Attention Parents of 8th Graders! Want to get the scoop on M-A from current M-A moms?
The Foundation for the Future is hosting this event solely for the purpose of community education. Join mothers who currently have students at M-A for an informal conversation about the school on Friday, November 30, from 9:00-11:00 am. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Please send an email to rsvp@mafoundation.org if you plan to attend.
A.L.E.K.S. Parent Education Night
Thursday, November 15th, La Entrada Middle School at 7:00pm
The A.L.E.K.S. program, Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces, is a web-based, artificially intelligent learning and assessment system that can be used at school and at home. Its goal is to increase student performance and retention with individualized assessment and learning. Students obtain individually targeted instruction correlated to the California Common Core Standards. By using A.L.E.K.S. at home and at school, students learn at their own pace with A.L.E.K.S. as their personal tutor. Many of our students at La Entrada have been given the opportunity to take part in the on-line A.L.E.K.S. math program during the first couple of months at school and we want to share our goals with the La Entrada community.
In order to provide information and access to all parents participating in our new math support program, we are holding our first A.L.E.K.S. Parent Education Night, Thursday, November 15th in the La Entrada Library from 7:00 - 8:00 PM. All 4th- 8th Grade Parents are invited to attend. Please RSVP to your student's math teacher by November 9th.
Robert Olds
La Entrada Middle School
4th/5th Grade Reading and Math Support Teacher
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| From the Foundation |
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Donate Now - And Help us Earn the Challenge Grant!
We need all families to participate to reach our fundraising goals this year, so we can put the dollars to work for our children next year. And remember, any first time or increased donation you make will have an even bigger impact! Every new donation, as well as the amount of any donation larger than last year, will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by other generous donors to the Foundation who have agreed to fund the Challenge Grant.
Thanks to our 2012-2013 Annual Giving Campaign Donors!
Our fundraising campaign has been successful so far -
let's keep the momentum going!
Through October 30th:
Participation - 39% of families; Our goal: 100% of families
Contributions - $1,550,000; Our goal: $3,000,000
Challenge Grant Earned - $158,000; Our goal: $300,000
Last Week's Donors - Thank You!
Jonathan and Elisabeth Barek, Blair and Barbara Beebe, Ken Brameld and Natalia Colocci, Joe Burfoot and Bo Lin, Brian and Sarah Carey, Stephane and Alexandra Carrou, Jimmy and Tracy Chesler, YoungJun Choi and Kim Heejung, Brett Colbert and Linda Itskovitz, Asoka De Saram and Julia Yang, James DiSanto, Etay and Nili Gafni, Mark Gagan, Alan and Meghan Griffin, Edward Hartman and Risha Henry, Aaron and Jennifer Hipple, Mark and Carolyn Jones, Henry and Emma Jones, Bong Joon Jang and Ji Hyeon Kim, Hisanori and Akiko Kosuge, Kevin Kraft and Mary Cavendish, Portia Ku, James and Pamela Learner, David Lenzi and Miriam Goodman, John Lin and Fung Kwan-Yu Susana, Bill and Sophie Makris, Hector Marin and Veronica Revolorio, Laurent Masia and Elisabeth Depardieu, Colene McKeon,Michael and Stacy Molano, Jim and Jennifer Montalvo, Jeffrey and Rebecca Montgomery, Kazushige and Ayako Morimoto, Hy Murveit and Leslie Airola-Murveit, Sarvi and Ramin Naderi, Tom Pai and Brenda Kim, Melissa Palecek, Joshua and Marina Pebbles, Tanguy Peers and Marie Simonart, Kent Price and Katherine Clay, Scott and Paula Rash, Deborah Roden, David and Stephanie Rudd, Alvaro and Heather Salas, Mike and Sue Sartor, Eric and Pamela Stang, David and Christy Story, Yasmin Valencia , Parents of Abigale Wee, Leslie Weinstein, Stuart and Limor Wilks, Nick and Stephanie Zaharias, Michael and Saloumeh Zaheri, Kevin Zoufan and Setareh Mozafari
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Don't forget to take advantage of 2012 Corporate Match dollars available from your employer! Your support makes all the difference to our schools and our children. Click here for a list of companies who have previously matched donations and for specific instructions. Alternatively, our Matching Gifts Coordinator at matchinggifts@llef.org can help you find out if your company will match your contribution. For additional questions feel free to email: ceil-pinto@comcast.net.
