GATORAID

School Phone: 408-252-5414 ~ Absence Line 408-252-5414-6 ~ FAX 408-996-9725

Boa rd erin tend of Edu c a ti ent: on Dr. W Boa end r d y Anj Gud M alew Jose ali K au embers icz sar, phin : Ben e Lu Liao ce , Phy y, Gary llis M cCu Voge e, l Sup

CUP

GAR DEN ERT GAT INO EE U LEM NIO 105 ENT 00 A NS CH ARY NN O A CUP OL RBO D ERT IS R AV Bra INO ENU TRICT ndi , Gra C E A Huc dy W ko - 95014 r P ri n Sop ight - A cipa hia s l Cha sistan t Pr n-P inci TA P pal resi den t

SCHOOL CALENDAR
AUGUST 29, 2013
8/29 6:00 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 3:45 p.m. 6:00-7:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 12:00 noon 6:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 5:30-7:30 p.m. BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - PARENTS ONLY GR. 3-5 PARENTS IN CLASSROOMS ALL PARENTS IN THE GLC Gr. K-2 PARENTS IN CLASSROOMS LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL COPIER TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS PTA MEETING - STAFF RM. PROJECT CORNERSTONE ORIENTATION - STAFF ROOM CUSD BOARD MEETING AT NIMITZ SCHOOL REFLECTIONS ORIENTATION FOR PARENTS - ART RM. SPECTRA ART ORIENTATION SCOOL SPIRIT BAND NIGHT SCIENCE CAMP MEETING - GRADE 5 PARENTS ROOM REPRESENTATIVE MEETING SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MTG. SAFETY NIGHT NO SCHOOL - STAFF LEARNING DAY CUSD BOARD MEETING PARENT - TEACHER CONFERENCES PTA MEETING - GLC REFLECTIONS - ENTRY DEADLINE CUSD BOARD MEETING SPIRIT WEAR - ORDER DEADLINE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR - GLC SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MTG. BOOK FAIR & ICE CREAM SOCIAL

9/2 9/4 9/5 9/10 9/10 9/11 9/12 9/12 9/17 9/18 9/18 9/19 9/20 9/24 10/3-10/11 10/3 10/4 10/8 10/11 10/14-10/18 10/16 10/17

EVERY TUESDAY IS EARLY DISMISSAL Students are dismissed at 1:30. PRE-PAY FOR CUSD LUNCHES at PAMS (Parent Account Management System) Lunchroom! You can make payments and view your students account balance online by going to http://www.pamslunchroom.com or by calling 1-888-994-5100. TO EMAIL STAFF:lastname_firstname@cusdk8.org ATTENDANCE: If your child will be absent, please call 252-5414. Ext. 6, by 8:30 a.m. to report the absence. HOMEWORK: Homework may be requested for illness absences of three days or more. Please call the office before 9:00 a.m. to request the homework for pickup after 3:00 p.m.

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL....MS. HUCKO!

Back to School Night is Tonight!
Please join us for this parents only event. This is your opportunity to meet your child's teacher and hear about the curriculum and the activities planned for this school year. Since the evening follows a presentation-style format with the teacher talking to the group of parents, this is not the time to ask the teacher about your child's performance. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be scheduled for October 3 through 11, and your child's teacher will contact you for an appointment time. Please note that Back to School Night is a parents-only event. The schedule for the evening is as follows: 6:00-6:45 - Grades 3-5 in classrooms 6:45-7:00 - All Parents In GLC For Principal's Message And Introduction of Staff 7:00-7:45 - Grades K-2 in Classrooms

PAGE

Labor Day Holiday

There will be no school on Monday, September 2 due to the Labor Day Holiday. Enjoy the three-day weekend!

Dismissal Time

Parents, please remember the designated area on campus where we'd like you to wait for your 4th or 5th grade student to be released from class: The "snack tables" in front of the Caf window. Please do not wait in the hallways, as low noise such as conversation, can be disruptive to classes still in session. Similarly, for safety and security reasons, children are not permitted to play on the play structures or the blacktop areas after school. Instead, please have your children wait, seated with you. The Garden Gate Staff appreciates your support with maintaining our learning environment and keeping students safe.

