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January 24, 2017
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Covington Howler|
Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Covington Community Coming Together Last Friday evening, the Covington community gathered in the multi for a free spaghetti dinner. It was a great event that brought many of us together in a casual and fun format. I want to thank Trish Carballar and Angela Wilson, along with their team of volunteers, for organizing the evening. For me, it was great to meet many of you for the first time. Community building events, like Friday’s dinner, are a part of Covington’s PTA goals this year. Thank you to PTA for sponsoring this event. Coyote Way Continues This Thursday students will attend an assembly called the Power of One. This powerful presentation contains an anti-bullying message along with the idea that if just one person stands up to injustice or mistreatment, bullying is lessened. I anticipate (having seen this performance previously) that the assembly will have a positive impact on our students. I encourage you to engage in a discussion with your child about what they thought about the performance. Thank you for supporting all we do at Covington! Wade Spenader Principal |
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2017 COVINGTON STEM EXPO |
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The 2017 STEM Expo is right around the corner! We are in need of community volunteers to help with set up, cleanup, and project review. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the link provided below.
Link to sign up to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/ Also, don’t forget… If your child has registered for the STEM Expo, remind him or her to come to the STEM Lab to pick up a tri-fold presentation board, provided generously by Synopsys Outreach Foundation.
General STEM Expo information can be found here: https://sites.google.com/a/ Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns! My email is kfarley@lasdschools.org . |
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Information for Parents of Incoming 7th Graders |
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Egan: Feb. 8th - 6:30pm-7:30pm Parent Info Night Mar. 3rd - 9:30am-10:30am Parent Info & School Tour Blach: Feb. 15th - 7:00pm-8:15pm, Parent Info Night Mar. 17th - 1:30pm-3:00pm, Parent Tour (no presentation) Mar. 20th - 9:30am-11:00am, Parent Tour (no presentation) |
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Covington Student Council News |
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Student council is geared up to raise funds for Water By Youth, a student-run organization that raises money to provide clean water for developing countries. We worked with them last year, and were able to raise over $1000. We would like to make a similar contribution this year. Our goal is a donation of $2 per student. Students are encouraged to bring in loose change and small bills. The coin drive will run from Monday 1/23 through Friday, 2/10. Thank you for your support! |
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PTA News |
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Covington Auction Information
SEAS THE DAY! AUCTION TICKETS ON SALE NOW! EARLY BIRD PRICING AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 31st. Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Covington School Auction on March 25th. http://covingtonpta. Early bird prices are $85/person ($170/couple). Please join us for a fun-filled event of great food, wine, dancing, and fundraising for our school. Teacher for a Day Tickets are also on sale at $5/per ticket or $40 for a ten pack. Donations Needed: The 2017 Covington Auction team is working hard to build amazing experiences for this year's auction! Do you have access to a TIMESHARE, VACATION HOME, HOTEL or AMEX POINTS, or EVENT TICKETS you could share? Also, some of the best donations are made through groups of friends (Mom's Day Off, anyone??) so PLEASE get with your friends to plan something collectively. Then, please contact auction@covington-pta.orgwith your possible donations and ideas! Donations like these are critical to making this the BIGGEST and MOST SUCCESSFUL fundraising event for our school. Thanks in advance for your generosity! *********************** |
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Covington Girl Scout Announcement |
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It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Covington Cadette Troop 61164 and Junior Troop 61101 will be selling cookies after school next week Thurs and Friday Feb 2nd and 3rd! Support our Covington Girl Scouts while enjoying some delicious cookies! Most varieties are $5, some are $6. |
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LAEF |
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LAEF’s billboard updated to the $3M mark! Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org. |
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LASD & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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LASD & LAEF are excited to kick off the first ever STEM Days at both Egan and Blach schools this spring. STEM pervades every part of life. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. Exposing our students to different aspects of careers in the STEM fields could inspire and spark a passion in learning.
We are looking for parents, grandparents or anyone in our community who would like to share their knowledge. If you are interested, please contact Anjana Butaney at: anjana.nagarajan1@gmail.com or Karen Wilson at: kwilson@lasdschools.org ***********************
School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/ |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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 Howlerscheduled for the following Tuesday. |
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January 18, 2017
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Rainy Reminders Dear Covington families, As I write this communication another batch of storms is beginning to make their presence known. We will be having another wet week. During inclement weather there is an increase in the number of cars in our parking lot. As part of the Coyote Way, under responsibility and kind mind, I want to remind you to be careful while driving in, or near, the parking lot. The most important thing is SLOW DOWN. Be patient, work as a community team, and our parking lot becomes a lot safer. PTA has prepared an updated video guide on the Do’s and Don’ts of the Parking Lot. It can be viewed here.
Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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Information for Parents of Incoming 7th Graders |
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Egan: Feb. 8th - 6:30pm-7:30pm Parent Info Night Mar. 3rd - 9:30am-10:30am Parent Info & School Tour Blach: Feb. 15th - 7:00pm-8:15pm, Parent Info Night Mar. 17th - 1:30pm-3:00pm, Parent Tour (no presentation) Mar. 20th - 9:30am-11:00am, Parent Tour (no presentation) |
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LAEF NEWS |
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LAEF’s billboard updated to the $3M mark! Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org. |
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PTA News |
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*********************** PASTA! PASTA! PASTA! Calling All Pasta Fans! Are you looking for a night free from cooking dinner? Your Covington PTA is here to save you! Join us for a free Spaghetti Dinner on Friday, January 20th from 6-8:00pm in the Multi. Please RSVP if you are able to attend this fun filled evening with Covington friends and families! Grazie!
*********************** Covington Auction Information SEAS THE DAY! AUCTION TICKETS ON SALE NOW! EARLY BIRD PRICING AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 31st. Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Covington School Auction on March 25th. http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Auction-2017-Seas-the-Day_c_17.html Early bird prices are $85/person ($170/couple). Please join us for a fun-filled event of great food, wine, dancing, and fundraising for our school. Teacher for a Day Tickets are also on sale at $5/per ticket or $40 for a ten pack. Donations Needed: The 2017 Covington Auction team is working hard to build amazing experiences for this year's auction! Do you have access to a TIMESHARE, VACATION HOME, HOTEL or AMEX POINTS, or EVENT TICKETS you could share? Also, some of the best donations are made through groups of friends (Mom's Day Off, anyone??) so PLEASE get with your friends to plan something collectively. Then, please contact auction@covington-pta.org with your possible donations and ideas! Donations like these are critical to making this the BIGGEST and MOST SUCCESSFUL fundraising event for our school. Thanks in advance for your generosity! *********************** Before School Choir Sign Ups: We are lucky to have a fantastic before-school choir here at Covington, led by Diana Torres Koss, or Miss Diana, as she is known to the kids. If you would like your children to join the Spring session of the chorus, click here: http://www.covingtonschool.org/files/public_files/Covington_Choir_Enrollment_update1.pdf. You sign up online or mail the paper form directly to Starting Arts. |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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January 10, 2017
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Welcome Dr. Louise Ross to Covington!
