GATORAID

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

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SCHOOL CALENDAR
April 22, 2010

4/23 WALK-A-ROUND EVENT

4/26-5/7 STAR TESTING
5/1 SAT. 8:30 a.m.-6:45 p.m. S’COOL SPIRIT BAND - MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL & GREAT AMERICA
5/4 6:30 p.m. KINDERGARTEN (RMS. #2 & 7) MUSIC PERFORMANCE - GLC
5/4 7:15 p.m. KINDERGARTEN ( RMS. #1 & 6) MUSIC PERFORMANCE - GLC
5/6 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING
5/7 WALK-A-ROUND DONATIONS DUE
5/11 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MTG - COLLINS SCHOOL
5/12 7:00 p.m. S’COOL SPIRIT SPRING BAND CONCERT - GLC
5/13 6:30 p.m. GRADE 3 MUSIC PERFORMANCE - GLC
5/17-5/21 STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
5/19 4:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING
5/20 6:30 p.m. GRADE 2 MUSIC PERFORMANCE - GLC
5/27 7:00 p.m. OPEN HOUSE
5/28 STAFF LEARNING DAY - NO SCHOOL
5/31 MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL

Parent Traffic Duty: April 26 - April 30 - Parents from Rm. #30

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
WALK-AROUND - THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 23RD!
We are so excited about our Walk-Around. Please stop by to see us if you have a chance. I’ll be the one in
the chicken costume. Our school raised an outstanding $2,522.00 for the Make a Wish Foundation!

STAR TESTING STARTS NEXT WEEK (4/26/10 – 5/7/10).

Yes, indeed, it’s STAR testing time. Here are a few tips to help your student do well on the assessments:

1. RELAX - That’s everyone! Your child has been studying and working hard all year.
This is their chance to show what they know. We do our best when we reduce our stress!
2. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Make sure that your child goes to bed at a reasonable time.
This should be a year-round practice. We do our best when we’ve had our rest!
3. EAT YOUR BREAKFAST You wouldn’t get far if you didn’t feed fuel to your car.
The same applies to your body. Make sure that your child has something to eat before she/he
comes to school. We do our best when we food ingest! (Ok, that one was a stretch!)
4. Did I say RELAX, GET ENOUGH SLEEP, and EAT YOUR BREAKFAST?
5. Good luck, everyone! No matter your score, we couldn’t like you more! 

GARDEN GATE DESTINATION IMAGINATION STUDENTS WIN 2ND PLACE STATEWIDE!

OFF TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION GLOBAL FINALS IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE!
Congratulations to the Garden Gate “Inventing Stars” team of Swetha Alachi, Amrita Nagasuri, Pranav
Muthuraman, Shoba Santosh, Vishal Swaminathan, and Kishen Saravanan! They won second place at the
California State Championship 2010 with their improvisational skit on endangered things on our planet. Our
talented students will head to the Global Finals tournament to be held in Knoxville, Tennessee from
May 25th - May 29th. There they will compete with over 1,000 teams from around the world in presenting
creative solutions to challenges that will be given to them. Good luck to our team! We are very proud of
you!

We are also very proud of the fact that several years ago our fifth grade team, “Strong Cards” made
it to the Global Finals! It was our first year of participation and we went to Tennessee! At the time I
asked the question, “Where do we go from here since we went to the International Competition in
our first year?” Well, obviously that’s been answered. Some things are definitely worth repeating!


STUDENTS LEAVING EARLY - PARENT REQUESTS FOR PROMOTION TO THE NEXT GRADE
Some of our families are returning to their home countries before the end of the school year. A few of the
parents have been asking school staff to say their child has been “promoted” to the next grade or “eligible”
for the next grade level. We cannot say either unless the child is in school on May 20, 2010. Our district
policy requires that students be in attendance on that day. Before that date, all we can do is give a
progress report. We appreciate your understanding on this matter.

MOVING? PLEASE LET THE OFFICE KNOW.

If you are planning to move over the summer and will not be returning to Garden Gate, please let the office
know as soon as is possible. We are in the process of planning for our enrollment next year, and knowing
who will not be returning will help to make our numbers more accurate. Thank you for your assistance in
this matter.
PTA CORNER PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES ! PAGE 3

Hello Gators!

I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT SPRING BREAK! NOW IS THE TIME TO SPRING BACK INTO
ACTION!
Welcome back to everyone and especially to our returning 5th Graders after their week at Marin
Headlands Science Camp! I really hope you had a great time.

