The Weekly Wave

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

Amazingly we are entering the final week of February and we are ending our second grading period of the school year. We are no longer a Title I school so our Parent Teacher Conferences are not mandatory in the second grading period. Conference Week is scheduled for March 3-7. We have 1:00pm Minimum Day Dismissal on March 5, 6, and 7. Conferences will be offered to all families but they are optional. Teachers will require a conference if there is something specific that needs to be addressed.

I am looking forward to bookending the coming week seeing our important parent partners. On Monday I will be hosting my monthly Mornin’ Brew meeting in room 12 and on Zoom (Meeting ID 81633135663). We will share upcoming events, attendance data, information on small group instruction in math and on conferences, and our IB and Parent Center Updates. On Saturday, FoSA is hosting the Annual Spring Mixer and Silent Auction. I encourage families to attend and please know that the”PaJAMa Party” Spring Mixer is a casual event and you do not have to wear pajamas. Come as you are. Come spend time with the families you know. Come and meet more families as we enjoy breakfast for dinner and welcome the coming Spring.

Finally, the other day I heard a parent lamenting their upcoming weekend schedule because of various child events - a party; sports team games; and another event that I did not catch - that were consuming the family calendar. Many of us live this reality regularly with differing degrees of acceptance. I am asking you to work to find the joy in it. Our children grow up and the opportunities to be engaged with what they are doing eventually lessens and often goes away. I know this, live this, and miss all of the time spent coaching and driving and adjusting my calendar to my daughters’. Today, while you read this, I am blessed for my one weekend of watching college softball live and not through an app. Find joy now and embrace it.

Thank you for your continued support. Please enjoy the rest of your weekend.

See you Monday!

Mr. Lamb

2/23 - Silent Auction begins

2/24- Morning Brew With Mr. Lamb. (Meeting ID 81633135663)

Feb. 25th- Emergent Bilingual Parent Meeting @ 5:00pm, Virtual via Zoom

Mar. 1st- Spring Parent Mixer and Silent Auction

Mar. 3rd- Silent Auction Ends, 9pm

Mar. 5th, 6th, 7th- Minimum Day Dismissal (1:00pm) for parent conferences

L.A. Unified Pathway to Biliteracy Awards honor students who, by the end of 5th grade, have demonstrated a commitment to the path of becoming biliterate and who have reached a certain degree of proficiency in both English, based on the English Language Arts California Common Core Standards, and a language other than English (LOTE) based on the 2019 World Languages Standards for California Public Schools. There are opportunities to receive special awards in the following grade levels:

TK, K, 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Please click here if you have a child in one of these grade levels and would like them to be assessed for the Pathway to Biliteracy program. We will reach out to you to coordinate the assessment and review the qualifications. We hope to recognize all of our students who speak another language, in addition to English, and celebrate their commitment to the goal of biliteracy. There will be one more meeting on February 25th at 5:00pm to discuss the program and learn about the criterial to qualify for a Biliteracy Award. Click here to access the link.

These are 2 events that take place next week that combine to form one of FoSA’s largest fundraisers of the year. The Parent Mixer is an in-person party, while the Silent Auction takes place online.

Our goal is to raise $30k with this event, with all funds going towards funding teacher’s aides in every classroom next year. Our aides play a crucial role in our learning environment and community. Please help us meet our goal by supporting this event by buying a ticket, shopping online or both. We are grateful for your support!

Over 100 tickets already sold! Enjoy a night with friends, teachers and staff! Anyone who buys a ticket will be entered to win a pair of Short Ave kids pjs from our latest run of Short Ave merch!

Buy your ticket now or click here if you would like to attend but can’t comfortably afford to purchase a ticket. Can’t attend or aren’t a party person? Buy a ticket for a teacher or to Pay It Forward. Every ticket helps us reach our goal!

RSVP now! We need an accurate headcount to help us plan the party with minimal waste and maximum fun. Deadline: Ticket sales end Thursday, February 26th.

The Mixer will have something for everyone. Delicious food, drinks, party games, music and more. Limited edition Short Ave merch will be available (only 32 pieces!).

Register now on Better World (our auction platform) so you can be the first to buy our “fixed price” items. Please note, the Silent Auction has two parts:

1. Buy It Now & Fixed Price Experiences:

Our wonderful Short Ave teachers are all offering unique experiences, but there are only a few spots for each and once they sell out, there are no more. Experiences include Walk to Gingers, Art Party, Flower Crown making, Yoga Class, Librarian for a Day and so much more! In addition, there will be some fun kids camps and speciality items offered at fixed prices. These sell out quickly, so mark your calendars, pre-register and get ready to shop!

1. Silent Auction:

The Auction starts Sunday 10am and closes Monday March 3rd at 9pm. During the 8 day auction, we encourage you to browse items, set up auto and maximum bids, share the auction link with friends, family, neighbors (anyone who likes to shop and support a good cause!). Mark your calendar for the end of the Auction on Monday March 3rd at 9pm so you can get any last minute bids in before it closes.

There are amazing items in every category, fitting every budget. From Lakers and Disneyland tickets to airbnbs to kids spring/summer camps and family fun, there’s something for everyone. This is also where you’ll find more experiences from our generous teachers and staff - Teacher for a Day, Front Office for a Day and Principal for a Day!

We have hundreds of items, with new items being added daily. Many have been donated by parents within our Short Avenue community (thank you!) We will message you throughout the week so you don’t miss out on the hot items and great deals.

Join us for the next FoSA community meeting on Thursday, March 20th from 6pm-7pm, this is a virtual meeting. Meeting link will be sent out closer to the meeting date.

We’ll be discussing the funds raised to date, our expenses, and upcoming events and fundraisers. We also want to hear from you! We welcome your ideas and feedback.

🍩☕️ Help Us Spread Some Friday Cheer!

We’re looking for volunteers to sign up and bring coffee & pastries to the Teacher’s Lounge every Friday! 🧁

✅ What’s Needed: Snacks (pastries, fruit, coffee, etc.)
✅ For: 40+ teachers, aides, and staff
✅ Drop Off: Front office, Friday morning between 8:30-9:30am
✅ Sign Up: In Class Dojo in events section

Let’s show our amazing teachers and staff some love! 💖

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 March Catalogue:

See the flyer below for the March LAUSD Family Academy Classes

There are 18 weeks until summer, here are some summer camps to consider:

Prime Time Camp at Short Ave this summer!

Little Yellow House Art Camp

Euro Soccer

Got Game Summer Camp

reDiscover Center Summer Camp

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

A Happy President's Day Post, a FoSA Meeting reminder, The Parent Mixer Pajama Party Reminder, photos from the 4th grade field trip to the San Juan Capistrano Mission

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