LA CANADA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

“ABC” GUIDE FOR NEW FAMILIES 

Presented by LCE PTA 

Welcome to La Canada Elementary School! We are so happy that you are part of the LCE community! This guide was developed to assist new families in making a successful and smooth transition to our school by sharing the “parent to parent” information and tips that will ensure you are “in the know” right from the start. Please note that while we strive for 100% accuracy, some information presented may be incorrect if school policies or procedures change after our issue date. 

Quick List of Some Key Things to Do at/prior to the Start of the School Year:

• Ensure you’ve completed your child’s enrollment through the Aeries system (more information from the LCE or District Offices)
• Sync your online personal calendar to the District, School and PTA Calendars, so you are always up to date on upcoming events. 
• Ensure you have your child’s school supplies ready for the first day of school. 
• Register at www.lcepta.org, update the information on your child’s grade and teacher, and complete the PTA Online Order Form
• Download and login to the ParentSquare app, so you can keep updated on important messages. Login information to be provided by LCE/District. 
• Bookmark the below websites for easy access. 

Short List of Key Websites for you to Bookmark: 

• LCE PTA: www.lcepta.org
• LCE: www.lcelions.net
• LCUSD: www.lcusd.net
• LCFEF: www.lcfef.org 

Explanation of Common Terms Used at LCE:

Back to School Picnic: Our start of the year Membership Event, the Back to School Picnic typically features food for purchase, music, and activities. It is held on Friday evening on the LCE playground and families bring picnic blankets and chairs. This is a great opportunity to meet other school families along with staff and teachers in attendance. Families may choose to buy offered meals (if available) or can bring food from home. There is no cost to attend. We want our new families to feel welcome, so please look for a PTA Board Member who will happily introduce you to other families in your student(s) grade(s). 

Back to School Nights: Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Back to School Nights are held the week prior to the start of school. For grades 1-6, it is held a few weeks after the start of school on two evenings. For parents only, Back to School nights provide an opportunity for teachers to give families an overview of the curriculum. Room Representatives organize sign-ups for various class volunteer opportunities, such as field trip chaperones and PTA volunteer roles. Back to School nights are a “don’t miss” event. Parents often split up to cover multiple student classrooms. Grades 5 and 6 hold the event in the cafeteria, as the students are team taught. 

Bell Schedule: The school’s Daily Bell Schedule lists school hours and recess and lunch periods. It is usually posted at www.lcepta.org. It may also be found at www.lcusd.net. 

Carline Safety: There is a specific procedure for drop off and pick up at both school entrances. It is crucial that all parents and caregivers review and abide by carline safety and traffic and pedestrian materials, which can be found at www.lcepta.org. 

CEC (Child Education Center): Provides on-site before/after school care at LCUSD school sites. The CEC classrooms are portable units on the southern side of campus. More information at www.ceconline.org. 

Classlink: The District and LCE use Classlink as the online portal for Google classroom, some textbooks and supplemental programs. Login information will be provided by the District and/or school. 

Directories: Accessible through the PTA website, the Directory contains key contact information for school families. Parents can opt in with whatever level of information they desire. The Directory is a good resource for arranging playdates, parties and getting help with forgotten homework! 

Early Bird (EB)/Late Bird (LB): In grades 1-3, students are assigned to either an early or late start time. This allows the teacher to spend concentrated time with half the class each day. These EB/LB assignments are made by the teachers a few weeks after the beginning of the school year. 

Email to Staff: LCUSD uses the following format: firstinitiallastname@lcusd.net. Example: asmith@lcusd.net. Please note, there are exceptions to this format rule. 

Enrichment: LCE PTA offers various student enrichment programs such as Chorus, a STEAM class, and programs for Reading and Writing. Some of these programs are specific to certain grade levels and carry material fees. Information about these programs will be made available via the weekly Lion Times newsletter. Parker Anderson, Assist Athletics, etc. are outside entities that offer after school classes to all grade levels at LCE. Their programs carry fees. ALF (Assistance League of Flintridge) offers instrumental music and drama programs at LCUSD sites. Their website is alflintridge.org and their programs also have fees. 

First Day of School and PTA Meeting: Give yourself lots of extra time on the first day of school! Many parents park and walk their students to the classroom or playground. After school starts, proceed to the Cafeteria for the First Day PTA meeting. This important meeting provides information from the Principal and the PTA, and is your chance to sign up for volunteer opportunities, such as Room Representatives. 

Online Registration: Don’t forget to complete the online registration process as soon as you receive the email from the District office. Please be sure to complete the Health section so the school is aware of your child’s current health needs. Continuing families have a code to log into Aeries, and new families will receive a code via email from the LCUSD Technology Department. Your student’s registration will not be complete until you have completed the data confirmation process online in the Aeries Parent Portal and turned in the signed “Emergency Card” on the first day of school. If you do not have access to a computer or need assistance with this new process, the District Office can assist you. 

LCFEF or (The) Foundation: This is the nickname for the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation. LCFEF provides a substantive portion of LCUSD annual funding through various fundraising campaigns, such as the Jogathon (held on school sites) and the Gala (adult only event in Spring). Representatives from LCFEF make presentations at Back to School Nights. The website is www.lcfef.org. 

