Lion Times Special - August 12, 2026 |
Welcome to a new school year at La Cañada Elementary! As we prepare for the first day of school, you'll find everything your family needs to get started in this Back-to-School Special. From important dates and school information to LCE traditions, PTA programs, and volunteer opportunities, we hope this guide makes the start of the school year a little easier. I also encourage you to take a few minutes to complete your PTA Account and the Back-to-School Order Form—your one-stop shop for PTA Membership, our Annual Donation Drive, Lionwear, Yearbook pre-orders, Birthday Marquee, Dodgers Family Night, and Back-to-School Picnic meals. One event I especially look forward to each year is our Back-to-School Picnic on Friday, August 21. It's one of LCE's favorite traditions and a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends, welcome new families, and celebrate the beginning of another school year. If you plan to join us, please place your meal order by Friday, August 14, at noon. Pre-ordering allows us to accurately reserve food with our vendors, reduce food waste, responsibly manage PTA funds, and make sure everyone who orders a meal is served. Thank you for being an important part of our LCE community. Whether you volunteer, join the PTA, participate in our Annual Donation Drive, attend an event, or simply cheer on our students, there are so many ways to be part of LCE—and every family can participate in the way that works best for them. Tonight, many of us will be packing lunches, laying out first-day outfits, charging devices, snapping those "last night of summer" photos, and perhaps sprinkling a little back-to-school fairy dust before tucking our children into bed. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a brand-new chapter filled with opportunities to learn, grow, build friendships, and make lasting memories. Please drop your kids off at the blacktop unless otherwise noted in the ParentSquare email from your teacher. Snap some pictures and head over to the 1st PTA meeting of the year! I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow morning at our First PTA Association Meeting at 8:15 a.m. in the cafeteria. Whether you're a returning family or new to LCE, we'd love to welcome you. Here's to a wonderful first day of school and an incredible year ahead.
Warmly, Seun Han
LCE PTA President |
📘 Your Go-To Guide for Everything LCE |
The first few weeks of school are exciting—but they can also come with lots of questions! Whether you're a new or returning family, the LCE Family Guide is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about life at LCE. Looking for answers about… ...and much more—we've put it all in one place! 📖 The guide is comprehensive, but don't let its length intimidate you! Simply use the interactive Table of Contents to click directly to the topic you're looking for. 👉 Explore the LCE Family Guide |
Before the First Bell Rings |
Long before the first day of school, dozens of volunteers have been hard at work preparing for another incredible year at LCE. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has generously shared their time and talents to welcome our students, teachers, and families back to campus. 🍎 Welcome Back Teachers Luncheon- Kelly Morris • Colleen Pih • Jennifer Lehoang 🚪 New Teacher Door Tags- Colleen Pih • Gelesia Edwards 🦁 PTA Planning- LCE PTA Executive Board 🌐 Website & Back-to-School Order Form- Stephanie Sim • Eddie Stecker 👕 Lionwear- Skye Petschauer ✏️ Edukit- Jody Menerey, Anne Marie Milano, Mike Barsom, Rolando Calip, Ben Bishop, Patricia Bishop, Laura Jalaie 📰 Lion Time Editors- Kam Flower • Christy Suh 📁 Thursday Folders- Caroline Miller 📔 Summer Reading- Kam Flower 🤝 New Family Social- Vivi Brunning, Ellice Lacerda, Jessica Mayer, Michelle Gierach, Claire Vandenberg, Stacy Craig, Tara Hopeck, Girl and Boy Scout Reps-Melissa Paulding, Todd Brunning, LCE Dad’s Club, and PTA Executive Board 🧺 Back to School Picnic- Dayle Lyng 🥐 PTA Hospitality- Annie Lee Chew, Juliana Kim Park ⚾️ Dodgers Family Night- Lisa Marie Scott 🤘🏽 LCE Dad’s Club- Rolando Calip, Rohan Gupta |
First-Day Tip: Arrive a few minutes early, bring a labeled water bottle, and don't forget to snap a first-day photo! Before you know it, you'll be comparing it to the last day of school. Water, Lunch/snack, Sunscreen Know your teacher. All students will line up on the black top. Review LCE Carline and Traffic & Safety Camera ready for photos!
Bell Schedule: New this year: there are 3 lunch schedules |
| Arrival, Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures The safety of our students is our highest priority. Thank you for helping us create a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal for everyone. Working together allows our carline to move smoothly and keeps our students safe.
Supervision Hours Students may arrive beginning at 7:50am. If your child arrives before 7:50 a.m. or needs supervision after dismissal, please arrange for childcare.
Carline Locations LCE has two designated carlines: 📍Encinas Drive Available for all drop-offs and pick-ups. 📍La Canada Boulevard 🚗 Carline Tips Help us keep carline safe and moving smoothly: Have your child ready with their backpack in hand before reaching the drop-off zone. Keep good-byes quick and remain in your vehicle. Pull completely forward before stopping. - If your child needs extra assistance, please park beyond the drop-off zone.
If your child needs assistance, please park beyond the drop-off zone. Driving slowly -- 5 mph. Always use marked crosswalks.
⚠️ For Everyone's Safety Please remember: - No U-turns or double parking.
