School Phone: 408-252-5414 ~ Absence Line 408-252-5414-6 ~ FAX 408-996-9725

GATORAIDBoard of Education

Superintendent: Phil QuonBoard Members:

Anjali Kausar, Ben Liao,

Josephine Lucey, Gary McCue,Phyllis Vogel

GARDEN GATE ELEMENTARY

CUPERTINO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT

10500 ANN ARBOR AVENUE

CUPERTINO, CA 95014

Brandi Hucko - Principal

Azmeh Malik - PTA President

SCHOOL CALENDAR AUGUST 23, 20128/24 8:15 a.m. COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL - GLC8/30 BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - PARENTS ONLY 6:45 p.m. GR. K-2 PARENTS IN CLASSROOMS 7:30-7:45 p.m. ALL PARENTS IN THE GLC 7:45 p.m. Gr. 3-5 PARENTS IN CLASSROOMS9/3 LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL9/4 8:00 a.m. PROJECT CORNERSTONE ORIENTATION - STAFF ROOM9/6 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING - GLC9/10 8:15 a.m. REFLECTIONS ORIENTATION FOR PARENTS9/11 6:00 p.m. CUSD BOARD MEETING AT NIMITZ SCHOOL9/11 6:30 p.m. S’COOL SPIRIT BAND NIGHT9/13 8:15 a.m. SPECTRA ART ORIENTATION9/18 7:30 p.m. GRADE 5 PARENTS - SCIENCE CAMP INFORMATION MEETING - GLC 9/20 6:00-7:30 p.m. SAFETY NIGHT9/21 NO SCHOOL - STAFF LEARNING DAY9/25 6:00 CUSD BOARD MEETING10/1 INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PICTURES - GLC10/1 SPIRITWEAR ORDERING DEADLINE10/4-10/12 PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES10/4 7:15 p.m. PTA MEETING - GLC10/5 12:00 noon REFLECTIONS ENTRY DEADLINE10/9 6:00 p.m. CUSD BOARD MEETING10/12 DIRECT DONATIONS DEADLINE10/15-10/19 SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR - GLC10/18 5:30-7:30 p.m. BOOK FAIR & ICE CREAM SOCIAL10/22-10/25 RED RIBBON WEEK

EVERY TUESDAY IS EARLY DISMISSAL – Students are dismissed at 1:30.PRE-PAY FOR CUSD LUNCHES at PAMS (Parent Account Management System) Lunchroom! You can make payments and view your students account balance online by going to http://www.pamslunchroom.com or by calling 1-888-994-5100.TO EMAIL STAFF:lastname_firstname@cusdk8.orgATTENDANCE: If your child will be absent, please call 252-5414. Ext. 6, by 8:30 a.m. to report the absence.HOMEWORK: Homework may be requested for illness absences of three days or more. Please call the office before 9:00 a.m. to request the homework for pickup after 3:00 p.m.

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL....MS. HUCKO! PAGE2

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

Welcome New and Returning Gators!The beginning of a new school year is such an exciting time! It’s full of anticipation as we look forward to the new learning and experiences we’ll all enjoy. It’s a time to reconnect with friends and make new ones. It’s a time to set goals for ourselves and make a plan to achieve them. You can almost feel the excitement in the air.

I want to thank the Garden Gate Staff and our wonderful PTA for all of the careful planning and hard work they did in preparation for the start of school. Our first day was one of the smoothest I’ve experienced. At drop-off time, we enjoyed coffee and breakfast treats in the front of the school as part of our “Welcome Back Breakfast,” a PTA sponsored event. What a great way to start the day! As the day progressed, I visited each classroom. I didn’t realize how much I missed the children until I saw their bright, hopeful faces, and observed them as they engaged in fun get-to-know-you activities. It’s going to be a terrific school year! Go Gators!

