Gator Aid 90309

GATORAID School Phone: 408-252-5414

~ Absence Line 408-252-5414-6

Boa rd o Sup f Ed erin uca tend tion ent: Boa P Anja rd Mem hil Quon ber Josep li Kause r, Be s: hine n Luce y, Ga Liao, r Phyl lis Vo y McCu e, gel

~

FAX 408-996-9725

GAR DEN ERT GAT INO EE U LEM NIO 105 ENT 00 A NS CH ARY NN O A CUP OL RBO D ERT IS R AV IN Nan ENU TRICT cy W O, CA K at E h 950 Alic ood 14 ia H leen M - Pr cCu anc i n c i l ock -She loch - P pal par TA P d-S SC C residen t hair per son CUP

SCHOOL CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 3, 2009 8/24-9/25 9/3 9/4 9/7 9/8 9/8 9/9 9/9

9/17 9/18 9/19 9/21 9/22 9/23 9/23 9/25 9/28-10/2 10/1

GATE TESTING REFERRAL “NEW-TO-DISTRICT STUDENTS ONLY” GR 4 & 5 7:15 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 6:45-7:25 p.m. 7:30-7:45 p.m. 7:45-8:30 p.m. 6:30-7:45 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 7:00-8:30 p.m. 6:00-8:00 p.m.

PTA MEETING – GLC HEALTH & ENROLLMENT CARDS ARE DUE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY – NO SCHOOL C.U.S.D. BOARD MTG. @ NIMITZ SCHOOL S’COOL SPIRIT BAND SIGN-UP GR. 4 & 5 (OUTSIDE BENCHES) PROJECT CORNERSTONE VOLUNTEER MTG - STAFF RM. BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT – PARENTS ONLY (BABYSITTING NOT AVAILABLE) GRADES 4-5 IN CLASSSROOMS STAFF INTRODUCTIONS IN GLC FOR ALL PARENTS GRADES K-3 IN CLASSROOMS SAFETY NIGHT STAFF LEARNING DAY – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS CUPERTINO FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL – CHICKEN DANCE - KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS GR. 5 - SCIENCE CAMP PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT - GLC C.U.S.D. BOARD MTG – DISTRICT BOARD ROOM SCHOOL SITE COUNSEL MEETING – STAFF ROOM PROJECT CORNERSTONE PARENT ED. NIGHT - GLC DEADLINE FOR GATE “NEW TO DISTRICT” 4-5 GR. STUDENTS SCHOLASTIC FALL SOCIAL AND BOOK FAIR FALL SOCIAL AND BOOK FAIR - GLC

Parent Traffic Duty: September 8th - 11th - Parents from Rm. #26 EVERY TUESDAY IS EARLY DISMISSAL – Students are dismissed at 1:30. PRE-PAY FOR CUSD LUNCHES at PAMS (Parent Account Management System) Lunchroom! You can make payments and view your students account balance online by going to http://www.pamslunchroom.com or by calling 1-888-994-5100. TO EMAIL STAFF: [email protected] ATTENDANCE: If your child will be absent, please call 252-5414. Ext. 6, by 8:30 a.m. to report the absence. HOMEWORK: Homework may be requested for illness absences of three days or more. Please call the office before 9:00 a.m. to request the homework for pickup after 3:00 p.m.

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL....MRS. WOOD!

