Lemur Weekly Update

Happy Sunday, Lemur Families,

February is the month of kindness, love, and appreciation, and there is no better time to celebrate the wonderful school community we have here. Just as Valentine’s Day reminds us to share kindness with others, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the support, involvement, and care you show every day. From volunteering in classrooms to supporting fundraisers and cheering on our students, your efforts truly make a difference for our kids at Leaman. 💕

Below are some important updates and reminders for the month of February.

No School – February 14 & 17

• There will be no school on Friday, February 14, 2025 and Monday, February 17, 2025. Please mark your calendars and enjoy the long weekend with your families!

Lincoln Potters Fundraiser

• We are excited to kick off a Lincoln Potters ticket fundraiser! Students will have the opportunity to sell tickets to an upcoming game, with prizes awarded to our top sellers. This is a great way to support our school while also enjoying a fun community event. More details will be sent home in your child's backpack this week. Thank you in advance for your participation!

Lost & Found – Please Label Clothing

• Our lost and found is overflowing with jackets, coats, and sweatshirts! To help us return lost items to their owners, we ask that you write your child's name inside their clothing. If your child is missing something, please check the lost and found.

PTO Meeting – February 12th at 6:00PM

• Our next PTO meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the school library. We encourage everyone to attend! Your involvement helps shape our school events and programs, and we value your input and ideas.

Be the Nice Kid Assembly – February 24

• We are thrilled to welcome the Be the Nice Kid assembly on Monday, February 24, 2025. This program inspires kindness, inclusion, and positive behavior among students. We are excited for our students to take part in this meaningful experience!

Thank you for all you do to support our school!

Mrs. Johnsrud

Monday, February 10th

• Safety Drill - 1:15pm
• Art Club 1:40pm -2:30pm
• Choir Practice 1:40pm -2:30pm

Tuesday, February 10th

• Student Congress - 7:45am (Library)
• Student Senate - 9:00am -1:00pm
• Musical Practice 2:40pm-3:45pm
• Student Leadership - 2:45pm -3:30pm

Wednesday, February 12th

• PTO Meeting - 6:00pm in the library

Thursday, February 13th

• Vision Screenings - Kinder, 2nd, & 5th
• ABC Fashion Show - Kindergarten - 8:30am
• Musical Practice 2:40pm-3:45pm

Friday, February 14th

• No School - Happy Valentines' Day 💕

Upcoming Events

No School - Monday, February 17th

Student Art Display at Lincoln Art Gallery - January 9th -February 23rd

Be the Nice Kid Assembly - February 24th

Lincoln Potters Fundraiser - Ends February 26th

Spring Fling Dance - Friday, March 7th 5:00pm -7:00pm

State Testing Window 3rd-5th Grade - May 5th - May 23rd

Be sure to take a look at this month's Ask the School Psychologist Newsletter with a focus on screen time and sleep.

We LOVE our Project Cornerstone volunteers! Please be sure to take a look at the January/February Family Newsletter to learn about the books our volunteers are reading in all of our classrooms - Project Cornerstone- Family Letter

Our PTO has partnered with a local company to bring more spirit wear on campus. Be sure to check out the Fresh Press Ink Lemur Gear Store online. Thank you to Fresh Press Ink and PTO for making Leaman spirit wear more accessible!

Hello WPUSD Students, Staff and Families,

We are seeing an increase in the use of e-scooters as a mode of transportation to and from school. E-scooters, while convenient, must be operated within the law to ensure the safety of both riders and others. We are partnering with the Lincoln Police Department to help educate our students and families about the laws surrounding e-scooter use. Through this collaboration, we aim to raise awareness, promote safe practices, and ensure everyone understands their role in keeping our community safe.

Under California Vehicle Code 407.5(a), an e-scooter is defined as:

A “motorized scooter” is any two-wheeled device that has handlebars, has either a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding or a seat and footrests in place of the floorboard, and is powered by an electric motor.

The law also places clear restrictions on e-scooter operation under Vehicle Code 21235, including:

• Riders are REQUIRED to have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.

• E-scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks, except as may be necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.

• No passengers are permitted on an e-scooter.

• Riders under 18 must wear a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet.

Additionally, California Education Code requires schools to take responsibility for student safety during their travel to and from campus. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in incidents involving e-scooters, some resulting in serious injuries. To address these safety concerns and ensure compliance with the law, e-scooters will no longer be permitted on elementary and middle school campuses starting in January. All high school students riding an e-scooter to or from school must have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.

With the holiday season fast approaching, we know that e-scooters are a popular gift item and mode of transportation for students. While they can be a fun and practical choice, we ask families to consider these laws and safety guidelines before allowing their use.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep safety at the forefront as we head into the new year.

Sincerely,

Kerry Callahan
WPUSD Superintendent

We are excited to announce that a handful of Leaman Student Artists have been invited to participate in the Lincoln Youth Art Show this year. We encourage our families to view the art pieces which will be displayed at the Art League of Lincoln Gallery.

Dates: January 9th - February 23rd

Location: Art League of Lincoln Gallery: 580 6th Street Lincoln, CA

Come by to support our Lemurs and other local youth artists. Congratulations, again, Lemur Artists!

Visit the Art League of Lincoln website for hours.

We are thrilled to have our first musical at Leaman this year. A huge thank you goes out to Mr. Bartlett, Mrs. Fosson, and Ms. Van Perre for making this happen. The work has just begun, and they've already put in countless hours into planning, auditions, etc. I was able to catch a quick glimpse of some of the auditions, and wow! We have a talented group of students at Leaman!

