The

2241 Russell St.

Berkeley, CA 94705
www.leconteonline.org
(510)644-6290
Lamppost
October 2, 2009
THANKS to your PARTICIPATION
Cheryl Wilson – Principal we are all more EMPOWERED TO ACHIEVE!
Jill Wang – PTA President

That which we persist in doing becomes easier—

Important dates
SAT., OCT. 3
PTA Executive Board meeting (open to
the community), 8:30AM, Sconehenge
THU., OCT. 8
Walk to School Day;
Family Advisory Council - LeConte
Orientation, 6:30-8:00PM, Library
FRI.,OCT. 9
Halloween Festival Planning Meeting,
8:15AM, Cafeteria
MON., OCT. 12
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Staff Professional Development Day
MON., OCT 12 - OCT. 16
th
Mosaic Outdoor School - 5 Grade, 5-
day field trip
THU., OCT. 15
English Language Advisory Committee
Meeting, 5:00PM, Library
TUE., OCT. 20
PTA Meeting, 5:45PM- Dinner
6:00PM - Meeting, Cafeteria
TUE., OCT. 27
District Leadership Training
6:00 - 8:30PM, Longfellow
THU., OCT. 29
Coalition of Families for African
American Students, 6:00PM, Library
SAT., OCT. 31
Halloween Festival, 2:00-5:00PM
not that the nature of the task has changed,
but our ability to do has increased. --Emerson
Our ability to provide a welcoming, safe, and academically
productive environment increases every year because of families like
yours. Every day you enrich the lives of our children by giving your
time, ideas, skills, and applause, which all demonstrate that it really
does take a village to raise a child. Many of you attended the PTA and
English Language Advisory Committee meetings, you submitted your
ballots for School Governance Council, you attended the “Celebrate
LeConte” assembly last Friday and the Multicultural Potluck last
Saturday. It is your commitment that will help every child at our
school have a successful school year, so thank you so much for
participating on committees and coming to our events.
Our next major event is the Annual Halloween Festival on
Saturday, October 31 from 2:00PM to 5:00PM. Volunteers will be
needed to prepare for the success of the event and help run various
activities, so thank you in advance for your support.
Please review the school news section to read more about
action steps to improve student achievement and see the attached
photos that demonstrate, “it takes a village to raise a child.”
In this issue find out about.
• Leadership Committee Meetings
• School-wide news: New staff members, Assemblies, Picture
Day, Parent/Teacher Conferences, Steps to Improve
Achievement, and more
• Special Recognition and Events: “Students of the Month,”
Halloween Parade and Festival, Free Flu Shots, and more

MON-THU., NOV. 2-5 Please see the Calendar for the full list of LeConte events (we
Parent Conferences - EARLY recommend that you put the Calendar on your fridge to keep track of
DISMISSAL:
Kindergarten: 12:25PM;
important school events).
st rd th th
1 – 3 1:05PM; 4 – 5 1:10PM

FRI., NOV. 6 Parent Conferences all

1
day, NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NOTICES: SCHOOL CLOSED – Mon., October 12
(Staff Professional Development Day)

NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS, Fri., November 6

(Parent/Teacher Conferences all day)

LECONTE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEES

PTA Update
At the September meeting, news was shared about upcoming school events and committees and many ways for parents
and guardians to get involved as volunteers. Announcements (that aren’t explained elsewhere in the newsletter)
include:
• Gloria Park sells Berkeley Bowl scrip (which can be used like cash, but earns LeConte 4% of every dollar
spent) in the cafeteria every Friday morning. Please sign up for eScrip if you haven’t already
(www.escrip.com)!
• We will launch the Eco-Metro Guide fundraiser in October. This East Bay coupon book sells for $20 and
LeConte receives 50% of each one sold.
• LeConte Community Kidz After School Learning Program has received funding to launch a literacy program,
including free parent workshops. Pamela Harrison-Small, a former LeConte parent, will be leading a free
workshop that will help parents support our children to get better grades, do more homework, and have a
more positive attitude towards learning (more information coming soon).
• We need volunteers to help one or more classrooms create art projects that can be sold at the spring auction,
since these one-of-a-kind projects are extremely popular with parents.
• The PTA budget was approved and a resolution was passed giving the PTA executive board and School
Governance Council limited authority to work with the budget between meetings.

The next PTA will be meeting on Tuesday, October 20. A free dinner will be available at 5:45PM and the meeting
will be held from 6:00 to 7:30PM.

