The Lion's Roar  
The Las Lomitas PTA Newsletter  
                                                               
 Week of August 25, 2014
   
In This Issue
From the Principal
Arrival and Dismissal Protocol
From the Counselor
Volunteers Needed for Hot Lunch
PTA News
Pancake Breakfast- Saturday Sept 20th
Get Your Las Lomitas Spiritwear!
Community News
Newsletter Submissions
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

 Calendar

 

This Week:   

  • Mon Aug 25*: Las Lomitas League Registration -opens at 7 pm
  • Wed Aug 27: Choice Lunch Begins
  • Thurs Aug 28: Parent Information Night - K & 1st 6:30 - 7:15 pm and 2nd & 3rd 7:15 - 8:00 pm. Remember to bring your checkbooks/cash to buy Spiritwear!

Coming Soon: 

  • Mon Sept 1: Labor Day-  NO SCHOOL
  • Wed Sept 3: PTA Bd. Mtg. - 9:00 a.m. -room 20B
  • Wed Sept 10: Morning with the Principal - 9 am - Cano Hall
  • Sat Sept 20: Pancake Breakfast at 8:30 am-Please plan to volunteer and/or attend. This is a great community event you will not want to miss!

 *Correction - Date changed from 8/22 to 8/25  

From the Principal


Dear Las Lomitas Families,

 

Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year! District and site employees were very busy over the summer preparing the campus for all of your wonderful children. The rooms are bright and clean, ready to welcome the children back to school.

 

New faculty members include Megan Meyer (3rd), Heather Hower (3rd), and Allison O'Brien (K Movement Exploration/Yard Supervisor). I am thrilled at the depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise that these talented people bring to Las Lomitas. I will tell you a bit more about these new staff members in future articles.

 

There were also a few changes for returning teachers. Mrs. Montre moved from third grade to work in the Language Lab as our ELD teacher. Mrs. Duchesne (formerly Donecho) left first grade to be a new Reading/Reading Recovery teacher. Mrs. Moritz moved from a first grade job-share with Ms. Ohline to a second grade job-share with Mrs. Morris. Ms.Ohline returns to first grade as a full-time teacher. Mrs. Porro is teaching a K/1 multi-grade and Ms. Fay (formerly Button) continues teaching Kindergarten. 

 

Although this is my 27thyear at Las Lomitas, the start of a school year never ceases to bring excitement and anticipation for what is to come. I look forward to getting to know each of you better over the course of the school year. Communication is essential to maintain a positive climate and build community relations. To facilitate both of the above, Mornings with the Principal are offered again this year; the first is set for September 10th. Watch the Lion's Roar
for details. Parent involvement is a key component of an effective school. We are most fortunate to have an active PTA, School Site Council and Foundation to support student learning and provide an optimal learning environment. I encourage you to participate in one of these organizations and wish you all a successful start to the school year.

 

Safety is always uppermost in our minds at Las Lomitas, so please take a moment to review the tips in the following section regarding arrival and dismissal. Your children are precious. Please help us keep them safe. A separate flier with this information was sent home the first day of school. Please review it with all of those in your family who deliver or pick up students from school.

 

Until next time,


Sue Sartor, Principal

 

Arrival and Dismissal Protocol

LAS LOMITAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Arrival and Dismissal Protocol

 

Safety comes first at Las Lomitas. The streets in our neighborhood, including Camino al Lago, are very congested during arrival and dismissal times, especially on Wednesdays and minimum days.   Please take a few minutes to review these safety tips. With everyone's cooperation, we can be sure that our students are safe and help traffic move smoothly.

 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please share this information with others who will bring or pick up your child from school. We appreciate everyone's courtesy and patience in the parking area, on Camino al Lago and surrounding streets at arrival and dismissal times.

 

Sue Sartor, Principal

 

AT ALL TIMES

  • PLEASE BE PATIENT and RESPECTFUL; everyone is working hard to get students in and out of school safely.
  • TURN OFF YOUR CELLPHONE!
  • PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY and PAY ATTENTION, even on neighboring streets. Our students are young and not easily seen.
  • PARK IN DESIGNATED PARKING SPACES; please honor the no parkingsigns and only use the handicapped parking spaces if you have a placard. Do not block neighbors' driveways - please model courteous behavior.  Do not park in staff spaces before 9:00 a.m.
  • LEAVE PETS AT HOME. Even the cutest puppy can cause more congestion and possible frighten a student.
  • WRITTEN PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR A CHANGE IN DISMISSAL; emails are not always read in time.  Be sure the note arrives to school and is given to the teacher first thing in the morning.

 

ARRIVING BY CAR

 

  • BE READY TO UNLOAD; have backpacks ready so the line doesn't back up.
  • ALWAYS UNLOAD CURBSIDE; please do not ever unload from drive-through lane.
  • approach the crosswalk area slowly! Be especiallycautious if you are in the drive-through lane.
  • CHECK TO SEE IF THE CROSSWALK IS CLEAR of students and parents before driving forward.

