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Principal's Message

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Principal Message
Posted by Elena GarciaYoshitomi on Thursday, Dec 21 at 3:05 PM in Portola Elementary School
Dear Portola Families,

Can you believe that tomorrow will be our last day before winter break? Don’t forget that tomorrow is pajama day!  The front office will be closed from December 25 until January 5.  School will resume January 8, 2024.  

Some of you might already know that I am expecting a second son! My due date is quickly approaching and my maternity leave begins January 8.  The school will then have 2 highly qualified and experienced interim principals: Jim Sather and Karen Senesac.  Both school leaders have extensive experience within Ventura Unified School District.  

While I will miss our school community Mr. Sather and Ms. Senesac will do an outstanding job.  Without a doubt, they will be present to address any concerns and respond to any inquiry.  I look forward to returning to Portola and welcoming a new honorary panther to the world!

Last but not least, have a wonderful holiday and even better new year!

Your #proudpantherprincipal,

Dr. Elena Garcia-Yoshitomi   
 
PORTOLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ALL STAFF, PARENTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL AGENDA

ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/drgarciayoshitomi?pwd=eDkrUnRsV3Y0TXhlRU9aUEdJbDk5QT09 

November 14, 2023 - TUESDAY    3:00PM    PORTOLA CONFERENCE ROOM/ZOOM

Agenda Item

Action Requested

Responsible Persons

Time Allotted

Call to orderMeeting Notes

None

Principal

1 minute.

Roll call - Sign In Sheet

None

Principal 

1 minute

Approval of last meeting’s minutes-emailed beforehand

Move to approve and motion

Principal/Chair

3 minutes

Approval of Safety Plan

Move to approve and motion

Principal/Chair

15 minutes

Review of Title 1 Funds - Extra para hours and LTA position to Intervention Teacher

Move to approve and motion

Principal/Chair

15 minutes

Public Comments

No action may be taken at the meeting.   Issues raised may be scheduled for another SSC. 

Principal

5 minutes

Adjournment

Approval to adjourn the meeting

SSC Chair

1 minute

Upcoming Meeting: TBD
 

 

 
 
Principal Message
Posted by Elena GarciaYoshitomi on Friday, Sep 22 at 1:15 PM in Portola Elementary School
 
Ventura Unified School District 2024-2025 Calendar 
VUSD would like to inform you of some important updates to the 24-25 academic school year calendar.  The Board of Education recently approved the 24-25 Academic Year Calendar which can be found on the VUSD calendar page. The most significant change to note is that the Fall 2024 school year will begin one week earlier than in previous years, with the first day of school scheduled for Aug. 14, 2024. While this adjustment will result in a one-week reduction in the upcoming summer, it will ultimately lead to a return to the customary duration of summer breaks in future years, as the school year will conclude a week earlier. 
 
This decision has been the result of careful consideration and extensive discussions over several years. The primary objective behind this change is to ensure that our semesters conclude before winter break, eliminating the need for students and staff to return after the holidays to complete semester work. Additionally, this also aligns us with many other Districts in the county that have similar schedules. 
 
VUSD understands that change can sometimes be challenging, but we believe that this adjustment will ultimately benefit our students and staff by providing a more efficient and productive academic calendar. Please review the updated calendar for further details.
 
Portola Elementary School ELAC Agenda 10/6/23
·        Development of a detailed plan for English Learners submitted to the governing board in the school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement. 
·        Ways to make parents aware of the importance of regular school attendance.
 
National Hispanic Heritage Month Resources
National Hispanic, Latina/o/e/x, Chicana/o/e/x Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the contributions Latina/o/e/x Chicana/o/e/x Americans have made to American society and culture and honors seven of our southern neighbors who celebrate their independence in September. To help observe this month, the District has put together a website full of resources for families, students, and staff that incorporate fun activities, ideas, and books to be read to celebrate all month. Please visit https://sites.google.com/venturaedu.org/vusdcelebrateshispanicheritage/home today! 
 
