The Lion Letter

Please click the title or picture to watch a video of all this week's challenges!

Every day at school counts, and at Laurel we love celebrating the students who show up and stand out! This year we’re excited to launch our Monthly Attendance Raffle, and two groups of Laurel Lions can win a free pair of Vans:

• Top Attendance: Students with attendance of 95% or better are eligible to enter the raffle.
• Most Improved Attendance: Students who show the most improvement are also eligible to enter a separate raffle.

Being here each day helps our students learn, grow, and connect with friends and trusted adults. Huge shout-out to Vans for Partnering with us to help every Lion arrive ready to learn.

Show up. Stand out. 🛹

Give your child a strong start to the day! Laurel Elementary is offering the Jump Start Before School Program for students in grades 3-5.

When: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30am-8:20am

What we provide:

• Academic support
• Individualized skill activities
• SEL (social-emotional learning) check-in
• Charging station
• Snack (for school)
• School breakfast

Interested or have questions? Contact your child’s teacher, Ms. Fuentes (christine.fuentes@oside.us), or reach Mr. Sega directly at albert.sega@oside.us or 760-966-4225.

Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and families. We are committed to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone, regardless of immigration status.

If you have questions or need support, please reach out to

Mr. Swank (dieter.swank@oside.us),

Ms. Fuentes (christine.fuentes@oside.us),

or Mrs. Maggie (margarita.luna@oside.us),

or stop by our office. We're here for you.

Please click on the title or photo below for additional resources provided by OUSD.

https://www.oside.us/FAMILY-COMMUNITY/IMMIGRATION-RESOURCES

October 1- 23: Candy Bag Donations for Fall Festival Trunk or Treat

Tue, Sept 15–Thu, Oct 15: Hispanic Heritage Month

Fri, Oct 16–Fri, Oct 23: Parent-Teacher Conferences 👩‍🏫
All students dismissed at 1:05 PM during this week.

Fri, Oct 23: Fall Festival, 4:30–6:30 PM

Looking ahead:

• Wed, Nov 11: No School (Veterans Day)
• Mon–Fri, Nov 23–27: Thanksgiving Break
• Mon–Fri, Dec 7–11: Scholastic Book Fair
• Fri, Dec 18: Last day before Winter Break (end of first semester)
• Mon, Dec 21–Fri, Jan 8: Winter Break, school resumes Mon, Jan 11

Laurel Lions, get ready to show your superpowers! Join us October 26-30 for Red Ribbon Week, when we celebrate the power of making healthy choices and standing together as a school community. Our spirit days are a fun way for students to show that they’re stronger together!

The Oceanside Unified School District is committed to maintaining a safe learning and teaching environment for our students and staff. Our security personnel, schools and district administrators continue to work with local law enforcement and other safety entities to make all of our schools safe.

With that in mind, please reference the following dress code guidance for the upcoming Halloween/ Festival festivities.

If you have any questions or need clarification, please call Saul Watson (760-966-7888, saul.watson@oside.us) or Dr. AnnaLeigh Pacheco (760-966-4024).

Tune in to see our talented Laurel Lions take the lead as anchors, reporters, and crew, sharing school news and celebrating our community. Watch it together at home:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTn9UQZajlw&feature=youtu.be

Dear 5th Grade Families,

Please check your email! You should have received a message from our Assistant Principal, Christine Fuentes, with the subject line “Exciting News! 5th Grade Camp Cuyamaca & Next Steps.” Please read it through when you have a moment, and reply by Monday, October 26, 2026.

In the meantime, please take a look at the wonderful flyer created and supported by our PTO!

Upcoming Events & Next Steps

• Student Assembly: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 10:40 a.m.
• Parent Information Session: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Join us in person in Room B2, or online if that’s more convenient. If you’d like to avoid any internet connection issues, we recommend coming in person.

We can’t wait to share this adventure with our 5th Graders and with you!

🍂 School Fall Festival: Friday, October 23

Join us for an afternoon of fall fun at our School Fall Festival! Enjoy food, games, raffles, and Trunk or Treat on our main campus from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, so bring the whole family!

🎃 Help Us Stock Trunk or Treat!
We're collecting donations of bagged candy to supply our Trunk or Treat. If you're able to contribute, please send bags of candy to school with your Lion or drop them off at the front office. Thank you for helping make this a sweet celebration for all of our Lions! ¡Muchísimas gracias!

We hope our Laurel community has enjoyed our Brighter Bites Food Distribution! This program runs because of our hardworking Community Schools Coordinator, Mr. Sega, and he could use some helping hands.

If you or someone you know would like to help our families and community, please get in touch with Mr. Sega at (760) 966-4225 or albert.sega@oside.us.

