From the Principals
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Dear Parents,
Counseling Corner The La Entrada Counseling Department is here to aid in facilitating a smooth transition between the dependence of the elementary school years and the independence of the high school years. The middle school counselors strive to be a resource for information concerning academic, social and emotional needs for our students. Mrs. Witthaus is the counselor for 4th, 5th and 8th grade and Mrs. Tavernakis is the counselor for 6th and 7th grade. We are here to provide support to students in order to maximize potential and academic achievement. In partnership with teachers, parents/guardians, and the community, we help facilitate a support system to ensure all students at La Entrada have access to a curriculum which is based on their intellectual, social, and emotional needs. We want our students to be prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute at the highest level as they advance through their academic careers.
What We Offer: -
Guidance Curriculum- Assist students in the development of basic life skills.
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Responsive Services- Intervention on behalf of those students whose immediate personal concerns/problems put their personal-social and/or educational development at risk.
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Individual Planning- Guide students as they plan, monitor and manage their educational and social development.
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System Support- Assist with programs that support students and to coordinate with parents, teachers, administrators, and school staff to benefit all students.
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Counseling Groups- Various counseling groups are formed and run on an as needed basis throughout the school year addressing such issues as motivation, organization, stress/anxiety, social skills, grief, problem solving and making healthy choices. Please contact your counselor for more information.
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Individual Counseling - We have an open door policy to deal with problem solving. We also have ACS (Adolescent Counseling Services), a service that offers weekly counseling to our students. A permission slip must be signed by parent/guardian before sessions can begin.
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Academic Watch- We track students academically and meet with students regularly if they are missing assignments. We not only help with an organizational plan, but offer advice on how to communicate with teachers and make up missing assignments/projects.
SchoolLoop Please check SchoolLoop regularly. SchoolLoop is an online application for students and parents to communicate with teachers by Loopmail, review the calendar for homework assignments/projects, and monitor grades. If you have not signed up to receive daily emails, please do so. If you need assistance, please come to the counseling office, room 7.
La Entrada Community Our lunch time clubs are up and running. Clubs running at the moment: Book Club, Physics Club, Expect Respect, Community Service Club, and the Leopard's Lounge, just to name a few. If your student did not sign up during the Leopards' Faire, but is interested, have your student see their counselor in room 7 as soon as possible. Lunch time has many fun, enriching activities going on due to our fabulous parent volunteers and dedicated teachers.
Peer Tutoring Thank you to our Peer Tutors for helping their peers. If your student would like extra help in a specific subject, please have them sign up in the counseling office (Rm. 7). Peer Tutoring: Mondays, Room 44 from 2:55 -3 :35 p.m. (A late bus pass will be provided). If your student is interested in tutoring please have them speak to their counselor, more tutors are needed.
8th Grade Parents It is currently open enrollment for Sequoia District. Online open enrollment transfer applications are due no later than 2/19/2016. No late applications are accepted, no exceptions, so make sure if you are interested in your student not attending their assigned school, to complete your forms as soon as possible. Please click here for more detailed information. Most of the schools have open houses and shadowing opportunities so you can find a best fit school. We are lucky to be located in an area with so many wonderful public and private schools. Both the public and private schools are holding open houses and shadowing opportunities, check the individual websites for the particulars for each school. If you have questions or concerns regarding high school options, email eighth grade counselor Kim Witthaus or call (650) 854-3962 ex. 218.
ACS - Free Psychotherapy Services at La Entrada Is your child going through a difficult transition? Do you notice any behavioral changes? Maybe they're going through growing pains? La Entrada is proud to offer free psychotherapy services to all of our students, regardless of their financial situation. The services are provided by Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), a nonprofit organization that delivers strength-based psychotherapy in middle schools and high schools. Students meet one-on-one with a therapist once a week at school during school hours. Some of the issues that are frequently addressed are: - Sadness
- Anxiety
- Grief
- Interpersonal difficulties
- Self-esteem
- Stress
The ACS counselors take a personal growth approach in working with each child, with a focus on empowerment. ACS' office is located in Room 42. Feel free to drop by Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday to find out more about their services, or you can contact them at (650) 854-3962 x 243. ACS will also be offering free group psychotherapy for children dealing with issues of personal growth, divorce, and dealing with loss. The groups will meet once a week during lunch.
