What's New at Sumac? |
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IMPORTANT DATES---------------------------------------
AUGUST --------------------------------------- FIRST DAY OF NEW SCHOOL YEAR Wednesday, August 22 Starts 8:15 am for all Ends 11:45 for TK students, 12:30 for all others View Student Supply Lists... Regular Schedule Begins Thursday, August 23 Starts 8:15 am for all Ends 1:15 pm for TK students, 2:20 pm for K-3, 2:50 pm for 4-5 Back To School Night (Parents Only) Thursday, August 29th 6-6:45 pm: Grd 1-2: Classroom Presentations 6:45-7:15 pm (MPR): All School Presentation 7:15-8 pm: Grd 3-5: Classroom Presentations ALL PARENTS are encouraged to attend --------------------------------------- SEPTEMBER --------------------------------------- No School (Labor Day) Monday, September 3 PFA Monthly Meeting Wednesday, Sept 5 (7:00 - 8:30 pm) In the Faculty Lounge; open to ALL parents Parent Volunteer Summits Wednesday, Sept 5 (6:30 - 7:30 pm) Friday, Sept 7 (8:30 - 9:30 am) MPR; Attendance required at one or the other No School (Rosh Hashanah) Monday, September 10 School Pictures Wednesday, Sept 12 Family Field Day Sunday, September 16 More info to be announced No School (Yom Kippur) Wednesday, September 19 Coffee & Conversation Friday, September 21 (8:30 - 9:00 am) Casual discussion, updates w /Principal Logan and parent leaders; in the library after morning assembly; all Sumac parents are invited!!! 
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Sumac Staff Ready for a New Year!
Sumac's faculty and staff are ready to welcome the new school year!
Nothing says "Back to School" more than the debut of school supply lists! Each grade has created a list for its students on our SUPPLIES page, where you can view, print, download, and even link for nearly one-click ordering via Amazon, Target, Walmart, Office Depot, or EPI.
Just One Click to a Pre-Filled Cart Sumac is once again using TeacherLists to help make the back-to-school supply list chore easier. It’s a one-stop site where you can always find the most up-to-date Sumac supply lists, and then place your order with just a few clicks via major retailers. Please check our SUPPLIES page for this and to see how shopping at Office Depot or Amazon.com can also mean extra funds for Sumac. 
Mrs. Birkett: Region's Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Sumac 4th/5th grade teacher (and Student Council Coordinator), Mrs. Julie Birkett, on being named TEACHER OF THE YEAR by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. She's been teaching children for over 35 years and it is terrific to see her recognized across the region for her dedication to our kids. We're so proud to have had her for so long as part of Sumac's family.
LVUSD's Student 360 Gets Into Their Heads
Sumac's Incorporation of Student 360
The Las Virgenes Unified School District launched the Student 360 Initiative in the 2017-2018 School Year in an effort to support the dispositions that develop a whole, complete, life-ready child. In support of this program, LVUSD introduced a fantastic Parent 360 Seminar Series that includes many important topics, each based on a book on the topic. CLICK for more info on the Spring 2018 series. Sumac supports and focuses this initiative on our campus. In every classroom we value student participation, set goals, talk about each other's thinking, use our academic language, employ growth mindset, thoughtfully connect with one another, and celebrate perseverance. We honor mistakes as a valuable part of the learning process. An easy way to use growth mindset statements with your child is to focus on the process, not the person. Bilingual Children? 4 Powerful Benefits
Sumac L-STEM Elementary has some great programs, one of which is its dual immersion language program. Why should kids be bilingual? Here's an interesting article that lays out the four reasons why every parent should make raising a bilingual child a priority. They are 1) emotional benefits 2) practical benefits 3) educational benefits and 4) cultural advantages. (Full article is at http://bilingualkidsrock.com/why-raise-bilingual/)
Meet Sumac's Principal: Mrs. Liberty Logan
Mrs. Logan has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Spanish and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. She brings over ten years of education expertise to this leadership position. She began her career in Las Virgenes in 2006 as a Spanish teacher and has spent the last four years as an Assistant Principal at A.C. Stelle Middle School in Calabasas.
While at A.C. Stelle, Mrs. Logan implemented restorative justice programs for discipline and learning, crafted an anti-bullying campaign, and worked with Child Nutrition to get state recognition for A.C. Stelle as an Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Mrs. Logan has served as administrative support for the district-wide adoption of the English Language Arts and English Learner curriculum and facilitated an after school athletics competition among the District’s middle schools. She has experience with teacher coaching and evaluation and ensuring all teachers have essential skill development. "The Las Virgenes Unified School District has a remarkable reputation for providing both innovative and caring programs," Mrs. Logan said. “Being promoted to a new leadership role in this District inspires and motivates me.” “Mrs. Logan is an exceptional leader,” said Dr. Dan Stepenosky, Superintendent of LVUSD. “Her familiarity with classroom instruction will help ensure that we embed best practices in every classroom with sensitivity to our teachers’ needs for professional development and mentoring.” Mrs. Logan is very excited about joining the Sumac staff as an instruc-tional leader and looks forward to giving students the opportunity to be Dual Language and STEM proficient. "Sumac is known for being a special place where every staff member is dedicated to providing an exceptional education,” Mrs. Logan added. “Joining the Voyagers is an honor.” 
Sumac receives 5% back in credit for FREE supplies when you make a qualifying purchase at an Office Depot or OfficeMax store, by phone, or one their website at officedepot.com*. Be sure to provide our school ID (70005369) at checkout*.
Earning from Office Depot is a small effort that can make a huge difference for Sumac! Already made a purchase? Click here to earn us credit us after the fact. All purchases year-round will earn for Sumac! *For website orders, you will entirely complete your order and will only then see the space to enter our "Give Back to School" school id (70005369). Video from Sumac's International FestivalThank you to Mrs. Leininger, our passionate music director, who led Sumac's 1st International Festival of Song and Dance! Thank you also to our parent volunteers, the Agoura PAEC, and our entire supportive community for coming out and making it a memorable morning. We couldn't be prouder of this performance! Parents can order the full video: Download the order form
How to Get Sumac's Latest InformationThe staff, faculty and PFA are working to consolidate our many streams of communication to parents. But we want to make sure you are informed!!!
There are four primary ways to stay informed: 
1) ParentSquare has the most up-to-date school and classroom calendar, news, volunteer signups, wishlists, discussions and more. Click the link in your email invite or visit the signup page.
2) The Voyager is Sumac's monthly newsletter, emailed to parents every Tuesday morning. If you are not already receiving them, you may sign up HERE. An archive is kept on the Newsletters page.
3) 'Like' our Facebook page to get the latest news and items of interest right in your FB stream.
4) Bookmark this website: It is frequently updated with the latest school information, calendar, and events.
PFA Expenditures At-A-Glance
Sumac's Parent-Faculty Association (PFA) asks families for an average annual donation of $400 at the start of each school year. This adds up to an approximately $140,000 annual budget that pays for important enrichment programs that would not otherwise be funded by the state or school district, including some salaries, materials, and equipment. Sumac wouldn't be the same without it. More budget info...
Through PFA, parents support valued Sumac programs for our children. Be an active part of your school. Volunteer on the PFA Board, on a committee, as a room parent, or to help at school events. Click to See Where You Can Help |
