

Arts Magnet News!
August 22-26, 2022

Week 8, For Families and Community 9/26/-9/30, 2022
The High Holidays
Dear Altadena Eliot Arts Families,
Sunday at sundown begins the Jewish High Holidays, also known as the Ten Days of Awe. We begin with Rosh Hashanah or what we refer to as the Jewish New Year. It is a time for celebrating, being thankful for the past year, and making your prayers for a good, sweet new year ahead. When my children were little we ate apples dipped in honey and fresh challah while singing songs.
At sunset on October 4th, marks Yom Kippur, known as The Day of Atonement. This is a more solemn holiday when we reflect on the past and move toward forgiveness. Since the passing of my Jewish grandparents, great aunts and uncles, the celebrations are smaller but no less meaningful. I am grateful for our school community and how we are continuing to come together. Thank you all for supporting our teachers, staff and each other through the trauma of COVID and as we hope for a healthier and happier year ahead.
Thank you to all who came out to enjoy our first Back to School Night in person at our elementary site in over 2 years! It was wonderful to see you all!!!
This Week:
Please join us on Tuesday, September 27 at Chipotle to raise money for AAM! Let's make Burrito Tuesday a thing! See flyer below.
Wednesday 9/28 Principals Honor/Gospel Choir Auditions @ 2:15 pm!
This year our Honor Choir will have 3 directors and include students in grades 1-8! First, we will prepare for the holidays with Dr. Scheckel and Mr. Chavez. We will perform at Christmas Tree Lane Tree Lighting Ceremony and at our annual holiday show. Then starting in November, concurrently, rehearsals will include preparing for Gospel Fest at Disneyland with Mr. Linsey! Students must commit to being a part of the whole choir season running from October - February.
- Elementary auditions will be from 2:15-3:15 Parents pick up from main office at 3:15
- Middle school auditions will be from 3:15-4:15 Parents pick up from main office at 4:15
- All auditions will take place in the AAM Music Studio. Please email me with any questions.
Thursday join us at Eliot Arts for a special all district PTA Council Meeting at 6pm. See the flyer below.
Friday is Free Dress Day at the elementary site.
Elementary Art Studio Squad Schedule is now available. If you'd like to volunteer in our Art Studio, please reach out to Ms. Camargo.
Room 13 is starting up at our elementary site! More details about middle school Room 13 will be forthcoming. See info. below.
It's a great week to be a Cougar and a Husky!
Yours in Service,
Dr. Scheckel, Principal
Dine Out for Dollars on Tuesday!
Room 13 is starting at Elementary!
Eliot Arts Garden!
Eliot Students from the Learns Program harvesting red maize/corn last Wednesday. The maize husk were removed to dry the corn. In two weeks the maize will be dry enough to grind and turn into a flour. The flour will be used to make corn bread or tortillas.
Don't miss our first ever Eliot Arts Mime Show!
Join PTA Council Meeting this Thursday!
PTA Reflections Art Contest!
PTA Reflections Contest!
There's nothing to turn in until you submit your entry. Please do not turn in entries before Monday, 10/17/22. You will turn in with the entry form on the 17th.
“Show Your Voice!”
That’s the theme for the 2022-23 Reflections Art Program, which has been bringing the arts to life for more than 10 million students since 1969. California State PTA and its members, families and kids are on the forefront of this amazing program, which increases community awareness of the importance of arts in education. Visit https://capta.org/programs-events/reflections/ for morre information.
Reflections encourages students of all ages to:
- Unleash creative talents and be inspired
- Express themselves imaginatively in their artwork
- Experience the fun and joy of making art
- Tap into critical thinking skills to create art inspired by the annual theme
- Receive positive recognition for their original works of art.
Click here to see the California winners of the 2021-2022 Reflections Art Program. Here is a promotional video: https://youtu.be/0oOU3kyk28Y and this is from a teacher explaining the whole program https://youtu.be/xntygaUdOW0
Elementary Back to School Night!!!
Tournament of Roses Dia de los Muertos Art Contest!
Join our Hispanic Heritage Parade!
NUTRITION, NUTRITION, NUTRITION!
What to Eat, Send and Bring to School!
AAM is currently a completely NUT FREE campus. Please avoid any snacks on this list with nuts. We will revisit this policy next school year and consider nut free tables and spaces other than a campus-wide policy.
We know you sometimes want to host a celebration for your child's birthday in their classroom, or maybe you'd just like to know more about our PUSD approved list of snacks. If so, please read the attached PUSD List of Approved Snacks.
French Book Fair!
