Newsletter

Happy Spring to our La Fiesta families and friends! I would like to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated La Fiesta staff for their diligence in preparing our students for the STAR test and teaching the skills needed for next year. Our teachers focus on the District’s essential standards. Teachers then assess their students using Benchmark tests. The results of these tests identify which standards need to be re-taught. Using this system, the La Fiesta teachers are ensuring that our students are well prepared for the STAR test as well as the next grade level. Way to go, La Fiesta teachers and students!

STAR Testing

STAR testing will take place April 18^th – May 1st. Please don’t schedule appointments or vacations during this time. Students in 2^nd through 5^th grades will be participating in state testing during that time, and attendance and participation is crucial.

With spring time comes TEST time. That’s right, STAR testing will begin April 18, and it is time for the La Fiesta STAR students to let their light shine! During testing time, you can support your child by:

· Avoiding late night activities during this time - rested children have more stamina.

· Providing an opportunity for physical exercise during the afternoon or evening before a test day.

· Reminding your child that he or she is truly a STAR and this is the time to let that light shine!

Results for these tests will be sent to the student’s home in the STAR Student Report in August.

Please contact the school office if you have any questions regarding STAR testing or the testing schedule.

The vision at La Fiesta Elementary School is to create a community of life-long learners where all individuals’ skills and talents are respected.

Thanks for selling all that candy! We earned $1950. on the See’s Candies Sale. Thanks to Kim Perry for coordinating the fundraiser.

The PTA is still looking for some new people to take leadership positions for next year. We would like your new ideas, input and enthusiasm. Please call Gale Davis at

795-3537, and let’s figure out what job would be best for you. You can always ask a friend to do one of the jobs with you.

Next PTA Meeting - April 17 at 8:15 am. This will be our election meeting. You do not need to attend the meeting to sign up for a board or committee position.

Passport Night is a wonderful evening where our students get to see the world in our own Multi-Use Room. Students visit a “country” and do an activity to earn a stamp in their passport. Last year’s event was so much fun we decided to try it on a Friday night, so we can all stay a little longer.

We are looking for families to help present information and prepare activities for each country. It can be you or your family’ country of origin or just some place you have visited or studied. Please call Gale at 795-3537, with questions or to sign up.

We would love to have a couple of ethnic dance troupes perform at our Passport Night. If you know of any dancers who would like to share their culture with us, please call Gale at 795-3537.

The PTA will be thanking our teachers and staff all during the week of May 21. In addition to the traditional luncheon, we will try to find other ways to make our staff know they are appreciated. If you have any ideas or would like to help, please call Polly Hayes at

It is both painful and frightening to suspect that your child is being bullied by another child at school or in the neighborhood. It is also painful and frightening to suspect that your child habitually bullies others. How do you know if there is a problem?

It is normal for children to tease one another. Arguing is also common and should not be regarded as a problem, provided the balance between the children is relatively equal. Even physical roughness, while undesirable, is common enough in schoolyards that it should not by itself be interpreted as evidence of bullying behavior.

Parents should be concerned if they learn that a child is repeatedly and deliberately victimizing othe children. Examples include, unkind and persistent teasing,, poking or hitting, or taking advantage of another child by extorting money, food, toys or assistance with school work. Children who come home with unexplained money or toys should be suspected of bullying or stealing. School yard bullies usually engage in similar activity in other settings. At home they l may defy authority figures, including parents, and engage in angry or destructive behavior.

Sorting out whether your child is being bullied or simply getting his or her fair share of teasing can be more difficult. Children who are by nature shy or lcking confidence are especially susceptible to bullying. Obviously, if a child regularly reports being taunted, hit or having belongings damaged or stolen, you should be concerned. Watch for the child who starts to demonstrate fearful behavior or refuses to attend school or participate in activities with other children.

If you are unsure whether your child is being bullied, ask indirect questions about how he or she is spending recess and about what it is like walking to school or taking the bus. Ask if there are children at the school or in the neighborhood who are bullies, without personalizing it to your child. Remember that children feel humiliated if they are victims. Often, they fear that complaining to authorities will provoke further retaliation from the bullies. Please contact your child’s teacher if you suspect or have concerns that your child is either bullying other students or being bullied.

