PTA News
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 URGENTLY NEEDED
Parents who have some free time during the 4th & 5th grade lunch to supervise a Minecraft Club once or twice per month. We have over 100 students interested in joining a lunchtime Minecraft Club, and are ready to launch it but need 1-2 parents (or more!) to supervise. This is an excellent opportunity to develop a community of students who have similar interests and to expand friendships. No Minecraft experience necessary, but it would be helpful. We have designed a program which does not include actually playing Minecraft during lunch, but we need YOU to make it happen. For more information please email Amy Harber.
 LUNCHTIME CHESS CLUB
Calling all Chess players! On Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch, all students are invited to the Leopard's Lounge (Room 40) where they can use our 4 brand new competition size chess sets to challenge each other to a game. Please spread the word! We hope to get a group of students to challenge the teachers in a chess tournament later this year.
 LUNCHTIME ENRICHMENT 'MINDFULNESS'
Encouraging students to find balance in their lives is difficult these days, but they will soon have an opportunity to learn self-help techniques through a Lunchtime Enrichment program on 'mindfulness' which will include breath work, relaxation, meditation, and more. This is a non-religious program designed to teach students how to use these skills to navigate through life's more stressful situations. Research shows that mindfulness also helps with focus and concentration. For more information, to participate as a volunteer, or to contribute ideas please email Amy Harber.
LEOPARD'S LOUNGE IS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS
Room 40 is now open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch for students who wish to escape the playground and play games or do crafts with their friends. Supervised by Tracey Weigand, students can bring their lunches and participate in fun activities like a variety of board and card games, Twister, chess, or a craft. Maybe your student likes to build with Lego? Tell them they can come to Room 40, Leopard's Lounge, on Tuesdays and Thursdays and bring their friends.
 LUNCHTIME ENRICHMENT BOOK CLUBS
Meet next week during lunch, on Wednesday, November 4th in the library. Please remind your student to bring their books with them. If you have a student who loves to read but didn't sign up, it's not too late to participate. Our parent volunteers always welcome new members.
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.
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Las Lomitas Education Foundation
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2015-16 Annual Giving Campaign
There's no better time to give than now!
Now is a great time to give so that your grade can win the Giving By Grade Challenge! The grade with the highest participation rate by Nov 13th will win $200 per classroom for enrichment activities and supplies.
As of Wednesday, October 28, 3rd grade is in the lead with 5th and 2nd grades close behind.
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School News
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4/5 Winter Concert
Thursday, December 3, 2015
6:00 p.m.(dress-rehearsal); 6:45 p.m. doors open; 7:00 p.m. Concert
La Entrada Gym
Concert Attire: White shirts or blouses with black pants, slacks or skirts. Please wear the darkest (black is ideal) shoes that your child owns.
If your child cannot attend the concert, please email Mr. Cooper ahead of the concert.
*Extra Info For 5th Grade Band Parents:
Since all the band students meet weekly in their 'like instrument groupings' it will be necessary to have a couple of full-band rehearsals where the students perform all together prior to the Winter Concert. These two rehearsals will be in the music room starting promptly at 7:30AM (please come a few minutes early to assure all the students get their instruments ready to play and are seated on time- the music room will be open by 7:15 a.m.) on the following two mornings:
- Friday, November 20
- Monday, November 30 (Please note: there is a full week student holiday, including two PD Days and Thanksgiving, between the two full-band rehearsal dates!)
If you get the opportunity, please download IPS (Interactive Practice Studio) on a home computer using the 16 digit code located on the back, inside cover, of your child's "Tradition of Excellence" instrument method book. Please see the attachment on instructions for this procedure. This will give your child the opportunity to play along with all of the concert songs including #19, 18, 20, 22(four soloists will be picked to perform), 23, 24, 27(four soloists will be picked to perform), and #33. Please go to the following link to download your IPS:
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.
M-A PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
"Finding the Right Fit - A Conversation about the College Search"
Maria Furtado, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL)
Thursday, November 19, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
M-A Performing Arts Center (PAC)
Menlo-Atherton High School
Join Maria Furtado, Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives, for a conversation about helping your student find the "right fit" for college.Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. (CTCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. CTCL supports the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college.
Maria Furtado has worked in higher education for over 20 years. Ms. Furtado speaks all around the country to students, parents, and counselors about college rankings and popular misperceptions about college admission, the strength and worth of a liberal arts education, and offers tips for students and parents on how to manage the college search.
Parents, students, faculty/staff and community members welcome! Free admission.
Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
M-A Parent Education Series events are sponsored by the M-A PTA, 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 Lilly Quinonez, Parent Outreach Coordinator, (650) 322-5311, Ext. 50255.
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Community News
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THANK YOU for donating so many amazing costumes to the families of Haven House Family Shelter. The collection was overwhelming in quantity and quality. The Girl Scout troops of Las Lomitas and La Entrada did a phenomenal job marketing and encouraging the collection and now every child in the shelter and their parents will be dressed up! We collected so many costumes that other InnVision Shelter Network homes on the peninsula will receive some. We collected early so that the families can participate in their school and community events dressed up all week. Thank you for making this happen!
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.
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.
 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.
 SWEET!La Entrada 8th graders registered to attend the 8th grade trip to Washington DC are excited to be fundraising with See's Candies!
At our kick off meeting last week, participating students were provided with colorful brochures to use when advertising the candies for sale. The two items that earn the highest profit for students are the holiday candy boxes, followed by peanut brittle and walnut squares. There are lots of options for holiday gift shopping for friends, family, and co-workers. Safety is always a priority and door-to-door sales are not encouraged. Many students elect to donate 25% or 50% of their profits towards the DC Scholarship Fund while others choose to keep their profits to offset their own DC trip costs.
All See's Candies orders must be paid for at the time of the order with cash or check. Checks are to be made out to "La Entrada".
All order forms (with the cash/checks included in the white envelope) are due in the front office by December 2, 2015. Students and families will be informed when orders are ready for pick-up, sometime during the week of December 7th.
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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, 7:00 - 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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