Sequoia Union Bond
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 PLEASE JOIN THE LAS LOMITAS PTA IN SUPPORT OF "CITIZENS FOR SEQUOIA UNION HIGH SCHOOL - YES ON A" - The Sequoia Union High School District has a bond up for vote on the Tuesday, June 3 election. The district's great high schools have drawn families to its communities, causing a surge in student enrollment. Enrollment has increased by 20% over the last 12 years and is expected to grow another 20% in the next 7 years. Measure A will provide additional classrooms and labs, as well as updated technology to help the district continue its excellent academic programs as student enrollment grows. Please visit the Yes on A website at www.greatsequoiahighschools.org to learn about Measure A and how you can help. If you have additional questions about Yes on A, please email Jennifer Le at jenfle@gmail.com.
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From the Principal
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Dear Las Lomitas Families,
Welcome back! I hope you had a restful vacation.
The next Morning with the Principal is scheduled for this week on Wednesday, April 23 at 9:00 a.m. in Cano Hall. Topics will include our placement process and the new state assessment (see below). As always, please bring your questions or topics you'd like to discuss. These mornings are designed to provide a venue for open communication between home and school. I hope to see you there!
The third grade classes had their first sessions of the CAASPP (the new state test for the Common Core State Standards) prior to spring break. This new assessment is administered online. This year is a "test of the test" to see if the technology systems function as expected. We've had some glitches along the way that the teachers and district staff are addressing. It is a learning experience for all of us! The students are absolutely super - doing their best and patiently waiting for the adults. J A big thank you goes out to Alain Camou, Deborah Roden, Bobbi Thielemann and Suzanne Mitchell for all of the planning prior to implementation. Third grade students will continue with the test through mid-May. Please be sure to read class newsletters so you child is present on testing days.
As the weather gets warm, please be sure your child wears sunscreen - hats are encouraged at lunch and on the playground. We will get the awnings up over the lunch area within the next day or so. Also, remember to follow our dress code and send your child to school in appropriate clothes for learning. If students arrives wearing flip-flops, we will call home for someone to bring shoes to school. Please remember that your child is going to school, not to a play date. Below is an excerpt from our School Handbook (page 109 in the Directory):
Appropriate dress is necessary for all students in order to learn... Short shorts, mini skirts, halter tops or very short tee shirts are not permitted. At least a 4" inseam on shorts should be the guide...Hats, caps and bandannas are not to be worn indoors at school. All shoes, sandals etc. must have a strap or come up past the heel (no flip-flops or shoes with wheels). This prevents them from falling off children's feet during all playtime and P.E. classes.
Finally, many of you are dog lovers; so am I. However, dogs and school are not a good combination. The School Handbook (page 96 in the Directory) clearly states:
Please understand that for health and safety reasons, dogs and pets are NOT allowed on campus during school hours unless prior arrangements have been made with staff - this includes dismissal time. All animals or pets that are brought to school for instructional purposes must be on leash or in closed carriers.
Please help us keep the campus clean and safe for your children. I appreciate your support and cooperation.
Until next time,
Sue Sartor
Principal
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liLas Lomitas Education Foundation
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Tickets are selling fast! Get yours now online. Don't miss out on the best party of the year on May 10th at the Cabana Hotel Crowne Plaza in Palo Alto.
The ENTIRE Auction Catalog is now online for you to review.
Our Online Auction opens April 28, 2014 and features special offerings by our wonderful teachers, reserved seats and parking at special events, lots of fun family items, PLUS many more great items you don't want to miss out on! So even if you can't make it to the event, you can still support your schools! The printed catalog will come home on Monday April 28th - look for it in your youngest child's backpack then start bidding.
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Las Lomitas - La Entrada Fun Run
2014 - SATURDAY, MAY 17th
Bring your entire family and join the Foundation's 3 rd annual Fun Run starting at 8:30 a.m. from the Las Lomitas Kindergarten playground. Three separate run/walk events will be held:
- Short course on the Las Lomitas playground for the youngest participants
- Medium-distance road course (1 mile) on the beautiful streets of Atherton
- 5K run/walk: a flat and fast road course through the beautiful backstreets of Atherton
The events aren't just for runners: walkers and those pushing strollers are welcome too. Pre- register online until May 15th. Want to help with this FUN event? We are in need of volunteers to help on race day (time keepers, food/drink tables, traffic/course monitors, etc.). If you are interested, please contact Josie Tang (jatangmd@yahoo.com).
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We are excited that this year Las Lomitas will be hosting Grandparent's Day on May 23rd.
We hope that you have mailed the invitations to your children's grandparents so that they can RSVP and join the festivities. You can also RSVP for them by clicking here.The RSVP deadline is the end of April, or when we reach 450 registered grandparents, which ever is earlier. Because space is strictly limited and because each grandparent has his or her own schedule for the day, grandparents must register online to attend the event.
We sincerely regret that Grandparent's Day is limited to grandparents only; however, parents, nannies, aunts, uncles and family friends are welcome to participate by volunteering for the event. We could really use your help to make the event a success!