New LeConte T-Shirts

Thank you to Noah Friedman for designing beautiful new LeConte t-shirts, revealed at the Multicultural Potluck last
Saturday. They feature the LeConte mascot, a panda, doing several different activities (collect the set!). An order
form will be distributed soon.

Coalition of Families for African American Students (CFAAS)

The first CFAAS meeting will be Thursday, October 29 at 6:00PM, LeConte library. We are hoping to have a guest
speaker who will help the group develop goals for the year and also inspire us with new ideas and methods for
working with our children and their teachers. A light dinner and childcare will be provided.

English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC)

Elections were held during the first meeting on September 21. The elected officers are: Gazel Valdez, chair; Elvia
Orozco, co-chair, Yasmin Carretero, treasurer; Elva Lopez, secretary, and Teresa Rodriguez, District English
Language Advisory Committee (DELAC) representative. Laura Figueroa will be a liaison between ELAC and the
PTA, an important role which has not routinely happened in the past. Participants discussed upcoming events and
plans for the year. ELAC’s first event is the creation of an altar in honor of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
ELAC decided to change their meeting days from Mondays to Thursdays, so their next meeting will be Thursday,
October 22, 5:00PM, LeConte library.

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School Governance Council (SGC)
As a result of the ballots sent home last week and the first SGC meeting held on Tuesday, September 29, the elected
SGC officers are: Denise Montgomery and Chris Martin, Co-Chairs; Secretaries: Susanna Moore and Gopal Dayaneni;
Planning & Oversight Committee Representative: Jenny Lipow; Survey Point Person: Jacqueline Bott; and Budget
Point Person: Jocelyn Bale-Glickman. Topics included the function of SGC, which is develop and monitor LeConte’s
student achievement plan, propose expenditures, and evaluate results. Many good ideas that support our school start at
the SGC. Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of every month, so the next meeting will be Wednesday,
October 21, 6:30PM, in the Library.

District Leadership Training

The district is hosting a training on Tuesday, October 27th from 6:00PM to 8:30PM at Longfellow Middle School.
This training is for families and teachers who serve on the SGC, ELAC, PTA and all other school wide committees.
School Governance Council chairs are required to attend. The workshop sessions will include a basic, intermediate,
and advanced discussion of data analysis and information about managing meetings. A light supper, childcare, and
Spanish language sessions will be provided.

SCHOOL-WIDE NEWS
New Staff Members
This year we added a new instructional assistant, Sara Levine. Sara was selected because of her desire to support the
educational and social/emotional needs of students who have unique learning differences. She is a welcome addition to
our staff of instructional assistants, who work with our highest-need students.

We have also added a new noon supervisor, Deanna Hancock. Deanna loves working with children and helping them
work through conflicts. Some of our upper grade girls have already designated her as their onsite counselor and
mentor. Deanna joins Irene Leja, a LeConte parent who has not only worked as a noon supervisor for the past two
years, but consistently volunteers her time every day to support all students. Within the next few weeks, we will also
have about six new staff members—four tutors and two additional noon supervisors—thanks to the wisdom and
support of our PTA and School Governance Council.

LeConte Family Guidebooks

LeConte Family Guidebooks were distributed at Back to School Night in September. This is a wonderful document
that can answer many of your questions about LeConte. If you haven’t yet received one, please pick one up from
Donna in the school office. The Spanish translation of the Guidebook is underway and will be available in a few
weeks.

Sally Foster “Wrapping Paper” Fundraiser – September 25-October 16

By now your child should have brought home the Sally Foster Wrapping Paper packet. Our School Earns 50% of
Every Sale from this catalogue! Sally Foster wrapping paper is known far and wide for its high quality. At the
Celebrate LeConte Assembly on September 25, our Sally Foster representative demonstrated the excellent value of
Sally Foster wrapping paper by “wrapping” two teachers. Not only is Sally Foster attractive and strong, but you get a
lot of paper on each roll. Maestro Argueta was wrapped four times with a single roll of Sally Foster paper, whereas
the regular store-bought roll of paper went around Ms. Blanchard barely twice.

So please look through the Sally Foster catalogue and contact your friends and family to see what items they might
like to purchase. You’ll find other gift items and goodies too, such as candles, chocolates, and decorations. Orders
can be made online at SallyFoster.com (then the items are shipped directly to the customer, so you won’t have to
deliver them). Our school’s account number is 220838. This program also provides incentive prizes for students,
depending on the number of items they sell. Orders can be picked up at LeConte on Wednesday, November 18.

