GATORAID

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

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SCHOOL CALENDAR HAPPY NEW YEAR!

1/5 1/9 1/10 7:15 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 6:30-7:15 p.m. 7:20-8:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. PTA MEETING VISION SCREENING - GRADES 1, 3 C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING CLASS GROUP PICTURES SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING SCOOL SPIRIT BAND CONCERT CRAZY HAIR DAY - SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING 2012 CEEF GALA - EVENING OF ALOHA - FAIRMONT HOTEL, SAN JOSE 2012-2013 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION PACKET PICK UP BEGINS 2012-2013 TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION AT DISTRICT OFFICE IN STUDENT ASSIGNMENT (CHILDREN TURNING 5 YEARS OLD BETWEEN 11/2-12/2, 2012) P.T.A. MEETING 2012-2013 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION PACKETS DUE LITERACY NIGHT GR. K-2, BOOK EXCHANGE GR. 3-5 LITERACY NIGHT GR. 3-5, BOOK EXCHANGE GR. K-2 LAWSON MS - INCOMING 6TH GR. PARENTS (ONLY) NIGHT CUPERTINO MS - INCOMING 6TH GR. PARENTS (ONLY) NIGHT GRADE 4 MUSIC PERFORMANCE - GLC 2011-2012 OPEN ENROLLMENT & ALTERNATIVE ED. REGISTRATION HEARING SCREENING - GRADES 1, 2, 5 C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING STUFFED ANIMAL DAY - SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY

JANUARY 5, 2011

1/16

1/18 1/18 1/18 1/20 1/24 1/28 1/30 2/1-2/3 YEARS 2/2 2/6-2/16 2/8 2/8 2/9 2/9 2/10-16 2/14 2/14 2/15 2/17

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL

2/20-2/24

MID-YEAR RECESS - NO SCHOOL

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!

Happy New Year!

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Welcome back! I hope the Winter Break provided you with time to connect with family and friends, indulge in a few holiday treats, and relax. It was great to see the students and staff back at school, rested and revitalized, ready to return to work. May 2012 be marked with health and happiness for you all!

A New Calendar Year is a Time to Review, Make Adjustments

Its the start of a new yearand nearly the halfway point in this school year. So its a good time to take stock and make any needed adjustments. Spend some time talking with your child about how the school year is going. If the two of you set learning goals at the start of the year, review those goals now. Is she making progress? How can she make the rest of the school year even better? Then make some learning resolutions. Here are a few to consider: Reduce screen time. Talk about the time your child spends in front of a screen. How much time does she watch TV? Play computer games? Chat and IM with friends? If shes an average seven to 18-year-old, shes spending seven-and-a-half hours on these activities a day. Yikes! Set a goal of reducing her total screen time to no more than two hours a day. Spend time reading. There is no skill that will help your child more in school. And reading, like other skills, gets better with practice. Encourage your child to read, and dont worry about what she reads. Let her read about sports, her favorite TV star or a hobby. Go back to beginning-of-school routines. Has your childs bedtime begun to slip later and later? Does that mean mornings are feeling more rushed? Is your familys regular study time now not quite so regular? Routines like these make life easierand help kids do better in school.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Daily Media Use Among Children, www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia012010nr.cfm.

Dismissal Time

Parents, please remember that there are two designated waiting areas on campus where wed like you to wait for your 4th or 5th grade student to be released from class: Under the shade structure, or at the tables in front of the Caf Window. Please do not wait in the hallways, as low noise, such as conversation, can be disruptive for classes still in session. The Garden Gate Staff appreciates your support with this matter.

Traffic and Parking Lot

At Garden Gate, student safety is our first priority. Please follow these simple rules to ensure student safety: When dropping off or picking up your child at school, always do so along the curb. Do not allow your child to get out of the car in the parking lot alone and attempt to walk across the lot. When dropping off or picking up, always pull as far forward as possible. Note that the curb is a "no parking anytime" zone. Drivers must remain in their vehicles. Drivers who leave their vehicles unattended along the curb could be ticketed by the Cupertino 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 to school on time. Students may be on campus at 7:45 a.m. Consider parking in the neighborhood and walking onto campus with your child (walk on the sidewalk, use cross walks).

