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Happy Week 11, Panther Families!

Can you believe we are already entering our 11th week of school and heading into the final weeks of October? Time is flying by, and our Panthers have been busy learning, growing, and making wonderful memories!

As we begin another exciting week, I want to share a few important dismissal reminders to help everyone plan ahead.

Monday, October 19 – Regular Monday Early Dismissal

• TK & Kindergarten: All Early Birds – 1:15 p.m. Dismissal
• Grades 1–6: 1:45 p.m. Dismissal

Friday, October 23 – MINIMUM DAY

• TK & Kindergarten: All Early Birds – 12:40 p.m. Dismissal
• Grades 1–6: 1:05 p.m. Dismissal
•  

 Please Plan Ahead!

We kindly ask that families make arrangements to have their children picked up promptly at dismissal time, especially on our minimum days. When students are not picked up on time, we often have a large number of Panthers waiting for their rides, which requires additional staff supervision and can delay previously scheduled meetings and other important school responsibilities.

We truly appreciate your cooperation, flexibility, and understanding as we work together to keep our dismissal procedures safe, smooth, and efficient.

Thank you for being such an important part of our El Portal family. Let's make it another wonderful week. 

This Week...

10/19 Monday

• Monday Motivation Assembly 
• Wear El Portal Spirit Gear
• Early Dismissal

10/20 Tuesday

• Young Engineers Club- 3:00

10/21 Wednesday

• 7:30 AM Drama Rehersal
• Recorders and Band Grades 3-6
• 6th Grade LHPD E-bike Presentation 

10/22 Thursday

• 7:30 AM Drama Rehersal
• Music and Movement Grades TK - 3rd
• Love and Logic 5:00 pm

10/23 Friday:

• Wear College Gear
• MINIMUM DAY 

           TK & K                12:40 

           1st-6th Grades   1:05 

PTA

 PTA UPDATE!

THANK YOU, PANTHER FAMILIES! 

What an incredible turnout for Friday night’s Trunk or Treat! We are so grateful to everyone who decorated a trunk, donated candy, volunteered, or simply came out to enjoy the evening with us! Your support made this event a HUGE success, and we hope everyone had a wonderful time! 

WE DID IT, PANTHERS! 

Our Harvest Hustle Fun Run officially raised OVER $35,000, surpassing our extended fundraising goal! We couldn’t have done it without our amazing Panther community! And what a comeback for Mrs. Remme’s class, who rallied from behind to claim the title of TOP FUNDRAISING CLASS!  We’re excited for tomorrow, Monday, October 19, during Motivational Monday for our closing Fun Run assembly, where we’ll announce all of our prize winners! And as for Mrs. Castillo… she’d better start preparing for a VERY slimy day in her future!  The Panthers earned their slime challenge, and we’ll be announcing the date soon. Stay tuned!

PTA ASSOCIATION MEETING THIS THURSDAY! 

Join us Thursday, October 22, at 7:30 PM via Zoom! We’re excited to welcome our special guest speaker, Superintendent Dr. Rhonda Overby! We hope you’ll join us for this opportunity to hear from our superintendent and stay connected with what’s happening at El Portal!

IN-N-OUT TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! 

Our In-N-Out Truck fundraiser is coming Tuesday, November 3, at 5:30 PM! Tickets are $8 and include a burger, chips, and a drink. Payments are due no later than Wednesday, October 28, and tickets will be distributed at the event. Best of all, 75% of the proceeds benefit El Portal PTA, while 25% will be donated to the In-N-Out Burger Foundation to help children and youth in local communities who have experienced abuse or neglect. 

RED RIBBON WEEK IS COMING! October 26–30 is Red Ribbon Week, and we’ve got a fun spirit week planned for our Panthers!

 Monday – PJ Day

 Tuesday – Wear Red

 Wednesday – Sports Day

 Thursday – Twin Day

 Friday – Halloween!

HALLOWEEN FUN IS ALMOST HERE! 

Friday, October 30 is shaping up to be a SPOOKTACULAR day at El Portal! Our Panthers will celebrate with the Monster Mash Dance, Halloween Parade, and Pumpkin Decorating Contest!  We could use some helping hands to make the festivities extra special, so be sure to check out our SignUpGenius for volunteer opportunities!

Thank you, Panther families, for continuing to show up, support our school, and make these special experiences possible for our kiddos! We have so much to celebrate and even more fun ahead! 

Lorie McGill

Librarian 

El Portal Elementary School

Character Education at Home: Resourcefulness

Little Problem-Solvers, Big Possibilities!

As we head into the final weeks of October, our Panthers are continuing to explore what it means to be Resourceful! This week, we're focusing on an important part of resourcefulness: taking initiative and learning to help ourselves before relying on others to solve our problems.

Being resourceful doesn't mean we have to know all the answers. It means recognizing the tools, knowledge, and people around us and knowing how to use them! Whether it's looking back at an example in class, finding materials to complete a project, or asking the right questions, every small step toward independence builds confidence.

At school, we want our Panthers to develop the confidence to say, "I can figure this out!" while also understanding that knowing when to ask for help is an important part of being resourceful.

 Try It at Home!

This week, give your Panther a little extra responsibility or a small challenge to tackle independently. It might be organizing their backpack, preparing for the next school day, or figuring out how to complete a task using what they already have.

Instead of jumping in with the answer, try asking:

"What do you already know that could help you?"

or

"What could you do on your own to get started?"

Celebrate their effort and creative thinking, even if the outcome isn't perfect. Every opportunity to problem-solve helps build independence and confidence!

Resourceful Panthers take initiative, use what they have, and believe in their ability to find a way! 

Looking Ahead

10/26 Red Ribbon Week

10/30  Pumpkin Decorating Contest

10/30  Halloween Parade

10/30  End of Trimester 1

11/2    Non Student Day (No School)