LeConte Lamppost 3
“One More Month” Campaign: please make an early gift to LeConte
The PTA is asking all LeConte families to join the PTA and make a gift to LeConte equal to one month of preschool
tuition, childcare, or summer camp. Your gift will help us meet the challenges of the terrible state budget cuts, which
reduced the amount of money we have for our basic school programs – from classroom supplies to playground
supervision, tutors, field trips, and teacher professional development.

For families that can’t make cash donations now, we hope you will join the PTA ($5 suggested donation per person).
PTA membership forms and donation forms can be found near our school office. Please help us reach 100%
participation in this campaign to jump start our school year and support school programs. Thank you for your PTA
membership and your generous gifts!

LeConte’s Discussion Listserv Launched

LeConte’s new discussion listserv is now up and running! To join the group, please go to
http://groups.google.com/group/leconte-discuss or visit our school website (www.leconteonline.org) and click the link
for “LeConte Discussion Group” on the right side of the page. We have two school listservs this year. Here is a
description of them, so that you can choose the one that is right for you:

1. LeConte News Listserv (via a Yahoo Group): This is our well-established School News Listserv, also
known as the LeConte Yahoo Group and the LeConte PTA listserv) which will keep you informed of
school events and news, including links to the electronic version of our Lamppost (our school newsletter) and
other information. The amount of email through this group is typically 1-5 messages per week. Moderator:
Sian Shumway (sianatcafe@gmail.com).

2. LeConte Discussion + News Listserv (via a Google Group): We are introducing a NEW school discussion
listserv for all LeConte community members who would like to share questions, recommendations, advice,
etc. This discussion group will automatically receive the school news info, so you only need to sign up for
one listserv - LeConte news OR discussion plus news. The amount of email for this group depends on the
numbers of emails sent by group members. Moderators: Anya de Montigny (anya333@gmail.com) & Penny
Peak (pennyalp@yahoo.com).

Family Advisory Council – LeConte Orientations: Thursday, Oct. 8 & Friday, Oct. 16
Do you have some questions about LeConte? Are you wondering how to handle a particular situation? The Family
Advisory Council (FAC) invites you to attend a LeConte Orientation on Thursday, Oct. 8, 6:30-8:00PM (RSVP
by Monday, Oct. 5 if you would like childcare provided during the meeting) or Friday, Oct. 16, 8:15-9:30AM (coffee
and pastries provided). Both meetings will be held in the Library. We especially invite families new to LeConte in all
grades who would like more information or support. The agendas will be flexible in order to accommodate your
questions. RSVP to Penny Peak, FAC co-chair, at (510) 849-3202, pennyalp@yahoo.com.

LeConte’s FAC exists to help answer questions about LeConte, proactively provide avenues for parent to parent
problem-solving, and help provide follow up information to parents about questions that are raised. The committee
members have all been active parent volunteers at LeConte for several years and have a collective body of experience
about how to answer (or find answers to) various kinds of questions. In addition, you can reach FAC by putting a
question in the Question Box near the school office or contact FAC co-chair Penny Peak.

Twelve Volunteers Needed – Paint Maps on LeConte Playground: Saturday, Oct. 10, 10:00AM-2:00PM
On Saturday, October 10, 10:00AM to 2:00PM, we are seeking 12 volunteers (ages 4th grade or older) to help paint
world and U.S. maps on the big playground on the west side of our school. These maps are part of the Peaceful
Playgrounds program purchased last year by LeConte’s PTA to bring a wide variety of colorful new activities to our
playgrounds, along with a conflict resolution system that complements our current program. LeConte parent Basia
Lubicz has done a wonderful job of implementing the program, securing help from the district to paint some of the
stencils. BUSD is planning to paint the rest of the games and templates on November 6. To volunteer, please contact

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic Lubicz in advance at (510) 601-5014 or basia_lu@yahoo.com. For more information about Peaceful
Playgrounds, please visit www.peacefulplaygrounds.com.

Assemblies/Rotary Club Giveaway

Please ask your child about the following events and feel free to attend if you can. On Wednesday, September 30, all
third grade students received a new hardbound dictionary. These dictionaries were provided by Berkeley’s Rotary
Club. Please ask your child about the dictionary and encourage her/him to use it frequently. On Tuesday, October 20,
at 12:30PM, students in kindergarten to second grade will learn more about water conservation via “The Froggy
Report.” You may have heard that “water” is the new “oil,” meaning we are running out of this precious resource.
Respect for water and methods for keeping it clean will be the focus of this assembly. You may also want to attend the
performance by the Berkeley Symphony on Tuesday, November 10 at 10:30AM in our auditorium. And finally, you
can learn to milk a cow on Tuesday, November 24 at 9:45AM. All of these events are free of charge to our school
and that’s why we booked them right away. Finally, kindergarten and first grade students will have visitors from the
dental society, who will be introducing the students to proactive strategies that prevent cavities.