Do not stop in crosswalks or block neighbors' driveways. No student drop-off or pick-up in the staff parking lot. Children should only enter or exit vehicles in designated loading zones. Please keep your trunk closed while in the drop-off line. Opening trunks slows the carline and may require students to step into active traffic lanes to retrieve belongings. - Thank you for your patience and cooperation as everyone gets back into the school-year routine. A few extra minutes and a little courtesy go a long way toward keeping all of our Lions safe! 🦁
|
|
|
|
Join us for the First PTA Meeting tomorrow |
The first PTA Meeting is scheduled for 8:15 am in the cafeteria. Please drop your students off at the black top, where students line up daily to head to class. The PTA meeting is a great opportunity to hear updates from school leaders, meet new and old friends, and be informed on how you can get involved. |
Back to School Picnic Meal pre-orders close Friday, August 14 at 12:00 p.m. |
Friday, August 21 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. 🦁 Don't Miss One of LCE's Favorite Traditions! Our Back-to-School Picnic is just around the corner, and we'd love to see your family there! 🍔 Meal pre-orders close Friday, August 14, at 12:00 p.m. Ordering in advance helps us accurately plan with our vendors, minimize food waste, and be good stewards of PTA funds. Thank you for helping us create a wonderful event for our entire LCE community.
Visit the Back-to-School Order Form to reserve your meals today! |
Create or Update Your PTA Website Account |
Before placing your Back-to-School Order, please register your family or log in to update your account. Keeping your family information current ensures we can accurately deliver your PTA purchases and communicate with you throughout the school year. Already have an account?
Please log in and update your family information, your student's grade and teacher, and your directory preferences to ensure you continue receiving communications and have access to all PTA resources throughout the school year. Thank you for helping us keep our school directory and family information up to date! |
Back-to-School Order Form is NOW OPEN! |
Kick off the school year with one convenient order! From PTA Membership and Lionwear to Yearbook pre-orders, our Annual Donation Drive, Birthday Marquee, Back-to-School Picnic meals, Dodgers Family Night tickets, and classroom Emergency Kits, everything you need is in one place. |
Easy as 1-2-3 to Support LCE |
There are many meaningful ways to make a difference at La Cañada Elementary, and every family can participate in a way that's right for them. It's as easy as 1-2-3! 1️⃣ Join – Become a PTA member and strengthen the voice of our school community. 2️⃣ Give – Support the Annual Donation Drive to help fund the programs, events, and experiences that enrich every LCE student's educational journey. 3️⃣ Partner – Sponsor an event or encourage your business to support LCE through sponsorships or corporate matching. Whether you choose to join, give, partner, volunteer, or all of the above, your support helps create an extraordinary school experience for every Lion. Thank you for investing in our students, our teachers, and our community. |
🦁 Join the LCE PTA — $11/YearParents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, staff, alumni, and community supporters can all become LCE PTA members. Membership is just $11 per person, per year, takes less than five minutes, and there is no volunteer requirement or time commitment. Your membership gives you a voice in our PTA and supports the work of the local, district, state, and national PTA organizations through advocacy, leadership training, insurance, and resources. Please note: PTA Membership dues are separate from our Annual Donation Drive and are not a charitable donation directly to LCE PTA. 🍨 Plus, a little friendly competition! The class with the highest PTA membership participation will win an ice cream sundae pizza party! |
If you'd like to make a direct impact on every LCE student, we invite you to support our Annual Donation Drive. Your tax-deductible gift helps fund the programs, enrichment, school traditions, campus improvements, family events, and classroom support that enhance the LCE experience for every student. Every contribution—at any level—makes a difference. Together, the generosity of our LCE families allows the PTA to invest directly in our students, teachers, and school. Thank you for helping us create another extraordinary year for our Lions. 🦁 |
Last year, thanks to the generosity of our families, the LCE PTA invested over $209,000 in programs, events, classroom support, and experiences that benefited every student. |
Become an Event SponsorLooking for a meaningful way to support LCE while promoting your business? Event Sponsors and Underwriters help offset the costs of our programs and events, allowing more PTA funds to directly support students and classrooms Together, we can create memorable experiences for every Lion. Please contact Sponsorship Chair, Catherine Gao at sponsorship@lcepta.org for more information. |
Dodgers Family Night is Back! |
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 19 and join the LCE community for a fun-filled evening cheering on the Dodgers vs. Giants! 🎟️ Tickets are on sale now! Reserve your seats today through the Back-to-School Order Form before sales close on September 6th. |
LCE PTA partners with outstanding community organizations to offer a wide variety of enrichment opportunities throughout the school year. Whether your child enjoys sports, science, chess, theater, art, golf, role-playing games, or STEM, there's something for everyone! 📌 Registration opens throughout the year. Watch Lion Times for the latest offerings and enrollment information. You can read more about each program HERE. Current offerings include: ♟️ Chess Nuts 🎭 Drama Maniacs 🧙 Hero's Quest | Dungeons & Dragons ⛳ Ximu Golf ⚾ Coach Larry Brown Sports 💃 Gollatz Cotillion 🧩 Parker-Anderson Enrichment
|
Life gets busy, and we want to make it easier to stay connected! Our Family-Friendly Calendar includes the most important school, PTA, and community events all in one place, helping you plan ahead and make the most of your LCE experience. You can also find a copy in your student’s Thursday Folder, brought to you by the LCE PTA. |
🦁 Help Us Keep Every LCE Family Connected! |
Know an LCE family who might not be receiving Lion Times yet? Help us spread the word! We’re asking every LCE family to tell 3 friends to sign up for the PTA newsletter. Lion Times is the best way to stay up to date on PTA events, important dates, volunteer opportunities, programs, fundraisers, and everything happening in our LCE community. Tell 3 friends. Help us reach every family. Stay connected. 🦁 |
Lion Times Submissions Interested in submitting an announcement to Lion Times? Instructions, parameters, deadlines, and the submission form may be located here. All flyers or images must be in jpg, gif, or png format. |
|
|