La Fiesta teachers are being trained in using Thinking Maps to help students organize their thinking. Thinking Maps integrate thinking skills and mapping techniques. Learning to use these strategies helps students develop good writing skills. These techniques also help students become better learners as they develop life-long skills that help them to study. Thinking Maps uses basic mental operations involved in perceiving, processing, and evaluating information. They describe, classify and sequence.

Our English/Spanish Conversation group has started meeting again. We meet every other Monday morning at 8:15 in room A-6. Our group is very informal and meets for about 30 minutes. Anyone who is trying to learn English or Spanish is welcome to drop in and practice with us. Thank you to Alejandra Aranjo who has volunteered to call and remind us when it is time to meet again. If you have questions or would like to get on Alejandra’s list. Please call her at 792-2650. Our upcoming meeting days are:

There is often confusion regarding Inter and Intra District school requests. Inter District requests are for students who live outside Cotati or Rohnert Park and wish to attend a school within our district.

Intra-District requests are for students who are transferring schools within our school district.

Last school year, new procedures for intra-district transfers were implemented district-wide. All new students must enroll at their neighborhood school first and apply for an intra-district transfer from their school of residence. Intra-District Transfers must be completed and returned to school of residence by May 1, 2007. You will be notified after the lottery in mid May if your application was accepted.

If you live outside of our school district, and are currently enrolled at La Fiesta, you must re-submit an Inter District Request Form by May 1, 2007, to continue at La Fiesta for the 2007-2008 school year. This form must be competed each school year. If you need help, our school office would be glad to assist you in this process.

This year, students will continue to have school counseling. Michelle Bayley has been contracted through SCAYD (Sonoma County Adult and Youth Development) to work at

La Fiesta Elementary School on Wednesday, 8:15 to noon for the school year. She will facilitate the “Healthy Kids Program”, provide on-site assessments, see K-5 students in groups, or individually, and provide parent outreach services. While working with students, she will focus on self-esteem and friendship issues, communication and problem-solving skills, as well as other pertinent issues in children’s lives.

Michelle Bayley has a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology through National University and is a registered Marriage Family therapist Intern. She is also a Redgistered Addictions Specialist through Breining Institute. Michelle has worked within the counseling field for over eight years.

SCAYD also provides donation-based family counseling at their Rohnert Park office. Call 793-9030 for family counseling information.

For over a month we have been serving a hot breakfast at La Fiesta from 7:45 to 8:10. This breakfast includes a hot item, fruit, and milk. We encourage students to participate so they can have a hot meal to start their day. The cost of breakfast is $1.75 or .30 if you are on the reduced lunch program. If you qualify for the free lunch program, you may get a breakfast free each day. Tardy students will not be able to receive a breakfast.

La Fiesta’s School Site Council meets the fourth Monday of the month to monitor the school plan, review student achievement, and oversee our categorical funding. Site

Council made the decision to purchase additional computers for the classrooms and also allocated $600 for emergency preparedness supplies.

The council is developing a parent survey in order to get your input on important school issues. Each student will be given a survey to bring home. I fyou have more than one child at La Fiesta, it is only necessary to complete one survey. Site Council will use this information to make decisions on expenditures that support your child’s education.

Thanks to our Site Coucil members for their time and dedication: Mark Graessle, Susie Grahn, Tanya Thurman, Nikki Boccaleoni, and Loretta Garcia.

Don’t miss any of the fun Spirit Days brought to you by the La Fiesta Student Council. We got some great pictures of Crazy Hair Day in March for our year book. There is a Silent Day coming up in April. This will be a great day to get ready to shine for our STAR testing. In May get all your Hawaiian clothes ready for Luau Day. In June we will have a 70’s day but no specific date has been set.

Please remember to show pride in our school by wearing your “California Distinguished School” T-shirt every Friday.

The annual canned food drive began March 21 and continues through April 4. Bring all of your canned foods you wish to donate to our multi-use room.

