GATORAID

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

GAR
Boa D
CUP EN GAT
Sup rd o
erin f Ed ERT EE
LEM
tend uca INO
ent: tion UNI ENT
ARY
Boa 105 DIS ON
P S
Anja rd Mem hil Quon
00 A TRI CH
NN CT OO
L
Josep li Kausa ber CUP A
ERT RBOR
hine r, Be s: Bra
ndi INO AVE
Luce n Huc , CA 95
NUE
y, Ga Liao, Mer
av T k o-P 0 14
Phyl ry M alm rinc
lis Vo cCue or - i p
gel , PTA al
Pre
side
nt

SCHOOL CALENDAR
May 12, 2011

5/16-5/20 BOOK FAIR - GLC

5/18 3:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING
5/19 6:00 p.m. BOOK FAIR - GLC
5/19 7:00-8:00 p.m. OPEN HOUSE
5/20 SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY - “DRESS MIS-MATCHED!”
5/23-26 STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
5/23 7:30 p.m. MUSIC CONCERT - GRADE 3 AND ROOM #26
5/24 LIBRARY BOOK RETURN DEADLINE
5/24 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING
5/25 6:30 p.m. H.E.A.S.T. PERFORMANCE - GLC
5/26 6:30 p.m. MUSIC CONCERT - GRADE 1 - ROOMS #17, 18, 22, & 28 ONLY
5/27 STAFF LEARNING DAY - NO SCHOOL
5/30 MEMORIAL DAY - NO SCHOOL
6/1 6:15 p.m. MUSIC CONCERT - GRADE 2 ROOMS 4, 5 & 23
6/1 7:00 p.m. MUSIC CONCERT - GRADE 2 ROOMS 3, 16A & 16B
6/2 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING
6/7 8:00-11:20 a.m. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL EARLY DISMISSAL FOR ALL STUDENTS
ALL KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ATTEND 8:00-11:20

Parent Traffic Duty: May 16th - May 20th - Parents from Rm. 10
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
OPEN HOUSE
Garden Gate Teachers will open their classrooms to our students and parents on Thursday May 19, from
7:00 to 8:00pm. This is your child’s opportunity to share their classroom and accomplishments with you. Join
us!

BOOK FAIR
Our Book Fair will run from Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20, in the GLC. The Book Fair will be open
everyday during the following times: Monday, May 16th from 8:00am to 3:00pm, Tuesday, May 17th from
8:00am to 2:00pm, Wednesday, May 18th from 8:00am to 3:00pm, Thursday, May 19th from 8:00am to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to
8:00pm. in the evening, and on Friday, May 20th from 8:00am to 12:30pm. I look forward to seeing you there!

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Join me in congratulating Stacy Caudill! Stacy was named as Garden Gate's Teacher of the Year! Stacy is not only a skilled
teacher who weaves effective and engaging strategies into her curriculum, but she also has a warm heart. With her kind words
and supportive smile, Stacy goes out of her way to make sure that our students and staff know they are cared for. Stacy is one
of the reasons Garden Gate is such a special place!

GATOR PRIDE
Congratulations to 1st grader, Bhavya, who received an "Honorable Mention" in the 2011 Coastal Art & Poetry Contest.
Bhavya's artwork will be on display at three different museums in California between June, 2011 and February, 2012. Way to
go, Bhavya!

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2011-2012

The Garden Gate staff will begin planning for the 2011-2012 school year in the coming weeks. Planning includes initial drafts of class lists.
Student placement is done with careful consideration of the following factors: •Balance of boys and girls. •Positive working relationships
among students. •Heterogeneous (mixed ability) learning groups in all classrooms. •Social needs of students. •Class configurations (size,
combination classes, etc.). •Learning needs of students. •Leadership needs within all classrooms. The teachers and I will work together to
make class assignments. Decisions we make, with regard to your child’s future placement, reflect our best judgment as to where individual
children will be the most successful. While we do not accept requests for specific teachers, you are welcome and encouraged to share with us
any information you feel would be helpful in determining your child’s placement. If you are interested in giving us information that will help with
the placement of your child, you may pick up a “Parental Input” form in the office. The last date to submit this form is Thursday, May 26th.
Class lists will be posted after 4:00 p.m. on August 17th, the day before school begins.

