Welcome Back!
Hello La Ballona Families! We are so excited to see your lovely children back on campus Thursday, August 18. Each week, you'll receive The Weekly Roar. This is the main way our school will communicate with you. Please read it carefully. For example, this week's Weekly Roar will help you navigate the First Days of School without a hitch!
This year, we are saying goodbye to Ms. Kana Nakagawa, last year’s part-time assistant principal. She is the new full-time assistant principal at El Rincon Elementary. I want to publicly thank her for all her excellent work last year, and wish her well at El Rincon. They are lucky to have her, she will be a great asset to their team. However, I’m excited to be welcoming La Ballona’s new full-time assistant principal, Ms. Brenda Selva! Below, you will find Ms. Brenda Selva's Introduction Letter. We are thrilled to have her join our team.
A few miscellaneous notes:
- As we revise our email database, please forward this to any families that may be new to La Ballona. If you are receiving this in error, please check the Parent Portal which is where your emails are extracted.
- Wanted: IT Support. You may have heard that we hired a new School Technology Aide. Unfortunately, his start date is not next week. La Ballona is looking for a volunteer to help teachers connect their projectors, printers, and document cameras. If you can help us with this, we'd be grateful.
- If your child has a medical condition, be sure to have any documentation ready for the health office by the first day of school.
- Supplies Questions? Student supplies are provided by the school. However, take advantage of the sales to stock up your home.
- Want to donate? We need: $5-10 gift cards to Dr. Godbey to use for our Staff Treasure Box! Also, the school always needs tissue boxes, bandaids, baby wipes, and recess balls.
In this newsletter:
- The First Days of School
- School Meal Information
- Community & Afterschool Opportunities
- Our Calendar
Stay PAWSitive!
Dr. Becky Godbey
Principal
Our PTA website https://laballonapta.org/
Our facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laballonaelementary
Twitter https://twitter.com/LaBallona
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laballonaelementaryschool/
Introducing our new FULL TIME ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: Ms. Brenda Selva
Dear La Ballona Families,
My name is Brenda Selva and I am excited to be the new full-time Assistant Principal at La Ballona. I am honored to join La Ballona and work alongside our brilliant students, amazing and dedicated staff, and supportive school community. I look forward to a wonderful school year of learning. I am eager to spend time with your children, getting to know them, and have them know they are special, respected and a valuable part of our school community. I am committed to working alongside with the amazing leadership team, dedicated staff and school community here at La Ballona.
I’ve been teaching for the past twenty-three years. I taught in Compton for fifteen years before leaving to join Culver City Unified School District these past six years as a 2nd grade SIP teacher at El Marino. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Northridge and my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education/Curriculum and Instruction and Administrative Services from California State University, Long Beach. Prior to being an administrator, I gained leadership experience by being an active member of various school committees including the school leadership team, School Site Council (SSC), Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team (MTSS), Leadership Team, and the Art Integration Team and Coach. I’m passionate about learning through collaboration and the arts!
On a personal note, my family holds a special place in my heart. I am the second of three girls. Growing up, spending time as a family was a big part of my upbringing and where I learned so much about who I am as a person. The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”, was evident throughout my childhood. My love of museums, beaches, parks, and botanical gardens, is a connection I had with my grandfather. Among my other interests, I love the arts, the Dodgers and Soccer! Although I don’t have any children of my own, I enjoy being an Aunt/Tia to my two beautiful nieces and nephew.
I look forward to meeting all the students and families this coming school year!
Warmly,
Brenda Selva
Assistant Principal
COVID TEST KIT PICK-UP Tuesday & Wednesday
CCUSD is asking all students to take a COVID-19 test before returning to school.
Tests will be available for pick-up in the front office of school, Tuesday & Wednesday 9am-3pm
1 box (2 tests) will be available per student. Please sign your name next to each student's name upon pick-up.
We are using the honor system. You do not need to send the results to school.
Please stay home if you are positive for Covid
Dear La Ballona Families,
La Ballona Elementary joins all of CCUSD elementary campuses this year by ensuring that La Ballona Elementary School has a Secure Campus for the safety of our students and staff.
What does a secure campus look like:
La Ballona’s #1 priority is student and staff safety
Everyone on campus is accounted for, through signing in at the office or classroom attendance.
