The Weekly Wave

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

I want to thank our community for being able to pivot so well when we have inclement weather. This week’s much needed rain showed how long it has been since we have had a “rainy day schedule” but we remembered quickly and the following days were more smooth. What is tricky is trying to anticipate the weather and the status of our campus for afternoon activities and trying to make a best guess if enrichment or other things can happen. Please know that we try our best and I appreciate everyone’s patience.

February is Black History Month. Much like mid-September to mid-October’s Hispanic History Month, we have activities at Short Ave that aim to honor and celebrate. Depending on grade-levels these activities can, and will, range from the introductory or can be an examination of significant contributions and achievements. While individual classrooms will have a variety of lessons and experiences, our big school-wide action is our door parade at the end of the month to celebrate Black History. I am often asked why there are not larger assemblies in October and in February and I remind all that we put a huge emphasis on our annual Cultural Diversity Day event - this year on April 10 - to honor the many different cultures in our school family. I encourage all to continue these discussions into your home and to recognize the global impact of individuals from all different cultures, nationalities, races, religions, and more.

Finally, just another reminder that the LAUSD’s Cell Phone/Smart Device Ban Policy goes fully into effect on February 18. Please start the process now to make February 18 smooth and to not be a surprise to you and your child. Please leave phones and devices at home. If a phone does come on site it needs to be powered off and put away. In the event of an emergency, when it is safe (as determined by me and my team), access and use will be granted. If you have any questions please feel free to see me or to reach out.

Enjoy the Super Bowl later today. Remember Monday is a school day! And, as always, please be safe. And please enjoy the rest of your weekend.

See you Monday!

Mr. Lamb

Feb 12th- 5th Grade Panoramic Pictures

Feb 12th- Restaurant Night at N17 The Lane, 12pm -10pm

Feb. 11th- Author's Tea @ 8:20am & Valentine's Day

Feb. 17th- No School, President's Day

Feb. 18th- Emergent Bilingual Parent Meeting @ 8:20am, Parent Center Rm. 12

Mar. 1st- Spring Parent Mixer and Silent Auction

Join us for a cozy Pajama Party—where breakfast is for dinner, fun is guaranteed, and community comes together!

Enjoy a night of mingling, delicious bites, and our exciting Silent Auction. All funds raised go back to our school. Pajamas are optional; come in what you’d like to wear!

When - March 1st, 6 - 9pm

Where - Private Residence (near school) exact address to be provided upon purchase of a ticket.

To Buy Tickets - Click Pajama Party or scan the QR code on the flyer.

We need your help to make it an unforgettable night! 💫✨

We’re looking for auction item donations and event volunteers to help bring the magic to life. Whether you have a connection to a great auction item, can lend a hand at the event, or just want to support in any way—every contribution makes a difference!

https://forms.gle/3Q52achtQiDPvWbX8

Support Short Ave Elementary while enjoying a delicious meal at N17 The Lane!

Mention "SHORT" when ordering, and 20%of your purchase will be donated back to the school.

When - February 12th, 12pm -10pm

Where - N17 The Lane, 12821 Washington Blvd #103, Los Angeles, CA 90066

📢 Attention Short Avenue Community!

Join us for the next FoSA community meeting on Thursday, February 20th, from 8:20 to 9:30 AM in room 12. This is an in person meeting.

We’ll be discussing the funds raised to date, our expenses, and upcoming events and fundraisers.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay informed and get involved!

We look forward to seeing you there! 🌟

Do you have questions about what FoSA? Are there topics you want to learn more about, ideas you have or events/fundraisers or discussions you’d like to have in our community meetings?

Submit your comments, questions, ideas here! We will use these to guide discussions in our meetings staring in January 2025!

LAUSD Family Academy:

This Region LCAP Ambassador Engagement meeting will provide an overview of actions pertaining to the LCAP Goal “Investing in Staff”, Goal “English Learner Supports” and Goal “Black Student Achievement Plan” at your region.

Friday, February 14, 2025 9:00 – 10:30 am

Location: Marina Del Rey Middle School Address: 12500 Braddock Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90066 Zoom: https://lausd.zoom.us/j/87450317497 Zoom ID: 874 5031 7497

Monday, February 17th President's Day Camps (No School)

Got Game Camp will be at Short Ave

Euro Soccer Camp

Let's Play LA Nature Camp at Kenneth Hahn Park

reDIscover Center

SOCIAL MEDIA: Last week of school, I posted on our Instagram and Facebook:

Photos of Room 8's 101st Day of School celebration, Black History Month books in our library, photos from the rain, the Author's Tea flyer, and beautiful shot of our green space!

Please set you Instagram notifications to be notified when I post, so you don't miss anything, and of course like and comment on our posts, it is the best way to see what is happening on campus and get important reminders!

Hello families with younger siblings who you would like to come to Short Ave for TK and other grades (BOTH neighborhood and permit families ). Please let us know who you are by filling out this google doc:

https://forms.gle/2Gjc8ireNMEPfbjA7

Current Short Avenue families on permit are NOT guaranteed a spot for their younger sibling, but will be given priority, when accepting students off of the waitlist. We have to see what our neighborhood enrollment looks like before we can offer spots. We might not be able to give an answer until late May. We encourage you to have a backup plan for your younger sibling. If you already filled this out, no need to do so again.

