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2025/26 Back-To-School Edition: What You Need To Know!
Tue, Aug 5 11:03pm

Hey Monte Gardens Families!
We're SUPER excited to welcome you back to school tomorrow! Please check out the below email released from Principal Bennett for what we need to know for this school year and first week. Also, if you haven't already, please assign your student(s) to their classrooms in Konstella to stay in-the-know with classroom-specific details and more. If you have any questions on content here, please don't hesitate to reach out!

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From Principal Bennett:

Dear Monte Gardens Families,

It was so nice seeing many of your smiling faces at our recent Bonanza event this week. I’m excited to officially kickoff the 2025-26 school year with you, which begins on Wednesday, August 6th on a minimum day schedule.

  • First Day of School (Minimum Day!): All students, TK- 5, begin at 8:07AM and dismissal is 1:05PM.

One of our goals at Monte Gardens is for our students and families to feel welcomed and supported in our school community. Please connect with myself or our Monte Gardens staff throughout the year on how we can support you and your family.

Welcome Back Community Coffee hosted by Parents Club!

On the first day of school there will be a community coffee. We are inviting all adults dropping off students to join in celebrating the first day of school after students enter the classrooms. The Parents Club Board will be hosting this event near the flagpole beginning at 8:10 am. Stop by and grab a coffee. Hope to see you there!

We are welcoming some new teachers & staff to our Monte Gardens Community. 

  • Welcome to Ashlee Lung, our new SDC teacher!

  • Welcome to Christine Dekker, our new TK teacher!

  • Welcome to Jessica Lanzafame, our new 3rd grade teacher!

  • Welcome to Julissa Cardona, our new 5th grade teacher!

  • Welcome to Selene Aguilar, our new Librarian!

Tips for a successful school year: 

  • Ensure your student gets a good night's sleep and eats nutritious food.

  • Be on time in the morning at drop off and at the afternoon pick up. 

  • Bookmark the Monte Gardens website for information on our school.

  • Review the Monte Gardens Family and Student Handbook

  • Chromebooks: If your student is in 3rd through the 5th grade, send in your student’s fully charged Chromebook and their charger with your student. If you are a new MDUSD student in grades 2-5, we will work to get your student a Chromebook as soon as possible.

  • Review Carpool Traffic Safety and follow all traffic laws.

Drop Off on Day 1 & 2: This first week is very special and we’d like to acknowledge this exciting moment for us all.

  • Students can begin to arrive at school at 7:45 am.

  • In Grades 1-5, at 8:00 am, we will open the front gate and allow families to walk their students to the blacktop and line up on their “paws” in their classroom lines. The teacher's name is located at the front of the line.  

  • TK/K parents:  If you are not aware, we do have a closed campus, but the first day we welcome parents to walk the kids to their class line.  For the mornings, the entrance to the Kinder area will be the side gate, which is the entrance to the Kinder playground.  It will be marked tomorrow.

  • TK/K:  No carpool.  You will need to drop off and pick up in person. (Please use the crosswalks.)

  • Parking: Please plan to park legally in the neighborhood and WALK your child to the kinder gate each day.

  • In the afternoon, students will line up for dismissal at the kindergarten gate by the kindergarten hallway. Please leave time to park and walk up to meet your young learner each afternoon. 

  • If students are entering from the carpool lane prior to 8:00 am, students will go to the flagpole entrance. 

  • After 8:00, if a student is arriving in the carpool lane, they will enter through the side carpool gate called, “Gail’s Gate”.

  • Students will stand at their line holding their belongings for school, including backpacks and totes. Students in grades TK-2 use totes. Students in grades 3-5 use backpacks.

  • Please give hugs and say your see-you-laters at the student’s line and exit campus to enjoy the Community Coffee hosted by Parents Club at the flagpole that begins at 8:10 am.

  • Please do not walk students to their classrooms. This can create tears and our students still have some acclimating to do during this new routine.

  • Beginning on Day 3, Friday, August 8th, students in grades 1-5 will walk down the hallway by themselves to their classroom line from the flagpole entrance if they are on foot. TK and Kindergarten students will line up on their paws near the kindergarten gate until they are directed to line up near their classrooms.

Tote Bags: In grades TK-2, students use tote bags for their belongings. If your student needs a tote bag, our Parents Club will be selling them for $15. If you are interested, please inquire with the main office or at president@mgparents.org.

In grades 3-5, students use backpacks.

Back To School Night is on Tuesday, August 12th. This is an ADULT event only. Please make arrangements for your children for this evening.

Presentations will be:

  • 6:00 - 6:30: TK - 2 / Classroom presentations

  • 6:30 - 6:35:  Bell Rings / All go to the Multipurpose Room

  • 6:35 - 7:05:  Principal Presentation / Parents Club

  • 7:05 - 7:35:  3 - 5 / Classroom presentations

Universal Meals: (Free program)

Breakfast (7:45 am - 8:05 am) or Second Chance Breakfast (during brunch) and lunch are available for all students in our Multi Use Room each day on campus. If you need more information about food and nutrition, please see the Food & Nutrition Services for more information.

Attendance:

Supporting your students to arrive at school on time and attend school daily is an essential part of their success in school. However, if your student is sick or is not attending school, please contact the Monte Gardens Elementary School office to report the absence by 8:30 am.

The attendance line phone number is 925-682-8000 x4469.

Camp S’More: If your child participated in the Summer Camp S’more Reading Program. All students will get a reading prize when you return the form to school. Please complete one of these forms: by August 15th.

Camp S'More Reading Form

OR turn in a paper reading log to the office—here’s a printable paper log: 

Camp S'More Reading Form

Konstella: The Monte Gardens Parents Club uses Konstella for all parent communication, as a school directory, and for volunteer signups. Please use the following link to request an account. Note you must have a student enrolled at Monte Gardens to join this group.

Friendly Reminders on Traffic Procedures:

Please keep in mind that safety is our top priority. The first few weeks require extra patience as we are all learning the traffic flow. Plus, we may have construction in our neighborhood. Please allow for additional time for morning traffic. 

When it comes to dropping off and picking up students, please make sure you obey all traffic laws at all times. Here is a Carpool Traffic Safety page to review.

Please help our community with traffic and safety:

  • Keep driveways clear for our neighbors.

  • Follow all traffic signs and laws.

  • Use crosswalks and sidewalks.  

  • Follow all directions from noon supervisors and volunteers.  

  • Legally park in the neighborhood and walk to and from pickup and dropoff.  

  • There is no parking in staff parking or at the MDUSD district office. 

  • If you are walking through the Sunrise/Shadelands School behind Monte Gardens, you may not drop your child off in their parking lot or drive through their bus circle. It is a privilege to use this entrance and we want this to continue for our neighborhood families. With your help, we can ensure each and every student of ours gets to school and arrives home safely.  

We love volunteers at Monte Gardens! Here is some information on how to become an MDUSD Volunteer.

  • Please note - siblings are not allowed on campus during volunteering. Students love when they receive individual attention from their caregivers at school.

Child Care: If your student attends Dianne Adair, please see their information regarding specifics for their program for drop off and pick up procedures.

  • Dianne Adair Monte Gardens: Lisa Brady at montegardens@dianneadair.org

  • ELOP (Extended Learning Opportunities Program - Contact Lisa Brady at montegardens@dianneadair.org

Office Hours This Week:

Beginning Wednesday, August 6th: The office will be open from 7:30 am-3:30 pm daily.

We are ready to begin the 2025-26 school year with our students and families. 

Best wishes for a new school year!

Alex Bennett

Monte Gardens Elementary School Principal