Hurry and sign-up to volunteer today - it will be a fun and exciting morning, with wonderful memories in the making! Click here to volunteer now.
Please support our schools
Like us on Facebook
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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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Parents of Third Graders
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LA ENTRADA OPEN HOUSE - Tuesday, May 20th
La Entrada teachers will hold Open House in their classrooms on Tuesday, May 20th beginning at 6:30 p.m. Incoming 4th graders and their families are welcome to attend this event. It's a great opportunity to meet the fourth grade teachers: Ms. Goldman, Room 30, Ms. Cummins, Room 31, Mrs. Rivers, Room 40, Mrs. Montalvo, Room 41 Ms. Thelen, Rm 32 and Mrs. Behrens, Room 43, Ms. Bicknell, Rm 44. (NOTE: Next year's teacher assignments have not been determined as of this date.)
Questions? Call Kathy Ruwe, school counselor at Las Lomitas ext. 267
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R-FEP Celebration
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Las Lomitas School District will be celebrating those English language learner students who have demonstrated academic proficiency in English on April 29, 2014, 6:00 p.m. in the La Entrada MUR. These students will be redesignated as "Fluent English Proficient", also known as R-FEP. Our R-FEP celebration is in honor of students who have graduated from the English Language Development program and will highlight each student through a video show, student presentations and speeches by district administrators and teachers. Congratulations to our students and their families for this terrific accomplishment! |
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. 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. |
Business Partners
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Welcome to SOLID! Our organization was co-founded by a parent at Las Lomitas, and we are  committed to our mission to help build a SOLID foundation for schools. We design and sell great t-shirts and each time you buy a SOLID tee - we will donate 28.5% of the sales to Las Lomitas Elementary School.
Please check out our website. You can support Las Lomitas NOW by purchasing a SOLID tee directly from our site!
Like us on Facebook 
Follow us on Twitter 
 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 Extended Learning at Las Lomitas Elementary 
When school's out, fantastic fun is in!
Want to spring some fun on your kid this break? Preview our summer adventures by discovering a different theme each day! Not only will your child get a chance to explore our exciting offerings that are coming this summer, they will have a new learning experience everyday. Join us for Spring Break Camp April 14th - April 18th.
Sign up today; space is limited! Contact Ruby Alter at (650) 233-1860 or ralter@cclc.com for more information.
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Community News
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Creative Arts for Young Children is offering art classes with an Ancient Egypt theme this spring. Everything from clay pyramids to drawing hieroglyphics will be explored. Classes are for children from 3 years to 8th graders and are Weds - Sat afternoons and Saturday mornings too. To register, contact Cindy at 851-1700 ext 200 or register online.
Studio Rincon Youth Dance Classes
Studio Rincon on Alameda in Menlo Park- Winter/Spring session of youth dance classes started the 1st week of March. Signup here. Pre-ballet, ballet, tap & hip hop are all taught in a fun and positive atmosphere after school for ages 3-Teen. Classes lead up to the annual end if year show at Woodside HS PAC! View the youth schedule online.
Join us at the Children's Champions Event on Saturday, May 3rd from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., for a family-friendly afternoon at Stanford Stadium. Benefiting Wender Weis Foundation for Children and Fit Kids, Children's Champions wants you to have fun while being active and healthy! Come mingle with professional athletes and team mascots including Lou Seal, Stomper and Q. Meet members of the Stanford Football team. Run through an obstacle course, participate in a three-legged race, make some arts and crafts, or just have a fun afternoon, all the while helping at-risk children. Tickets available online.
Reading & Classroom Volunteers Needed in East Palo Alto - An Hour a Week Could Change a Student's Life (sign up now, September start)
We are looking now for parents willing to volunteer beginning in September to assist in K-4 classrooms in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park. Either tutor students in a structured reading program or assist teachers in the classroom with individualized instruction much like you may have done in your own child's school. These schools have almost no parents helping...no PTA. It's one hour per week starting in September. Our organization provides orientation/training and coordinates everything. Click here for an informational flyer. To learn more about the experience, contact parent volunteers Jennifer Overholt at jenoverholt@gmail.com, Keri Tully at keritully@gmail.com or Ashley Banks at ashleysbanks@gmail.com. Visit us online to sign up or contact Carolyn Blatman, ASM Program Director, at cblatman@aol.com. Get Out and Explore with the 2014 SamTrans Summer Youth Pass. This $40 pass allows unlimited rides on SamTrans from June 1 to August 31 and is available to kids 17 and younger. Passes go on sale May 21. Visit us online for more information or pick up a flyer in the Las Lomitas office.
AYSO Region 25 (Portola Valley, Woodside, La Honda)
SIGN UP NOW FOR AYSO FALL SOCCER FUN!
For boys and girls ages 4-14. Register online April 1 - May 31
Fees: $125 until June 1 (U8 and up); $125 Kinder (U6) $225 late registration. For questions please contact Don Yates at r25regcom@gmail.com or 650-851-2690.
