 Las Lomitas Education Foundation |
 The season of thankfulness and reflection is upon us. It is an appropriate time to reflect upon our shared good fortune to live in the extraordinary Las Lomitas Elementary School District, with its 30+ year legacy of remarkable community support for high quality education. The annual LLEF gift to our District is fundamental and essential to the achievements of our schools and students.
As a reminder, we need to raise $2,000 per student, with 100% participation, to reach our fundraising goal.
It is critical that every family contribute. If you can't give at the requested level, please give an amount that is meaningful and comfortable for your family. Every donation counts.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us parent volunteers at LLEF.
PLEASE DONATE TODAY!
Order your Holiday Cards and do all your online shopping through the Foundation's
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!
Inquire about your employer's matching gifts program to increase your donation to the District.
Join or Update eScrip - It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Visit http://www.eScrip.com
- Register or renew your Safeway Club Card and credit cards at the eScrip website and then designate Las Lomitas Education Foundation (Group ID# 125673324)
- Start Shopping!
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From the Principal
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Dear Las Lomitas Families,
Thank you to all of you who were so patient and followed our safety procedures during last week's minimum day dismissal. It is remarkable that we were able to get 580 students safely into cars, buses, bicycles or hand in hand with an adult within 15 minutes of dismissal! I appreciate your support!
Below is information for returning families who wish to request a change in session assignment for the 2016-2017 school year. Information about registration for new students K-3 can be found on our school webpage at http://ll-llesd-ca.schoolloop.com/. The session request process for new families will be handled through Google Forms. During the Thanksgiving Holiday, teachers will be at Las Lomitas on Monday and Tuesday (11/23, 11/24) participating in a variety of professional development activities. Much of one day will be focused on the newly adopted math curriculum and the other on team building and grade level collaboration. We are fortunate to have this time to learn together. I hope you all have a restful Thanksgiving Holiday enjoying time with family and friends. Until next time, Session Requests for 2016-2017 ~ 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 Mr. Camou. He will begin taking requests by Google Forms on 5:00 p.m., January 11, 2016. The link to the form will go live on our website at 5:00 on January 11, 2016. 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, 2016, 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 Mr. Camou if you have any questions about the session request process.
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Update: CAASP
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Preceding our next Board Meeting, a Board Study Session and presentation will be led by Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Michael O'Laughlin, on the district's California Assessment of Student Progress and Performance (CAASP) results. The presentation will include an overview of the assessment as well as demographic data. The Study Session and presentation will take place on Wednesday, November 18 from 5:45-6:45 in the La Entrada Library.
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PTA News
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 November is a month for giving thanks.
The Las Lomitas PTA would like to extend its deep felt thank you to all the parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends who have stepped up this year to help make Las Lomitas such an amazing place.
We would like to particularly recognize our amazing committee chairs, without whom these programs that our kids enjoy day in and day out wouldn't be possible.
- Heather Caelius and Adrianne Wonnacott who are not only chairing Hot Lunch, but are out there handing out lunches almost every day! Our day chairs Helen Ungerman, Anca Rusu, Josie Tang, Anita Sidhu, and Ozge Goker all get extra kudos as well for helping to feed our kids.
- Sladana Velikovic and Shawn Matloub who worked quickly and tirelessly to get Apple for the Classroom launched in time
- Christie Trott and Josie Tang for organizing the Teacher Appreciation next week and again in the spring.
- Laaya Khamsi for tackling Art Note Cards almost single handedly.
- Ozge Goker and Anya Chernykh-Hodges for putting on a fantastic Book Fair.
- Maisie Fung and Meg Thomas for collecting Box Tops and submitting them.
- Ashley Jack, Sarah Chai and Ashley Banks for working tirelessly on the Directory and not giving up on it!
- Terry Spurling for showing up the First Friday of the month and playing games with the kids at recess.
- Pookie Stern for helping to feed everyone at the first day of school and making sure the teachers were taken care of on PIN night.
- Burke Culligan and Carol Clark for putting together this Roar every week, rain or shine.
- Kiersten Mahon who is crushing Memory Book this year.
