The Lion's Roar  
The Las Lomitas PTA Newsletter  
                                                               
 Week of December 15,  2014
   
In This Issue
From the Foundation
From the Principal
DELAC Committee
PTA News
Las Lomitas League News
Business Partners
Community News
Newsletter Submissions
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

 Calendar

 

This Week:   

  • Fri Dec 19 - No School - Winter Break begins

Winter Break: December 19 through January 4.  School resumes January 5, 2015.  

 

Coming Soon:

  • Mon Jan 5 - School resumes and Read-A-Thon begins
  • Wed Jan 7 - PTA Bd. Mtg. - rm. 20B - 9:00 - 11:00
  • Mon Jan 19 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Wed Jan 28 - Class Pictures

PLEASE NOTE:  Submissions for the Lion's Roar of January 5, 2015 are due by noon,  Wednesday, December 17th. 

From the Foundation
    

  foundation logo  



 

 

 

The Season of Giving is here!  If you have yet to make your gift, please donate now.  It's the last chance to make your tax-deductible donation for 2014 and to secure that Corporate Matching Gift! 

 

We need to raise an average of $2,000 per student, with 100% participation, to reach our fundraising goal of $2.8 million.  

 

If you can't donate the requested amount, please make a gift that is meaningful and comfortable for your family.  Our overall participation rate in the Annual Giving Campaign is now at 52%.  We need your family's gift to meet our participation goal.   

 

And now, there is even more incentive to make your gift:  When we reach 80% participation, the Foundation can earn an additional $50,000!     

 

This Participation Challenge Grant is generously funded by the same dedicated District Families who seeded the highly successful incremental giving Challenge Grant Match.  We are so grateful for their support.  Please help us earn the Participation Grant!

 

Every donation counts! 

 

 

 

 

www.llef.org 

   

Use the LLEF Shopping Portal  for your HOLIDAY SHOPPING NEEDS!   

  

Order your Holiday Cards and do all your online shopping through the Foundation's Online Shopping Portal 

  

Click-through to any of the online stores and shop as you normally would... the retailers donate a portion of every purchase to the Foundation. It's free money for our schools!



 
Corporate Matching Gifts 
 
Inquire about your employer's matching gifts program to increase your donation to the District. Our Matching Gifts Coordinator  can help you determine if your company will match your contribution.  
 



 

Join or Update eScrip - It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! 

 

 

1. Visit http://www.eScrip.com  

 

2. Register or renew your Safeway Club Card and credit cards at the eScrip website and then designate Las Lomitas Education Foundation (Group ID# 125673324)

 

3. Start Shopping!

 

 

 

From the Principal

Dear Las Lomitas Families,

 

Winter season is definitely here! Along with rain and wind comes colds and flu. As you may have heard, the flu vaccine administered this year is not as effective against current strains as hoped. Because of this, it's important that we all do our best to keep germs from spreading. Teachers will be asking students to "gel-in and gel-out" of the classroom with hand sanitizer. Please keep your child at home if he/she has a fever, serious cough or congestion. If we all work together, we can get through the winter in a happy and healthy manner. Also, don't forget to do a quick lice check before returning to school from winter break. We want to minimize those nasty bugs, too!

 

Before we leave for winter vacation, I want to thank all of you for making Las Lomitas such a special place. We are so very fortunate to have outstanding, dedicated teachers and staff, children who come to school eager and ready to learn, and a parent community that volunteers to enrich our learning experience. Last month I wrote about community. We indeed have a unique community here at Las Lomitas. It is a community that values education as well as service to those less fortunate than we are. Since the start of the year, Las Lomitas students and families have contributed to service projects that provided Halloween costumes, books, and food to those in need. In this season, when giving is the focus, I am reassured that giving is not just for the holidays at Las Lomitas, but embedded in who we are and what we do each and every day.

 

Enjoy the holidays, hold your children tight, and count your blessings. We'll see you back in 2015.


Until next time,


Sue Sartor

Principal


 

 

 

 

Session Requests for 2015-2016 ~ 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, 2015. You may email her at [email protected]. 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, 2015, 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.

