Lion's Roar News for January 20, 2014

This week I want to take a minute to thank all of you who contribute to our school's success. Each year the PTA provides funds to enhance classroom experiences for your children. We recently received this year's allocation of Art for Art Sake funds. When you purchase those delightful notecards at the start of each year, they generate monies for teachers to support visual and performing arts instruction in their classrooms. Here are some examples of how teachers will use these funds this year:

Play props for classroom performances
Art supplies for classroom use
Field Trips to the Stanford Cantor Art Museum
Japanese Folk Art presentations
Field Trips to see California Theater Center performances
Cultural Artist Presentations
Puppet Show Presentations
Art-Around-the-World Presentations
Reader's Theater Scripts
Drama/Play Scripts
Books about artists and musicians
Instruments

As you can see, this is definitely a win-win program; you get notecards to share with family and friends, and your child's instruction in the arts is enriched!

Our Read-A-Thon is at the half-way point! I encourage you to keep your reader reading! Be sure to help you child log his/her minutes and post them online. This year we've added Wednesday morning story time from 8:30-9:00 in the library with some of our wonderful specialists. Carol Hedges, Shelley Moran, Lesli Leong and Claire O'Conner read during the first two weeks. Linda McGhee, Kathy Ruwe, Janet Holbrook and Martha Lampert will be our readers during the final two weeks. I encourage you to come a little early on Wednesdays to enjoy this event. You might even spot Roary the Lion on campus!

Until next time,

Sue Sartor, Principal

PTA News

Nominating for 2013-2014 PTA Board

The executive board of the PTA has approved a Nominating Committee to begin filling the slate for next year's board positions. The Nominating Committee members include:

Lori Brockman lori.a.brockman@gmail.com

Krista Hoffman kristamariehoffman@gmail.com
Julie Herlihy julie_herlihy@yahoo.com
Julie Clugage clugage@pacbell.net

If you are interested in taking an active role on next year's PTA board please contact any member of the Nominating Committee.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

MEMORY BOOK COVER CONTEST

Submit your Artwork by Wednesday, January 22^nd. All contest entries will be memorybook

included on the back cover of the Memory Book!!

The Memory Book team would like to invite all Las Lomitas students to submit artwork for the cover design of this year's Memory Book. We can't wait to see your creativity! Please only one submission per student.

Contest rules:

Use crayons, watercolors, or colored pencils.
Use watercolor paper or another type of paper with texture, if possible.
Use 8½ by 11 inch sized paper. (Slightly larger is OK.)
Drawing should be in "portrait" format, meaning it should be taller than it is wide.
Be colorful! Don't leave the background blank or white.
Include the "Las Lomitas" school name and make it stand out.
Include the school year "2013-2014" as part of the drawing.
Include the Las Lomitas Lion as part of the drawing.
Artwork should be "friendly" (no battles or weapons, please).
The edges may be trimmed slightly, so don't put anything important close to the edges.
Be sure to write the artist's name, room number, and teacher's name on the back of the drawing. Use a pencil for the name and write lightly so the writing doesn't show through the artwork on the front side. Do not use Post-it Notes as they can fall off and become lost.
Please see Memory Books from prior years in the Las Lomitas library if you need ideas for your cover art.

Entries should be placed in the Memory Book bin in the Las Lomitas office no later than Wednesday, January 22^nd. And remember, all contest entries will be included on the back cover of the Memory Book. They will also be displayed at the Student Art Exhibition during Open House. Artwork will then be returned when yearbooks are distributed in early June.

Questions? Contact Tracy Williams at tswilliams2@yahoo.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Great job reading! We're halfway through the

Read-A-Thon!

Come check out the popcorn kernels popping up on the official Read-A-Thon banner outside Cano Hall! Each kernel recognizes a student who has read Milestone Minutes of 500, 1000, or 1500 minutes!

Join us at Storytime in the Library on Wednesday mornings! This Wednesday, Ms. McGhee (PE) and Mrs. Ruwe (Counseling) will be reading from 8:35 - 8:55 a.m. Our permanent Writing Center is now open in the library where students can write book reviews that will be posted.

Principal Sartor and Vice-Principal Camou have revealed themselves as Mystery Book Characters; Mouse and a Cookie, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf! Stay tuned for more Mystery Character clues with the answer revealed each Friday as they dress in costume.