ARRIVING on FOOT or BICYCLE

 

  • ALWAYS use the crosswalk! Be a role model for the children, even when tempted to cut across the drive-through or loading lanes. Remember, evenwhen you are alone, other children may be watching your example.
  • LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing! Cars may not see you - watch for them.
  • WALK BICYCLES on the sidewalk; LOCK them at designated bike racks.

 

 

PICKING UP by CAR at DISMISSAL TIME

 

  • STAY IN THE PICK-UP LANE! Do not leave your car. Do not send someone to the flagpole to pick up your child and bring to the car.
  • PUT THE NAME CARD WHERE IT CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN from a distance.  Hold it up or put it on the visor.  If you do not have a name card, you will be given another one and may be asked to circle around again.
  • DRIVE SLOWLY through the drive-through lane if you are ready to go before others in front of you.

 

 

PICKING UP in PERSON at DISMISSAL TIME

 

  • KEEP THE HALLWAYS CLEAR; do not wait in the hall to meet your child.
  • KEEP THE GATE AREA CLEAR
  • USE THE CROSSWALK! Watch for teachers to help cross through traffic.
  • ONLY PICK UP AT THE FRONT GATE OF THE SCHOOL; do not park in the Champions lot or behind the school and ask students to meet you there.
  • ON WEDNESDAYS, do not come inside the gate once dismissal is in progress.  Tell the teacher assigned to the gate area your child's name and she will call your child to come meet you.  Students will be grouped by grade level in the flagpole courtyard every Wednesday and on minimum days.

From the Counselor


Las Lomitas Welcomes the Buddy Bench

 

We are happy to be the home of a new addition on our big playground this year: The Las Lomitas Buddy Bench.

 

The Buddy Bench concept was created by an 8-year-old boy who felt bad about kids on the playground who felt left out or lonely. His simple strategy was to create a common area where kids could gather who were looking for playmates. We could not agree more! Thanks to the generosity of our PTA, our Buddy Bench was installed over the summer.

 

Teachers will be introducing students to the bench when they tour campus this week. Be sure to find it next time you are on campus. In addition to helping kids who might be a little lonely, the Buddy Bench provides a wonderful opportunity for students who want to "give back" to the Las Lomitas community and look for occasions to include students who might not otherwise have playmates. Who knows what new friendships might be formed!

 

                                                                                                            Kathy Ruwe

                                                                                                            School Counselor

 

Volunteers Needed for Hot Lunch

Choicelunch 

   

Volunteers needed for Hot Lunch - 
Scheduled to begin
Wednesday, August 27
for 1st-3rd Grades  

Help out with one of the best volunteer jobs in the school! Serving hot lunch not only helps the school, but also gives you a chance to see your child and get to know the other students and volunteers. Hot lunch shifts last about an hour (from 11:40 AM-12:40 PM) and you can sign up to help weekly, every other week, once a month or as an on-call sub. Click here to find out which friends have already signed up so you can join them!  For questions about volunteering for hot lunch, please contact Heather Caelius at [email protected].
PTA News
We hope that the start to the 2014-15 School year has been successful thus far! For those of you that missed the kick off at our Welcome Coffee & Volunteer Fair last week, please know that you can always sign up to volunteer using the PTA link here.

We are still awaiting full participation by parents at Las Lomitas to join the PTA. You may do so by bringing in your check for $100 per child (this will include a directory) to the office. Or, if you prefer to donate online, feel free to use the link here.

We look forward to seeing you all around, and if you have any questions, thoughts or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Artis Montague & Helen Ungerman
Pancake Breakfast- Saturday Sept 20th
pancakesoutreachPlease support your school and join us for our annual Las Lomitas Pancake Breakfast Saturday, September 20, 8:30 - 10:30.  Featuring live entertainment from Fur, Scales and Tales, as well as coffee and espresso drinks from Nespresso.  Tickets are $6 per person in advance, or $8 at the door.  Outreach is available for this event.  Contact Alain Camou at 650-854-5900 ext. 269.  Don't miss this delicious and fun community building event!  Click here to sign up.

We need volunteers!  If interested, please contact [email protected].
Get Your Las Lomitas Spiritwear!

Fridays at Las Lomitas are Spirit Days! So wear red or get your Las Lomitas Spirit Wear online at www.cafepress.com/laslomitaselementary. Also look for the Spirit Wear table at this weeks PIN Night on Thursday, August 28th, or the upcoming Pancake Breakfast on September 20th. Don't forget to bring cash or checks. Credit cards accepted online.


Community News
In Home Private Tutoring with a Credentialed Teacher

Julianna Hollander is a CA credentialed teacher with 13 years experience in education.  
She is available for Pre-K through 5th Grade tutoring. Sessions may include kindergarten readiness skills, homework help, and intervention or enrichment in reading, writing and math.  She has extensive experience with special needs. Local references are available upon request. Contact her today to discuss your child's needs via email at [email protected], or phone at 650-722-0025.

Jeff Arons' fall Tennis Program at Sacred Heart begins September 3rd.  Classes are for adults and Juniors. Visit the website at www.jeffaronstennis.com or email [email protected].   

Newsletter Submissions

To submit an item, email Carol Clark ([email protected]) by 12 noon on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication date.
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!