2241 Russell St.
The
Berkeley, CA 94705
www.leconteonline.org
(510) 644-6290
January 3, 2011
Cheryl Wilson– Principal
Jill Wang – PTA President
Important dates
WED., Jan. 12
School Governance Council
Meeting, 6:30PM, Library
MON., Jan. 17
School Closed –Holiday
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Birthday
TUES., Jan. 18
Kindergarten Information
Night, 7:00PM, Room 109
TUES., Jan. 18
PTA Meeting
5:45PM – Dinner, 6:00PM
Meeting
Cafeteria
THURS., Jan. 20
English Language Advisory
Committee Meeting,
5:00PM, Room 106
SAT., Jan. 22
TWI Parent Meeting –
Alumni Forum
LeConte, 10:00AM-12:00PM
THURS., Jan. 27
Coalition of Families for
African-American Students
Meeting
6:00PM, Library
MON., Jan. 31
School Closed
Staff Development Day
(Teachers attending district
sponsored workshops)
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Lamppost
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Welcome to 2011
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in
their mission can alter the course of history. – Mahatma Gandhi
Thanks to everyone for the colorful, flavorful, and unforgettable
Latino Heritage Celebration held December 10th. The decorations, food, and
dancing were all extraordinary. The music of the Mariachi Band made the
event even more festive. Please see the Special Recognition section for a list
of the committee members who worked day and night to make sure the event
was successful, and please acknowledge them for their hard work. Photos of
the dance performances are attached; thank you students, teachers, and dance
instructors for being so wonderful, and thanks to Carolyn Perez for the
enlarged prints of the “Tango.”
Similar to many of you, I traditionally look forward to a new year by
setting goals. I have the usual ones about diet and exercise but the goals I
want to adhere to and need your support with are goals related to monitoring
student progress and providing early intervention assistance. This means that
all grade levels must measure students’ growth on a set of standards every
six to eight weeks to make sure students do not fall behind and to make sure
students are being challenged. This also means that the practice of providing
the same instructional strategies and time to all students must change.
Current research shows that effective classrooms provide a range of whole-
class, small-group, and one-to-one instruction. Solely relying on whole-class
teaching results in failure for struggling students and boredom for students
who already know the material.
Our staff has been vigilant about providing extra tutoring and one-
on-one instruction for students below grade level, we must now adjust
instruction to meet the needs of all our students and routinely document
students’ progress. You can assist us with these goals by monitoring your
child’s individual progress. Is your child able to complete the homework
assignments? Is your child reading every day? Is your child able to do basic
math operations or write a sentence, note, paragraph, etc. based on her/his
grade level? Please do not wait for your child’s report card to find out about
her/his level of progress.
If you have concerns, please contact your child’s teacher. If you
need any additional materials to help your child improve his/her skill level or
to challenge your child, please feel free to contact me by email
Cheryl_Wilson@berkeley.k12.ca.us. Our staff is working collaboratively to
improve achievement so please do not hesitate to pose questions, offer
suggestions, and meet with us at any time. Let’s have a powerful new year!
----Principal Wilson
NOTICES: SCHOOL CLOSED: Mon., Jan. 17 and Mon., Jan. 31

SCHOOL WIDE EVENTS

African-American Heritage Celebration and Quilt Raffle
Our next major student performance and school-wide fundraiser will be held Friday, February 25th so
please put this date of your calendar and plan to support this event. You will receive more information
about how you can help and about the Quilt Raffle within the next two weeks.

Donna Chan Chin’s Retirement Event – POSTPONED

The date has been postponed because the previous date, January 7th, did not allow enough time for
planning and getting the word out to families. You will be notified at least three weeks in advance of the
new date.

KidpowerTM Workshop
On Wednesday, January 5th LeConte’s teaching and support staff will begin training for implementation
of the Kidpower curriculum we purchased last year. We put off implementation because of the numerous
other curriculum programs staff had to begin in September (the new reading program, Welcoming
Schools Curriculum, Response to Intervention, etc.) The delay was to our advantage, however, because
the Kidpower Organization received a grant and this $1800 workshop is being funded in full by Hitachi
High Technologies! The introduction to the program will “emphasize the everyday skills that prevent a
problem from escalating into a situation that involves physical conflict.” Our students will be learning
conflict resolution skills with proactive strategies and language to keep them safe. Ms. Blanchard, one of
our fifth grade teachers, will be providing an overview of the program at our next PTA meeting, Tuesday,
January 18th.

