Podesta Ranch Newletter 09/29/2024

Thank you for a wonderful first quarter at Podesta Ranch Elementary for the 2024-2025 school year. We hope that you enjoy some rest and time together as a family over the next two weeks of Fall Break. We look forward to your return on October 14.

Sincerely,

Alyssa Barban, Principal

Happy School Custodian Appreciation Day (Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024) to our beloved custodians, Mrs. Maria and Mrs. Lupe! Because of your hard work and dedication to our students' health, they are kept safe and well from all your hard work! Thank you for all the work that you do and making sure our school is a beautiful place to learn! We love our school custodians! 💖

Our first school break is coming soon! Friendly reminder that there will be no school from Monday, September 30th, 2024 to Friday, October 11th, 2024.

Have a restful break and we will see you again @ 7:45 AM on Monday, October 14th, 2024!

Below are the Fall Break Office Hours:

Office open from 10 AM - 12 PM:

Tuesday, October 8th, 2024

Wednesday, October 9th, 2024

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

Office Closed all day:

Monday, September 30th, 2024 to Friday, October 4th, 2024

Monday, October 7th, 2024

Friday, October 11th, 2024

Upcoming minimum days are the following:

• Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024

Please be sure to pick up your children at their designated dismissal time as staff have meetings and professional development immediately after school. All PM TK and Kindergarten classes start at 8:15 AM.

Attached is Podesta's calendar of events for October 2024.

Please click on the image for the pdf file of the calendar.

Attached is our PTA's calendar of events for the school year of 2024/2025.

Please click on the image on the right for the pdf file of the calendar.

If you are in need to make library book payments or would like to purchase Chromebook Insurance through the District, please click on the image on the right or scan the QR code for access.

You may also click on the blue words PAYMENT below for the digital form to turn in to pay.

PAYMENT

Meet our new school counselor Ms. Harbin! Click on the picture on the right to see September's newsletter.

We are excited to announce that your child’s/children’s school is having a spelling bee for students grades 4th through 6th. The Spelling Bee is a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their spelling skills and compete in a friendly and encouraging environment. Participants will be tested on their ability to spell a variety of words; the event will include several rounds. The competition aims to foster a love of language and promote academic excellence. The site spelling bees will take place between October 14th and October 23rd. The winner of each school site will go on to the district wide spelling bee (Stockton 11/7 and Lodi 11/8). We encourage you to click on the link below for rules and practice lists or you may click on the image on the right for the practice spelling list.

Spelling Bee Rules (sjcoe.org)

September is #SuicidePreventionMonth. Help us support suicide prevention by learning the warning signs and risk factors for suicide. If you, or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Additional resources can be found on our website below.

bit.ly/LodiUSDMentalHealthResources

Click on the link below for the suicide warning signs for adults (English):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wHq6hdQHBBvTArfUZpELI_p1BvmuesIY/view?usp=sharing

Click on the link below for the suicide warning signs for youth (English):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TlwFFWkKb234evBJJf904Mry6X4nhWJv/view?usp=sharing

Español:

Septiembre es el #MesdelaPrevencióndelSuicidio. Ayúdenos a apoyar la prevención del suicidio conociendo las señales de advertencia y los factores de riesgo del suicidio. Si usted o alguien que conoce necesita ayuda, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 988 o chatee con 988lifeline.org. Puede encontrar recursos adicionales en nuestro sitio: bit.ly/LodiUSDMentalHealthResources

Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para conocer las señales de advertencia de suicidio para adultos:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QSsvDGwHzEA9gF28E5Mzu8Wq9XKuLv3N/view?usp=sharing

Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para conocer las señales de advertencia de suicidio para jóvenes:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14wpbB7EdSuERqFP76_bcQXPKevO0ruYw/view?usp=sharing

LodiUSD is opening a writing competition to all Lodi Unified School District students in fifth and sixth grade. Students will be judged on content and relevance to the theme (50 points), effective expression (30 points) and grammar and originality (10 points each). Please turn in all submission to their homeroom teacher.

