From the Principal
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Dear Las Lomitas Families, School has been in session almost a month! Hard to believe, but true. Much of Mr. Camou's and my student contact time is spent on the playground, lunch area or at assemblies. In order to keep up with inside-the-classroom learning, we schedule weekly walk-throughs, either together or on our own. Here is a bit of what I saw during a short period this week in classrooms: Art and Second Step lessons; imaginative play with large blocks; students writing in their writing workshop folders; math activities with students working together to solve word problems, create number bonds with manipulatives and round numbers to the 1000's place; xylophones being played in music class; and small guided reading groups. I encourage you to read newsletters from the teacher to learn about the variety of learning experiences your child engages in each day. The first Morning with the Principal last week was well attended. We discussed a variety of topics including school climate initiatives (Buddy Bench, Second Step and Principal's Book Club), facilities planning, safety plans, writing workshop and our math pilot. Assistant Principal Alain Camou, our counselor Kathy Ruwe and Governing Board Trustee Jay Siegal were present to provide details on the above topics. I appreciate hearing questions and topics of interest from those who attended and hope they will share what they learned with others. Please email me if there is a topic you would like me to place on the agenda for my Evening with the Principal on November 5th, at 6:00pm in the library. Until next time,
Sue
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NEWS FROM KATHY RUWE, SCHOOL COUNSELOR
This is my seventeenth year as school counselor at Las Lomitas! Wow! Where did the time go? My role as school counselor has changed over the years and continues to evolve.
First and foremost, it is my responsibility to help your child get the best possible education. A good education includes not only learning to read, write and mastery of math concepts, but also includes learning good social skills. This means among other things, learning how to get along with other children, making good decisions, controlling anger, accepting responsibility and being aware of strengths and weaknesses. Many of these skills are taught at home. It is my intent to supplement the learning from home through small group and classroom guidance lessons.
I am also on campus to help students who are facing particular difficulties. Family disruptions such as an illness, death or divorce may affect children at school. If your family is experiencing anything out of the ordinary, please let me know. If I am aware of special problems your child might be facing, I can observe your child and help both you and your child with difficulties that might surface. School personnel and parents working together is a winning combination for children!
I am on campus Monday through Thursday. Please feel free to contact me! I will be happy to return your call as soon as I can. My number is 854-5900 x267 and my email is kruwe@llesd org. I look forward to another eventful and meaningful year working with you and your children.
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From the Foundation
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Welcome Dinner for Kindergarten Parents! Attention all Kindergarten Parents! Please join us to meet and get to know other kindergarten parents at Las Lomitas! We will have fun conversation and a casual buffet dinner with parents as well as school and District leaders. When: Thursday, September 18 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Where: The home of Leslie and Charlie King Special Guests include: Sue Sartor, Las Lomitas School Principal Lisa Cesario, Las Lomitas School District Superintendent We hope to see you there! Tickets Still Available to These Fantastic LLEF Events!  5th Annual Gentlemen's Hold'em Tournament Party
September 20, 2014 at 7:00 pm  4th Annual Ladies Round Robin Tennis
Friday, September 26 from 10am - 2pm at Alpine Hills Tennis Club
 Father-Daughter "Sweetheart" Dance
- Friday, October 17, 2014 from 7:00-9:00 pm at Jensen Hall at La Entrada
***** VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to help with the Father-Daughter Dance! Please help make this night special and contact auction@llef.org to get involved. It is so much fun to be with the Dads and Daughters on their special night. Thanks in advance! ***** Click here to buy tickets now! http://www.llef.org |
Pancake Breakfast- Saturday, September 20th
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YES, THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST IS THIS SATURDAY & WE NEED YOUR HELP!
You are reading this right! We can't wait to have all of your families in tow for the annual & very fun Las Lomitas community event:
THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST!
Sadly, we are short on volunteers....so, we need your help to keep the lines moving. Whether it's FLIPPIN' FLAPJACKS or SERVIN' UP THE CAKES, we need you! AND you won't spend the entire morning working because there are shifts!