 The fun continues this Fall...buy tickets now to the following Foundation Events & Adventures:
- Explorer Challenge for Kindergartners and 1st Graders on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
- La Entrada Kids Care at San Francisco City Academy on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
- The Hands-On Creative Tour of My New Red Shoes on Thursday, November 15, 2012
- Mother/Son Bowling, Saturday, November 17, 2012
- Mother/Daughter Holiday Cookie and Craft Gala on Sunday December 2, 2012
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| Sequoia Union High School District News |
Big Band Dance at Menlo-Atherton High School
Join us Saturday, November 17th, 7-11pm, for the 29th Annual Big Band Dance featuring music by MA's award-winning jazz, concert and orchestra ensembles. This is a great family-friendly event and fundraiser for the MA Band Boosters. Admission includes free dance lessons with Cheryl Burke Studios! Fabulous auction items available like Disneyland tickets, overnights at the Rosewood Hotel and Spa, PGA pro golf lessons, dinner at favorite local restaurants, and more. Don't miss this fun community event and support music in our school. Tickets and more information available at www.mabandboosters.org
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M-A PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
"The College Solution: Finding the Right School at the Right Price"
with Bestselling Author, Journalist and Blogger Lynn O'Shaughnessy
Thursday, November 15, 2012, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. M-A Center for the Performing Arts (PAC)
Please join us for a special college presentation with guest presenter Lynn O'Shaughnessy, a nationally recognized college expert and bestselling author of The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price. As a higher-education journalist and consultant, Lynn writes a college blog for CBS MoneyWatch and her own blog at TheCollegeSolution.com. She has written and/or been interviewed about college issues for such national media as The New York Times, Money Magazine, Smart Money, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Consumer Reports, USA Today, Money Magazine and Parade Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Associated Press, MSN Money, Huffington Post, Fox Business News and The Early Show on CBS.
Lynn's perspective, particularly on financial issues as they relate to college admission, is straightforward and eye-opening. She offers a different view from others you might have heard, largely because of her financial background and expertise.
Register at: http://lynnoshaughnessy.eventbrite.com/
M-A Parent Education Series events are FREE and sponsored by the Menlo-Atherton PTA
and the Sequoia Healthcare District.
For more information, please contact Charlene Margot, M-A Parent Education Series Program Director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650.868.0590
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8th Grade Parent Information Night at Menlo-Atherton High School
Date:Wednesday, November 14th
Time:6:00-6:30pm Welcome by Matthew Zito
6:30-8:30pm Classroom Rotations
Place:Ayers Gym
Parking: All parking lots will be available on campus
8th Grade Information Night" is an opportunity for interested parents and students to meet members of the school community including students, parents, faculty and administrators. School Principal, Matthew Zito, will speak about the diverse, supportive and academically rigorous environment that can be found at M-A. Afterward, families will be invited to rotate through various classrooms so they may learn more about the school's excellent academic programs.
Donate Old Computers, Printers, Digital Cameras, Flash Drives to M-A Students
WANTED: Old computers or parts, working or not, for M-A High School PTA computer donation program. Your old computer equipment will be securely erased, refurbished, and sent home with a needy, hard-working student. Our goal is for every student at M-A High School to have a working computer at home to assist them with their homework. We welcome donations from individuals or corporate donations from companies that are upgrading their equipment. Donations are tax-deductible. We also need other types of electronic gear, such as USB flash drives and digital cameras (include manual, battery charger and memory card if you have them). For more detailed information, visit www.suekayton.com/MAHigh/computerdonations.htm or contact Sue Kayton at (650) 853-1711 or kayton@alum.mit.edu.
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:
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.
This holiday season more than 1 in 10 of our neighbors in need will be turning to Second Harvest Food Bank for a meal - together we can help!
HopeUP is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank to bring hope, relief and security to our neighbors struggling with hunger. Our online Food Drive will help the Food Bank meet more of the growing need in our community. Your support helps connect hungry children, families, and seniors to nutritious food in the neighborhoods where they live, learn, work, and play. To learn more about Second Harvest Food Bank and how you can help, please visit www.shfb.org.
Classroom Volunteers Needed in East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto
We are looking for parents interested in volunteering in a K-4 classroom at schools in the Ravenswood District. Assist teachers with tutoring and individualized instruction much like you may have done in your own child's classroom. These K-4 classrooms are in schools located in East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. It's an hour per week and we'd like to add more volunteers to assist in classrooms this fall. Our organization coordinates everything. To learn more about us, visit www.allstudentsmatter.org. Have questions or want to sign up? Contact Keri Tully at keritully@gmail.com or Jeanette Kennedy at jkc_kennedy@yahoo.com.
La Entrada Coat Drive Nov 9th- Nov 30th
The La Entrada Cub Scout Den's will be hosting a Coat drive for their community service project. All coats will be provided to our nearby Selby Lane school. Selby Lane is a K-8th grade school in great need for warm coats this winter. They are particularly in need of coats for 74 Fifth Graders that are attending an outdoor education trip in January. Youth sizes and Adult small or medium sizes are needed.