What is LELE? LELE is a parent run lunch program that offers monthly high-interest sessions during lunch times. These sessions offer alternative activities that students choose to attend, depending on their individual interest. During the first weeks of school, students attend the "Leopard Faire" during lunch, learn about the variety of LELE sessions they can choose from and sign up for sessions. This year our Leopard's Faire was very popular and many students found clubs of interest to join.
Our lunchtime enrichment clubs are already underway and students are enjoying themselves. In addition to our traditional Book Club and Student Campus Climate Club for 6th-8th graders, now known as the "Expect Respect Club", we have added four new clubs. We are proud to announce La Entrada's very own Physics Club, which will start on October 12th and, The Geo Bee Study Club, which will meet TBD and the Community Service Club, which will have its first meeting on October 28th, and Mine Craft Club which will are still working on finding a date in the lab.
We hope the kids will enjoy these new LELE clubs during lunchtime and thank all the parents volunteers who have stepped up and offered their time and talent to work with the students through enriching activities.
Facilities Update Last June the School Board provided direction to proceed on our revised Master Plan. That plan included a new classroom building on the blacktop and reconfigured blacktop area and basketball courts. We are currently in the schematic design and programming phase of the project and our Architects are working hard on the designs. We have been surveying our sites, assessing our current infrastructure conditions, studying traffic patterns, and preparing for our CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) studies.
Our Facilities committee, consisting of teachers, administrators, Board members, and parents, has had two design meetings and we have discussed several concepts for the development of our classrooms and the different kinds of education spaces we want to incorporate. We are currently looking at creating 21st century classrooms spaces that allow a great deal of flexibility and collaboration within the classroom and between classrooms. Some features we are exploring include moveable furniture (which we have been prototyping in 6 classrooms on campus), moveable partition walls to allow classes to come together in larger spaces, breakout rooms for group work, spill out spaces for further collaboration and one on one instruction, and multipurpose spaces that can accommodate ranges of activities and numbers of students. Our goal is to create spaces that allow the students to be create and learn in an environment that adapts to the needs and goals at the moment.
Our current phase will be completed in January and we will hold public meetings to discuss our direction as we move into further development on the building. Our construction is scheduled to begin January 2017 and be completed by the start of the 2018-19 school year. If you have any questions, feel free to email our Director of Bond Projects, Eric Holm.
Thank you,
Shannon Potts, Principal
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From the Assistant Principals
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Expect Respect Club
The Expect Respect Club, comprised of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, is a Project Cornerstone group that meets regularly to work on different activities to lead throughout the year building assets within our school community.
Expect Respect will be hosting the first "Mix It Up Lunch Day" during Lunch at La Entrada on October 27.
Mix It Up at Lunch Day is a national campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance over a decade ago. This day encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries. According to Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, studies have shown that students identify lunch as the place where social boundary divisions are most clearly drawn. Our Expect Respect Club will be asking students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch on Tuesday. It's a simple act with profound implications.
Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can begin to fall away. Please talk with your student(s) about this event and how they felt it went, what they may have noticed about sitting with someone new and if they made some new friends.
For more information on Mix it Up please visit their website. Following Halloween, Expect Respect club members will be in charge of the nonprofit "Sweet Sacrifice" event. Last year's event was very successful and we anticipate another year filled with bags and bags of donated "leftover candy". All students will be asked to donate any "leftover" candy from their Halloween trick-or-treat collection to the front of the school beginning November 1. Donations will be collected for one week and the candy loot will then be donated to an organization that will forward donations on to our soldiers.
Healthy Kids Survey for grades 5 & 7 By now, parents should have received information about the California Healthy Kids Survey for this year. It is administered to students in grades 5, 7, 9 and 11 every two years. We will be administering the survey to our 5th and 7th graders over the next two weeks. Students in grade 5 must have parental permission to take this anonymous survey and students of 7th graders may opt-out of taking this survey.