Palo Alto Chinese School: Chinese as a Second Language Program
(Fri evenings 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at JLS Middle School)
Open house for the 2014 Fall semester of the Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) program at Palo Alto Chinese School (PACS) will be held on May 2nd, 6:30 p.m. Come visit us for an orientation, including a tour to view a class in session, and time to speak with current staff and parents. If interested, please RSVP for your spot in the open house using this form. Registration for Pre-K, Kindergarten and CSL1-7 classes begins on May 2nd. Founded in 1963, PACS is the oldest Chinese school in the San Francisco Bay Area. More information available here.
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Summer Programs/Camps
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LAS LOMITAS SUMMER PROGRAM: Incoming kindergarten through 4th graders will learn about our 49th state of Alaska and the Arctic. This enrichment program spans 4 weeks, from 9:00 to 1:00, June 23 to July 18 at Las Lomitas School. Registration forms can be found in the school office or by contacting Barbara Fong at llsp@me.com.
 Join us for Jeff Arons' Summer Tennis Camp at Sacred Heart. Morning camps are for beginning/intermediate players to develop their skills while afternoon camps are geared to improving match play performance. Camps are Mondays through Fridays, 9:00 a.m. - noon and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. for first through twelfth graders. The ten one week sessions begin June 9 and end August 15.
Email jeffaronstennis@gmail.com or visit us online.
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. For more details, here is my website. Session 1 (June 16-19) is filling quickly with only 10 spaces left and session 2 is sold-out. Sessions 3 (June 30-July 3) and 4 (July 7-10) have space available. In order to register, please click here. Contact Dan Flahavan with 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. 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.
Summer Math Camp, Mathitude, presents a Fun & Exciting MATH game experience that will
change the way your children will think about Math! This camp is not a 'pencil and paper'
camp. Instead, it's a massive game the children play all
week. Children will rotate between stations, guided by trained counselors. Stations include the Design Center, Math Arcade, Treasure Hunting and 007 Secret Agent. The children roll the dice, or draw a card, to determine their math task (based on interest and level). Each task attempted and/or solved will earn tokens the children redeem for prizes at our Gift Shop. For entering grades 2 - 8 (all levels welcome). Visit our website to learn more and register!
Young Outliers, a Silicon Valley summer camp, will be held at JLS Middle School in Palo Alto for children ages 9-13. Email info@YoungOutliers.com or call 650-417-3008 for more information.
La Entrada Coding and 3D Printing Camp Are you going to be a 4th, 5th, or 6th grader next year? Do you want to learn what it takes to computer program in a fun and supportive way? Then look no further and join La Entrada's Coding Camp, hosted by Mr. Parker Kelly, La Entrada's technology teacher. With over 20 years of teaching experience, 14 as the technology teacher at La Entrada, he will guide you, over a two week period, as we explore a variety of different programming languages and resources as well as some fun multimedia projects. First off, participants will receive hands-on practice using a variety of addicting, age appropriate, tools and online resources to learn about coding. In addition, students will get a chance to explore powerful media manipulation tools such as Photoshop CS6, a broadcasting studio, Garageband, iMovie, Autodesk 3D software and our newly purchased Makerbot 3D printer in our brand new iMac lab. Enrollment is limited to the first 16 students per 2 week session so do not delay in registering. Here are the specifics:
Where: La Entrada Middle School, iMac lab, 2200 Sharon Rd., Menlo Park CA Who: Students entering 4th, 5th, or 6th grade in the fall of 2014 When: Choose between two 2-week sessions OR take both! · Session 1: June 16-27, 2014, 8:30 a.m. - noon · Session 2: July 7-18, 2014, 8:30 a.m. - noon Cost: $600 per 2 week session, $1100 for both sessions For additional information, here is a link to the flyer and here is the link to registration. There are still plenty of spots available. Don't delay, signup today!
Camp Edmo and Camp EdTech Are Back In Palo Alto Hosted At Palo Verde Elementary! First Time Campers Use Code: FIRSTNEWS14 When You Enroll for $50 off! Camp Edmo for Pre-K-entering 4th grade, helps kids build curiosity, confidence and kindness. Our Arts & Science, Animation and Nature sessions are designed by Edventure More in partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, Children's Creativity Museum and MOCHA. Voted Best Bay Area Camp and Educational Support Program 2009-2013by BayAreaParent! Every week includes Costume Day, Wacky Water Day, Family Friday and The Edmo Vibe Game. Camp EdTech teaches pre-teens and teens entering 5th - 8th grade how to create their own apps, circuitry, video games, digital movies, photographs, and animations. Taught by industry pros and designed by Edventure More in partnership with the Children's Creativity Museum, the Bay Area's premier digital arts museum. Voted Best Bay Area Technology Camp 2013by BayAreaParent! Every week includes a specialized digital media theme, camper challenges, outdoor recreation, life skills building and end-of-the-week movie premiers and gallery showings. Join the fun and Rock the Edmo and EdTech Vibe! To learn more about Summer 2014 sessions and to enroll, visit campedmo.org or campedtech.org or call 415.282.MORE (6673). Multi-Week, Sibling and Refer-a-friend discounts too.
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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 