2026-2027 Distribution Dates (Every other Monday)

• Fall: October 19, November 2, November 16, November 30, December 14
• Winter/Spring: January 11, January 25, February 8, February 22, March 8, March 22, April 19, May 3, May 17
• No distribution: April 5 and May 31

Prep & Set Up (6-8 volunteers)

• When: 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. (some shifts may run until 11:30 a.m., depending on how many volunteers we have)
• Where: Multi-Purpose Room (MPR)
• Tasks: Prepare food bags, break down boxes, and set aside any damaged products. Deliver 50 bags by cart to B3 for our after-school program (BASE).

Distribution (1-3 volunteers)

• When: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
• Where: MPR or the MPR lawn area
• Please note: Ballet Folklorico uses the MPR after school, starting at 3:45 p.m.

Post & Clean Up (1-3 volunteers)

• When: 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. (some shifts may run until 5:00 p.m.)
• Where: MPR, MPR outdoor area, and trash area
• Tasks: Break down boxes and place them in the recycling bin, put extra bags in the staff lounge, put up tables, and prep for the next day, including extra bags for the morning.

While we celebrated the importance of attendance last week, showing up is a daily commitment. In TK–3rd grade, consistent attendance builds foundational skills like reading fluency and early math. For 4th and 5th graders, it keeps them on track with the complex concepts they will need for middle school.

If your child is avoiding school, please reach out to their teacher or our support staff. There are many reasons that could be behind it, such as challenging work, friendship/peer challenges, or a need for some connection. If there are family challenges to getting to school, we can use available resources to support you. We know it can be vulnerable to share family situations, so we are always grateful when you put your trust in our school team.

Here's the district's health guidelines.

We’re excited to launch a brand-new math tradition at Laurel! A Pride of Mathematicians is our schoolwide approach to building strong, confident math thinkers who know their facts and can recall them quickly.

Our students chose the name! Teachers narrowed the field to three finalists, and students cast the final votes. A Pride of Mathematicians came out on top because, just like a pride of lions, we learn, grow, and succeed together.

What each grade will focus on mastering this year:

• 1st Grade: Addition facts
• 2nd Grade: Subtraction facts
• 3rd Grade: Multiplication facts
• 4th Grade: Division facts
• 5th Grade: Multiplication and division facts (fact families)

How it works
Students practice with the Leitner Retrieval System, a simple card-based strategy. Facts they know well move forward, and facts they’re still learning get more practice. It’s quick, it works, and it’s easy to do at home with just a little time each day.

Earning your stripes (or claws!)

• 🐾 Claw Badge: earned at each level mastered
• 🌟 Mane Milestone: awarded at the halfway point
• 🦁 Pride Leader: earned when a student completes all levels

Want to learn more?
During Parent-Teacher Conference Week, please stop by our table near the office, or reach out to your child’s teacher. We’d be happy to walk you through how it works, hands-on, and share how you can help practice at home.

What’s next?
After Conferences, look out for our Weekly Newsletter for sign-up information. Once your child feels ready to test, they can sign up. If your child isn’t ready yet, no worries! They can sign up any week. And if a test doesn’t go as planned, they can try again the following Friday. “Not yet” is just part of the journey.

Thank you for working with us. Your encouragement at home makes all the difference.

Let’s roar together! 🦁

We understand that this happens from time to time. With that in mind, Mrs. Hill has shared her Chromebook Loaner Expectations, and we'd like to pass them along to our families:

Chromebook Loaner Expectations:

A loaner is a device borrowed for the school day. It must stay at school and be returned when you're finished using it.

1. Loaners may be requested at the beginning of the day, or during recess and lunch.
2. Loaners may not go home. They must be returned by 3:00 p.m. to the library, or to the front office if returning after school.
3. Please log out of the computer before returning the device.
4. Take care of the loaner just as you would your own device: no rough play, food, or water nearby.

Please note: chargers will not be loaned out.

Era Psychological Services is an agency coming to OUSD’s elementary schools. It is on site individual counseling during the school day. The provider will be Jacqueline Medley, who will be on site two times a week.

While the school counselor may see students for school related growth and development, services like Era and Palomar Family Counseling Services can help across a variety of student and family needs.

Requirements for ERA:

• Insurance information must be provided (federal insurance is not eligible)

• Intake paperwork from a parent/guardian must be completed

• An initial appointment with the parent/guardian is required before students will be seen

Families - please contact your child’s teacher or school counselor to get started. You can also put in your own request by entering information on the link below.

ERA Referral Request

Our Laurel Lions PTO is growing, and we'd love for you to be part of it! Membership is just $10 per person, and anyone can join: parents, staff, and community members. When you join, you become a voice for our students and a partner in their success, helping build a stronger, more connected school community. Every family brings something valuable to the table, and we can't wait to welcome you.