Starting January 1, 2007, a new California law requires that in Kindergarten students (including this year’s students) must get a dental check-up. The forms are called oral health assessments and are available in the school office. These forms need to be completed by May 31, 2007, for this school year. Please bring your completed form to the school office.

Our local library offers many special activities for all of our families. They encourage you to call them at 584-9121 for a calendar of all of their activities. They also would like us to remind you that April is National Poetry Month and the April 15 through 24 is National Library Week. Remember to stop in and visit our community library.

Sonoma County has a growing number of children and youth whose families are unable to meet their physical and/or emotional needs. At the same time, we have a serious shortage of caring foster families willing and able to provide safe, loving homes for children and teens, including those approaching adulthood. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please contact Rita Jacobs, foster home recruiter, at

A flyer and an order form giving you information about our yearbook was sent out at the beginning of March. Additional forms are available in the office. Yearbooks are still $10.00 each.

Our Yearbook Committee, under the direction of Tracy Dunn, has been busy taking pictures of many different groups and activities that will be represented in the yearbook. Be sure not to miss this great opportunity for a keepsake of your child’s school year. A special thanks to Tracy Dunn and the yearbook team: Tammy Sklavos, Colette Wilson, and Polly Hayes.

Jennifer Graessle has coordinated our outstanding bank program for the past five years. She is now ready to pass on this task to other parents. She is willing to work with and train new volunteers. We have over 100 eager children in this program. It takes two people, about 3 hours, one day a week. Call the office if you are interested in helping with student banking. We need YOU for this program to continue!

Before Spring Break LifeTouch took pictures of all of our students. Remember when you receive these pictures that you have paid NO money for them. You will need to send in money for the pictures you wish to keep, or return the pictures themselves. Please make your decision as quickly as possible. If you have concerns, you may call the school office, 792-4840.

When you arrive at school in the morning, you may not leave campus to meet friends, go to the store, or for any other reason. Once you have arrived we want you to be safe on school grounds. We do not have supervision until 8:05am. Parents, please remind your children of this rule.

Production has started for our next play, Emperor’s New Clothes. Watch for the dates and times of the play which will be performed at the beginning of May. A special thanks to all of you who attended Wizard of Oz. With all of the varied costumes, set changes, and music involved in this production, I feel each child that was in the play did a magnificent job. I appreciated the great behavior, enthusiasm, and good manners of all of the students who were a great audience for our play.

Our show started with Sean Graessle telling jokes that relaxed everyone and made us laugh. We listened to an original poem by Melissa Lozano. Marcus Myers and Gianna Torres Tangoed into our hearts. And then, we couldn’t resist tapping our feet with singers Iris Chan and Pate Haunga. Our musicians, Brandon Boccaleoni, Cameron Nilsson and Abel Moya were so good that they could start their own band. Singers, Matthew Raye, Baily Diaz, and Melissa Lozano, had us smiling with styles all their own. We had cheers from Camryn Ellis and Melanie Mattos. Sarah Dunn, Caroline Camacho,

Rae Ann Purugganan, Zoila Zambrano, Jillian Nilsson, Rebecca Grudzielanek, Kristina Kuhn, Carlie Graessle, and Alondra Moya danced to modern and hip hop music that dazzled us. And to close the show our Tongan dancers Darius Haunga, Pate Haunga and Soni Misi made us so full of their music we clapped along with their amazing rhythm. A great time was had by everyone.

For many years our friend, Tanya Thurman, has directed our Drama Club at La Fiesta.

She donates costumes, snacks each Tuesday, flowers for performances, and many other goodies for all of the drama students. This is a volunteer program without a budget.

Mrs. Thurman also coordinates our Talent Show. We hope you had the opportunity to see our students perform at the end of February. We were so excited with all of the talent at our school.

Mrs. Thurman, with all of her kindness and smiles, sees the potential in all of our students and encourages them to participate. We thank her for all of the time she gives us and we appreciate all of her enthusiasm and love that she weaves into these programs.

Board Policy (1250a) states that ALL visitors and volunteers must always wear a school identification badge.

We always welcome parents to the La Fiesta campus, however, we do ask that all visitors and volunteers sign-in at the office and wear a badge. If you are just here to have lunch, drop something off or are a regular visitor here at school, you still must follow this procedure. Even when you are on the playground during school hours you must sign in and wear a badge. We appreciate your cooperation with this matter.

