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Las Lomitas Education Foundation
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Donut Days are Here!
The Annual Giving Campaign is off to a great start -- but we need your participation! Look for the friendly Foundation volunteers at school this week who will be sharing donuts and smiles, as a reminder to make your contribution now to the annual fund. By sending in your donation by October 30, you could win lunch with Lisa Cesario or Shannon Potts! Your support makes all the difference to our schools and our children -- thank you!
Donate Now!
And the fun continues...there are some precious spots remaining for the following
Fall 2012 Foundation Events & Adventures - No-Limit Tournament Texas Hold'em (for Dads) on Thursday November 8, 2012
- Special Book Reading with Donia Bijan (for parents) on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
- Explorer Challenge for Kindergartners and 1st Graders on Wed, November 14, 2012
- La Entrada Kids Care at San Francisco City Academy on Thur, November 15, 2012
- The Hands-On Creative Tour of My New Red Shoes on Saturday, November 17, 2012
- Mother/Son Bowling Sunday on December 2, 2012
- Mother/Daughter Holiday Cookie and Craft Gala on Sunday December 2, 2012
FOR EVENT DETAILS, PRICING, AND TO BUY TICKETS GO TO: www.llef.org!
Support our schools by dining out!
Support the Las Lomitas Education Foundation by dining at Portola Kitchen! On Monday, October 22, Portola Kitchen will donate 10% of all sales to the Foundation. Portola Kitchen is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Portola Kitchen is located in the Ladera Shopper. Portola Kitchen features Italian-American cooking with homemade pasta, fresh pizza dough, in-house cured meats and fresh ingredients sourced locally.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Join us for Mother/Son Bowling! Tickets are still available (last year we sold out and sadly had to turn people away so buy your tickets soon). Have you heard? Retro bowling shoes are the next retro fashion explosion! Grab your son(s) and join us for a district-wide party for mothers and sons at Bel Mateo Bowl in San Mateo. We'll set up lanes so you can bowl with friends-so recruit as many as possible! Whether you bowl strikes or gutter balls, you'll look stunning no matter what in those shoes! Pizza, beverages, and cookies will be served.
Mother/Son Bowling Event
Saturday, Nov. 17th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
at BelMateo Bowl in San Mateo
Contact Cindy Tipton at cindytipton@comcast.net for more information. For Outreach information, pick up a form in your school office.
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| PTA News | |
BOOK FAIR TEACHER "WISH LISTS" AND CLASSROOM PREVIEW:
This Thursday and Friday the Las Lomitas Book Fair Committee will welcome teachers and students to the Book Fair preview. This will be an exciting visit: The walls will be decorated, and our rich supply of new books from Hicklebee's will be displayed. This is the time when Las Lomitas teachers create "Teacher Wish Lists" for their classroom libraries. Reading is essential to success in our society. Although classroom libraries come in all shapes and sizes, teachers agree that having access to books makes it easier for our students to become independent and proficient readers, especially if the books are right in the classroom. Please help our teachers create a population of kids who can (and want to) read well -- Ask one of our volunteers to point out your teacher's "Wish List." Together, by donating one book at a time, we can fill their classroom shelves with a rich and varied selection of books.
Book Fair Preview in the Library Lobby
Want to see some of the wonderful books that will be at our Book Fair? Just stop by the library lobby and browse the cart of books. Hicklebee's Bookstore allowed us to pull books from their warehouse in San Jose so that our students, teachers, and parents would get a first look at some of the new titles that will be at our Book Fair. We have a sampling of picture books, chapter books, and non-fiction. Hicklebee's takes the extra effort to supply us with the best selection available. You'll love some of the award-winning stories that will be at our Book Fair.
BOOK FAIR CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Please visit the PTA website for complete details
Book Fair Hours:
Thursday October 25 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Friday October 26 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.; 2:00-4:00 p.m.; 6:00-8:00 p.m. (Family Night)
Saturday October 27 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Monday October 29 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; 6:00-8:00 p.m. (Book Club Night)
Tuesday October 30 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday October 31 8:30 - 10:45 a.m.; 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
UPCOMING BOOK FAIR EVENTS
Coffee Cart, Friday, October 26
Drop your kids off, order up your favorite coffee drink, compliments of the PTA, and then browse the Book Fair at your leisure. The coffee cart will be available from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. for parents and community members, and earlier for teachers!