- Jen Le for spearheading the New Family Welcome Committee.
- Tissha Brumm who put on a great Pancake Breakfast to start the year off on the right foot.
- Jessica Bragg for organizing parents to comb hair and straighten shirts on Picture Day.
- Cheryl Cho-Phan and Janet Jennings who are busily getting ready to launch the Read-a-Thon in January.
- LaShea Angelopoulos for managing Spirit Wear and showing up to every event with her table and shirts.
- Prachi Shah for helping to manage the website.
- Suzanne Kisch for pulling together the Holiday Fair, which is happening Dec. 9th and is one of the kids' favorite days at school.
And we have more fun things coming in the spring like the Art Exhibition, The Kindergarten Round-Up, the Memory Book, Read-a-Thon, Science Wonders, and Third Grade Field day.
So many people go into all these committees and none of them would be possible without all of you. THANK YOU for all the time you spend making our school an amazing and nurturing environment for our children.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE to be a part of this amazing community of volunteers. We would love for you to joins us - simply email Maylene Lynch at volunteer@llpta.org.
Happy Thanksgiving,
The Las Lomitas PTA
November Teacher/Staff Appreciation Card Collection-
Tomorrow!! Tuesday, November 17th
As we approach Thanksgiving, let's remember to give thanks to our wonderful Teachers and Staff. Parents and Students, please take a moment to write a note/card to your current teacher, past teacher, bus driver, specialists, and office staff letting them know how much we appreciate them. We will have a collection box at the flagpole tomorrow on Tuesday, November 17th. Cards will be delivered the following day. If you miss the drop off, feel free to give your card to your teacher directly anytime this week! Please Note: The main Teacher Appreciation week takes place in the Spring. -Josie Tang and Christie Trott (co-chairs Staff Appreciation)
Parent Education Event:
Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age
Monday, November 16th 7-8:30 pm Cano Hall at Las Lomitas
The Las Lomitas PTA invites you to hear Richard Freed, Ph.D. speak on the surprising science of raising happy and successful children in a digital age. While technology has ushered in dramatic changes to our lives, research is revealing that the most important contributor to children's well-being is still their connection to family and school. This thought-provoking talk will help you see through destructive tech myths and will provide practical strategies to build a strong family and foster kids' school success in an age of distracting devices.
Click here for a detailed flyer describing the event.
This LL Parent Education evening is free and open to parents, faculty/staff and community members. Adults only please.
Holiday Workshop
It's that time again! The Holiday Workshop is an opportunity for your child to make holiday crafts to give as gifts to family and loved ones. Calling all parents! Would you like to help with the Holiday Workshop? With the help of our wonderful parent community, the kids will make nine crafts (third graders make 10). Sing up to volunteer to help with this fun day via the PTA website.
We are also collecting paper grocery bags for the kids to carry home their crafts. Please drop off, in the office, any bags you would like to donate.
Save the Dates:
Prep Day - Wednesday November 18 9am to noon in Cano Hall
The Holiday Workshop - Wednesday, December 9
Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.
The Apple for the Classroom program is a way for parents to
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:
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.
Congratulations to the 3 lucky winners of the boxtops for education drawing! Hannah B, Lucy C, and Freya S will each receive a Barnes and Noble gift card.
Many thanks to the Las Lomitas parents who helped prepare the boxtops for submission: Pam McRae, Katie Daddona, and Meg Thomas. Thank you!
Keep saving and submitting those boxtops. Write your student's name and their teacher's name on the bag. We will have another drawing in February. Thank you!
Fridays are Spirit Days at Las Lomitas!
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From the Health Office
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Dear Parents,  Cold and flu season is here and our staff will be taking steps to reduce the spread of germs at Las Lomitas by promoting good hygiene and alerting you if your children become sick at school and need to go home. Below are some measures you can take at home to help reduce sickness in your children and reduce the spread of germs at school.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccine. This is the single best way to protect against the flu. Information about the flu can be found at: cdc.com
- Teach your children to wash their hands often. Washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds is ideal ( that's about as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday"song twice.)