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: What do you read for pleasure?

PTA CORNER

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES

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Hello Gator Families!

Welcome back from the Winter Break and a Happy New Year to all. I hope that you all had a wonderful time during the Holidays.

PTA Meeting

You are invited to attend our PTA meeting tonight, Thursday, January 5th at 7:15 p.m. in the GLC. Its the best way to find out about upcoming school events and to get the latest news about Garden Gate School and the PTA. Hope to see everyone there!

International Day!

The International Day event will be held on Tuesday March 27th, 2012. It is a wonderful celebration of our multi-cultural community. The PTA is planning for performances by students, exhibits and demonstrations arranged by parents from countries all over the world! We invite all parents to participate in this exciting event and share with the students their culture and heritage or help the performers learn a new dance or presentation. You can find more details and information on how to sign-up in the flier that was sent home before the break.

PTA Website Reminder: Please Sign Up

We need ALL Garden Gate volunteers to sign-up on our PTA website. Please remember to go to the website and take a few minutes to complete the online form. This will help to build a new and improved volunteer database.

CEEF GALA The Cupertino Education Endowment Fund GALA is a spectacular evening of delicious food, great music, dancing and an exciting auction that benefits our schools. The theme of the 2012 Gala is An Evening of Aloha. Please consider attending the GALA which will be held on January 28th at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel. Tickets are $150 per person and available at the CEEF website, www.ceefcares.com.

Box Tops For A New Upper Grade Play Structure!

Id like to remind ALL students to collect Box tops to help the PTA raise funds for a new playground structure! Parents, please join this effort by purchasing gift cards from our scrip table and also by signing up for e-scrip. Here is a wonderful opportunity for us to encourage our children to work for a common cause and for them to feel pride as they support their school.

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

GATORAID!
Garden Gate Food Drive
Garden Gate Student Council is holding a school wide food drive to support West Valley Community Services, a nonprofit organization that supports local families. They have requested that we donate NONPERISHABLE Asian food or condiment items. A list of suggested items will be posted in each classroom. Bring your donations to your teacher during the month of January. If you have any questions, ask your teacher, or contact Ms. Che in Room 8. Thanks for helping our community! To learn more about West Valley Community Services, visit: http://www.wvcommunityservices.org or 10104 Vista Drive in Cupertino.

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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.

Important Reminders:

Vision Screening Grades 1, 3

Vision problems are common childhood health problems; however, when detected early, visual problems can be corrected or minimized. Conversely, failure to identify and treat these problems can lead to significant learning impairment, developmental delays and failure in school. Vision difficulties are often discovered during the school vision screening program, an essential component of the school health program. The district school nurse will be doing vision screening on Monday January 9, 2012. Students in First and Third Grades will be tested. School vision screening does not substitute for a professional eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. If your child had difficulty with the vision screening, a note and a referral to an eye specialist will be sent home. Healthy Children Learn Better

For the protection of the students, please remember that students are not to be on the Garden Gate campus before 7:45 a.m. There is no adult supervision until 7:45 a.m. Please do not congregate outside of the classrooms while school is still in session. This is very disruptive to both the teacher and the students and could be a distraction from valuable learning time. Every Tuesday is early dismissal day. Please remember that all a.m. Kindergarten students are dismissed at 11:10 a.m. and all p.m. Kindergarten students along with students in grades 1-5 are dismissed at 1:30. Please remember to pick up your children promptly.

Scrip And E-Scrip

Cold Weather Reminder

Now that the weather is getting colder, please send your child to school with a jacket, sweatshirt, or extra layer of clothing. Whether at physical education, recess, or lunch, students have outdoor activities unless it is unusually cold, windy, or rainy.

Remember to purchase Scrip on Tuesday afternoons between 1:15 - 1:45 p.m. and also on Friday mornings between 7:45-8:15 a.m. 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? E-mail us at ggscrip.com or see us during scrip sales times.

Will You Be Moving?

