GATORAID

~ Absence Line 408-252-5414-6 ~ FAX 408-996-9725

School Phone: 408-252-5414

Boa rd o f Ed tend uca ent: tion Dr. W Boa end r y Gu Anja d Mem dale bers li K Jose wicz ausa : phin r, Be e Lu n Li ce ao, Phy y, Gary llis McC Voge ue, l Sup erin

CUP

GAR DEN ERT GAT INO UNI E ELEM 105 ON ENT 00 A SC ARY NN ARB HOOL CUP OR DIS ERT T AVE Bra INO NUE RICT ndi , CA Hu Azm 950 14 eh M cko Prin alik cipa - PT l A Pr esid ent

SCHOOL CALENDAR
OCTOBER 25, 2012
10/22-10/25 10/23 10/26 10/29 10/31 11/1 11/4 11/6 11/9 11/12 11/13 11/13 11/14 11/16 11/19-23 11/30 RED RIBBON WEEK C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING FALL CELEBRATION - GARDEN GATE FIELD STAFF LEARNING DAY - NO SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARADE PTA MEETING DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - TURN CLOCK BACK 1 HR. ELECTION DAY FIRST TRIMESTER ENDS VETERANS DAY OBSERVED - NO SCHOOL SECOND TRIMESTER BEGINS C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING SCHOOL SPIRIT - GATOR DAY THANKSGIVING RECESS - NO SCHOOL REPORT CARDS GO HOME

6:00 p.m. 3:00-5:00 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m.

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....MS. HUCKO!

PAGE

Dear Garden Gate Parents,

Fall Celebration
Join us from 3:00-5:00 this Friday, October 26, for our PTA-Sponsored Fall Celebration. During this outdoor celebration Garden Gate staff will facilitate games and craft activities, and families can purchase pumpkins from our pumpkin patch. Dont forget to stop by the bake sale for some fresh-baked goodies! Its sure to be a great time!

Monday, October 29 is a Staff Learning Day

There is no school for students on Monday. Teachers and staff will receive professional development in the areas of promoting cyber-citizenship within students, using technology in the classroom, and Common Core State Standards. Enjoy a three day weekend and well see you on Tuesday, October 30!

Halloween Parade - Wednesday, October 31 at 8:15 a.m.

Halloween is just around the corner and we are planning our Halloween Parade for Wednesday, October 31st at 8:15 a.m. All parents are welcome to come, watch and take pictures! Please bring your child to school dressed in their costumes over their regular clothes, as there is no appropriate place to change here at school. Please send a bag with your childs name on it so your child can put his/her costume away after the parade is over. When helping your child decide on a costume, please encourage him/her to pick one that supports our efforts to promote a positive and fun activity by keeping the following in mind: Costumes should be comfortable, easy to walk in, and should not hamper vision. Regular school rules of dress and safety apply. Costumes should be in good taste and not violent in nature. In accordance with the CUSDs Zero Tolerance Policy, no toy guns, plastic swords, knives, martial arts weapons are allowed on campus. Rollerblades, skates, skateboards, scooters, and bicycles are not permitted. Remind your child that there will be younger children in the parade who might be frightened by some of the scarier costumes and masks. Outfits that are scary or violent are not acceptable at school.

Help Your Elementary Schooler Take Responsibility for Learning

You have work to do every day, and so does your child! As the school year begins, encourage her to see learning as an important duty she can enjoy. Research shows this will help her succeed. Make it a priority to: Speak positively about school. How will your child use what she learns? What goals will she reach with her education? Compliment teachers, classes and your childs abilities. Recall positive experiences you had as a student. Help your child stay organized. Choose a simple-to-use system that keeps school papers in order. Together, tidy your childs school bag frequently. Pick a quiet, regular time and place for studying, too. Encourage time management. If your child receives a weekly homework packet, help her break it into daily assignments. When older kids are assigned long-term projects, divide them into small parts with manageable deadlines.
Source: What You Can Do at Home to Help Your Child Succeed at School, LearningToGive.org, http://learningtogive.org/parents/helping/ 1_what_you_can_do.asp.

