Bobcat Strong News Tracker

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• 10/21 - MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series

• 10/23 - Witches’ Delight: 3-8 pm

• 10/25 - Interactive Virtual Dyslexia Simulation

• 10/26 - Picture Make-up Day

• 10/27 - STEM Tech Challenge

• 11/11 - No School - Veterans Day

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!

Dear Santa Rita Families,

I hope you are as excited about this Saturday’s Witches’ Delight as I am. Let’s cross our fingers the rain holds off but rain or shine the fun will go on!

This morning we participated in ‘The CA Great Shake Out’ which is an Earthquake drill that all California school participate in. The students did a great job by ‘duck and covering’ and then quietly making it out to he playground while teachers and staff role played what they would do in an actual event. Please see below for more details about the SHAKE OUT.

I also wanted to let you know that we will begin Streaming our Friday Assemblies again starting next week. See details below on how to sign up to stream the assembly.

Bobcat Strong,

Kelly Rafferty

Stay Bobcat Strong!

Kelly Rafferty

• 10/21 - MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series

• 10/23 - Witches’ Delight: 3-8 pm

• 10/25 - Interactive Virtual Dyslexia Simulation

• 10/26 - Picture Make-up Day

• 10/27 - STEM Tech Challenge

• 10/29 - Friday Assembly will begin Streaming again (see below for details)

• 11/11 - No School - Veterans Day

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:

WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 3-8 PM

WHERE: SANTA RITA BLACKTOP

WHAT: THE CARNIVAL OF THE YEAR!

WHO: ALL SANTA RITANS, FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS!

HOW: NO ENTRY FEE (PAY TO PLAY)

GET DISCOUNTED TICKETS/UNLIMITED RIDE WRISTBANDS ONLINE HERE

OR

BUY IN PERSON WITH CASH, CARD, APPLE/GOOGLE PAY AFTER SCHOOL

PICKUPS FOR ONLINE ORDERS: AFTER SCHOOL FRIDAY IN FRONT OF SCHOOL OR AT EVENT

FULL-PRICE TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT EVENT $1/TICKET, BUT UNLIMITED RIDE WRISTBANDS ARE PRESALE ONLY

MASKS REQUIRED- COSTUMES ENCOURAGED

ALL THE DETAILS:

CARNIVAL RIDES: 3-5 TICKETS EACH

DIZZY DRAGONS, BALLISTIC SWINGS, LOOP-O-PLANE, SUPER SLIDE, CAPTAIN HOOK’S FUNHOUSE

CARNIVAL GAMES: 3-5 TICKETS EACH

WHACK-A-MOLE, FROG BOG

SCHOOL GAMES: 1-3 TICKETS EACH

DEMON DUCKS, DISC DROP, FREAKY FISHING

CAKEWALK: 2 TICKETS

*Cakewalk is a musical chairs-style game. When the music stops, a number is drawn and whoever is on that square wins a cake of their choice

MENU:

PIZZA: 3 TICKETS per SLICE OR 2 SLICES for 5 TICKETS

HOT DOG: 4 TICKETS

BOTTLED WATER: 1 TICKET

SNACK SHACK:

POPCORN: 2 TICKETS

COTTON CANDY: 3 TICKETS

SHAVED ICE: 3 TICKETS

WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP

THE EVENT RUN SMOOTHLY! SIGN UP HERE

WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE SATURDAY!

Friday Assemblies are Streaming!

Block off your calendar Friday mornings as our Friday Bobcat Assembly will be streaming live from the blacktop beginning this Friday October 22. Brought to you by the Santa Rita PTA, all parents of current students will be able to view the assembly broadcast live via Zoom. Time and volunteer help permitting, your PTA will field questions during the assembly and host an open forum for Q&A following the assembly. To access the broadcast, parents must register in advance via the link below. To ensure the privacy and security of our students, registrations will only be approved if the registration email address matches the email on file in Classroom Parent. Visit santarita.classroomparent.com to review/update your profile information.