 - Teach your children the proper use of hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.Place about a quarter size blob of gel on the palm of the hand, rub the sanitizer over the whole hand and between the fingers and continue to rub until the hand sanitizer is dry. This should take about 20 seconds.
- Teach your children to keep their hands away from their face and avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes.
- Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of their elbow or sleeve, not their hands.
- Keep your child home if he/she is sick. They need to stay home until their temperature is normal for 24hrs (below 100 degrees) without the use of fever reducing medication.Please refer to these guidelines for when to keep sick children home:www.svsd410.org/
- Help your children to learn these healthy habits by setting a good example and doing them yourself.
Thank you and if you have any questions or concerns about your child's health please contact your doctor. With everyone working together, we hope to minimize illnesses this season for everyone.
Kelly Muenzen, R.N.
School Nurse
Las Lomitas School District
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Tech News
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Testing LLESD's SchoolMessenger text messaging system
Las Lomitas Elementary School District uses SchoolMessenger as a district communication tool. Parents need to"Opt-In" for the text message program which allows you to receive texts from the district regarding emergency and important communications.
On Tuesday November 17th at approximately 1:45pm we will be testing the SchoolMessenger text message system again. If you "opted-in" to receive texts, you should see the following test message on Tuesday: "This is a test of the SchoolMessenger text system from LLESD. No response is needed." If you do not receive the text on Tuesday, it could be one of two reasons:
- You "Opted- In" previously, but did not immediately receive a confirmation text indicating you were then registered with the SchoolMessenger notification service. This could be because one of the following reasons:
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If your phone is managed by a corporate account, which filters out the Opt-In option for mass messaging, you won't receive our text messages.
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If your texts are routed through Google accounts, Google is not part of the service provider Opt-In process.
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There may be other reasons related to your service provider. You may need to contact your service provider directly to request the Opt-In service at 68453.
- You didn't sign up, (and now want to.)
- Send a text message to phone number 68453 and in the body, simply type "yes" . You should receive a confirmation reply if your provider provides this service.
For those who have blocks set by their service provider for mass text messages, please be assured that we will always use multiple means of communication to release emergency information (i.e. email and voicemail). If you have questions, please contact Suzanne Mitchell (smitchell@llesd.org). Thank you.
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 Computer Science Education Week This year runs from December 7th to December 10th, and to kick off this world-wide event, both the Las Lomitas and La Entrada tech teams would like to invite you and your family to learn more about computer science and the Hour of Code. Please meet at La Entrada's Jensen Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 7th, for treats and an overview on how to participate in a variety of engaging programming activities and games.
Don't worry, no coding experience is necessary. Just bring a tablet, if you have one, and we will code until 8:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!"
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Being Neighborly
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Let's remember to be good neighbors during pick up and drop off. I have received word from the neighbors on Barney that parents are parking in the street, often blocking driveways, to walk their students to school. I know parking is an issue in and around school, but please be mindful of where you park and make sure you do it legally.
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Community News
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Cub Scouts Annual Food Drive for Second Harvest Food Bank!!
 Last year in four short days, Las Lomitas students and their families rallied together to fill three full barrels of food providing more than 400 meals to local families in need! In support of Second Harvest Food Bank, Las Lomitas Cub Scouts Pack 222 is again organizing the school food drive for those in need in the community. We need your help! Please bring non-perishable food between Tue Nov. 17 and Fri Nov. 20 to the SHFB bins next to the Front Office. The most needed items are meals in a can (stew, chili, soup, etc.), tuna and other canned meats, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, low sugar cereals, and fruit juices. All contributions go directly to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties (http://www.shfb.org). Thanks for your support! The Woodside Class of 2016 is hosting a Holiday Boutique on Saturday, November 14, from 10 am to 3 pm in the small gym . $1 entry fee - door prizes & bake sale. Over 40 amazing vendors and crafters. Parking on both the Churchill and Alameda entrances.
