Welcome!
A downloadable version of this document can be found here.
Principal Raquel Matteroli and your New Families Ambassador, Debbie Saik, will show you the school campus and give good-to-know information for your family’s start at Almond Elementary School. This is a great way to get familiar with the campus and also meet some other new families just before school starts.
Mrs. Matteroli will join for the first 5-10 minutes to give an introduction to the new school year, and Debbie will walk you through the campus and answer any questions you may have throughout the tour. If you'd like to join, please choose from the following times below. You can show up for either time.
- Sunday, August 13th 2023, at 2:00 PM. Meet in front of the front office.
- Monday, August 14th 2023, at 5:00 PM. Meet in front of the front office.
Where does my child go on the first day?
A few days before school starts, you will receive an email informing you of the name of your child’s teacher and class room. Your child will go directly to the classroom on their first day of school. The teacher will be there and will greet them. On subsequent days, they can drop off their backpack outside the classroom and play until the bell rings. Then they will line up on the blacktop number corresponding to their classroom number when the bell rings.
What time does school start and finish?
Below is the 2023-24 Almond Bell Schedule:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MvQSgbI1g49O7rKg9HRgl5xirFXqCQdoPMQF8uyOxxU
Transitional Kindergarten: August 16th- September 8th
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8:43
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Line up bell
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8:45
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:15
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Dismissal
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From 8/16–9/8/23, TK hours are 8:45 am–12:15 pm. This allows students a transition period to extended days as well as an opportunity for teachers to assess students and collaborate with team members to ensure your child’s success. The first full day of TK is 9/11/23.
Transitional Kindergarten: September 11th - June 5th
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8:43
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Line up bell
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8:45
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:00 to 12:45
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Lunch and Recess
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2:45
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M, T, W, F Dismissal
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1:30
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Early Release Thursdays
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Kindergarten: August 16th- September 1st
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8:28
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Line up bell
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8:30
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:00
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Dismissal
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From 8/16–9/8/23, K hours are 8:30 am–12:00 pm. This allows students a transition period to extended days as well as an opportunity for teachers to assess students and collaborate with team members to ensure your child’s success. The first full day of Kinder is 9/11/23.
Kindergarten: September 5th - June 5th
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8:28
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Line up bell
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8:30
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:00 to 12:45
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Lunch and Recess
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2:30
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M, T, W, F Dismissal
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1:15
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Early Release Thursdays
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Grades 1 & 2
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8:28
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Line up bell
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8:30
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:00 - 12:45
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Lunch and Recess
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2:40
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M, T, W, F Dismissal
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1:25
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Early Release Thursdays
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Grade 3, 4, 5 and 6
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8:28
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Line up bell
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8:30
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Class begins
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10:10 to 10:30
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Snack Recess
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12:00 to 12:45
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Lunch and Recess
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3:00
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M, T, W, F Dismissal
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1:45
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Early Release Thursdays
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How early can I arrive?
The school officially opens at 8:10am. If your child arrives before that time, please wait at the front of the school in the rotunda area until 8:10 am. From 8:10am there is supervision on the playground. The school day begins at 8:30am, except for transitional kindergarten which starts at 8:45am.
Each Wednesday we have an outdoor morning assembly beginning at 8:30am. The students will then line up in the middle of the blacktop, facing Almond Avenue, behind the class room numbers painted on the ground. Kindergarten children line up in the Kinder playground as usual and are walked to the blacktop by their teacher. At the assembly, the principal and student council make announcements, birthdays are celebrated, etc. Parents are invited to attend; the assembly lasts about 15 minutes.
Any special events the first week of school?
Yes, there is! For example:
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“New Family Orientation Tour” on 8/13/23 at 2pm and 5pm (no registration needed): an Almond parent, Debbie Saik, will show you the school campus and give good to know information for your family’s start at Almond Elementary School. A great way to get familiar with the campus and also meet some other new families just before school starts.
Please check the Almond website calendar for details (and if any updates on dates and times).
What about school supplies?
New this year, ALL STUDENTS WILL BE PROVIDED SCHOOL SUPPLIES. Teachers will be asking for donations to cover the cost of these supplies at the start of school.
What if I need to drive my child to school?
If you drive to school, and don’t want to get out of your car, you can drive along the parking lot front curb, stay in your car and your child will get out of the car curbside when your car has reached the front of the school. Please abide by the crossing guard’s directions who is there to ensure the safety of our families and students. You may not leave your car for any reason, even if you think you will be gone only a few seconds, within the drop off zone. The TK and Kindergarten parents park their car and walk their students to the kinder play area.
