GATORAID

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

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SCHOOL CALENDAR
April 7, 2011

4/7 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING

4/8 GRADE 5 STUDENTS RETURN FROM MARIN HEADLANDS
4/12 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING
4/15 JAPAN FUNDRAISING DEADLLINE
- AMERICAN RED CROSS DONATIONS - IN OFFICE

4/15 WALK-AROUND
4/15 SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY - “WALK/BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY”

4/18-4/22 SPRING RECESS - NO SCHOOL

4/25-5/6 STAR TESTING

4/26 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING
4/27 3:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING

Parent Traffic Duty: April 11th - April 15th - Kindergarten Parents from Rm. 18

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 PAGE 2

Fifth Grade Science Camp

Our fifth grade students, staff, and parents are thoroughly enjoying their visit to Marin Headlands. Besides
enjoying the amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Headlands coast and the Pacific Ocean,
students are learning about themselves and how they interface with one another and nature. They have
enjoyed interactive lectures by the excellent field guides, as well as games that foster teamwork and
cooperation. I was able to head up there on Wednesday, to spend the day with everyone. What a great
experience! They will return to Garden Gate the afternoon of Friday, April 8.

The Walk Around Will Soon Be Here!

The Garden Gate Walk-Around, sponsored by the PTA, is an annual fund-raising event that promotes physical activity. The
Walk-Around will take place on Friday, April 15 and the campus is a buzz with excitement. Students received their pledge sheets
and have already begun collecting pledges. Pledges may be made on a per-lap basis or on a flat-donation basis. Pledge sheets
are due to classroom teachers by April 15. Between April 15 and April 29, students will collect donations. Checks should be
made payable to Garden Gate PTA. Go Go Gators!!!

Help Garden Gate Help Japan

Our gator hearts are heavy as we think about students and families in Japan. As a school, we are actively doing what we can to
brighten the days of Japanese families. Some students have written letters and drawn pictures that will be sent to Japan. Also,
through April 15, we are collecting donations for the American Red Cross in the office as well as in classrooms. Checks should
be made payable to the American Red Cross. On Wednesday, April 6, Student Council officers and representatives had a
meeting and learned how to make paper cranes. The students in turn taught their classmates. Paper cranes will be collected and
sent to organizations that are committed to donating to Japan. Thank you, gators, for your warm
generosity!

Playgrounds Off-Limits After Dismissal

Parents - please remember that children, whether they are supervised by you or not, should not be
playing on any playground equipment after school is dismissed. This includes both the time
between primary and upper grade dismissal, as well as the time after upper grade dismissal. After
primary dismissal, parents and young children may wait for older children at the kindergarten tables
in front of Rooms 1 and 2. This policy is on page 11 of our Parent Handbook.
Thank you for your cooperation.

STAR Testing
The two-week multiple choice STAR Test window, for grades two through five, begins April 25, 2011. Please
refrain from scheduling appointments for your child during the school day between April 25 and May 6.
Additionally, please be sure children get a full night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and have snacks. Concentration is
difficult when children are tired or hungry.

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL SEEKS NOMINATIONS

The School Site Council (SSC) is asking for nominations for two parent positions on the SSC for next school year. The SSC
develops and monitors the School Plan and School Based Coordinated Program Budgets. The SSC is a great way to be
involved and to give input to our school programs. Our SSC is comprised of an equal number of staff and parent representatives.
The meetings are held once a month after school. If you are interested in serving on the SSC, or if there is someone you would
like to nominate, please complete the information below and return the form to school by May 6th. If you have any questions
concerning SSC, please contact Mrs. Patti Wolf at 252-5414 ext.
156.

School Site Council Nominations for the 2011 - 2012 School Year
I am interested in running for a position on the School Site Council:
Name: Phone Number:_________________________________________
I would like to nominate:
Name: Phone Number:__________________________________________

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
 PTA CORNER. . .! PAGE 3

Hello
Gator
Families,

On
Friday,
April
15th,
we
will
have
our
second
fundraiser
of
the
year:

































This
is
one
of
our
favorite
events
of
the
year.
We
have
a
very
dedicated
team
led
by
Ramya

Vasudevan
and
assisted
by
Uma
Kishore,
Anagha
Komawar,
Chanchal
Sahai
and
Hemisha
shah.


Pledge
Collection

Please
assist
your
children
as
they
gather
their
pledges
for
the
Walk‐Around.
The
children
can

either
receive
a
pledge
for
a
Aixed
amount,
or
they
can
receive
pledges
on
a
per
lap
basis.


We
have
a
long
list
of
awesome
rafAle
prizes
and
one
Grand‐Prize
of
a
PS3
that
will
be
awarded

to
the
student
who
raised
the
highest
amount.
For
the
rafAle
prizes,
your
child
will
receive
one

rafAle
ticket
for
each
$5
raised.


This
event
requires
the
help
of
the
entire
school
community;
we
need
many
volunteers
to
help,

so
if
you
haven’t
signed
up
yet,
please
contact
me.
It
is
fun
for
all
the
participants,
so
please

volunteer
and
join
the
fun!

PTA
Meeting
Tonight
Tonight
at
7:15
p.m.
is
our
next
PTA
mee8ng.
We
have
two
important
agenda
items:
The
new
PTA

Board
elec8ons
and
the
Honorary
Service
Award
ceremony.
Therefore,
please
join
us
and
make
a

special
effort
to
aHend
this
mee8ng.
See
you
there!