 

 

 

 

DELAC Committee

District English Learner Advisory Committee

 

The following parents and faculty serve on the District English Learner Advisory Committee. Parents who have questions about programs and general information regarding English learners are encouraged to contact these representatives. They are here to listen to your questions and help get them answered. Please do not hesitate to contact them!

 

Parents                                                                                   Faculty

Marta Vila: [email protected]                                 Sue Sartor: [email protected]

Hanna Maula: [email protected]                                   Sonya Dineen: [email protected]

Clare Seo: [email protected]                                       Deborah Roden: [email protected]

Ingrid Abild-Pederson: [email protected]                   Nicole Montre: [email protected]

Kanako Kawai: [email protected]                               Mimi Sabo: [email protected]

Alma Vardari Kesler: [email protected]                         Katy Williams: [email protected]


PTA News

 

Are you searching for the perfect holiday  

gift for your child's teacher?                                              

 

The Apple for the Classroom program provides a way for  

parents to support their children's classrooms directly. All  

the teachers and specialists at Las Lomitas have been

invited to create a "wish list" of items that will help to

further enrich their classrooms. You can fulfill teachers'  

wishes by bringing an item to the school office or by  

donating via PayPal toward a special item of your  

choosing. Thank you for supporting our teachers!

 

Please click here to choose a holiday gift for your favorite
teacher(s)!

 

 

 

MEMORY BOOK COVER CONTEST                                      memorybook
Submit your Artwork by Wednesday, January 21st
All contest entries will be 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 8� 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 "2014-2015" 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 21st.  And remember, all contest entries will be included on the back cover of the Memory Book. Finalists 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 [email protected]
 

Can you imagine being greeted by Harry Potter as you grab hot lunch?  What do the Cat in the Hat and Harold and his Purple Crayon have in common? 

Coming soon...The 2015 Las Lomitas PTA Read-A-Thon kicks off our first day back from Winter Break!  This is the PTA's largest fundraiser!

During the 4-week period of January 5 through February 1,  each participant keeps track of the amount of time spent reading (or being read to) outside of school each day.  Participants obtain sponsors who pledge based on "per minute read" or a fixed amount.  Funds raised go towards many important classroom-based an school-wide programs.  A number of fun events are planned throughout the month to promote a passion for reading in our children.  Each grade that meets its reading goal will earn a popcorn celebration!

A brochure with all the necessary information will be sent home on Monday, January 5th.  If you would like more information and/or would like to get started with collecting sponsors over Winter Break, please go to http://www.laslomitaspta.org/readathon to view the Read-A-Thon brochure.

Questions or interested in volunteering? Please contact the Read-A-Thon Committee at [email protected].

Answer: They are Literary Characters who have visited at recess and lunch during past Read-A-Thons (thanks to Principal Sartor and Vice-Principal Camou)!

Las Lomitas League News

Las Lomitas League

SPRING REGISTRATION
Mark your calendars for Spring registration opening on Monday, January 5th at 7:00pm.  Detailed class descriptions will be on our website soon at http://www.laslomitasleague.com.
                                                                             
Are  you interested in  our after school Sports and Classes programs?  Then Join the LLL Board of Directors!
Join the team that provides enriching and fun after-school activities and sports for Las Lomitas and La Entrada students! The Las Lomitas League (LLL) is a parent-led, non-profit organization and we are expanding our board of directors. We have the following open positions: 
  • President-in-training - Shadow the current president and learn about the programs and responsibilities of the LLL President. Lead the board beginning in June 2015.
  • Basketball Co-Director (in-training) - Work with the current directors to learn about our successful recreational basketball program. Co-lead the program in 2015-2016.
  • Secretary - Take minutes at board meetings. Maintain records of board policies, actions, etc. Edit LLL articles for Spot/Roar newsletters.
  • Member-at-Large - Join the LLL board to learn about our programs and help in small ways. We would like an at-large member from each school.
Contact Maureen Goode ([email protected]) to learn more about these positions.  

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
Community News



Come out for Lacrosse this Spring!  M-A Grizzlies has registration for boys and girls 7 - 9 for U9 teams this spring.  The season is Feb. to May.  This is a great age to get started in lacrosse, we out the FUN in Fundamentals!  More info and Register online.

