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

GATORAIDBoard of Education

Superintendent: Dr. Wendy Gudalewicz

Board Members:

Anjali Kausar, Ben Liao,

Josephine Lucey, Gary McCue,

Phyllis Vogel

GARDEN GATE ELEMENTARY

CUPERTINO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT

10500 ANN ARBOR AVENUE

CUPERTINO, CA 95014

Brandi Hucko - Principal

Azmeh Malik - PTA President

SCHOOL CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

9/18 7:30 p.m. GRADE 5 PARENTS - SCIENCE CAMP INFORMATION MEETING - GLC9/19 3:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING 9/20 6:00-7:30 p.m. SAFETY NIGHT9/21 NO SCHOOL - STAFF LEARNING DAY9/25 6:00 p.m. CUSD BOARD MEETING10/1-10/5 CEEF - GREAT SCHOOLS WEEK10/1 INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PICTURES - GLC10/1 SPIRIT WEAR ORDERING DEADLINE10/2 8:00-9:00 PROJECT CORNERSTONE PARENT MEETING - STAFF RM.10/4-10/12 PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES10/4 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING - GLC10/5 12:00 noon REFLECTIONS ENTRY DEADLINE10/9 6:00 p.m. CUSD BOARD MEETING10/12 DIRECT DONATIONS DEADLINE10/17 3:45 p.m. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETING10/15-10/19 SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR - GLC10/18 5:30-7:30 p.m. BOOK FAIR & ICE CREAM SOCIAL10/22-10/25 RED RIBBON WEEK10/23 6:00 p.m. C.U.S.D. BOARD MEETING10/26 3:00-5:00 p.m. FALL CELEBRATION - GARDEN GATE FIELD10/29 STAFF LEARNING DAY - NO SCHOOL10/31 8:15 a.m. HALLOWEEN PARADE

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.orgATTENDANCE: 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.

Type to enter text

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL....MS. HUCKO! PAGE2

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

Please see the important traffic safety information below. Hello! My name is Deputy Aaron Baker. I’m the School Resource Officer assigned to your child’s school and the principal has asked me to address a few traffic issues that you may have noticed around the school. The majority of parents follow the traffic laws, but we all have those days where we run late, have not had our morning cup of coffee, etc. My job is to make sure your children can get to and from school safely and make sure they can learn in a safe environment. To further that goal, I am here to help correct any misunderstandings about traffic. Let’s take a quick look at some common California Vehicle Code (CVC) violations that Sheriff’s deputies see around school zones. These are not in any particular order, but here we go-

Speeding (25 MPH in a school zone)- CVC 22350 Not stopping or an incomplete stop/ “California stop” at a stop sign- CVC 22450 Disobeying traffic signs (No U-turn, No turn on red, etc.)- CVC 21461

Driving in the bike lane (sometimes lining up to turn into the school)- CVC 21209 Driving and talking on a cell phone or texting- CVC 23123 Blocking an intersection (aka gridlock)- CVC 22526 Not wearing a seatbelt (applies to both driver AND passengers)- CVC 27315 & 27360 Riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, etc, without a helmet (under 18)- CVC 21212 Jaywalking or crossing outside of the crosswalk when available- CVC 21955 Parking in a red zone- CVC 22500 Parking (leaving your car unattended) vs. stopping (remaining in the car )

I understand that several parents have been stopping in the roadway and having their children get out of the car and walk to the sidewalk. Unfortunately, not only is this unsafe, it is also a traffic violation. CVC 22400(a) covers impeding the flow of traffic. Even if the traffic is moving at a snail’s pace, if a parent allows their child to exit the vehicle in the middle of the street and walk to the sidewalk, it is still a violation. The best thing to do is pull over to the proper side of the road, and allow your child to get out. Remember, the safety of your child/children is more important than getting to work on time, running errands, etc.

In general, most parents do a good job and drive safely around the school. I have noticed that the worst traffic congestion is within the 15 minutes prior to school bell ringing. My best suggestion to avoid the traffic problems, is to either leave a few minutes earlier and drop your child (or children) off earlier, or park a block or two away and walk into the school. Either choice allows you to avoid the morning traffic snarl at the school. If you must drive to the school, please be safe. Thank you and drive safely.

Deputy Aaron Baker, School Resource OfficerSanta Clara County Sheriff’s Office

Take it PersonallyHow can parents insure that their kids thrive? How can you support your child’s efforts and help them to succeed in school and life? To learn new strategies to help your children thrive, please join our Taking It Personally parent study group that is being offered here on campus. Parents are critical partners in our school’s continued efforts to insure that we provide a safe and developmentally responsive learning environment. I encourage you to take part in this opportunity. The group is being held in our Staff Room starting on Thursday, 9/27 at 8:10 am. The course will continue for 5 additional consecutive Thursdays, the cost is $10 per parent. Please see the flyer posted on the Office window for more information.

PropellersDo 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: What can you do to help others develop greater integrity and stand up for their beliefs?

PTA CORNER PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES ! PAGE3

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

HelloGardenGateFamilies,

Next Thursday, September 20th is Garden Gate’s Annual SAFETY NIGHT. Please mark your calendars to attend this event that will be informative and educational for both children and parents alike. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. There will be fun, hands-on presentations for the children by the Sheriff’s Department, Paramedics and the Fire Department. Parents will learn about safety at home and in the neighborhood, the City of Cupertino’s emergency preparedness plans, how to sign up for Alert SSC and much more! We need parent volunteers to help us during Safety Night, so if you would like to do so, please contact Carolyn Young @ 408-802-7960.

