The mission of Laguna Road School is to achieve educational excellence, in partnership with parents and community, to prepare all students, through use of knowledge, skills, and behaviors, to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
www.lagunaroadpta.com
Laguna Road is now Blue Ribbon School!!!
What does it means, The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers on a self-assessment conducted by the school followed by an establishment and implementation of an improvement plan. The Blue Ribbon award is considered the highest honor an American school can achieve.
Congratulations!!!
Contents: Page 2: 37$ 3UHVLGHQW¶V Message Page 5: 3ULQFLSDO¶V Message Page 6: Honorary Service Award Page 7: Roller Skating Gallery Page 8: School Chorus Page 9-10: 2012-2013 PTA
May/June 2012 ~ Page 1 of 10
Hello  Roadrunners!  , FDQ¶W EHOLHYH WKDW ZH DUH DOUHDG\ KHUH LQ 0D\«ELUGV DUH VLQJLQJ flowers  are  blooming  and  we  are  already  talking  about  summer  plans!   :RZ« WR VD\ WKDW WKLV \HDU ZHQW E\ IDVW LV DQ XQGHUVWDWHPHQW  PTA  has  been  full  of  busy  bees  over  the  last  few  months.   Hopefully  you  have  been  able  to  participate  in  some  of  our  fun  and  exciting  events!   Waaaayyyy  back  in  March,  we  had  our  first  ever  Roller  skating  party!   Ms.  Endicott  and  Ms.  Jeffries  WOWED  the  students  with  their  roller  skating  skills  that  morning  at  school  and  later  that  evening,  129  Laguna  Road  students,  teachers  and  IDPLOLHV ZHUH KDYLQJ WKH WLPH RI WKHLU OLYHV ,I \RX PLVVHG RXW«'21¶7 :255< :H have  booked  an  end  of  the  year  roller  skating  party!!   Save  the  date  ±  FRIDAY,  JUNE  15th  from  5:30pm-Â7:30pm  at  the  Holiday  Skate  Center  in  Orange.   Tickets  will  be  $7  /  person  and  will  be  sold  at  the  door!   Join  us  for  a  really  fun-Âfilled  evening!!   More  details  will  go  home  in  June.   Also  in  March,  we  FHOHEUDWHG ³'D\ RI WKH 5HDGHU ´ ³,QFUHGLEOH .LG 'D\´ DQG RXU ³0RWKHU 6RQ´ HYHQW 'LG \RX UHDG WR \RXU FKLOG¶V FODVV" 2U WHOO \RXU FKLOG KRZ ³LQFUHGLEOH´ WKH\ DUH" 'LG \RX MRLQ XV IRU RXU PRYLH QLJKW" :KLOH ³'D\ RI WKH 5HDGHU´ ZDV VXSSRUWHG primarily  by  our  wonderful  Student  Council,  many  of  our  PTA  parents  participated  by  reading  to  various  classes.   Our  students  LOVE  to  be  read  to!   Please  enjoy  this  special  activity  at  home  with  your  child!   While  it  is  important  for  your  kids  to  practice  reading  to  you,  when  you  read  to  them,  they  witness  flow,  intonation,  pronunciation  and  they  SLFN XS QHZ YRFDEXODU\ ZRUGV 37$ FHOHEUDWHG ³,QFUHGLEOH .LG 'D\´ E\ KDQJLQJ XS posters  around  school  and  giving  every  studenW D ³6WDU 6WXGHQW´ EUDFHOHW ZLWK DQ DWWDFKHG VSHFLDO PHVVDJH $QG RXU ³0RWKHU 6RQ´ PRYLH QLJKW ZDV D EODVW 2XU 0RPV and  sons  had  a  wonderful  picnic  dinner  (provided  by  PTA)  in  the  MPR,  followed  by  popcorn  and  a  movie  ±  ³+RZ WR 7UDLQ \RXU 'UDJRQ ´ ,W ZDs  a  lot  of  fun  and  the  boys  had  a  great  time  hanging  out  with  their  Moms  and  friends!   We  are  sooo  lucky  to  have  such  wonderful  kids  at  Laguna  Road!!  $SULO SURYLGHG XV ZLWK D PXFK QHHGHG ³6SULQJ %UHDN ´ +RSH \RX KDG DQ HQMR\DEOH RQH After  break,  PTA  hit  WKH JURXQG UXQQLQJ ZLWK SUHSDUDWLRQV WR KHOS ZLWK 626¶ 6FKRRO &DUQLYDO :KDW D )81 HYHQW WKDW ZDV ,W ZDV D JUHDW HYHQLQJ RI IDPLO\ IXQ«EHWZHHQ DOO RI WKH FODVVURRP ERRWKV DQG WKH WHDFKHUV¶ DXFWLRQ LWHPV 0DQ\ WKDQNV WR 626¶ 5R\ .LP and  Lizette  Kizziar  for  heading  up  the  carnival  effort.   And  of  course,  I  have  to  mention  the  6th  grade  food  extravaganza  (headed  up  by  Cathy  Geringer)  and  the  wonderful  talent  show  put  on  by  Gloria  Renfro.   (Many  thanks  to  Gloria  for  all  of  her  time  and   Â