After-School Class - Save our Kinder Spanish! Reduced fee!

We need more kids enrolled to keep our two fabulous Lango Spanish classes going! The class fee has been reduced to
$275 for weekly classes through the end of January. If at least 8 students enroll in a class, fees for that class will be
reduced to $220; if ten enroll, fees will be $207. The Kinder class is held Tuesdays, 1:25-2:10PM, 1st-3rd grade class
is Tuesdays 2:15-3:00PM. Talk to your friends! To enroll, contact Jessica Fiedler, PTA VP of Programs, today at
jfied@earthlink.net, 540-7818.

District-wide Staff Development

On Thursday and Friday, October 1 and 2, Principal Wilson, Ms. Venuto, Ms. Sisneros, Ms. Bernal, Ms. Cross, Ms.
Blanchard, and our school psychologist, Ms. McKenna will be attending Positive Behavior Support workshops. The
purpose of this training is to help teams of educators from various school sites learn how to begin implementation of
this new program. Our ultimate goal at LeConte is to improve our ability to provide an environment whereby students
have the verbal skills to solve problems and all staff members have the skills to support students with this process. We
want to see actions behind the words of our school values: show respect, make good decisions, and solve your own
problems.

On Monday, October 12, there is no school for students because teachers will be learning how to use a new system
for completing the report cards; the PowerSchool software, which is a student information system. For more
information about PowerSchool, go to http://www.pearsonschoolsystems.com/products/powerschool/. Later in the
year, you will receive information from our district about how to logon to the system to obtain information about your
children’s academic performance.

Picture Day – Friday, OCTOBER 9

Students are scheduled to have their pictures taken on Friday, October 9, so please help your child feel prepared.
Your child will bring home a packet of information about the cost of ordering school pictures.

Preparing for Parent/Teacher Conferences: Week of Nov. 2-6

If you have not done so already, please contact your child’s teacher to arrange a date to meet. Conferences are
scheduled for Monday, November 2 through Friday, November 6. PLEASE NOTE EARLY DISMISSAL
Monday through Thursday: kindergarten at 12:25PM; first - third grade at 1:05PM; and fourth – fifth at
1:10PM. There is NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, November 6 so that families can have an additional day
to meet with teachers, as needed.

See the attached flyers, “It Conference Time!” for background information about what to expect and questions to ask
during the conference. You will also receive your child’s report card. Since the conference lengths are very short,
please DO NOT hesitate to arrange an additional meeting with your child’s teacher. You can reach your child’s

LeConte Lamppost 5
teacher by leaving a message with our school secretary or by email. All district email addresses use the following
format:
first name_last name@berkeley.k12.ca.us. If you have difficulty reaching your child’s teacher, please contact Principal
Wilson, Cheryl_Wilson@berkeley.k12.ca.us.

Classroom Newsletters
Our community indicated on the family survey that it is very important to have regular written communication from all
teachers. To help teachers fulfill this request, because their time is very limited, Principal Wilson is making an effort to
give teachers time to complete a brief newsletter each month. Therefore, please look for a classroom newsletter from
your child’s teacher every month. The goal is for families to know in advance about important classroom activities and
to be informed about classroom needs, specific areas of study, and so on.

Steps to Improve Academic Achievement

In general, our students’ test scores show that while some students achieve at high levels year after year, many others
do not. To address the achievement gap, the teachers and Principal Wilson will be closely monitoring and
communicating with students about their academic progress. Our plans include finding out what students know, how
they learn best, and what we can do to motivate and engage them so that they show growth from year to year. These
are also areas that you will be discussing with your child’s teacher during the upcoming conferences. To support the
goal of improved achievement, Principal Wilson is planning to teach a specific group of students two Saturdays per
month. The focus will be English language arts, which is the area of highest need for improvement. Students will be
selected based on their current academic performance and availability to attend school on Saturdays.

At least five teachers are also willing to tutor students after school. This will begin once funding has been confirmed.
Currently, at least 27 students are enrolled in an afterschool literacy program that provides one-on-one tutoring, called
BUILD (Berkeley United In Literacy Development). Thanks to Charity DaMarto, our After School Coordinator, this
program is running smoothly.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION & EVENTS

Students of the Month

Please see the attached list of our first group of Students of the Month. With information provided by the teachers,
Principal Wilson prepared certificates and copies of photos for each student to take home. Please be sure to ask your
child for those copies and, of course, congratulate your child based on the comments from her/his teacher.

