Dear Lafayette Community,

It's the last day of summer. Already? 😿 Finally? 🫠 Either way, we can't wait to see all of our Dolphins swimming to school bright and early tomorrow morning. 

🚨🚨 Remember: Stop, Drop, and Go starts TUESDAY, so we need to walk our kids into the schoolyard tomorrow. Drivers, please park legally in the neighborhood. Be a dolphin, not a shark. Pretty please, don't double-park!

While you're on campus tomorrow morning, stop by the PTA table by the gate to say hi! We'll also have coffee and mini chocolate chip cookies for the grown-ups. ☕ You can also buy some fresh spirit wear... We've got hoodies, hats, shirts, and more. 

In this week's Dolphin Digest:

🚗 Stop, Drop and Go OPEN ROTATION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
🌹 Memorial for Retired Lafayette Teacher Janet Welsh - Aug 24 (Saturday)
🫶 You're Invited! First PTA Meeting of the Year - Sep 11th (Wednesday)
✏️ Now Accepting Student Submissions for THIS Newsletter!
📘 Yearbooks Ready for Pickup at School Office
📷 Lately at Lafayette
📅 Calendar at a Glance 
👋 Community (Non-PTA) Corner

For the first two weeks of the school year we will have open volunteer rotation for Stop, Drop and Go. Class rotations will begin the third week of school, starting with second grade classes (Ms. Rolph-Morales's class).

If you are new to the school, open rotation is a great way to gain experience on what volunteering entails, so you'll be prepared for when it's your class's turn. The shift runs 7:25am-8:00am.

For those not familiar, Stop, Drop and Go is our morning vehicle drop off program that runs along Anza between 36th and 37th. SDG is organized through the PTA and only works if parents volunteer for shifts! It's really a lovely way to start the day welcoming kids to school. SDG also helps us to be good neighbors during morning drop off and keeps kids safe during what can be a hectic time.

If you have any questions, please reach out to lafayettevolunteers@gmail.com or message Emily Bonelli-Padow (Stop, Drop and Go chair) through Konstella.

All are welcome at our first PTA meeting of the year!

September 11th, 2024

6:00pm

Lafayette Auditorium

We'll vote on this year's PTA budget and kick the year off with important info about what's coming up and how to be involved.

Light refreshments and free child care (till 7:30) provided. We'll also have fun door prizes for attendees!

In order to be eligible to vote on our motions, you must be a paid member of the PTA for a minimum of 30 days. The cost is $10 per member and anyone can join (parents, students, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.). Be sure to join the PTA today!

• A drawing of their experience at school or a PTA event
• A brief essay about school, field trips, or a social issue they care about
• On-campus interviews of students, teachers, or staff

If you bought a yearbook last year and haven't received it yet, you can come to pick it up at the school office. Thanks for your patience!

You can still order last year's yearbook if you missed it! The design came out super fun as usual (thanks to Erica). A special collection of the year's memories, plus Lafayette mascot Splash is hidden on every page!

If you have ordered in previous years, use the same login information at treering.com. If you are new to TreeRing, please use this purchasing link. Your order will be sent to your address.

Passcode (if asked): 1015718683474794

Please reach out to Ericakjos@gmail.com with any questions!

Big thanks to our parking fundraiser crew, who raised over $3,800 during yesterday's concert in Golden Gate Park! 💰💰💰

Special thanks to Parking Fundraiser Cochairs Yusuke Wada and Tory Francisco for braving the bureaucracy to make this happen. Thanks also to all of the volunteers for staffing the parking lot and being generally awesome.

And a warm welcome to all of our new families! The New Family Committee put on the traditional new family luncheon last Friday to welcome all of our new Dolphins.

Thanks to all of the parent volunteers who came out to help, and to Ciara Piron, Erin Feher Montoya, Meghan Butler for heading up this committee with style. They not only organized the luncheon, but also put on 3 playdates over the summer for new families. We hope everyone is feeling properly welcomed, and that seeing those familiar faces at school tomorrow will help calm some nerves. 

Here's PTA President Erin Feher Montoya feeling ready for a bright new school year:

And Lafayette parent Robin Weir was on hand to capture the moment in family portraits for our new Dolphins! Professional photos by Robin Weir Photography:

AUGUST 19

First day of school

SEPTEMBER 2

NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

SEPTEMBER 5, 12, 19, 26

Spirit Thursdays 🐬 Wear school colors! PTA morning table will have spirit wear for sale, plus coffee etc.

FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER

Back-to-School Night (dates to be decided)

SEPTEMBER 11

PTA Meeting - 6pm, Lafayette Auditorium

SEPTEMBER 29

Donut Dash - Lafayette's fun run in Golden Gate Park

Well, look at that, you read all the way to the end of the Dolphin Digest. It's a good thing you did, because now you get to enter our FIRST GIVEAWAY of the year!!

One lucky reader will receive a limited-edition Lafayette hat (ooooh!) along with a tote bag and snazzy sticker (ahhhh!) so you can rep your school wherever you go. 

Community announcements are shared as a service to our members and are not from the PTA. Do you have events, resources, or other info to share with the community? Email lafayetteschoolpta@gmail.com to request a spot in the Dolphin Digest.

Thanks for reading this week.

Go Dolphins! 🐬

Patricia Wada

VP, Communications 2023–25

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Lafayette Elementary PTA

501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization

Tax ID# 94-6172049