Thank you for supporting our school at the annual Las Lomitas Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, September 20th from 8:30 until 10:30. Featuring life entertainment from Fur, Scales and Tales, as well as coffee and espresso specialty 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 event! Click here to sign up. |
Las Lomitas League
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Fall Sports and Classes have begun! All information, including how to contact your child's instructors, can be found on our website at http://laslomitasleague.com. If you need to withdraw from a class, you have until 24 hours before the second class to notify the registrar at llleagueregistrar@gmail.com . Cancellations are refunded at 90% of the class or sport fee, and there are no refunds after the withdrawal deadline.
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| PTA News |  PTA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE!
Thank you everyone who stopped by the PTA Coffee & Volunteer Fair the first day of school. We had a great turnout of returning and new families. Thank you to Pookie Stern for providing all the refreshments and wonderful treats.
If you were not able to join us for the Volunteer Fair, there are still many volunteer opportunities available and several of our committees need more help to run successfully. Simply sign up online at www.laslomitaspta.org/volunteer by Friday, September 5th.
The following programs require a lot of volunteers to run successfully. PLEASE SIGN UP!
Pancake Breakfast - Pancake Breakfast is right around the corner: Saturday, Sept. 20th, 8:30-10:30am! We need volunteers to Set-up, Cook Pancakes, Serve, and Clean-up. Don't miss this fun Las Lomitas event! Please contact techesler@yahoo.com to volunteer.
Green Campus - We have an amazing program that is not only educational for the kids but great for our environment. Consider volunteering for Green Campus and spend time with your children during lunchtime to help compost. Please sign up on our invitation page on Volunteer Spot.
Picture Day - Help the kids look their best for fall photos. Volunteer for 2 hr shifts. Individual pictures will be taken on Sept 23rd and class pictures on Jan 28th.
Fun Fridays - Help organize and run games with the kids during lunch recess the first Friday of each month. Fun Fridays are a great way to interact directly with the kids and see first hand playground fun!
Book Fair - Encourage reading by promoting the fair, creating, running and closing our annual book store at Cano Hall. Choose from a variety of fun jobs and meet lots of new friends by volunteering for 2-3 hr shifts. Set up is at 5:00 pm on October 24th. Fair runs through Nov 1.
Website - Help with the Las Lomitas PTA website. Volunteer work can be done at home 1 hr/wk.
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The Apple for the Classroom program is a way for parents to support their children's teachers directly. All the teachers and specialists at Las Lomitas have been invited to create a "wish list" of items that would help to further enrich their classrooms. Wishes may include art supplies, gift cards, books, or donations toward a special activity or field trip. To view the lists, please visit our website at http://www.laslomitaspta.org/programs/apple Once at the site, select the list you want to view. Teachers' lists are divided into two sections, so you can choose to bring an item directly to the classroom or you can choose to make a donation via PayPal. Thank you for supporting our teachers and enriching your children's experience at Las Lomitas..
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Holiday Workshop Planning Meeting
Wednesday, September 24, Science Room: 9:00am
It's that time again! Calling all parents! Would you like to help with the Holiday Workshop? Do you have an idea for a craft that our kids would enjoy? Perhaps, be a table lead? Come join us at our opening meeting to prepare for this fun event. If you have a craft, bring a sample to share. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or want to lead a craft table but are unable to attend the planning meeting. Sign up to volunteer to help with this fun day via the PTA website. Save the Date: The Holiday Workshop - Wednesday, December 3. Contacts: Kristina Valentine & Josie Tang (holidayworkshop@llpta.org)
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Box Tops for Education  Please remember to clip, collect, and submit box top coupons found on many favorite brands such as Betty Crocker, Nature Valley, Kleenex, Huggies, Ziploc, and so many more. Las Lomitas earns 10 cents for each box top submitted, and these really add up! Box tops can be turned in any time to the cereal box in the Las Lomitas office. Write your student's name and room number on the bag containing the box tops to be eligible for our prize drawing which will be held in mid October.