To join: Scan the Venmo QR code on the flyer, or call (760) 415-7897 for more information.

Click on the title to see this past meeting's notes.

PTO meets every 4th Wednesday of the month, 4:30–5:30 pm.

OUSD is excited to offer free Love and Logic® workshops to help families raise responsible, confident kids without the power struggles! You will gain practical, empathetic tools to set calm boundaries, allow children to learn from their choices, and strengthen your family's bond.

Click on the title or pictures to learn more and for a Spanish Translation!

The Oceanside Unified School District and Oceanside High School invite families to a free series of parent workshops. You’ll learn about what’s happening in our community and how to help your children succeed in school and in life.

📢 Please note: These workshops are presented in Spanish only.

Featured speaker: Dra. Beatriz Villarreal

Where: Oceanside High School, Performing Arts Center (PAC) Lobby, 1 Pirates Cv, Oceanside, CA 92054

When: 5:30-7:30 PM

Topics and dates:

• Oct. 26: Education Is Power
• Nov. 2: Positive Discipline and Limits
• Nov. 28: The Truth About Drugs
• Nov. 4: Mental Health
• Dec. 2: How to Talk About Sensitive Topics
• Dec. 9: Dangers of Technology

We hope to see you there!

The Joe Balderrama Recreation Center is offering free sports skills training for youth ages 6-17, and all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome! Community sports programs encourage participation, promote inclusion, and help build friendships among diverse groups of kids.

Build skills. Build friendships. Build community.

When: Tuesdays, 4:45-6:00 PM
Who: Ages 6-17
Where: Joe Balderrama Rec. Center, 709 San Diego Street, Oceanside, CA 92058
Cost: Free

To learn more or register: Call (760) 435-5530, sign up in person, or register online at www.oceansiderec.com.

Teens ages 13-18 are invited to join the Oceanside Parks & Recreation Youth Leadership Program at the Joe Balderrama Rec. Center. It’s free, and it’s a great way to meet new people, build skills, and make a difference in the community.

What teens will do:

• Build leadership skills
• Learn CPR and first aid
• Gain work experience
• Take part in community service
• Enjoy outdoor activities
• Prepare for their future careers

When: Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30 PM
Who: Ages 13-18
Where: Joe Balderrama Rec. Center, 709 San Diego St., Oceanside, CA 92058
Cost: Free

Meet new people. Learn new skills. Make a difference. Be a leader.

Register now!

🌟 Join Our English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)!

We are looking for parents and guardians of English Learner students to be part of our English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC).

What is ELAC?
ELAC is a parent advisory group that:

• Advises the principal and school staff on programs and services for English Learners.

• Reviews and gives input on our school’s English Learner program, needs, and goals.

• Helps ensure our students receive the best support for language development and academic success.

Why join?

• Be a voice for your child and other English Learners.

• Learn more about school programs and resources.

• Build connections with other families and staff.

Who can join?
Parents/guardians of English Learners enrolled at our school.

Commitment:
Meetings are held [once a month / a few times a year], usually for about an hour. Interpreters and childcare may be provided.

👉please contact Christine Fuentes (Assistant Principal) at christine.fuentes@oside.us or Margarita Luna (School Community Advisor) at margarita.luna@oside.us

Your voice matters—help us support our English Learners!

Our Arrival/Dismissal Procedures are the same as last year and can be found in the Family Handbook. We've attached a picture here for your convenience.

Remember to always use crosswalks when crossing the street.

If you have any questions, our office staff is here to help!

We are excited to share our cell phone policy, "During the Day, Off and Away," for the 2026-2027 school year (Board Policy 5131.8). Our goal is to create a safe and focused learning environment for all students by minimizing distractions and promoting their mental well-being.

Key Points:

• Cell Phone Usage: Students must turn off (ringer/tone/sounds off) and store their phones in their backpacks upon entering campus. Phones should stay off until they leave.

• Communication: Classrooms have landlines for students to contact parents when necessary. Phones will be accessible in emergencies.

• Academic Benefits: Reducing phone usage helps students stay focused and engaged in class.

• Safety and Security: This policy helps prevent cyberbullying, ensures students focus during emergencies, and reduces the risk of theft or loss.

Support and disciplinary measures are in place for policy violations to help students adjust.

Thank you for your support as we work together to enhance our students' learning experience and well-being.

Join us for a spooky science lesson at pick-up in celebration of Anatomy Month! 🧬

Thursday, October 22
4:30-5:30 PM

Lights On Afterschool is the nation’s annual rally celebrating afterschool programs and the vital role they play in supporting students, families, and communities. Come explore, ask questions, and have some spooky fun with us!

Please make sure your contact information remains up to date in your Aeries Parent Portal, so you receive newsletters, reminders, and important school communications throughout the year.