Student Survey/Report Card

A copy of the survey is attached. The survey will be administered in the classroom by January 14th. The
results will be included in the February Lamppost. The purpose of this survey is to get feedback from our
students about their perceptions and feelings about school: belonging, achievement, and support.

Toy/Gift Drive
Thanks to those of you who donated gift cards and toys for LeConte families. A special thanks goes to
two LeConte parents, August Fern and Irene Leja. August bought, wrapped, and donated over ten gifts
and Irene personally delivered those gifts to the homes of several families during the holidays.

Welcome Laura Anderson

Ms. Anderson has taken over Natalia Bernal’s kindergarten class for the duration of the year. Natalia and
her baby, Alexa, are doing fine. We are glad to have Ms. Anderson because she is not only an advocate of
Two Way Immersion but also working on completing a Master’s Degree in the area of Second Language
Acquisition. While Ms. Anderson is working with the basic systems developed by Ms.Bernal, she is in
the process of establishing procedures to make the transition smoother and to develop a stronger social
and academic connection with the students. Principal Wilson will also be assisting in the classroom
periodically to provide additional ideas and guidance.
Celebrate LeConte Assembly, Friday, January 28th
The assembly will begin at 8:15AM and last about 20 to 30 minutes. Thanks to our PTA, coffee
and light refreshments will be provided so that families can relax and enjoy seeing our children
shine.

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 LeConte Calendar

LECONTE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEES

School Governance Council (SGC) next meeting: Wednesday, January 12, 6:30PM
During the December meeting, Principal Wilson proposed the following funding requests that were
approved by the SCG: one additional classroom tutor, after school tutoring provided by classroom
teachers, purchase of more bilingual and English “just right” books, additional yard supervision, stipends
for teachers who coordinate our Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and Response to Intervention programs,
and professional development time for teachers. To help more families understand the PBS process and
implementation of the new Kidpower Program, an overview will be presented at the next PTA meeting on
January 18..

PTA General Meeting next meeting: Tuesday, January 18th, 5:45PM

Please join us for the January meeting! We need your assistance with getting the word out about the Quilt
Raffle! Dana Blanchard, one of our fifth grade teachers, will provide an overview of the three programs
designed to improve school discipline: Positive Behavior Support, awareness of differences (Welcoming
Schools), and strategies students can use to respond to negative comments and aggressive behavior
(Kidpower).

Ongoing PTA fundraising opportunities to help our school include:

 Great America fundraiser: 50% of purchase goes to support Leconte
 Chinook Books - $20 book of coupons to use around the East Bay at green businesses, with $10
per book purchase going to LeConte. Chinook Books may be purchased at the LeConte office
(check or cash).
 Berkeley Bowl (BB) Scrip (Gift Certificates). LeConte PTA earns 4% of every sale! BB scrip is
available in $20 denominations. LeConte PTA earns over $2000 a year from these sales. You can
buy BB scrip from Gloria Park (wearing jester hat) on Friday mornings or leave check (made
payable to LeConte PTA) or cash for her with school secretary Marie anytime. You can also
reach Gloria at 510-517-7133 or gloriapark@post.harvard.edu.
 Escrip.com. You can sign up with Escrip.com and earn money for LeConte whenever you use
your registered credit or debit cards at participating vendors. You can also register your Macy’s
and Safeway cards on Escrip to earn money every time you use these cards. Remember to update
your card numbers as needed at escrip.com! Your friends and family can also register on
Escrip.com for LeConte! The LeConte ID # is 137116693. Need help? Call or email Gloria Park
at 510-517-7133 or gloriapark@post.harvard.edu.
 Whole Foods Gift Card program. The PTA earns $4 for each $100 gift card purchased. If you
regularly shop at Whole Foods, this seemly small contribution can add up to a significant amount
for LeConte. Please purchase your cards (in $100 denominations) from Peter Shelton at morning
line-up. Peter will wear his black and white checkered hat. Cash or checks made out to LeConte
PTA, please. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at Peter@PeterSheltonLaw.com or
at 510-529-5483.

The PTA is also requesting volunteers with novice sewing abilities to help sew the quilt for our annual
quilt raffle that happens in February. (No quilting experience necessary.)

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English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 20, 5:00
The committee members had a discussion about the Latino Heritage event, things that went well
and what we might do differently next time. There was also discussion about how the funds for English
language learners might used. Currently, funds have been set aside to purchase more bilingual books. All
parents are welcome to provide suggestions about the best ways to use the funds, such as purchasing more
internet intervention materials, funding workshops for parents, etc. Please come to the next meeting
prepared to discuss funding options.