Talent Show Participants – Multicultural Potluck

A hardy thanks goes to the following students for having the courage to create a performance, introduce their act, and
perform it to the best of their ability in front of a crowd of their peers and families. Principal Wilson is extremely
proud of you for taking a risk and daring yourself to show your talent to the world!

First grade: Beatrice Shelton, Mariama Soumah

Second grade Lamont Neal
Third grade: Mauriana Josey, Julia Kim, Sage Perez Brown, Simelia Rogers, Mohamed Souhmah
Fourth grade: Najee McDonald
Fifth grade: Maya Bernard, Ebony Coleman, Julia Lippman, Daivenna Raymond, Flavia Rodrigues,
Makhissa Sano, and Cicoia Zelie,

Halloween Festival: Request for Volunteeers & Meeting: Friday, Oct. 9, 8:15AM
The Halloween committee is holding a planning meeting next Friday, October 9 in the cafeteria at 8:15AM. Bring
your ideas and energy to make this our most fabulous Halloween event ever! We will be coordinating the decorations,
prizes, food, etc. If you can't make the meeting but would like to help, please contact Catarina Negrín, PTA Volunteer
Coordinator, at (510) 435 9043 or canoa@sbcglobal.net.

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Halloween Parade: Friday, Oct. 30, 12:45PM
Every year the students celebrate Halloween at school by marching around the playground or the block in costumes.
This year’s parade will be Friday, October 30 at 12:45PM. PLEASE NOTE: students bring their costumes to school
and change during lunch recess. STUDENTS DO NOT WEAR THEIR COSTUMES TO SCHOOL! Adults are
needed in the primary classrooms to help students change in time for the parade. Kindergarten students usually parade
around the playground area due to their dismissal time and all other grades parade around the block. Families are
encouraged to attend this festive event. Also, be sure to see our school secretary, Donna, who always has a hilarious,
picture-worthy costume.

Free Flu Shots: Tuesday, October 6, 3:00-7:00PM

The City of Berkeley Public Health Division is offering FREE seasonal flu shots! Flu vaccine is recommended for
ages 6 months and older. The vaccinations will be offered at the Community Flu Clinic, Berkeley Adult School, 1710
San Pablo Avenue, on Tuesday, October 6 from 3:00PM – 7:00PM. Seniors and those needing special assistance
should enter on Curtis Street. Vaccinations will be available in shot and nasal mist form.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Offered to BUSD students: Week of November 16

Berkeley’s Public Health division will bring the H1N1 flu vaccine to all BUSD K-12 schools during the week of Nov.
16, as school-aged children are top priority for receiving this vaccine. The first choice is for children to get their
vaccine from their usual health care providers. Consent forms must be completed in advance by parents and will be
distributed when available. Public Health will provide vaccine information and nurses to administer the vaccine; we
will be seeking parent volunteers to help guide students through the vaccination process. Most children will be able to
receive the nasal spray form of the vaccine (no needles!).

Student Conflict Managers – Three Adult Volunteers Needed on Oct. 26 & Oct. 27
Our training for student Conflict Managers is scheduled for Monday, October 26 from 9:00 to 11:00AM and Tuesday,
October 27 from 9:00 to 11:00AM. We need at least three adult volunteers to assist with the training. Volunteers will
help students to: understand the concepts (“I” messages, listening skills, etc.); create role plays; and stay focused. All
volunteers who are available and would like to assist should contact Principal Wilson.

Walk & Roll to School and Work Day: Thursday, October 8

Every year, our school celebrates Walk and Roll to School and Work Day, a city-wide event sponsored by Safe
Routes to School that reminds families, parents, teachers, staff, and children that walking and biking to school is good
for personal health and the safety and health of neighborhoods and communities. This year, the Berkeley Unified
School District has designated October 8, 2009, and the first Wednesday of each subsequent month during the school
year as Walk and Roll to School and Work Day. We encourage all students and families to join us in walking (and
rolling) to school on those days.

YouTube Alert: LeConte Musicians Featured Online

Visit YouTube to see videos of two song-stories by musicians associated with LeConte. Moraima Logan, daughter of
second grade teacher Awilda Logan, is the lead singer and song writer in these clips. Gary Nelson, husband of first
grade teacher Deborah Barer, plays bass and guitar, and co-wrote one of the songs with Ms. Barer.

