Bobcat Strong Tracker

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At Santa Rita Elementary School, we foster curious, motivated learners who reach their highest potential in a supportive community that appreciates diversity.

March 29th - Santa Rita Family Picnic 2:30-5:30

Friday, April 4th: Color Run 11:30-1:00 (Volunteers Needed)

April 7th-11th - Spring Break- No School

April 26th - Junior Olympics

Friday, May 2nd: Parent Appreciation Day 8:15am-8:45am

Thursday, May 22nd: Open House 6:00pm

Friday, May 23rd: Minimum Day

Wednesday, May 28th: Science Olympiad Grades 3rd-6th (Volunteers Needed)

Friday, May 30th: Field Day (Volunteers Needed) & Minimum Day

LASD 2024-2025 Calendar

LASD 2025-2026 Calendar

Reporting Attendance: Santa Rita Student Attendance

Santa Rita Website: https://www.santaritaschool.org/santaritaes

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All 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Graders Need to be at School for State Testing.

The formal State Testing (CAASPP) window will be April 21 - May 9. All 3rd-6th graders will be testing. It is very important that all students are present during testing times. If a student is absent, s/he will have to make up the test (missing important classroom instruction). In addition, make-ups are logistically difficult to administer. If you already know of appointments scheduled during testing times, please reschedule them so that everyone is present for testing.

Let’s Go, Bobcats!

Denise Khalid

9-Noon Mondays 3/10, 3/17 & 3/24

Los Altos School District iLearn Studio

201 Covington Road, Los Altos CA 94024

Do you like to connect kids with nature? Living Classroom is seeking volunteers to teach our fun nature-based lessons and/or help care for our school gardens. No experience necessary as we teach you everything you need to know. Please join us from 9-Noon on Mondays 3/10, 3/17, and 3/24 at the LASD iLearn Studio for our Spring Docent Training. If Mondays don't work for you, please ask us about our apprentice-style training option. Questions? Please email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call 650-947-1103. Check us out at LivingClassroomLASD.org!

Parents and community members contribute to the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF); LAEF provides a grant to the Los Altos School District (LASD); LASD hires teachers and ensures that the curriculum provides a well-rounded education at every school. Here’s how the process works:

• Public funds aren't enough to provide the education we want for our students. LASD uses funds from the general fund, property and parcel taxes, grants, and other sources. It’s still not enough! LAEF raises money to provide LASD with additional funding for teachers and programs.

• Each winter, LASD determines its curriculum objectives for the following school year and communicates its financial needs to LAEF.

• LAEF identifies an appropriate fundraising goal for the next school year based on the projected enrollment, recent giving trends, economic climate, and other factors.

• LAEF meets with the District to communicate how much money it can expect to receive from the foundation the following year. Then, LASD & LAEF work together to identify the programs for which LAEF will raise funds. This process results in an agreed upon “Annual Grant” from LAEF to LASD for the following school year. Details about LAEF’s Annual Grant are publicly available every year so parents and the community know exactly how their donations are being spent and the funding breakdown between LASD and LAEF.

• LASD determines the curriculum, manages teachers and staff, and provides additional funding for these programs. This year, LAEF supports LASD in funding 31.1 full-time equivalent teachers and staff, plus mental health counselors.

By funding at the District level, LASD provides teachers across multiple schools that individual schools would not be able to afford on their own. For example, several schools may share a PE or music teacher, splitting the cost and time while all benefiting from the teacher’s commitment to our students. PTAs are not allowed to fund classroom teachers. Donations to LAEF are the only way to fund additional teaching staff at our schools.

Thank you to those who have donated to LAEF this school year. If you have yet to give, Donate Today! We still need to raise $105K to fund teachers and programs this school year.

We have an exciting event on Friday, March 28th from 3:30 - 5:00 at Blach where some of our LASD alums from MVHS will be leading an AI Learning Playlab. The event celebrates the National AI Literacy Day (https://www.ailiteracyday.org/) and gives participants an opportunity to learn more about AI. Please note the event is open to LASD teachers, parents, and students in 5th - 8th grade. Space is limited, so please RSVP quickly at bit.ly/aiplaylab.

Join us for a panel discussion on Finding the Right College

Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 7PM, MVHS Spartan Theatre, 3535 Truman Avenue

Hear from four professionals involved in recruiting, applications and admissions on how to find the right college and where to look for great programs that will hopefully lessen the stress of applying.

Panelists:

Lorenzo Gamboa- University of Santa Clara; hyperlocal, looking at Catholic colleges/Jesuit schools with mission of service, social justice, commitment to the community.

Jermaine Rucker- University of Idaho; looking at public universities who are WUE members, benefits to studying and living outside of California as an alternative to UC/CSU. (WUE: The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a tuition savings program that makes attending out-of-state colleges and universities more affordable for students in the West.)

Riley Stewart- Reed College; Member of Colleges that Change Lives, liberal arts college experience, distinctive grading philosophy, rate of students pursuing advanced degrees, Reed Thesis. (Colleges that Change Lives - Distinctly Different Liberal Arts Colleges)

Morgan Volkart- Lehigh University; Member of CACHET , interdisciplinary majors, research opportunities, business, looking at schools farther away from home. (CACHET - national coalition of colleges and universities committed to promoting opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM))

Moderated by: Laura Duran, Counselor, LAHS College and Career Center

Audience: Parents, caretakers, teachers, and high school students

Registration: Register for this free event

For more information, visit mvlaspeakerseries.org. Events are free thanks to our generous sponsors: MVLA High School Foundation, Los Altos Educational Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation, and the Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.

Email: dkhalid@lasdschools.org
Website: https://www.santaritaschool.org
Location: 700 Los Altos Avenue, Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone: (650)559-1600
Facebook: santaritaPTA
Twitter: @BobcatsSR

Join us to support our students this school year!

DONATE or PLEDGE to LAEF today.