It gives me great pleasure to introduce Dr. Louise Ross, Covington’s new school psychologist. Dr. Ross is replacing Ms. Dominique Neely who has moved to another school district. Dr. Ross comes to us from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with a wealth of experience. She received both her doctorate and Masters of Education from Harvard University. She also has a Masters in School Psychology from NYU. Dr. Ross will lend her strong counseling background to our student population, as well as her interest in mindfulness. I am very excited to have her join our staff. Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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LASD Junior Olympics |
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Save the Date! Attention 4th • 5th • 6th Graders The 57th LASD Junior Olympics is coming! Saturday, April 29, 2017 8am-4pm Mountain View High School Every 4th, 5th and 6th grader in Los Altos School District is invited to participate in the 57th Annual Junior Olympics! This event brings together the seven LASD elementary schools for a friendly track & field competition, in which everyone is encouraged to strive for their personal best and cheer on their classmates as they compete. More information and important Junior Olympics dates available at lasdjo.com If you have any questions about Junior Olympics, please visit lasdjo.com or contact Covington’s JO Chairs at jochaircovington@gmail.com. We’d be delighted for any additional help.. More information to follow. Thank you, Mara Starkey, Louanne Gonzalez, Valerie Cairns, Jen Springer |
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From the School Nurse |
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From LASD Health Services Department: When to Keep Your Child Home From School
Flu Season is in full swing. Sometimes it is difficult, especially early in the morning, to know whether or not to send your child to school. The following guidelines are indications that you should keep him/her home. In this way, you are helping to control the spread of colds, flu, and other contagious illnesses. Keep your child at home when he/she has any of the following symptoms:
You need to keep your child home until he/she has been symptom free without medication for 24 hours. Also, NOTIFY THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY if your child is exposed to or contracts chicken pox, mumps or measles or whooping cough (pertussis). These conditions can be life threatening to students who are undergoing therapies that suppress their immune systems. The following information is only a guide to common childhood health concerns. Call our District Nurses (650-444-9702 or 650-537-8119) or personal health care provider for more information. Always bring a copy of a physician’s note to school and/or notify the school if your child will have an extended absence due to a health condition for 10 days or longer. If your child will be absent, please contact the office by emailing covingtonattendance@lasdschools.org |
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Open Enrollment For Kinder/TK In Progress Now |
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2017 Kinder Registration: Open Enrollment until 2/3/17. To qualify for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2017. Children who turn 5 between Sept 2 and Dec. 2, 2017 qualify for Transitional Kindergarten. Please visit the Covington Office to pick up a registration packet. |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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Happy New Year from LAEF! We hope you had a wonderful break and are looking forward to a great second half of the school year. The end of 2016 brought in many contributions! Special thanks to those families who made a tax-deductible gift or requested a match from their company. Stay tuned for an exciting update on our fundraising progress. In the meantime...for more information about LAEF or to donate, please go to www.LAEFonline.org. |
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STEM EXPO |
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The Covington STEM program is pleased to announce the 3rd annual STEM Expo! Last year, we had over 200 projects across six different categories! Let’s make this year even bigger! More information. |
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PTA News |
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PTA Meeting Friday 1/13 8.45am Please come to the first PTA meeting of 2017. The Agenda is as follows:
*********************** PASTA! PASTA! PASTA! Calling All Pasta Fans! 
Are you looking for a night free from cooking dinner? Your Covington PTA is here to save you! Join us for a free Spaghetti Dinner on Friday, January 20th from 6-8:00pm in the Multi. Please RSVP if you are able to attend this fun filled evening with Covington friends and families! Grazie! *********************** Covington Auction Information: 
Donations Needed: The 2017 Covington Auction team is working hard to build amazing experiences for this year's auction! Do you have access to a TIMESHARE, VACATION HOME, HOTEL or AMEX POINTS, or EVENT TICKETS you could share? Also, some of the best donations are made through groups of friends (Mom's Day Off, anyone??) so PLEASE get with your friends to plan something collectively. Then, please contact auction@covington-pta.org with your possible donations and ideas! Donations like these are critical to making this the BIGGEST and MOST SUCCESSFUL fundraising event for our school. Thanks in advance for your generosity! *********************** Before School Choir Sign Ups: We are lucky to have a fantastic before-school choir here at Covington, led by Diana Torres Koss, or Miss Diana, as she is known to the kids. If you would like your children to join the Spring session of the chorus, click here: http://www.covingtonschool.org/files/public_files/Covington_Choir_Enrollment_update1.pdf. You sign up online or mail the paper form directly to Starting Arts. *********************** Mad Science Winter Session is canceled. Stay tuned for a possible program in the Spring. |
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LASD & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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We Want You … Substitute Opportunities The Silicon Valley economy is doing well and unemployment is quite low. For LASD, this means fewer people interested in substitute teaching. We are looking for parents who would be interested in helping our schools by becoming a substitute teacher. This may initially sound a bit unnerving, but it is actually a wonderful way to learn more about the learning of our students. You can choose your schedule, working as often or as little as you would like as well as at the schools of your choosing. We could really use your help, so please consider the opportunity. If you would consider joining our substitute teaching pool, we are offering a free mini-training hosted by our Human Resource & Curriculum Departments. Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 19th from 9am-12:30pm. For more information click the link here and/or contact Erin Green, Director of Student and Staff Services at egreen@lasdschools.org *********************** Assessment and Reporting in LASD , Friday, January 27, 2017 9:00am, Gardner Bullis School - Staff Lounge Join us for a Parent EdTalk on Assessment and Reporting in LASD. This talk will include an overview of standards based teaching and learning, as well as provide details on our district-wide K-8 common assessments: the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment and the iReady Diagnostic Assessment in Reading and Math. Seating is limited to 50. To reserve a place please click link: https://edtalk_1_27_17.eventbrite.com *********************** MVLA Parent Education: Screenagers Film Showing: Growing Up in the Digital Age Tuesday, January 31, 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm showings at MVHS Registration https://screenagersfilm.eventbrite.com Reset Your Child's Brain: Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen Time. Tuesday February 7th, 7:00 pm , MVHS Registration https://vdunckley.eventbrite.com Due to the generosity of our sponsors, admission is free to MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series events. *********************** School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001 |
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January 3, 2017
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Ability Awareness is this week! Our Ability Awareness week kicks off tomorrow, with assemblies and experiential activities for our students. This week gives our students an opportunity to experience and learn about different abilities. The goal is to help all of our students to understand that we all have a variety of differences as well as similarities. It is our goal to help develop empathy in all of our students- which coincides with the Coyote Way. What kids want, more than anything else, is to belong, to be part of the group, to be asked to play at recess with other kids, to be asked to join others for lunch. Children who are differently abled are often excluded and can be seen at the edge of the playground or seated alone. The Ability Awareness program has the entire school population go through hands-on exercises that will help the children appreciate the frustrations of various disabilities. There is a discussion of how we are all on a rainbow of ability- better at some things and worse at others. It is emphasized that everyone has some quality or talent that is worth finding out about and enjoying through friendship, and that certainly every human being deserves respectful and kind treatment. There is a discussion of teasing and how that hurts people. The children are then directly instructed what to do when they come across someone who is differently abled. We will be asking parents to support our Ability Awareness week in various ways. We have a small army of parents volunteering to help run the experiential activities that all grade levels (except Kinder) will take part in. We encourage you to have discussions at home with your children about what they learned this week. Helping students to understand that we all are different, and gifted, and challenged in various ways. There is even a homework assignment where students try to remain silent for one hour, in order to help understand what it is like to not have the gift of speech. Thank you for your support of Ability Awareness Week and of Covington School. All of us, together, will continue to make Covington a wonderful, caring community.
Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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After School Enrichment for Winter/Spring:Start Dates Vary |
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The next sessions of PTA sponsored after school enrichment classes have varied start dates. Programs are restarting over the next several weeks. Please check the online schedule and make alternative pick up arrangements for your children, if necessary. http://covingtonschool.org/ |
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Open Enrollment For Kinder/TK In Progress Now |
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2016 Kinder Registration: Open Enrollment until 2/3/17. To qualify for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2017. Children who turn 5 between Sept 2 and Dec. 2, 2017 qualify for Transitional Kindergarten. Please visit the Covington Office to pick up a registration packet. |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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Happy New Year from LAEF! We hope you had a wonderful break and are looking forward to a great second half of the school year. The end of 2016 brought in many contributions! Special thanks to those families who made a tax-deductible gift or requested a match from their company. Stay tuned for an exciting update on our fundraising progress. In the meantime...for more information about LAEF or to donate, please go to www.LAEFonline.org. |
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STEM EXPO |
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The Covington STEM program is pleased to announce the 3rd annual STEM Expo! Last year, we had over 200 projects across six different categories! Let’s make this year even bigger! More information. |
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PTA News |
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First PTA meeting of 2017 is Friday January 13th at 8.45am. *********************** PASTA, PASTA, PASTA! Please mark your calendars for this fun PTA sponsored Covington Community Building Event! Spaghetti Dinner, Friday, January 20th 6:00-8:00pm, Covington Multi *********************** Covington Auction Information:
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LASD & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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We Want You … Substitute Opportunities The Silicon Valley economy is doing well and unemployment is quite low. For LASD, this means fewer people interested in substitute teaching. We are looking for parents who would be interested in helping our schools by becoming a substitute teacher. This may initially sound a bit unnerving, but it is actually a wonderful way to learn more about the learning of our students. You can choose your schedule, working as often or as little as you would like as well as at the schools of your choosing. We could really use your help, so please consider the opportunity. If you would consider joining our substitute teaching pool, we are offering a free mini-training hosted by our Human Resource & Curriculum Departments. Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 19th from 9am-12:30pm. For more information click the link here and/or contact Erin Green, Director of Student and Staff Services at egreen@lasdschools.org *********************** "Science in January" weekly series at the Los Altos Library Presented by the Children’s Discovery Museum, “Science in January” will be held every Wednesday afternoon for four weeks. Children in kindergarten and up with their caregivers are invited to explore science in various activities. Wednesday, January 4 4 PM – Science Magic Wednesday, January 11 4 PM – Air We Go Wednesday, January 18 4 PM – Gadgets in Motion Wednesday, January 25 4 PM – Amusement Park Science ***********************
School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/ |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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December 13, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Remain in the moment… The pace of life seems to pick up this time of year. There’s a frantic period of planning, organizing, and preparing for the Holidays. There’s shopping to do, rooms to clean, meals to prepare, wrapping of gifts, etc. The list goes on and on. It’s as if we are speeding up to slow down. I’ve been doing a great deal of work on the concept of mindfulness- both professionally and personally. Part of mindfulness is the concept of being fully present and in the moment; not dwelling on the past nor worrying about the future. Mindfulness is also something many of our teachers want to embed in their work with our students. This time of year gives us a challenge to remain in the present. Sure, things have to get done (last minute shopping) and plans have to be made (plane tickets purchased). However, it’s very important, perhaps even critical, that we all take time to be present, in the moment, and savor the good in our lives. While this time of year challenges our mindfulness, it also presents many opportunities to cherish and appreciate the goodness that exists in our lives. It is my sincere hope that all of us have those beautiful, mindful moments when we realize what is truly important. That’s my holiday wish for all of us. I wish you a wonderful and mindful break. Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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LOST & FOUND WILL BE DONATED BY 12/16/17 |
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LOST AND FOUND LAST CALL! Items not collected by this Friday 12/16/17 will be donated to charity. Please visit the Lost & Found rack outside the multi. |
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Open Enrollment For Kinder/TK In Progress Now |
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2016 Kinder Registration: Open Enrollment until 2/3/17. To qualify for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2017. Children who turn 5 between Sept 2 and Dec. 2, 2017 qualify for Transitional Kindergarten. Please visit the Covington Office to pick up a registration packet. |
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Student Council News |
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Canned Food Drive: Covington’s Student Council is running a canned food drive to support local families in need. Students may place donations in the boxes in their classrooms or in the donation bins in front of the school. All donations will go to Second Harvest Food Bank. The drive began last Monday, and will continue until next Wednesday, December 14th. Please consider making a donation and supporting our community! Our school goal is 500 lbs of food. Our individual goal is an average of two donations per student. Thank you! |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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Two weeks left for corporate matching in 2016 Did you know that in 2015/16, LAEF received $590,000 in corporate matching funds? Wow! With less than 20 days until the end of the tax year now is the time to submit a matching request to your company (or to make your tax-deductible annual donation for 2016). Find out if your company matches by going to www.doublethedonation.com/laef or donate at LAEFonline.org Computer Science Rocks in LASD! LASD joined schools around the world to celebrate Computer Science Education Week December 5-9. This annual event was dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science. Our students participated in the Hour of Code program organized by Code.org. This year’s LASD theme was Code with a Buddy and TRY Something NEW. Go to LAEFOnline.org and find out why it's important to learn computer science and what LASD students in each grade are learning this year. |
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STEM EXPO |
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The Covington STEM program is pleased to announce the 3rd annual STEM Expo! Last year, we had over 200 projects across six different categories! Let’s make this year even bigger! More information.
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PTA News |
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Purchase your Holiday Tree at Kiwanis Tree Lot and support Covington PTA. The Los Altos Kiwanis Tree Lot is now open through Dec. 18. Each year they sell trees and donate the profits to local organizations, including our school. For every tree purchased at this tree lot, $5 or $10 (based on tree size) will be donated to our school's PTA. Simply mention Covington School at checkout.
