Time to Fall Back!

As we set our clocks back on Sunday, November 3^rd, the sun will set earlier, and there will be less daylight until March. Please remember to always walk on sidewalks, walk in groups, and wear bright, visible clothing. When driving, remember to slow down. We truly appreciate your commitment to traffic and pedestrian safety.

Dear Community Families,

In a previous blog, I stated that after 5 parent notes, our office would only accept medical notes to excuse absences. This will no longer be the case. Instead, I will contact parents directly if there are an excessive number of parent notes. I understand that, when a student has the sniffles or a cough, a visit to the doctor may not be necessary. In these cases, a parent note will suffice. However, if a child is chronically absent, I encourage parents to communicate with the school about any underlying health issues that may be affecting attendance so that we can support the student. 

On Friday, I sent notification to all families about the increased number of respiratory illnesses at Community. I apologize for the long delay in notifying you about this issue. Understandably, our school district has very strict guidelines about the messaging around these things and all messages must be pre- approved and/or come directly from district offices. But please remember that it is very important that students stay home from school when they are sick with fever, excessive coughing, runny nose, etc. If symptoms persist (coughing for over a week or a fever lasting longer than 3-5 days) please take your child to their pediatrician or healthcare provider and provide the medical note when your child returns to school. Also, please remember that district policy requires a medical note in order to excuse an absence of 5 or more consecutive days.

While we're on the topic of attendance, did you know that attendance is one of the criterion used to determine whether our school's charter is renewed and to evaluate our performance as a magnet school? Community Magnet Charter School is up for charter renewal this year, and each year we are evaluated. As you can see in the chart below, Community is considered high-performing (colors blue and/or green) in all areas except chronic absenteeism. Community is considered to be low-performing (colors red and/or orange) in this area. 

Also, schools do not receive funding from the State of California for pupils who are absent from school. The chart below shows the revenue lost at Community due to absences for the 2023-24 school year and the first 3 months of the 2024-25 school year. 

So, while we must keep our staff and students healthy by keeping sick students/staff home from school, please reconsider keeping your child home for unexcused reasons, such as vacations/trips. Let's work together to stay healthy, but also to do what we can to decrease chronic absences!

Best,

Toni

P.S.: Please check out some cool 5th grade STEAM projects in next week's blog!

 PLEASE VOTE!!

If you haven’t already done so, please drop your ballot in a mailbox or Ballot Drop Box. You can also visit any Vote Center in L.A. County. More than 100 Los Angeles Unified schools will be serving as a Vote Center. Visit plan.lavote.gov for Vote Center and Ballot Drop Box locations. Make your voice heard early on Election Night! Vote by Mail ballots that arrive before Election Day are counted quickly. Vote on every item on your ballot, and don’t forget to look for Measure US, a school bond to upgrade LA public schools, regardless of how you plan to vote. For more information on the November election and Measure US, visit lausd.org/vote2024. #PlanToVote #MeasureUS

 

VALET RULES

For the SAFETY of your child and ALL children and parents at CMCS, if you are driving your child to school you MUST follow these valet rules. 
• Arrive at CMCS between 7:30 and 8:00
• Enter through the gate on the EAST side of the school.
• Drive along the left curb.  The right curb is a bus lane whether or not the buses have arrived.
• Wait patiently in a single file line along the left curb of the driveway.
• When a valet volunteer or LAUSD staff directs you, turn right at the parking lot and pull up to the Valet Curb.  There can be a maximum of 3 cars at the Valet Curb.  
• Under no circumstances can you park with your child and walk them through the parking lot. If, especially during these first weeks of school, you want to walk your child to the front gate, you MUST drop your child at the Valet Curb and then park your car.  Your child can wait for you near the valet volunteers on the bench by the Valet Curb.
• When you arrive at the Valet Curb, your child should be ready to exit the car from the passenger side of the vehicle.  IF a passenger side exit from your vehicle is unavailable, your child must wait until a valet volunteer opens the driver side door and escorts them in front of your car onto the curb.
• Under no circumstances should the driver exit the vehicle.
• Do not pull around cars in the valet line including at the Valet Curb.  The line is single file from the east gate entrance  through to the west gate exit.  Please wait your turn to drop off your child and to exit campus.
• FINALLY, be patient and kind.  The valet volunteers and LAUSD staff are there for the safety of your children.  Please treat them, the children, and the other drivers with respect.

UCLA ATHLETICS FOR YOUTH 

Dear Community Families,

 The UCLA "Athletics for Youth" program offers an opportunity for our children to attend select sporting events.  

Tickets are limited and will be given on a first come, first served way. If you are interested in attending either event, please complete this form .

If you have any difficulties accessing the form, please send an email to Seira Santizo Greenwood (seirasantizo@gmail.com)

Save the Dates . . .

Recurring Activities

• Math Kangaroo:  Mondays
• Student Nest Tutoring Services: Mon., Wed., Thurs.
• Tuesday Enrichment : Tuesdays
• Tiny Spotlight Musical Theater: Tuesdays & Thursdays 
• After-School Intervention: Wednesdays & Thursdays
• Morning Assembly: Fridays

NOVEMBER

• November 3
• Daylight Savings Time Ends

• November 6
• Prospective Parent Tour #3
• November 7
• Safety Drills
• November 8
• Grading Period 1 Ends

• November 11
• Veterans Day- No School
• November 12-22
• Parent Conference Weeks
• November 12
• Council Meeting
• Tiny Spotlight (last day for Tuesday session)
• November 13-14
• Minimum Days - 12:50 dismissals
• November 14
• Tiny Spotlight (last day for Thursday session)
• November 15
• Book Fair Preview
• TeaTime  with Toni
• Tiny Spotlight Performances-5:00pm (Tuesday Cast) 
• November 16
• Tiny Spotlight Matinee, 11:00am (Tuesday Cast) & 5:00pm (Thursday Cast)
• November 17
• Tiny Spotlight Matinee, 11:00am (Thursday Cast)

• November 18-22
• Parent Conference Week (final week)
• Book Fair
• November 21
• Above & Beyond Club

• November 25-29
• NO SCHOOL ALL WEEK - Thanksgiving Holiday

• December 3
• Council Meeting
• December 5
• Safety Drills
• December 6
• Read-a-Thon Wrap-up

• December 9-13
• Holiday Bazaar
• December 12
• 2024 Winter Program
• December 13
• Minimum Day, 12:50 dismissal
• Last Day of first semester

• December 16-January 3
• NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
• December 16-18
• Winter Academy

• January 6
• School resumes
• First Day of 2nd semester

Click here to view the 24-25 School Calendar

Click here to read the 2024-2025 Parent/Student Handbook