Bobcat Strong News Tracker
September 16, 2021
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SANTA RITA AT-A-GLANCE
9/17 - Bobcat Strong Parent Meeting (virtual) https://bit.ly/SR-PTA
9/17 - Bobcat Spirit Day (make sure to fill out your Bobcat Strong Registration for a special surprise! https://bit.ly/bobcatreg
9/24 - Staff Development- NO SCHOOL
9/30 - English Learners and New Families Meeting 6:00 - 7:30pm Santa Rita blacktop
BOBCAT STRONG REGISTRATION: Please make sure to fill out your Bobcat Strong Registration Information (https://bit.ly/bobcatreg) so we have your most up-to-date information! Fill out by September 17th for a chance at awesome prizes!
Letter from your Principal
Happy middle of September Everyone!
A time when school is finally in full swing, the mornings are cooler and hopefully everyone is getting back to a routine. Tomorrow is Bobcat Spirit Day so be sure to wear your red and white!
Parents, if you haven’t already, please make sure to fill out your Bobcat Strong Registration tonight! https://bit.ly/bobcatreg Every student whose parent has filled out the Packet will be into a drawing tomorrow for a pizza party. In two weeks, any class who has complete participation will receive a popsicle party!
Most importantly though is Pool Testing starting next week. I sent out an email on Wednesday evening about Pool Testing in LASD and specifically at Santa Rita, if you have not already opted in, I highly recommend that you look over the information and fill out the form. Not only does it help keep us all safer and in school, it will also save you from having to find a place to get your child(ren) tested should a positive case occur in their class.
Here is the recording of the Town Hall Q & A with Superintendent Jeff Baier and our District Nurse. It is about an hour long but has great information also.
Pool testing Town Hall with Jeff Baier and District Nurse
AND!!!
Hispanic Heritage Month - Sept 15-Oct 15
Rather than starting at the beginning of September, Hispanic Heritage Month takes place over 30 days starting on the 15th -- a nod to the anniversaries of national independence for a number of Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all recognize September 15 as the date of their independence, while Mexico's independence is celebrated September 16 and Chile celebrates its independence September 18.
Hispanic Heritage Month traces its history to 1968, when the observance was just a week long. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a bill designating the week of September 15 as "National Hispanic Heritage Week," according to the Office of the Historian and the Office of Art & Archives for the US House of Representatives.
There are many ways to celebrate and recognize this month, whether it is through enjoying special foods, viewing art, reading stories or learning more about the diverse cultures. Here is a wonderful web site to provide your families with some ideas and resources. https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
Thank you for being part of this wonderful community and I hope you have a relaxing and safe weekend.
Better Together, Go Bobcats!
Kelly Rafferty
CALENDAR
9/17 - Bobcat Strong Parent Meeting (virtual) https://bit.ly/SR-PTA
9/17 - Bobcat Spirit Day (make sure to fill out your Bobcat Strong Registration for a special surprise! https://bit.ly/bobcatreg
9/24 - Staff Development - NO SCHOOL
9/30 - English Learners and New Families Meeting 6:00 - 7:30pm Santa Rita blacktop
10/23 - Witches’ Delight is BACK - stay tuned for more!!
CAMPUS COVID UPDATES
To maintain a safe environment for employees, students, families and the community the Los Altos School District has partnered with Concentric by Ginkgo to provide a voluntary and free COVID-19 testing program for all students. For more information on the Concentric program click here and see below.
Concentric is providing a two-phase testing program for our schools for those who volunteer to participate:
Regular pooled testing for TK-8th grade students
Follow-up antigen testing for close contacts of a school-based COVID-19 case
Voluntary testing is scheduled to begin in September. We strongly encourage all students to participate to help keep our schools safe and open. The benefit of this program is that it will provide early detection of any positive and/or asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in our schools. Also, If the pool test comes back positive, Concentric will administer individual antigen tests to the impacted students and staff so proper quarantine protocols can be implemented to prevent the spread of illness. Only students who have a completed Concentric consent form on file will be able to be tested on our campuses when a positive case is identified.
Here’s how the pooled testing works
Overview - English
Overview - Spanish
To provide your consent for your student(s) to participate in the testing program, please sign the consent request below by September 9. You may also opt in to the program at any time during the school year. If your student tested positive for COVID-19 within the last three months, please do not have them participate in this program. This is because they could produce a positive test result, which would make our results inaccurate.
Get Started
Fill out the consent form with your permission to perform a COVID-19 pooled test and antigen testing for your LASD student. This process should take no more than 5 minutes to complete using a computer or a smartphone.
