| From the Principal | |
Dear Las Lomitas Families,
The next Morning with the Principal is scheduled for this Wednesday, February 27th. It will follow the General Membership PTA Meeting at 9:00 a.m. in Cano Hall. Kathy Ruwe, our school counselor, will be there to share information about our social skills program,Second Step. We will have a general question-answer session after her presentation when I will provide information about school safety and placement. As always, you are encouraged to bring up topics of interest to you. I hope to see you there!
The following article is about one of our support programs for English Learners. We are very fortunate to have this class available for students who are limited-English proficient. Please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Leong if you have questions. There is also a lot of information on the district's webpage under English Learners.
Until next time,
Sue Sartor
Principal
What is The Language Lab?
Las Lomitas has a special classroom just for English Language Learners. Located in room 19, the Language Lab provides intensive English Language Development (ELD) lessons for all K-3 students who are working toward acquiring English proficiency.
Nearly 60 children attend our ELD program and speak native languages which include Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, French, Portuguese, Tongan, Danish, Swedish, Italian, Farsi, Finnish and Vietnamese. We are a very international school community!
Teaching in the Language Lab is ELD specialist, Lesli Leong. Working alongside her are bilingual paraeducators Olivia Betancourth (Spanish), and Grete Santucci (Norwegian). Together they provide leveled small group instruction designed especially to meet the needs of English learners. Lessons are based on state ELD standards in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Developing vocabulary and oral language skills are high priorities.
Our Language Lab provides a warm and friendly educational setting where English learners strengthen their English skills, make new friends, and learn alongside other language learners. It is one of the many important support programs here at Las Lomitas which help our students to thrive and succeed both socially and academically.
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School News
| Dear Las Lomitas Parents,
I am reaching out to families who are interested in donating "lightly used" travel toys for a support program at Las Lomitas. The purpose is to collect various travel toys, e.g., Rubik's Cube, Pocket Etch-a-Sketch, Travel Connect Four/Battleship/Checkers etc., and find a new purpose for them. If you have toys that fit the criteria and your child(ren) are not interested in playing with them anymore, then please feel free to place them in the labeled bin in the office. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Alain Camou Assistant Principal * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Safety Training in Physical Education This week the first, second and third graders will be taking part in a Safety Training during their Physical Education classes. The specific areas emphasized are safety in and around the house, safety during fires and other disasters, and stranger awareness. Be looking for information to be sent home with your child on household and fire safety. The first day of Physical Education this week will be spent learning about household safety. There will be a discussion about what kinds of things can be dangerous in and around the house, and what to do when those items are found. During the second day of this unit, the children will be learning about fire/disaster safety. Words and phrases that will be talked about during the class will include smoke detectors, windows, doors, escape routes, 911, low crawling, and a safe family meeting place.
The Menlo Park Fire Department will be presenting this information using their safety trailer which will be parked on our campus for part of the week. For more about this presentation, you can go to the Menlo Park Fire Department's web site and refer to the information under Fire Safety In Your Home. The last session of the week will be on stranger awareness, as well as what to do when separated from parents (as in a department store or park). This will include discussion and role playing. A website that has helpful information and tips about child safety can be found here.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Physical Education teachers, Carol Hedges or Linda McGhee.
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| PTA News |
VOTE for the 2013-2014 Las Lomitas PTA Executive Board!
We already have a slate of outstanding candidates for next year's PTA Board and we couldn't be happier! Below is a list of the proposed slate of candidates. You can vote online here
or at our general membership meeting on Wednesday, February 27 in Cano Hall.
President:
Christy Chin
1st VP: Helen Ungerman & Artis Montague
Treasurer: Neil Weintraut
Secretary: Maggie Oren
2nd VP, Volunteer Coordinator: Pamela Stang
3rd VP, Hot Food: Ozge Goker
4th VP, Membership: Krista Merlino
Parliamentarian: Lori Brockman
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Pancake BreakfastThe 31st Annual Pancake Breakfast will be held Saturday March 9th 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Cano Hall. Please join us for pancakes hot off the griddle, delicious Aidells sausages,and fresh fruit. Coffee and hot chocolate provided by The Espresso Lane. Entertainment will be provided by the amazing magician Timothy Lane. Order advance tickets by Friday, March 1st for $5 per person* online with Paypal or make a check out to Las Lomitas PTA and turn in to the office. Tickets will also be available the day of the  event for $8 per person. We look forward to seeing you there. If you have questions or are interested in volunteering at the event contact Diane Appel, leslieappel@yahoo.com *Outreach is available. Please contact Alain Camou, Assistant Principal at 854-5900 x269 for more information. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Las Lomitas Memory Book captures special moments throughout the year in a colorful, photo-filled keepsake. It will be distributed to students during celebrations in the last week of school. Don't miss out! How: Order online here! If you cannot order online, paper order forms are available from the Las Lomitas office. Completed forms must be returned to the office with check payable to the Las Lomitas PTA. Cost: $25.00* per book
$30.00 per book if ordered after March 18th, 2013.
