The Weekly Wave

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

Happy New Year! It is 2025! We are a quarter of the way into the 21st Century. I am hopeful that all had a joyous and restful three-week vacation. We return to school tomorrow, Monday, January 6 and we are looking forward to having all students on time and ready to learn!

The end of one year and the start of another always leads me to reflection and introspection. My natural process is to look at situations and systems always wondering how I (or they) can be better. Short Ave Elementary is an amazing school and we are doing well in many areas. But we can do better. I am entering 2025 with an eye on continuing to improve our attendance; writing throughout the curriculum; and on me giving more and consistent feedback to my teachers.

The LAUSD cell phone/device ban is coming soon on February 18. This should not and will not be an issue here because cell phones are already prohibited. I know that some parents do send but if the phone is turned off, in a backpack, and neither I nor the teachers are aware it is here then we are meeting the expectation. What is new is that “smart watches” will also be included in the ban. My ask of our community is to please not send your child to school with a phone or a smart watch starting now so that February is not an issue. My hope is that we do not need to confiscate and have parents coming to the office to retrieve. Please help us by helping your child understand now. More information is coming soon.

I am looking forward to this 2nd semester and am excited to continue my journey with all of you.

As always, please be safe. And please enjoy the rest of your weekend.

See you Monday!

Mr. Lamb

January 12- DDC Enrichment Registration Opens at 9:00 AM
January 16- FOSA Community Meeting, 6 to 7 PM via Google Meet

January 20- MLK Day, School Closed

January 27-31-Kindness Week

January 30- School Tour

Our SEEDS Greening project is nearing completion - sort of. I am waiting on the official updates but I did visit the school site during the break and there is grass and it is looking amazing (see photos below in the Wave). Our fencing will be down soon. That does not mean that all is complete. We will not be able to use the space. Yet. We need the grass and the trees to settle and to lock in. We might not be able to play or walk or read on the grass until March. With no fencing this will be a struggle. Please remind your child(ren) to help us finish this project successfully so that our grass area lasts for years.

As we all come together after a long vacation we can expect an uptick in viruses. Please talk with your child about washing their hands throughout the day and covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze. We have masks available in all classrooms so make your child aware that this is an option to prevent the spread of illness. As always, communicate with your child's teacher if they are home sick for any reason. Let's try to work together to keep everyone safe and healthy this semester.

Join the fun with the Dolphin Discovery Club (DDC), an exciting after school enrichment program at Short Avenue! 🎉

📅 Winter 2025 Season - 8 weeks!

• Duration: January 27 - March 21, 2025

• Registration Opens: Sunday, January 12, 2025, at 9:00 AM

• Registration Closes: Midnight, January 23rd

📝 How to Register

• Register directly with vendors for Got Game, Prime Time, and Chess Wizards

• Register for Zine Club and Spanish classes via the FoSA store
  💻 Registration info provided in the FAQ document (link below)

🎨 Classes Offered
From basketball and LEGO building to Spanish, poetry, Zine Club, and more—there's something for every student grades TK - 5!

💌 Questions? Check out our FAQ here at https://friendsofshortavenue.org/pages/dolphin-discovery-club

If you have additional questions not in the FAQ, please email us at DDC@friendsofshortavenue.org.

Details about Spring 8-week DDC session to come in March.

Let’s make 2025 unforgettable with learning, creativity, and discovery! ✨

📢 Attention Short Avenue Community!

Join us for the next FoSA community meeting on Thursday, January 16, from 6 to 7 PM via Google Meet! 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!

👉 Join the meeting here: meet.google.com/rui-gxvw-hsq

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!

Did You Make This Cookie?

We want to say thank you to ALL the families that donated cookies for our Staff Holiday Party before Winter Break! But there was one cookie in particular that I can't forget! It was a round thick and chewy molasses style cookie. I did take a photo before it was completely gone, and hope that the baker will recognize it and send me the recipe! I will happily publish it in our next Weekly Wave for all to enjoy, with your permission:)

avril.lipsky@lausd.net

LAUSD Family Academy for January:

The Family Academy is for Students, Parents and Caregivers. This month there is a seminar for students with disabilities: Fostering a Sense of Belonging in School on Thursday, January 16th from 9:00am to 10:30 am at Brentwood Science Magnet.

And an LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan) meeting on Friday, January 17th from 9:00am to 10:30am at Marina Middle School.

See the Flyer Below

Monday, January 20th MLK Day Camps:

Euro Soccer Camp see flyer below

Let's Play LA Camp

reDiscover Camp

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

Photos from each day of Spirit Week, flyer reminders for Spirit Week, the Winter Program, Restaurant Night at Humble Potato and the Dolphin Cafe and Assembly, photos and a video montage of our Winter Program!

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