First, click here
Then, enter this access code: LASD-SANTARITA
Finally, enter your student’s information, and you’re done!
Please complete the process once for each student.
BOBCAT STRONG
Bobcat Strong Registration:
Win a Pizza and Popsicle Party!
At this Friday's assembly, all students whose parents have completed the PTA registration will be entered into a raffle to win their class a pizza party! In addition, all classes with 100% registration will receive a popsicle party. If you haven't already completed the PTA registration, please do so prior to Friday, September 17th to have your student entered into the raffle. Here is the link: https://bit.ly/bobcatreg
English Learners and New Families Meeting, Thursday, September 30 from 6:00 - 7:30 pm on Blacktop
Our first English Learners and New Families meeting will be held on Thursday, September 30 from 6:00 - 7:30 pm on Santa Rita's blacktop. Come and meet our team of English Learner teachers, Family Engagement Coordinator. Learn more about our English Learner programs and curriculum, community resources for families, free enrichment classes, and more. We will set up a few tents on the blacktop so you can check out the materials and ask questions.
Pizza dinner will be served. All are welcome. Please RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/ELACFallEvite so we can prepare enough food for everyone.
More information
Questions? Email Alice Lee at joy268@hotmail.com
Reunión de estudiantes de inglés y nuevas familias 30 de septiembre,
6:00 - 7:30 pm en Blacktop
Nuestra primera reunión de Estudiantes de inglés y nuevas familias se llevará a cabo el jueves 30 de septiembre de 6:00 a 7:30 pm en el asfalto de Santa Rita. Venga y conozca a nuestro equipo de maestros aprendices de inglés, Coordinador de participación familiar. Obtenga más información sobre nuestros programas y currículo para estudiantes de inglés, recursos comunitarios para familias, clases gratuitas de enriquecimiento y más. Instalaremos algunas carpas en el asfalto para que pueda consultar los materiales y hacer preguntas.
Se servirá cena de pizza. Todos son bienvenidos. Confirme su asistencia en https://tinyurl.com/ELACFallEvite para que podamos preparar suficiente comida para todos.
¿Preguntas? Envíe un correo electrónico a Alice Lee a joy268@hotmail.com
Yard Duty
Are you interested in working part time? Want to have insight into lunch time at Santa Rita? Get your extra steps in each day? Please consider applying to be Santa Rita Yard Duty. The position is very flexible - you can volunteer any day Monday through Friday from 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm. Please click on this link and fill in your available time and email so we can contact you. This is a paid position and if you have any questions, please email volunteer@santaritapta.org.
Looking for STEM volunteers at lunch
In the past, we had the opportunity to have some interest-based clubs happen during lunch. I am looking for parent volunteers who might be interested in helping to open the STEM Lab once or twice a week during lunchtime 12:00-12:45. This would be considered an essential volunteer opportunity, so volunteers would need to be vaccinated. If you are interested in helping kids build or design during lunchtime, please contact me directly. krafferty@lasdschools.org
WHAT’S NEW:
MVLA PARENT EDUCATION LECTURE SERIES
MVLA Parent Ed Speaker Series is pleased to announce our September lectures with New York Times columnist Ron Lieber, who will be speaking about money matters as they relate to college financing and kids of all ages. Join us for our first two online events of the season!
The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Roadmap
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online
Audience: High School parents, students, teachers, and counselors
Register: Register for this free event
Books: Purchase online from Books, Inc.
More Information: Click HERE
The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous and Smart About Money
Thursday, September 30, 2021 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online
Register: Register for this free event
Books: Purchase online from Books, Inc.
More Information: Click HERE
LOVE LOS ALTOS:
Hot off the press!
Read our new 2020-21 Annual Report to see what LAEF funded last school year, view a list of our donors and volunteers, and find out how students benefited from your contributions to LAEF. Let’s do it again this year!
THANK YOU to all the families who’ve already contributed to LAEF this school year. We appreciate your support early in the year!
Our annual LAEF Phonathon is coming up on September 28th and 29th. If you haven't yet made a donation to LAEF, please Donate or Pledge to LAEF today and Save Us a Call!
Our goal is to raise $2.8M to fund teachers and staff for STEM, Wellness, Literacy, and Arts, including mental health counselors and a wide variety of electives for junior high students. Your student and every elementary and junior high school student will benefit.
LAEF helps fill the gap in school funding from federal, state, and local sources and is the only way for parents to fund LASD teaching staff in our district.
LAEF is also a co-sponsor of the 2021-22 MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series.
Learn More and Donate or Pledge to LAEF Today to Support Teachers at Your School!