Please do not donate RED or BLUE coats. They are not allowed to wear these colors
at school. Bins will be located in the front of school as well as in Mr. Ertola's classroom #22 from
Nov 9th- Nov 30th. Thank you for your help in making our drive a success!
'Twas the Night Before Christmas
This holiday production is presented by Dancers Repertory Theatre and Menlo Park Academy of
Dance and reviewed as a "charming alternative to the Nutcracker." Performances will be given at the Woodside Performing Arts Center on Sunday December 9th (1:00pm and 4:00pm), Saturday December 15th (1:00pm and 4:00pm), and Sunday December 16th, (1:00pm and 4:00pm). Tickets
are available at www.twasthenight.org or by calling 650-323-5292.
Las Lomitas dancers include Juliana B., Sophia C., Jack C., Sabrina D., Riley J., Ashley M., Elina K., Jessica N., Tedi P., and Elena T. La Entrada dancers include Ava A., Sophia B., Alex C., Annie C., Sarah E., Greta H., Leben K., Maddie O., Caroline T., and Amelia T. All six shows are expected to sell out, so buy your tickets now!
Packard Pediatric Weight Control Program - Spaces Available for Winter Groups
Spaces are available now for the Packard Pediatric Weight Control Program, a 6 month weekly family program. The 1.5 hour small groups of children (ages 8-15) and parents meet weekly to focus on establishing healthy eating and exercise habits. Call (650) 725-4424 for more information about the next groups in English and Spanish and for payment options. Visit our website and hear what past participants say about their experiences.
To see one of our graduates share his experience at the recent groundbreaking ceremony (introduced by Chris Dawes), click here. Also, to see a news story about one of our graduates who recently published a book about his experience, click here.
Raising a Child with a Chronic Illness
In November Carb DM (www.carbdm.org) is co-sponsoring a three-part workshop with Parents Place on: Raising a Child with a Chronic Illness: Navigating Family Dynamics in the "New Normal"
As wonderful as parenthood is, under the best of circumstances it can be challenging, stressful, and unpredictable. This is even more true for those whose children live with chronic, life-threatening conditions. In this three-session workshop series we will focus on coping with the uncertainty of your child's illness, coming to terms with the emotions parents have surrounding their child's illness and how those emotions come to bare when parenting the child with the chronic illness.
We will address issues such as effectively communicating with your spouse around treatment options, maintaining the couple relationship during stressful times; parenting your other children, addressing their feelings, and maintaining a healthy family balance.
To register go to Parents Place Online. With MIMI EZRAY, LCSW, Coordinator, Parents Place, Center for Special Needs on the Peninsula
Dates: Thursdays, November 1, 8 & 15, 2012
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Fee: $30 per session
Location: Parents Place - 200 Channing Ave., Palo Alto
Alpine Strikers FC - Soccer Tryouts
Is your child passionate about soccer and ready to take his/her game to the next level? Alpine Strikers FC is holding open tryouts to form new teams and expand existing teams. Alpine Strikers serves the communities of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside, as well as neighboring areas. Tryouts for the spring season will be held the weekend of December 1 and 2 for the U8 to U11 age groups. To find out more and register, please visit:alpinestrikers.org.
Stanford Splash!
Indoor Lacrosse
Indoor Lacrosse this Winter is Local in Redwood City! Coach Bond with SixFifty Lacrosse is offering 6th, 7th, & 8th graders: There's no better way to improve your game in the off-season than indoor lacrosse! Fast-paced, exciting action and the chance to work on your dodging, shooting, defense, and team play in an indoor arena. Register at sixfiftylacrosse.com.
Junior Tennis Program at La Entrada
Josh Capelle, the La Entrada tennis coach this past year (and current year), is running weekly program this winter starting on November 6th with a new schedule and lasting until the start of the actual tennis season in March. Kids will get 2-4 practices a week in addition to some competitive match play on Thursdays/Fridays. This would be a great opportunity for kids to come into the actual middle school season prepared and ready to play. They will be divided into two groups based on level which will practice at different times. Currently, he is taking 5th-8th graders and looking for serious players wanting to develop their game. Please contact Josh at josh.capelle@gmail.com or 650-208-7317 for more information on the new schedule or for any questions you may have.
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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
on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication date.
Submission Requirements:
- In the subject line of the email, please include the section in which you wish your item to be placed (see our newsletter policies for the list of our regular sections); for example, the subject may read "PTA News" for any item related to PTA programs;
- DO NOT send the article as an attachment but in the body of the email: submission sent as Word doc will be rejected;
- Clearly indicate the title of your submission;
- DO NOT send flyers but provide a link to them;
- DO NOT send pictures but provide a link to them;
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