Here are the links: I Still Walk Alone (about a young woman’s walk alone through life as she looks for her own future):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgGoyAA_Upk
Endless Summer (about two people who meet on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXsUzkXEvVk

California Standards Tests – Sample Questions & Parent Guides

The California Department of Education has a website with information about the California Standardized Testing and
Reporting (STAR) program. At www.starsamplequestions.org, you can download parent guides for each grade and
view real questions released from actual tests. Every spring, beginning in second grade, California students take tests

LeConte Lamppost 7
that are part of the STAR Program. A few months later, students and their parents receive individual test results
showing how the student is meeting the state’s academic standards. Test results are used for student and school
accountability purposes and are reflected in LeConte’s scores for the state’s Academic Performance Index (API) and
the federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

November Lamppost
To submit information for the November Lamppost, please email Principal Wilson at
Cheryl_Wilson@berkeley.k12.ca.us or Penny Peak at pennyalp@yahoo.com. Deadline: October 30, 2009.

ask anna
advice from a LeConte mom

Dear Anna,
I'm so confused! When does school start and finish each day?
- Confused
Dear Confused,
Honestly, I can never remember either! I actually try to keep a small sheet of paper with the school hours in my wallet,
in my car and on my fridge. If I knew how to work my cell phone better I could enter the information in there too...
Mornings are a little easier. School starts for everyone, everyday at 8:10. Principal Wilson and the teachers gather
on the playground and classes walk into the school together at 8:10. Most classes head to their rooms to begin the day,
but some stay in the cafeteria first thing for breakfast. (Did you know that a healthy breakfast is offered to every child
at LeConte everyday?). If you enter the school after 8:40 you must get a slip from Donna in the office before you go to
your classroom, and you will be marked tardy .

The end of the day is more confusing. Kindergarten has an earlier dismissal. Our dear Kinders get out everyday at
1:25. Older grades are released at intervals; 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade are out at 2:15. 4th and 5th are out at 2:20.
EXCEPT Wednesday! Wednesday is a shorter day so that the school staff can have meetings. Wednesday the 1st,
2nd and 3rd graders are released at 1:25 and the 4th and 5th graders are out at 1:30. Whew!
(Of course, that doesn't include community kidz, after school programs, or teacher conference days!)

Dear Anna,
What happens if my child loses a tooth at school?
- Wiggly
Dear Wiggly,
Losing a tooth is fun and exciting for our kids. Luckily, LeConte is a fun and exciting place to lose a tooth! Our school
secretary, Donna Chan Chu, is in charge of helping out the tooth fairy (she is in charge of many many things!)...
Donna has a special tooth case that she gives to kids who lose a tooth at school. The necklace opens up to hold the
precious lost tooth, so that it doesn't get really, truly, actually lost before it makes it home to the tooth fairy.

8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 MEET OUR WONDERFUL STAFF
In each issue of the Lamppost, we are pleased to introduce you to a few members of LeConte’s talented staff.

Natalia Bernal
Kindergarten Teacher, Two-Way Immersion, Room 110

What was your favorite subject as a student?

My favorite subject was French. I have always loved languages.

Who has been the most inspirational teacher to you?

I had an advisor and professor in my Master’s program who really made academic language and thought accessible to
me. I really appreciated how he broke down concepts and connected things culturally and historically so that I could
grasp educational theories that I had been struggling with. I hope to be a bridge for my students in the same way.

What do you like most about being a teacher?

I really love creating curriculum for my class. I get excited when I find new children's music that I can use or
beautiful literature that inspires me. When I can't find the right song, I make it up. When I'm inspired, the kids are
inspired and the classroom becomes a place of excitement and community.

What is the most challenging part of being a teacher?

The most challenging part is trying to satisfy the state demands (standards) while trying to really treat each child as a
unique individual and respect his/her own learning process. I sometimes feel that I am putting too much pressure on
kindergarteners, forcing them to read and write when some need more time to play and develop social and emotional
skills.

What is the most important lesson that one can be taught?

In kindergarten, it's all about learning to communicate your feelings.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I sing and play percussion in the La Peña Community Chorus. I like to travel. I go visit my family in Uruguay every
two years. I love to pet my cat, Lila, and my rat, Lily. It’s a great way to reduce stress.


Awilda Logan
Second Grade Teacher, Two-Way Immersion, Room 105

I was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I was raised speaking
Spanish as a first language and learned English with my peers in school.

I worked as a social worker in the County of San Mateo for ten years and saw many
unhappy school and home situations; consequently I returned to school to become certified as a teacher. I wanted to
help children learn and feel positive about themselves.