Families,

We want to remind you of our birthday party policy. In an effort to be equitable and keep our students healthy, we do NOT allow caregivers to send in cupcakes and treats for birthdays. While classes may organize celebrations for various occasions throughout the year, birthday parties should be held outside of school. Parents are welcome to arrange with the teacher to read a story in their child's class, or lead a fun birthday activity. Additionally, parents are welcome to donate something special to the class in honor of their child. We understand that birthdays are special , and every student and staff member will be recognized with a birthday song at our monthly assemblies.

We are hearing that there has been an increase in students with head lice. Please let the nurse and your teacher know if you have found nits or live lice in your child's head. We encourage you to do regular head checks and keep long hair pulled back to avoid spread. Click here to read important information from LAUSD regarding head lice.

Student attendance is a focus for us this school year. It is important that your child is present and on time for school EVERY DAY. An accumulation of absences can negatively impact students both socially and academically. The school is working closely with the District to monitor student attendance and reach out to parents when students are consistently absent from school. While it is understandable that students might become sick throughout the school year, the goal is for seven or less absences between now and June. Family vacations should take place during school holidays and scheduled during school vacations. Additionally, doctors' appointments should be scheduled after school or during vacations, whenever possible. If your child is out because of an appointment, we ask that you bring a note from your doctor to the main office, or your child's teacher. Please let us know if your family needs any support in getting your child to school.

Parents,

Please make sure that you have registered for an account on the Parent Portal. The Parent Portal is is an online system that connects parents and guardians to their child's information. The website to register is: http://parentportal.lausd.net. Once you are registered, you will be able to add your student(s) to your account with their student ID and your parent pin code. Letters were sent home last week with your parent pin codes. It is important that you link your student(s) to your account so you can view their information.. Please call the office if you need any help in obtaining your child's student ID # or any other assistance registering on the portal.

Click here for instructions to register for the Parent Portal.

Click here for instructions on how to add your student to your Parent Portal account.

VOLUNTEERING!

Are you interested in volunteering in your child's classroom, the library, or the garden, or going on a field trip? We LOVE volunteers and hope that you will be one!!

You must be an approved volunteer with a negative TB test to Volunteer for field trips, classroom projects, the garden etc.

1. All Volunteers must have a negative TB test. Please get your Negative TB test first, BEFORE filling out the Volunteer Application. New volunteers must have a recent negative test within 60 days of application. You must email your negative result to avril.lipsky@lausd.net so that they can be inputted into your application. TB tests for returning volunteers are good for 4 years.

2. Please fill out the Volunteer Application through this LAUSD VOLUNTEER LINK! This is for BOTH new and returning Volunteers. Do NOT check Tier 3 assignments unless you are willing to get a Fingerprint. Email avril.lipsky@lausd.net for more info on fingerprints. Here is a link the the most recent Volunteer Guide if you want a step by step visual of how to fill out the volunteer application.

3. Volunteers need to sign a Liability Waiver and the Commitment Form electronically in the application..You do NOT need to email them to me.

4. Please see the LAUSD Volunteer Page for answers to questions.

https://www.lausd.org/volunteer

5. ALL Volunteers (both new and returning) must watch the The Mandatory Volunteer Orientation Zoom Recording, if you did NOT attend the live Zoom on September 11th.

6. Here is the Materials Folder Link that we spoke about in the Zoom Orientation, that includes the Orientation, Zoom, the Guide to Volunteering, The Volunteer Commitment Form, and the Quick Guide.

If you are a RETURNING VOLUNTEER from last year, you still need to fill out the LAUSD Volunteer Application online at LAUSD VOLUNTEER LINK! You Negative TB test should Auto Populate, if it is less than 4 years since you did the test. It takes 4 to 5 weeks to get you approved AFTER I get the TB test, so please do not wait

Please be aware that ClassDojo will translate into over 130 languages!

Here’s a brief overview of how parents can set language preferences in ClassDojo:

1. Content Language: This allows users to select the language for story and message translations.
2. Communication Language: This option lets users choose their preferred language for emails and push notifications.

You can reach out to Rachel Burris @ rjs6223@lausd.net or Avril Lipsky @ avril.lipsky@lausd.net if you need any assistance with translation. We are here to support you!

Looking for a hidden gem for your child’s middle school years? Marina del Rey is a fantastic option for Short Ave Elementary families, offering unique opportunities like a Performing Arts Magnet which includes theater, dance and music, an honors track for high achievers, and exciting programs like Marine Science and a beautiful garden! Let’s support our local school and explore all it has to offer. Interested in learning more or joining our parent group? Email dave@jdpropertiesla.com to join our list of Short Ave families discovering MdRMS!

Email: wlamb@lausd.net
Website: https://shortavees.lausd.org/
Location: 12814 Maxella Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone: 310 397-4234