October 2: Walk and Roll to School

October 8: Minimum Day, Dismissal at 12:15pm

October 9: No School

October 14: Student Picture Day

October 17: Walkathon, 9:00-1:00pm

October 21: Unity Day

October 30: Halloween Parade @ 9am

October 30: Trunk or Treat @ 5:30pm

Dear Loyola Families,

Happy 1st day of October! We are really rolling into the school year now! October is always such a fun and exciting month at Loyola, with lots of opportunities for our students and families to come together and celebrate our amazing community.

We start tomorrow with Walk & Roll to School Day! GreenTown Los Altos will be here with the Blender Bike, LAPD will be joining us, and of course, our very own Lion Mascot will be there to welcome our students. Walkathon is next on October 17th beginning at 9:00 a.m., and we will end the month with a full day of fun on October 30th, including a special morning assembly and parade, followed by our Trunk or Treat from 5:30–7:00 p.m. There is so much to look forward to!

Next week we officially enter our Month of Responsibility through Character Strong. Responsibility is about more than simply completing a task or following a rule—it is about recognizing that our choices, words, and actions have an impact on the people and community around us. We will be looking for students who take ownership, make thoughtful choices, and take action when something needs to be done.

Responsibility can look different at every age. It might mean taking care of classroom materials, being honest when we make a mistake, including someone who may be feeling left out, standing up for someone who needs support, or following through on something we have said we will do. It also means recognizing that we don't all have to be the same. Our differences make Loyola stronger, and being responsible members of our community means treating others with kindness, respect, and understanding—even when we may think or act differently.

Most importantly, we want our students to understand that every word we say and every action we take matters. We each have the ability to make Loyola a place where everyone feels seen, valued, safe, and included. We are excited to notice and celebrate the many ways our Lions demonstrate responsibility throughout the month!

Be Kind, Be Strong, Be Well,

 

Kelly Rafferty

Principal, Loyola Elementary

What can the world around us teach us when we slow down, look closely, and ask questions? Our young Kindergarten scientists are finding out through a hands-on science inquiry that began with wonder!

During the first day of learning, Ms. Grinberg’s students explored photographs from our very own Loyola garden, using their curiosity to guide their investigations. They wondered things like, “Why do trees have branches?” and “Why did the leaves fall down?” Working in small groups, students carefully observed the pictures, shared what they noticed, and began turning their observations into questions. They then brought their thinking together as a whole class, recording what they saw on sticky notes and sharing the questions they wanted to investigate further. Rather than beginning with answers, students began with curiosity and the excitement of not yet knowing!

On the second day, students revisited their observations and worked together to sort the photographs into categories. They initially grouped images into plants and not plants, but as they discussed their thinking, they noticed that some pictures belonged in a third category because they contained both plants and non-plant objects. This discovery led to an even deeper investigation: Could they sort the same pictures into living and nonliving categories instead? Through thoughtful discussion, observation, and collaboration, students began identifying the characteristics that living things share and developing a common understanding of what makes something living or nonliving.

This is Deeper Learning in action! Students are building scientific knowledge while also developing the skills to ask meaningful questions, share ideas, listen to different perspectives, and revise their thinking when they discover something new. By starting with their own observations and questions, students are taking an active role in shaping their learning. And by using our Loyola garden as the starting point for their investigation, they are discovering that science is not just something we learn about in a book, it is all around us, waiting to be explored!

LAEF’s Fall Fundraising Night is on October 27. 

Join the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) board members, principals, and parents from every school, and LASD leadership for a night of texting and calling to raise funds for specialized teachers, essential programs, and materials to benefit every TK-8th grade student this school year.

Find out more, sign up, and ask your friends to join you for this good cause! Please make your own donation beforehand.