Family Night, Friday, October 26
Come to Family Night on Friday, October 26, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Wear your pajamas and decorate book bags and book marks. Listen to Principal Sue Sartor read a bed time story to the kids. Come and meet the Las Lomitas Lion, Roary, and of course browse through the books. There is something for everyone!
Saturday Fun, October 27
Kids want to help out at the cash registers and bag books? On Saturday, you will be able to ring up customers and bag their books. Come and help us out!
Book Club Night, Monday, October 29
Calling all grown up book clubbers! Want to share what you have been reading with others? Want to learn what others are enjoying? Come to book club night on Monday, October 29 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Free autographed book from a local author for first 25 arrivals.
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Holiday Workshop
Hello parents! It's that time again! We need to collect paper grocery bags (with handles!) for each child to bring home their spectacular Holiday Workshop crafts. Please drop them off in the office. Thank you!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Apple for the Classroom is now online!We are excited to announce that the Apple for the Classroom program is now available online. The Apple for the Classroom program is a way for parents to support their children's teachers directly. All the teachers and specialists at Las Lomitas have been invited to create a "wish list" of items that would help to further enrich their classrooms. Wishes may include art supplies, gift cards, books, or donations toward a special activity or field trip. To view the lists, please visit our website.
Once at the site, select the list you want to view. This is where you can then "pick an apple" -- teachers' lists are divided into two sections, so you can choose to bring an item directly to the classroom or you can choose to make a donation via PayPal. All donations are tax deductible. Feedback is appreciated. Please contact Julie Chandik (jrchandik@gmail.com) with questions or comments about the Apple for the Classroom program. For questions about the Apple for the Classroom website, please contact webmaster@laslomitaspta.org
Thank you for supporting our teachers and enriching your children's experience at Las Lomitas.
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Membership
We are still accepting donations to join the PTA! So far, 67% of you have contributed to the PTA but we know there are more of you out there who can help us achieve our goal of 80% participation! If you haven't contributed to the PTA yet, there is still time to support the ongoing school assemblies, Holiday Workshop, field trips, student directories and much more.
I'd like to share with you some comments from our teachers about what a difference the PTA funding provides:
- "You make a HUGE difference!"
- "Thank you for your support of the teachers at Las Lomitas."
- "Thank you so much for the generous contribution to my room! I really appreciate your support!"
Las Lomitas needs every family to join the PTA in order to continue to provide the quality programs your child enjoys throughout the year. Please feel free to contact Jennifer Williams if you have any questions or need further information at jenniferwilliams2@gmail.com.
Spread the word and join the PTA today!
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Volunteer for the Hot Lunch Program
The hot food program relies entirely on parent volunteers for serving lunch, so please consider signing up! Volunteering for hot lunch is an excellent way to be involved with the PTA, see your children at lunch time, have a great time with friends and get to know other parents. We are currently in need of volunteers on Tuesdays, if you can serve lunch at the school from 11:45-12:45 once per week, every other week, please contact Ozge Goker ozgegoker@yahoo.com.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR THE LA ENTRADA USED BOOK FAIR! Out with the Old, and In with the New! Bins will be located in front of Las Lomitas and La Entrada Monday, October 15th through Monday, November 5th. Please donate your used books! We are accepting books in all genres ranging from Children's books, to adult and everything in between.
We welcome books in all languages. Please make sure your books are in good condition. The La Entrada Used Book Fair opens to the community on November 13th, so mark your calendars!
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School News
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Dear Las Lomitas Families,
I hope you enjoyed the four-day weekend last week! The teachers, Alain Camou and I spent the Professional Development Days learning about a wide variety of topics including Professional Learning Communities, Common Core Standards, School Loop communication systems, Second Step social skills instruction, Special Education assessments, math assessments, the Silicon Math Initiative and expository writing. We also got to view and discuss options for future facility improvements. All in all, we had very productive days!
Some of you have heard the news that our fabulous librarian, Sharon Kelly, is leaving us in early November. She was selected as a librarian at the public library in Morgan Hill where she lives. For the past 13 year, Sharon's energy and dedication to promote literacy for young readers has been a driving force at Las Lomitas. She created a wonderful library for our students. She will be here through the Book Fair, so feel free to stop by and say farewell when you have a chance. We are actively seeking her replacement, so if you know any credentialed librarians, please send them my way.