Propellers

Do you wonder how to connect better with your children? Do you wonder what matters to them, and how you can assist them to grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible citizens? I encourage you to try a "propeller" - a question intended to spark conversations with your children. Try it around the dinner table tonight! This week's Propeller: Talk about a time you laughed so hard you thought you couldnt stop. Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

PTA CORNER

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES

PAGE

HelloGardenGateFamilies,
FALLCELEBRATIONISTOMORROW! GetreadytojoinusfortheFallCelebrationtomorrowfrom3:005:00 p.m.Itwillbeafun@illedafternoonofgames,activities,pumpkinpatch,abake sale,hennaandmore!Youwillalsobeabletobuyyummyhomebakedgoodsand@ind yourspecialpumpkinforyourHalloweendecoration.Thankstoallthosewhohave signeduptovolunteeratthisevent.IfyouwanttohelpwiththeFallCelebrationand havenotyethadtheopportunity,youcanstilldosobycontactingAravindaChigatiat kushal_mom@yahoo.com. THISISREDRIBBONWEEK! GatorsarecelebratingRedRibbonallthisweek.Studentslearnaboutmakinggood choicesinlife,stayingsafe,dealingwithdif@icultsituationsandlearningtosayNOtodrugs.Pleaseremember toaskyourchildrenaboutwhattheyhavedoneandlearnedinschoolthisweek.Keepinmindthatthebestway tokeepourkidsdrugfreeistotalktothemandprovidethemwithasupportiveandnurturingenvironment.I wouldliketoespeciallythankChanchalSahai,ourRedRibbonWeekCoordinator,forherawesome organizationofthissigni@icantfourdayevent! ICECREAMSOCIALANDBOOKFAIR LastThursdaysIceCreamSocialwasafun@illedeveningoficecream,socializing,andanopportunityto browseandbuybooksattheBookFair.AhugethankyoutoReshmiNarayanan,fororganizingthePTAsFall Social.Thankyoualsotoallthevolunteerswhohelpedduringtheevent. The Fall Book Fair had net sales of

about $11,000 thanks to everyone who shopped at the Fair! Twenty five percent of this amount goes to the School PTA. This years Fall Book Fair also enabled us to get books worth $1,300. for our school library!
Thisweeklongaffairneedsalotofmanpowerandconstantsupportthatthe BookFaircommitteeof@ivememberscannotprovidealone.Iwouldliketo thankthewonderfulvolunteerswhosigneduptosetupthefair,helprunitand @inallypackitaway.TheFairhasbeenasuccessbecauseofyourdedication andhardworkandweappreciateit! IMPORTANT:CHANGEINPTAMEETINGTIME Duetoshorterdaysofdaylightinthewintermonths,ourPTAmeetings duringthemonthsofNovemberthroughFebruarywillbeheldat4p.m. insteadof7:15pm.Pleasenotethenewstarttimeandplantoattendthe meetingonThursday,November1st. SeeyouattheFallCelebrationtomorrowandhaveawonderfulweekend! AzmehMalik GardenGatePTAPresident

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

GATORAID!
s Read-AThis year' on an Thon beg 012 and er 1, 2 Octob May 17, will end on purpose e 2013. Th gram is to of this pro long encourage ing habits d lasting rea The students. year's in this theme for n is: -A-Tho Read rough A Buzz Th ! ok Good Bo children their ring that lp by ensu oks. nts can he wide variety of bo Pare ess to a have acc ber s for Octo ading log er 31 for te that re b Please no submitted by Octo ill submit their uld be , who w -3 ge: sho grades K ing webpa tudents in online, at the follow s gs reading lo dline.net/pages/ School/ chool/Our_ /www.e http:/ mentary_S ate_Ele Garden_G n_Information -Tho Read-A it their will subm y. grades 4-5 f classroom activit in Students part o gs as -Areading lo t the Read tions abou rudula Gokhale, s M e any que If you hav m, please contact xt 150. n progra Tho 14, e at 252-54 Librarian,

PAGE

Odyssey of the Mind Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program. Interested parents can attend an information session about the "Odyssey of the Mind" program on Sunday, October 28, at 4:00 PM in Tulip After School, 133 E. Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale. Barbara Hans, co-director of the Silicon Valley Odyssey of the Mind will be presenting the program. Please RSVP to Ipsita Chowdhury via gg.odysseyofthemind@gmail.com if you would like to attend this session and to sign up your child for this program or to sign up to be a coach or a judge. Note that while this opportunity is offered to all Garden Gate students and parents, it is a completely parent-run, voluntary program, and Ipsita Chowdhury is the contact person.

