This Thursday, September 29th and Friday, September 30th students are dismissed early at 1:45pm. The reason for this is so that teachers can meet with various families for targeted parent conferences. Targeted Parent Conferences are not for all families. Instead, it is an opportunity for teachers to meet with a select number of students would like to discuss academic, behavioral, or social-emotional progress. If you are invited to a conference, please frame as a proactive step to support your student. The teachers at La Ballona want to partner with you to set your child up for success!

Don't forget our Dismissal Times for this week:

Monday & Tuesday- Regular Dismissal

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday- 1:45 Dismissal

Update on School Site Council

Each school site has a governing board that meets monthly to look at the school budget and make decision to support our scholars. We are in the middle of completing our ballots to ensure that we have a enough parent representative are on our team. Last week, there was a ballot in the Weekly Roar. We are extending the voting another week to make sure everyone has a chance to vote. Will you please please help La Ballona, by completing the this ballot? Thank you.

In this newsletter:

1. Around the School
2. Counselor Corner
3. Staff Spotlight
4. School Meal Information
5. Community & Afterschool Opportunities
6. Our Calendar

Stay PAWSitive!

Dr. Becky Godbey & Ms. Selva

Halloween Parade 9:00

We will be holding our annual costume parade on Monday, October 31st, at 9 a.m. Students will walk a large loop around our playground. Students are invited to wear a costume, but if they choose not to, they will still be able to participate in the parade. Any student not wishing to wear a costume and not wishing to participate in the parade will have the opportunity to listen to a story in the library for a special story time. Parents are allowed on campus (Parent directions below).

Costume guidelines:

• No Costume masks may be worn to and during school

• No face make-up

• Students must show respect for other students by not choosing costumes that are insensitive and/or offensive to the diverse background represented by La Ballona students and families.

• Students must show respect to other students by not touching, defacing or insulting other students' costumes.

• No weapons of any kind. (No fake guns, swords, knives, etc.)

• No fake blood or other substances allowed.

• Students will be allowed to wear wigs, hats and accessories during the parade, but must be removed if causing a distraction during class time.

• After the parade, it will be a regular instructional day. Your child may stay in their costume IF the costume is easy to sit and learn in. If the costume impedes school learning, please bring a change of clothes for the school day.

Directions for Parents

• Families are welcome to come to watch our parade on campus.

• We will section off areas for parents to stand.

• All parents may enter through the Back Gate 1.

Hello! My name is Lara Mehl, and I have the awesome job of being your student's librarian here at La Ballona! This is my third year in this position, and I like to say that this is the job that I never knew I always wanted! I love being around books, seeing kids reading books, and reading books aloud to kids!

I grew up in the Moorpark/Simi Valley area of Ventura County and attended California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks where I studied both early education and literature. My family has lived in Culver City for 13 years, and we love the small town feel surrounded by the big city. My husband and I have four children, biological and adopted…a 5th grader at El Rincon, a middle schooler and two high schoolers! I've spent years helping my own kids on their reading journeys, having both avid readers and reluctant readers in my home. Sometimes all it takes is finding that special book, series or topic that opens the door for them...and I've learned first-hand that this takes patience!

In addition to reading books, I enjoy cooking, hiking, going to the beach, weekly family movie nights, visiting used book stores and collecting old books (never enough books!), going on road trips with my family and spending time with my neighbors and church family throughout the week. Oh, and sleeping in (if I could make this a hobby, I would!).

Here are some tips for making your student's weekly library visits most enjoyable:

• Ask your student what book(s) they chose at the library. Read it to or with them!
• Keep a large Ziploc or plastic grocery bag in your child's backpack to keep their library book in. This will protect them from leaky water bottles or sticky mysteries in the bottom of their backpack!
• Keep their library book IN their backpack (not on their bookshelf, under their bed, on the couch, etc) that way they always have it with them for their library day!
• If a book gets lost or damaged, please replace it! (You can buy the same title, donate one from home or choose one from our wishlist below).
• When your child outgrows their books, donate them to our library (especially hardcovers and books in Spanish)!
• Check out our library's Amazon Wishlist to see what books we want/need!
• If you are a cleared volunteer, come read aloud to your student's class and/or help me shelve, repair and reinforce books!

A special note from Dr. Godbey- La Ballona receives federal funding each year due to the number of families at our school living at or near the poverty line. We use our funding to provide your children with programs and support such as kindergarten aides in every classroom, free aftercare, free theater, Chromebooks and/or ipads for every single student, classroom supplies, and so on. Our students deserve this and we need your help. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE complete this application. Please.

FOOD SERVICES

Parents are asking why they should submit an application when all meals are free.

1. By submitting an application it can help your school with much needed funding for the classrooms from the federal government.

2. If their student(s) qualify for Free or Reduced Price Meals, the household may be eligible to receive discounts on their utilities and internet services.

3. Students may receive discount pricing for tests, such as ACT and SAT exams.

4. Increased percentage district-wide helps with additional funds.

Thank you all in advance for communicating this to your families Food Services will be sending out letters to families who applied last year, but have yet to apply this year next week. We need to encourage as many families/guardians as we can to submit applications. This is a requirement. Meal Application Flyer & Link

• Council Inclusion meeting on 9/23 at 9am - ZOOM: all are welcome to join and connect with the other site special needs/inclusion/equal access committees
• Equal Access Coffee Meet-Up on 9/30 at 9am - Baked Bar LA (10848 Washington Blvd.)

School has now started and so does our PTA membership drive! Joining the PTA is a great way to get involved and show your support for La Ballona students. Membership dues are just $8 per person and all dues-paying members can vote at PTA meetings, which are held the first Thursday of each month. Member dues are used for programs, resources, and activities that benefit our students. Click below on the link to pay your membership today, thank you so much for your support

Sign up with TOTEM: https://jointotem.com/ca/culver-city/la-ballona-elem/join/register

Sign up with Squareup: https://la-ballona-elementary-pta.square.site/s/shop