Halloween Haunt: This is LCE PTA’s premier fundraising event and is a fantastic opportunity for new families to meet others and to support the school. Traditionally held on a Saturday prior to Halloween, the Haunt is a carnival with games, food, entertainment and grade level costume contests. The Haunt features a Silent Auction and offers sponsorship (underwriting) opportunities for families. The proceeds from the annual Haunt contribute over 60% of the PTA’s annual fundraising. We ask each family to volunteer for the event. Sign ups for volunteer shifts are done at Back to School Night. 

Lion Times: The Lion Times is a weekly newsletter from LCE’s PTA President, which is sent to your email inbox on Sunday evenings. It contains school, district and community information. When you register on the PTA’s website (www.lcepta.org), you will be automatically signed-up for this newsletter. This is a crucial communication tool and all families are strongly encouraged to register. The Lion Times is used in concert with the LCUSD email and call system to share time sensitive information.

Lion Wear (aka spirit wear): Lion Wear refers to LCE logo shirts, hoodies, etc. The items are sold by the PTA, usually at the beginning of the school year, on the Online Order Form. Students often wear Lion Wear at school spirit rallies or on field trips for easy identification. 

Lost & Found: Lost items are collected and placed on LCE’s lost and found rack. The rack is located in the rear vestibule of the cafeteria. Please check back often, as unclaimed items are donated on a monthly basis. It is highly recommended that items are labeled with a first/last name/phone number as PTA volunteers do attempt to reunite lost items with their owners. High value lost items are kept in the office. 

Lunch: Students sit with their class at lunchtime. Lunch can be obtained from LCUSD’s food service provider. The District sets the rate for lunches. Visit the LCUSD site at www.lcusd.net for information on setting up an online account. You will need your student(s) ID number, available through the office. Lunches forgotten at home may be dropped off on the wheeled shelf unit parked inside the Main Office. 

Online Order Form: This is LCE PTA’s annual “one stop” order form. Sent via email or accessible from the PTA website, the form offers Lion Wear, Haunt underwriting, Yearbooks, PTA memberships and much more. The Online Order form is typically available just prior to the first day of school for a limited time, but dates vary each year. 

Outreach: This PTA committee assists the school’s Korean families with translation and other support. The committee is also actively involved with PTA events, such as MultiCultural Days and the Korean BBQ at the Halloween Haunt. It typically meets the first Thursday of the month at private homes or at school. The contact is outreach@lcepta.org. 

Parent/Child Lunch: Traditionally held a few times each year, the Parent/Child lunch offers parents a chance to share lunch during their student’s lunch period. Many parents choose to bring a special lunch on this day, and the PTA sometimes offers meals for advance purchase. If parents cannot make lunch, usually our school counselor offers the students an opportunity to sit with her in a special location on campus. Adult guests, such as grandparents or other relatives are welcome to join students at these lunches. 

ParentSquare: An application used by the District, school, and teachers for communication with parents. Please ensure you download the application and register. Registration information will be issued by LCE and/or the District. 

PTA Membership: LCE PTA is a vibrant organization on campus. The PTA provides not only financial resources to the school; it also organizes numerous community events and volunteer opportunities. PTA Memberships are offered on the Online Order Form, or can be purchased throughout the year by contacting membership@lcepta.org. 

Room Representatives or Room Reps (aka Class Parents): These key volunteers are a communication link between parents, teachers, and the PTA. Sign-ups are taken at the first PTA meeting (lottery held as needed). 

School Supplies: Grade level lists are posted on www.lcepta.org. Each spring the PTA coordinates a “one stop” order program and the items can be picked up prior to the start of school. Parents may also opt to purchase the items on their own. Teachers request that ALL items are brought in on the first day of school as they collect certain supplies for general classroom use. Upper grades are required to purchase a school agenda through the classroom. 

Scouts (Cub, Girl): As a service to our school families, the LCE PTA and the school afford the Cub and Girl Scouts an opportunity to publicize their organizations through school communication tools. If interested, please check the Lion Times and the website for contact information (the parent volunteers in charge change from year to year). Signups are also often available at the first PTA meeting of the year (immediately after drop-off, on the first day of school). 

Shared Classrooms: In grades 5 and 6, students rotate among teachers. Students can hang their backpacks on hooks outside of their homeroom for storage during the school day, and are given time to exchange books and supplies. It is recommended that students avoid storing items of high value in the backpacks as they are unattended. 

Site Map: The site map is updated at the start of school and is posted on the PTA website. The map shows each room by teacher or purpose (library, etc.) and is very helpful for the first few weeks of school. (LCE Site Map)

Thursday Folders: These folders are often sent home with important school and community information. Many teachers also use the folders to distribute class specific information and graded work. Parents are encouraged to check the folders weekly, and have the student return them the next day to class. Please note that the District, LCE and the LCE PTA are moving, as much as possible, to online notifications, so Thursday folders may not not be sent home each week. 

Last Updated:  July 23, 2023