A Message from Shannon Potts 

Dear La Entrada Community:

This article outlines our class placement process for La Entrada students in grades 4-8.  The faculty spends considerable thought and attention formulating classes that will work best for students.  The teachers and administrators consider three major perspectives as we work together to develop class groupings:  the needs of the individual child, the need to create balance within each classroom, and the need to create balance among classrooms at a grade level.  The teachers work carefully to create classrooms that are evenly balanced in terms of:

• Gender, social maturity, interest, student background
• Academics-high, medium, and low performing students
• Special needs-student who work with our many specialists such as  English Learner Support, Speech and Language, the Resource Program,  Reading and/or Math Intervention
• Health and other special needs
• Social relationships

For Students Entering Grades 4-5:

The process for composing classes involves all teachers at a grade level working together to develop classes for the next grade.  As they work together during several meetings, the administration and support staff also provide perspectives based on their knowledge of the children.  As appropriate, input from prior teachers is tapped.  We believe that your child's current teacher possesses the necessary information and understanding concerning your child to make an appropriate grouping for the coming school year.  Teachers' names are not assigned until after the class configurations are complete.

In order to maintain balance in class size we may have multi-graded classes.  For the 2014-15 school year, we anticipate a 4/5 multi-grade class.  Multi-grade classes are of the same high caliber as all other classes.  These classes are formed using the same process described above.

We do expect that parents will trust and respect the judgment of staff in making classroom placement decisions?  We do not accept requests for specific teachers because such requests would compromise our ability to develop balanced classes - which would impact all children.  Since requests for specific teachers are not helpful to this process, we ask that you do not formally or informally make requests for specific teachers.

While we do not accept teacher requests, it is helpful for us to know if you have had an older child in a specific classroom that did not work well for him or her.  If you wish to provide additional perspectives about your child that you believe we are not aware of and that could be useful to us as we engage in the grouping process, we offer that opportunity through email to me (spotts@llesd.org).  Remember, this is optional.  There is no expectation that an email be sent.  It is simply our way of offering an additional opportunity for those of you who want to provide more input.  Please note that while we do our best to accommodate student needs in the core classroom, the process for math placement may not allow for such requests.

For Students Entering Grades 6-8:

The process for these grade levels is much more "technology" dependent because we offer students a wide variety of courses in a manner that is more typical of a high school.  We use a computer system to do the scheduling of students in grades 6-8.  The process looks like this:

      1. The students fill out their registration forms, listing their elective choices for the following year. (This has already happened.)

      2.We develop a master schedule that has the highest probability of meeting the highest percent of student requests.  This is a list of classes, what periods of the day the classes will take place, the teachers for each class, maximum number of students for the class, and the room the classes take place in.

      3. Students' elective choices are entered into the system, as well as a list of the required courses they must take.

      4. The computer places the students into a schedule which allows for the closest match of the student getting his/her top elective choices as well as the required courses.

      5. The computer generates a list of students who were unable to be scheduled completely.  We then look at the students' other elective choices to see how to make the schedule work, and we also experiment with other variations of the master schedule.

      6. We print out a list of all classes and make necessary adjustments to try to balance the class groupings.

In August, the administration and counselors review and finalize class lists to accommodate students who have enrolled or moved away over the summer.  We put tremendous effort into creating balanced classes to best meet the needs of all of our students.  We are continually refining the process and are proud of our results.

As outlined above, if you have important information about your child's placement for next year, submit that information to me in writing before May 1, 2013.  Any placement information received after this date may not be considered due to our placement schedule.

Sincerely,

Shannon Potts

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From our Assistant Principal, Sonya Dineen

Safety Drill

Reminder: On Monday, March 17, there will be another Safety Drill, our "Disaster Drill" at 1:45pm-2:40pm.  Please refrain from picking up your child during this time, if at all possible.  If you do need to speak with someone in the office during the drill time, please come out to the blacktop and speak with Mrs. Rudge or Mrs. Stosz.

Dogs on Campus

School Policy clearly states that dogs are not allowed on campus during school hours, neither on or off leash.  Thank you, parents, for following this policy.  All dogs on campus after 3:00pm still need to be on leash.  There have been complaints about dogs running through the hallways and using our lawn as a bathroom, something the Menlo City Policy are aware of.  Should you be on campus after school hours and find yourself surrounded by a "dog park" atmosphere, the Menlo City Police has asked that citizens call in and make a report to the police department.  Safety and a healthy environment are our priorities here at La Entrada. 

Spring Photo Shoot Day - March 27

Reminder: This year we are going to have a new photographer, iclick smiles, (www.iclicksmiles.com) come to La Entrada and shoot some Spring Photos.   You will soon receive a communication from iclick smiles with details on how to reserve a photo shoot appointment for your child on Thursday, March 27.  Please feel free to email me and share with me your thoughts on the quality of this new vendor.

iPads at Home

If you happen to find your child spending too much time on their electronics at night, it is recommended you set a family protocol for evening electronic use time.  Setting a protocol for having the overnight charging of student electronics (cell phones and iPads) in the kitchen, would be a smart method to avoid having these electronics in bedrooms where students can be on them late into the night.  A useful website on this subject is: http://mediatechparenting.net.  If parents would prefer to have their child keep their iPad on campus and not bring it home nightly, please see the front office and bring in both chargers with the iPad into the office.  iPads can be stored overnight and picked up every morning by the student.

"Behave!"

Thursday April 3, 6:00-8:30pm, begin in the PAC

6:00pm - Welcome to M-A

6:15pm - Principal's Message

6:45-8:30pm - Classrooms will be open to visit and meet teachers. 

Jueves, 3 de abril, 6:00-8:30pm, empieza en PAC

6:00pm - Bienvenidos a M-A     

6:15pm - Mensaje del Director

6:45 - 8:30pm - Los salones estarán disponibles para que los visiten y conozcan   

                              a los maestros. 

Woodside Parent Education Series

"THE COLLEGE SOLUTION" with Lynn O'Shaughnessy, College Financial Expert

Thursday, April 3, 7:00 p.m.,  Woodside Performing Arts Center (PAC)

Lynn O'Shaughnessy is a nationally recognized expert on making college more affordable. Lynn is the author of the Amazon bestseller, The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price. She is the consulting director of college planning for the University of California, San Diego's K-16 programs. Attendees will receive a free digital copy of Ms. O'Shaughnessy's workbook, "Shrinking the Cost of College." 

Come hear expert information on the following topics - and more!  

* Strategies to increase admission chances

* How to evaluate colleges and universities academically

* The real story behind college rankings

* Will you qualify for financial aid?

* How to tap into the biggest sources of college money

* How to find the most generous colleges for your child

* How investments impact financial aid

Register:  https://collegesolution2014woodside.eventbrite.com

Woodside Parent Education Series events are free and sponsored by the Woodside PTSA and the Sequoia Healthcare District.  SUHSD parents, students, and community members welcome!