The Weekly Wave

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

Two weeks into the new semester and it feels like two months. It feels weird using a word like “normalcy” when so much is concerning and so much does not feel normal but we are working to a more normal routine. Thursday and Friday had our school sounding and feeling like a school again. I know there are still concerns and we continue to offer the best version of normal we can with the resources available. As I shared the other day, we will not be perfect, but we will work to do the most with what we have.

Our goal for next week begins with the district assessing our situation and making determinations from there. Please know that we will not maintain some of the accommodations we made on Thursday and Friday indefinitely. The strains put on our system pull away from existing systems to maintain safety when the student body is at play. We will have indoor eating and play available on Tuesday as a precaution, but, if able, we will end on Wednesday. Accommodations of routinely cleaning drinking fountains; daily cleaning the play structures; having HVAC units operational and donated air purifiers available; and vacuuming as often as possible will continue throughout January. Then we will assess again and look for guidance from LAUSD Operations.

I thank my staff very much for making the unknown and the stressful seem calm and making sure to maintain a strong learning environment for our students. I thank families for sending your children to school to be with their teachers, their friends, and, most importantly, learning and achieving!

There have been many ideas to support those in need and, coincidentally, we have our Kindness Week coming in two weeks. In this week’s Wave you will see a menu of actions that we are doing at Short Ave during Kindness Week to support those impacted by the fires. We are NOT asking for families to participate in ALL of the actions. We are asking that you review the menu, find one that resonates with you and your family, and then support that action on that day. Only one action, card/letter writing to first responders, is going to be a full school-wide action.

Finally, thank you for being supportive of me and our team. It takes a village. Now, more than ever, this is true and this is evident. Please enjoy the three-day weekend and reflect on the history and legacy of King and, regardless of politics, witness a transfer of leadership that is still uncommon in the world.

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

See you Tuesday!

Mr. Lamb

January 20- MLK Day, School Closed

January 27- Morning Brew, 8:15am- How to Support Your Child in Math Presentation

January 27-31-Kindness Week (see details below)

January 30- School Tour

We are looking forward to Kindness Week, which will take place from January 27th - January 31st. In an effort to support those have been impacted by the recent wildfires, our students have been brainstorming different action projects that they would like to lead. We are very proud of our IB learners for their desire to take action and serve those who are in need.

Please look out for the The Great Kindness Challenge checklist that will be sent home next week. It will be turned in on the last day of Kindness Week, which is January 31st. See the flier below which outlines the different activities happening throughout the week. It is designed to be a menu of choices for families to decide which projects they would like to take part in. Thank you for participating!

Please join us for a parent workshop which aims to support caregivers in helping their children with mathematics. The workshop with take place at 8:15am in the auditorium and will be facilitated by a team of talented Short Avenue teachers. It will be both informative and interactive. We hope that you can take part. Please see flyer below.

The Winter 2025 Season of the Dolphin Discovery Club (DDC) is currently enrolling afterschool enrichment classes.🎉

Classes begin next week, starting Monday, January 27th. There is space still available in many of the enrichment classes. For information about the classes offered and how to register, please check out the DDC FAQ here - https://friendsofshortavenue.org/pages/dolphin-discovery-club

📅 Winter 2025 Season - 8 weeks!

• Duration: January 27 - March 21, 2025

• Registration Opens: This 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 Spanish classes via the FoSA store
  💻 Registration links provided in the FAQ document (linked above)

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

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

Got Game DDC Enrichment Offerings:

📢 Attention Short Avenue Community!

Join us for the next FoSA community meeting on Thursday, February 20th, from 8:20 to 9:30 AM in room 12. This is an in person meeting.

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!

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!

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 of our kids back in the classrooms, a reminders that we have NO School on Monday, 1/20 for MLK Day, and photos of our sweet 3rd graders who organized a big donation for families impacted by the Eaton fire!!

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!! Please be aware that the 1 day Volunteer form is NOT for parents and caregivers who wish to volunteer, even just one time in the classroom. That form is for outside speakers, (not parents) who are coming to campus just once. If you would like to volunteer you must fill out the LAUSD Volunteer Application, and send me a negative TB test.

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