GATORAID

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

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SCHOOL CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 17, 2009
8/24-9/25 GATE TESTING REFERRAL “NEW-TO-DISTRICT STUDENTS ONLY” GR 4 & 5
9/17 6:30-7:45 p.m. SAFETY NIGHT
9/18 STAFF LEARNING DAY – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
9/19 CUPERTINO FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL –
12:00 p.m. CHICKEN DANCE - KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
9/21 7:00 p.m. GR. 5 - SCIENCE CAMP PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT - GLC
9/22 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MTG. – DISTRICT BOARD ROOM
9/23 3:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNSEL MEETING – STAFF ROOM
9/23 7:00-8:30 p.m. PROJECT CORNERSTONE PARENT ED. NIGHT - GLC
9/25 DEADLINE FOR GATE REFERRAL “NEW TO DISTRICT”
4-5 GR. STUDENTS ONLY
9/28-10/2 SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
10/1 6:00-8:00 p.m. FALL SOCIAL AND BOOK FAIR - GLC
10/2 SPIRITWEAR ORDERING DEADLINE
10/5-10/13 PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
10/6 8:00-9:30 a.m. PROJECT CORNERSTONE PARENT GROUP - STAFF ROOM
10/8 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING - GLC
10/9 DIRECT DONATION CONTEST DEADLINE
10/9 REFLECTION ART CONTEST DEADLINE
10/13 8:00-9:30 a.m. PROJECT CORNERSTONE PARENT GROUP - STAFF ROOM
10/13 5:00-8:30 p.m. BACK TO SCHOOL CELEBRATION AT “THE JUNGLE”
10/13 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MTG. - DISTRICT BOARD ROOM
10/15 3:30-5:00 p.m. FALL CELEBRATION - FIELD

Parent Traffic Duty: September 21st -25th - Parents from Rm. #3

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....MRS. WOOD! PAGE 2

Staff Learning Day – Friday, September 18

This Friday is a non-school day for students. It is the first learning day of the school year. Staff will
focus on mathematics, especially the use of our newly adopted Houghton-Mifflin math series.

Thank you! Thank you! Dismissal Time Problems Are Getting Better!
Thank you for helping us keep your children safe and our playgrounds clear for upper grade activities.
As you may remember, at Back to School Night I had asked all of our parents to help us with problems
we have been encountering after dismissal. Many primary students were playing on the play structures
with very little supervision. This has resulted in students, on occasion, getting hurt after school hours. I
asked you to please wait with your children in one of two areas – the benches in front of rooms #1 and
#2 or under the shade structure at the back of the school. I also asked that students who are dismissed
and are not in an after-school program go home directly after dismissal. I am so pleased to see
improvement in these areas. Remember, too, that no primary student should ever wait for an upper grade
sibling to be dismissed if the primary student is not with an adult.

Please know that our staff cares about your children and their safety. In addition, we care about the
importance of providing instruction to our upper grade students until the end of their school day. As
such, we will continue to gently request that everyone comply with our school rules. Thank you for
helping us to minimize those requests!

Congratulations, Gators! Garden Gate’s API= 980!

Yesterday, the state released the API Growth scores for 2009 (based upon the 2008-2009 STAR). Our
Gators continue to do very well in this state-wide assessment. In addition, Garden Gate is ranked 17 out
of 5,289 California elementary schools!

We are justifiably proud of our students and their performance on the STAR! However, as I have said on
many occasions, the STAR is just a snapshot in time. If you really want to see how well our students do,
it’ll be in the classroom where the incredible dynamic of teaching and learning flourishes. Those who
are fortunate enough to volunteer or work in our classrooms see this dynamic every day!
Congratulations, again, to all of our big and little Gators!

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125
PTA CORNER PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES ! PAGE 3

Hello Garden Gators!

It’s PTA membership time! Why join the PTA?

It means a lot at three levels. The highest level counts when the nation is voting on Education. The PTA has a
loud voice in favor of our children. The politicians listen when a large group speaks.

The same holds true at the second level: state government. The California PTA speaks loudly when we are
fighting for our education budget.

The 3rd level is here at Garden Gate. Your membership allows you to vote on where we spend our time
and money. You directly affect what the PTA focuses on here at our school.

The fee is a low $5.00 for the year. Anyone can join and I mean anyone! All of our students can join. Your
sister, brother, mom or dad in China, India or Japan can join! You can be a member in more than one PTA’s if
you choose to do so. You do not have to be a US citizen to join.

Please join the Garden Gate PTA. Join the voice of the PTA with nearly one million other people whose focus
in on our children.

To join simply fill out a form available at the office or on our website at http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/
GardenGateElementarySchool/gardenpatepta/.

I hope that you will become a PTA member and give yourself a voice in what happens here at Garden Gate.