Mrs. Ruffoni is busy putting special prizes together for one more drawing this year on April 30. We are proud to announce that we exceeded our goal this year of $500. We made $620.10. Keep saving those box tops for the next school year and maybe you will be our next winner. You may bring in box tops to the office at anytime. A special thanks to Mrs. Ruffoni for all the extra time she puts in for this program. And thank you to all of you who have been collecting box tops.

If your child will not be returning to La Fiesta next year, please notify the office. A flyer will be coming home to you after Spring Break asking if you plan to be at La Fiesta next year or if you might have plans to move. Please complete this flyer as soon as possible and return it to your child’s teacher. This is extremely important because it helps our district to know how many teachers will be needed for next year.

It is important to keep all of your emergency information on your child up to date. If you have any changes in your address, cell or home phones or emergency contacts, let the school office know right away. We want to always keep your child safe.

At La Fiesta we maintain an atmosphere to support academic excellence. Dressing appropriately for school will help our students stay focused on learning. Especially with spring and summer approaching, you can support academic achievement by making sure your child follows these guidelines:

We hope this reminder will help when you are buying new spring and summer clothes and shoes for school.

Throughout the school year several students need dry clothes for many different reasons.

We do have extra socks, and several sizes of sweats in the office to accommodate your child. We do ask that you launder these clothes and send them back as soon as possible. If you would like to assist with extra clothes for this program, call the office.

If your student uses any of these items, the items will be held in the office until a parent can come in and pick them up.

We just received exciting news from COSTCO that they are pleased to donate backpacks filled with starter supplies for every student at La Fiesta for the 2007-2008 school year. They want each student to have a “fresh start” for the next school session. You may pick these backpacks up beginning August 20, from the office. Also, on the first day of school, we will have a table in front of the school where you can pick up a new backpack.

We are having a serious problem with children’s attendance. Parents or Guardians are not calling us each day to let us know why their child is absent. When you do not call us or we cannot reach you, the student is marked unexcused. After three unexcused absences or three tardies over 30 minutes, you may receive your first truancy letter. If you receive three of these letters, the matter is referred to the district SARB (School Attendance Review Board), and after that, to the District Attorney. Attendance is a serious matter. Please call to let us know why your child is not in school. Our answering machine is on 24 hours a day for your convenience.

La Fiesta’s 16th annual celebration of our Oceans began with an idea from one of our past principals, Lou Colby. The La Fiesta community always enjoys all of our Oceans Week events. This year we are having an Oceans artist and storyteller, an Oceans Learning Adventure, and our Touch Tank will be here again. Also, we will make fish print

t-shirts. We hope you and your family will plan to make a cake with an ocean theme for our cake auction on Open House Night. It is a great family activity. There will be a opportunity to visit our classrooms on May 15 at 8:15am and see their different Ocean themes. We encourage family and community members to enjoy this ocean atmosphere. You will also be able to enjoy our Book Fair that will be available during Oceans Week.

If you or anyone you know has a child that will be new to La Fiesta in the fall, now is the time to register. Office hours are from 8:30-3:30 each day; come in and fill-out a registration form. Please call the office to arrange a time after school hours if needed. We are here to accommodate you by answering questions and/or giving you a school tour. We welcome all new students.

Kindergarten Registration Packets are available for parents to pick up in the school office at this time. To start kindergarten in August 2007, your child must turn five years of age on or before December 2, 2007.

La Fiesta has a Kindergarten Orientation on May 1 from 3:00 to 4:00. This orientation is for parents and their new kindergartners only. If you have any questions regarding Kindergarten Registration, just call the school office at 792-4840.

Just before Spring Break we will be donating all of the items in our lost and found to a local charity. We could open a department store with all the wonderful items that are in our lost and found. Please check to see if any items belong to your child(ren).

Below is an original poem written and preformed at our Talent Show by Melissa Lozano who is in Mr. Stone’s Third Grade.

A beautiful sound as soft as the wind that whispers in my heart and imagination, color or no color it is always beautiful.