Happy Friday, Oak Families!
It was such a joy to see our Oak community gathered together for Back to School Night on Tuesday! We loved connecting with you, sharing our excitement for the year ahead, and giving you a glimpse into the learning, growth, and joy that will fill our campus this year. Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to help every Cougar feel connected, confident, and ready to grow.
A huge thank you also goes to our families for your incredible participation in Rally Week! This annual fundraiser is one of the biggest ways we support both our PTA and LAEF, whose generosity makes so many of Oak's enrichment opportunities possible—from art and music to computer science and PE. Your support truly makes a difference in the experiences we are able to provide our students each day.
As we move into September, our Character Strong focus will be Respect. We will spend the month exploring what respect looks like, sounds like, and feels like in our classrooms, on the playground, and throughout our community. We encourage you to continue the conversation at home, helping our students see that kindness and respect are at the heart of how we care for ourselves, one another, and our community.
This work is an important part of our larger vision for Oak: We Are Kind. We Are Strong. We Do Well. Together, we are growing Cougars who are not only strong learners, but also thoughtful, caring, and confident members of our community.
A quick reminder: Next Friday, September 4, is a minimum day, with dismissal at 12:15 p.m. Please make arrangements for your child to be picked up or to attend their regularly scheduled after-school program.
With gratitude,
Nikita
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Mon, Aug 31- First Full Day of Kindergarten, 2:30pm Dismissal
Wed, Sept 2 - PTA Association Mtng - Multi; 8:45-10:30am
Fri, Sept 4 - Minimum Day- 12:15pm Dismissal
Mon, Sept 7 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Tues, Sept 8 - First Full Day of Transitional Kindergarten (TK), 2:45pm Dismissal
Fri, Sept 25 - Picture Day
Wed, Oct 7 - PTA Association Mtng - Multi; 8:45-10:30am
Thur, Oct 8 - Minimum Day - 12:15pm Dismissal
Fri, Oct 9 - Staff Development - No School!
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The weather forcast indicates there will be a temperature drop next week. Please make sure you send your student to school with a sweatshirt or jacket! |
Beginning this school year, LASD is introducing a new Volunteer Authorization Process that provides one consistent system for all school volunteers. The new process builds on procedures already in place for certain volunteer roles and aligns with updated California law and district policy.
To make the process as simple as possible, volunteers are grouped into three levels based on the type of volunteer work they perform. Most classroom volunteers who are always under the supervision of an LASD staff member will complete a straightforward application and tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment or testing.
Volunteers who may work independently with students or transport students (including after school sports) will complete additional requirements appropriate to those roles.
- An overview of the three volunteer levels
- Information about whether you are considered a visitor or a volunteer
- Step-by-step instructions for each volunteer level
- Links to all required forms and resources
To provide families with plenty of time to complete the new requirements, volunteers will have until December 30, 2026, to complete the authorization process.
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We have added new programs beginning soon and current programs with new sessions!
Please Note: Oak's New AI Explorers Class (grades 3-6) is offering its first class on 9/11 FREE to Oak students! Register Here
Be sure to check each program to confirm start and end dates, as they vary. Please direct all questions regarding individual programs to the program vendors. All programs are required to follow state and county regulations that are in effect. Please check with the California Department of Public Health for more information.This is an example of a sentence to begin a paragraph.
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✨ Once again, a warm welcome back to our Oak Families as we close out August! This year’s school theme is Spark Joy and what a joy it has been to see our beautiful community back on campus.
Rally week - August 24-28
Thank you to all of our parents, teachers, and volunteers for an incredible Rally Week! Tuesday’s Back to School Night was a wonderful opportunity to connect on Oak’s educational priorities, and Wednesday’s morning drop-off was a fantastic kick-off for our annual fundraising campaign.
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Contributions to LAEF and the PTA directly support Oak's instructional programs (LAEF) and vital school community initiatives (PTA). Thank you for investing in our children and supporting our school! |
PTA Association Meeting, Sept 2, 8:45-10:15am
Join us next Wednesday for our September Association Meeting(In Person at Multi/ Zoom), where we will formally kick off the school year, review and approve our Operating Budget, and hear updates from our various committees. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet our Executive Board and PTA initiatives for the year.