Today I would like to write a bit about our wonderful volunteers on campus. Las Lomitas School functions like a large family to meet the needs of each individual student. Each "family member" contributes to an environment where all may succeed. There are many opportunities for involvement, including direct work with students as a volunteer on campus.
In a typical week, over 150 parents, grandparents or community volunteers support student learning by working in the classrooms, tutoring, working in the library, staffing the publishing center, leading literature discussions, leading "Fun Friday" activities or being guest readers.
We appreciate the time and energy spent by volunteers, but must remind everyone of the need for confidentiality when working on campus. Please report any concerns you may have to the teacher and/or administrator; do not discuss another child and/or your concerns outside of the school.
Please keep in mind that what you see as a volunteer is a snapshot. All children have strengths and weaknesses, good days and days when they are tired. We all appreciate the time and talent that volunteers bring to enrich learning opportunities for our students. Thank you for helping us make Las Lomitas a campus where parents and professionals work in an open, collaborative environment for the betterment of our children.
Until next time,
Sue Sartor
Principal
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MINIMUM DAY INFORMATION
We will be on a minimum day schedule November 13, 14, 15 and 16. All students will arrive at 9:00 a.m. and be dismissed at 12:20 p.m.. To minimize the chaos this creates, please note: Flagpole Pick-up - Kindergarten and first grade students will wait in designated locations.
- Drivers must stay in their car and pull through the pick-up lane.
- Display name cards in the window.
- Leave dogs at home.
- Bicyclists must walk bikes until you are away from the front gate area.
- Traffic and parking enforcement will be present. Park in designated locations only.
Bus Riders - Students may not ride home on the bus for a play date. Only regular riders may ride. We are at capacity. Pick up play dates at the flag pole.
- If students go to the bus for a play date, we will bring both students (regular rider and guest) to the office for pick up.
- Buses may be a bit late as it takes longer to load and unload on minimum days.
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Student Safety
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STUDENT SAFETY - WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Traffic is very heavy on the streets around our school, particularly on Wednesdays. Please be sure that you closely monitor your children while walking on the sidewalks or waiting for the crossing guard. We've had reports that students are often too close to traffic. Thank you for keeping children safe at all times! They are our most precious treasure.
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Las Lomitas League
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BASKETBALL REGISTRATION CLOSES THIS FRIDAY Wait no longer! Basketball registration closes this Friday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. Go to the LLL Basketball webpage and click the Register HERE button. We cannot guarantee placement on a team if you register late, so please register by Friday night. This is a very popular winter sport that is open to all students in 3rd through 8th grade. All children registered are guaranteed a place on a team. Please mark your calendars for the following dates: - November 1 at 6:30 p.m.: Basketball Coaches Meeting & Fingerprinting in the La Entrada library. Required for all coaches. We choose practice times as well as go over rules, expectations, evaluations, etc. Practice times are selected based on coaches' availability and a lottery system.
- November 3 & November 4: Basketball Evaluation Days (schedule coming next week). Evaluations are held in order to create fair and balanced teams, which is required for Menlo Park Recreation League participation. Your division will be assigned a specific day and time next week. Check back here or the LLL Basketball webpage.
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Community News
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These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the Las Lomitas Elementary School or the Las Lomitas PTA.
 Save the Date: Lucile Packard Pumpkin Patch at Webb Ranch this
Tuesday, October 23
from
Circle of Friends volunteer organization, affiliated with Lucile Packard Children's hospital, is working with Webb Ranch to host a fabulous fun-filled pumpkin patch! When you attend, buy a pumpkin (or more) for your household and choose one to donate to the children at Lucile Packard. All the pumpkins donated on Tuesday will be delivered to the hospital on Wednesday to create a very special pumpkin patch right inside the hospital for the children to enjoy! We will also be collecting decorations such as stickers, markers, tattoos and other Halloween themed items for the children in the hospital. This year, Webb ranch will also be offering face painting, hay rides, a bouncy house, and a haunted house for your family to enjoy. 50% of dollars raised from this event will be donated right to the hospital. This is a very special event that the kids at Packard look forward to every year. Please contact jenniferwilliams2@gmail.com for further information. 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. The Stanford Math Brain Project is looking for 2nd and 3rd graders having math difficulties to participate in a 3 year study to increase our understanding of math skill development. Flyers are in the Las Lomitas office, go to http://mathbrain.stanford.edu, call Leslie at 650-736-0128 or email smp@med.stanford.edu with questions. New at the Menlo Park Library! We are offering Mandarin/English Bilingual Storytime on Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. for children ages 2-5 years old. Join us for stories, songs and activities in Mandarin and English.