Ready, Set, Can!!  The students of Menlo-Atherton High School are kicking off their annual Canned Food Drive on Tuesday, November 10. This is a chance for the greater community to rally around the growing number of San Mateo County residents who cannot afford enough food to provide for themselves and their families. According to the Second Harvest Food Bank website, 1 in 4 people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are at risk for hunger. Many of them are children, and some are our neighbors, classmates, or acquaintances. This year again, M-A has partnered with Second Harvest to ensure that families continue to have access to food sources beyond the Canned Food Drive. Supporting this year's Food Drive are: Bianchini's in Ladera, Draeger's in Menlo Park; the Safeways on El Camino in Menlo Park, Sharon Heights and Sequoia Station, Trader Joe's in Menlo Park, Willows Market on Middlefield Road, Delucchi's Market in Marsh Manor and Mi Pueblo in East Palo Alto. Here is how you can help the families in your community:
When you are shopping for your family, please add a few extra cans to your cart and drop them into the Second Harvest Food Bank barrels. M-A students will be handing out the list of most-needed items requested by SHFB. Consider donating online at https://www.shfb.org/donateonline. Type "high school" in the Online Food Drive box and select Menlo-Atherton High School so that your gift can be properly credited to the M-A outreach effort.
 MA is proud to announce this year's newest partner in the fight against hunger, our neighbors at Facebook! Facebook is supplying all of the reusable grocery bags that will be used to pack up all of the food that is given away on Distribution Day at Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto on December 5th.
Please contact feedourfamilies@mabearspta.org if you have questions. Thank you for your support! Adopt A Teacher Who Needs Your Support Make a real difference for a teacher and his/her students by "adopting" a K-8 teacher in East Palo Alto or East Menlo Park for a school year. Provide the teacher with encouraging notes and/or small gifts of appreciation, school supplies and support for two class parties. Financial commitment $500-600, time commitment very flexible. It's easy and fun to adopt a teacher with friends. Learn more or sign up on the Adopt a Teacher web page or by contacting Jennifer Wythes Vettel at jwvettel@yahoo.com
7th Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Fundraiser  Join the fun as the Youth Group of Bethany Lutheran Church in Menlo Park hosts its 7th Annual Gingerbread House Decorating event on Saturday, December 5, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. The Gingerbread Houses are pre-assembled so you get the fun of decorating without the headache of construction! Your house includes all the candy, sweets, and tools you need to decorate your holiday centerpiece. Bring the kids, your imagination, and your holiday spirit and create a holiday memory the entire family will treasure! Each house is $60. Refreshments will be served. Space is very limited so we strongly encourage that you reserve your Gingerbread House today. Book your reservation at www.bethany-mp.org/gingerbread or call the Church Office at 650-854-5897. All proceeds go towards Bethany Youth Group projects & activities. Thank you for your support! (Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Avenue, Menlo Park - at the corner of Avy and Cloud Avenues, just off the Alameda).
During November 2015, Alkalign Studios will donate $1 to Las Lomitas for every class taken (11/1-11/30) by a Las Lomitas team member (up to one class per day per teammember).
Additionally, for every class "package" purchased during the month of November by a team member, Alkalign will donate $10 to our school. November is a great time to get y our "barre" on to raise money for our school!
Alkalign Studios is located at 3528 Alameda de las Pulgas. Class schedules are available at http://alkalignstudios.com/studio/menlo-park/ and the promo code to get credit for our school is LasLomitas15. Contact the studio for details (650-854-8361).
Alpine Strikers Tryouts for Spring 2016 Is your child excited about soccer? Alpine Strikers is a community based competitive soccer club that strives for player development and retention of players. Our goal is to grow your child's passion for soccer with professional coaching in a fun and engaging environment. The club is holding its annual tryouts at the beginning of December for kids born between 2008 and 1997 (U8 to U18). Please go to www.alpinestrikers.org
for tryouts dates and registration.
Amazing opportunity to view a screening of the documentary movie: BULLY Plus: Award-winning director (Sundance Film Festival and Emmy), Lee Hirsch will be here from New York City to give a short talk after the movie and hold a Q&A with you. Date: 2 December Time: 7:00 pm Location: Hillview Middle School Auditorium Cost: Free BULLY is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America's bullying crisis. BULLY documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy "kids will be kids" clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a whole.
This movie includes suicide and some topics that may be inappropriate for young children.
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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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