A Message from Grady Wright, Assistant PrincipalHello Everyone, My name is Grady Wright and I look forward to working with you as the Assistant Principal at Garden Gate Elementary. This summer I graduated from the Educational Administration MA program at Santa Clara University while working as a summer school principal and site coordinator for the De Anza Extended Year Summer Program. My teaching career spans 13 years with service in both the Redwood City School District and the Cupertino Union School District. Prior to becoming an educator, I served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Redwood City, CA and later worked for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Activities League as a coach and youth advocate. Presently, I am coaching a CYSA U-6 soccer team in Santa Clara. In the meantime, I am enjoying the wonderful opportunity to get to know our Garden Gate Staff, Students, and Families. Thank you for welcoming me to the Garden Gate Community and I am very excited to meet all of you. Sincerely, Grady Wright

Coffee with PrincipalPlease join us on Friday, August 24, at 8:15 a.m. in the GLC for our “Coffee with the Principal.” The PTA will provide coffee and delicious breakfast treats. Parents will meet Mr. Wright, hear about school events, and reconnect with other Garden Gate parents.

Open HouseJoin us for our Open House on Thursday, August 30. This is your opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and hear about the curriculum and activities planned for this school year. Since the evening follows a presentation-style format with the teacher talking to a group of parents, this is not the time to ask the teacher about your child’s performance. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be scheduled for October 4 through 12, and your child’s teacher will contact you for an appointment time. Please note that Open House is a parents-only event. The schedule for the evening is as follows:

6:45 Grades K-2 in Classrooms 7:30-7:45 All Parents in GLC for Principal’s message and introduction of staff 7:45-8:30 Grades 3-5 in Classrooms

Concerned NeighborsThe Garden Gate Office recently took a phone call from an upset neighbor. The neighbor stated that she, and other parents in the neighborhood, were frustrated that Garden Gate parents had parked their vehicles on the street in a manner that blocked their home driveways. The Sheriff’s Department has been alerted to this problem, and action may be taken against those who park on the street, blocking a driveway. Similarly, neighbors have reported destruction to their fences and plants on their property, along the Green Leaf sidewalk. Please encourage Garden Gate parents and students to respect the homes of residents in our neighborhood.

PropellersDo you wonder how to connect better with your children? Do you wonder what matters to them and how you can assist them to grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible citizens? I encourage you to try a "propeller" - a question intended to spark conversations with your children. Try it around the dinner table tonight! This week's Propeller: How can we “be there” for our siblings, cousins and other relatives who might be experiencing a hard time?

PTA CORNER PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) NEWS & RESOURCES ! PAGE3

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

HelloGardenGateFamilies,

AwarmWelcome toallofyouwhoarenewtoGardenGate, anda“justaswarm”WelcomeBack toeveryonewho isreturning! Ihopethatyouhadawonderfulsummerbreak.ItwasapleasuretomeetsomanyparentsattheBacktoSchoolBreakfastonMonday.

COFFEEWITHTHEPRINCIPALI’dlike to invite all GardenGateparents to join us for a “Coffee WithThe Principal”withBrandiHuckoandtomeetournewAssistantPrincipal, GradyWrighttomorrow(Friday)at8:15a.m.intheGLC.Youwill learnmoreaboutGardenGateSchool,thePTAandotherschoolactivitiesandevents.

IMPORTANT:SPIRITWEARORDERCORRECTION!Please look for the Jlier in your child’s greenfolder that is cominghome todaywithrevisedSpiritwear ordering information.Wehavebeen forcedto revise our sweatshirt order duetosome unforeseen and unexpected changes in the quoted price. We apologize for anyinconveniencethismayhavecausedandhopethatwecanhelpyouchangeyourorderifyouhavealreadyplacedone.Formoreinfo,pleasecontactourcoordinators:Rekha:rputhalath@hotmail.comReshma:reshmaiyer@hotmail.com

Iwouldliketothankthefollowingpeoplewhohelpedwiththebeginningoftheyearactivities.Theseeventswouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutourpreciousvolunteers.AsincereThankyouto:

•Fifthgradestudentvolunteers; SophiaChan;AngeliaKan;AravindaChigati;YunHao; JamieWu;andRekhaPuthalath,whohelpeduspreparethegreenfolderslastThursday.Youwereallawesome!•Meena Vijaykar and Sreejaya Thandayankandy who organized a wonderful Welcome BackLunchforourstaffmembers.•ChanchalSahaiandChitraDhingra,whopreparedtheBack toschoolbreakfastforeveryone.•AllthosePTAboardandcommitteememberswhohelpedsetupinthemorning,greetedandtalkedtoGardenGate’snewandreturningparents.