If your child missed meeting Roary the Lion last week when he greeted students with bookmarks, all students will be bringing home a Las Lomitas bookmark in their white envelopes today! So enjoy reading those books!

It's not too late to start submitting weekly minutes online. Go to our web page to input your weekly totals and see a real-time update as each student submits his/her minutes. Each grade that meets its goal will earn a Popcorn Celebration!

Lastly, don't forget to work on getting pledge sponsors. One-time pledges or pledges based on minutes read will all make a difference in building our programs and facilities at Las Lomitas. Red envelopes to collect pledge funds will be sent home next Monday.

Questions? Contact Cheryl Cho-Phan, cchophan@gmail.com.

liLas Lomitas Education Foundation

A Huge THANK YOU to all who have donated to date! Look for your "Thank You" yard sign coming this week!

Only 2 weeks left to meet our Challenge Grant!

1^st grade holds the lead! But the Kindergarten and 3^rd grade classes are hot on their heels...

When 80% of our District Families have made a gift of any amount to the Foundation, we will receive an additional $80,000 Challenge Grant Donation for our schools.

Please support our schools and donate today

http://www.llef.org

Excellence is built one donation at a time

Registration Information for 2014-2015

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION for 2014 - 2015 INFORMATION

Kindergarten registration for children who will turn age five on or before September 1, 2014 opened on Monday, January 6, 2014. There are three (3) steps to the registration process.

Step #1

To begin the registration process, bring the following to the school office:

ORIGINAL birth certificate or passport
Your child's immunization records to date
Proof of residency in the form of two ORIGINAL utility bills (i.e. power, water) or one ORIGINAL utility bill and lease agreement or mortgage paper

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Step #2

Upon receipt of the items listed above, you will be given access to InfoSnap, our on-line registration system, where you will continue the registration process.

Step #3

Upon completion of the on-line registration, you MUST bring a hard copy of these forms to the school office to FINALIZE registration. Your child will not be registered at Las Lomitas until we receive your on-line registration papers.

Note: Las Lomitas School District does not offer Transitional Kindergarten.

Session Information for Kindergarten

There are two sessions for Kindergarten. First session Kindergarten is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and second session is from 10:15 a.m. to 2:05 p.m. Due to transportation schedules, KINDERGARTEN families in the Ladera area are placed in the FIRST session unless their request for another session is granted. KINDERGARTEN families in the Woodside area are placed in the SECOND session unless their request for another session is granted. Families from Ladera or Woodside who are placed in another session upon their request are responsible for transportation from school to home.

Requesting First Session

If your kindergartner is not automatically placed in first session as listed above, you must request placement in first session. To request first session you must:

Have ALL registration information, including the on-line registration form, on file in the school office by January 31, 2014.
Email or deliver a written request for first session to the Principal at ssartor@llesd.org beginning at 10:00 p.m., February 1, 2014. No requests will be accepted before this date.

All requests will be placed on a wait list according to the date and time the email or letter is received. Requests will be cross-checked to ensure your registration information was complete by January 31, 2014.

School Tours

Tours of the school for parents of incoming Kindergarten students will be offered on the dates listed below. These tours are for adults only (no infants in strollers, please). In order to minimize distractions to the academic program, spaces are limited to 16 per tour and one tour per family. Please call the school office at 650-854-5900 x0 to reserve a tour.

Kindergarten tours are 9:45 - 11:00 a.m. on:

Friday, January 24, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014

Next Year Session Requests - Returning Families ONLY

Session Requests for 2014-2015 ~ RETURNING FAMILIES ONLY

If you have a current kindergarten or first grade student and wish to move to first session

next year, you must put that request in writing to Mrs.Sartor. She will begin taking requests by letter or email starting at 10:00 p.m., January 1, 2014. You may email her at ssartor@llesd.org. No requests will be honored prior to this date and time. Your requests will be placed on a wait list in order received.

New family requests are not accepted until February 1, 2014, allowing our returning families to have priority on the wait list. If you are on this year's wait list, you must make a new request for next year. We do not "roll over" the list from year to year. Please call Mrs.Sartor if you have any questions about the session request process.

School News

The Lost and Found will be donated Thursday, January 23. Please come have a look!

Information about Attendance

Students are expected to be at school unless they are ill, or if the parent reports that they will miss school due to an unavoidable family matter (funeral/wedding) or medical appointment.