The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is the largest statewide survey of resiliency, protective factors, and risk behaviors in the nation. Across California, the CHKS has led to a better understanding of the relationship between students' health behaviors and academic performance, and is frequently cited by state policymakers and the media as a critical component of school improvement efforts to help guide the development of more effective health, prevention, and youth development programs.
For more detailed information on this survey, please visit their website. If you have any further questions, please email Sonya Dineen or call (650) 854-3962 ext#211.
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PTA News
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The 2015-2016 Reflections theme is 'Let Your Imagination Fly'
The arts and National PTA® Reflections support student success and serve as a valuable tool for engaging families and building strong partnerships in the school community. Founded in 1969, Reflections engages nearly 300,000 students and their families in arts education activities each year by encouraging students to explore the arts for fun and recognition.
REFLECT on the theme. CREATE art. BE RECOGNIZED! Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 students are encouraged to submit original works of art in one or more of the following categories:
- Dance Choreography
- Film Production
- Literature
- Musical Composition
- Photography
- Visual Arts
Students with disabilities may receive special accommodations by entering the special artist division.
To participate, please refer to the rules for each category and fill out the entry form and return it to the office with your submission by November 5th. The Reflections Gallery and Awards Show will take place on November 19th at 6:30 p.m. in Jensen Hall. All students and parents are welcome! To volunteer for this event, please contact volunteers@laentradapta.org.
 La Entrada Used Book Fair
Now collecting books for the La Entrada Used Book Fair! Please donate your unwanted books (children's and adult) to this fantastic event -- 100% of the proceeds go directly to La Entrada School and PTA funded programs. Books will be collected from October 12 through Oct 30 at both Las Lomitas and La Entrada. And don't forget to mark your calendars for the La Entrada Used Book Fair (Nov 9th -14th) -- it's a great place to shop for new and like-new books for the whole family! Please, no technical or textbooks.
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Las Lomitas Education Foundation
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Donate before November 13th
and your gift will count in the
Giving-by-Grade Contest!
The grade with the highest participation rate will win $200 for each class in that grade level.
*To be spent by the winning grade's teachers for enrichment or classroom supplies this year.
Last year 4th Grade won the competition. Can 5th grade come through again or is another grade level poised to take the championship?
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School News
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Requesting Homework Procedures
When a student is absent due to illness, it is best to focus on resting and getting well. After three days of excused absences, parents may request homework from the front office if the following methods are not sufficient:
- Check SchoolLoop for homework assignments and due dates. Check resources such as weekly or monthly assignment sheets or websites or call a friend in class to find out what work was assigned
- Call or email our front office staff by 9am on the day you wish to pick up missed homework. Requests made after 9am will not be available on the same day.
Any work provided by a teacher will be in the homework cubby box in the office after 3:00 p.m. If someone other than a parent or sibling is going to pick up the homework, please let Ms. Parisi or Mrs. Stosz know when the request for homework is made so they can be helpful.
Preferred Practice: Get make-up work from teachers upon return to school. Students are allowed two days to make up homework for each excused absence.
School Talent Show! 
Are you a musician? An athlete? An actor or actress? A scholar? An artist? A gymnast? Tryouts for the Annual Talent Show will be held during both lunches in room 20 during the week of November 2-6th. All potential acts are asked to perform only thirty seconds of his/her act in front of a panel of ASB student judges and Mrs. Rianda.
When selecting acts for the show, we make sure that there are at least two acts per grade level, there are a variety of different talents, and that both genders are well represented. Unfortunately, some acts will not make it into this year's show. Acts that make it into the Talent Show will be posted outside the door of room 20 on Monday, November 9th. The Talent Show will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at 6:30 p.m.
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Parent Education
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THE PARENT EDUCATION SERIES ON FACEBOOK
Now you can Like us on Facebook! The SUHSD Parent Education Series Facebook page will keep you posted about upcoming parent education events, articles on parenting, schools and education, community parent events and more!