Thank you for supporting our school!
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Please start SAVING your books to donate for the La Entrada Used Book Fair.  We will be collecting books in October at Las Lomitas and La Entrada for the November Book Fair. 100% of the proceeds help La Entrada School and PTA. Please contact Monica Albers (monica.albers@gmail.com) with any questions. |
Volunteers Needed for Hot Lunch
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Without your help, We will have to cancel the Hot Lunch program!
PARENTS, we can't do this without you - Whether you have children enjoying Hot Lunch or not, we need your help! If we don't double the amount of volunteers for hot lunch, the school will have to cancel the program. Volunteering for hot lunch is only an hour commitment from 11:40-12:40, and you can sign up to help weekly, every other week, once a month or as an on-call sub. Volunteering for hot lunch is one of the easiest ways to help the school, and it also gives you a chance to see your child and get to know the other students and volunteers. This is a fun job to do with friends, make new friends, and enjoy what is incredible about Las Lomitas... THE COMMUNITY! Our most urgent needs are for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For questions about volunteering for hot lunch, please contact Heather Caelius at hotfood@llpta.org. |
| 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 the upcoming Pancake Breakfast on September 20th. Don't forget to bring cash or checks. Credit cards accepted online.
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Arrival Protocol
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LAS LOMITAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Arrival 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. If you want to stop and chat with a friend, please do so out of the line so traffic does not get backed up. 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.
- 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.
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Business Partners
|  QWERTY Education Services, a premier provider of education services for Menlo Park, Palo Alto and surrounding Peninsula communities for over 25 years, offers private, one-on-one tutoring services, educational testing by Licensed Educational Psychologists and a variety of custom other education services designed to help your child. Looking for multi-sensory math tutoring, help with writing, study skills support, educational testing or expert insight about how your student learns? QWERTY is here to assist. - See more at: http://www.qwertyed.com
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Community News
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Creative Art for Young Children @ Portola Valley Town Center
Sept. 17- Dec. 6th
(No classes Nov. 26-29)
Calling all kids with wild imaginations! A splash of Red...a dab of Yellow...a smidgen of Orange...you have just painted an Autumn tree! For this session the kids will find and use fall colors in all we do.Corn Husk Dolls, Paper Bag Pumpkins, robot parts shop and Robot Collages, wood sculptures of Van Gogh's Yellow House and drawn pictures of our toy Red Fire Truck.
Then to top everything off we will end with our ever famous Art Showwith the Magic Brush!
FOR MORE INFO and to reg. go online to (portolavalley.net) Reg. forms also available @ their office, 765 Portola Rd. You can also call Cindy (650) 851-1700 ext. 200 Sign-ups start Sept. 1 P.V. residents... Sept. 15 Open Reg.
Fall Lacrosse!! Join us for Grizzlies Fall Ball- Sunday Afternoons September 28 - November 16th. Boys and Girls ages 5 - 15 are welcome and is open to all Peninsula towns. Fall is a great time to come out and Try Lacrosse or work on stick skills before Spring Season. All U11 - U15 players must try out in the Fall for spring teams. Ages 5 - young 9's do not need to try out. See our site www.MenloAthertonLacrosse.com for more information or email us at MenloAthertonLacrosse@Gmail.com
Youth Dance and Fitness at Studio Rincon - Fall Youth Dance schedule begins the week of 9/8. Youth classes from 3 years old to teen- Hip Hop, Pre-ballet, Pre-tap. Teens welcome in Yoga & Fitness classes. Studio Rincon is a Dance, Yoga and Fitness studio at 3536 Alameda de las Pulgas in Menlo Park just down the street from Las Lomitas. Schedule and signups at www.studiorincon.com. Classes are filling up fast.
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Newsletter Submissions
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To submit an item, email Carol Clark (cclark@llesd.org) by 12 noon on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication date.
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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 
