Breaking News: Covington won the LASD social media contest:

https://www.facebook.com/LASDK8

Dear Covington Parents and Community,

School Site Council Needs you!

If you are interested in helping to set and plan for innovative school wide goals and initiatives, our School Site Council needs you!

We are looking for 3-4 parents to join our School Site Team.  We meet on the first Tuesday of the month from 3-4pm in our Staff Room.  (*We do not meet in December and June, so we have a grand total of 7 meetings.) This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know different staff members and parents. If you are interested and would like to join us, please email or contact Erin Green directly.

Covington Elementary School's Miss Sam Honored as
‘Symetra Hero in the Classroom’

Last Wednesday during a school staff meeting, Symetra, Wells Fargo and the San Francisco 49ers honored our school and teacher, Samantha Kephart as a “Symetra Hero in the Classroom.” Miss Kephart has been teaching a special day class at Covington for five years.

“Sam Kephart makes a big difference in the lives of her students every day. Each student in her classroom is unique, with moderate to severe disabilities, and can be very challenging to work with. Sam does an amazing job keeping her classroom positive, treating all students equally and encouraging them to believe that there is nothing they cannot do,” said Susie Werner, a parent of one of Miss Kephart’s students.

“Sam does an excellent job making parents feel we are part of team that is working together to help her students reach new heights and tackle challenges while having a great time,” adds Louanne Gonzalez. “Sam stands out for her warm heart, patience and supportive personality. The smiles on her students’ faces speak volumes about the impact she has on their lives.” Werner and Gonzalez nominated Sam Kephart for the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom^® award.

Miss Kephart is one of 16 K-12 teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area who were honored for educational excellence in the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program during the 2013 NFL season. Teachers are recognized in front of their students and peers at surprise in-school presentations, and they receive a donation for schoolbooks and supplies. In addition, they receive tickets to a 49ers home game and are acknowledged during an on-field presentation at Candlestick Park. Sam Kephart was recognized at the Sept. 8 game when the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers.  Join us in celebrating Miss Samantha Kephart—we are so proud to have her on staff!

This Friday all be our 1st PTA Meeting and Parent Coffee. Mark your calendars now!  Our STEM teacher, Mrs. Katie Farley, will be presenting around STEM and student engagement.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
Erin S. Green

Upcoming Events:

9/11 – Picture Day
9/13 – PTA Meeting/Parent Coffee
9/27 – Staff Development Day – No School
10/4 – Otter Pop Friday – Turn in Walkathon Sponsor Cards 2:20p-3:15pm.
10/17 – Picture Make Up Day

Tomorrow is Picture Day: On Picture Day all your child needs to bring is a smile! Shooting Stars will take multiple photos of every student, and all orders are placed after Picture Day.  No need to pre-order!

After Picture Day, you will be provided with a custom proof sheet for your student, as well as an access code to view the full selection of photos. Orders can be placed either online or by turning in your proof sheet to the school before the Photo Selection Deadline. Please note that proof sheet order forms will not be accepted after the Deadline has passed. Have any additional questions? Contact Shooting Stars directly at info@shootingstarsphoto.com, or (800) 311-7784 x11.

Yard Supervisors Needed Monday-Friday 12:00-12:40pm every day:  If you are able to help one day a week or all five days each week, we need you!  We have openings for parents, grandparents, or college students.  If you are interested (this is a paid position) yourself or know of someone else who may be interested, please give me call the office at 650.947.1100.  This is a fun and great opportunity to get to know our awesome students and see some of the great things that go on at school during the year!

Author Bruce Hale to Visit Covington: The Author Visit Program kicks off on Sept. 17 introducing Bruce Hale at a morning assembly for kindergarten through third graders.  Bruce Hale, author and/or illustrator of over twenty-five books for young readers including the Chet Gecko Mysteries, will be promoting his new picture book “Clark the Shark”. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS!  For those who wish to purchase a copy of “Clark the Shark”, please return the order form and a check payable to Kepler’s Books to your child’s classroom or the Author Visit box in the office no later than this Friday, Sept. 13. -Lori Parsons, Author Visit Chair & Maureen Drobot, Librarian

LAEF: Welcome to the 2013-14 School Year!

For more than 30 years, LAEF has helped bring enrichment programs to LASD students.  Staff for Physical Education, Music, Art, and reduced student-to-teacher ratios are all supported by your donations.   In addition, this year's innovation grant includes funding for a new STEM lab and full-time teacher at every elementary school in the district.  Combined with PTA funding for the supplies and equipment that help deliver these programs and others, your contributions to both are critical.

Please click here to pledge and/or donate now.

PTA Meeting Agenda for this Friday’s meeting:
Treasurer report/approve expenses
Adopt the 2013/14 Budget
Auditor's report (Scott)
Walkathon Update (Sonia)
STEM Presentation (Katie Farley)

Sign up to be a Family Sponsor of the Walkathon. Put your family name on the Walkathon t-shirt!  Sign-up and pay online at the Covington website: http://www.covingtonschool.org/covingtones/4809-Sponsorship.html

Walkathon sponsor cards going home this week.  Calling all students to come out and raise funds for Covington’s essential programs!  Check Thursday folders for the sponsor card and event brochure.  Encourage your student to help improve their school by participating. The beach-themed "Walking on Sunshine" Walkathon takes place on October 13 from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm. Have questions or want to help out? Contact Tracey Leong (tsakumoto67@gmail.com) or Sonia Brunner (sonia_brunner@yahoo.com).

VIP Parents: Calling all willing volunteers. Our VIP program is starting this Thursday Sept 12^th.  Come and join other parents on Thursday mornings after drop-off at the workroom!  Help teachers with prep work and have time to meet other parents and socialize at the same time.  VIP parents will meet in the Covington Workroom every Thursday from 8:30am-10:00am.

Afterschool Programs: Some of our After School vendors still have space in their on-site classes.  For information about Chess, Tennis, Spanish etc, check on the Covington website and contact the providers regarding registration: http://www.covingtonschool.org/covingtones/4757-After-School-Programs.html

Give With Target: This year, Target will give money to schools all over the country for one simple act: a vote. Our school needs just 25 votes to earn a $25 donation from Target. But that's only the beginning. For each additional vote, our school will get $1 more. Go to http://givewith.target.com/school/30874 to vote for Covington Elementary School once a week through September 21 or until Target has given away all $5 million. Vote and see rules at http://givewith.target.com/school/30874

Cub Scouts: Cub Scouts is for 1st - 5th grade boys.  Pack 76 serves the neighborhoods for the Covington school district, as well as a number of local private elementary schools. For more information please contact Chi-Ray Chien – Cubmaster – 650-469-3880 – chi-ray@thechiens.net<mailto:chi-ray@thechiens.net>

District & Community News: http://www.lasdk8.org/PDF_Files/Current_School_News.pdf

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org.  Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.