Welcome to all Latimer Lions and families!
We are thrilled to kick off the 2024-25 school year with you. Joining me in the office are Assistant Principal Larry Lopez, Administrative Assistant Erin Hammer, Office Assistant Stacie Smith, and Community Liaison Maria Garcia-Jimenez. Our entire team is excited about the upcoming year and eager to work together to continue building our amazing school community.
With the first day of school just around the corner on Wednesday, August 14, we can’t wait to see you and your children! Please take a few minutes to read this letter carefully, as it contains important information to ensure a smooth start to the school year.
In the 2024-25 school year, our middle school will be implementing AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategies school-wide! AVID focuses on fostering academic success for all students by promoting critical thinking, organization, and collaboration skills. We look forward to enhancing our students' learning experiences and preparing them for future achievements.
One focus this year will be organization. As students move from elementary to middle school it is important that they learn how to organize their materials and time as we help them develop independence. In order to support this critical skill, all Latimer Middle School students will be using a 2 inch binder that will be provided to them the first week of school. The set up and organization of this binder will be explained the first week of school as well.
The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Please note that this is a Wednesday early release day and school will be dismissed at 12:50 p.m. It is extremely important that your child be here on the first day of school. If your child will be absent for any reason, call our Absence Line at 408-874-3610. If your child has not attended by the third day of school, Friday, August 16, they will be dropped from enrollment and you will need to re-register at the Enrollment Center for a class placement in the district. This placement may or may not be at Latimer School.
Grades 6 – 8:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Wednesdays all year: 8:15 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.
You can always find the bell schedule on the Latimer website for easy reference.
CLASS SCHEDULES: I know each student is looking forward to meeting new teachers and classmates. Middle School students will see their schedule in the Aeries parent portal and first period classes will be posted in the office windows on the first day of school. I want to take this opportunity to remind you that ALL class assignments are tentative. Due to changes in enrollment, we may need to make adjustments to the classes. If changes become necessary, they will usually occur by the second or third week of school. We will do everything possible to avoid disrupting students' classroom placements, but if it is necessary and it impacts your child, we will notify you. Thank you for your understanding.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP: The driveway at the front of the school and the back parking lot may be used for student drop-off and pick-up. We suggest that TK-3 students are dropped off in the front of the school and 4-8 students in the back. Drivers must remain in their vehicles at all times. When dropping students off, cars are to line up in single file next to the curb. Students should exit the car on the passenger side only. Parking spaces in the school parking lots are limited. Please do not park in spots designated for staff. If you need to park, please allow yourself plenty of time to find a safe place to do so. We suggest you walk to school if possible or park on one of the side streets. Our number one priority is student safety and the guidelines above are designed with that in mind. Thank you in advance for your help in keeping our Latimer students safe.
Construction
As you may have noticed, Latimer still has construction going on and the new fencing project is getting closer to completion. I would like to thank all families in advance for their patience and flexibility regarding this project. We are excited to be able to move forward with our Measure M bond and know the safety of our Lions is a top priority. I will continue to give you updates throughout the school year on the progress of this project.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL-NIGHT: Thursday, September 12th 5:30-6:45
Please plan to attend this important evening meeting to receive information regarding the programs the teachers have planned for your children this school year. More details about this meeting will be sent home prior to each meeting. It is important to note that students do not attend BTSN.
EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM: After school care will be provided on our site by the Moreland Extended Day Program after school until 6:00 p.m. For more information please contact Rod Martinez, our Site Director, at [email protected].
FOOD SERVICES: Our cafeteria will serve morning snack (at recess) and lunch beginning the first day of school. Morning snack and lunch are free for all students. I invite you to review our on-line menu and nutrition information.
TRANSPORTATION: Bus transportation is provided through the Moreland School District on a fee basis to students residing in selected portions of our attendance area. Specific information regarding fees, routes, etc., is available at www.moreland.org. Once on the website, click on Departments » Business & Support Services » Transportation. The Transportation Department is located at 4711 Campbell Avenue and can be reached at 408-874-2973.
Start your First Day of School Packet Early
Our Moreland Parent Portal is open and you can get a jump start on completing your required first day packet. The annual First Day Packet will only be available online through the Aeries Parent Portal until Friday, August 16th at 4:00 pm. This online portal asks you to review emergency contact information, review required annual notifications, and check permissions for your student including Technology Agreement. After the Parent Portal closes on August 16th, parents can go into the MMS office to update contact information.
If you have a returning student:
Your Aeries Portal log-in is the same as last year (parent email on file with the District). Simply click here to log-in: https://morelandsd.asp.aeries.net/student/LoginParent.aspx. If you don’t remember your password, click the “Forgot password” link to have a temporary one sent to your email.
If you have a new student:
You were automatically sent an email from Aeries Parent Portal from “[email protected]” when you enrolled your student(s) in the online enrollment system. Open that email and follow the instructions to log in to your Aeries Parent Portal account. If you cannot find this email in your Inbox, be sure to check your Spam/Junk folder as well. If you still don’t find it, please check with your child’s school site to confirm the email that is on file with the District.
All District & School Communications Through Parent Square
Moreland uses a school-to-home communication system called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
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Send and receive school and class information
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Share pictures and files
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See calendar items
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Sign up to volunteer
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Schedule parent-teacher conferences
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and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
Thank you for your support!
We are excited to begin our year together and we’ll see you soon!