LOST AND FOUND

If you know you will be moving, please notify the office and your childs teacher as soon as possible. Your student maintains his class seat until he/she actually leaves the school.

Please stop by the Lost and Found cabinet that is located at the rear of the administrative building and take a few moments to check for your lost personal items. It is full with lunch containers, hats and many other items. For smaller personal items such as keys, watches jewelry, etc., please check in the front office.

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

GATORAID!
CEEFS 2012 GALA: "AN EVENING OF ALOHA"
Saturday, January 28, 2012 5:30 p.m. The Fairmont Hotel, San Jose

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Please join the Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation (CEEF) for An Evening of Aloha on January 28, 2012 at the Fairmont San Jose as we celebrate our CUSD Teachers of the Year and raise support for CUSD educational programs. As in years past, 100% of the net proceeds from this fundraiser will be distributed equitably to each school within our district. We look forward to celebrating with you! Tickets are now available on-line via the following link: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=8c0b875abeeecf76fa1ed488e&id=5550c6f18d&e=

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Students must be residing in the District at the time of registration and be available for any necessary testing. Registration and Open Enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year is as follows: Kindergarten Registration for all Attendance Area Schools: February 6 February 16 at the respective attendance area school. Any child who will be five years old on or before November 1, 2012 is eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year. Only parents/guardians may pick up a registration packet at their attendance area school beginning January 30, 2012. Registration packets are numbered sequentially except at Stocklmeir Elementary School as this school site will hold a Kindergarten Lottery. The registration number on the packet is only valid for packets returned between February 6 through February 16, 2012. Packets returned after February 16, 2012 will not be eligible for the Districts Lottery and Kindergarten Registration will be in the order that completed Registration Packets are received. A Stocklmeir Elementary School Kindergarten lottery has been added to the 2012-2013 school year registration process as of November 14, 2011. A Kindergarten lottery for Stocklmeir Elementary School will be held on March 1, 2012 for Kindergarten students whose parent/guardian registered during the Kindergarten Registration window February 6 February 16, 2012 only. Please visit the Districts website at www.cusdk8.org, for more information regarding the Stocklmeir Kindergarten Lottery for the 2012-2013 school year. At Stocklmeir only, packets returned between February 6 February 16, 2012 will be included in the Stocklmeir Kindergarten Lottery. Packets returned after February 16, 2012 are not eligible for Kindergarten Lottery and/or District Lottery, and Kindergarten Registration will be in the order that completed Registration Packets are received. Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Registration for all Attendance Area Schools: February 1 February 3, 2012. (Satellite Sites: Regnart and John Muir) A child is eligible for Transitional Kindergarten if a child will have his/her 5th birthday between November 2 and December 2, 2012. You may register your child for Transitional Kindergarten at the District Office, Student Assignment Department, from 8:30-3:00 p.m. Please visit the Districts website at www.cusdk8.org for more TK information. Open Enrollment Requests K-8: February 10 - 16, 2012 at the School of Desired Attendance. All in-district kindergarten students must be registered at their attendance area school before requesting Open Enrollment to another attendance area school or an Alternative Education Program. The District's open enrollment process is a clear statement of the Board of Education's policy to offer parents choices to meet individual student needs whenever possible. If you would like your child to attend another school next year for any reason, Open Enrollment or Alternative Education procedures must be followed. Detailed registration information is available on the District website or by contacting the Student Assignment Office, (408) 252-3000, Extension 110. During Open Enrollment/Alternative Education Registration, requests may be made to one school only, and forms should be completed at the school of desired attendance. As district enrollment continues to increase, space for open enrollment transfers may be limited at some schools or specific grade levels. If your child is not selected for the school requested during the open enrollment period, parents may apply to other schools beginning April 1, 2012. Alternative Education Program Registration (Faria and Murdock-Portal grades K-5; McAuliffe and Mandarin Immersion grades K-8): February 10-16, 2012. Parents who do not already have a child in a particular alternative Garden attend a program information meeting and school Cupertino applying for program are required toGate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., tour before CA 95125 that program. Please contact the appropriate school for meeting/tour dates and other program information. Registration for new students in grades 1 8 begins March 1, 2012