Living Classroom
Living Classroom is in need of volunteers to teach our fun, hands-on lessons and help care for our school gardens. No experience or green thumb necessary as we teach you everything you need to know! Join a community of people who enjoy connecting kids with nature and teaching them where their food comes from. The suggested time commitment is only 6 hours a month and you get to participate in fun volunteer enrichment activities such as nature hikes, garden tours, educational workshops, talks, and more! Living Classroom is a great way to act locally to help care for our planet and nurture our future environmental stewards! Get involved today!
Join us in-person for our upcoming Fall Docent Training!
Living Classroom Fall Docent Training
Mondays 9-Noon
9/13-10/11
LASD iLearn Studio (masks required)
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
-or-
email for information on joining us virtually
Please RSVP to livingclassroom@lasdschools.org
Questions? Contact us at (650) 947-1103 or email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org
email for information on joining us virtually
Please RSVP to livingclassroom@lasdschools.org if you plan to attend.
Questions? Contact us at (650) 947-1103 or email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Santa Rita is super excited for the return of in-person after school programs! Here are some of the offerings:
Mondays - Science Made Fun, After School Hoops;
Tuesdays - Easy Spanish;
Wednesdays - Run for Fun;
Thursdays - Lunchtime Chess Club;
Fridays - Coach Ken Soccer, After School Tennis;
Plus, LASD Flag Football. Mathletes and Speak Debate will be offered on-line, for Fall.
Check the school website under Enrichment activities for schedule, more info, and registration links. After School Activities • Page - Santa Rita Elementary School (santaritaschool.org)
FLAG FOOTBALL
Calling all 3rd-6th graders! LASD Flag Football is back on!
Please sign up for our only school sport. Each school in LASD has a 3rd/4th grade team and a 5/6th grade COED team.
We compete against the other schools in the district after school and the season culminates in a district-wide tournament at Foothill College. It is a lot of fun, and even the teachers stay to watch the games!
No experience necessary and it’s a no-cut sport.
Please sign up here: http://www.asa-lasd-flagleague.com/
FREE ONLINE CODING CLASSES (4TH - 6TH GRADE)
Trained local high school students from the Computer Engineers of the Next Generation are hosting free coding classes on Zoom in Scratch, JavaScript and Python
Dates: Wednesdays, September 1 - October 6, 2021
Time: 4:15 - 5:45 pm PST (NEW TIME)
No. of Weeks: 6
Format: Zoom online classes
Cost: Free
Registration Links:
4th grade - Scratch (Beginning/Intermediate/Advanced)
5th grade - JavaScript (Beginning/Intermediate/Advanced)
6th grade - Python (Beginning/Intermediate/Advanced)
Students will be put into different breakout rooms according to their levels.
Registration deadline: 12:00 noon on Saturday, August 28, 2021 or when class is full.
Computer Engineers of the Next Generation (CENG) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to inspire underrepresented minorities to pursue Computer Science. For more information, please check out our website at cengclass.org. Questions? Please contact cengclass@gmail.com
Free Virtual Reading Tutoring Program (K-3rd Grade):
Teen Tutors is an organization run by Los Altos High School students to connect young readers with high school tutors! Our Read to Me program features tutors who read to students one-on-one to strengthen their reading comprehension & listening skills. As the students grow more comfortable, they can choose to read themselves with tutor assistance as needed. Virtual Read to Me sessions will be available on Saturdays from 10:30 am-11:15 am and 11:15 am-12 pm. Please register your child here: https://tinyurl.com/K3rdReading
For more information about our program, please visit www.teentutorslahs.wixsite.com/lahs or email teentutorslahs@gmail.com with any questions.
Programa gratuito de tutoría virtual de lectura (K-3rd Grado):
Teen Tutors es una organización dirigida por los estudiantes de Los Altos para conectar a los lectores jóvenes con tutores de la escuela secundaria. Nuestro programa Read to Me ofrece tutores que leen a los estudiantes de uno en uno para fortalecer su comprensión de lectura y sus habilidades de escucha. A medida que los estudiantes se sientan más cómodos, pueden optar por leerse a sí mismos con ayuda de un tutor según sea necesario. Las sesiones virtuales de Read to Me estarán disponibles los sábados de 10:30am a 11:15am y de 11:15am a 12pm. Registre a su hijo aquí: https://tinyurl.com/K3rdReading
Thank you!
Santa Rita School
Email: krafferty@lasdschools.org
Website: https://www.santaritaschool.org
Location: 700 Los Altos Avenue, Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone: (650)559-1600
Facebook: santaritaPTA
Twitter: @BobcatsSR