              May/June  2012  ~  Page  2  of  10 Â
effort!)   Towards  the  end  of  April,  we  had  our  annual  Honorary  Service  awards  night  /  2SHQ +RXVH HYHQW &RQJUDWXODWLRQV WR DOO RI RXU ELJ DZDUG ZLQQHUV :LQQHUV¶ QDPHV are  mentioned  below).   Did  you  all  come  to  enjoy  the  food  trucks!   Thanks  to  SOS  and  Melisa  Yeo  for  organizing  them!   We  know  a  lot  of  people  had  to  wait  a  while  to  order  or  wait  for  their  food.   Changes  will  definitely  be  made  for  next  time!   (The  first  time  is  always  a  learning  lesson!)   And  a  BIG  thank  you  to  all  of  our  teachers  for  their  tireless  HOURS  of  work  and  preparation  to  make  their  classrooms  look  amazing.   And  how  DPD]LQJ ZDV \RXU FKLOG¶V ZRUN" , ZDV EORZQ DZD\ E\ WKH TXDOLW\ DQG FUHDWLYLW\ RI DOO RI our  children!   We  are  soo  lucky  to  be  here  at  Laguna  Road!!     We  finished  off  April  with  an  OUTSTANDING  parent  education  evening  regarding  ³LQDSSURSULDWH WRXFKLQJ´ DEXVH 7KH VSHDNHUV ZHUH LQIRUPDWLRQDO G\QDPLF educational,  engaging  and  very  realistic.   They  realized  the  barriers  there  are  to  discussing  this  topic  and  they  offered  ways  to  break  them  down.   Did  you  know  that  90%  of  sexual  abuse  can  be  prevented  with  EDUCATION?   Education  of  parents  and  education  of  our  children  ±  WR NQRZ ZKDW¶V RN YV QRW RN ZKDW WR WHOO ZKDW WR GR DQG above  all  ±  who  to  tell.   Do  you  know  hRZ WR EH 23(1 WR OLVWHQ WR \RXU NLGV¶ TXHVWLRQV and  concerns?   WOW!   I  walked  away  with  a  wealth  of  information  and  resources.   I  only  wish  that  there  were  more  people  to  fill  in  some  of  those  empty  seats.   EDUCATION  is  the  key  to  prevention!!!!!!!!   Hopefully  we  will  be  able  to  schedule  another  event  for  those  of  you  who  missed  out!    Whew!   Here  we  are  in  May.   We  are  starting  our  month  off  with  the  Volunteer  Tea  (put  on  by  our  wonderful  staff!)   Thank  you!!   I  also  have  the  pleasure  of  attending  the  California  Distinguished  School  award  banquet  on  May  4th.   A  BIG  thank  you  to  all  of  you  ZKR SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ WKH VFKRRO¶V VLWH YLVLW EDFN LQ 0DUFK 7KH ³&'6 YLVLWRUV´ KDG DQ amazing  time  at  our  school  and  were  blown  away  by  all  that  the  kids  had  to  show  them.   ,Q IDFW WKH ³YLVLWRUV´ WROG XV WKDW ZH DW /DJXQD 5RDG DUH JHWWLQJ D ³:25/'-ÂCLASS  ('8&$7,21´ IRU RXU FKLOGUHQ :H DUH WUXO\ EOHVVHG  You  have  already  received  the  notice  in  your  Tuesday  folders,  but  this  month  the  kids  will  also  be  taking  their  CSTs  (California  Standardized  Test.)   Please  make  sure  that  your  kids  have  a  great  start  to  the  morning  ±  ZLWK D JRRG EUHDNIDVW DQG D JRRG QLJKW¶V VOHHS the  night  before.   PTA  supports  this  testing  effort  with  fabulous  testing  pencils  ±  (rainbow  ones  this  year!)  ±  and  we  provide  a  very  light,  but  nutritious,  daily  testing  snack  for  the  kids.   Best  of  luck  to  our  fabulous  Roadrunners!!   May  also  brings  a  fabulous  opportunity  to  thank  our  wonderful  teachers  and  staff.   On  May  16th,  we  will  be  hosting  our  annual  ³6WDII $SSUHFLDWLRQ /XQFKHRQ ´ ,I \RX DUH interested  in  helping  out  with  this  fun  event  ±  please  let  me  know.   We  have  a  lot  of  fun  with  our  teachers  and  have  lots  of  yummy  goodies  to  eat!!      Â