WOODSIDE PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
"Body Image Workshop - Love the Skin You're In ®" - with Founder Brie Mathers
Thursday, November 5, 2015, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Woodside High School, Multi-Use Room (MUR)
Has Instagram got your teen glued to his or her phone? Love the Skin You're In™ is a dynamic multimedia presentation that offers healthy strategies for navigating the negative and pervasive cultural messaging affecting youth today. Founder Brie Mathers demystifies the socioeconomic underpinnings of beauty norms and invites parents to embrace the inevitable challenge of being role models for health and happiness.
Activist Brie Mathers has spoken to over 60,000 young women, inspiring them to reclaim their minds and bodies from ubiquitous media idealizations. Brie's partners include National Youth Week New Zealand, Bay Area TEDx, University of Rochester Medical Center, Jikoji Zen Center, and Dr. Riane Eisler's Center for Partnership Studies. She has been featured in The San Jose Mercury News, Coastal Living, Origin, and on LA Talk Radio and CTV News. Brie is the author of Freedom to Blossom and is currently working on a new documentary, You Got This - Owning Body Image.
Parents, students, faculty/staff and community members welcome! Free admission.
Spanish interpretation will be available.
Woodside Parent Education Series events are sponsored by the Woodside PTSA, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and the Sequoia Union High School District.
Questions? Email Charlene Margot, M.A., Founding Director, The Parent Education Series or call 650.868.0590. For Spanish, contact Maricela Lopez, Bilingual Parent Liaison, 650.367.7263 Ext. 45323.
Las Lomitas PTA Parent Education Event
"Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age" with Richard Freed, Ph.D.
Monday, November 16, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Cano Hall at Las Lomitas Elementary
The Las Lomitas PTA invites you to hear Richard Freed, Ph.D. speak on the surprising science of raising happy and successful children in a digital age. While technology has ushered in dramatic changes to our lives, research is revealing that the most important contributor to children's well-being is still their connection to family and school. This thought-provoking talk will help you see through destructive tech myths and will provide practical strategies to build a strong family and foster kids' school success in an age of distracting devices.
This LL Parent Education evening is free and open to parents, faculty/staff and community members. Adults only please.
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Community News
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Please bring your family & friends and join us in a PIZZA and PASTA FUNDRAISER for the upcoming Washington D.C. trip of our 8th graders!
Amici's East Coast Pizzeria 880 Santa Cruz Avenue
Menlo Park
Monday, November 9th
11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Dine in OR take-out
(no deliveries)
Present this flyer and Amici's will generously donate 25% of your food, beverage and GIFT CERTIFICATE purchases to help support the Washington DC trip of our 8th graders!
This fundraiser event is only valid at Amici's Menlo Park. Amici's cannot promise seating together for large groups.
 Be a facilitator at M-A's Challenge Day - Be the Change!
Join us one day - Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, October 26, 27 or 28 for this memorable workshop that helps freshmen break down barriers and create new levels of empathy and respect. This is one of the most meaningful volunteer opportunities at M-A and a great way for parents to gain insights into M-A. Volunteer facilitators lead students through games, activities and trust building exercises and are guided by a professional, trained Challenge Day leader. The time frame is 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
To volunteer, email Julie Quinlan. Please note "Challenge Day Volunteer" in your email subject line.
 Interested in being a mentor for a high school student?
The Academy program is a small school environment which targets at-risk students. During their Junior year, students may request a Community Mentor that works with them on both academic & career goals. The students career interests are widespread from law enforcement and medicine to environmental planning and video game design.
The commitment is approximately 2 hours per month, with most interactions via email and four face-to-face meetings over the course of the school year. The first meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 9:00 a.m., and the program wraps up in early May.
Any questions, please email the Mentor Coordinator, Faith Velschow, or call
(650) 591-7502.
Tell Our City Council How to Make Menlo Park Truly Bike Friendly
The Menlo Park City Council is currently considering a field trial of bike lanes on El Camino Real but is not evaluating the alternative of an east-west bike connection across this highway. Re-Imagine Menlo Park, a local website/blog, invites all residents to tell our city leaders which investment in our community bike network would be most beneficial for them and their families. Please spend a few minutes to complete an online survey - whether you and you family currently ride bikes, or not - and encourage your friends and neighbors to do so, as well. Initial survey results will be published in October.
