The Weekly Roar
December 10, 2022
From the Principal
Hello La Ballona Families,
As we close out 2023, I have two big requests for families.
#1....We continue with parent conferences this week. If you have not met with your child's teacher, please reach out to them immediately. All families need to meet with teachers so that we can work together.
#2...Below is the Youth Truth Survey that the entire staff, parents, and 3rd-5th students are being asked to take. Please find the link below and complete the survey. Thank you very much.
In this newsletter:
- Around the School
- Counselor Corner
- Handbook Highlight
- School Meal Information
- Community & Afterschool Opportunities
- Our Calendar
Stay PAWSitive!
Dr. Becky Godbey & Ms. Brenda Selva
Our PTA website https://laballonapta.org/
Our facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laballonaelementary
Twitter https://twitter.com/LaBallona
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laballonaelementaryschool/
IMPORTANT FAMILY SURVEY- YOUTH TRUTH SURVEY- PLEASE COMPLETE
We’d like your feedback – please take the Family Survey
Dear Parent or Guardian,
I am writing to ask for ~15 minutes of your time to complete an online survey that will help us improve your child’s school. We have asked YouthTruth – a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of schools and districts across the county – to conduct an anonymous survey on our behalf.
Please take the survey before it closes at midnight on DECEMBER 16TH by clicking this link:
Please note:
The survey needs to be completed in one sitting.
We ask that one member of each household fill out the survey.
If you have more than one child who attends the same school, you may respond to the survey multiple times - one time per child.
If you write any comments, please do not include your name or anything else that might identify you. Your responses are anonymous, and they will be combined with the responses of other parents and guardians before being shared back with school and district leadership.
We sincerely thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. Your response is incredibly valuable to us.
If you have any questions about the survey, or our plans for how we will use your feedback, please contact Dr.Godbey at rebeccagodbey@ccusd.org
Sincerely,
Dr. Godbey
1. Around the School
Our Weekly Wednesday Principal Video Assembly
8 Days of School Winter Spirit Kickoff
Weekly Game Day
Our first weekly game day during recess was a success! We would love donations of used or new Uno, Taco Goat Cheese Pizza, Yahtzee, Spot It, Guess Who and legos for future weekly game days. Drop any donation at the front office. Thank you in advance! If you would like to help during recess on Wednesdays please message Liz Vila lizhagen@hotmail.com. You must be a cleared volunteer. Hours are 11:30-1:30. Thank you!
Teacher conference babysitting sponsored by the PTA
December 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 13th we are offering babysitting from 1:45-3:45. It costs $10 a day/ $5 for siblings. Please see the Google form below to sign-up.
If you can volunteer to help with the babysitting you get a free day of babysitting! We need volunteers to make this happen, please see the sign up below to volunteer.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904084EAEAD2EA0FD0-volunteers
Library Remodel!
Volunteers needed! If you are a cleared volunteer and available to help pack up books Dec. 12-16, please email laramehl@ccusd.org with your availability.
In case you missed it in last week's newsletter, we have some exciting news to share! Our sweet little library space is going to get a much needed remodel over the winter break! Jeff Cooper, president of the Culver City Exchange Club (and former mayor of our great city!) has rallied community partners to donate not only money, but also time and expertise, to give the La Ballona library a whole new look - new shelves, new carpet, new furniture, etc. Won't it be wonderful to have a nice new space to house all the brand new books we will be able to purchase with funds we have received this school year?
Timeline:
- Dec.12-16 - library closed for packing up books
- Dec. 19-mid January - library closed for remodel (and reshelving of books upon completion)
Please make sure your students return ALL library books this week so that all the books can get packed away properly and so that they do not have to keep track of them for 5 weeks!
Running Club
Running Club with Coach Gary is underway. Join us Fridays 8am at gate 1. Open to 3rd grade- 5th grade.
*Automatically Canceled on rainy days
2. Counselor's Corner
Resources from last week's Parent Ed on Managing Emotions
Tips for helping children manage their emotions Resources
*English video recording
*Spanish video recording
*Presentation Resources3. Handbook Highlight
From the Attendance Clerk, Ms. Rosy Reyes
If your student is ever absent please email rosyreyes@ccusd.org with the
reason for the absence and the number of days that your student will miss. If you have a
Doctor/Dental/Court or any other legal form of an excused absence, please include attachment in the email.
If your student is late, please come in to the front office to sign them in. If the student is late
due to a Doctor, Dental, Court etc. appointment, please bring the note from the corresponding office verifying the appointment. Please feel free to email any digital note to rosyreyes@ccusd.org .