Coalition of Families for African American Students next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6:00
Holiday commitments and other family events limited the number of members who attended the
meeting in December. The people who did attend created a display of family celebrations in
honor of Kwanzaa, a time when African American families come together to review and
celebrate the values of African culture; values which contribute to building and reinforcing
community among African-Americans. Most of the January meeting will be devoted to
discussing preparations and developing a list of volunteers who will help with our annual
LeConte African-American Heritage Celebration and Quilt Raffle on February 25th.

SCHOOL-WIDE & DISTRICT NEWS

Berkeley School Enrollment for 2011-12 starts: January 4, 2011
Check out www.berkeley.net for information on application and procedures. School visitation schedules
are also posted.
K-8 School Application deadline for first lottery: February 4, 2011
Free Cooking Classes, Fall/Winter Series
Two FREE! five-week cooking and nutrition class sessions for BUSD parents and children are being
offered as followed at Willard Middle School’s Cooking Room, 2425 Stuart Street.
Series 4: Tuesdays, Jan. 11 – Feb. 8, 5:30 - 7:30PM
Series 5: Thursdays, Jan. 13 – Feb. 10, 5:30 – 7:30PM
Classes are free, but space is limited so call 644-6710 to sign up today. Children ages 4 and up are
welcome to attend the Kids Nutrition Club that’s available during the cooking class hours.
Kindergarten Information Night, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 7:00PM
Every year our district offers a Kindergarten Information Night for prospective families. The evening
begins with a welcome, introduction of the staff, and brief overview of kindergarten. We would like to
have at least three parent representatives attend to help answer questions from the perspective of a
“parent.” This is the same evening of the PTA meeting so please join the staff in Ms. Lewis/Easton’s
room to say a brief welcome to new families to BUSD.

Middle School Information Night

Middle School Nights (Noches Informativas en Espanol) -- Each middle school will host an information
night in January where parents will have a chance to visit the school, meet teachers and the principal, and
discuss curriculum. Information nights are a great opportunity to ask questions! All new middle school
families are encouraged to attend -- both those new to the district and those matriculating from a Berkeley
elementary school. All nights begin at 7:00PM. For more information, please call the school directly.

School Information Night Phone Number Address

King January 12 644-6280 1781 Rose St
Willard January 19 644-6330 2425 Stuart St
Longfellow January 26 644-6360 1500 Derby St

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 LeConte Calendar

Outstanding Balances for the Cost of Lunch

If you received a letter or phone call stating that you owe for lunches your child has received, please pay
the balance as soon as possible. Our food service workers have been instructed to deny a hot lunch to all
students who have outstanding balances; however, all students can have fruit and items from the salad bar
free of charge. If your financial circumstances have changed and you think you may qualify for free or
reduced lunch, please obtain and complete a meal application. Applications are available in our office.
School Visitation Hours, Jan. 4 through Feb. 3, every Tues. and Thurs., 8:30-10:00AM
Parent volunteers are also needed to provide tours to incoming kindergarten families and families new to
BUSD. The tours are held every Tuesday and Thursday, January 4 through February 3 between 8:30AM
and 10:00AM. Please contact our PTA President, Jill Wang at (510) 647-5012 to volunteer to lead a tour.
Principal Wilson often helps with the tours so you will not be alone. Thanks, in advance, for supporting
this effort!

TWI Parent Meeting/Alumni Forum, Sat., Jan. 22, 10:00AM, LeConte

A panel of parents and students that currently are or have been in a BUSD TWI Program will be
talking about their experiences and successes. They will share the opportunities available and the
benefits of being bilingual, bi-literate, and bicultural. For more information, or if you wish to
help, please send a message to BerkeleyTWI@gmail.com.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Attendance—REMINDER!!!
As you may know, schools receive funding based on the number of students who attend each day. The
amount per child is between $32 and $35 dollars. Though the amount may appear small, it adds up when
several students are absent throughout the school. Within the guidelines of the State, students must arrive
at school on time to be counted as present. Therefore, it is not only important that your child come to
school but also that your child be on time. When you make doctor or dentist appointments for your child,
please try to make the appointment after 9:30AM, so that your child can be counted as attending school.
Also, please write a note or contact your child’s teacher to explain all absences. Our school secretary is
required to maintain and turn in notices of all excused absences. Finally, please note that you will
automatically receive a “truancy” letter if your child is chronically 30 minutes late to school meaning s/he
arrived at 8:41AM or later. If the pattern continues, three letters will be sent home and then the parent or
guardian will be required to attend a Student Attendance Review Meeting at the site and then district
level.