Is there parking at school?
There are very few parking spaces on campus, so parking can be tight. There is quite a bit of street parking available in the area close to the school. If you park on the street, please do not park on the corners, and do not block any driveways. Please allow your family a few extra minutes to avoid being late to school. If you need to walk your child to class, or need to check with the office or teacher for something, you must park your car in a designated parking spot, or on the street. Because there are so many cars traveling through the parking lot, you cannot under any circumstances leave your car at the curb.
Bike to school?
There are two bike parkings (“bike cage”) on campus. Students who bike to school will need to walk it while on campus. Please do not allow your students to enter the campus from the exiting lanes of the school parking lot to avoid any collision with cars leaving. Please use the crosswalk on Almond and S. El Monte Avenues. If students come from the back of the school, they can ride until they reach the bike cage nearest the play structure with the swings. The upper grade students put their bikes in the bike cage nearest that play structure. The lower graders put their bikes in the bike cage nearest the lower grade play structure. It is recommended to lock your bikes to the racks for added security. Please note that the bike cages are not locked overnight or on weekends.
What if we are late?
If you are running late, please have your student stop in at the office for a tardy slip. The school needs to know that a student has arrived in case of emergency. If you don’t pick up a slip, the teacher will send the student all the way back to the office!
Where do I pick-up my child?
If you walk or bike to school, pick up your child at the front of the school in the rotunda area. It is a good idea to choose a specific meeting spot beforehand to meet so your child knows where to find you. It usually takes a few minutes for the students to collect their belongings and walk to the front of the school. The first week(s) of school some of the lower grade teachers will walk their students to the front of the school.
What if my child is not coming to school?
If your child is going to be absent, make sure to fill out the Attendance absence form before 9:00 or by calling 650-917-5454. If your child is going to be absent for more than five days, then an independent study program must be implemented before departure and returned upon return.
What if my student has an appointment during the day, or needs to leave early?
Please come to the office to sign your student out. The office staff will call the classroom to have your student released. And when you return, please check in at the office. If possible, please give advance notice so that the class can continue undisturbed when your child needs to leave.
Can my kids stay and play after school?
When the lower grade children are out of school, if they are not immediately going home, they must stay at the front of the school. This allows for the classes for upper grade students to continue undisturbed. Younger children who are waiting for older siblings need to be supervised at all times and are not allowed to play on any of the play structures or in the gardens. Families are asked to leave school right after school ends, and may return only after 4:00pm to play on campus.
Where will my child play at recess?
There are 3 playgrounds. The one nearest the front of the school is for the TK and Kindergarten classes. The one in the middle of the black top area is for 1st-2nd grade students. The one nearest the very large grass field is for the 3rd-6th grade students. After school and on weekends, the kids can play on any of the structures as long as the kids are playing appropriately and supervised.
Do the kids eat a snack in the morning?
Yes, it is a good idea that the kids eat a snack during morning recess. They are often hungry by 10:10 and want something to get them through until lunch. Please send a nutritious snack.
Where will my child eat lunch?
The kids eat lunch outside. They utilize the same lunch tables, just at different times. The lunch tables are near the baseball diamond and they have a large blue canopy over them. The TK and kindergarten students eat at the tables in the kinder area. If it's raining, students eat in their classroom with adult supervision.
When is lunch?
The lunch hour is 12:00-12:45. This year all students will begin by eating lunch for 15 minutes and then will be released to play. Students who need additional time can finish their lunch before they leave the table to play.
What is the “hot lunch” program?
Like last year, LASD will provide Universal Meals beginning on the first day of school (8/16/23). Every day from 8:10 -8:25, a ‘grab and go’ breakfast will be served. Any student who would like lunch will be able to get a free lunch each day. The menus will be linked on our school website.
What if my child forgets their lunch?
If your child forgets their lunch, they can go to the office to call home. If you need to deliver a lunch, please bring it to the office and the child can pick it up there. They can also get free lunch from our servery.
Is Almond a nut free school?
The classrooms are nut-free, and there are nut-free lunch tables available for children with nut allergies. As a general rule the school does not intentionally serve foods that contain peanuts or nuts in general. However, Almond is not a nut-free school. Many parents send their children to school with nut butter sandwiches. If you have a child with allergies, please see the LASD Health Services website for the information needed to keep your child safe at school. Also, make your child’s teacher aware of the allergy, particularly where it is severe or impacts classroom practices (e.g. the need for the other children to wash hands if they have touched/eaten an allergen).