Traffic and Parking Lot

Student safety is our first priority. Follow these simple rules to ensure student safety: Always drop off along the curb. Do not allow your child to exit the car in the parking lot alone and attempt to walk across the lot. The curb is a "no parking anytime" zone. Drivers must remain in their vehicles. Drivers who leave their vehicles unattended could be ticketed by the Sheriff's Department. Always cross at a cross walk. Hold your child's hand and teach your child to always look both ways. Avoid getting stuck in traffic. Leave home earlier to make sure your child arrives at school on time. Students may be on campus beginning at 7:45 a.m. Never use your cell phone while driving this includes inside the Garden Gate parking lot.

Propellers

Do you wonder how to connect better with your children? Do you wonder what matters to them, and how you can assist them to grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible citizens? I encourage you to try a "propeller" - a question intended to spark conversations with your children. Try it around the dinner table tonight! This week's Propeller: If you could invent a holiday, what would it be? What traditions would it include?

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

PTA CORNER

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES

PAGE

!!!!!!!!!!!!Greetings Garden Gate Families,

I cant believe we are already into Week 2! I hope you are all planning to attend Back to School Night tonight. This is definitely one not to miss as it provides you an opportunity to hear about your childs class from their teacher, and to meet and see other parents in your childs classroom. Our Direct Donation Drive is in full swing! So far we have accounted for 102 orange envelopes that have been returned since last Friday. Please remember that all funds collected will go towards programs and grants that the PTA sponsors that will enrich your students school experience. In addition, each class has a road map to a popsicle party, if they are able to obtain a 100% orange envelope return rate. Please do your part and return the orange envelope today.

Flyers for the Reflections contest are in todays green folder. The theme for this year is Believe, Dream, Inspire. Mahalakshmi Remeshbabu, our Reflections Chairperson, will be having an orientation for parents on Wednesday, September 11th at 8:15 am in the Spectra Art room. She will be giving instructions, providing guidelines and answering any questions that you may have.

Spirit Wear flyers are also in todays green folder. Show your school spirit by purchasing Gator Wear. This year we are offering a forest green t-shirt ($10), a forest green pullover sweatshirt ($25), and a black full-zipper sweatshirt ($30). Samples are available in the school office at the volunteer sign-in table. Gator spirit days are the first Friday of each month. Please mark your calendar for our first PTA meeting on Thursday, September 5th at 6 p.m. in the Staff Lounge. This is a great opportunity to see and meet other Garden Gate Parents. An agenda will be posted next Tuesday in the PTA window that is located in the corner of the office buildig. I encourage you to come and be involved. Thats it for this week and I hope you have a fantastic long weekend!! See you back next Tuesday.

Sophia Chan PTA President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

GATORAID!
UE DS ARE D 0! R A C H T L 3 ENT/HEA AUGUST ENROLLM ORROW, FRIDAY, t/Health Card M llmen BACK TO nted Enro green

PAGE

SCRIP AND eSCRIP

y in the s pre-pri Your child with your child toda and update the w e went hom se take time to revie a le P r. . e le fold sib on as pos l card as so the schoo portant to im ry e v re t cards a ary Enrollmen ide us with necess ur child. Children v o y ro as they p information about ted on the y c le n peop lis to emerge ly n o d e as will be rele card. y c n e rg e e em chool offic g the otify the s n n ri u u o d y e t c a e pla sk th We also a if any changes tak bers, daycare ly m immediate (e.g., telephone nu an emergency, r f a o e y e l s o a c o h sc call in to o h w , providers etc.).

Scrip Gift Cards and eScrip are two fundraising programs that parents (also family and friends) can participate in to raise money for the PTA at NO COST to the participant. Scrip gift cards can be purchased on Tuesdays from 1:15-1:45 and also on Fridays from 1:45-2:45. Scrip is spent just like cash on everyday expenses. eScrip also provides an easy way to earn money for the PTA. Participating merchants donate a percentage of purchases to the school. Parents (also family and friends) should visit www.escrip.com to register their credit/debit cards, Safeway Card, and PW Supermarket Card. Be sure to specify Garden Gate Elementary School (eScrip number is 139188329.) For those who dont have internet access, please fill out and turn in an eScrip registration form (available during scrip sales times or in the school office.) Already Registered eScrip Participants: Please visit www.escrip.com and click on YES RENEW or turn in an eScrip registration form to renew your Safeway Club card. Questions? Email us at ggscrip.com or see us during scrip sales times. Thank you, Carolyn Young

COPIER TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS There will be a training for volunteers on our new copier by a Canon technician on Wednesday, September 4 at 8:15 am in the Productivity Room. If you will be doing any copying for a teacher during the school year, you are encouraged to attend this important training. Thank you. DOCTOR AND DENTIST APPOINTMENTS The state of California allows medical/dental appointments as excused absences. Garden Gates policy for all of these must be accompanied by a medical note. Please try to make appointments for after school or Saturdays. When this is not possible, children must be signed out by a parent (or someone authorized on the enrollment card) in the school office. After signing a child out, the teacher will be notified and your student will come to the office. Students are not allowed to come to the office to sit and wait to be picked up as they often lose valuable class time. Again, this is for the safety of your children.