Need child care? Come to the CCLC Open House to sign up and receive ONE WEEK FOR FREE! We will be showcasing our center with art projects, food, music and FUN. Wednesday, October 24 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. See you there!
New! Menlo Tennis Academy 10 & under program of Menlo Swim and Sport announces weekly tennis lessons for kids age 5-10 at Burgess Park. Following the USTA 10 & under program, students learn the fundamentals of tennis with smaller courts, lighter and lower bouncing balls, and smaller and lighter rackets. Classes are offered Monday and Wednesday afternoons. For more details, visit our website.
CALLING ALL MUSICIANS - Musical Service Organization
District parent Paula Hamilton has started a musical service organization named 'Calling All Musicians.' The organization visits senior residential centers and provides music by performing solos, duets, etc. or by leading and participating in sing-alongs. This group was written up in inMenlo this past summer here and is looking for more musicians. All ages and ability levels are welcome in this group. If you, your children, or other family members or friends are interested in participating, we'd love to have you join us for one or more performances. Please contact Paula (paulajhchang@yahoo.com) if you're interested in performing or being added to our email distribution list.
Winter Basketball for Girls K-2nd Grade The Sequoia YMCA (on Hudson Street off Woodside Road) is holding its 5th annual Girls 1st and 2nd Grade basketball league in January-March. Based on community interest, this year the Y is adding a Kindergarten program. This is a wonderful way to introduce your daughter to basketball, and a great transition into Las Lomitas League play, which starts in 3rd grade. Last year Las Lomitas fielded two parent-coached teams, a total of 23 girls, to rave reviews from parents and players. 2nd grade girls families: Elizabeth Blair (mother of Erica F.) will once again be organizing the 2nd grade Las Lomitas girls teams. If you are interested in playing, please email her at elizblair@yahoo.com. 1st grade and Kindergarten families: Email Elizabeth if you are interested in learning more about the program and being the parent organizer. It's easy and its fun!
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Business Sponsors News
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These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the Las Lomitas Elementary School or the Las Lomitas PTA:
One On One Math Tutoring
Palo Alto elementary school teacher with 20 years experience in the classroom and as a district math lead teacher is available to tutor your 2nd - 5th grade child with a fun and effective approach. Both remediation and enrichment are available, in your home or mine. References available.
Please contact Paula Watson at (650) 291-4825.
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Creative Art For Young Children - Portola Valley Town Center FALL 2012 Sept. 20 - Dec. 8 (no classes Nov. 22-24) To begin our Fall Session we will bring the earthy colors of fall together with art projects inspired by an African theme. We will explore what life is like for the Maasai children and learn the games they play and how much they are loved by the whole community. The making of clay dolls and jungle animals, masks and beaded jewelry will help us find a deeper connection to our African friends. And our hearts will jump for joy to the beat of African drums as we follow Picasso (who was also inspired by African Art) into his world of painting where we will find inspiration from a man who dared to sketch like a 3 year old and spent a lifetime learning to paint like a child. What comes next depends on where our creativity takes us, but we will end with our ever popular art show where the kids point to their artwork with our very big magic paint brush. More info on the Town's website, or by contacting Jeannie Goldman at (650) 851-1914. Register with the town online or call Cindy @ (650)851-1700 ext. 200. Open registration began on August 24.
Dance Expressions - Love to dance? Come Join Dance Expressions in Menlo Park at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Classes are offered for kids ages 3 and up. For more information check out our website. Don't miss out on the Dance Expressions fun!
Studio Rincon Youth Dance Classes on Alameda in Menlo Park. The next session of youth classes start next week. Signup here! Preballet, ballet, tap, hip hop, breakin' & poppin'- all in a fun and positive atmosphere after school. Classes for ages 4-Teen. View the youth schedule here http://www.studiorincon.com/youth-classes/
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Donations Wanted
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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. |
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Newsletter Submissions
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The Lion's Roar is published by the Las Lomitas PTA as a service to the Las Lomitas families and community. Before submitting an article, please read our newsletter policies.
To submit an item, email Carol Clark (cclark@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: submissions sent as a 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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The Lion's Roar 