PTA Waiver Form
In the next couple of weeks, you will see a PTA Waiver form in your email inboxes via DocuSign. This is an important liability release and participant agreement that covers all our students and family members at PTA sponsored events. We request one member of the family to fill out the form and include all family members (siblings, grandparents, etc) who might attend PTA events. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important annual process.
Want to Help? Volunteers Needed!
📣 Oak Walk-a-Thon on Saturday, October 17th
Urgent: Walk-a-thon Volunteers Needed: Several Roles
Without sufficient volunteers for the event some aspects of the event will need to be scaled down or removed this year!
The Walk-a-thon is a beloved Oak tradition that brings together school spirit, community building, and student-driven fundraising. Students collect donations or pledges for each lap they commit to walk, with proceeds helping fund important Oak PTA programs and activities such as Field Day, Junior Olympics, Science Fair, and bus transportation for field trips.
Thank you to the parents that answered last week’s ask for T - shirt Design and Contest 💥💥🔥🔥🔥
We are now looking for a few volunteers to help lead and support some important logistics. 🫵🏻
- T1–2 Workstream Leads - Set-Up & Tear-Down Leads, ~2-3hrs/week until Oct 17th
Help organize and lead the volunteer team responsible for setting up the Walk-a-thon course before the event and packing everything up afterwards. This is a great role for folks who are organized, hands-on, and comfortable coordinating a team of tactical volunteers.
- h2 Co-Leads - T-Shirt Sizing, Pickup & Distribution Logistics ~3-5hrs/week until oct 17th
Work alongside the Walk-a-thon team to coordinate the T-Shirt logistics including:
- Facilitate securing T-Shirt sizes by grade.
- Picking up the T-shirts from the vendor and delivering them to Oak
- Organizing, sorting, and bagging shirts by classroom/order
- Coordinating delivery of shirts to classrooms
- i3-4 Tactical Volunteers for Communications and Event Logistics Prep needed in weeks leading up to event ~2-3hrs/week until Oct 17th
- Provide hands-on support to the Workstream Leads as needed, event logistics and set-up, communications, and other Walk-a-thon tasks
You do not need to take on a leadership role to help and the time commitment is minimal! If you have a little time to lend a hand, we’d love to have you on the team.
Please reach out to Emmanuel Ventadour and Deepti Dubey at oakptapresident@gmail.com by August 31st. Let’s make this year’s Walk-a-thon another great Oak tradition! |
Financial Reviewer for Oak PTA 2026-2027
Financial Reviewer: The PTA Financial Reviewer audits the financial books and records of the PTA on a semiannual basis. The review can be performed by an appointed Oak parent who is a licensed CPA. Our books are well-organized and up to date and we expect 5-10 hours of time commitment per 6 months audit with full support and documentation provided by the PTA executive board.
Volunteer Authorization Process: DOJ/FBI Live Scan Fingerprinting
As you may have seen Los Altos School District’s ParentSquare newsletter, they are bringing all volunteer screening into one consistent, districtwide process to stay compliant with new state laws while preserving the welcoming and volunteer culture that makes our schools so special.
We highly encourage all of our volunteers to follow the LASD approved volunteer process. For those interested in beginning the process to becoming a volunteer, please visit the link https://www.lasdschools.org/volunteer. |
Your student’s design could be featured on this year's Oak Walkathon t-shirt and banner!
This year’s Walkathon theme is “Miles of Smiles” (think rainbows, happiness, and sparking joy!). All submitted designs will be showcased at school! To ensure your artwork is eligible for the final print, please follow these rules:
- Paper Size: Use plain white paper no larger than 8.5” x 11” (portrait or landscape orientation).
- Color Limit: Use a maximum of 3 colors only (black and white count as colors).
- Complete Artwork: The entire drawing must fit on the paper—do not show partial objects cut off at the edges.
- Originality & Tool Disclosure: Tools such as ChatGPT or image search may be used for inspiration, but all submissions must be original artwork drawn by the student contestant. On the front of the paper in the corner, please write any tools used or write "no tools used."
