From the Principal
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Dear Las Lomitas Families,
As you know, our enrollment is near 640 students. If we add in faculty, staff, students and parents, Las Lomitas' population is about the same size as Belvedere, California! In order to function smoothly, we all need to do our part. Below is a list of ways you can make life here a little bit less hectic for everyone:
- Read the Lion's Roar, our school/PTA newsletter. It has the answer to almost every question you may have.
- Keep track of the school calendar. It has the answers to questions about minimum days, vacations and conference dates.
- Call in absences early in the morning. This will reduce the number of follow up calls the secretaries must make to ensure your child is safe.
- Provide written notes to the teacher if dismissal plans change. This reduces the number of last minute phone calls and the need to interrupt the classroom to pass this vital information on to the teacher.
- Return requested forms on time. This reduces the number of repeated mailings we must make to ensure we have emergency information, medical permissions, etc. on file for your child.
- Park in designated places. This will keep us from having to make an announcement over the intercom and interrupt classroom learning.
- Drop your child off on time. Students should not arrive before 8:30 a.m. We do not have supervision prior to 8:30 a.m.
- Pick your child up on time. The office closes at 4:00 p.m. We cannot provide supervision after hours.
- Be at the bus stop on time. This will reduce the need for you to come to the school to pick up your child.
- Keep track of after-school program changes. There are multiple Las Lomitas League classes. Keep the LLL teacher's number handy and call him/her to find out if there is a change in schedule.
- Be patient. We care about each child, parent and teacher at this school, but cannot give all of you our attention at the same time.
We have an area in our office specifically for parent information. There you will find calendars, LLEF information, bus schedules, Board minutes, enrichment program fliers, mail to parents from teachers, PTA files, etc. all in one location. Our hope is to be able to provide a "one stop shopping" area for parents. As always, Monica and Carol are happy to assist you if you can't find what you need. With everyone's cooperation, our little "town" will function smoothly. Thanks for your support!
Until next time,
Sue Sartor
Principal
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| hPTA News |
The 2014 Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the 2014-2015 PTA Board Slate:
Co-Presidents - Artis Montague & Helen Ungerman 1st VP - Maggie Oren Treasurer - Sarah Chai
Secretary - Jennifer Le Volunteer Coordinator - Laura Purpura Hot Food Coordinator - Heather Caelius Membership - Krista Merlino Parliamentarian - Christy Chin
We will vote on this slate at the General Meeting to be held on February 26th at 9am in Cano Hall.
If you cannot attend please click here to vote online.
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ScienceWonders is coming... The Las Lomitas version of a 'Science Fair',
ScienceWonders, will be on Wednesday, March 19 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in Cano Hall. This is an age-appropriate, voluntary, non-competitive event. The general format for projects is, "I wonder..., I did..., I learned". Kids come up with any question about which they wonder and experiment and research to find answers. Their projects are displayed for friends and families at the Exhibition on March 19. More information can be found on our website. You may register here.
If you have any questions, please contact Diana Sunshine at sunshine@onderdonk.net
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Read-A-Thon Submissions are Due!
 Congratulations to all of our readers! The 2014 Read-A-Thon was a fantastic success. Our students read over 428,000 minutes over 28 days! Each grade met it's goal and will enjoy a Popcorn Celebration on Feb. 28th. Thank you to all the students who participated and to the family and friends who offered their generous support. Over $22,000 was raised!
With thanks,
The Read-A-Thon Committee
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liLas Lomitas Education Foundation
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 THANK YOU to all of the families in our wonderful community who have already donated to the Annual Giving Campaign! With over 80% of families participating to date, we have been able to meet our challenge grant of $80,000! Thank you to our marvelous AGC co-chairs, Dan Li and Julie Clugage! It's not too late to donate!
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Las Lomitas School hosts
2014 Grandparents Day!!
Friday, May 23rd
Save the date!
Online sign-up coming soon!
Please email GPDay@llef.org if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.
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Please support our schools and donate today
Excellence is built one donation at a time
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Registration Information for 2014-2015
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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. If you are planning to send your child to Las Lomitas in the fall, please register as soon as possible. Thank you.
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Next Year Session Requests - Returning Families ONLY
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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
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A reminder...If you have important information about your child's placement for next year, please let the classroom teacher know or submit that information to me in writing before May 1, 2014. Any placement information received after this date may not be
considered due to our placement schedule.
Until next time,
Sue Sartor
Principal
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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.
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Tech Ease
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Sharing/Learning with Your Children About How Electronics Work
Your child may spend hours a day staring at varied forms of screens, but have you ever talked with them about what's behind the tech, or wanted to explore those answers with your children? Stimulating curiosity about the tech behind the devices can be a wonderful adventure. Not only do children gain new respect for their favorite devices, but it piques their curiosity, fuels that interest into building and constructing devices, and is something you can share as a family.
