Dear La Entrada Parents,

Some End-of-Year Announcements/Reminders:

Congratulations to the 7th graders for winning this year's School Spirit competition!  Following with tradition, the entire 7th grade class enjoyed a day at Raging Waters Park Friday 5/30 as the reward for having demonstrated the most spirit throughout the year and during our Spirit Olympics competition. I have enjoyed seeing students dress up for the Spirit Dress Up Days throughout the year, as well as watching them compete in the lunch time grade level Spirit Competitions!  Thanks to our fantastic Leadership students for having organized our Spirit Events, our Associated Student Body Officers for overseeing all events and for the solid leadership of Mrs. Rianda, our ASB/Leadership Teacher.  Wonder who will be next year's Spirit Competition winners?

Math Placement:  Incoming 6th - 8th grade math placement was discussed on Thursday May 1st at a parent information meeting.  Thank you to the parents and families that joined the math teacher and me for the discussion. The teachers have scored the assessments and used the same rubric as last year to place students. We will mail 2014-15 math placement letters by mid-June.  If you have any questions about the assessments or the process, please contact me or the math teachers directly.

Writers' Workshop: An Overview for Parents:  Do you want to know more about how LLESD teachers are teaching the writing process? Do you want to know what the research says about learning to write? Do you want to know how you can provide writing support for your child at home?
Columbia University Teachers College experts, Shanna Schwartz and Katie Even, will provide an overview of the components of Writers' Workshop. Come learn about the writing process!
June 17, 2014, 6:00-7:30 pm, Las Lomitas School- Cano Hall, Bring a notepad and pen or pencil. 
Please RSVP to: Sherry Jones at sjones@llesd.org or 650-854-1215 x23 

Comprehensive Sexual Health Education: Health Education instruction to 7th graders, as required in Education Code and the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act, is taught the last two weeks of school.  It is taught by State-approved provider, Planned Parenthood. Curriculum resources may be reviewed in the school office from 7:45 - 3:30. Questions may be directed to Sonya Dineen or Shannon Potts (650)-854-3962.

5th Grade Transition:   As part of our plan to focus and ensure a smooth transition from the 5th grade into the 6th grade.  Each 5th grade teacher has paired up with a 6th grade core teacher to plan joint activities and that help uncover the "mystery of the 6th grade."   In one classroom, the students are creating iMovies that explain the life of a 6th grader.  The 6th grade students will share the movies with their partner 5th graders the last weeks of school.  Stay tuned for more information from the 5th grade teachers on their planned events.

Dates:  Last Day for the Homework Center and Peer Tutoring was Thursday, May 29. Library Materials are due back now. (The library will allow summer check outs beginning June 2)

Yearbooks: Yearbooks will be distributed beginning Friday, June 6. Yearbooks will be held for students who have not met the following obligations:

1. All textbooks returned (or paid for, if lost)

2. All library books turned in (or paid for, if lost)

3. All iPad's, with all the associated pieces, returned to Ms. Mitchell and her team.

8th Grade Recognition Event:  On June 9 from 2:50-3:45pm, the 8th graders are invited to the gym for a recognition event. The event is for students and staff only, and it is our opportunity to recognize the class of 2014.  There will be late buses available for those students who need one.  Please make sure that your child has transportation plans.

8th Grade Graduation: We are excited that this year's graduation will again be held in our gym. Please remember that seating will be first come, first served. Also, please keep in mind that the gym will have limited seating capacity. We have 129 graduates and about 625 chairs (plus the bleachers) for the audience. On a more personal note:

The year is ending, and I would like to thank all of you for your support as I learned about the students, families and the community at La Entrada. Each year, I recognize more faces and know more names.  I know the bus riders vs. the walkers. I know who likes to play four square and who prefers the computer lab.  I am much better at connecting the parents' names and faces to the students.  I feel a strong connection to the community of teachers, students and families at La Entrada. 

As I reflect on this year, so many positive things come to mind. First, I hope you had a chance this year to witness the outstanding work they did (both in the classroom and outside the classroom). They have achieved in so many ways this year, academically, artistically and athletically. The LE community is saddened to say goodbye to the 8th grade class but are sure that they are ready tackle the challenges of the next grade level. The students and staff are prepared to take on the leadership responsibilities of welcoming and integrating a new class of students into the school. I would like to thank the La Entrada's staff for putting in countless hours this year to make sure that our students received a rich academic and extra-curricular experience. This has been no small task, and they deserve a summer break full of rest and relaxation!

Our staff knows that we could not do what we do without the thousands of volunteer hours donated by our parent community. Your contributions of time, treasures and talents helped support our staff and students in phenomenal ways! Thank you to the parents that volunteered and served on the PTA, Site Council, Foundation and Las Lomitas League for all the ways that they add to La Entrada. I look forward to seeing some of you at graduation and for those that I don't I hope you are able to fill your summer with fun and exciting experiences.

Warmest regards,

Shannon Potts