Communication
Our school bulletin, the Lamppost, will be sent home on or near the first Monday of every month along
with other school and classroom announcements. You can obtain weekly updates on email by going
online, www.leconteonline.org, and signing up. We have two moderated email groups – one for
announcements only, and one for “announcements plus discussion.” To join either group, please visit our
website, www.leconteonline.org, and follow the links on the right side of the home page. We also have an
“all-call” system to notify you by telephone of any emergencies, special requests, and reminders. You can
reach your child’s teacher by telephone or email. Teachers should be sending home written information at
least once a month or contacting you by telephone.

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Online Payments for School Meals
BUSD is pleased to announce “mySchoolBucks.com” a new online Payment Center for families. You can
now make payments to your child’s school lunch account any time of day throughout the year. You will
be able to pay for meals, view cafeteria purchases, track meal account balances, schedule recurring
payments, etc. Visit www.mySchoolBuck.com to create your account. You can call Marni Posey or Sara
Leon at (510) 644-6200 if you have any questions.

LeConte Students Enhance Learning with Free Educational Software

Our district will continue funding our subscription to the Compass Learning educational software
program. All students enrolled in LeConte are able to access the program. You can gain access to this
program from home or school. This software is aligned with state and national standards and provides a
stimulating (and fun!), customized learning environment for each child. Compass Learning is at
www.childu.com. To get your child started, you will need your child’s user name and password. Most
user names and passwords follow the following standard format:
User Name: LeCFirstNameLastInitial.
Password: FirstInitialLastInitial
School: BUSD
For example, John Smith has a user name of LeCJohnS and a password of js. Contact August Fern at
august.fern@gmail.com if you are having difficulties logging in or would like to set up a parent account
to monitor your student's progress.
Next Lamppost: February 1, 2011
To submit information for the Lamppost, please email Principal Wilson at
Cheryl_Wilson@berkeley.k12.ca.us or Cathlene Richmond at cathlene.richmond@gmail.com. The
deadline for our next issue is Friday, January 21st.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Toy/Gift Drive
Thanks again to everyone who gave for the benefit our families in need and especially to August
Fern and Irene Leja for going above and beyond to make sure students received presents.

Latino Heritage Celebration

In addition to all the families and teachers who helped the students get dressed, the families who
helped serve and clean up, the students who danced, the people who helped them get on the
stage, and all of you who attended, a very special thank you goes to the following people who
worked tirelessly to make this spectacular event a success...
Gazel Valdez, Graciela G. Hernandez Zaldivar, Elena Topete, Yasmin Carretero, Leticia
Gonzales, Maria Theresa Tostes-Ribeiro McLaughlin, Angelica Gonzales,
Paz Meléndez-Canales, Rafael Canales, Juan Garcia, and our Master of Ceremony, Jaime Diaz,
and the student presenters, Emily Diaz, Briann Rodriguez, Isaac Torres, Charlotte Shelton, and
Selene Rodriguez-Alcaraz

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 LeConte Calendar

KIDS & FAMILY FUN TIPS

AAA School Traffic Safety Poster and Video Contest

Each year AAA hosts a poster/video contest where children from elementary to high school grades
compete for prizes. Each age group is assigned a different theme. Winning designs may be featured in
AAA traffic safety education materials and promotions. Each student creates a safety poster, created
vertically, no larger than 15” x 22.” The contest rules are attached along with the Poster Entries slogan
guidelines. The deadline for submitting entries is January 31; however, your child must submit her/his
entry to their classroom teacher by Monday, January 24th.

Flyers Attached
 LeConte Student Survey
 District sponsored Parent Workshops
 AAA School Traffic Contest Information
 Photos: Latino Heritage Celebration

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 LeCONTE CALENDAR
January 2 – Feb. 5, 2011
Updated LeConte News & Calendar: www.leconteonline.org
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Jan. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
WELCOME BUSD enrollment Kidpower Staff
BACK to begins Training
SCHOOL!!! 2:00 – 4:00PM
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
School Tours School School Tour 8:30 Parent Workshop
8:30 – 10:00, Governance -10:00AM see flyer
every Tues. and Council Meeting
Thurs. until Feb. 3 6:30PM
Library

Parent Workshop
see flyer
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
SCHOOL School Tour 8:30 School Tour 8:30 TWI Parent
CLOSED - 10:00AM - 10:00AM Meeting/
Dr. Martin Luther Alumni Forum
King’s Birthday PTA Meeting ELAC Meeting 10:00AM-12:00
5:45 - Dinner 5:00PM LeConte
6:00 - Meeting Room 106