Virtual French Book Fair - Sept 12-26
Bonjour Families,
We are excited to announce the AAM FDLIP Virtual French Book Fair from September 12 to 26. Only purchases made during this time frame will count towards the book fair.
We are once again partnering with the independent French bookstore, Bonjour Books DC in Kensington, MD to offer a wide selection of French-language books for all grade levels. Our book fair coordinator this year is Stephen Raynor (stephen.raynor@gmail.com).
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING:
Book Fair Online Shopping Instructions:
1. Shop for BOOKS: We offer a wide selection of French-language books for all ages and grade levels online at www.bonjourbooksdc.com. Free shipping is available for all orders over $30.
2. Shop for GIFTS. We carry a large selection of gifts and goodies on our website. All sales count toward the book fair!
3. Show your appreciation amour for your child’s teacher!
a. Check to see if they have created a gift registry here.
b. If you don’t see their name, consider purchasing a gift card for them here!
4. Click the checkout button and follow instructions.
a. For orders of at least $30: FREE shipping to home is available.
5. In the "Discount Code" box, enter ALTADENA. Please note no discounts will be applied to your order. This code allows us to track book fair earnings.
6. Continue to the payment method and complete your checkout.
7. Need help? Email bonjourbooksdc@gmail.com or send a text message to 240-383-9163.
PLEASE NOTE: While we update stock frequently, information is not always 100% accurate. If an item shows in stock, it may in fact be out of stock, and vice versa. All in-stock items will be shipped within approximately 2 weeks. All backordered items will be shipped to home in approximately 4-5 weeks after the end of the book fair. Items purchased from gift registries will also be shipped to home and you (or your child via backpack:-)) will need to deliver them to your child’s teacher.
PUSD COVID-19 UPDATE
Since the early days of COVID, PUSD has had to pivot and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. At last night’s meeting, the Pasadena Unified Board of Education approved revisions to COVID safety protocols. The following revisions are now in place at all PUSD schools.
Outdoor in-person meetings/activities with parents/guardians, community members, staff, and students are now allowed with masking strongly recommended.
Indoor in-person meetings/group activities with parents/guardians, community members, staff, students are allowed with masking required for all.
Masks are strongly recommended for students and staff indoors in classrooms and other shared spaces.
Parent group meetings such as (PTA, SSC, ELAC, AAPC) are allowed in person and may be held outdoors or remotely if the respective parent leadership agree.
IEP meetings with parents/guardians may be held in-person or remotely, whichever supports greater parent/guardian participation.
Back to School nights will proceed as planned with masks required for all.
Visitors and volunteers are allowed on campus if they self-attest to being fully vaccinated or to having a negative COVID test within the past 48 hours. They must also conduct a symptom screening prior to entering campus and masking is required. All visitors and volunteers must abide by Board policies, regulations, and school rules. Board Policy - Visitors BP 1250.
Back-to-School Nights will be allowed in-person with mandatory masking.
The following protocols remain in place:
Masks are strongly recommended for students and employees in classrooms and indoors.
Masks are required:
on PUSD buses (with accommodations for students)
at testing and vaccination clinics
during field trips when required by the venue
for 10 days after exposure to COVID-19 and after a positive test result
Reentry Testing Before arriving for the first day of school, PUSD is asking every student and employee to take an at-home rapid antigen test on August 10 or 11. Parents/guardians can pick up rapid antigen test kits (containing 2 tests) at their child’s school/children’s center August 8-10. More information https://www.pusd.us/Page/9801
Rapid Antigen Tests The California Department of Public Health has endorsed the emergency use of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests beyond their FDA authorized expiration. Please follow instructions carefully. If a distinct line in the color specified in the instructions does not appear in the “C” control window, the test may be invalid.
Vaccine Clinics Getting vaccinated and boosted is still the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death. PUSD is holding vaccination clinics for ages 3 and older at the PUSD Primary Clinic (351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena)
Tuesday, August 9, 2022, 1:00-2:45 pm
Wednesday, August 10, 2022, 1:00-2:45 pm
Pre-register at MyTurn.CA.gov or register on site. Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines available. We also accept limited walk-ins.
Ventilation Air purifiers are in place in classrooms and indoor common areas. Filters were changed over the summer, and all lead custodians were trained on how to change both carbon and HEPA filters.
Personal Protective Equipment Masks and hand sanitizers are in stock and available to students and staff.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and flexibility as we strive to keep our students and staff safe and healthy.
PT(S)A Corner!
Let's Get Involved in our School!
Hi Huskies
Well we have made it through our first month of school. So far so good. October and Halloween are right around the corner. Your PTSA will be working with ASB on the Haunted Hallway, so volunteers are needed for ideas, set-up, take-down, concessions etc. Join us and have some fun.