As a young student, I loved math, especially algebra. Inspired greatly by a teacher in Mount Holyoke College, I
gained confidence and learned to love Latin American literature. I enjoy my students because they often share their
impressions about their friends and family as well as those of characters in their readings.

I am a mother of three children who I exposed to a variety of interests. They have rewarded me with their challenges
and abilities. I think that it is important to teach children to accept who they are and embrace life.

LeConte Lamppost 9
 
Loraine Woodard
Fourth Grade Teacher, English & Two-Way Immersion, Room 204

I am very glad to be teaching 4th graders at LeConte this year: English in the
morning and Spanish immersion in the afternoon.

I lived in Cuernavaca, Mexico for many years, where I did freelance work
writing curriculum, interpreting and working at a Spanish-language school. I also gave workshops to English teachers
at the local university. My husband is from this area and we decided to give our kids (who are 14 and 16) the best of
both worlds, so they have grown up in both Mexico and the U.S.

I taught 6th–8th grade in San Francisco’s Mission District for nine years, mainly ESL, Language Arts, Bilingual
Social Studies and Reading Intervention. I am very committed to providing differentiated instruction so all students
improve academically and are challenged at their level.

I look forward to getting to know my students and their families and hope to establish a classroom environment that
inspires the children to do their best.


“Farmer” Clio Kirkman
LeConte’s Americorps Member, assisting Farmer Ben in Farm & Garden

Farmer Clio really likes gardening with kids and is excited to be working with
Farmer Ben at LeConte. Our children have already impressed her with their level of
farm and garden knowledge and their adventurous spirit, especially their willingness to
taste new foods. Before she came to LeConte, Clio worked at City Slicker Farms in West
Oakland and the Manzanita Elementary School garden in Oakland. She grew up in Washington, DC and received a
BA in Comparative Literature at Smith College, where she also took horticulture classes. Clio grew up helping with
her grandmother’s garden and hearing stories about her great grandfather’s efforts at organic gardening in the 1950s.
She also loves cooking.

The cost for LeConte’s Americorps Member is paid in part by BSEP (Berkeley School Excellence Project)/Measure A
funds, a parcel tax created in response to school funding shortages.

10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 LeCONTE CALENDAR
OCTOBER 1 – NOVEMBER 6, 2009

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

27 28 29 30 OCT. 1 2 3
Positive Behavior Positive Behavior PTA Exec. Board
Support Training Support Training (open to LeConte
community),
8:30AM,
Sconehenge
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Free Flu Shots Walk to School Day Picture Day Paint Maps on
Berkeley Adult Family Advisory LeConte’s Big
School, 3:00-7:00PM Council – LeConte Halloween Festival Playground –
Orientation, 6:30- Planning Meeting, volunteers needed,
8:00PM, Library 8:15AM, Cafeteria 10:00AM-2:00PM
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
SCHOOL English Language Sally Foster
CLOSED Advisory Fundraiser Orders
Staff Development Committee - are DUE
for Teachers Celebration Family Advisory
5:00PM, Library Council – LeConte
Fifth Grade Mosaic Orient., 8:15-
Trip 9:30AM, Library
Depart 9:00AM Fifth graders
10/12 to 10/16 RETURN , 4:30-
4:45PM
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
PTA Meeting School First Day of
5:45 – dinner Governance Saturday School
6:00 – 7:30 Council - (participation by
Meeting, Cafeteria Meeting, request only)
6:30PM, 9:30AM-12:00PM
Library
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
District School Coalition of Celebrate LeConte LeConte
Leadership Training Families for Assembly (parents & HALLOWEEN
6:00-8:30PM, African American guardians, please FESTIVAL
Longfellow, Dinner Students Meeting attend!), Auditorium, 2:00-5:00PM
& childcare 6:00PM, Library 8:15AM-8:35AM
Halloween Parade
12:45PM
Lamppost Deadline
NOV. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher Parent/Teacher
Conferences Conferences Conferences Conferences Conferences
EARLY EARLY EARLY EARLY all day
DISMISSAL DISMISSAL DISMISSAL DISMISSAL NO SCHOOL for
K – 12:25 K – 12:25 K – 12:25 K – 12:25 STUDENTS
1st-3rd – 1:05 1st-3rd – 1:05 1st-3rd – 1:05 1st-3rd – 1:05
4th-5th – 1:10 4th-5th – 1:10 4th-5th – 1:10 4th-5th – 1:10 Lamppost sent home