CONGRATULATIONS TO GARDEN GATE’S “INVENTING STARS”

Yes! Congrats to our Destination Imagination Team, “Inventing Stars.” Our team is comprised of
Garden Gate students both past and present: Shoba Santosh, Vishal Swaminathan, Kishen
Saravanan, Swetha Alachi, Amrita Nagasuri, and Pranav Muthuraman!

They have spent months working on their Destination Imagination challenge and have taken 2nd
place in the California State Championship 2010. They will now be moving on to Global Finals in
Knoxville, TN!!! Congratulations to the team and to their supportive families!

THE GARDEN GATE WALK-AROUND IS THIS FRIDAY! GET YOUR PLEDGES NOW AND TURN
THEM IN ON FRIDAY!
Please assist your children as they gather pledges for the Walk-Around that will be taking place at
Garden Gate on the field this Friday, April 23rd. So please get busy and collect those pledges now!
The children can either get a fixed pledge for one amount or they can get pledges on a per lap basis.
We have a long list of awesome raffle prizes and one Grand-Prize of an Xbox Elite that will go to the
student who raised the highest amount. For the raffle prizes, your child will receive one raffle ticket
for each $5 they raised. After the money is collected, the raffle tickets will be given out and the
children will place their raffle tickets in the raffle boxes for a chance to win their favorite prize! Last
year we raised $16,000! This great community event involves the entire school community so we will
need lots of volunteers. If you haven’t signed up, please contact Merav Talmor at
merav.talmor.gmail.com to help out. It’s great fun for all participants, so please volunteer and join the
fun!

“THEIR FUTURE IS NOW CAMPAIGN”

“Their Future is Now Campaign” has raised over $ 1 million!!! . If you have not already given to this
effort to save our teachers, please consider it now. If this effort is successful at raising $3 million by
May 12th, we can save all 115 teachers who have already been given lay-off notices!

Kathleen McCulloch
Garden Gate PTA President

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
 GATORAID
DON’T LOSE YOUR PLACE AT GARDEN
GATE
to
We have noticed that many families are starting
the summ er break . This is just a
make travel plans for
CUS D polic y state s that all stud ents
reminder that
must be in class on the last day of school.
Gate
Students risk losing their placement at Garden
scho ol year if they are not
School for the 2010/2011
last day of scho ol, June 10th. Stud ents
present on the
the 2010 /2011
must also be present on the first day of
school year, August 19th, 2010.
ALLERGY SEASON HAS STARTED
The flowers are blooming, trees are budding and students
are reacting with swollen eyes and other allergy
symptoms. Red irritated eyes are often the sign of “pink
eye” which is a contagious disease. When students come
to the office complaining of sore eyes, there is nothing we
can do to alleviate the pain other than provide a cold
compress. We cannot diagnose the problem as either an
allergy or “pink eye” – a doctor must do this. If a
prescribed or over-the-counter medicine is needed and is
to be administered at school, the office must have a blue
medical form completed by the doctor on file before any
medication can be given. These forms are available in the
school office. Students may not bring any medicine to
school in their backpacks. All medications need to be in
the original packaging with the pharmaceutical label. All
medicine is kept in the school office.
ABSENCES AND TARDIES
Attendance and punctuality are important in establishing
good behaviors and building responsibility in young
children. Please ensure that your child is at school
everyday and that they arrive on time. If your child will be
absent, please call the attendance line promptly (252-5414,
ext. 6). If your child arrives after 8:00 a.m. they must report
to the school office for a late slip before entering the
classroom. Under state law, three unexcused absences,
tardies, or a combination thereof are considered a truancy.
RECYCLING
Our Garden Gate Recycling Program is continuing in 2010!
Please remember to place all your recycling (plastic and
cans) into the blue bins that are located in the outside
hallway by Friday of each week. They will not take milk
cartons! All proceeds will go to the Marin Headlands
Science School Fund.
Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014
PAGE 4
DELIVERY OF LUNCH AND FORGOTTEN ITEMS
Please make every effort to make sure your child brings
any item he/she needs for school such as: school books,
homework, a lunch box, jacket, band instrument, etc. with
him/her each day. It is important for children to learn it’s
their responsibility to come to school prepared. If you need
to bring your child an item, please come to the school office
and we will contact the child’s teacher during the break time
or recess. If your child forgot his/her lunch and you
wish to bring it, it must be in the office by 11:00 a.m.
Please remember that we do not call the classroom or
interrupt the class while it is in session. Thank you for
your understanding and support.
CUPERTINO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
LUNCH PROGRAM
Student lunch w/milk....................$2.75
Weekly................................ $13.75
Monthly.............................. $55.00
Milk or juice...................75¢ (all lunches include milk)
PAMS website: www.pamslunchroom.com or to find out
what the balance is on your child’s lunch account, you can
call this toll-free number: 1-888-994-5100.
Student Nutrition Services is proud to introduce their
new web page located at the following URL:
http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid
=1805092039571289
Please visit the web page if you have questions about the
student lunch program or your child’s account. It is a work
in progress dedicated to nutrition, fitness and health.
SAFETY TIPS. . .
• Use corners and crosswalks to get to school. Crossing
between parked cars is very dangerous.
• Always come to a complete stop at stop signs and wait a
second to make sure the intersection is clear.
• Yield right of way to the children.
• Do not block neighbors’ driveways.
• Please be respectful to our traffic volunteers. They are out
there to keep our children safe!
PARENTS AND VISITORS ON CAMPUS
Once school is in session, parents are not allowed to
interrupt class for any reason! The teachers are busy with
the students and interruptions are distracting and affect
classroom instruction. If you need to speak to
someone, please come to the office. All visitors on campus
or entering classrooms as volunteers MUST sign in at
the office and obtain a visitors badge when school is in
session. For the safety of your children, we need to know
who is on campus.
 DISTRICT NEWS SECTION
GATORAID! PAGE 5
2010 STAR TESTING DATES
STAR Multiple Choice Testing for grades 2-8 will begin the week of April 26, 2010 and continues for two
weeks. The STAR Program is a state accountability measure that helps us assess how we are meeting
the needs of our students. You can help prepare your child for the test by ensuring your child goes to bed
on time, eats a good breakfast, and leaves for school with a positive attitude. Please do not schedule any
family trips or doctor appointments during this time.