Kinder Info. Parent Workshop

Night see flyer
7:00PM, Room
109
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
AAA Contest School Tour 8:30- School Tour 8:30- Celebrate
Student Entries 10:00AM 10:00AM LeConte
due Assembly
Coalition of 8:15AM
Families Meeting
6:00PM, Library

Parent Workshop
see flyer
30 31 Feb. 1 2 3 4 5
SCHOOL School Tour 8:30- School Tour 8:30- K-8 Deadline for
CLOSED 10:00AM 10:00AM first lottery
District (Preference
Professional forms are due to
Development BUSD)
Workshops

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 LeConte Calendar

AAA NATIONAL TRAFFIC SAFETY 2010-2011

POSTER AND VIDEO CONTEST RULES
Contest Entry Rules
 Each participating student creates a safety poster that illustrates a
slogan provided by AAA for their grade level. –SEE SLOGAN
THEMES ATTACHED.
 Safety posters are to be formatted vertically or horizontally, and be no
larger than 15” x 22” (including bottom margin).
 Leave a blank three-inch margin across the poster bottom for the
entry form.
 Complete the entry form that we supply (pleases type or print legibly).
 Tape or paste the entry form to each poster’s lower right-hand corner.
 Teachers will photograph each poster (with entry form attached)
using a digital camera and transfer photos to a disc.
 The entry form must be visible and legible when we view the digital
entry.
 Slogans may be worded in the student’s native language, but must be
accompanied by an English translation.
 Use of brand names, the AAA name, TV or comic characters,
trademarks, etc will disqualify the entry.
 Please review guidelines on entry form for specifics.
 Teachers will mail the disc, along with a typed list of all the entrants’
names, to Marie Haddad, AAA Mailstop W520, 3055 Oak Road,
Walnut Creek, CA 94597.

Entries will be judged at the state level, where judges will award gift checks
- see Safety Slogan page for details. Winning designs may be featured in
AAA traffic safety education materials and promotions.
For more information, please contact Marie Haddad at (925) 279-4825 or email
marie.haddad@goAAA.com.

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 Partnering with Parents and Families – January Workshops
Visit our website: http://www.berkeley.net/parent-resources/ for more information on these and
other events, or contact the Office of Family and Community Partnerships at
883-5222 or 883-5223 (español)

January Workshops – Meetings Date Time Location

INSPIRE* Workshop ‐ "Effective Communication between Families and our Schools" 
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 6 – 8:00 PM. Washington Elementary, 2300 MLK Jr. Way 
INSPIRE* Workshop – “The Role of Parent Committees” ‐ en Español 
Friday, Jan. 14, 6 – 8:30 PM, Malcolm X Library, 1731 Prince Street 
Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN)  
Thursday, Jan. 20, 6 – 8:30 PM, Berkeley Adult School – 1701 San Pablo Ave. Rm. 105 
Family Empowerment Project ‐“Study Skills and Habits of Highly Effective Teens” 
Thursday, Jan. 27 6 – 8:00 PM, Longfellow Middle School 
News Update Page 3 of 4

Trabajando Unidos con Padres y Familias –

Talleres Educativos en Enero
Visite nuestras páginas web: http://www.berkeley.net/parent-resources/ para más
información en
estos y otros eventos, o comuníquese a la Oficina de Enlaces entre la Familia y la
Comunidad al
883-5222 or 883-5223 (español)

Talleres en Enero Reuniones Fecha Hora Ubicación

Taller INSPIRE ‐ "Comunicación Efectiva entre las Familias y Nuestras Escuelas"
Miércoles, 12 de enero 6 – 8:00 PM, Primaria Washington, 2300 MLK Jr. Way 
Taller INSPIRE – “El Papel que Desempeñan los Comités de Padres de Familia” ‐ en Español 
Viernes, 14 de enero 6– 8:30 PM, Biblioteca de Malcolm X 1731 Prince Street 
Red de Acción para el Liderazgo de los Padres de Familia (PLAN) 
Jueves, 20 de enero 6 – 8:30 PM, Escuela para Adultos – 1701 San Pablo Ave. Salón. 105 
Proyecto de Capacitación Familiar ‐“Habilidades de Estudio y Hábitos de Adolescentes 
Altamente Eficaces” 
Jueves, 27 de enero 6 – 8:00 PM, Escuela Secundaria Longfellow 

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