INDEPENDENT STUDY CONTRACTS

If you plan to be away from school for a minimum of five school days and a maximum of ten school days, please contact the school office and your childs teacher at least three weeks ahead of your departure date to arrange for a special Independent Study Contract. The following guidelines must be followed: A student must be enrolled for three consecutive weeks before an Independent Contract can be initiated. The contract and homework must be returned the first day back to school with all the work completed, so days missed do not count as unexcused absences. Students who are absent for more than ten consecutive days will be dropped from the school roster. When the student returns, if space is available at his or her school, the student will be reinstated with the presentation of a current PG&E bill. If no space is available, the student will be assigned to another school in the district where space is available.

Students,Educators & Parents Speak Up! Open October 3rd December 14th, 2012
Please join the conversation about the use of technology for learning through Speak Up, a National Research Project. The online survey is open to students, educators and parents alike and its quick and easy to get involved. We value your input, opinions, and ideas in regards to how technology impacts our student's education and their future. We hope that you will participate and provide your feedback. The survey will be open until December 14th. To take the survey visit: http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2012 Your password is: gardengate

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

GATORAID!
2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

PAGE

The Board of Education just approved the 2013-2014 school year calendar during the board meeting held on October 23, 2012. The full calendar is available on the Districts website at www.cusdk8.org. Here are the important dates for the District and Murdock-Portal Elementary School for next year:

2013-2014 District Calendar

(All schools except Murdock-Portal)

2013-2014 Murdock-Portal Calendar

Students Return Labor Day October Break Veterans Day Observed Thanksgiving Recess Winter Recess Martin Luther King Day Mid-Year Recess Spring Recess Memorial Day Last Day of School

August 19, 2013 September 2, 2013 (Murdock-Portal only) November 11, 2013 November 25-29, 2013 Dec. 23, 2013Jan. 3, 2014 January 20, 2014 February 17-21, 2014 April 14-18, 2014 May 26, 2014 June 11, 2014

August 12, 2013 September 2, 2013 October 7-18, 2013 November 11, 2013 November 25-29, 2013 Dec. 23, 2013Jan. 3, 2014 January 20, 2014 February 17-21, 2014 April 7-18, 2014 May 26, 2014 June 25, 2014

ELEMENTARY NEWSLETTER SCHEDULE

The Cupertino Union School District is constantly striving to streamline and improve our communication with our parent community. As such, starting in November 2012, all elementary schools will be transitioning to an every other week newsletter schedule. Please be aware that the District will also be implementing several new communication tools to keep you better informed and engaged at your school site. You will start receiving periodic emails regarding specific news items and phone messages from the school site regarding timely items or emergency information. These communication tools will not only save staff time, but will prevent you from receiving the same information over and over again. Many of our Middle Schools migrated to a monthly newsletter format several years ago and this schedule has worked well. Given the fact that the amount of parent involvement at the elementary school site is higher than middle school, the every other week newsletter schedule seems to fit better.

CITIZENS BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

On June 5, 2012, voters residing within the Cupertino Union School District passed Measure H. Measure H is a $220 million bond measure that authorizes funding for needed repairs, upgrades, and new construction projects to the Districts schools. Proposition 39 required a 55% supermajority for approval; Measure H was passed by 66.16%. After a bond authorized under Proposition 39 is passed, state law requires that the Cupertino Union School District Board of Education appoint a Citizens Oversight Committee to work with the District. In accordance with Education Code Section 15278(b), the Citizens Oversight Committee shall: Inform the public concerning the District's expenditure of Measure H bond proceeds Review expenditure reports produced by the District to ensure that Measure H bond proceeds were expended only for the purposes set forth in Measure H Present to the Board of Education in public session, an annual written report outlining their activities and conclusions regarding the expenditure of Measure H bond proceeds

The Board of Education of the Cupertino Union School District is seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders which will serve as the independent Citizens Oversight Committee for the implementation of the Districts Measure H school facilities bond program. Additional information and the Committee Application are available at www.cusdk8.org, or by calling (408) 252-3000, Extension 323. Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125