SpiritwearThe last day to order Spiritwear for your child (or even yourself) is Monday, October 1st. This year, the color choices for T-shirts are cardinal red and black and the hooded sweatshirts are navy and black. These are the perfect clothing items for your child’s wardrobe and makes a great clothing choice to wear on School Spirit Days, at school events and especially on FIELD TRIPS. Your child will enjoy wearing Spiritwear! Show your Garden Gate school spirit and place your orders before time runs out! Samples of the sizes that are available are in the school office along with additional order forms.

Reflections Art ContestThe Reflections Art Contest deadline is Friday, October 5th! Entries can be turned in beginning Monday October 1st and placed in the boxes that will be located just outside of the school office. Reflections is a wonderful program that is sure to inspire children to explore their creativity.

The theme this year is ‘The Magic Of A Moment’. Please encourage your child to participate and have fun creating his/her work of art! You can download the rules and student entry form by visiting the PTA website.

Azmeh MalikGarden Gate PTA Presidentazmeh_ahsan@yahoo.com

GATORAID! PAGE4

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

SPIRIT WEAR ORDERS!Monday, October 1 is the last opportunity to place your order for a 2012-2013 Garden Gate t-shirt and/or sweatshirt. These are available in both adult and children sizes (sample of sizes are in the school office). This is the only window of opportunity to place an order this school year. Additional forms are available in the school office.

VOLUNTEER TB POLICYWe are always grateful to those of you who want to volunteer and share your time and talents with ourstudents. It is important for all of us to continue to keep our school a safe and healthy place. Inorder to accomplish this, classroom volunteers, and others who regularly interact with students, must supply the school office with a record of a negative PPD Skin Test (dated within the last four years), or anegative X-Ray result.

DOCTOR AND DENTIST APPOINTMENTSThe state of California allows medical/dental appointments as excused absences. Garden Gate’s policy for all of these must be accompanied by a medical note. Please try to make appointments for after school or Saturdays. When this is not possible, children must be signed out by a parent (or someone authorized on the enrollment card) in the school office. After signing a child out, the teacher will be notified and your student will come to the office. Students are not allowed to come to the office to sit and wait to be picked up as they often lose valuable class time. Again, this is for the safety of your children.

PRE-PAY FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES ONLINE For your convenience, you are encouraged to pay for your children’s school lunches online. If you do not have an account set up, go to http://www.paypams.com. You will need to provide your child’s PIN and billing information. Payments may be made by credit/debit cards or by electronic check withdrawal from your bank account. You can make payments, view your child’s payment history and change payment preferences 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This web site can also be used by parents to check account balances. If parents choose not to pay on-line, the inquiry service is still free to use. Parents can simply use their child’s PIN to set up an account with no payment required. The lunch price is $2.75 for students. The milk and juice price is 75 cents. Lunch menus are posted on the district web-site.www.cupertino.ca.campusgrid.net/home

VISITING CAMPUSAll visitors on campus, whether entering classrooms as volunteers or meeting with teachers, Must Sign In at the office and obtain a visitor’s name tag when school is in session. For the safety of all, we need to know who is on the campus. The only exceptions are at student arrival and dismissal times. If you are taking your child out of school for any reason, ALWAYS sign your child out from school through the office and then back in when he/she returns.

SCRIP AND eScripScrip Gift Cards and eScrip are two fundraising programs that parents (also family and friends) can participate in to raise money for the PTA at “NO COST” to the participant. Scrip gift cards can be purchased on Tuesday afternoons between 1:15 - 1:45 p.m. and also on Friday mornings between 7:45-8:15 a.m. Scrip is spent just like cash on everyday expenses.

eScrip also provides an easy way to earn money for the PTA. Participating merchants donate a percentage of purchases to the school. Parents (also family and friends) should visit www.escrip.com to register their credit/debit cards, Safeway Card, and PW Supermarket Card. Be sure to specify Garden Gate Elementary School (eScrip number is 139188329.) For those who don’t have internet access, please fill out and turn in an eScrip registration form (available during scrip sales times or in the school office.) Already Registered eScrip Participants: Please visit www.escrip.com and click on “YES RENEW” or turn in an eScrip registration form to renew your Safeway Club card. Questions? E-mail us at ggscrip.com or see us during scrip sales times.

EPI-PENS AND

MEDICATION

If your child has a

prescription for an Epi-

Pen or is presently taking

medication that needs to

be given during the

school day, please

remember to bring the completed medical

orders from the doctor along with the

medication and/or Epi-pen to the school

office as soon as possible.

GATORAID! PAGE5

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

CELDT TESTINGThe Cupertino Union School District will administer the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) through October 31, 2012. Based on your child’s CELDT scores from last year, if their proficiency is limited, withdrawn or transitional, your child will be included in the annual CELDT test at their school. A letter will be sent home with your child prior to the testing date at your school.

The initial CELDT will be given to kindergarten students whose primary language on the Home Language Survey is a language other than English.

The test consists of four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Students in grades K–8 are tested in all four areas. You will receive the official results after January 2013. If you have any questions, please contact your school office.

District Calendar 2012-2013 (all schools except Murdock-Portal)

September 21, 2012 Staff Learning Day - No School October 29, 2012 Staff Learning Day - No School November 12, 2012 Veteranʼs Day Observed November 19-23, 2012 Thanksgiving Recess December 24, 2012-January 4, 2013 Winter Recess January 7, 2013 Students Return January 21, 2013 Martin Luther King Day February 4, 2013 Staff Learning Day - No School February 18-22, 2013 Mid-Year Recess April 15-19, 2013 Spring Recess May 24, 2013 Staff Learning Day - No School May 27, 2013 Memorial Day June 12, 2013 Last Day of School