Los Pen NEUs

Dear Los Pen Families,

Our teachers and students did a wonderful job this week of adapting to an "indoor recess" schedule. We understand how important - and fun! - getting outside for playtime is, and we are hoping that next week will bring cooler temperatures that will allow for us to be outdoors safely.

Thank you to all the families that made it to our Back-to-School Night on Thursday! This is an important annual event where you can receive vital communication about the structure, daily routines, and curriculum of your children's classrooms. If you were unable to attend Back-to-School Night, you may find some helpful, general school information in our Parent Handbook linked HERE.

Classroom teachers utilized our new Social-Emotional Learning curriculum, CharacterStrong, to begin teaching about the trait of Respect in all classrooms. Staff members also reminded students that Respect helps us to be kind, and discussed what this might look like in a classroom. The photo you see here is from Mrs. Chung's 4th Grade Classroom, where students discussed the different ways they should be a kind classroom. See the flyer attached below for ideas on how you can review the important trait of Respect as a family. We will continue discussing Respect as a school next week.

Very Respectfully,

Mrs. Weekes

Would you be interested in serving on the LPES School Site Council (SSC)? The SSC is a governing body that is responsible for providing input on how categorical monies as spent to improve the overall instructional program at Los Pen. SSC members work together to set and monitor goals for improving student outcomes at Los Pen, and we meet approximately 5 times throughout the school year.

We are looking for four parent/community representatives to join SSC this school year. The SSC is composed of equal numbers of school staff and parent/student/community representatives who serve a two-year term. If you are interested in being a part of the Los Pen SSC as a parent/community member representative, or nominating another parent/community member, please contact Mrs. Weekes at sweekes@powayusd.com or Ginette Granados Jenkins at ggrandados@powayusd.com by Friday, September 4th. Once nominations are received, we will be sending a ballot so that you may cast your vote.

Please use the drive-through lane along the red curb to drop off or pick up students. Please do not park and/or exit your vehicle along the red curb, as this prevents traffic from flowing and our buses from safely pulling up and unloading students.

Our parking lot is reserved for PUSD staff members and vehicles marked with handicap placards.

Here is a short video that explains our parking lot procedures (both links are the same video):

LPES Parking Lot

LPES Parking Lot v.2

We started Safety Patrol last week, and the students are excited to help you cross the street safely and ensure traffic flows smoothly. As our safety patrol students get started and are learning their duties, thank you for your patience and cooperation. Safety Patrol uses whistles to communicate; please see the graphic below to learn more about what they mean.

It Takes a Village

I want to remind our families that you don’t have to navigate things alone.

As a school counselor, one of the things I love most about my role is being able to connect families with resources and support. We know that life can be challenging, and sometimes families need a little extra support. Our district has a wide range of resources available to help.

Support may include:

• Mental and physical health care resources
• Food and basic needs assistance
• Housing resources
• Childcare and daycare support
• Parenting classes and family support
• Help with transitions and changes
• Military family resources

And many other community and district supports. Support isn’t just about academics, sometimes a family needs help during transitions or simply figuring out where to start. If you or your family could use some support, please reach out. I’m happy to listen, help connect you with resources, and help guide along the way. It truly takes a village to support our children and families, and it is an honor to be part of the Los Pen village.

-Ms. Bohn

Let’s Make a Collage of Kindness!

A gentle reminder that kindness is who we are at Los Pen! When you’re on campus, have your child take a picture at our “I Am Kind” sign and email it to Ms. Bohn at ebohn@powayusd.com. Let’s see if we can create a beautiful collage celebrating all the kind kids in our school! Every smile, helping hand, and kind word makes a difference.

We would like to provide some clarification regarding excused and unexcused absences, including how absences are classified, how they may impact make-up work, and how all absences contribute to chronic absenteeism.

One important distinction to remember is that a parent or guardian reporting an absence does not automatically make the absence excused. California law identifies the reasons that schools may classify as excused.

What is an Excused Absence?
Common examples of excused absences include:

• Student illness, including an absence for the benefit of the student's mental or behavioral health

• Medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic appointments

• Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer

• Funeral services or bereavement for an immediate family member

• Court appearances or jury duty, as permitted by law

• Religious holidays, ceremonies, or retreats

• Certain circumstances involving an immediate family member who is an active-duty member of the uniformed services

• The student's U.S. naturalization ceremony

• Qualifying cultural ceremonies or events

• Certain civic or political events for students in grades 6–12, with advance notice

Some excused absences have specific requirements regarding documentation, advance notice, or the number of days that may be excused. Your school's attendance office can assist you if you have questions about whether a particular absence qualifies.

What is an Unexcused Absence?
When the reason for an absence does not meet California's criteria for an excused absence, the absence is considered unexcused, even when the parent or guardian has notified the school.

Common examples include:

• Family vacations or trips

• Oversleeping

• Transportation issues

• Missing school for a non-school activity

• Staying home for convenience

• "Personal reasons" that do not otherwise qualify as an excused absence

We understand that families may occasionally encounter circumstances that make school attendance difficult. An absence being classified as "unexcused" does not mean that the school is questioning a parent's decision or that the reason is not important to the family. It simply means that the reason does not fall within the categories California law allows schools to record as excused.

Make-Up Work and Grading
For an excused absence, students must be given the opportunity to make up missed schoolwork. When assignments and tests are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable make-up period, students must be provided the opportunity to receive full credit.

PUSD Board Policy 6154 also addresses work missed because of an unexcused absence and states:

"Students who miss schoolwork because of unexcused absences may be given the opportunity to make up missed work."

This means that, unlike an excused absence, the same make-up privileges are not automatically guaranteed for an unexcused absence. Because student circumstances vary, opportunities to make up work following an unexcused absence should be considered based on the individual circumstances and in accordance with District, school, and classroom practices.

All Absences Count Toward Chronic Absenteeism
It is also important to understand that both excused and unexcused absences count toward chronic absenteeism.

A student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school days in which they are enrolled, regardless of whether those absences are excused or unexcused.

Chronic Absenteeism = ALL absences (excused + unexcused)

The distinction between excused and unexcused absences is required for accurate attendance reporting and compliance with California law. However, from an instructional standpoint, every absence represents time away from classroom learning.

Regular attendance is one of the most important factors in a student's academic success and connection to school. We recognize that illness and other unavoidable circumstances occur, and we appreciate your partnership in helping students attend school consistently whenever they are able.

If you have questions about your child's attendance or whether a particular absence qualifies as excused, please contact your school's attendance office.

At Los Pen, if you are picking up your child early for an appointment or personal reason, we encourage you to do so before 2:45 pm on a regular school day, or 1:00 pm on an early dimissal day. Arriving after 2:45 pm (or 1:00 pm on a Thursday) may cause a delay in your pickup, as there are already cars in our parking lot and nearby streets for our 3:05 pm dismissal.

You can also find this information on our PUSD website: https://www.powayusd.com/apps/pages/excused-vs-unexcused-absences

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

• Early Dismissal - Dismissal for ALL grades at 1:25 PM

Friday, September 4, 2026

• Friday Flag - 8:45 AM on the blacktop

Thursday, September 10, 2026

• Picture Day!
• Early Dismissal - Dismissal for ALL grades at 1:25 PM