LeConte Lamppost 11
 LeConte felicita a sus...
ESTUDIANTES DEL MES
(determinado por los maestros del salón)
Vea sus fotos y certificados en el tablón de Estudiantes del mes
LeConte congratulates its...
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
(Determined by the classroom teacher)
See their pictures and certificates on the Student of the Month bulletin board
Teachers/ Students/Estudiantes
Maestros
Ms. Aguas MATILDA LOVE HOWELL and MATEO GRAU-RODRIGUEZ
Mr. Argueta CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ, ARRION PETERSWARD,
REBECA TORRES, and DAKARAI WILLIAMS
Ms. Barer CHASE DURKEE, RUBEN ESTRADA, JULIUS RAI, ZOE SEALE,
and MILES SHELTON
Ms. Bernal NAUTICA CHARLES, BELINDA HUERTA-GARCIA,
and CYRUS SOTTANI
Ms. Blanchard JUAN DeDIOS MUNOZ and ADORA WEBB
Ms. Carriedo MAYA KITTREDGE-MARTINEZ,
Ms. Lewis LILLIAN SCHOUTEN, and COLE SHUMWAY
Ms. Citrin MEKHI McELROY, JOSEPHINE JOLIVETTE, ANAI SANCHEZ,
and ISAAC TORRES
Ms. Cross ROBERT BOSTONIAN, JORDAN CHRISTOL,
POWER HEFFERTON, XYRA MARTINEZ, TYLIN ROBERTSON,
and YASSER ZINABIDINE
Ms. Gearring THE ENTIRE CLASS
Ms. Gee KALEEL GARRETT, RILEY LOW, and
JUDE ROCKAFELLOW
Ms. Katz CARLOS SAMUEL ESTRADA LUNA,
ELAM DANG-RICHARDSON,
ISRAEL ROMERO LUNA, and CHARLOTTE SHELTON
Ms. Logan EVA FIEDLER, AKIRA ISHIZU, and
KIAN LENIHAN
Ms. Louie MARLENE HEIDHUES, JAKARRI LINDSEY,
ANDY VARGAS, and MARIE WILSON
Ms. Roberts ZAKI NADEEM and CAMARIA PATTON
Ms. Torres AZARIA BARHAM, JOAQUIN SAAVEDRA-MacCARTHY,
and NATALIE MILIAN-CARRETERO
Ms. Woodard HOWARD CARMICHAEL, DONTAE DENNIS,
DIANA PACHECO REYES, and SIMELIA ROGERS

12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LeConte Lamppost 13
 STANFORD UNIVERSITY
EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GIFTED YOUTH
VENTURA HALL, STANFORD CA 94305

September 25, 2009

Dear Principal/Head of School,

I am pleased to announce an Open House for Gifted Students, organized by Scholar

Search Associates and co-hosted by the Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) at
Stanford University on Sunday, November 15th• The event is open to all students and
their families who are interested in learning about educational opportunities for the
gifted. The organizations and institutions that have committed to the Open House thus
far include: Center for Talent Development (CTD) at Northwestern University, Choate
Rosemary Hall, Davidson Institute, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Institute for Educational
Advancement, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Miss Hall’s School, Miss Porter’s School,
Oregon Episcopal School, The College Preparatory School, Crystal Springs Uplands. We
anticipate this list to grow as the event approaches.

We cordially invite your families to join us at what we expect will be an informative and
rewarding event. Enclosed please find a flyer that provides an overview of the Open
House, which we encourage you to share with your families. Feel free to make copies for
posting and to download and forward the electronic version (http://sn.imlepgyflyer).
Although the program will be offered free of charge to attending families, space is
limited, so we do ask that families wishing to attend the Open House reserve places as
soon as possible so that we may plan effectively. To receive updates and further Open
House details, families should register online at: www.scholarsearchassoc.com.

I do hope that your families will take advantage of the Open House at Stanford, and I
look forward to meeting them on Sunday, November 15th• I also hope to welcome you to
campus as our guest at the Open House.

Yours,

Raymond Ravaglia
Deputy Director
ravaglia@stanford.edu
 Scholar Search Associates

Open House for Gifted Student Families

Sunday, November 15, 2009 1:00-6:00 pm
Stanford University
• Bringing together gifted and talented students and their families and providing
information on educational opportunities open to them.
• Featuring panel and roundiable discussions, exhibit~s, activE ties, and presentations
about.s unimer programs, independent boarding and day school~s, online programs,
scholarships and financial aid.

Admission to the Open House is free of charge.

For more information, contact Patsy Kumekawa at (860) 664-3586 or Ssa@SchOlarsearchasSOc.cOm
or visit
www.scholarsearchassoc.com
for further details and updates.

co-hosted by the Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) at Stanford University