- Anonymous Selection: On the back of the paper, write your name, classroom, and grade clearly in pencil. Please do not write any personal information on the front so our selection committee can review entries anonymously.
Design submissions are due on Thursday, September 10th by 3:00 PM. Please drop all entries in the designated envelope located in the front office. We can't wait to see your creative, joyful designs!
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Stay N’ Play & Principal’s Meet and Greet - Aug 14
It was wonderful to welcome new families and reconnect with returning families at our first Stay N’ Play for the school year.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers for handing out popsicles, and to our after school vendor representatives for making it such a fun and informative afternoon!
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Back to School Night - Aug 25
A huge thank you to our teachers for their time and efforts on Back to School night. It was great seeing a lot of friendly faces and meeting new parents!
As a reminder, here is the financial contribution request for 2026-27.
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Donate to LAEF: Your annual contribution of $1,800 per child, enables Los Altos School District (LASD) to provide an enriched curriculum, funding dedicated staff, technology and key programs across all LASD schools.
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Join the Oak Avenue PTA. Your annual membership dues of $20 per parent/guardian help provide continuity and fund our PTA programs. More importantly, it connects you to a network of families who care deeply about our school.
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Donate to the PTA. Your Direct Ask contribution of $80 per child, supports continuity and funding to support Oak-specific events to maximize the teacher and student experience.
OAK LIFESAVERS THIS WEEK 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Our Lifesavers this week are our wonderful New Family Welcome Committee: Jane Lai, Mitra Lohrasbpour, Mary Chiou, Jenny Brichko and Michelle Han!
This amazing team went above and beyond hosting TK/Kinder Socials, welcoming parents at Back to School events, managing WhatsApp communications and creating a warm, inclusive atmosphere for our newest families. Thank you for taking the lead in making Oak feel like home right from day one!
Huge thanks also to Emmanuel Ventadour and Deepti Dubey for organizing a fantastic Oak Rally Day! The campus was buzzing with school spirit, smiles, and electric energy.
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Let’s make it a wonderful year!
Liz Hernandez, President
Rama Mulpuri, Executive Vice President
Oak PTA Executive Team 2026-2027
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Thank you to everyone who joined us with such enthusiasm and school spirit. Seeing our LASD community come together like that is exactly what makes our schools special.
Huge thanks to every family who has already given to LAEF this school year. Your donation helps LAEF fund Specialized Teachers & Staff and Instructional Programs & Materials at your school that turn an ordinary education into a LASD Education.
If you haven't donated yet, here’s how you can partner with us:
- Step 1: Donate to LAEF
- Step 2: Join and donate to the PTA for each school your children attend
Let's come together and invest in a high-quality, well-rounded education for every LASD student.
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9:30am-12:30pm Mondays 8/31-10/19*
Los Altos School District iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos CA 94024
Do you like to connect kids with nature? Living Classroom is seeking volunteers to teach our fun nature-based lessons and help care for our school gardens. No experience necessary as we teach you everything you need to know.
Please join us from 9:30am-12:30pm on Mondays 8/31-10/19* at the LASD iLearn Studio to train to become a volunteer docent (*no training on 9/7 - Labor Day). If Mondays don't work for you, please ask about our apprentice-style training option.
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The Art Docent training program gives new volunteers everything they need to feel confident bringing art into the classroom. Trainees explore all the art mediums we teach while learning classroom management skills, how to lead engaging discussions, and how to give effective demonstrations.
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New Docent Training takes place on Thursday mornings from 8:45–11:30 a.m. starting September 3rd and includes technique, art content, and general program topics. Once training begins, new docents gradually gain classroom experience—assisting in September, co-leading in November and December, and moving into assisting, co-leading, and leading lessons from January through May.
Join us! It’s a wonderful way to learn something new, share your creativity, and make a lasting impact on our students!
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It is Oak School’s mission to ensure high levels of learning for all students. Every day we respectfully collaborate to develop confident, resilient, joyful learners who care about the Oak School community and become responsible citizens.
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