If you are picking up your student early, please let the teacher know ahead of time. This will
allow us to save time with having your student ready for you. Be sure to arrive to school with spare time, sometime students are out on Lunch/Recess and it is hard to locate their exact location. If your student is leaving early due to an appointment, please bring excused note from the appointment the following school day. You can also email the note to
If you have any attendance question please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for helping me keep our La Ballona Attendance records straight.
With love from Rosy Reyes
4. School Meal Information
What's for Breakfast and/or Lunch?
5. Community & Afterschool Opportunities
Equal Access Committee Meeting 12/14/22 @ 12 noon
Zoom Meeting ID: 834 8265 2554
Passcode: 226051
Save the date! 1/20/23- Family Movie Night
We will hold a family movie night at La Ballona 1/20/23. More details to come soon.
SHARKEY’S FUNDRAISER - ROUND 2
In case anyone wants to take a night off cooking dinner, we're in our second fundraising week at Sharky's! We won the first round so now we're in the finals against three other schools. If there's room in this week's social posts, would you please mention it?
Here's more info from our site: https://laballonapta.org/event/sharkys-restaurant-fundraiser-nov2022.
La Ballona Lions Jr. Team Competition
On Saturday, December 3, 2022, over 21 Lions tennis players in Grades K-5 attended the first
La Ballona Jr. Team Competition Tournament at Culver City High School. Both red ball and
orange ball games were played with students in rotation and having a lot of fun! Parents were
in attendance, keeping “score”, catching loose balls, and watching the players enjoy the green
courts.
Coach Susan Nardi, winner of the the 2021 National Winner “Double-Goal Coach Award” has
been teaching blacktop tennis to our students since we started in-person school last year
through PTA’s Afterschool Enrichment Program. Coach Susan teaches 3 tennis classes
totallingtotalingor 30-40 students every 8 weeks on campus with hand-picked tennis pros to aid in tennis techniques, including court conduct and sportsmanship. Students who participate in afterschool blacktop tennis are given the tools to progress into middle school tennis. Those who participate in the monthly or every 2- month tournaments can earn points toward a USTA ranking.
We were lucky SCTA’s (USTA So Cal) Manager for DEI, Andy Schwich, was in attendance and
enjoyed the enthusiasm and passion of our school community for tennis. SCTA donated our
tennis rackets and Net Generation bags for our program. Yonex donated goodie items for the
players.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion monthly meeting
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion monthly meeting
Join our DEI meeting 12/15/22, 630-730pm
https://lausd.zoom.us/j/87183893505?pwdK2dHaGFmeU11WFZUbzIxd25ObzZjZz09
Meeting ID: 871 8389 3505
Passcode: lions
Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)- LB Parent Rep Needed
LCAP
We need our school represented at LCAP. This is a district-wide group. Local Control and Accountability Plan. Apply below!
6. Our Calendar
This Week at La Ballona
One-time events in italics
Monday, December 12
- Early Dismissal for Parent Conferences at 1:45
- PTA Board Meeting, 9:15am
- PTA Enrichment Tennis, 1:45-2:45
Tuesday, December 13
- Early Dismissal for Parent Conferences at 1:45
- PTA Enrichment Class Chess, 1:45-2:45
Wednesday, December 14
- Student Assembly: Paralympian Cody Jones
- Early Dismissal Every Wednesday at 1:45
- PTA Enrichment Class Tennis, Group A 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm, Group B 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
- PTA Enrichment Class Garden Club 1:45pm - 2:45 pm
- PTA Enrichment Class 24th Street Theater 1:45-3:15
Thursday, December 15
- Regular Dismissal at 3:15
- Vocal Music Classes K-2
Friday, December 16
- Early Dismissal for Winter Break at 1:45
Upcoming Dates (New Dates in Bold)
December 19-January 2- Winter Break.
January 3- School Resumes
January 5- Choir at 8am
January 10- Board Meeting
January 11- Walk to School Day
January 16- Martin Luther King Jr. School Holiday
January 21- PTA Family Movie Night
January 24- SSC, 3:30p
January 25- ELAC Meeting, 9am
January 27- Coffee with the Principal
La Ballona Elementary School
Culver City, CA 90232
Email: erikaarredondo@ccusd.org
Website: www.laballona.ccusd.org
Location: La Ballona Elementary School, Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA, USA
Phone: 3108424334
Facebook: facebook.com/laballonaelementary
Twitter: @LaBallona