Reid Bartlett: rbartlett@wpusd.org

Megan Fosson: mfosson@wpusd.org

Jasmin Van Perre: jvanperre@wpusd.org

Buy your 2024-2025 Yearbook early.

Order your yearbook here: www.BuytheYearbook.com and enter our school code - 723132

Safety Protocols -Student safety is a top priority and I've been working closely with our district and site staff to ensure that we have all safety measures in place. Recently, we had schoolwide "hold" drill and made sure that all components of the plan were successful. To learn more about the safety protocols on campus, please take a look at the Standard Response Protocol Handout for Families

Bikes & Scooters - We are so fortunate to live in a neighborhood where students can ride their bikes to school! Families - we need your help to make sure students are following the safety rules while they ride to and from campus. As a reminder, e-scooters are not permitted on elementary or middle school campuses.

WPUSD is offering a Student Chromebook Service Plan for families to purchase to cover damage or replacement of the student’s Chromebook for the school year. For more information or to register, click here.

For questions regarding becoming a volunteer, please reach out to cmeijer@wpusd.org and jhess@wpusd.org

What is considered an excused absence?

By law [EC § 48205], excused absences are: illness (fever 100° or more], persistent runny nose (not allergy related), vomiting, diarrhea, medical/dental appointments), death in the family, specific religious reasons, required appearance in court, and exclusion from school for contagious disease.

How do I clear my child's absence with the school?

It is important that you communicate with our front office when your child is absent. There are several ways to clear an absence:

• If your student is absent, you will get an automated attendance text/email via Parent Square. Simply reply to that with the reason of your student's absence.
• If you call before 7:30AM you can leave a message on our attendance line at 916-916-409-2402.
• You can email cmeijer@wpusd.org and jhess@wpusd.org (Please email both of our school clerks)
• If you are unable to do any of the methods above, you can call our school between 7:30-4:00PM an office staff member will answer. Due to the number of incoming phone calls and limited staff we ask for this to be a last resort option.
• It is extremely helpful for the teacher to know about any absences, but communicating directly with your child's teachers does NOT clear an absence.
  

What can I do if my child needs to be out of school for a length of time?

If you are planning to have your child out of school, please request a Travel Study from our front office. A Travel Study does not replace a teacher's instruction, but it does allow students an opportunity to continue learning while they are not at school.

• Inform the front office of the planned absence as soon as possible. Travel Studies require school notification no later than five school days in advance. We always appreciate ample notice.
• Once the office has been informed, you will receive an emailed copy of the travel study contract to sign electronically.
  
• Your child's teacher will be notified of the absence and will put together assignments/classwork that will be missed. The work will be given to your child the day before your child's Travel Study begins.
  
• All work must be submitted the day your child returns to campus.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our front office.

Did you know that our breakfast and lunch is provided at no cost to students? You can find the menu here: WPUSD Menu All of the items on our menu are clickable and will give you details about the menu items. Several item also include photos of the items being served.

Our campus gates open in the morning at the following times:

• 7:45am - Breakfast - Students who are eating breakfast can entire campus at 7:45am and must go directly to the cafeteria
• 7:55am - Campus is Open to Students - Supervision is provided on campus

Our campus gates open in the morning at the following times:

• 7:45am - Breakfast - Students who are eating breakfast can entire campus at 7:45am and must go directly to the cafeteria
• 7:55am - Campus is Open to Students - Supervision is provided on campus

When checking students out early from school, it is important to know that we will begin checking your ID to ensure that students are being checked out by someone who is cleared to check the students out. Please be sure to bring your ID with you each time you check your child out early.

Tip: Take a picture of your ID with your phone and mark it as a favorite. We can use a photo of your photo ID to verify your identify.

Our Student Handbook includes many important pieces of information and can be found on school website. Over the past few weeks of school, we've had some real challenges in our drop off/pick up lines that have raised concerns about safety for kids and drivers. Thank you for remembering the the Three Ps of Parking Lot Success!

The Three P's of Parking Lot Success:

• Be Prepared - When dropping your children off in the mornings, please make sure that when you pull up to the curb, your children are ready to get out of the car. Thank you for making sure shoes are on, hugs and kisses are completed before pulling up to the curb, and items are organized for a quick exit.
• Be Patient - The parking lot can be a busy place, and we appreciate you being patient when things aren't moving as smoothly as we'd like.
• Please Park if Necessary - If you know you will need extra time to get your child in or out of the car, please park in a parking spot. Our curbs are for quick loading and and unloading, our hope is to move cars through as quickly as possible.
• Thank you for remembering that our curbs are for drop off and pick up only.

From our Handbook: Students may be dropped off in front of the school along the white curb area (North and West parking lots) which are for drop-off /pick-up only; drivers must remain in their vehicles in these areas. If you are walking your student to school, we ask that you say goodbye to your child at one of our gates. If it is necessary to speak with a staff member, please park your vehicle in one of our parking lots, stop by the office and our office personnel will see if he or she is available.

Our district school psychologists will be providing a monthly feature titled, "Ask the School Psychologist" that will be shared in the district and principal newsletters.

October: How Much Screen Time is Too Much?

November/December: Safe & Responsible Social Media Use

January: Online Games & Internet Safety

February: Screen Time & Sleep

Cinnamon Johnsrud - Principal

cjohnsrud@wpusd.org