“THEIR FUTURE IS NOW!” FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

We have raised over $1,000,000! In 4 short weeks we solved one-third of the problem! You will
never guess it only took 17% participation to get us this far. That means 83% of our families can play a
role in getting us across the NEXT million! Think what we will achieve when more families join in!
Together, let’s protect our children’s future! Make your contribution today at www.CEEFcares.org.

Win a party for your school!

When your school reaches 55% participation, all the kids will win a school party hosted by one of our
generous sponsors. The kids will have a blast bowling at Strikes Cupertino, mini-golfing at Golfland
Sunnyvale, or ice skating at Ice Center Cupertino! Be part of the momentum that carries us across the
next million!

Cisco Employees – CEEF’s approval is complete. Cisco will match:

• all donations into the campaign starting from March 15th.
• 100% of the donation amount, up to $1000 annual employee limit!
Please donate now and then submit your matching request. If you’ve already donated, initiate the
matching process ASAP. We're thrilled with the efforts of our district families to keep our schools strong!
Join the solution at www.CEEFcares.org.

2010 CEEF BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT SAVE THE DATE! HELP OUR SCHOOL!
Monday, June 21, 2010 11:00 a.m. Shotgun Start Stanford Golf Course
Save the date now for CEEF’s 24th Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, June 21, 2010, at Stanford Golf Course. The
tournament will provide funds toward CEEF’s Arts & Technology Matching Grant program that benefits every district school.

DE ANZA COLLEGE SUMMER EXTENDED YEAR PROGRAM 2010

De Anza College in partnership with the Cupertino Union School District will offer the Extended Year Program this summer,
mornings only, from June 21 to July 16, 2010.
Students entering grades 6 through 10:
Classes will be held at Kennedy and Miller Middle Schools, and will include: Java Programming, Geometry, Intro to Algebra,
LEGO Robotics, Speech and Debate, Fashion Design and many others.
Students entering grades 1 through 5:
Classes will be held at Eaton Elementary School, and will include: Pre-Algebra Prep, Writing: Paragraphs to Essays, Reading
Intensive, Mandarin Chinese, Math & Art, Mandarin, Journalism/Writing, and more! Program brochures will be sent home in
early March and will also be available at your school office. More information is available at www.extendedyear.deanza.edu.
Early registration is by mail only and will begin on March 8, 2010 and ends on May 21, 2010. There will also be walk-in
registration available from June 1 to June 8, 2010.

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95014