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL

The School Site Council (SSC) is a team of administrators, teachers, students and parents working together for school
improvement. The SSC develops and reviews an annual plan for student achievement, which is designed to ensure a high-
quality educational program. The SSC also establishes and monitors a budget that supports the school improvement plan. We
have one parent vacancy on the SSC for a two-year term that starts in the fall. Please vote for ONE candidate to serve as your
representative. Voting begins on May 12th and ends on May 19th. You can vote online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
sscelect. The link will be on the Garden Gate website. You can also get a ballot from the office, and return it to the office. Or you
can print out the ballot on this page and return it to the office.
-----------------------------------------------
Please vote for one of the following School Site candidates:
Chanchal Sahai – I have two children, one a sophomore at Monta Vista and the other in Kindergarten at Garden Gate.
I’ve lived in Cupertino for 10 years. I was on the Executive Board of the PTA for 7 years, and headed committees including Book
Fairs, Nominations, and Traffic & Safety. I help in the classroom and teach Spectra Art and Project Cornerstone. My educational
background is in Biology and Law. If elected to the SSC I will work toward supporting a safe and happy environment for all
children, since every child is important.

Mahalakshmi Rameshbabu — My eldest son graduated last year from Garden Gate and my younger son will be in
Kindergarten this coming school year. I joined the PTA 6 years ago and continue to be a member. I’ve organized International
Day, Discovery Day, and Staff Appreciation week. I’ve also been chairperson of the Reflections Art Contest and both the Fall and
Spring socials. I’ve also been a Room Mom for 6 years. I have a master’s degree in commerce and accounts. Serving on the
SSC would be a great opportunity to help make decisions that will have a positive impact on the students.

Niki Maroko — I have three children, and two currently attend Garden Gate. I grew up in Cupertino and have lived behind
Garden Gate the last 12 years. I have a BA in English and an MBA. I’ve volunteered to teach PE for the last 6 years and also
coach AYSO soccer. I enjoy helping with Book Fairs, school festivals and going on field trips. I’m a real estate broker and serve
on the city’s Housing Commission. Being involved and volunteering are my passion. I would love to be able to participate on the
SSC.
Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
 PTA CORNER. . .! PAGE 3

Hello
Gator
Families,

THE
BOOK
FAIR
IS
COMING!
Next
week
is
our
second
and
7inal
Book
Fair
of
the

school
year.
The
Book
Fair
will
begin
in
the
GLC

on
Monday
May
16th
and
will
continue
until

Friday,
May
20th.


Please
stop
by
to
see
the
great

selection
of
books
that
are
available
for
your

children
to
enjoy!

In
addition
to
the
daily
schedule,
the
Book
Fair
will
be
open
on
Thursday,
May
19th,

from
6­8
p.m.
during
the
Open
House.


WALK­AROUND
STATUS



WOW!!
We
Collected
$19,500
from
the
Walk­Around
Donations!
Thank
you
for
your
generosity
and
also
special
thanks
to
all
those
who
walked
for

the
cause!

Please
note
that
all
of
the
pro7it
continues
to
stay
here
at
Garden
Gate
to

fund
programs
for
our
children!

The
children
received
a
raf7le
ticket
for
each
$5.00
donation
and
had
a
chance
to

place
their
tickets
in
their
choice
of
prize
boxes
last
week.

The
raf7le
drawing
was

held
with
a
lot
of
excitement
on
Thursday,
May
5th.
Congratulations
to
all
of
our

lucky
winners!