The lot is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Mondays through Fridays 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at Lucky's parking lot at Foothill Expressway and Arboretum. The lot features noble firs, tree stands, wreaths, garlands and centerpieces. ***********************
*********************** Parking Lot Courtesy - You may have noticed that some of our Covington Parking Spots have a sign indicating that the space is reserved for a particular family or families. These families paid generously at our annual auction for that reserved space. Please refrain from using those spots. If the parking lot is full, you can park in the back of the St. William parking lot next door or at the public lot at Rosita Park. *********************** HOLIDAY AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington! Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, electronics, school supplies, and more. It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Please use this link (bookmark it!) or go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo on the lower right side, then select and purchase your items as you normally would. Covington will automatically receive a referral fee from Amazon. No sign-up required. Questions? Contact Jennie Ebbitt at jtebbitt@gmail.com. |
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LASD & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001 |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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December 6, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Dear Covington Community, Winter Concert is Thursday!! You are cordially invited to the upper grade Winter Concert this Thursday at 1:00pm in the multi. Our 4th, 5th and 6th graders will entertain us with a collection of seasonal music to highlight their learning from our district provided music program. They will be led under the direction of our fabulous music team! The music program, and the performance, are made possible by your generous donations to Los Altos Education Fund (LAEF). Without your generous donations to LAEF, this program wouldn’t be possible. Thank you (on behalf of your kids) for investing in this aspect of ‘rounding’ their education. Research shows the many ways that music activates the brain; and students also learn valuable teamwork, perseverance and performance skills! So, thank you & I hope to see you Thursday afternoon! Ability Awareness Week is Coming!! We Need You! Ability Awareness Week is January 3rd-6th. This powerful and impactful week will help Covington students grow empathy and compassion for those with physical and learning challenges. Through a series of experiential activities, students get a sense of what it is like to experience challenges. Reflective discussions after each activity help students understand that we all face challenges and empathy is sparked- for ALL students. This incredible experience can only take place through the use of parent volunteers. We are still looking for a few parents to help out. A quick training is provided on Tuesday, Dec. 13th at either 8:45am or 7:00pm. Please fill out this form if you can assist us! Thanks for all you do for the Covington community!
Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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Open Enrollment For Kinder/TK In Progress Now |
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2016 Kinder Registration: Open Enrollment until 2/3/17. To qualify for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2017. Children who turn 5 between Sept 2 and Dec. 2, 2017 qualify for Transitional Kindergarten. Please visit the Covington Office to pick up a registration packet. |
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Student Council News |
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Canned Food Drive: Covington’s Student Council is running a canned food drive to support local families in need. Students may place donations in the boxes in their classrooms or in the donation bins in front of the school. All donations will go to Second Harvest Food Bank. The drive began last Monday, and will continue until next Wednesday, December 14th. Please consider making a donation and supporting our community! Our school goal is 500 lbs of food. Our individual goal is an average of two donations per student. Thank you! |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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LASD Winter Music Concerts & Computer Science Ed Week We hope you enjoy the sounds of the season coming from our 4th, 5th and 6th grade LASD Winter Music Concerts in addition to hearing inspiring stories of our K-8 students participating in “Hour of Code” during Computer Science Education Week. Parent donations to LAEF have made these enriching educational experiences possible. That’s why we are requesting your support by donating at LAEFonline.org by 12/31. Buy Your Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints & Support LAEF By ordering your holiday cards from Tiny Prints at https://www.tinyprints.com/storefront/laef, you’ll save on your cards and LAEF will receive a donation from every order! It’s another easy way to support LAEF during this season of giving. Thank you! |
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Absence Information |
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Friendly Reminder: The State of California Education Code only allows 3 unexcused absences per year. The only excused absences are for illness, medical appointments or family emergencies. If you are planning to travel during scheduled school time, please visit the office and request an Independent Study Program. Independent study is an optional educational alternative to classroom instruction available to all students in the district. We offer short term independent study which has specific guidelines of a minimum of 5 days, maximum of 15 days. Teachers need at least 3 days notice to prepare work for an independent study. |
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PTA News |
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Purchase your Holiday Tree at Kiwanis Tree Lot and support Covington PTA. The Los Altos Kiwanis Tree Lot is now open through Dec. 18. Each year they sell trees and donate the profits to local organizations, including our school. For every tree purchased at this tree lot, $5 or $10 (based on tree size) will be donated to our school's PTA. Simply mention Covington School at checkout.
The lot is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Mondays through Fridays 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at Lucky's parking lot at Foothill Expressway and Arboretum. The lot features noble firs, tree stands, wreaths, garlands and centerpieces. ***********************
*********************** PTA Play: Peter Pan Jr. Registration. Registration forms went home in Thurs/Fri envelopes for all 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Additional forms are available in the office Peter Pan box. Please drop off registration forms and cash/check payments in the Peter Pan box in the office. For Credit card payments use online registration- link below. Deadline for registration is December 9th, 2016. Cost is $250 which includes T-shirt. Scholarships are available. Contact Arezou Bahman (arezoua@yahoo.com) with any questions. Online registration: http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Peter-Pan-Jr-Registration_p_ *********************** Covington School PTA is proud to partner with the Family Giving Tree, a charitable organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children and individuals throughout the Bay Area. For over 25 years, the Family Giving Tree has fulfilled more than 1.3 million specific holiday wishes and is looking to our group to continue their work. This year, Family Giving Tree has set a goal to fulfill the holiday wishes of 75,000 local children. Our group has committed to fulfill 275 wishes! I am writing to invite you to join us as we try to reach this goal by December 12, 2016. You can fulfill the holiday wish of a local child or adult in one of the following ways: 1. Choose a card and shop for the specific gift. Wish cards with the name, age, gender, and wish of a person in need are located in each classroom and in the school office. 2. Go online and sponsor a child or adult's wish by visiting http://vgt.familygivingtree.org/CovingtonElem Please contact me if you have any questions, or visit www.FamilyGivingTree.org for more information about the Family Giving Tree’s Holiday Wish Drive. Every gift is another wish fulfilled! We will have donation drop off boxes located outside the office starting Monday, November 28th. All gifts are due by 8:30am on December 12th. For all those that participate in making a wish come true there will be a movie and pizza night on a date to be determined in February. Please contact us with any questions. Thank you, Trish Carballar ntrishwish77@gmail.com, Angela Wilson angelawilson618@gmail. *********************** HOLIDAY AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington! Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, electronics, school supplies, and more. It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Please use this link (bookmark it!) or go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo on the lower right side, then select and purchase your items as you normally would. Covington will automatically receive a referral fee from Amazon. No sign-up required. Questions? Contact Jennie Ebbitt at jtebbitt@gmail.com. |
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LASD & Community Announcements |
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Egan Holiday Craft Faire. Come shop for the holidays! Egan School seventh and eighth grade students are busily making all kinds of homemade crafts and gift items to sell at their annual Holiday Craft Faire. Items for sale will include pillows, soaps, jewelry, clothing accessories, hats, candles, origami as well as ornaments, holiday crafts, decorations and food items. The Holiday Craft Faire will take place on Friday, December 9 from 7:30a-12:30p at Egan School (100 West Portola Avenue). Everyone is welcome! Become a LIVING CLASSROOM docent... share your love of nature with kids! It's time to build bird nests, make yummy soup from the veggies we harvest from our school gardens, discover symmetry inside fruit, and make natural dyes from plants! If you like all those things and more, please consider becoming a Living Classroom docent! LIving Classroom is looking for docents to help deliver hands-on garden-based lessons to the students of the Los Altos School District. No experience necessary as we provide all the training needed! Our Winter Docent Training will take place at the LASD iLearn Studio on Monday mornings from 9 - Noon on 12/5, 12/12*, 1/9 and 1/23 (*the 12/12 training will take place at the Palo Alto School District Science Resource Center). Please click here to view our Winter Training Flyer. Apprentice-style training also available for those who can’t make our Monday morning trainings. Questions? Email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103. For more information about Living Classroom, please visit our website at www.living-classroom.org. School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001 |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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November 29, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Dear Covington Community, I hope you had a restful Thanksgiving break, filled with good moments with family and friends. We now have three weeks before we take our winter recess and there’s plenty going on during that time. The annual Scholastic book fair is running all this week. This is a great opportunity to do some holiday shopping and support Covington’s PTA. The fair will be open Wednesday evening, complete with food trucks! On Thursday evening, we will host Kinder/New Family information night. If you or your neighbor has an incoming kindergartner, or if you’re recently new to Covington and missed all of our orientation events, please mark your calendar for THIS Thursday at 7:00 in our library. After a presentation, families are invited to tour our kindergarten rooms. Information about registration will also be discussed. I also want to point your attention to our parent Ed night regarding Ability Awareness on Monday, Dec. 5th at 7pm in the multi. This presentation will give parents insight on the types of activities our students will be doing during our Ability Awareness week (Jan. 3rd-6th) which will help promote compassion and empathy for all. Hope to see you at one (or all of these events)!
Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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Kindergarten & New Family Night |
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Kindergarten & New Family Information Night, this Thursday Dec.1st at 7pm: We will hold our Kindergarten/New Parent information night for students entering Kindergarten or moving to our district for the 2015-16 school year. Information will be presented on our district and school programs, highlights and registration. If you have a child who will be entering kindergarten in the fall, you won't want to miss this night! Please join us at 7pm in the library on Thursday night. |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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LASD Winter Music Concerts & Computer Science Ed Week We hope you enjoy the sounds of the season coming from our 4th, 5th and 6th grade LASD Winter Music Concerts in addition to hearing inspiring stories of our K-8 students participating in “Hour of Code” during Computer Science Education Week. Parent donations to LAEF have made these enriching educational experiences possible. That’s why we are requesting your support by donating at LAEFonline.org by 12/31. Buy Your Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints & Support LAEF By ordering your holiday cards from Tiny Prints at https://www.tinyprints.com/storefront/laef, you’ll save on your cards and LAEF will receive a donation from every order! It’s another easy way to support LAEF during this season of giving. Thank you! |
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Absence Information |
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Friendly Reminder: The State of California Education Code only allows 3 unexcused absences per year. The only excused absences are for illness, medical appointments or family emergencies. If you are planning to travel during scheduled school time, please visit the office and request an Independent Study Program. Independent study is an optional educational alternative to classroom instruction available to all students in the district. We offer short term independent study which has specific guidelines of a minimum of 5 days, maximum of 15 days. Teachers need at least 3 days notice to prepare work for an independent study. |
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PTA News |
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SUBJECT: Registration for Girls on the Run! Calling all 3rd - 5th grade girls! We are thrilled to continue our Girls on the Run program this year and hope you can join us. Here are the quick details: • Register at http://www.gotrsv.org • Open lottery registration starts this Saturday, December 3rd - Monday, December 5th • The program is 10 weeks long from March 6 - May 20th • We meet every Monday and Wednesday from 3 - 4:30pm • The cost is $230 which includes: snacks, all program materials, 2 t-shirts, a water bottle and the 5K registration Have more questions, please contact, Christine Wedner, cwedner@mac.com. *********************** Bookaneer Book Fair. Come visit our Scholastic Book Fair and experience a celebration of reading! From November 28th – December 2nd, the Covington Multi will be transformed into an amazing bookstore where reading is the treasure. Hours: 8:15 am – 3:15 pm (November 28th – December 2nd) Family Food Truck Night: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Wednesday, November 30th Questions? Ask Mara (marastarkey@gmail.com) or Elise (elise55@gmail.com) *********************** PTA Play: Peter Pan Jr. Registration. Registration forms went home in Thurs/Fri envelopes for all 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Additional forms are available in the office Peter Pan box. Please drop off registration forms and cash/check payments in the Peter Pan box in the office. For Credit card payments use online registration- link below. Deadline for registration is December 9th, 2016. Cost is $250 which includes T-shirt. Scholarships are available. Contact Arezou Bahman (arezoua@yahoo.com) with any questions. Online registration: http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Peter-Pan-Jr-Registration_p_ *********************** Covington School PTA is proud to partner with the Family Giving Tree, a charitable organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children and individuals throughout the Bay Area. For over 25 years, the Family Giving Tree has fulfilled more than 1.3 million specific holiday wishes and is looking to our group to continue their work. This year, Family Giving Tree has set a goal to fulfill the holiday wishes of 75,000 local children. Our group has committed to fulfill 275 wishes! I am writing to invite you to join us as we try to reach this goal by December 12, 2016. You can fulfill the holiday wish of a local child or adult in one of the following ways: 1. Choose a card and shop for the specific gift. Wish cards with the name, age, gender, and wish of a person in need are located in each classroom and in the school office. 2. Go online and sponsor a child or adult's wish by visiting http://vgt.familygivingtree.org/CovingtonElem Please contact me if you have any questions, or visit www.FamilyGivingTree.org for more information about the Family Giving Tree’s Holiday Wish Drive. Every gift is another wish fulfilled! We will have donation drop off boxes located outside the office starting Monday, November 28th. All gifts are due by 8:30am on December 12th. For all those that participate in making a wish come true there will be a movie and pizza night on a date to be determined in February. Please contact us with any questions. Thank you, Trish Carballar ntrishwish77@gmail.com, Angela Wilson angelawilson618@gmail. *********************** HOLIDAY AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington! Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, electronics, school supplies, and more. It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Please use this link (bookmark it!) or go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo on the lower right side, then select and purchase your items as you normally would. Covington will automatically receive a referral fee from Amazon. No sign-up required. Questions? Contact Jennie Ebbitt at jtebbitt@gmail.com. |
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LASD & Community Announcements |
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Egan Holiday Craft Faire. Come shop for the holidays! Egan School seventh and eighth grade students are busily making all kinds of homemade crafts and gift items to sell at their annual Holiday Craft Faire. Items for sale will include pillows, soaps, jewelry, clothing accessories, hats, candles, origami as well as ornaments, holiday crafts, decorations and food items. The Holiday Craft Faire will take place on Friday, December 9 from 7:30a-12:30p at Egan School (100 West Portola Avenue). Everyone is welcome! Become a LIVING CLASSROOM docent... share your love of nature with kids! It's time to build bird nests, make yummy soup from the veggies we harvest from our school gardens, discover symmetry inside fruit, and make natural dyes from plants! If you like all those things and more, please consider becoming a Living Classroom docent! LIving Classroom is looking for docents to help deliver hands-on garden-based lessons to the students of the Los Altos School District. No experience necessary as we provide all the training needed! Our Winter Docent Training will take place at the LASD iLearn Studio on Monday mornings from 9 - Noon on 12/5, 12/12*, 1/9 and 1/23 (*the 12/12 training will take place at the Palo Alto School District Science Resource Center). Please click here to view our Winter Training Flyer. Apprentice-style training also available for those who can’t make our Monday morning trainings. Questions? Email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103. For more information about Living Classroom, please visit our website at www.living-classroom.org.
