The STARs have aligned!
La Ballona has Great News! STAR, our free after-care program, is ready for full capacity. Everyone on the STAR waiting list has already been notified. If you are in need or after-care through STAR, please contact STAR coordinator Cynthia Perez at cynthiap@starinc.org.
Incident Reporting
As you can imagine, your children are quite active throughout each school day. Children move within and between classrooms, participate in PE and recess, stand in lines, gather supplies, play games with (or without) recess equipment, and so on. Teachers are supervising this activity while also providing instruction, helping children cope with big feelings, managing behavior, and providing conflict resolution. During any of these activities, students may physically bump into others or into objects, get knocked down, trip over something, or in some other way end up with a bump or scrape.
The protocol for staff at La Ballona is for teachers and/or the Health Office to notify families of incidents that involve intent to harm, head injury, or a significant visible injury. In many cases this will be a judgement call, as to what "intent" or "significant" means in context. Please remember your child's teacher is a trained, concerned professional doing their best. They are not infallible (since they are human), but they are caring advocates for your children. Their judgement is informed by years of experience with hundreds of children, and I have confidence they are making good choices about what to report the overwhelming majority of the time.
This year is uniquely difficult regarding student bumps and scrapes, because our Health Office's capacity has been greatly impacted by our Covid protocols. Nurse Maria is required to investigate each staff/student illness absence. We average over 30 student or staff illnesses per day. This by necessity limits our ability to give above-and-beyond attention to small incidents that do not rise to the level of our reporting protocol (above). Please know that we are all trying our best in one of the hardest years of our careers. Most of the time, we get it right. There will be times when we miss something. This is never intentional, but a result of the overwhelming amount of tasks each staff member is handling any given moment. I ask that you please assume goodwill and professionalism on the part of your student's teacher. And I ask for your patience as we handle the very much ongoing fallout of a global pandemic.
Room Parents STILL Need Your Information ASAP!
The PTA Room Parents need your help. They want your contact information so they can keep you updated on your child's classroom (especially teachers birthday gift, teacher Appreciation Week info etc). The school is not permitted to give out your information, so if you'd like correspondence from your Room Parent, click here.
The Student Store is NOW OPEN to pick up "Spirit Wear" orders!
La Ballona's "Student Store" has brand new facemasks for sale, 1 for $4, or 3 for $10. Stop by the Student Store today (during their new hours listed below) to purchase some and support the PTA. They also still have some "tie-dye" shirts available for purchase and are taking new orders for the sizes that they are currently sold out on, so don't delay in putting in your order for the family. Please email laballonastudentstore@gmail.com to place your order or drop by at the front of the school across from the entrance to the main office to see them in person.
Hours are Monday 8:50-9:30am, Wednesday 1:50pm-2:30pm and Friday 8:50-9:30am, thank you!
La Ballona Elementary School
Culver City, CA 90232
Email: erikaarredondo@ccusd.org
Website: www.laballona.ccusd.org
Location: La Ballona Elementary School, Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, USA
Phone: 3108424334
Facebook: facebook.com/laballonaelementary
Twitter: @LaBallona
