ALMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Welcome to 2017-18
August 4, 2017

SCHOOL MESSAGE

We are very excited to welcome you all back on August 16th!  It will be glorious to reconnect, hear about your summers, and catch up.

This year, our focus will be to “Bring It All Together” through “Mission Possible.”  Over the past four years, our district and school have invested a great deal in building the professional expertise of our education teams.  This document provides a synthesis of that work.  We are positioned and ready to focus our efforts on bringing our Almond mission, vision, and goals to life to meet the LASD goal to “Meet the individual learning needs of ALL students.”

Please note the following adjustment in our morning community assemblies - they will take place on Thursday mornings this year (not Fridays).  The reason for this is because a change was made to our music schedule for 4th - 6th grade.  This requires coordination across the district and our music days this year are Mondays and Fridays.  If we continued our music time on Fridays, that would cut out 15 minutes of music instruction each week.  And, that’s not best for kids.  As a staff we brainstormed how to adjust and our best solution was to move morning assemblies to Thursday mornings.  We treasure this time together because it affords us the opportunity to build school culture through common messaging.  As always, we welcome parents to join in the fun on Thursdaymornings from 8:30am - 8:45am.

We have been contacted by some of your regarding the CAASPP reports.  This past spring, students in grades 3 - 6 took the state standardized assessment.  Results are trickling into the district office.  There is a requirement that the parent copy be mailed home within 20 days of the receipt of the LASD copy.  The reports have not all come at once.  This occurred last year as well.  It is possible that you will receive a report for one of your children before the rest.  Some reports last year didn’t arrive until December.

 Enjoy the remaining week.  We eagerly anticipate your return.  :-)

DETAILS REGARDING THE 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR

STAFFING UPDATES

• Sarah Johnston has taken a job in another district.  We wish her the very best.
• Jessica Saretsky is moving back east due to a wonderful job opportunity for her husband.  It was such a blessing to have had Jessica on staff for four years. She  will be dearly missed.
• Rachel Gassner will be partnering with Rachel Doblick to teach 2nd Grade.
• Joan O’Dell will be joining the kinder team.
• Anju Vriksha will be joining the 6th grade team.

STAFF LISTING
Transitional Kindergarten: Lisa Schubert
Kindergarten: Leanne Kridl, Laurie Lamb, Joan O’Dell
First Grade:  Jenny Eldridge, Savanna Goltzer, Samantha Nguyen
Second Grade: Rachel Doblick, Rachel Gassner
Third Grade: Sarah Hall, Joann Martinez, Tammy Reilly
Fourth Grade: Annie Daggett, Kelsey Greene, Jenny Wishnack
Fifth Grade: Laura Better, Vicki Burke, Kaitlyn Pasket
Sixth Grade: Allison Aubrey, Jasen Stuart, Anju Vrikshay
STEM Instructional Support Teacher: Beth Leach
Literacy Instructional Support Teacher:  Jill Croft
PE Teachers: Mary Alber (TK/K), Doug Core (1-6)
ELD Teacher:  Jessica Mountz
RSP Teacher:  Melissa Powell
Speech Teacher:  Julie Chen
School Psychologist:  Kristin Clouser
Office Staff:  Jane Sanders, Joyce Musselman
Custodial Staff:  Manny Casino, Manuel Vejar
Technology Specialist:  Sauro Mangianelli
Librarian:  Carla Schick

DISTRICT INFOSNAP – Online Registration
Please look for an email from Registrar@lasdk8.org with instructions about completing the InfoSnap Online Registration.  It is recommended that you addregistrar@lasdk8.org  to your contacts to prevent the email from going into spam folders.
LASD InfoSnap registration is not the same thing as the PTA Back to School System.  You must complete BOTH.

PTA BACK TO SCHOOL SYSTEM ONLINE THIS TUESDAY!
Complete your family’s registration in the back to school system any time between August 8th and September 2nd.  Log in via THIS link.

SCHOOL START and END TIMES
Transitional Kinder, M/T/W/F = 8:45am – 2:25pm*, Th = 8:45am - 1:30pm*
Kindergarten, M/T/W/F = 8:30am – 2:30pm*, Th = 8:30am - 1:15pm*
Grades 1 & 2, M/T/W/F = 8:30am – 2:40pm*, Th = 8:30am - 1:25pm
Grades 3 thru 6, M/T/W/F = 8:30am – 3:00pm*, Th = 8:30am - 1:45pm
*From 8/16 – 9/11 TK and Kinder will dismiss at 12pm to allow students a transition period to extended day as well as an opportunity for teachers to assess students and collaborate with team members to ensure your child’s success.
Please note that all end times have been changed since the 2016-17 school year.  This was done to increase lunch to a 45 minute time block for students.
Here is a link to a file you can download and print.

UPCOMING DATES

• Friday, 8/11 - Homeroom Assignment Letters
• Sunday, 8/13, 5pm - New Family Orientation led by PTA
• Monday, 8/14, 5pm - New Family Orientation led by PTA
• Tuesday, 8/15, 10:30am - TK Bear Party
• Tuesday, 8/15, 1pm - Kinder Lemonade Party
• Wednesday, 8/16 - First Day of School, Back to School Coffee (8:30am)
• Thursday, 8/17, 8:30am - First Morning Assembly
• Friday, 8/18, 6:30pm - New Family Orientation led by Principal
• Friday, 8/18, 7pm - Back to School Ice Cream Social
• 8/23 & 8/24 - Pictures Days (details to follow)
• Thursday, 8/31 - Back to School Night (details to follow)

Homeroom Assignment Letters will be emailed to you on Friday, August 11th.

Hot Lunch – Our vendor will be Pasta Market.  All entrees are in compliance with California SB12 and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) regulations, regarding portion sizes, calories, fat content, and sugar content for elementary schools.  Registration and ordering will open on August 8th at this link [https://pastamarket.boonli.com]. The school password is “AES181”. The first ordering deadline will be midnight on Sunday, 8/13.

First Day of School & Back to School Coffee - Wednesday, August 16th, 8:30am
Once your child is in class, please join the PTA for coffee and snacks in the multi.  Learn about Almond events, sign up to volunteer, and catch up with friends!

New Family Orientation - Friday, August 18th, 6:30pm – 6:55pm
All families new to Almond (kindergarten and others) are invited to join Principal Benadom and the PTA for a brief presentation, Q&A session in the multi.

Back to School Ice Cream Social   - Friday, August 18th, 7pm
All Almond families are invited to the Almond playground for FREE ice cream sundaes served by the Almond PTA.

Back to School Night – Thursday, August 31st
The time schedule will be divided by grade levels and communicated the first week of school.

WANT TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE THURSDAY WORD?
Send announcements to us at AlmondThursdayWord@lasdschools.org by 12:00pm Monday, for that week's Word. Keep your announcements brief and, if applicable, send a PDF version of any flyer or additional information to be posted on the website.
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Almond Elementary School Website
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