Can my child bring a cell phone to school?
Cell phone/iWatch use is not allowed during the school day. If there is an emergency, the child can make a phone call from the office. A few of the upper grade children have cell phones/iWatches for after school communication with parents.
What do I need to do if I am visiting the campus during school hours?
Whether you are visiting as a volunteer in the classroom or need to drop something off for your child, please stop by the office before wandering onto campus. The office will accept items left for your child or will call the child to the office for you to give it to him/her directly. If you need to go onto the campus as a volunteer, you will need to sign in and get a volunteer badge. When you leave, please sign out.
Does the school schedule change throughout the year?
There are scheduled dates when the kids will not attend school and also days when the school day will be shorter (“Minimum Days”). All of those dates are listed on the Almond website under “School Calendar”. The YMCA may have space available for after school care on these days. Contact them directly at (650) 941-8102.
Do I have to volunteer?
You are not required to volunteer. That said, it is a great way to learn what your kids are up to, to meet their classmates and fellow parents and to feel good about playing your part. Parent volunteers make a lot of wonderful things that happen at Almond possible, from hot lunch to field trips and art lessons.
One of the best places to learn about school wide opportunities is on the Almond website.
Classroom opportunities are identified during the Back to School Night. Please check the Almond website calendar for details. The teachers put out sign-up sheets for different volunteering opportunities in their classrooms. There is a vast array of ways that you can volunteer, from driving on field trips to baking some muffins, helping during STEM lab to leading a school-wide event, making it easy to play your part whether or not you work outside the home.
http://losaltos.cyberschool.com/Almondes/Portal/Volunteering
What does the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) do at Almond?
You can find out more on the Almond Website PTA section. The PTA provides financial and volunteer support for programs that extend and enrich curriculum and are a vital part of the curriculum at Almond.
What does the Los Altos Education Foundation do at Almond?
You can find out more on Los Altos Educational Foundation. LAEF provides financial support for programs that extend and enrich curriculum and are a vital part of the curriculum at Almond.
Are there after-school activities?
There are many enrichment programs organized by parent volunteers at Almond. They are listed on the Almond website/After School Program Schedule. Most of these programs take place immediately before or after the school day. These offerings change according to the providers’ schedules and are not necessarily an exact match to the school semesters. Classes can start and end in the middle of a term, so check the website. We often have Chess Club, various sports, Art Club, Mathletes, Pilates, ukulele, Robotics and lots more. Girl and boy scouts are also available, lead by parents, so keep an eye out for that when the school starts (maybe you would like to be one of the parent leaders:-)).
There are other extra-curricular activities during the year, including Chorus, Community Service, Drama Club, Flag Football, Junior Olympics, and Student Council. You will be made aware of these through the Principal’s “Thursday Word” emails and/or the children will hear about them in class. The challenge will be choosing as opposed to finding something to do!
Is there after-school care at Almond?
The Los Altos School District does not provide after school care. However, the YMCA has an extended afterschool program right next to Almond school The YMCA’s contact information is (650) 941-8102. The Los Altos Chinese School also provides an extended afterschool program on the Almond campus. You can reach them at: 650-935-2051.
Multilingual Video Resources for Parents
The Los Altos School District (LASD) Registration page offers information in many languages.
Do you need help but you or your spouse doesn’t speak English that well (yet)?
Almond New Family Ambassadors and Translators are happy to help you - just get in touch!
Additional information about the Almond Community
For more information, also see “Parent Information” on Almond website
You will receive email invitations and reminders from the following:
· PowerSchool (attendance and grades) including InfoSnap (Los Altos School District - mandatory to complete your student’s registration each year)
· Classroom Parent (online Almond student and family directory for school and social events)
· Los Altos Educational Foundation (foundation that supports District enrichment programs)
Do I have to put my information in the printed Almond directory?
Participation is voluntary. The PTA pays for the directory and families are very respectful of the directory so that it is not abused. When you complete the InfoSnap registration, there are options as to how much contact information you want to share.
If you have questions or concerns about any of the above, please contact the school secretary.
What if I have more questions not answered here?
Please see Policies & Procedures in the Almond Family Handbook
Also feel free to reach out to PTA New Family Chair Debbie Saik
We have several New Family Ambassadors who speak various languages and would be happy to help your integration into Almond school, Los Altos and USA. Please just ask! :-)
Have a great school year and see you on campus!