Girl Scout Information Event - Tuesday, October 27th
Is your daughter interested in Girl Scouts? Come to a parent information meeting at the Encinal Elementary School Library (195 Encinal Avenue, Atherton) on Tuesday, October 27th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Kindergarten and first grade girls can become Daisy scouts while second and third grade girls can become Brownies. Troops will be forming at many area schools. Parents of girls all ages are encouraged to attend. For more information, email Barrie Shapiro or Michelle Carlson or call 1-800-447-4475 ext. 3018.
 Adopt A Teacher Who Needs Your SupportMake a real difference for a teacher and his/her students by "adopting" a K-8 teacher in East Palo Alto or east Menlo Park for a school year. Provide the teacher with encouraging notes and/or small gifts of appreciation, school supplies and support for two class parties. Financial commitment $500 - $ 600, time commitment very flexible. It's easy and fun to adopt a teacher with friends. Learn more or sign up on the Adopt a Teacher web page or by contacting Jennifer Wythes Vettel.
Las Lomitas Used Book Fair is now open!
Be sure to shop for the latest and greatest books on Friday, October 23- Friday, October 30 in Cano Hall. You will find a huge selection of both children, and adult books for sale. With hundreds of books to choose from, there is something for everyone!
Book Fair Hours:
- Mon., October 26, 8:30 - 10:15 a.m., 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Tue., October 27, 8:30 - 10:15 a.m., 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Wed., October 28, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Pajama Night)
- Thu., October 29, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Fri., October 30, 8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m., (closed for Halloween Parade) 11:45 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
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Sequoia Union High School District Open Enrollment Policy:
New changes to 9th Grade Open Enrollment were approved by the Board of Trustees effective for the 2015-16 school year. Open enrollment information for the 2016-2017 school year can be viewed here.
Get to Know M-A High
School
Interested in what's going on at Menlo Atherton High School? Sign up for M-A's BearNotes to receive the weekly newsletter here.
Shadowing
A visit can be very important in helping students determine which high school will be the best fit for them. Shadowing takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from October through February. Shadowing is very popular and appointments fill fast, so sign up early to reserve your spot. Available dates are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
View and request shadow dates here.
Get to Know Woodside High School
Interested in what's going on at Woodside High School?
Sign up to receive the Woodside High School weekly newsletter here.
7th and 8th Grade Information Night
Wednesday, November 4 2015, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Performing Arts Center
Come and meet the Woodside administration, teachers, counselors, support staff, and current students and parents. Learn about Woodside's academic and extra-curricular programs, and have all of your questions addressed by our staff. We look forward to seeing you and your student. No rsvp is necessary.
Shadowing We look forward to giving you a glimpse of a day in the life of Woodside High School student. The shadow program is designed for all students, including transfer students, who are interested in attending Woodside High School. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people; we are sure that you will find Woodside students to be friendly, welcoming, and fun. Shadowing occurs on B-days during 2nd and 4th periods, brunch, and lunch (click here for the Woodside block schedule.) The shadow program is run through the leadership class and the students in leadership are the shadow leaders. Click here to register to shadow at Woodside.
Parent Tours:
Our Parent Tours offer an intimate look at Woodside High School. Talk to the principal and a member of the administrative team, ask as many questions as you like in a small group setting, visit classes, walk through the campus during passing periods, get a sense of the friendly and academic culture of this exemplary comprehensive high school. See our website for sign ups and more information.
Be a part of a public education reform movement that prepares students for 21st century success in college, career, and life!
For more information on Summit Schools, click here.
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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 editor at leopardsspot@llesd.org by 12:00 midnight on the Wednesday prior to the Sunday publication date. Submissions to personal email accounts are not accepted.
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.
- Send the article in the body of an original email: submission sent as Word doc or other attachment will be rejected.
- Provide a .jpg or .png attachment for all pictures and graphics.
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