Maker Faires, "The Greatest Show & Tells on Earth": Share a Maker Faire weekend with your children which are held yearly in San Francisco and New York City. These attract nearly 50,000 kids and adults, who learn how to solder, take apart and put together gadgets, figure out how they function, and more (for info, visit MakerFaire). The San Francisco Maker Faire is May 17-18 at the San Mateo Event Center.
Ask questions that piques curiosity to "googling answers": "I wonder how that works?" "What do you think would happen if there you added an extra of this or that". All conversation openers and ways for children to want to explore answers using tech. How about exploring the website of "How Stuff Works" together, try projecting that to your TV for interesting learning and fun family times.
Tech can get some bad reputations as a babysitter in restaurants or a way to kill time on long drives, and in fact it is used as distractions often at the compromise of family conversation time. (Does anyone under 8 even know the license plate game now?)
But. It can also be used to build family conversations and shared experiences. I'll hope you try some of the above, or please share out other ways you find tech enriches your family on this Google doc. It'd be great to share all the positive activities our families enjoy with their children.
Enjoy!
Suzanne Mitchell, Director of Technology
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Stanford Studies Seek Participants
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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FLYERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE LAS LOMITAS SCHOOL OFFICE FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE.
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Business Partners
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 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.
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Community News
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SPRING BREAK LEGOŽ CAMP ( April 14 - April 18) @ Oak Knoll Elementary Grades K-5.
BrainVyne - Providers of LEGOŽ education: Each day includes LEGOŽ build and play with LEGOŽ Zoom and LEGOŽ robotics models as well as favorite camp activities- games, art, sports. 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Post camp till 6:00 pm for an extra fee. Register by the day or sign up for entire week at a discounted price. Register Now!
AMA Softball Registration now open!
Girls from K-7th grade are invited to join us for the 2014 AMA Softball season. Everyone plays and teams are organized by schools. Volunteers are always welcome, especially coaches. Register today!
Encore Lacrosse is excited to host the most FUNdamental lacrosse camp for introductory and intermediate players! Sign up to play the "fastest sport on two feet!" No previous experience is needed for beginners as safe soft balls are used, and lacrosse sticks can be purchased ($30) and delivered at camp. Equipment rentals are available for the intermediate division. For more information visit here or e-mail at info@EncoreLacrosse.com.
Creighton School of Wrestling
Now at Sports House, Redwood City! Come get CREIGHTONTRAINED by two-time National Champion and Wrestling Hall of Fame Coach Braumon Creighton! Spring wrestling classes are available for ages 8-18, and all skill levels are welcome. We offer training for beginning through advanced wrestlers on Mondays and/or Wednesdays starting March 10. Register now! Summer camps will be posted soon.
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.
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. Junior All Terrain Runners (Jr-ATR) Join us for an exciting new program for kids age 7-14! Through our fun, non-competitive curriculum, kids will work on all aspects of movement using confidence (obstacle) courses, core & strength work, and running. Visit us online. Mavericks Youth Water Polo Menlo Swim and Sport welcomes Brenda Villa, the most decorated female water polo player ever, as the new Head of Mavericks Water Polo. Girls and Boys 12U and 14U teams forming now, register today!
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Summer Programs/Camps
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Camp Menlo Summer Camp
Camp Menlo Summer Camp registration is now open for camps starting June 2, including our award-winning Camp Menlo Aquatics camp for kids age 4.5-9, Jr Lifeguard for age 9-14, Tennis and Swim for age 7-14, Performance Swim for age 9-18, and two Water Polo camps for beginners and more experienced players. Register before January 31 and save $25 on 5-day summer camps!
Panthers "All Sports" Camp is back for another exciting 2014 summer. Located at Corte Madera School in Portola Valley, Panthers Camp has been thriving in the bay area for the past 20 years. We look forward to working with your kids this summer. Our primary focus is building confidence & inspiring a passion for a variety of movement skills. For more information, here is the link to the Panthers Camp website. In order to register, please visit here. If you register before 3/1/14, you will get the early bird special. Please let me know if you have any questions (danflahavan@gmail.com). I look forward to another great summer with your kids at Panthers Camp.
Captivating Dance by Nona Summer Dance Camp: Learn/improve dance techniques for Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Tap, Ballet, and more! Additional fun activities included throughout the week. Great opportunity to learn from Nona Ybarra, multi-award winning choreographer/instructor, CDBN competition dance instructors, as well as some of Nona's Elite winning CDBN dance team members.For advanced campers only - a different special guest choreographer will teach a master class during one day of each weeklong session!
Ages: boys and girls 4-17 Location: 1923 Menalto Times: M - F 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Beginning/intermediate); 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. (Advanced) Sessions: June 16 - July 28 Fees: $385/week (family and multi week discount available) Contact: is again offering several camps this summer. There are flyers in the Las Lomitas School office. Visit our website or call 1-800-854-3684.
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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 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!
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The Lion's Roar 