Education Code Section 48260 defines a student as truant if he/she has an "unexcused absence of more than 30 minutes on three (3) different days or more." If your child is regularly late to school, or misses school due to travel, he/she will be considered truant. If an absence is not reported to the school on the day of the absence, it is also considered unexcused, even if the child is sick.

Students who have good attendance records consistently do better in school! Please help us keep our student attendance high by taking family vacations during our scheduled holiday breaks.

Las Lomitas League

Registration for Spring 2014 LLL before/after-school classes has closed and LLL classes start the week of January 27th. Please be reminded that we do not accept late registrations.

For parents who have registered for an LLL class, here are some important information to take note of:

It is mandatory that parents submit or email the dismissal instruction form directly to the LLL instructor before class starts. If you have not done so, please submit the form as soon as possible. We thank you for your cooperation.

Please provide your Las Lomitas classroom teacher with your child's dismissal plan so she knows your child needs to go to the LLL class or sport on a given day. Without written instructions stating otherwise, your child will be sent to the flagpole, bus or CCLC as usual.

Please report your child's absence from an LLL class or sport by contacting the LLL instructor directly. The school office is not involved in absence reporting for LLL classes.

If your child attends CCLC, please inform CCLC directly of the LLL classes that your child is enrolled in so that CCLC can remind your child when it is time to walk over for their LLL class and your child does not miss any LLL classes. The school or LLL is not responsible for informing CCLC of the classes you have enrolled your child in.

CCLC has informed that they will only walk Kindergarteners to and from LLL classes. CCLC will no longer escort 1st-3rd graders to and from LLL classes. 1st-3rd graders will have to walk to 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, Ruby Alter directly at RAlter@cclc.com

Please be punctual to pick up your child after an LLL class or sport at the designated class location, and not at the flagpole. If you are going to be late, please let the LLL instructor know in advance and with written notice with the name and contact number of the adult authorized to pick your child up. The LLL instructors cannot stay late to supervise your child. If parents are repeatedly late, the student may not be able to continue in the class as a possible consequence.

For parents who have registered on a wait list, you will only be notified via email IF a space becomes available - we appreciate your understanding that admittance is not guaranteed.

For more information on dismissal and procedures, please refer to our FAQ on our website.

For a weekly reference on LLL classes taking place, please refer to our online LLL calendar here.

Stanford Studies Seek Participants

AUTISM RESEARCHERS at the Stanford University School of Medicine are recruiting twins for an investigation of the role of genetics in shaping the autistic brain. The team is seeking same-sex twin pairs aged 3 to 14. Study subjects can be identical or non-identical twins. In addition to a non-invasive MRI scan, all subjects will also receive standard cognitive and IQ assessments, as well as a battery of diagnostic tests for autism. To obtain more information or volunteer for the trial, contact the study coordinator, Sue Cleveland, at (650) 723-7809 or cleve@stanford.edu.

                                   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

CHILDREN WITH ASPERGERS OR HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM NEEDED FOR STANFORD STUDIES: Do you have a child age 7-12 with high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome who would like to participate in a Stanford brain study about how the brain processes auditory or mathematical information?

The Stanford Brain Development Project is also seeking typically developing children within the age range of 7-12 for these studies. Participants must be right-handed, verbal, without braces, and able to complete several testing sessions and an MRI.

Visit our website or more information and to fill out a participation form, email braindevelopment@stanford.edu or call Leslie at 650-736-0128.

                                   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

STANFORD BRAIN DEVELOPMENT STUDY - Brain Imaging Research on Learning in Children

Do you have a child who likes to play puzzles, math games, or memory games? If so, join the Stanford Brain Development Project, and help us understand how children learn information!

We are seeking children who are right handed, ages 7-12, without a learning or attention disability, and without braces.

Visit our website for more information and to fill out a participation form, email braindevelopment@stanford.edu, or call Leslie at 650-736-0128.

                                    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

EMOTION REGULATION AND AUTISM - The Stanford Psychophysiology Lab is recruiting children and young adults ages 8-22 with ASD, ADHA or typically developing controls for a large scale research project investigation emotion reactivity and regulation among children and adolescents. For more information contact Dr. Andrea Samson and her research assistants at aserr.samson@stanford.edu or call (650) 353-5777.