Sincerely,
Merav
Talmor
Garden
Gate
PTA
President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
 GATORAID!
LOST LIBRARY BOOKS
The last day for students to use the library will be
Friday, May 20th. All books must be turned in by Tuesday,
May 24th. Please take a moment and search under the
beds and on student’s bookshelves for any overdue
books from the library or lost classroom textbooks. You
will be receiving a notification from Mrs. Gokhale
regarding any books that have not been returned. If
your child cannot find the book, they will be charged for
the lost book. Books are very expensive and we
cannot afford to absorb the cost of lost or destroyed
books. Students will not receive a report card until
all library charges are paid. If the book is found after you
have paid, your money will be refunded. Thank you for
your understanding regarding this matter.
RETURNING TO GARDEN GATE NEXT YEAR?
Please complete and return the form that was sent home last
week regarding your child’s enrollment plans for next year.
Will you be returning to Garden Gate next year, going to
another CUSD school, or moving outside of the Cupertino
Union School District? This allows the school district and our
school to determine enrollment numbers for 2011-2012.
Please return the form to your child’s teacher no later than
May 26th. Thank you.
LOST AND FOUND
Be sure to have your children check
for lost items in our Lost and Found
area located behind the administrative
building. Remind your child that it
often takes a few days for an item to
find its way to the Lost and Found, so
checking more than once is
recommended. Lost non-clothing items, such as glasses,
keys, and jewelry, can be found in the office. Please
remember to label your children’s clothing and lunch boxes.
This will help us return lost items. Any clothing items
remaining after June 7th will be donated to a local charity.
SUMMER FLYERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE
SCHOOL OFFICE
The school office has many pamphlets and fliers
from several organizations offering activities and
programs for students over the summer. They
include athletic opportunities, summer enrichment
programs, camps, etc. If you are interested, please
stop by the school office.
Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
PAGE 4
DON’T LOSE YOUR PLACE AT GARDEN GATE!
We have noticed that many families are starting to make travel
plans for the summer break. This is just a reminder that CUSD
policy states that all students must be in class on the last day
of school. Students risk losing their placement at Garden Gate
School for the 2011 - 2012 school year if they are not present
on the last day of school, June 7th, 2011. Students must also
be present on the first day of the 2011 - 2012 school year,
August 18th, 2011.
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.
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.
LUNCH ACCOUNTS
It is very important that students who eat hot lunch have a
positive balance in their lunch account. Parents can prepay
for as many lunches as possible so that students do not run
out of money. Students are only given one lunch on credit. If
a student has used the credit, CUSD policy is that the
cafeteria will provide a drink and the cold items, but not an
entrée. All lunch money must be placed in a blue envelope
and checks should be made out to CUSD Nutritional
Services. Envelopes are available in the school office, and can
be returned to your child’s teacher or to the office. To check
your student’s lunch account balance, log on to:
www.paypams.com or call 1-888-994-5100. You can also
contact Mrs. Chen at 408-252-5414 ext. 132 for account
balance information.
 GATORAID PAGE 5
CHILDREN’S HEALTH INITIATIVE HEALTH INSURANCE SIGN-UP DAYS
O’Connor Hospital: Immunization & Health Fair, 2105 Forest Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 - 5/14/11 – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Children’s Health Initiative (CHI) was established in 2001 to provide access to health insurance to the uninsured children in
Santa Clara County. The CHI includes three health insurance programs: Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids.

Over the next few weeks, the CHI will hold events throughout Santa Clara County where families can apply for free or low-cost
health insurance for children and adults. In addition, the location listed above offers immunizations, which is an opportunity for
students to receive a Pertussis booster shot. A new state law (Assembly Bill 354) requires all students entering grades 7-12 for
the 2011-2012 school year to show proof of the Tdap (Pertussis) booster shot before the first day of school. For more
information regarding the CHI, please contact 1-877-680-2566. Additional sign-up dates are posted in the school office and are
available at www.cupertino.k12.ca.us.

DISTRICT CALENDAR 2010-2011

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