ABSENCES AND TARDIES Attendance and punctuality are important in establishing good behaviors and building responsibility in young children. Please ensure that your child is at school everyday and that they arrive on time. If your child will be absent, please call the attendance line promptly (252-5414, ext. 6). If your child arrives after 8:00 a.m. they must report to the school office for a late slip before entering the classroom. Under state law, three unexcused absences or tardies may be considered truancy.

EARN FREE CASH FOR OUR SCHOOL WITH BOX TOPS

VISITING CAMPUS

All visitors on campus, whether entering classrooms as volunteers or meeting with teachers, Must Sign In at the office and obtain a visitors name tag when school is in session. For the safety of all, we need to know who is on the campus. The only exceptions are at student arrival and dismissal times. If you are taking your child out of school for any reason, ALWAYS sign your child out from school through the office and then back in when he/she returns.

Earning cash for our school with Box Tops for Education is simple and easy! You don't have to spend any cash to be involved in this profitable project. Most food items that you purchase for home comes with a Box Tops for Education coupon that is located directly on the box top and is worth 10c. Please look for these coupons especially on products by General Mills. Some of the product brands to look for are; Cheerios, Fruit Rollups, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Cottonelle, Ziploc etc.

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

DISTRICT NEWS SECTION

2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR PRIORITIES

GATORAID!

PAGE

The Superintendent of the Cupertino Union School District has made a short video outlining the Districts priorities for the 2013-2014 school year and beyond. The Districts Executive Leadership team spent last year collecting data and examining the systems, processes, and practices at all 25 of our school sites. The video and result of the data collection are located on the Districts website (www.cusdk8.org). Looking at our Districts data last year, it has become clear that we need to further examine the services we provide to our English Learners. Last spring we re-organized the Instruction Department adding additional staff to focus on our English Learners. The District will continue to review our ELD programs and services and will work with the CUSD community to revise our English Language Development Master Plan to ensure we are providing all English Learners with high quality services and are compliant with all State and Federal requirements.

PUPIL FEES, DEPOSITS, AND OTHER CHARGES

The California Constitution mandates that public education be provided to students free of charge, unless a charge is specifically authorized by law for a particular program or activity. This constitutional right of free access encompasses all educational activities, whether curricular or extracurricular, and regardless of whether credit is awarded for the educational activity. A process that allows for a waiver for an otherwise mandatory fee, charge or deposit does not render it constitutionally permissible. The law does allow the District to request voluntary parent donations to support school-sponsored trips, activities, and after school sports; however, no child will be denied participation for these activities. All donations collected will go to support the total costs of the school-sponsored trip, activity and after school sport. In addition, the law allows the District to ask students to assist with fundraising for school-sponsored trips, activities, and after school sports. Fundraising is voluntary and no child will be denied participation due to lack of participation in the fundraising activities.

CELDT TESTING
The Cupertino Union School District will administer the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) August through October 31, 2013. Based on your childs CELDT scores from last year, if their proficiency is limited, withdrawn or transitional, your child will be included in the annual CELDT test at their school. A letter will be sent home with your child prior to the testing date at your school. The initial CELDT will be given to kindergarten students whose primary language on the Home Language Survey is a language other than English. The test consists of four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Students in grades K8 are tested in all four areas. You will receive the official results after January 2014. If you have any questions, please contact your school office.

District Calendar 2013-2014 (all schools except Murdock-Portal) September 2, 2013 Labor Day September 20, 2013 Staff Learning Day November 1, 2013 Staff Learning Day November 11, 2013 Veteran's Day (Observed) November 25-29, 2013 Thanksgiving Recess December 23, 2013-January 3, 2014 Winter Recess January 20, 2014 Martin Luther King Day February 17-21, 2014 Mid-Year Recess March 31, 2014 Staff Learning Day April 14-18, 2014 Spring Recess May 16, 2014 Staff Learning Day May 26, 2014 Memorial Day June 11, 2014 Last Day of School
Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125