What: All Bobcat Friday Assembly

Time: Every Friday 8:30am - 8: 45 am

Where: Broadcast from the blacktop via Zoom

Registration Link: <<link coming soon>>

Questions: contact the PTA general helpline at hello@santaritapta.org

Earthquake Safety

Today we held our annual Earthquake Emergency Drill at Santa Rita Elementary. I thought it would be timely to share our expectations for families in case of an emergency.

What to do in case of an earthquake or other emergency

Emergency Procedures

All school students are housed in buildings, which meet the “Field Act” (earthquake safety) construction standards. All LASD employees and students are instructed regularly in emergency procedures. All procedures have been planned and practiced.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN EARTHQUAKE OR OTHER EMERGENCY

1. Do NOT telephone the school. DO turn your radio station to 1590 AM which is an Emergency Broadcast Station.

2. Do NOT park in the school parking lot blocking emergency vehicles. DO park away from the exits, and if able, report to the Volunteer Station for help.

3. Do NOT attempt to withdraw your child from school until you have signed out through the Student Information table located on the blacktop. DO inform your neighbors and friends that you listed them on your child’s emergency card and that they are eligible to sign out your child

CHECKOUT PROCEDURE

The check-out procedure is simple and very clear.

• There will be a student information center on the blacktop of the school. All parents or designees will be directed to go to the checkout table.

• At that time, staff will direct staff located in the student assembly area to bring a group of students to the student information center table to be dismissed and checked out.

• The parent or designated adult will sign the sign-out emergency form. The child is dismissed.

In an actual earthquake, Santa Rita will continue classes on a normal time schedule after analysis of the situation and implementation of additional safety precautions. However, if the quake hits while students are on their way to school, they should continue on to school; if they are on their way home, they are to go home in as safe a manner as possible. If conditions are stable at school dismissal times, normal dismissal procedures will be followed.

If the earthquake has been severe, no student will be dismissed from school unless an authorized adult withdraws him/her. No children will be allowed to leave with another person, even a relative or babysitter, unless that person is listed on the student’s emergency card- This is a great opportunity to make a plan with family friends who could help out and pick up your child in case you are unavailable. Please update your information.

Each Santa Rita family is encouraged to do some preplanning, to hold family earthquake drills, and to decide where family members should meet if they are separated.

In the event of a major earthquake we can assume that electricity and wifi may go down. Therefore, we will use our SMS system to communicate with the community. Essentially a text messaging system that goes directly to your cell phone, SMS requires parents to opt-in to it to receive texts from the school. We also use the SMS system to send occasional reminders (like on minimum day dismissals).

You can participate in this free service (standard message and data rates may apply) just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587. You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”.

BOBCAT SPOTLIGHT: 1st Grade

What we are doing:

We have spent the first month of school getting to know each other and learning the routines of our classroom. First graders used their own Hopes and Dreams for the school year to create classroom norms. We finished writing about small moments and just started writing teaching books. Ask a first grader what they can teach you! Our current Science unit introduced us to plant super powers. We got to plant our gardens and hope to harvest our garden in January or February to make Veggie Soup! One of our favorite parts of first grade is working with our 6th grade buddies. Our buddy activities so far this year include a STEM activity, celebrating our writing progress and creating art together. Look for our Silly Monster Art on display at Witches’ Delight!

Meet the Teachers:

Mrs. Nakano (24th year at Santa Rita): My happy place is my classroom and I am very passionate about teaching. Also, I was a student through the LASD school district, my daughter went to LASD and this is my 24th year at Santa Rita! My favorite things to do are spend time with my family and I love iced tea!

Mrs. Finley (24th year at Santa Rita): My passion is sharing the love of learning with children and I have taught first grade for 23 years! I am a Bay Area native and have two children, Katie (9th grade) and Colin (7th grade). My favorite things are my family, anything Disney and I also love iced teas!

BE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Would You Like to Be a Substitute Teacher?

Do you enjoy working with kids?

Do you have a flexible schedule?

If so, you might enjoy becoming a substitute teacher in our local Los Altos School District classrooms!

