Bobcat Strong Tracker

Having trouble reading this email? Just click anywhere on the content below or visit our website at www.santaritaschool.org and go to the bottom of the website to find this newsletter!

Also, need to translate this? Just click down on the Translate menu to the right and choose your language.

Friday, Sept 9- Bobcat Strong Parent Meeting 8:30-9:30 Multi

Tuesday, Sept 13- Picture Day
Friday, Sept 16 - Grandfriends' Day

Friday, Sept 23- No School- Staff Development Day

Saturday, Oct 22 - Witches’ Delight

PLEASE fill out your Bobcat Strong Registration: https://santaritapta.formstack.com/forms/Bobcat_reg

PLEASE make sure to complete this packet so we have your most up to date information and that teachers and students can start this year BOBCAT STRONG! Also, make sure to click next at the bottom of the form in order to complete and submit.

https://santaritapta.formstack.com/forms/Bobcat_reg

This form is specific to Santa Rita and is not the same as the PowerSchool registration you received from LASD.

It is now more important than ever that we show our support to our Bobcat Community. Because of YOU and any donation you can make, we are able to provide programs and technology that DIRECTLY benefits your student at Santa Rita. Local and State funding alone does not provide the educational opportunities we value as a community and our children deserve.

The PTA at Santa Rita is responsible for funding:

• community events
• art and music programs
• classroom technology
• teacher development
• STEM supplies
• Student's classroom back to school supplies
• AND SO MUCH MORE!

We couldn't provide any of this without YOUR support!

SUPPORT YOUR BOBCAT NOW with a tax-deductible donation of $325 or more per child. Any donation counts, no matter the amount and it's all for our BOBCATS!

Hello Bobcats Families!

This week has been hot! I am so impressed with our kids and staff who once again shifted and showed their flexibility! Fortunately next week, we have cooler temperatures forecasted for our area. Since we are talking about next week, we are so excited to have our TK and K students start full day next week on 9/12. Those parents can expect some tired kids for the next couple of weeks as they adjust.

In addition, Picture Day is coming on Tuesday, September 13. This year, we get to have class pictures as well as individual photos. Make sure your children are ready to say, “Cheese” on Tuesday. Be sure your students gave you the picture day forms.

Once again, here are a few reminders to help us kick off this year on the right foot:

Picking up Students after school:

• When you can, please walk or bike to pick up your student.

• If you have a student who gets out at 2:40 are you are waiting until 3:00 for another child, you may go to the Kindergarten playground and wait, or wait in the front. Please do not let your child go down the hallways, as classes are still in session.

• If you are picking up by car, please DO NOT park in the ‘drive through’ circle and please do not wait there for 20 minutes as you wait for a child who gets out later. Please leave the circle, park on the street or parking lot and reenter the circle just before dismissal. That way we do not cause stopped traffic all the way down Los Altos Ave. Please be aware that police have been posting themselves around the area to keep traffic moving.

• As you wait in your car, please shut your car off, so the exhaust does not flow to the people who are waiting or walking by.

Stay Bobcat Strong!

Kelly Rafferty, Principal

Attendance:

Regular school attendance is one of the most critical factors in a child's success in school. Please support the efforts of the Santa Rita staff to provide the best possible education by having your child attend school daily. Excused absences are noted for medical or dental appointments, sickness, and religious holidays only. Other absences are considered unexcused.

Reporting an Absence

If your child is going to be absent or late to school please either go to the Santa Rita website (santaritaschool.org) and report an absence or call the Attendance Line at 650-559-1640 before 9:00am. A voice mail system is available 24 hours a day. Parents will be contacted for any child marked absent for the day and whose parents have not called. The office appreciates your efforts to inform us whenever your child will not be at school.

Late Students

Punctual arrival at school is important to your child, the other children in the classroom and your child's teacher. The first few minutes of the day are an important time: directions are given, the daily schedule is discussed and daily lessons begun. Missing this time puts your child at a disadvantage. Late arrivals are unexcused unless your student had a medical or dental appointment. Excessive tardies may result in loss of school privileges or referral to the School Attendance Review Board.

Signing Out Students

If your child needs to be excused from class during the day, please inform the teacher by email or a note and come to the office to pick up your child. A sign out system is used in the office and must be completed before a child will be released. No student will be released to anyone whose name is not on his or her emergency card unless the school is otherwise notified in writing by the parent. This procedure is to insure the protection and safety of your child.

Our new Universal Meals program will be available for a Grab and Go breakfast between 8:10-8:25, from our new Servery Window (By the lunch tables near the Multi) and eat at the tables. If they do not finish, they can save it until recess time.