              May/June  2012  ~  Page  3  of  10 Â
PTA is also in the process of filling positions for next year. Do you want to get involved and help our kids? We have some open positions and would love your help! PTA is FULL RI KHOSHUV VR SOHDVH GRQ¶W IHHO OLNH \RX KDYH WR GR DQ\ MRE DORQH :H DUH LQ QHHG RI ³&RPPLWWHH &KDLUSHUVRQV´ ± the contact people that make sure that things are moving smoothly for that particular event. The open positions are listed here in the 1HZVOHWWHU«SOHDVH ORRN WKURXJK WKHP DQG VHH LI DQ\ RI WKHP VRXQG LQWULJXLQJ WR \RX Feel free to contact me if you would like more information about any of them. WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Laguna Road is successful in part, because of our INCREDIBLE parent support!! (And remember ± this is one of the areas that our California Distinguished School Award focused on ± parent involvement!!!!!) $QG VSHDNLQJ DERXW QH[W \HDU«SOHDVH NHHS LQ PLQG WKH IROORZLQJ GDWH $XJXVW th appears to be the start of the 2012-13 school year. Please keep checking the district ZHEVLWH RU RXU VFKRRO RIILFH WR VHH LI WKLV GDWH FKDQJHV $OVR« MXVW VR \RX DUH aware. The high school district is going to be moving their school calendar backwards by 2 weeks ± starting in the 2013- VFKRRO \HDU 7KLV PHDQV WKDW WKH KLJK VFKRRO¶V VWDUW date will most likely be around August 12th for that school year and school will end around Memorial Day (end of May). The elementary district has not yet voted on doing the same, HOWEVER, it will most likely happen because families want the same schedule for their elementary/high school kids. We will keep you posted with any further developments. One of the reasons behind the changes, by the way, is so that high school testing / finals fall BEFORE major vacations and not the week after. It is a better schedule for the students ± just keep that in mind while you are grumbling about the changes!!! - 7KLQN WKDW¶V LW IRU QRZ« :2:« LW ,6 D ORW , ZDQW WR FORVH E\ ZHOFRPLQJ P\ VXFFHVVRU Helen Kharrat has been voted in as your incoming PTA President and I am just thrilled! She will do a great job in continuing the positive growth in PTA and I look forward to working with her! Both Helen and I will be attending the PTA Convention this month where we hope to gather even more great ideas to bring back to Laguna Road. 6HH \RX DW VFKRRO DQG DJDLQ«WKDQNV IRU \RXU *2/'(1 FRPPLWPHQW WR our children and RXU VFKRRO :H FHUWDLQO\ DUH ³*2/'(1 +(5( ,1 285 TH <($5 ´ Please contact me with any questions / comments / concerns!! - Nivie Jhawar PTA President ± Laguna Road School drnivie@aol.com
May/June 2012 ~ Page 4 of 10
Congratulations to the following Honorary Service Award winners!!!!! The PTA Honorary Service Award (HSA) Program recognizes the service and dedication of both individuals and organizations and celebrates the spirit of volunteerism.
Marlene Chaw (Roadrunner Award) Cathy Geringer (Honorary Service) Nivie Jhawar (Honorary Service) Catherine Brewer (Honorary Service and Teacher of the Year!)
We are soooooo proud of you!! Thanks for your dedication to Laguna Road and our Roadrunners!!
