Podesta Ranch Newletter 11/24/2024
11/24/2024
Podesta Ranch's Newsletter For Week of 11-24-2024
💬 Principal's Message
Podesta Ranch Families,
Thank you for an amazing week as Red-Tailed Hawks! We had a busy Friday with our first quarter awards assemblies and Brunch with Mrs. Barban. Many of our amazing running club students participated in the Womble Rumble yesterday at Lodi Lake and did amazing! Please check out the December calendar for upcoming events and save the dates (Make & Take Night 12/10 and Primary Winter Concert 12/17).
Important Reminders for the Week:
- We only have school Monday & Tuesday This week!
- Tuesday, all TK & Kinder students come in the am!
- Tuesday is our first Turkey Trot: remind your students to wear appropriate shoes and bring their water.
Academic Highlights
- Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher if you have questions or need further information.
Attendance Matters
- Regular attendance is vital for academic success, and we want all our students to get the most out of their learning. If your child will be absent, please notify the front office as early as possible.
Safety Reminders
- Drop-off and Pick-up: Let’s all work together to keep our students safe by following our safety guidelines. Please use designated drop-off and pick-up areas, follow speed limits, and yield to crossing families.
Red-Tailed Hawks are Responsible, Kind and Safe! Red-Tailed Hawks, Our school RocKS!
Sincerely,
Alyssa Barban, Principal
🥳Celebrations
Congrats to all our students who received an award on Friday, November 22nd, 2024. We are all proud of your success and much effort shown in Trimester 1. Thank you to all the parents and families for your partnership and the support you do at home. It definitely shows in the classroom!
We are proud of all our students for the hard work they've displayed this year! Let's go Podesta!
Special thanks below to our local restaurant community for providing the food certificates to our students:
🐼Panda Express
🍎Applebees
🍔In and Out
🍕Mountain Mikes Pizza
🍪BJ Restaurant
And don't forget to get your free donuts for every 4 on your report card at Krispy Kreme! Bring in your report card to any Krispy Kreme restaurant to redeem. 🍩
🥫Student Council Food Drive
Last week our school ran a food drive for our city's emergency food bank!! WOW! Thank you to all our families for helping and supporting this event. Thank you for being the example of showing our students to be KIND to others and those in need of our beloved community. We are so lucky to be with such a giving and thankful team of families. Podesta's Hawks RocKS! 🦅
🚫No School
🦃Thanksgiving Break
School will resume on Monday, December 2nd, 2024 @7:45 AM.
💐6th Grade Fundraiser for Science Camp
6th Grade is selling their annual poinsettia plants this holiday season! They make great gifts and decoration for your home and/or small business. Choose from red, white, and jingle bell! Each plant, sourced locally from Hollandale Nursey, comes in a 6-inch pot and costs $15.
Orders are due no later than Monday, December 2nd, 2024 and will be delievered no later than Monday, December 9th, 2024. No late orders accepted. Order forms were sent out on Friday, November 22nd, 2024.
Please click on the image on the right for a digital copy of the order form.
🕧Minimum Days
Upcoming minimum days are the following:
- Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
- Wednesday, December 11th, 2024
- Friday, December 20th, 2024
Please be sure to pick up your children at their designated dismissal time as staff have meetings and professional development immediately after school. All PM TK and Kindergarten classes start at 8:15 AM.
📅Podesta Ranch's Calendar of Events
🦃 November 2024 Calendar
Attached is Podesta's calendar of events for November 2024.
Please click on the image for the pdf file of the calendar.
⛄December 2024 Newsletter
Attached is Podesta's calendar of events for December 2024.
Please click on the image for the pdf file of the calendar.
👪PTA Corner
🦃Turkey Trot
PTA is hosting a running fundraiser event on Tuesday, November 26th, 2024. All students will get to participate in the fun run at school. Please have your child bring a water bottle and wear tennis shoes to participate. All PM TK and Kindergarten students are to arrive in the morning.
Click on the blue words SPONSOR below for the flyer of how to donate for your child's laps or click on the link below to get started on donating!
Click on the image on the right for the digital flyer.
📆PTA Calendar of Events
Attached is our PTA's calendar of events for the school year of 2024/2025.
Please click on the image on the right for the pdf file of the calendar.