*Outreach is available. Please call Mr. Alain Camou 854-5900 x269 for more information.
Orders close: May 6th, 2013
Please note: This is the first opportunity you have had to order the Las Lomitas Memory Book. It was not an option in the PTA forms completed at the start of the school year.Questions? Contact the Memory Book Team mailto: laslomitasmemorybook@gmail.com. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Calling All Young Scientists! It's time for ScienceWonders! ScienceWonders is the Las Lomitas version of a Science Fair. The completely voluntary, non-competitive event is open to any Las Lomitas student. To participate, students should think of a question (I wonder...), look for an answer by experimenting or researching (I did...), and create a display with their findings (I learned...) to share with their friends and families. The displays will be presented in Cano Hall on Wednesday, March 20 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. More information and a Science Wonders guide can be found here. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer, please contact Diana Sunshine (sunshine@onderdonk.net)
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Box Tops for Education
It's time to start collecting and submitting box tops. We will be having a drawing at the end of February for those that have submitted box tops. If you haven't already, please submit your box tops in a small plastic bag to the office with your student's name and room number on it.. (There is a cereal box attached to the side of the counter across from the lost and found). We will have a drawing on February 26th so please turn them in before then. Don't forget that your everyday online purchases can also help Las Lomitas. Visit the box top web page and designate Las Lomitas as the school you wish to support. Then, every time you shop online, as long as you enter through the Box Tops web page, a percentage of your purchase will be credited to our school.
Thank you!
Judy Nayebi
Boxtops for Education Chair
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Read-A-Thon!
Congratulations to all of our readers! The 2013 Read-A-Thon was a fantastic success. Las Lomitas students read a grand total of 479, 483 minutes over 28 days, a new school record! Each grade met its goal and enjoyed a Popcorn Celebration on Feb. 15th. We had Roary the Lion out to congratulate the students, the popcorn was popping and our children were smiling! Thank you to all the students who participated and to the family and friends that offered their generous support. We raised over $27,000 to fund wonderful programs for our students.
The Read-A-Thon Committee was a hard-working, dedicated team that deserves much thanks. Thanks to our webmaster, Rebecca Grant, we used a new online database for tracking weekly submission of minutes, had a real-time update of "minutes read by grade" online, and launched online submission of pledge donation through Paypal. Also new this year was the awarding of "Milestone Minutes" popcorn kernels placed on the Read-A-Thon banner outside Cano Hall. Monica Albers posted 671 kernels (!!) throughout the month, and Janet Jennings updated the grade thermometers each week. Katie Boland and Cindy Tipton bravely jumped into the Roary the Lion costume to greet students in the mornings with Monica Albers as their escort handing out bookmarks and stickers.
Much thanks goes to our fantastic team of parents who prepared all the red envelopes and entered in paper submission of minutes and donations: Monica Albers, Katie Boland, Melissa Cardinale, Julie Herlihy, Janet Jennings, Elaine Jones, Deborah Levine, Carolyn Littlefield, Elaine MacDonald, and Toni Ouradnik.
Our Popcorn Celebration couldn't have happened without the planning of Melissa Cardinale and our team of moms scooping out popcorn: Stephany Ayotte, Katie Boland, Christina Baszucki, Julie Herlihy, Deborah Levine, Carolyn Littlefield, Elaine MacDonald, Cheryl, Pan, and Debra Ver Ploeg
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| Las Lomitas Education Foundation | |
Get ready to try your luck as the Las Lomitas District goes to Las Vegas at the Spring Auction! SAVE THE DATE for Saturday, May 18th at Portola Farms in Woodside for the biggest party of the year, featuring our favorite band Pop Rocks. Play your best hand at our Live and Silent Auctions- everyone's a winner! 
Channel your inner Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton, Celine Dion, or Show Girl/Guy. Or grab a group of friends and recreate your bachelor/bachelorette days. The options are endless to showcase your version of Vegas. Remember, it's for the kids! Open those wallets and rock the night away, we're going to Vegas, baby!
Tickets go on sale April 1st. Visit us here for more details.
THANK YOU TO OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS who care about our community and generously donated funds to our School District in 2012!
Platinum $4,000 - $4,999
Dreyfus Properties- David Weil
Quadrus Conference Center
Gold $2,000 - $3,999
Amici Cellars
Alain Pinel, Mary and Brent Gullixson
Dr Scott Kaloust D.D.S., M.S.
