Welcome Back Letter From Karen Hurley

8/13/2018 7:17 pm

 

Dear PCR Parents,

Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! I hope you were all able to enjoy some rest and relaxation this summer with friends and family. The first day of school this year is Thursday, August 16th. We look forward to welcoming our new families as well as all of our returning families to what promises to be an exciting new school year.

New Staff Members
We begin the new year with goodbyes to Wendy Senour, who quietly retired after serving over 28 years in La Canada and Coach Rizzo, who accepted a teaching position in another district. In addition, Mrs. Esquivel will be working with preschool students at PCY and Mrs. Valderhaug will join the 7/8 Resource team. We have also seen an increase in enrollment over the summer which means we will be adding an additional afternoon kindergarten class, 5th grade class, and 3rd grade class. Mrs. Lara Berdahl, who previously taught 3rd grade at PCR, will move from 4th grade to join the 3rd grade team this year.

Please join me in welcoming new staff members to the PCR Panther family:

Jennifer Zine - 1st grade - room 16
Carolyn Sion - Physical Education teacher
Jennifer Simpson - 4th grade - room 32
Linett Arias - part-time Kindergarten teacher - room 18
Nichelle Boyd- Special Education - room 19

Online Registration
Don’t forget to complete the online registration process as soon as you receive the email from the District office. Current families use an email address to log into Aeries and new families will receive directions via email from the LCUSD Technology Department in July. Your student’s registration will not be complete until you have finished the data confirmation process online in the Aeries Parent Portal, printed the “Emergency Form,” and turned in the signed “Emergency Form” on the first day of school, August 16, 2018. If you do not have access to a computer or need assistance with this process, you will be able to go to the District office to complete the registration process. These dates will be included in the email you will receive from the District. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with our online registration process.

Student Drop Off/Pick Up
As many of you already know, we have a significant amount of traffic on the roads around Palm Crest, during drop off and pick up times. If your child is able to walk to and from school, this not only helps to ease traffic congestion, but it is a great way to provide your child with exercise at the beginning and end of the day. If however, your child is unable to walk to and from school, we appreciate families following the PCR drop off and pick up procedures for either the Palm Drive or Jessen Drive options. Please note that the Old District Office, located just north of the entrance to the school, is a parking lot reserved for staff and parent volunteers. The lot should not be used for drop off and pick up of students. As a friendly reminder, there is no parking on Palm Drive, directly across the street from the school.

Along the same lines, the gate at the Jessen Drive entrance to the school, leading to the back access road, will continue to be locked from 8:00 am to 2:45 pm. The parking lot at the bottom of this access road is a STAFF PARKING LOT ONLY. Please DO NOT drive down this driveway to drop off or pick up students. The pedestrian path at Jessen Drive serves as an entrance/exit for PCR students, however it will be closed and locked from 8:30 am through to 2:45 pm. CEC families dropping off and picking up students between these hours will need to park and walk their students through the front of the campus. Late Birds are directed to enter the campus at the front of the school while Early Birds are directed to exit the campus at the front of the school. We appreciate your cooperation with these procedures as we work to ensure the safety of our students.

Bell Schedules
The bell schedule will remain the same this year.
Kindergarten - parents will receive the AM/PM bell schedules during the Kindergarten Back to School Night August 14th
1st - 3rd grade students
1st day of school - 8:10 am - 2:50 pm
August 17-31
Students attend every day 9:10 am - 2:50 pm AND
One other day as indicated on the diagnostic assessment appointment letter sent home by the classroom teachers on the first day of school
September 4 - Earlybird/Latebird bell schedule begins
4th - 6th grade - students attend all day 8:10 am - 2:50 pm every day beginning August 16

Class Sizes
As always, I am continually amazed and impressed with the fundraising efforts of our La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation. Thanks to your generous donations to the LCFEF, PCR class sizes in grades K-3 are 18-22 students, and between 28-30 in grades 4-6. We are very fortunate to have such a supportive community that deeply values education! Thank you!!

PTA
Please join me in welcoming PCR’s new PTA President, Holly Biondo. Plan to join Holly, the rest of the PTA Executive Board members, and me to review important information about school-wide activities and volunteer opportunities at 8:15 am in the MPR or 11:30 am in the library on August 16.

Lunch Accounts
The price for lunch will remain the same this year at $3.50. You can find the lunch menu and the pre-pay option information on the LCUSD website, under the food services tab on the right. You can also set up email notification as to when your child’s lunch account is running low on funds. The function of the pre-pay system helps with school/home communication throughout the year and is very convenient for families.

Attendance
As always, we need students to come to school on time (8:10 am for AM Kindergarten, Early Birds, and 4th - 6th graders; 11:20 am for PM Kindergarten; 9:10 am for Late Birds). Our teachers take attendance within the first 5 minutes of the school day, and anyone arriving afterward will be marked tardy. Remember, if your child has a fever, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, do not send him/her to school. If your child is just feeling slightly under the weather, let your child’s teacher know to monitor them closely, and we will call you if he/she needs to be picked up.

Here are a few important dates for your calendars:
July 17 AERIES is open for parents to update student information and complete 2018-19 1st day forms
August 8 Teacher placement postcards mailed to Kindergarten families
August 14 5:00 pm Finalized teacher assignments for students in grades 1-6 available for parents to view in Aeries
August 14 5:45 & 7:00 pm Kindergarten Back to School Night (AM K families-5:45 pm; PM K families- 7:00 pm)
August 16 1st day of school (8:10 am for AM kinder and 1st-6th; 11:20 amfor PM kinder)
August 16 8:15 am PTA meeting in the MPR
11:30 am PTA meeting in the Library
August 24 5:30 pm Back to School BBQ (new families 5:00 pm) on lower playground

You can also follow PCR on social media throughout the year:

PCR Website: www.pcrpanthers.net
Twitter: @pcrpanters
Instagram: @pcrpanthers
PTA Website: palmcrestpta.org
I hope you enjoy the remaining days of summer. See you soon!