PAGE

2

Changes at Garden Gate – Grades 1 - 3 As many of you know, Garden Gate is a very popular school and we attract many families desiring the quality education and enrichment opportunities offered by the Cupertino Union School District. While we are delighted to be known as an excellent school in an excellent school district, we run the risk of becoming too popular! That is the situation this year in our first through third grade classes. The majority of our classes in those grade levels have 21 students in them. Following the guidelines of class size reduction, the district’s policy has been to staff those classes at 20:1. We have been monitoring our enrollment numbers closely. In the past, student enrollment often sorted itself out because there would always be a number of “no shows” on the first day of school. However, this year, almost every student enrolled showed up. In addition, we had a sizable number of new enrollees. Our first through third grade classes swelled to 21. Students enrolling later were “overflowed” to neighboring schools. These neighboring schools are filling up quickly and their own newly enrolled students run the risk of also becoming “overflow” students and would need to be bused to yet another Cupertino school. To help avoid that domino effect and to keep our Garden Gate students at Garden Gate, the decision was made to create another primary classroom. It will be a first grade class and it will relieve the overcrowding in all first through third grade classrooms. To facilitate that change means that we will be moving some students from almost every first through third grade class. The staff and I have met and discussed ways to minimize disruption to student learning and to make the changes as positive an experience as is possible. All class moves will happen tomorrow, Friday, September 4. Parents of students in grades one through three received a letter from me yesterday outlining the process we will use. The teachers and I have an excellent plan for the transition from the current classroom to the new one. It’s supportive, inclusive and reflects our positive community values at Garden Gate. I will personally call all parents of students who will move to new classrooms on Friday. We appreciate your support and understanding as we move through this transitional time. Back to School Night – Wednesday, September 9, 6:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Garden Gate’s Back to School Night is scheduled for next Wednesday, September 9. The schedule is as follows:

6:45 – 7:25p.m. Grades 4 & 5 (In classrooms)

7:30 - 7:45p.m. GLC (Introductions/announcements)

7:45 – 8:30p.m. Grades K – 3 (In classrooms) We look forward to seeing all of you on that evening. Please remember that this is an evening for adults only. Thank you. Parent Traffic Help – Every Classroom Assigned One Week of Duty for the Year You will be asked to sign up to help make our morning drop-off and our Tuesday afternoon pick up safer for everyone. All parents should ask themselves, when thinking of their children in the school parking lot or crossing the street, “How safe is safe enough?” I am sure that you would want someone to help your child cross the street, someone to stop the traffic so that your child can cross the driveway, and someone to help to watch out for your child during the heavy morning traffic at Garden Gate. We are asking for a commitment from every family to help one week a year with traffic duty. It can be one morning or afternoon or the whole week – whatever works for your schedule. We have a wonderful learning environment here at Garden Gate. We need to make sure that all of our students arrive and leave safely in that environment. Your help is appreciated!

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

PTA CORNER

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES

Welcome to the PTA Corner

Please Attend Our 1st PTA Meeting Of The Year Tonight, Thursday, Sept. 3rd At 7:15 In The GLC. For those not familiar with PTA meetings here are some of the basics: •Anyone and everyone are welcome to attend; you do not have to be a member of the PTA. •The meetings are free. •They are approximately 60 to 90 minutes long. •The agenda is posted in the PTA window at the corner of the school office approximately a week in advance. •You will hear what is happening at school. •Members can vote on PTA issues and budget. •Anyone can make suggestions, bring up issues and ask questions at the meetings. •The meetings are held with an open and welcoming environment. Tonight we will: • Hear from our Principal, Nancy Wood. • Vote on the Annual PTA budget. • Hear about Direct Donations, the upcoming Book Fair, the Reflections Art Program and much more, see the agenda for details. Remember, later this month the PTA is sponsoring three events: 1.Safety Night on Thursday, the 17th 2.Parent Education Night for Project Cornerstone with Linda Silvius 3.Book Fair starting on September 29th Please visit our Scrip tables on Tuesday Afternoons at the front of the school at 1:15-1:45 and on Friday Mornings 7:45– 8:15. Hope to see you tonight, Kathleen McCulloch, Garden Gate PTA President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

!

PAGE

3

GATORAID! HEALTH ENROLLMENT CARDS & DISASTER CARDS Health Enrollment Cards (Student Emergency Cards) and Disaster Cards are due back to school tomorrow, September 4th! Please make any changes or additions directly on the Health and Enrollment card, sign it, and return it to your child’s teacher. Remember to include any health problems your child has. Students may be released during the school day to only those individuals listed on the Health and Enrollment Card. Please complete the Disaster Card and also return it. Please be sure to call the office to update any changes of information during the school year. All completed cards are due back to school no later than Friday, September 4th. YOUR INVITED TO THE BOOK FAIR! Gators, please mark your calendar to attend the Fall Book Fair that will be taking place in the GLC September 28th through October 2nd. The Book Fair will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. everyday except Friday, and during the Fall Social Family event on Thursday evening, October 1st from 6-8 pm. You can visit our Scholastic School home page at http://http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/ homepage/gardengate> to review some of the books you will find at the Fair. All profits will support various school activities and enable our Librarian to buy books for the Library from Scholastic. Our last Fair earned $2,100 and with your continued support we hope to do better this time. Please make plans to visit the Book Fair to encourage your children to read and to help Garden Gate.