Eliot Students, we will be ordering Hoodies soon. Need to know how many of you are looking to buy one. Drop a line to the PTSA website, let your ASB representatives know, or drop a note in the Front Office.
I attended a PUSD Board meeting this week along with PTA /PTSA representatives from several schools. We're getting their attention. According to the PTA Council President, Scott Harden, there are more members on PTA / PTSA now, at the beginning of the school year, than there were at the end of the last school year. There are over 700 student members in PTSA's in the district. Way to go! The more members, the louder our voice. So students, teachers, and parents, if you haven't joined yet, what are you waiting for? There's strength in numbers, so represent!
Michael McCarthy
Eliot Arts PTSA President
"Many hands make light work"
2184 N Lake Ave
Altadena, Ca 91001
P) 626-396-5680
Please consider joining both PT(S)As!
What is PTSA?
The Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA) is part of a national organization that engages and empowers families and communities to advocate for all children. At Altadena Eliot Arts Magnet, we support teachers and campus-wide projects and activities, give students, parents and guardians a voice and opportunities to improve the school environment, and work to improve the connection between our school, our families, and our community. Every student, parent, guardian, teacher, and staff person is invited to join PTSA. Members are encouraged but not required to attend three Association meetings during the school year; meetings and other activities are open to the entire school community.
Altadena Eliot Arts Membership Meetings for 2022-2023 are every 2nd Tuesday each month. Our first meeting will be held in the Eliot Library on September 13 at 6pm.
Step 1, join our PT(S)A membership! These parent groups are school advocates with a heart for service for our school! Anyone in the family can join, kids too! Join one, join both! Joining the PTA is simple.Log onto:
Annual Fund!
Please consider making a recurring donation of $45 to one or both of our Annual Funds! Our annual funds help to create a bridge for special services and arts programs at each of our campuses. Our annual funds are separate. Altadena's annual fund is chaired by Ms. Tasiah LeConte and Eliot's annual fund is chaired by Ms. Wendy Silva. Please join their committees and consider making a donation today!
AAM's Annual Fund
Eliot's Annual Fund
Spring Musical!
Calendar
September
- 2 Fire Drills - Both
- 3 Integrated Schools Pasadena @ 10 am - Both
- 5 Labor Day Schools Closed - Both
- 6 Rose Bowl Aquatics Program Begins for 3rd grade - AAM
- 8 School Tour AAM @ 9am
- 8 Back to School Night - Eliot @ 6pm, School Dismissed at 11:45 am
- 9 Cougar Values Awards Assembly @ 7:50 am - AAM
- 13 AAM SSC @ 3pm VIRTUAL
- 13 Joint PT(S)A Meeting in Eliot Library @ 6pm - Both
- 15 School Tour Eliot @ 8:30 am - Eliot
- 17 Design Team Meeting in Eliot Library @ 9 am - Both
- 20 Facilities Master Planning Community Meeting @ 6pm virtually
- 21 Back to School Night @ 5:30 pm - AAM
- 22 Eliot SSC @ 3:45 VIRTUAL
- 23 Staff Professional Development Schools Closed - Both
- 25 Rosh Hashanah Begins
- 27 CHIPOTLE Dine out for Dollars!
- 28 Principals/Gospel Choir Auditions 2:15 Elementary/3:15 Middle School
- 28-29 Eliot Fall Photos
- 30 Free Dress Friday - AAM
October
- 6 AAM fall photos in the garden grades PreK-2
- 6 AAM School Tour @ 9:00 am
- 7 AAM fall photos in the garden grades 3-5
- 7 Cougar Values Awards Assembly @ 7:50 am
- 8 Latino Heritage Parade
- 10 Hispanic Heritage Celebration - Both Sites
- 11 AAM SSC virtually @ 3:00 pm
- 11 Joint PT(S)A meeting in person @ 6:00 pm at AAM Cafetorium
- 14 Parent/Teacher Conference Day BOTH SITES/SCHOOL CLOSED
- 17 PTA Reflections Artwork Due!
- 19 Unity Day! Wear Orange
- 20 Great CA Shakeout @ 10:20 am Both Sites
- 25 Flu Clinic at Elementary Site
- 27 Eliot School Tour @ 8:30 am
- 27 Eliot SSC virtually at 3:45 pm
- 28 Free Dress Friday @ AAM
- 28 Trunk or Treat Movie Night @ AAM
- 29 Haunted Hallway @ Eliot 2-4pm
- 31 Book-O-Ween Celebration @ AAM