 On the Prowl – The Panther Pulse
Oct 5, 2026
|
|
|
 What a Magical Morning for Our Panthers!
Last Friday was an incredibly exciting morning at El Portal as our entire school walked to La Habra High School to watch our very own El Portal students perform Aladdin! It was a morning filled with excitement, entertainment, and plenty of Panther pride!
I was so impressed with how well our students represented El Portal throughout the walk. They followed directions, stayed together, and showed respect to all of the adults who were there to support and assist us along the way.
And then came the show! Our Aladdin cast was absolutely amazing! The talent, confidence, and hard work they brought to the stage was incredible. They truly poured their hearts into their performance, and it showed! We could not be more proud of them.
A huge THANK YOU to our El Portal staff, District Office staff, and the La Habra Police Department for helping escort our Panthers and making sure our entire school arrived and returned safely.
And a very special thank you to our Lowell Joint Youth Theatre and PowerSource staff! Without their time, dedication, support, and all of the work behind the scenes, this wonderful experience would not have been the success it was. Thank you for creating such a special opportunity for our students to shine!
What a memorable morning for our entire school community and a wonderful example of what makes El Portal such a special place!
Mrs. Castillo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10/5 Monday
- Monday Motivation Assembly
- Wear El Portal Spirit Gear
- Early Dismissal
10/6 Tuesday
- Young Engineers Club- 3:00
10/7 Wednesday
- LifeTouch Fall Make Up Pictures
- Recorders and Band Grades 3-6
- Ditch the Kitchen - Shakey's 5:00-8:00 pm
10/8 Thursday
- Music and Movement Grades TK - 3rd
- Love and Logic 5:00 pm
10/9 Friday:
- Wear El Portal Spirit Gear
- Harvest Hustle Fun Run 8:45
- TK and K Early Birds
|
|
PTA UPDATE:
PANTHERS, WE NEED YOU AT SHAKEY’S! Join us for Ditch the Kitchen this Wednesday, October 7th from 5-8 PM! Shakey’s gives 20% back to El Portal PTA, so grab the family, skip cooking for the night, and come support our school. We would LOVE to see our Panther community show up and help us make this restaurant night a big one!
WE DID IT, PANTHERS!!! $30,000!!!
A HUGE thank you to our Panthers and our entire Panther community for your incredibly generous donations and support of our Harvest Hustle! Hitting our goal means Kona Ice for ALL students! (Date TBD!) Your support makes so much of what PTA does for our kiddos possible. Every student will receive a spirit gear shirt for Fun Run Day, provided by PTA, that is theirs to keep and wear throughout the year for spirit days and school events. And we’re not done yet! Donations are open through October 16, and if we hit $35,000, Mrs. Castillo gets SLIMED!
Our Harvest Hustle Fun Run is THIS FRIDAY, October 9! Due to the upcoming heat wave, we’ve adjusted our Fun Run schedule to get our Panthers running earlier in the day. If you signed up to volunteer, please check the SignUpGenius for your updated time. Please send students to school in closed-toed shoes and, if possible, with a refillable water bottle. PTA will provide each runner with a bottle of water and a popsicle after their run, but having their own refillable water bottle available throughout the morning would be greatly appreciated!
Trunk or Treat is October 16, and we’re still looking for trunk signups and candy donations, links are in our Instagram bio!
Plus, In-N-Out Truck ticket presales begin October 12 for our In-N-Out night on Tuesday, November 3rd! Keep an eye out for more information next week on how to purchase your tickets!
Thank you, Panther families, for continuing to show up, support our school, and help us make these special experiences possible for our kiddos! We’re looking forward to a BIG week!
Thank you so much!!
Lorie
Lorie McGill
PTA President
El Portal Elementary School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Character Education and Patriotism
|
Character Education at Home: Resourcefulness
Use What You Have. Find a Way!
October is here, and our Panthers are beginning a new character trait: Resourcefulness!
Being resourceful means learning how to solve problems, think creatively, and use the tools and people around us to find a way forward. Resourceful students understand that when Plan A doesn’t work, it might just be time to try Plan B!
Throughout October, we will also learn about George Washington, Susan B. Anthony, and Rosa Parks and explore how resourcefulness helped them face challenges, make decisions, and create change.
 Try It at Home!
Give your Panther a chance to be the problem-solver this week! When they come to you with a problem, instead of immediately solving it for them, try asking:
“What resources do you have that could help you figure this out?”
It might be something they already know, a tool they can use, a different strategy, or someone they can ask for help.
Resourceful Panthers don’t need to have all the answers, they know how to find a way!  
|
Panther Traffic Talk
Keeping Our Panthers Safe & Traffic Moving
|
|
 Panther Traffic Talk: Let’s Talk EXIT!
|
Panther Families,
This week, let’s talk about EXITING our school traffic circle.
 Please NEVER use the school entrance as an exit.
We know it can be tempting, especially when traffic is light and the entrance appears clear, but vehicles should always exit using the designated EXIT closest to the upper-grade playground.
Our entrance and exit pattern is designed to keep traffic moving in a safe and predictable direction. Using the entrance to exit creates unexpected traffic and increases the chance of a close call with a vehicle entering campus.
Even when traffic is minimal, please take those few extra seconds to follow the traffic pattern and use the designated exit.
A few extra seconds is always worth keeping our Panthers, families, and staff safe!
|
Looking Ahead
10/12 Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser (hosted by 6th grade)
10/15 The Great Shake Out - Earthquake Drill
10/16 Trunk or Treat
10/30 Pumpkin Decorating Contest
10/30 Halloween Parade
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