Sincerely,

Kathleen McCulloch
Garden Gate PTA President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125
 GATORAID! PAGE 4
IT’S CHICKEN DANCE TIME
AGAIN. . .
A The Garden Gate kindergarten
2009-2010 NATIONAL PT students who have turned in a
REFLECTION PR OG RA M permission slip will perform the
tional Na
It is time once again for the “Chicken Dance at the Cupertino
flection s Art s Co mp etit ion! Entries will be
PTA Re e theme this year Jubilee on Saturday, September
t. 9th . Th
accepted Oct. 5th to Oc 19, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. The
s, we are aware that the
is “Beauty Is. . .” As parent festival will be held at the
to our children’s
arts are extremely important Cupertino Civic Center on Torre Avenue. Please arrive
pression of thoughts and
education and growth. Ex at least 20 minutes before your child’s performance to
ity and interpretation of a
feelings through creativ allow for parking and check-in. See you there!
valuable learning
theme is an immeasurably
the left side (logic) and
process which utilizes both
the brain. Though the
the right side (creativity) of
ow s the format of a contest, PROJECT CORNERSTONE
Reflection Program foll
age participation and Project Cornerstone started with a strong beginning.
the primary goal is to encour Our 5th grade Cornerstone Kids attended the “Expect
arts.
instill an appreciation of the Respect” training last week where they received
ld to think about this instruction on how to help younger kids on the
Please encourage your chi
pate with his/her own playground. They are already out on the playground
exciting theme and to partici
be submitted in one or this week putting into practice what they learned. We
best creation! Entries can
ries: Visual Arts, are proud of them.
all of the following six catego
, Mu sic al Composition,
Literature, Photography
Dance Choreography. Our ABC Program now has 15 out of 28 classrooms
Film/Video Production and
and 3rd-5th grade. with a parent volunteer. Please continue your strong
Age groups are K-2nd grade
must be an original support in the classroom as you continue to “Build
Remember that all entries
ld. Fo r entry forms and Assets” in our children.
creation from your chi
the foll ow ing website: http://
rules, please visit Our Project Cornerstone Parent Ed Night will take
arents.html
www.capta6.org/reflections/p place on Wednesday, Sept 23rd, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the
GLC. Please come for an in-depth discussion of
Project Cornerstone’s goals to mobilize our community
SPIRIT WEAR ORDERS ARE DUE OCT. 2ND! to build developmental assets in our youth, along with
Don’t forget to place your order for your 2009-2010 building a caring school community where all kids can
Garden Gate t-shirt and/or sweatshirt available in both succeed.
adult and children sizes (sample of sizes are in the
school office.) This will be your only opportunity to A six-week book study, Taking Asset Building
order spirit wear for this school year. If you misplaced Personally (TABP), will follow on Tuesdays from 8:00
your order form, more are available in the school office. -9:30 a.m. beginning Oct. 6th through Nov. 10th. For
Please remember the deadline of October 2nd, when more information, please contact Alexandra Chong at
all order forms are due. (408)725-0448 or duydan02@sbcglobal.net.

EYEGLASS DONATION DRIVE VOLUNTEERS - TB TEST NEEDED

Cupertino Union School District is excited to partner A reminder to all of our wonderful volunteers: Adults
with Vision Service Plan (VSP) to help others see well volunteering in any capacity, including noontime
through the “Eyes of Hope” program. This program will supervisors, classroom volunteers and field trip drivers,
run from September through December of this year. must have a current tuberculin test on file in the school
There is a collection box in the school office to drop off office. A voucher from the Cupertino Medical Center is
any used glasses including prescription glasses, available in the office. The cost for the test is $15.00.
readers, and sunglasses. Both plastic and metal
frames are accepted. Cases can also be donated with
the glasses inside. VSP will ensure that the glasses
are recycled and distributed to children and adults
throughout the world.

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125
GATORAID! PAGE 5
DISTRICT NEWS SECTION

H1N1 GUIDELINES
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department guidance recommends that, based on current flu conditions,
students and staff with flu-like illness stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a
fever without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

You can help keep our schools healthy by adhering to the following guidelines:

• Continue to enforce proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. The recommendations continue to
emphasize the importance of the basic foundations of disease prevention: Stay home when sick, wash hands
frequently with soap and water when possible or alcohol based hand sanitizer, and cover noses and mouths
with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available).

• Leave accurate information as requested on the school’s absence line if you child is sick. This will help the
school identify any potential issues as soon as possible.

• Promptly pick up your child from school if they are sent home for being ill. The school will keep ill students
separated from others until they can be sent home. Please make sure that the school office has your updated
contact information.

• Any returning students after an illness with a fever will need to have their temperature taken in the school office
before returning to class. Teachers will be sending returning students back to the office to have their
temperatures taken if they arrive directly to the classroom without being cleared.

CUPERTINO FALL FESTIVAL

Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, 2009 - 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cupertino Civic Center Library Field - Free Admission

The Cupertino Fall Festival is an evolution of the very successful Cupertino Jubilee and Fall Festival that has been held
for the past three years. The event is organized by the Rotary Club of Cupertino and will incorporate the Health and
Safety zone which will be offering flu shots in addition to an Environmental Earth Zone hosted by the City of Cupertino.
In addition, the festival is trying to collect 15,000 lbs of food to benefit West Valley Community Services. Please
consider bringing at least one canned food item to the festival.

The key elements of Fall Fest 2009 are: Kids Fun Zone; Health and Safety Zone; Environmental Earth Zone; along with
great food, beverages and wonderful entertainment. Additional information is available at www.cupertinofallfest.com.

INITIAL AND ANNUAL CELDT TESTING

The Cupertino Union School District will administer the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to all
students eligible for English Language Development services. This test will be administered from the beginning of
September through the end of October. Based on your child’s last years CELDT scores, if their proficiency level is
limited, withdrawn or transitional, your child will be included in the annual CELDT test at their school. The initial CELDT
will be given to kindergarten students whose primary language on the home language survey is a language other than
English. A letter will be sent home with your child prior to the initial and annual testing date at your school. The test
consists of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Grades K–8 are tested in all four areas. This year only
reading and writing for kindergarten and first grade students will not affect their overall proficiency level. You will receive
the official results after January 2010. If you have any questions, please contact your school office.

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