SCRIP AND eScrip

Scrip Gift Cards and eScrip are two fundraising programs that parents (also family and friends) can participate in to raise money for the PTA at “NO COST” to the participant. Scrip gift cards can be spent like cash on everyday expenses. PTA purchases scrip at a discount and sells it on Tuesdays 1:15-1:45 p.m. and Fridays 7:45-8:15 a.m. Alternatively, an order form can be turned in via the green folders or school office and can be picked up during scrip times.

 eScrip also provides an easy way to earn money for

the PTA. Participating merchants donate a percentage of purchases to the school. Parents (also family and friends) should visit www.escrip.com to register their credit/debit cards, Safeway Card, and PW Supermarket Card. Be sure to specify Garden Gate Elementary

PAGE

4

School (eScrip number is 139188329). For those who don’t have internet access, please fill out and turn in an eScrip registration form (available during scrip sales times or in the school office). Already Registered eScrip Participants: Please visit www.escrip.com and click on “YES RENEW” by November 1st, or turn in an eScrip registration form to renew your Safeway Club card. Questions? E-mail us at ggscrip.com or see us during scrip sales times. Carolyn Young, Scrip MEDICATIONS IN THE OFFICE The Medication Administration forms are always available in the school office. Please note that in order for medications to be given to students during the school day, a medication form must be completed and signed by the physician and the parent. When completed, bring the Medication Administration form and the medication (in the original container) to the secretaries in the school office.

RECYCLING AT GARDEN GATE

Garden Gate 5th graders will continue the recycling program this year. We are recycling plastic, aluminum and printer ink cartridges. We have two reasons for this program. First, we have many students who are concerned about our planet. Recycling gives them a chance to do something for the planet and teaches everyone good recycling habits. Second, we want to make sure that as every child reaches 5th grade, money to help with the cost of Science School will be available. You can help by taking your recyclables to the bins outside the library doors. Printer ink cartridges should be taken to Room 12. Thank you. VISITING CAMPUS All visitors on campus, whether entering classrooms as volunteers or meeting with teachers, Must Sign In at the office and obtain a visitor’s name tag when school is in session. For the safety of all, we need to know who is on the campus. The only exceptions are at student arrival and dismissal times. If you are taking your child out of school for any reason, ALWAYS sign your child out from school through the office and then back in when he/she returns.

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

GATORAID!

PAGE

5

DISTRICT NEWS SECTION GATE REFERRAL PROCESS TESTING SCHEDULE Fall Testing Only For “New-to-District” students in Grades 4 – 5 Referrals will be accepted through September 25, 2009. Referrals received after September 25, 2009 will be returned. The focus of Cupertino's Gifted and Talented Ed. is to identify and serve those students who have demonstrated exceptional intellectual ability and outstanding academic achievement. Referrals for Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) testing may be initiated by teachers, parents, or the student. If you have a current “new-to-district” student you would like to have tested this fall for the Gifted and Talent Education program, please contact your child's teacher or school office for a referral form. If you have questions about the screening process, please call the GATE office at (408) 252-3000, Extension 199, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. or the GATE website at: http://www.cupertino.k12.ca.us. NOTE: Fall testing for new-to-district students will take place late October 2009. INITIAL AND ANNUAL CELDT TESTING The Cupertino Union School District will administer the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to all students eligible for English Language Development services. This test will be administered from the beginning of September through the end of October. Based on your child’s last years CELDT scores if their proficiency level is limited, withdrawn or transitional, your child will be included in the annual CELDT test at their school. The initial CELDT will be given to kindergarten students whose primary language on the home language survey is a language other than English. A letter will be sent home with your child prior to the initial and annual testing date at your school. The test consists of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Grades K–8 are tested in all four areas. This year only reading and writing for kindergarten and first grade students will not affect their overall proficiency level. You will receive the official results after January 2010. If you have any questions, please contact your school office.

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125