Camp Menlo
Holiday Camps
December 22-23, 29-31, January 2, 19 
Burgess Pool, Menlo Park 
Register now for December and January day camps at Burgess Pool for kids age 5-9! Each day includes a 45 minute swim lesson and out of the pool, campers enjoy various group games and activities that encourage self confidence, growth, teamwork, and fun! http://menloswim.com/camp/school-holiday-camp/aquatics-camp

Studio Rincon Winter Youth Dance Sing ups are Open 
Studio Rincon on Alameda in Menlo Park- Winter dance signups are now open!  Classes begin the week of 1/5/2015.  Signup  here-  http://studiorincon.com/schedule-youth.php  Preballet, pre-tap, ballet & hip hop are all taught in a fun and positive atmosphere after school for ages 3-Teen.  Now offering additional classes at Alpine Hills Tennis & Swimming Club in Portola Valley.  Classes lead up to the annual end if year show at Woodside HS PAC! www.studiorincon.com


Ragazzi Boys Chorus Free SingFest Minicamp
Registration Open; Saturday, January 17, 2015, 9:30am - 1pm, Redwood City
Let your 7-10 year old boy test-drive this 'best choir of the Peninsula' for himself at SingFest, a free half-day minicamp. Low-key, no-obligation auditions are integrated into the morning; no previous singing experience needed. Boys offered Ragazzi membership start rehearsing the week of Jan. 19, 2015. Beginning groups meet once a week for choral singing and theory instruction. Ragazzi offers a complete music education that progresses through a proven, award-winning performance-based educational program. Ragazzi performs its own concert series, sings the National Anthem at a spring SF Giants game, tours domestically and internationally, and collaborates with other prestigious Bay Area arts organizations. Contact: [email protected] or 650-342-8785.  Minicamp is free, but advance registration is required at http://ragazzi.org/join-us/singfest/. Can't make it to SingFest but want to audition?  Go to http://ragazzi.org/join-us/book-audition/ 

 

Ragazzi Boys Chorus' Music and Movement class open
Register Now; Mondays 4:15-5pm, Feb. 2 - May 11, 178 Clinton St, Redwood City
Ragazzi Boys Chorus' engaging Orff-Schulwerk-based class for active young boys is now open. It's a great option for boys not quite old enough for Ragazzi's main program. This class is tailored for boys ages 5-7 with little or no previous musical experience. A child-developmental approach fosters boys' creativity and curiosity. Students explore rhythm games, channel their energy through music learning and learn concepts they can apply in any musical setting.  $260 for 13 weeks; early-bird and sibling discounts. Contact [email protected] , 650-342-8785. Register & more info at http://ragazzi.org/program/music-movement/ 
 
SportsHouse in Redwood City is holding a flag football league this winter, beginning in January.  The teams play indoors.  For K - 3rd graders, all players must sign up individually.  This age group kicks off on Saturdays, beginning January 17.  Teams play 8 weeks and the cost is $199 per child.  For more information, go to http://www.sportshouseonline.com/SportsYouth/YouthFootball.htm or call 650-362-4975. 

Let's play tennis during the holiday break!

HOLIDAY CAMP at STANFORD:
WHAT:     Holiday Camp at Stanford
LEVELS:   All Levels! TTP/Elite Stars/Rising Stars/Future Stars/Bright Stars
WHEN:     Sat. 12/20 through Tue. 12/23 (makeup day is Wed. 12/24)
TIME:       10:00am-2:00pm (students should bring lunch)
COST:      $150/day or $500/4 days
We'll have a pizza party on the last day of camp - Tue. 12/23.

 

HOLIDAY CAMP at HOLBROOK-PALMER PARK:
WHAT:     Holiday Camp at HPP
LEVELS:   All Levels! TTP/Elite Stars/Rising Stars/Future Stars/Bright Stars
WHEN:     Fri. 12/26 through Tue. 12/30 (makeup day is Wed. 12/31)
TIME:       9:00am-1:00pm (students should bring lunch)
COST:      $150/day or $625/5 days
We'll have a pizza party on the last day of camp - Tue. 12/30

Please sign up today to save your spot! 
Thank you! 

 

Sincerely,
Tamra Paulsen
Business Administrator
Player Capital Tennis
650-275-3027
 Website


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!