Ilookforwardtoworkingwithourparentcommunityandtheopportunitytogettoknowallofyoubetter.Wishingeveryoneasuccessfulschoolyear!

AzmehMalik.GardenGatePTAPresident

GATORAID! PAGE4

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

SCRIP AND eScripScrip Gift Cards and eScrip are two fundraising programs that parents (also family and friends) can participate in to raise money for the PTA at “NO COST” to the participant. Scrip gift cards can be purchased on Tuesday afternoons between 1:15 - 1:45 p.m. and also on Friday mornings between 7:45-8:15 a.m. Scrip is spent just like cash on everyday expenses.

eScrip also provides an easy way to earn money for the PTA. Participating merchants donate a percentage of purchases to the school. Parents (also family and friends) should visit www.escrip.com to register their credit/debit cards, Safeway Card, and PW Supermarket Card. Be sure to specify Garden Gate Elementary School (eScrip number is 139188329.) For those who don’t have internet access, please fill out and turn in an eScrip registration form (available during scrip sales times or in the school office.) Already Registered eScrip Participants: Please visit www.escrip.com and click on “YES RENEW” or turn in an eScrip registration form to renew your Safeway Club card. Questions? E-mail us at ggscrip.com or see us during scrip sales times.Carolyn Young

VISITING CAMPUSAll visitors on campus, whether entering classrooms as volunteers or meeting with teachers, Must Sign In at the office and obtain a visitor’s name tag when school is in session. For the safety of all, we need to know who is on the campus. The only exceptions are at student arrival and dismissal times. If you are taking your child out of school for any reason, ALWAYS sign your child out from school through the office and then back in when he/she returns.

ABSENCES AND TARDIESAttendance and punctuality are important in establishing good behaviors and building responsibility in young children. Please ensure that your child is at school everyday and that they arrive on time. If your child will be absent, please call the

attendance line promptly (252-5414, ext. 6). If your child arrives after 8:00 a.m. they must report to the school office for a late slip before entering the classroom. Under state law, three unexcused absences or tardies may be considered truancy.

EARN FREE CASH FOR OUR SCHOOL WITH BOX TOPSEarning cash for our school with Box Tops for Education is simple and easy! You don't have to spend any cash to be involved in this profitable project. Most food items that you purchase for home comes with a “Box Tops for Education” coupon that is located directly on the “box top” and is worth 10c. Please look for these coupons especially on products by General Mills. Some of the product brands to look for are; Cheerios, Fruit Rollups, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Cottonelle, Ziploc etc.

LOST AND FOUNDPlease stop by the “Lost and Found” cabinet that is located at the rear of the administrative building and take a few moments to check for your lost personal items. It is full with lunch containers, hats and many other items. For smaller personal items such as keys, watches jewelry, etc., please check in the front office.

DOCTOR AND DENTIST

APPOINTMENTS

The state of California

allows medical/dental

appointments as excused

absences. Garden Gate’s

policy for all of these

must be accompanied by

a medical note. Please try

to make appointments for after school or

Saturdays. When this is not possible,

children must be signed out by a parent (or

someone authorized on the enrollment

card) in the school office. After signing a

child out, the teacher will be notified and

your student will come to the office.

Students are not allowed to come to the

office to sit and wait to be picked up as

they often lose valuable class time. Again,

this is for the safety of your children.

GATORAID! PAGE5

Garden Gate Elementary School 10500 Ann Arbor Ave., Cupertino CA 95125

DISTRICT NEWS SECTION

District Calendar 2012-2013 (all schools except Murdock-Portal)

September 3, 2012 Labor Day September 21, 2012 Staff Learning Day - No School October 29, 2012 Staff Learning Day - No School November 12, 2012 Veteranʼs Day Observed November 19-23, 2012 Thanksgiving Recess December 24, 2012-January 4, 2013 Winter Recess January 7, 2013 Students Return January 21, 2013 Martin Luther King Day February 4, 2013 Staff Learning Day - No School February 18-22, 2013 Mid-Year Recess April 15-19, 2013 Spring Recess May 24, 2013 Staff Learning Day - No School May 27, 2013 Memorial Day June 12, 2013 Last Day of School