Important Dates
September 25 - No School
September 28 - Boo Grams will be passed out
October 4 - PFFO Meeting 6PM - Cafeteria
October 5 - ELAC Meeting 5PM - Main Office
October 5 - Picture Day
October 9 - School Site Council 3PM - Zoom and Main Office
October 11 - Fall Family Picnic
October 13 - Trunk or Treat
October 18 - Boo Grams are due
October 23-27 - Fall Break
October 31- Crazy Hair/Crazy Hat Day
 
 
Posted by Elena GarciaYoshitomi on Thursday, Sep 14 at 5:57 PM in Portola Elementary School
 
School Site Council, September 19 3PM
All Portola family members and staff are welcome to attend.  Here is the agenda and zoom link for School Site Council
 
Agenda
1.      Call to order
2.      Meeting Notes
3.      Roll call - Sign In Sheet
4.      Role of the SSC
5.      Bylaws 
6.      Review and adoption of SSC bylaws
7.      Election of new SSC members, offices (chairperson, Vice chairperson & secretary) & terms of office
8.      Parent involvement Policy & parent compact
9.      Review and Approval of SPSA
10.   Distribution of VUSD annual notice and uniform complaint procedure 2021
11.   English
12.   Spanish
13.   Public Comments
14.   Adjournment
 
 
Drop Off Procedures 
Currently families may walk their students to class and pick them up from their classrooms at dismissal for the month of September.  Beginning October 2, students are expected to walk independently to class.
 
Pick Up Procedures
Starting October 2 we will have updated procedures for picking up students from school.  Communication will be provided beforehand. 
 
Birthday Treats
Portola Elementary School will continue to practice Ventura Unified School District’s policy for Healthy Food and Nutrition.  Please communicate with your child’s classroom teacher about healthier alternatives for birthday treats.  Any treats or goody bags will need to have teacher confirmation so that they will be delivered to the class. Any items that are not coordinated with the teacher will then not be taken to the classroom. 
 
Important Dates
September 11 - October 6 Teachers in different grade levels will administer MAP testing
September 19 - School Site Council
September 22 - Crazy Sock Day
September 25 - No School
October 11 - Fall Family Picnic
October 13 - Trunk or Treat
October 23-27 - Fall Break
October 30 - Return from Fall Break
 
 
 
 
Principal Message
Posted by Elena GarciaYoshitomi on Friday, Sep 8 at 3:52 PM in Portola Elementary School
 
MAP Testing
Starting next week, some of your students might mention MAP testing.  What is MAP testing? It is an assessment that all Ventura Unified School District schools complete in order to gage where our students stand academically and how we can support their learning throughout the year.  Please communicate with your child’s teacher if you would like to know more about how your child is doing with MAP testing!
 
Attendance
Every day and minute of instruction help our students become outstanding scholars! This is a friendly reminder that we expect students to be on campus no later than 7:55AM so that they can be ready for instruction at 8:00AM.  Right at 8AM is when learning begins! Here are some important reminders about attendance:
1.     Being late to school slows down instruction as the teacher has to revisit concepts for students that arrive late
2.     Students who arrive late do not have the opportunity to practice important literacy and math skills
3.     Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
4.     Missing a day or two once a week slows down learning and makes it very difficult for the child to keep up.
5.     Satisfactory attendance is 9 or fewer absences. 
 
Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures 
Currently families may walk their students to class and pick them up from their classrooms at dismissal for the month of September.  Beginning in October, students are expected to walk independently to class and to their destination after school.  This helps communicate that we want our students to learn at the very beginning of the day and ease parking lot traffic at the end of the day.   
 
Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser - September 12 - 4pm-7pm
Dine out with Portola Panthers! 
Place a mobile order from your phone and Chick-Fil-A 101 & Telephone will donate 20% to Portola Elementary School!
 
You must place the order via the Chick-fil-A App on your mobile phone and mention the school in the end comments.  
1.     Download the Chick-fil-A App
2.     Sign in and create the account
3.     Select Support Community Care Event Option
4.     Pick up your order for dine-in, carry out, or drive-thru
 
Important Dates
September 11 - October 6 Teachers in different grade levels will administer MAP testing
September 19 - School Site Council
September 22 - Crazy Sock Day
September 25 - No School
October 11 - Fall Family Picnic
October 13 - Trunk or Treat