School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001 |
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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November 15, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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After elections, we move forward... Last week the nation had a historic election. As a keen student of history, I can say with certainty that we live in very interesting times. Over the course of the week, media has reported on very concerning things. We’ve seen protests around the country. Many of our citizens are worried about their future. And while elections are for adults to make their voices heard, our children surely have been watching. Many of our children see the divide in this country and are concerned and confused. The Covington community has an opportunity to galvanize even more solidly as a school that respects and supports ALL of it’s members. Our children have many advantages living in this community. One of this community’s greatest advantages is our diversity. We work collaboratively with others of different ethnicities, religions, and beliefs, perhaps the most diverse in the country, to strengthen our students’ experience. Indeed, our community reflects the world our students will inherit. As a diverse community that provides the very best to our students, we celebrate our all of our differences. We respect everyone and support each other in times of need. And, we expect everyone to contribute positively to our community in any way they can. If this sounds like our Mission statement- well, it is. Our Covington mission statement is based on shared values. One of those values is to treat others as we wish to be treated. We reject any words or actions that don’t support that value. Our teachers have had, and will continue to have, discussions with our students about our shared values as a school. One of my colleagues provided resources to help talk with children about the election. I share them with you below:
Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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End of Trimester 1- Reports are ready |
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As I know you have heard, your child’s first quarter or first trimester report card is now available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. For a detailed reminder of how to log on and navigate the Parent Portal, view this screencast. Once you are logged in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you will click the Print Reports icon in the left navigation area. If you click the custom report card link provided, your child’s report will be generated for you. If you have misplaced your login information, please contact our school secretary. Please preview your child’s report card prior to your parent conference later this month. The report should easily print in one or two pages. We have only sent home reports for families who we know do not have computer access at home. For details on the report card itself, including information about essential standards and mastery in LASD, please view this screencast. You can also see the mastery rubric and student friendly version of the mastery rubric here. |
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Parent Ed Talk on Cyber Safety |
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Cyber-safety: What Parents Need to Know. Tonight, on November 15th, at 6:30pm in our multi, Los Altos Police and School Resource Officer, Ryan Langone will be presenting a parent talk about keeping kids safe in the cyber world. This is a great presentation to attend in order to catch up on the latest trends in social media as well. This presentation would also be an excellent follow-up to Oct. 25th’s showing of Screenagers. Officer Langone will also be working with our 5th and 6th graders this week on what they need to know about cyber-safety and etiquette. |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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LAEF’s meets $100K Challenge...raising $2.5M so far LAEF’s Board of Directors is pleased to report that we have just reached $2.5M in donations on our way to meeting our $3.7M goal for the current school year. A special thank you to the families who made first time gifts or increased their annual donation to help us meet our $100,000 Matching Challenge from LAEF’s Board of Directors and the Honor Roll of Realtors Leadership Circle. For those of you that have not yet participated, please join our community’s 1,700 donors by making a contribution that is meaningful for your family. LAEFOnline.org
What’s an IST? Meet LASD’s new Instructional Support Teacher for Math Ms. Noirin Foy is the district’s first IST, supporting 6-8th grade math by providing our 27 math teachers with professional learning, coaching, and modeling. Teaching math in LASD since 2011, she is also strengthening LASD’s collaboration with the math ISTs from Mountain View and Los Altos High Schools. Check out Ms. Foy’s new LASD Math website with resources for students when they need extra support or practice and learn more at LAEFOnline.org |
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PTA News |
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Hours: 8:15 am – 3:15 pm (November 28th – December 2nd) Family Food Truck Night: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Wednesday, November 30th Coins for Classroom Libraries We will be hosting an All for Books Coin Drive to update all classroom libraries. Donate coins and get a raffle ticket to win one of 2 book baskets! Seeking Volunteers and Shoppers! We need YOUR help! We will train you on the spot - No experience necessary! Volunteer for 2 shifts and get 2 raffle tickets for the book baskets. Sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044dacad2faa8-20151 Questions? Ask Mara (marastarkey@gmail.com) or Elise (elise55@gmail.com) ***********************
PTA Play: Peter Pan Jr. Registration. Registration forms went home in Thurs/Fri envelopes for all 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Additional forms are available in the office Peter Pan box. Please drop off registration forms and cash/check payments in the Peter Pan box in the office. For Credit card payments use online registration- link below. Deadline for registration is December 9th, 2016. Cost is $250 which includes T-shirt. Scholarships are available. Contact Arezou Bahman (arezoua@yahoo.com) with any questions. Online registration: http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Peter-Pan-Jr-Registration_p_ *********************** Lost & Found is overflowing! There about 80 jackets and many water bottles, etc... These will be donated at the Thanksgiving break, if not claimed before!! *********************** HOLIDAY AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington! Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, electronics, school supplies, and more. It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Please use this link (bookmark it!) or go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo on the lower right side, then select and purchase your items as you normally would. Covington will automatically receive a referral fee from Amazon. No sign-up required. Questions? Contact Jennie Ebbitt at jtebbitt@gmail.com. |
Bookaneer Book Fair. 