Learn More About Becoming a Substitute Teacher

On Thursday, November 18, our local elementary and junior high schools in the Los Altos School District will be hosting an in-person substitute information session and training.

When: November 18, 9:00am-11:30am

Where: 201 Covington Road in the Board Room

What: Stephanie Tyson, a retired mentor teacher, will share information, tricks, tips, and strategies for successfully substituting in Kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms. All are welcome.

To RSVP, email Erin Green at egreen@lasdschools.org

Requirements to Substitute Teach

• A BA/BS college degree

• CBEST exam

• Fingerprinting and background check

If you are interested in learning about sub permit requirements, please contact Marlene Revelo mrevelo@lasdschools.org for the quick steps to take to become a certified substitute in LASD.

Health and Safety Protocols

Our students have been SAFELY back in classrooms since September 2020 with strict adherence to all state and local public health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Learn more at www.lasdschools.org on our COVID Safe Schools webpage.

Thank you for considering joining our substitute teaching team!

Start collecting your cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials! We are excited to launch LASD’s District-Wide STEM Challenge! Students will be tasked with designing the tallest free standing pedestal that can safely seat Pumpkin Potter! He may or may not have gained some extra pounds by the event date and will depend on your child’s grade level. Students can design at home or at school, with friends or family.

Bring your designs on October 27th.

Event time: Grades 1-6: Lunchtime

TK/K: 2 pm on the Kinder Playground

SPECIAL EDUCATION CONNECTION

Join SELPA-1 CAC for our free online community events!

Interactive Virtual Dyslexia Simulation

Monday, October 25, 5:30- 7 pm

Decoding Dyslexia CA welcomes you to join this online simulation. Register at https://bit.ly/DyslexiaSimulation for the Zoom link.

Please contact Alison Biggs at abiggs@gmail.com for more information!

FAN4 MATH COMPETITION

* FUN questions

* 4 students from the same school work as a team, schools can register multiple teams

* Competition window: November 11- 18

* Free: No registration fee

Fan4 Registration

For more info, visit ckmathletes.com

Fan4 M Flyer.pdf

MVLA PARENT EDUCATION SPEAKER SERIES

Join us for an evening with author and clinical psychologist, Dr. Michael J. Bradley

Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy! Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind
Thursday, October 21, 2021
7:00-9:00pm | Live Online

Being a teenager has never been easy. But with the crazy world that’s been handed to today's teens, it's tougher than ever. The only job more difficult than being a contemporary teen is being the parent of one.

Join us as we welcome Dr. Michael Bradley, whose respect-based philosophy is at the heart of the presentations he has given to thousands of parents who are seeking ways to communicate with their adolescent children. He takes you inside your teenager’s head and shows you why teens think and behave the way they do, and gives parents real-world advice, strategies, and methods to use

.

Audience: Parents of middle school and high school students

Register: Register for this free event

Books: Purchase online from Books, Inc.

More information: English Spanish

Previous Events

Ron Lieber Videos Now Available!

Mr. Lieber has graciously allowed us to share The Price You Pay For College and The Opposite of Spoiled recordings with parents, teachers, and other caretakers within our community. The recording will be available for six weeks.

Ron Lieber – The Price You Pay For College: An Entirely New Roadmap

Event Recording from 09/28/2021

Ron Lieber – The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous and Smart About Money

Event Recording from 09/30/2021

Join Santa Rita’s LAEF October Participation Challenge — Donate or Pledge to the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) if you have not yet given this school year. It’s the only way for you to fund Santa Rita teachers for STEM, computer science, physical education (PE), art, music, library, and mental health counselors. Gifts of any amount add up and make a difference! If you have students at more than one school, your one donation will be counted at all your schools for the October Participation Challenge.

Check out this Financial Breakdown Chart showing exactly how LAEF will use parent contributions this school year. Let’s come together and provide a high-quality, well-rounded education for our students!

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

Para obtener más información sobre nuestro programa, visite www.teentutorslahs.wixsite.com/lahs o envíe un correo electrónico a teentutorslahs@gmail.com con cualquier pregunta.

Thank you!

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