Silver $1,000 - $1,999
Amaxon
Anagnostou Properties
Café Boronne Inc
KJ's Café a la Carte, Inc
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Kindergarten Registration and Placement for 2013-2014
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If you have important information you would like to share about your child's placement for next year, please let the teacher know or send a letter to Principal Sartor by May 1st. Letters after that date may not be considered.
Please complete Kindergarten registrations as soon as possible so we can plan staffing for next year. Ladera residents must have their registrations in by May 1st to guarantee a first session placement.
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| Las Lomitas League |
Important notes:
1. If your child is attending CCLC, please remember to inform CCLC of the LLL classes your child are registered for and the details of the LLL class (e.g. day/time/venue, start/end date and no-class dates). If you have not done so, please do so immediately to ensure your child does not miss any LLL classes.
2. We have been informed that CCLC will no longer escort students to and from LLL classes. Children will have to walk to their LLL classes and back to CCLC on their own.
If you have any questions on any of the above procedures, please contact the Director of CCLC, Mr Garrett Lamb directly at GLamb@cclc.com |
| Business Partners | |
These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the La Entrada School or the La Entrada PTA.
Youth Dance Classes at Studio Rincon on Alameda in Menlo Park.
Preballet, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, advance hip hop, breakin' & poppin'- all in a fun and positive atmosphere after school. Classes for ages 4-Teen. View the youth schedule here.
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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.
Try Lacrosse! M-A Grizzlies Lacrosse has a Sunday program beginning March 3rd for boys and girls ages 5 & 6. It is geared to teaching the FUNdamentals of Lacrosse. Griz Kidz is for boys & girls ages 5 & 6 with no experience and Griz Cubz is for boys ages 5 - 7 that may have a little experience. Register Now, Classes begin Sunday March 3rd at Holbrook Palmer Park 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. More info here.
Spring/Summer Basketball Academy led by Carol Hedges and Mark Decker
April 22 to July 15th Monday and Thursdays at La Entrada School from 4:10pm to 5:15pm
Until school gets out players will be drilled in the fundamentals of the game while the 5 "summer" sessions will be special 3 on 3 tournaments/Special Guest Clinics and skills competitions. Parents can contact Carol Hedges at chedges@llesk.k12.ca.us or Mark Decker at markdecker2002@yahoo.com or go here. Signups begin Feb 11 and will close Feb 15th.
Youth Soccer Programs for Ages 3-7 Alpine Strikers FC offers three fun programs for your youngest soccer players in the family. If your child would like to try soccer or improve his/her skills, check out the opportunities available for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary school kids. Go to our website to find out more!
Baseball and Softball Registration for 2013 Spring Alpine/West Menlo Little League and AMA Softball is now open. Details can be found on our website here
We are able to bring Brooklyn Castle, an award winning documentary to our area! BROOKLYN CASTLE tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories. The movie will be shown on Thursday, February, 28 at the Landmark Aquarius Theatre in Palo Alto at 5:30pm. The costs are $10 each. It is a wonderful movie for both adults and kids. Purchase your tickets here.
Carillon Preschool is hosting an "Open House" Saturday, March 2 from 10 - 11am.
Children are welcome to come explore our classrooms and play yards, parents can mingle and teachers will be available to meet with you and answer questions. We are located on the Christ Church campus at 815 Portola Road, PV.
Carillon Preschool is accepting applications for the 2013-2014 school year! We offer a 3's program 2 days per week, 4's program 3 days per week and a Young 5's program 4 days per week. All programs are half day, and uniquely designed as building blocks toward Kindergarten readiness. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact Lynn Sowers at (650) 529-1335 or visit here.
Steve and Kate's Camp: Join us this summer! Steve and Kate's Camp is a summer day camp, founded in 1980, for campers entering grades K-7 in the fall. Instead of a rigid structure, we give campers choices. Instead of teaching kids the typical way, we give them tools and gentle guidance to help them become autodidacts. The difference is subtle -- and it's profound. We have 24 sites in the Bay Area (including Palo Alto) plus sites in Southern California, Chicago and Seattle. Liberate yourself from weekly sessions. You are free to attend any number of days, anytime from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at any location. Any unused days are refunded automatically. How is that for peace of mind? Namaste. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Youngblood; paloalto@steveandkate.com.
Panthers Camp - Summer 2013 Panthers Camp is an "All Sports" camp held at Corte Madera School and directed by Dan Flahavan during the 2013 summer. For more information visit the Panthers Camp website. If you are interested in registering, please click this link. Please contact Dan Flahavan if you have any questions (dflahavan@pvsd.net).
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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 