• Monthly Menus will be published on the Santa Rita school website and in our weekly newsletters.

If you have a special diet please email santaritasecretary@lasdschools.org and ask for a form to fill out.

Please review the menu with your student. NUTRITION SERVICES FAQ - If you have questions, please add them to this document.

Grandfriends’ day is a great tradition at Santa Rita that builds a bridge across generations. On Grandfriends' Day, students invite their grandparents and other grandfriends to school to celebrate how multigenerational communities enrich our lives. Our goal is to make sure school connects with students' lives, and encourage students to bring their full selves—their lives and experiences—into the classrooms.

After three long years, Grandfriends’ day is finally returning to an in-person celebration that will take place on Friday, September 16th!!

Grandfriends' Day gives students the opportunity to share their school experience with someone special in their life. Anyone in a child's life can be a grandfriend. This can be a neighbor, an aunt or an uncle, a babysitter, a grandparent, a dear friend—a grandfriend is someone special to your Santa Rita student.

To participate, please RSVP by filling this Google Form by Monday September 12th.

To view the program of the day, please see the flyer here.

Also, to make this event successful, we need help from volunteers!! If you have a spare hour on 9/15 or 9/16 and would like to help us keep this great tradition going, sign up for a task here. We can’t do it without you!!

If you have any questions, please contact Yang Liu at yang@santaritapta.org

We're excited to welcome back a fantastic set of After School Enrichment programs this Fall. Check out the Santa Rita Enrichment Activities webpage. It'll be updated as more info is available.

Here are some of the offerings and start dates:

One on One Basketball: Mon 9/19 (TK-6)

Science Made Fun/High Touch High Tech: Mon 9/12 (TK-3)

Easy Spanish: Tue 9/6 (TK-6)

Art Buzz Kids: Wed 9/7 (K-6)

Run for Fun: Wed 8/31 (K-6)

SJ Chess Club: Thur 9/1 Lunchtime (K-6)

Mathletes/Mathletes in Training/Math Fun & Games: Thurs 9/9 (2-6)

Euro School of Tennis: Fri 9/9 (K-3)

Coach Ken Soccer: Fri 9/9 (TK-6)

LASD Flag Football, Fri 8/26 (3-6)

Los Altos has an urgent need for members of the community to provide safer routes to school by serving the children in your neighborhoods. Learn more about the crossing guard program for Los Altos schools at a recruiting event!

Wednesday, September 14 from

11:30am-1:00pm

Grant Park Community Center, Classroom 2 (1575 Holt Avenue, Los Altos).

On site interviews will take place at this event and two forms of ID will be needed to sign up. For additional information contact Angel Dominguez of All City Management Services at 510-993-7453.

THANK YOU to all the families who’ve already contributed to LAEF this school year. We appreciate your support early in the school year!

Our annual Fall Fundraising night of texting and calling is coming up on September 29th. If you haven't yet made a donation to LAEF, please Donate or Pledge to LAEF today, and we’ll take you off our list. If your gift is already in-process via your employer, DAF, or stock, let us know, and we'll make note.

Our goal is to raise $2.8M to fund teachers and staff for STEM, computer science, physical education (PE), art, music, library, and junior high electives, as well as providing important mental health counseling services. LAEF is also a co-sponsor of the 2021-22 MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series.

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.

Learn More and Donate or Pledge to LAEF Today to Support Teachers at Your School!

After School Science Fun for TK-3

Mondays September 12 – December 12

3:05-4:05- Supervision for TK-2 included from dismissal until 3:05 pm

Hands-on, FUN SCIENCE at Santa Rita! Calling all Junior scientists! Students will learn about primary and secondary colors, states of matter and about our five senses. We’ll make fossils, edible bugs, explore magnetism and static electricity, and do fun Halloween and Holiday themed science experiments! Mondays on SR campus. For more details, email info@ScienceMadeFunSFBA.net or call 408-982-6710.

Please register at: http://www.sciencemadefunsfba.net/register.cfm

El Camino Hospital and Mountain View Whisman School district will be hosting a free health and wellness fair. Come enjoy:

- Free food

- Kid activities

- Free school supplies and backpacks

- Free health, dental and vision screenings

- And more!

Where: Mariano Castro Elementary School

When: Saturday, September 24 1 - 4 PM

More information

Join us for an evening with Becky Munsterer Sabky - author ofValedictorians at the Gate

You’re Enough: How to Apply to College While Keeping Perspective

When: Tuesday, September 13, 2022 - 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Online ⧫ Zoom

Audience: High school parents, students, and counselors

More information and to Register for this free event (Online via Zoom)

Upcoming Events: English Spanish

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