Deadline for entries: Friday, November 1, 2024

Winners will be notified in December.

Contact Linda Hammons ljhammons@sbcglobal.net with any questions.

Please click on the image on the right for the writing prompt and official flyer.

Prizes:

1st Place: $100

2nd Place: $75

3rd Place: $50

Honorable Mentions: $25

Please confirm and update your contact information for EACH child on AERIES to complete their school registration for their 2024/2025 school year.

Click on the blue words below to watch how to login to AERIES.

YOUTUBE

You may click on the image on the right to login into the AERIES Parent Portal website.

Want to volunteer in a classroom or go/drive for class trips? You need to be cleared through fingerprinting at the District office. If interested, please notify your homeroom teacher and they will direct you how to sign up.

We want to bring to your attention the importance of discussing the proper care of district-issued student Chromebooks with your children. We have observed an increase in incidents involving damage, often linked to carelessness or misuse. As we address these situations, we want to remind you of the importance of engaging in discussions with your child about the proper care of their district-issued Chromebook. Students will be held responsible for any damages, and charges may apply for repairs. Principals will conduct thorough investigations in collaboration with students to ensure fair outcomes. Additionally, please remind your students to charge their Chromebooks overnight, ensuring they are ready for the next day's learning activities. Your involvement in these discussions is crucial, and we appreciate your attention to these matters.

Please click on the image on the right for more information about the Chromebook Care Plan Insurance page that is avaliable for purchase in the District.

Friendly reminder that every WEDNESDAY is College and Career Wear Spirit Day and every FRIDAY is School Spirit Wear Day.

Free breakfast is served every school day at 7:45 AM - 8:00 AM. If your child intends on eating free breakfast at school, they may arrive no earlier than 7:45 AM. If they are not eating breakfast, children should not arrive at school before 8:00 AM in lieu to safety concerns. No adults are supervising the students before 7:45 AM.

Please remember to NOT pick up or drop off your child in the bus loop or parking lot area, especially by the DEAD END section of the parking lot. Bus loop is ONLY for our SPED students and busses, and families are highly advised to accompany their child when walking through the parking lot. We do not have adults supervising these areas. Please park your car in the parking lot if you are planning to pick up your students directly from their teachers. Please leave the drop off area ONLY for moving vehicles that are picking up/dropping off quickly, and refrain from double parking, as we need ease of car movement for student and driver safety.

Thank you for partnering with us and modeling to our students the importance of following traffic and road safety rules. 👍

One of our site goals, and our challenge from the Superintendent, is to improve attendance and curb truancy. The law states that students will attend every day, on time, and ready for school. With a new system in place, absences are carefully tracked, and notices are automatically sent to guardians. You have 10 days to clear an absence. On the 11th day it reverts to all unexcused and is considered truancy.

If you request IS, it must be requested 2 weeks prior and approved by IS administration. Please do not wait until the night before.

Please click on the blue words student and family handbook for the pdf of school rules/policies for 2024-2025 school year, as it has important information about all school expectations.

You may also click on the image on the right for the same document.

Join us for free nutritious breakfast each morning at 7:45 AM!

Please click on the image on the right to see a live view of the cafeteria menu for our school. Make sure to click on the drop down menu for Podesta Ranch Elementary School.

Click the BLUE WORDS MENU below for the digital pdf copy of the lunch menu.

MENU

For more information about lunches and nutrition, please click on the link below.

https://www.lusdnutrition.org/

As the weather becomes warmer and as a safety reminder, please send your student to school in appropriate attire, including shoes. Our dress code can be found in the Student Handbook in your student's planner or online. Students are expected to wear closed toe/heeled shoes. Students with sandals, slides, or Crocs will be asked to sit out during recess and PE to ensure student safety on the playground, stairwell and in the bark box.

Please click on the image on the right for the digital Student Handbook regarding their dress code.