Entrance and Exits are monitored by staff. Only LB students may enter the campus through gates.
All visitors are identified with badge/visitor pass.
All staff members are identified with a school/agency badge.
All volunteers are cleared and checked in through the front office
A secure campus allows staff to maximize instructional time
La Ballona will invite families on campus on a monthly basis (see list of opportunities below)
Morning Arrival Procedures 8:00-8:35 Breakfast Flow -Main entrance at the front of the school open for Breakfast/Early Arrivers 8:00-8:35 Early Arrivers- Gate 1 at the back of the school will be open. All Early Arrivers MUST sit at the Breakfast Tables to read, write, or socialize. There is no physical play time before school. 8:35 - 8:45 Regular Arrival - Main entrance and Gates 1, 4, 6, open for all students. Students walk straight to their classroom line. 1st -5th…Gate 1 & Main Entrance of School TK/K and their older siblings…Gate 4 & 6 8:46-9:00 Tardy Arrival - Main entrance and Gate 1 remain open for tardy students Notes: Parents drop children off at gates monitored by staff members. Any adults having a purpose to be on campus will need to check in through the main office. This includes volunteering or meeting with staff. Older siblings may enter through TK/Kinder gates. TK/K students use Gate 4 & 6 beginning at 8:35. Bells 1st Bell- 8:35. Students line up and breakfast door closes 2nd Bell- 8:42 Teachers pick up Students 3rd Bell- 8:45 Tardy Bell (Gates 4 & 6 Close) Afternoon Dismissal Procedures at 3:15 All Bus, OCD, STAR, YSE, etc dismissed to meeting spots. Walkers exit campus through Gate 3 Remaining students wait on Back Blacktop for parents to enter Gate 1 in our “Parent Wait Zone”. When a student sees a guardian, they go to their guardian and exit through Gate 2. Younger siblings remain with the classroom teacher and wait with older siblings. Older siblings go to younger sibling’s line. TK and K students (and their older siblings) exit out Gate 4 & 6 Students are expected to leave for home or be picked up promptly upon dismissal. If your child is not picked up by 3:25 pm they will be brought to the front office. For safety reasons, students are not allowed to wait in front of the school or on the sidewalks. Be sure that your child’s teacher knows where your child should go after school and keep him/her informed of any changes in your plan. A Dismissal Directions letter will be sent home the first day of school. Please complete it and return to the classroom teacher asap. Parents may be on campus to meet with staff by obtaining a visitor’s pass in the main office. Read the PDF below for information regarding our Secure Campus Procedures.
School Meals are Priceless!
YES! All breakfast & Lunch are offered to all students at no cost.
However, we are asking that families do submit meal applications in order to establish free and reduced percentages for each site so that 1) schools can qualify for much needed funding and 2) to establish percentages that I need to submit for federal and state reimbursement. This is EXTREMELY Important to the health of La Ballona's budget. Each year, La Ballona receives federal funding to support our socio-economically diverse campus. Information below:
Culver City Bus Passes Are Back!
Culver CityBus is continuing the pilot program - Go Pass - for students in Culver City Unified schools to help students ride transit for free. The partnership with CCUSD offer students unlimited rides at no cost on Culver CityBus, Big Blue Bus Transit, LA Metro bus and rail, and LADOT Dash. Additional transit agencies are joining, visit Culvercitybus.com for the latest updates.
Using the GoPass TAP card, students can ride for free to and from school, on trips after school and on weekends, now through June 30, 2023.
Read to ride? Pick up your TAP card in your school office and register it. It's THAT easy!
To register, choose one of these steps:
Call TAP at 866-TAPTOGO
We are excited to make this opportunity available to our CCUSD students! We hope you will take the opportunity to explore the community. Use the NextCCBus app to get real time bus information, how full a bus is, and for more information about where you can go on Culver CityBus.
More information at CulverCitybus.com/Fareless or call 310-253-6500.
La Ballona Elementary School
Culver City, CA 90232
Email: erikaarredondo@ccusd.org
Website: www.laballona.ccusd.org
Location: La Ballona Elementary School, Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, USA
Phone: 3108424334
Facebook: facebook.com/laballonaelementary
Twitter: @LaBallona