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November 8, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Dear Covington Community, Ability Awareness Week is Coming! At last Friday’s “Coffee with the Principal” we were able to take parent input regarding our positive school campus initiative called the Coyote Way. I want to thank all the parents there who contributed some great ideas and values to our initiative. Part of Friday’s coffee also included a presentation by district parent Annie Morgan. With the help of Annie we will be leading a impactful experience for our students known as Ability Awareness Week. During the week of Jan. 3rd-6th, Covington students will be taken through a number of workshops that help them understand that everyone has challenges. These experiences help our students grow empathy for what it is like to face physical and learning challenges. Having seen an Ability Awareness week at Springer years ago, I can attest to the positive impact it makes on students. Children understand and appreciate the challenges that we are all faced with, be they minor or major. I expect to see students at Covington becoming even more supportive of each other after Ability Awareness week. Parents in last Friday’s coffee were so impressed with the program that they wanted to know if we could do a Parent Ed night around Ability Awareness. Great idea! So, please mark your calendars for Monday, December 5th at 7:00pm. Annie Morgan and I will present information about this important program and even take parents through some of the activities that students will be experiencing. We also will need volunteers to make this a success so there will be an opportunity on that evening to sign-up to help. On a closing note: thank you if you voted today (or earlier by mail)! I spoke to the children today at Flag Assembly about the importance of voting in a democracy. Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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Parent Ed Talk on Cyber Safety |
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Cyber-safety: What Parents Need to Know. Coming up next Tuesday, on November 15th, at 6:30pm in our multi, Los Altos Police and School Resource Officer, Ryan Langone will be presenting a parent talk about keeping kids safe in the cyber world. This is a great presentation to attend in order to catch up on the latest trends in social media as well. This presentation would also be an excellent follow-up to Oct. 25th’s showing of Screenagers. Officer Langone will also be working with our 5th and 6th graders this week on what they need to know about cyber-safety and etiquette. |
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PTA News |
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SAVE THE DATE - AUCTION 2017. The 2017 Covington Auction will be on March 25th in the Elks Club. We would love for some more parents to get involved with the auction organizing, particularly new families and families with kids in lower grades. If you have some time and skills you would like to put to good use, please let Shauna McIntyre shauna.mcintyre@gmail.com know. *********************** PTA MEETING THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10th at 8.45 am. All parents are encouraged to attend this month's PTA meeting. As well as regular agenda items such as approving income and expenditure, we will be getting an update on Report Cards and the Coyote Way from Principal Spenader. We will also be discussing options for our School Photographs. *********************** THE COYOTE LAIR REOPENS. The Coyote Lair is a parent-run lunchtime club for our Covington kids. It has not been operating for a couple of years, but thanks to 2nd Grade parent, Renuka Kolekar, is reopening this year. Renuka hopes to have the club open at lunch time 3-4 days per week from November 29th with possible offerings to include: Lego, Board Games, Art, Creative Writing, and Public Speaking. The Lair will provide structured alternatives for those kids who want options other than playing on the black-top and playground, or going to the library. The Lair needs volunteers, so if you are willing to be available one lunchtime per week, every two weeks, or even once per month, please let Renuka know (rkolekar@gmail.com). *********************** SCHOOL DIRECTORY Fourleaf is the online package we use for our school directory. It's fast and simple. You can access it from any device, anytime, anywhere, using the app or website. Fourleaf is, organized, and current and a great way to get contact details for school friends and other families. Unfortunately at the moment it is incomplete! Many people are worried about sharing their personal contact information online. There are privacy settings within the system which allow you to control how much information you would like to share and who has access to it. The information contained in Fourleaf is for use by families and staff of Covington Elementary for non-commercial purposes only. It is NOT available to the general public. Fourleaf does not connect to ad networks and does not sell personal information. We would love to have our school directory up to date and complete for all students across school. You may have already agreed to have your details in the directory through the Infosnap registration process that was done for every child in early August. If not, please go to the Covington website and choose the school directory tab from the list on the left-hand side, or click on the link below to bring you directly to the Covington page. https://fourleaf.net/app#/a/o/55d3b95b395afc3757629042 We are also considering printing a small number of paper directories for those who really like to have the information in hard-copy form. If you are interested in having a paper copy, please contact fionnualal@gmail.com putting 'School Directory' in the subject line. ***********************
Hours: 8:15 am – 3:15 pm (November 28th – December 2nd) Family Food Truck Night: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Wednesday, November 30th Coins for Classroom Libraries We will be hosting an All for Books Coin Drive to update all classroom libraries. Donate coins and get a raffle ticket to win one of 2 book baskets! Seeking Volunteers and Shoppers! We need YOUR help! We will train you on the spot - No experience necessary! Volunteer for 2 shifts and get 2 raffle tickets for the book baskets. Sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044dacad2faa8-20151 Questions? Ask Mara (marastarkey@gmail.com) or Elise (elise55@gmail.com) ***********************
PTA Play: Peter Pan Jr. Registration. Registration forms went home in Thurs/Fri envelopes for all 4th, 5th and 6th graders. Additional forms are available in the office Peter Pan box. Please drop off registration forms and cash/check payments in the Peter Pan box in the office. For Credit card payments use online registration- link below. Deadline for registration is December 9th, 2016. Cost is $250 which includes T-shirt. Scholarships are available. Contact Arezou Bahman (arezoua@yahoo.com) with any questions. Online registration: http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Peter-Pan-Jr-Registration_p_ *********************** Auction Fundraiser Party - Bootlegs & Bottles Dance Party. Date - Saturday December 3, 2016. Time - 7 pm - 11 pm. Location - Sumaira Khan & Nabeel Mian Residence. Price - $75 per person. Hosts - Khan/Mian, Sellers, Ghosheh/Issa, Leong, Townhill, Colpitts and Cairns. Calling all party people! Is your name on the list for the most exclusive nightclub in Los Altos? For one night only, Covington's hottest promoters invite you to leave the paparazzi at the door and enter! A live DJ will take you from Miami to Ibiza so make sure you like your nights hardcore! Burn up the dance floor or chill in the Lounge. There is something for everyone at this hot spot, including delicious tapas and rumors of a secret Whiskey Room. Put on your dancing shoes and be ready for the weekend, cuz the cocktails don't stop so let the beat drop! If you would like to purchase tickets please click on the below link. Once purchased you will receive an Evite with all the party details: http://covingtonpta.3dcartstores.com/Bootlegs-and-Bottles-Dance-Party_p_36.html Lost & Found is overflowing! There about 80 jackets and many water bottles, etc... These will be donated at the Thanksgiving break, if not claimed before!! |
Bookaneer Book Fair. 