Good News for Laguna Road School!! We recently received word from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson that we were named one of the 2012 California Distinguished Schools. We were recognized for innovative education programs that encourage student to learn and help close the DFKLHYHPHQW JDS ,W¶V VXFK DQ KRQRU IRU XV 7KLV DZDUG GHPRQVWUDWes the incredible commitment of our students, staff, and parents to provide a world-class education. To be invited to apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including federal and state accountability measures based on Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Academic Performance Index requirements. The application process consists of a written application, which included description of our Science and Parent Involvement signature practice, and a county-led site validation process, which validated the implementation of those signature practice. Congratulations to ALL. AND GO ROADRUNNERS!!! Beep Beep! Harold Sullivan, Principal
May/June 2012 ~ Page 5 of 10
May/June 2012 ~ Page 6 of 10
Roller Skating Event Gallery:
FRIDAY, JUNE 15th from 5:30pm-7:30pm at the Holiday Skate Center in Orange. Tickets will be $7 / person and will be sold at the door! Join us for a really fun-filled evening!! More details will go home in June.
May/June 2012 ~ Page 7 of 10
School Chorus (3x Gold Award Winner) Annual Concert & Graduation When: Tuesday, June 12 at 7:00 pm in the MPR For inquiry, please contact Dr. Ning @ nning@pacbell.net or 714-262-8895.
School Chorus Experience by Lauren Fu I started choir as a fourth grader. Being in choir, although it had many challenges, has taught me to be more patient. Learning to sing is more than just events-but learning why music is important. Choir was not what I expected. It was actually a lot of work. I learned that teamwork takes a lot of cooperation. Being one voice in a group means you have to do your best for everyone else. This is an important lesson to learn, because everything in life involves teamwork. I really enjoyed performing at various school events, the Holiday Concert in December 2011, and the Southern California Choral Music Festival in March 2012. Other highlights include Knott's Berry Farm and end of year swim party at Mrs. Renfro's. I may not sing in a choir the rest of my life, but my experience in choir has helped me discover what kind of music I enjoy.
May/June 2012 ~ Page 8 of 10
Welcome & Congratulations to our 2012-13 PTA Executive Board! President -‐ Helen Kharrat Past President Advisor (PPA)-‐ Nivie Jhawar 1st VP- Membership Co-Chair-‐ Becky Kenrick 1st VP- Membership Co-Chair ² Victoria Muffie 2nd Vice Pres -Ways & Means -‐ Vacant 3rd VP- Outreach Co-Chair -‐ Helen Kang 3rd VP- Outreach Co-Chair -‐ Vacant Recording Secretary -‐ Susan Levinson Treasurer -‐ Nicole Yi Financial Secretary ² Vincent Alvarado Auditor -‐ Purvi Patel Historian ² Bridget Doyle-‐Olsen Parlimentarian ² Shirley Ramirez
May/June 2012 ~ Page 9 of 10
LEADERS NEEDED!! Our children have enjoyed many fun and exciting events so far this year;; including Walk to School Day, Book Fair, Father/Daughter Dance, Skate Night, and Mother/Son Movie Night. Each event would not be possible without teams of volunteers. We are thinking ahead to next year, and our school needs committee leaders to plan and manage school-wide events during the 2012-2013 school year. Many of these events are single day programs and may not require large time commitments. Additionally, two or more people can run the same committee - so much easier when you lead with a friend! We sent out recently a sign-up flyer for open committee chair positions. We received 0 responses! These events will not take place for our children without volunteers to manage them. If you are interested in leading any of the following committees or have any questions about the committees, please contact Victoria Muffie at trixxeev@aol.com: * FATHER/DAUGHTER EVENT ()HE 3ODQ DQG PDQDJH VFKRRO¶V )DWKHU 'DXJKWHU HYHQLQJ HYHQW * HONORARY SERVICE AWARDS: Coordinate nominations and selection of Roadrunner and Honorary Service Awards. Manage ordering of awards and coordinate award ceremonies. Roadrunner Awards are presented in January. Honorary Service Awards are presented in April. ,1&5(',%/( .,' '$< 0DUFK 3ODQ DQG PDQDJH VFKRRO¶V ,QFUHGLEOH .LG 'D\ HYHQW * MATH OLYMPIAD: Manage a team of volunteers to teach interested 4th ± 6th-graders who meet Tuesday & Thursday mornings (from October-March) for challenging math instruction and problem-solving activities. 027+(5 621 (9(17 0DUFK 3ODQ DQG PDQDJH VFKRRO¶V 0RWKHU 6RQ HYHQLQJ HYHQW * PROGRAM & ASSEMBLIES: Work with school staff and PTA to plan and manage school assemblies throughout the year. * WEBSITE: Oversee design and maintenance of PTA website throughout the year. Thank you for taking a leadership role at Laguna Road! You are setting a wonderful example and making a difference for our children.
May/June 2012 ~ Page 10 of 10