📚From the Desk of Your School Librarian
💵Making Payments
If you are in need to make library book payments or would like to purchase Chromebook Insurance through the District, please click on the image on the right or scan the QR code for access.
You may also click on the blue words PAYMENT below for the digital form to turn in to pay.
🧡From the Office of Your Counseling Team
✍🏻Monthly Newsletter
Meet our new school counselor Ms. Harbin! Click on the picture on the right to see November's newsletter.
Click on the blue words FLYER below for some family resources avaliable in San Joaquin County.
🏢 LodiUSD News
💻AERIES School Registration Forms Update/Confirmation
Please confirm and update your contact information for EACH child on AERIES to complete their school registration for their 2024/2025 school year.
Click on the blue words below to watch how to login to AERIES.
You may click on the image on the right to login into the AERIES Parent Portal website.
🙋Volunteering
Want to volunteer in a classroom or go/drive for class trips? You need to be cleared through fingerprinting at the District office. If interested, please notify your homeroom teacher and they will direct you how to sign up.
💻Chromebook Care & Responsibility
We want to bring to your attention the importance of discussing the proper care of district-issued student Chromebooks with your children. We have observed an increase in incidents involving damage, often linked to carelessness or misuse. As we address these situations, we want to remind you of the importance of engaging in discussions with your child about the proper care of their district-issued Chromebook. Students will be held responsible for any damages, and charges may apply for repairs. Principals will conduct thorough investigations in collaboration with students to ensure fair outcomes. Additionally, please remind your students to charge their Chromebooks overnight, ensuring they are ready for the next day's learning activities. Your involvement in these discussions is crucial, and we appreciate your attention to these matters.
Please click on the image on the right for more information about the Chromebook Care Plan Insurance page that is avaliable for purchase in the District.
📣Friendly Reminders
🎓Spirit Wear Days
Friendly reminder that every WEDNESDAY is College and Career Wear Spirit Day and every FRIDAY is School Spirit Wear Day.
🥞Free Breakfast Hours
Free breakfast is served every school day at 7:45 AM - 8:00 AM. If your child intends on eating free breakfast at school, they may arrive no earlier than 7:45 AM. If they are not eating breakfast, children should not arrive at school before 8:00 AM in lieu to safety concerns. No adults are supervising the students before 7:45 AM.
🚸Drop Off and Pick Up
Please remember to NOT pick up or drop off your child in the bus loop or parking lot area, especially by the DEAD END section of the parking lot. Bus loop is ONLY for our SPED students and busses, and families are highly advised to accompany their child when walking through the parking lot. We do not have adults supervising these areas. Please park your car in the parking lot if you are planning to pick up your students directly from their teachers. Please leave the drop off area ONLY for moving vehicles that are picking up/dropping off quickly, and refrain from double parking, as we need ease of car movement for student and driver safety.
Thank you for partnering with us and modeling to our students the importance of following traffic and road safety rules. 👍
⏰ Attendance
One of our site goals, and our challenge from the Superintendent, is to improve attendance and curb truancy. The law states that students will attend every day, on time, and ready for school. With a new system in place, absences are carefully tracked, and notices are automatically sent to guardians. You have 10 days to clear an absence. On the 11th day it reverts to all unexcused and is considered truancy.
If you request IS, it must be requested 2 weeks prior and approved by IS administration. Please do not wait until the night before.
📖Student Handbook
Please click on the blue words student and family handbook for the pdf of school rules/policies for 2024-2025 school year, as it has important information about all school expectations.
You may also click on the image on the right for the same document.
🥪 Trimester 2 Cafeteria Menu 2024/25
Join us for free nutritious breakfast each morning at 7:45 AM!
Please click on the image on the right to see a live view of the cafeteria menu for our school. Make sure to click on the drop down menu for Podesta Ranch Elementary School.
Click the BLUE WORDS MENU below for the digital pdf copy of the lunch menu.
For more information about lunches and nutrition, please click on the link below.
👟 Student Dress Code & Safety Policy
As the weather becomes colder and as a safety reminder, please send your student to school in appropriate attire, including shoes. Our dress code can be found in the Student Handbook in your student's planner or online. Students are expected to wear closed toe/heeled shoes. Students with sandals, slides, or Crocs will be asked to sit out during recess and PE to ensure student safety on the playground, stairwell and in the bark box.
Please click on the image on the right for the digital Student Handbook regarding their dress code.