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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What’s an IST? Meet LASD’s new Instructional Support Teacher for Math. Ms. Noirin Foy is the district’s first IST, supporting 6-8th grade math by providing our 27 math teachers with professional learning, coaching, and modeling. Teaching math in LASD since 2011, she is also strengthening LASD’s collaboration with the math ISTs from Mountain View and Los Altos High Schools. Check out Ms. Foy’s new LASD Math website with resources for students when they need extra support or practice and learn more at LAEFOnline.org! LAEF’s meets $100K Challenge...raising $2.5M so far LAEF’s Board of Directors is pleased to report that we have just reached $2.5M in donations on our way to meeting our $3.7M goal for the current school year. A special thank you to the families who made first time gifts or increased their annual donation to help us meet our $100,000 Matching Challenge from LAEF’s Board of Directors and the Honor Roll of Realtors Leadership Circle. For those of you that have not yet participated, please join our community’s 1,700 donors by making a contribution that is meaningful for your family. LAEFOnline.org |
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Pajama Bonanza! |
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Daisy Troop #62883 is participating in a pajama drive with Scholastic Reading Club and Pajama Program. Please send a pair of new pajamas, in any size, to school. The pajamas and a new book donated by Scholastic will be given to a child living in a homeless shelter for a reassuring bedtime. Thank you for your generosity! There will be a big collection box in front of the school office from Tuesday Nov 8 to Friday Nov 18. |
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LASD & Community Announcements |
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SELPA Parent ED:Let's Talk. A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc. All are welcome, participants must respect confidentiality. Monday November 14, 2016, 7 PM - 9 PM - in the Orchard Community Room, Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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November 1, 2016
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Important Dates:
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Principal’s Message |
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Dear Covington Community, Hurray to our staff! A key reason for my decision to take the helm of Covington was the chance to work with the staff. The teachers and faculty of Covington have long had an excellent reputation across the district; I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with such a dedicated group of people. Now that I’ve had the time to work with staff, on all kinds of projects and issues, I am even more impressed and thankful than I expected. Their dedication and caring to our students is amazing. Our teachers really know their kids. They know their strengths and their challenges. And, they put plans in place to support all of their students. The staff works tremendously hard to make great things happen! They support each other and jump in to help whenever and wherever needed. Indeed, they have inspired and taught me things in just a short amount of time. This time of year is hectic. With Halloween behind us (what a great parade yesterday!) and parent conferencing ahead, teachers are running on all cylinders at this point. Having the pleasure of getting into all of our classrooms, I can see that teachers are still conducting relevant and engaging lessons for our students. Good stuff is happening! I make it a point to call out a teacher’s great work when I see it. Research shows us that authentic praise is highly motivating so I use it as often as I can with students and teachers. And while a principal’s compliment to a teacher feels good, an even more powerful impact can be made when a parent calls out something positive they are seeing. It doesn’t take much effort or time to send a complimentary email or to say some encouraging words to a teacher. We all feed on praise. If you get a chance, give some authentic recognition to any adult on campus who is making a positive impact on your child’s life. Those words help all of us at Covington- staff, students and parents alike- continue to make this a caring and vibrant community. Regards, Wade Spenader Principal |
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Parent Ed Talk on Cyber Safety |
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Cyber-safety: What Parents Need to Know. On November 15th, at 6:30pm in our multi, Los Altos Police and School Resource Officer, Ryan Langone will be presenting a parent talk about keeping kids safe in the cyber world. This is a great presentation to attend in order to catch up on the latest trends in social media as well. This presentation would also be an excellent follow-up to Oct. 25th’s showing of Screenagers. |
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PTA News |
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Walkathon Sponsor Checks Due Friday! This Friday, November 4th is the last day to turn in your sponsorship funding for the Walkathon. Remember, you do not need to turn in the sponsor form -- just the check please. Thank you again for your support! _______________________ Covington’s Run Club is starting on Friday, November 4th at lunch time!! Run Club is offered every Friday at lunchtime, except on special party days and when it’s raining. Run Club is an optional noontime activity available to all 1st - 6th graders. Kids can choose weekly if they’d like to participate and they can run as many or as few laps as they desire. Parent volunteers help encourage kids, count laps by punching mile cards, and distribute ribbons earned weekly to teachers. Every week 100 - 150 kids participate. Please note, there is no special parent sign-up required. Kids simply come to the track at lunchtime, fill their name in on a lap card and start running. Encourage your kids to come & join the fun! For more information, contact: Anna Barragan annabarragan3@gmail.com, Jen Springer jen_springer@mac.com _______________________ PTA Meeting Next Thursday Nov 10th: Agenda: School Photo Vendors _______________________ School Directory. Fourleaf is the online package we use for our school directory. It's fast and simple. You can access it from any device, anytime, anywhere, using the app or website. Fourleaf is, organized, and current and a great way to get contact details for school friends and other families. Unfortunately at the moment it is incomplete! Many people are worried about sharing their personal contact information online. There are privacy settings within the system which allow you to control how much information you would like to share and who has access to it. The information contained in Fourleaf is for use by families and staff of Covington Elementary for non-commercial purposes only. It is NOT available to the general public. Fourleaf does not connect to ad networks and does not sell personal information. We would love to have our school directory up to date and complete for all students across school. You may have already agreed to have your details in the directory through the Infosnap registration process that was done for every child in early August. If not, please go to the Covington website and choose the school directory tab from the list on the left-hand side, or click on the link below to bring you directly to the Covington page. https://fourleaf.net/app#/a/o/55d3b95b395afc3757629042 We are also considering printing a small number of paper directories for those who really like to have the information in hard-copy form. If you are interested in having a paper copy, please contact fionnualal@gmail.com putting 'School Directory' in the subject line. _______________________ Lost & Found is overflowing! There about 80 jackets and many water bottles, etc... These will be donated at the Thanksgiving break, if not claimed before!! |
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Los Altos Educational Foundation |
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Good news is coming soon! We are busy processing donations from the many families who donated in support of our $100,000 Matching Challenge LAEF’s Board of Directors and the Honor Roll of Realtors Leadership Circle. As of Friday 10/28, we were within a few hundred dollars of meeting the match. Stay tuned for good news and in the meantime a big thank you to the 1,520 families who have already contributed to LAEF to pay for essential enrichment teachers and program staff for this year’s programs. To learn more about LAEF, pledge or donate, go to LAEFonline.org. Have you ordered your Holiday Cards? Buy from Tiny Prints & support LAEF It’s that time of the year! By ordering your Thanksgiving or Holiday Cards through Tiny Prints at https://www.tinyprints.com/storefront/laef, you’ll save on your cards and LAEF will receive a donation from every order! |
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Thank you Covington Community! |
Socktober Success! So proud of our 1st graders for collecting 490 pairs of socks and 2,366 toiletry items for Socktober. Thank you for your support and generosity! |
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From the School Nurse: When to Stay Home From School |
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School is a place where colds and diseases can spread rapidly. Children who are ill should stay home from school, rest and recuperate. Sometimes it is difficult, especially early in the morning, to know whether or not to send your child to school. The following guidelines are indications that you should keep your child home:
It is required to keep your child home until he/she has been symptom free without medication for 24 hours. Also, NOTIFY THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY if your child is exposed to or contracts chicken pox, mumps or measles. These conditions can be life threatening to students who are undergoing therapies that suppress their immune systems. Please click here for the LASD Health policies. Attendance Absences and late arrivals are to be reported to the school by a parent or guardian by calling the Covington Attendance Line at (650) 947-1101 by 9:00am, or sending a electronic form via our website http://covingtonschool.org/covingtones/8208-Untitled.html Children who arrive after the school day begins must sign in at the office to receive a late arrival (blue slip) pass. For an appointment during school hours, please go to the office to sign out your child. Your child will be sent to the office to meet you. |
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LASD & Community Announcements |
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School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001
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How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler |
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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. |
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