                                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FLYERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE LAS LOMITAS SCHOOL OFFICE FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Business Partners

Nice Lice Advice - 75% of the mothers who bring their children into Honeycombers also have lice. My four daughters had lice twice, but I never got them, even though the girls were sleeping with me from time to time and we snuggled at bedtime. We've asked our customers and it seems like the most likely culprit in those cases where the mom gets lice is sharing combs or brushes. It seems so easy to just grab your brush from your purse and run it through your little one's head... but try to resist the urge. Keep your brush, comb and hair accessories high up out of children's reach, and invest in a brush for each child. Even if lice does come into your life, hopefully it will skip you. Brought to you by Honeycombers Lice Advice & Treatment Salon in downtown Menlo Park. Come by to purchase all-natural lice prevention and treatment products to treat your children for lice yourself at home. Or call 1.888.863.2005 to book an appointment to have your children checked, and if needed, treated for lice by our friendly Combers. We offer appointments 7 days a week in our bright, clean salon or in the privacy of your own home. Honeycombers - The Sweetest Way to be Treated

Champions Preschool and Pre-K @ Las Lomitas

Champions at Las Lomitas is currently enrolling in our Preschool, Pre-K, Before and After School Programs. Our center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Contact Ruby at 650-233-1860 to schedule a visit or get information about which program best meets your family's needs. Visit our website.

Community News

Alpine Little League: Registration is open for the Spring Alpine/West Menlo Little League season. Boys and girls between 5 and 12 years old can register for Alpine Little League baseball. Tryouts will be held Jan 19 and Jan. 26. Registration can be completed online here.

Ladera Community Church Preschool is holding its annual Open House on Saturday, January 25th, from 10:00-11:00. Come meet our fantastic teams of teachers and visit our wonderful facility in a lovely rural setting at 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. We welcome all families with children 2 years to 5 years old. To find out more, please visit our website or contact Director Katherine Rhames at 854-0295.

The Lifetree Cafe, located at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud, is offering several programs in January. Coping with the demands of caregiving will be shared on Wednesday, January 22, 7 p.m. and Thursday, January 23 at 9:15 a.m. For more information, please visit the website . Register by January 24 and join us for Parents' Night Out on February 1st. Children ages 1-10 will have a fun-filled night, including dinner, with caring babysitters. On-line registration can be found here.

Studio Rincon Youth Dance and Yoga Classes on Alameda in Menlo Park. Now taking signups for the next session of Youth Dance and yoga classes. The next session begins the week of 1/6/14. Signup here. Preballet, ballet, hip hop, yoga- all in a fun and positive atmosphere after school. Classes for ages 3-Teen. View the youth schedule here.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON SCHOOL-AGE STORYTELLING resumes January 9th.

Join the Menlo Park Library's resident tale-spinner, Storyteller John Weaver, for our Thursday Afternoon School-Age Storytelling series! It is something cool after school! No, not a story time; story telling. School-agers & adults alike will love these captivating, hilarious tales-all told without a book. Resuming January 9th, every Thursday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

The Menlo-Atherton Grizzlies Lacrosse Club will be fielding teams for the Spring 2014 Season Boys & Girls ages 5 - 15 are welcome. We have openings on Girls and Boys Under 9 teams and wait lists at other levels. Registration is open now. Looking for player & coaches!! See our website for more information or email MenloAthertonLacrosse@Gmail.com

Jeannie Goldman, instructor for Creative Art for Young Children, is offering winter classes for children 3 yrs. to 5th grade, January 8 - April 5 at the Portola Valley Town Center. The Winter session begins with white animals, snowy backgrounds and snowflakes! For more info, go to their website or call Cindy, 851-1700 ext. 200, to register.

Jeff Arons' Spring Tennis Program begins February 1st at Sacred Heart. The programs are for adults and juniors. For more information, please go to our website or email jeffaronstennis@gmail.com.

Menlo Mavericks Swim and Water Polo Team
Now accepting new members for this year-round Menlo Park swim and water polo team! USA Swimming certified swim team for youth age 5-18, plus Water Polo for boys and girls, 14 and under. Practices at Burgess and Belle Haven Pools. More information available here.

Newsletter Submissions

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;

For past issues, visit the PTA Newsletter archive.

Donna Hall
Lion's Roar Editor

The Lion's Roar is distributed via email every Monday. Printed copies are available in the school office, or the newsletter archives may be viewed online. If you have trouble receiving the Lion's Roar, please ensure your email reader or service is not blocking the Lion's Roar because it is a group distribution. To change your email address, please click 'Update Profile/Email Address' below. Thank you!