Sincerely,
Merav
Talmor

Garden
Gate
PTA
President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
 GATORAID!
Order Your 2010-2011 Yearbook!
The 2010-2011 Garden Gate Yearbooks are
now on sale! In addition to class photos and
school-wide celebrations, the following will
also be featured: Art Night, Twin Day, Spectra
Art, Direct Donations, Cornerstone Kids,
Student Council, After-School Theater, and
5th Grade Science Camp. Order the FULL-
COLORED yearbook by April 12th for the
special rate of $20.00! Limited copies will be available in June
for $25, so order now to ensure that your child has a copy for
this school year.
Absences, Tardies and Attendance Hotline
408-252-5414 EXT. 6
The attendance hotline is available 24
hours per day, seven days per week.
Parents keeping their children home at
the FIRST sign of illness may prevent
longer absences. When a child is absent
or late for any reason, parents should
call the HOTLINE on the first and each
successive day of absence. Please call
in absences by 9:00 a.m. the day of the
absence. It is extremely important and
helpful for you to call the HOTLINE to
report your child’s absences. The office is responsible for
ensuring accurate reporting of attendance to the District Office
and the State.
If you are aware of upcoming medical appointments, or other
reasons for absence/tardiness, you may call several days in
advance and leave a message on the recorder. If your child
will be late due to a medical/dental appointment, please
remember to ask for a note from the doctor indicating the
appointment and return it with your child.
Updating Residency Information
Please be aware that district guidelines require that any
change of residence must be reported to the school office
within ten (10) days. This guideline is in place to ensure that
the address and contact information that the school has on file
is accurate. This information is crucial and is used to send
official school/district correspondence and it is used in the
case of an emergency. Failure to provide current residency
information could result in the immediate withdrawal of your
child. If you have any questions regarding this guideline,
please contact the school office.
Lost and Found
Please check the lost and found shelves located at the back of
the administrative building for your child’s lost items. We have
many lunch boxes, plastic containers, sweaters, hats, etc. that
may belong to your child. Items that are not claimed will be
donated to a local charity. Thank you!
Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
PAGE 4
District Health Guidelines
It is important that our children follow good health practices at
all times and be kept at home when they are ill. A child should
not be in school when he or she is ill and is experiencing one
or more of the following symptoms:
• Nausea or vomiting (must remain at home until free of
symptoms for 24 hours).
• Diarrhea (must remain at home until free of symptoms
for 24 hours).
• Severe headache.
• Continuous coughing or runny nose.
• Evidence of a communicable disease such as a rash,
swelling or unusual sore throat.
• A temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) degrees or higher
(must remain at home until he/she has a normal 98.6 F
(37 C) degree temperature for 24 hours without the use
of a fever reducer such as Tylenol).
• Conjunctivitis - pink eye.
• Undiagnosed rash (rashes must be verified by your
doctor that they are non-contagious before the child may
return to school; a note is needed).
The School Nurse may clear a student with known chronic
illness (asthma, allergies, migraines, etc.) If a student is sent
home from school for feeling ill, the child may not return to
school that day. A doctor’s note for absences over (7) days is
required (CSUD BP & AR 5113). Thank you for your
cooperation in helping to keep all children and staff healthy.
Before You Make Travel Plans. . .
At the end of the school year, a student
must be in attendance on the last day
of school to retain his/her place on the
school roster for the following year.
For this school year, students must
be in school on June 7, 2011 to
retain their space for the 2011/2012
school year.
At the beginning of the school year, a student must be in
attendance on the first day of school August 18, 2011 or they
will not retain their place on the school roster. When you are
making travel plans, please consider the possible
ramifications. If you have any questions, please contact the
Student Assignment office at (408) 252- 3000, ext 110.
Parents And Visitors On Campus
Once school begins and is in session, parents are not
permitted to interrupt the classroom. The teachers are
involved with classroom instruction and interruptions are very
distracting. If it becomes necessary for you to speak to your
child or your child’s teacher during the school day, please
notify the school office. All visitors on campus or volunteers
entering the classroom must first sign in at the office and
obtain a visitors badge when school is in session.
 GATORAID PAGE 5

2011 STAR TESTING DATES

STAR Multiple Choice Testing will begin the week of April 25, 2011 and continues for two weeks. The STAR Program is a state
accountability measure that helps us assess how we are meeting the needs of our students. You can help prepare your child for
the test by ensuring your child goes to bed on time, eats a good breakfast, and leaves for school with a positive attitude. Please
do not schedule any family trips or doctor appointments during this time.

2011 SUMMER SCHOOL UPDATE

The Cupertino Union School District continues to face major budget cuts from the state. As a result, there will be no available
funds to implement the District’s summer school program and there will be no regular education, CLIP, or ELD summer school
this year.

Special Education Extended School Year is not affected and will be available for students currently identified and enrolled in
Cupertino Union School District Special Day Classes (SDC) whose IEP includes summer school. Registration forms will be
available from the SDC teachers beginning April 2011.

DISTRICT CALENDAR 2010-2011

April 18-22, 2011 Spring Recess
May 27, 2011 Staff Learning Day
May 30, 2011 Memorial Day
June 7, 2011 Last Day of School

DISTRICT CALENDAR 2011-2012 (NEXT SCHOOL YEAR)

August 15, 16 and 17, 2011 Teacher Work Days
August 18, 2011 Students Return
September 5, 2011 Labor Day
September 23, 2011 Staff Learning Day
October 31, 2011 Staff Learning Day
November 11, 2011 Veteran’s Day
November 21-25 2011 Thanksgiving Recess
December 19-30,2011 Winter Recess
January 3, 2012 Students Return
January 16, 2012 Martin Luther King Day
February 20-24, 2012 Mid-Year Recess
March 19, 2012 Staff Learning Day
April 16-20, 2012 Spring Recess
May 25, 2012 Staff Learning Day
May 28, 2012 Memorial Day
June 12, 2012 Last Day of School

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014