Dear Lafayette Community,

Welcome to your weekly Dolphin Digest! Ready for a collection of all of the PTA news you need to know? I think I got it all. 😅

Do you know when your class's turn will come for Stop, Drop and Go? Find out in the SDG Rotation Schedule right here. 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗

This week, look out for the PTA Welcome Packet coming home in your child's backpack. You'll find a paper copy of the SDG rotation schedule along with this year's events calendar and a bunch of other helpful info. Stick on the fridge for quick reference!

In this week's Dolphin Digest:

🫶 THIS WEDNESDAY, September 11th! PTA Meeting Featuring Tech Talk + Hockey Haven Afterward 🍻 
🛑 Crossing Guard Volunteer Training - September 13th
📣 NEW: Submit Absences Through ParentVUE
🌐 English Learners Advisory Committee Meeting - September 16th
🍩 Donut Dash - September 29th!

🎉 Spirit Fridays! Buy Spirit Wear, Meet the PTA, & More
🧥 Lost and Found Is Growing...
📷 Lately at Lafayette
📅 Calendar at a Glance 
👋 Community (Non-PTA) Corner: 
Mayoral Candidates Speak Up on SF Public Education - September 16th
Grade Level Playground Playdates - September 21st & 22nd

Breaking news: Our PTA is 200+ members strong! Thank you to all who have joined so far!

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

September 11th, 2024

6:00pm

Lafayette Auditorium

Live interpretation will be offered in Chinese and Spanish.

Topics this time include:

• Tech Talk by Ms. Young (Kinder teacher) and Ms. Tong (STEAM teacher). All about how and why screens and various digital programs are used at school, the pedagogy behind those choices, etc.
• Comprehensive (multi year) budget overview from our new treasurer, Will!
• Presentation of the 24/25 budget and VOTE to approve.
• Committee updates from Donut Dash, Halloween festival, Autumn Carnival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Parking Fundraiser, and MORE! 

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!

After the meeting, join us at the Hockey Haven for a relaxed and enjoyable social gathering. 

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Meet & Greet: Connect with other parents and families in a friendly, informal setting.
• Community Building: Strengthen our Lafayette community bonds and share your experiences.

Plus, we’re planning some fantastic Mom and Dad meet-ups throughout the year. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Mom’s meet-ups, please reach out to Ciara Piron at SFisHOME@gmail.com.  More information on the Dad's meet-ups, coming soon! We’d love your participation in making these events, our community and culture, even more special!

Due to the high volume of cars during the morning drop off, the SFMTA would like to give a free training class for any parents who would like to learn how to help with crossing guard duty on 37th and Anza. The training is free and does not require any commitment afterwards.

The training will be on Friday September 13th at 7:35 am. We will meet at the corner of 37th and Anza.

Did you know? Instead of calling the school to report FULL DAY absences, you can now submit them on ParentVUE! For partial day absences, please call the school office as usual.

English | 中文 | Español | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt | Samoan | عربي

Only for FULL DAY absences.

Everyone is welcome at the ELAC meeting on September 16th! What's ELAC? It's the English Learners Advisory Committee. This group is not a part of the PTA, but we want everyone to know about it because ELAC is so important for our community.

Learn more and advise the school about:
★ Systems and programs to support English learner students Lafayette.
★ Reclassification and what it means for your child.
★ How the school uses designated funds to support English Learners programs and
more!

September 16th, Monday

5:30-6:30pm

Lafayette Elementary School

More members needed! Contact Ms. Brook at brookl@sfusd.edu or fill out this form and bring to school: ELAC Flyer [pdf]

• Sunday, September 29th
• 5K starts at 8:30 am
• 1 mile starts at 9:15 am 

The Spiritwear and Hospitality committees will be teaming up every Friday in September (6th, 13th, 20th and 27th) to bring you fresh coffee (free!) and various Lafayette branded items (for purchase via credit card or Apple Pay). Stop by to say hi, fuel up for the day and consider joining the PTA if you’re not already a member!

Note: Previous emails have mentioned Thursdays but the committees recently changed the dates to align with Splash awards.

Folks, our Lost & Found is growing steadily - and while we have been able to reunite some items with their owners, we can only do so if the articles are labeled - please take a minute and we can help you save a shopping trip! 

And check out the Lost & Found racks when you're at school... You might find something you didn't even know was missing! The items will be on the schoolyard in the mornings and near the auditorium at other times. 

Thanks always to Lafayette parent Eliot Kent-Uritam for keeping on top of this.

Thanks to everyone who made Back to School Night happen this week! We really appreciate teachers and staff for pulling those long work days to welcome families again this year.

Principal Kassebaum gave us an overview of the school and his dolphin tie collection (two at the moment), PTA reps encouraged us all to participate in any way that's meaningful and possible for us, and teachers showed off student work and talked through plans for the year.

PTA provided some sustenance for teachers and staff who stayed late to spend this time with Lafayette families. 

SEPTEMBER 11

PTA Meeting - 6pm, Lafayette Auditorium / Hockey Haven meetup afterwards

SEPTEMBER 13

Crossing Guard Training @ 7:35am, Anza & 37th Ave

SEPTEMBER 13, 20, 27

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

SEPTEMBER 16

ELAC Meeting @ 5:30-6:30pm, Lafayette

Mayoral Candidates Speak on SF Public Ed @ 6:30-8:30pm, George Washington High School

SEPTEMBER 21

Grade Level Playdates - PreK, K, 1st, 2nd (parent-organized)

SEPTEMBER 22

Grade Level Playdates - 3rd, 4th, 5th (parent-organized)

SEPTEMBER 29

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

OCTOBER 2

National Custodian Day

OCTOBER 5 & 6

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Parking Fundraiser - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

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.

Interpretation will be available in Spanish, Cantonese, and American Sign Language.

RSVP FOR SEPTEMBER 16th! George Washington High School at 600 32nd Ave in the Richmond.

Doors will open at 6:00pm, program begins at 6:30pm.

Child care available for those that RSVP ahead of time.

Virtual option: We will also livestream OR provide YouTube recording after event. RSVP is for *in-person* attendance and to receive livestream instructions.

Wear your school colors and spirit wear to Fulton Playground 855 27th Ave for a grade-level playdate. 

Meet and mingle with your child’s classmates and friends.

Saturday, September 21st

• Pre-K and Kindergarten 10:00-11:30

• 1st Grade 1:00-2:30

• 2nd Grade 3:00-4:30

Sunday, September 22nd 

• 3rd Grade 10:00-11:30

• 4th Grade 1:00-2:30

• 5th  Grade 3:00-4:30

*This is a parent-organized event separate from the PTA.

😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

Sometimes, when you read all the way to the end, you get a SURPRISE! This time, you get a bonus raffle ticket at this week's PTA meeting. Just fill out this quick form to put your name on the bonus raffle ticket list. See you there!

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