8/14/26 Bear Tracks

What a wonderful first week at Gardner Bullis! It is such a joy getting to know our students, staff, and families. Thank you for the incredibly warm welcome as we kicked off the new school year together.

This week our focus was on The Grizzly Way and our community agreements at Gardner Bullis. The teachers and I are teaching, modeling and talking about how grizzlies are kind, safe, respectful and do our best each day. It is wonderful to see students building friendships, strengthening classroom communities, and starting the year so positively.

I’ve also been busy listening and learning! From arrival and dismissal routines to assembly traditions and listening tours with parents, teachers, and students, I’m learning more each day about Gardner Bullis! A highlight is having students give me campus tours and share Gardner through their eyes. Today, I learned about our gardens - who knew we have apple trees and grew strawberries and raspberries here!? How cool!

Thank you for making my first week as your Principal such a memorable one. I look forward to seeing parents at Back-to-School Night this Thursday and perhaps at tomorrow’s Welcome Back LASD Social at Almond.

You’re invited to join families from schools across the district to celebrate the kick-off of a new school year tomorrow - Saturday, August 15th, 5:30-7:00 pm at Almond Elementary. Reunite with friends from Gardner Bullis and connect with families from all LASD schools. Purchase food from food trucks and Kona Ice or bring a picnic dinner. Kids can enjoy the playground and join field games. 

Let’s bring some Gardner Bullis spirit! Stop by the Gardner Bullis Branded tent and say "hi!" We hope to see you there!

Beginning this school year, LASD is introducing a new Volunteer Authorization Process that provides one consistent system for all school volunteers. The new process builds on procedures already in place for certain volunteer roles and aligns with updated California law and district policy.

To make the process as simple as possible, volunteers are grouped into three levels based on the type of volunteer work they perform. Most classroom volunteers who are always under the supervision of an LASD staff member will complete a straightforward application and tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment or testing.

Volunteers who may work independently with students or transport students (including after school sports) will complete additional requirements appropriate to those roles.

A new Volunteer webpage is now available and includes:

To provide families with plenty of time to complete the new requirements, volunteers will have until December 30, 2026, to complete the authorization process.

Let’s get our students off to a strong start and set them up for success this school year. Your financial support is key!  

Providing an exceptional educational experience for our students requires support beyond public funding. LAEF has been helping close this gap for over 44 years by funding teachers, staff, and essential programs across the district. 

Starting this year, LAEF is taking on additional responsibility by fundraising for instructional programs and materials previously supported by PTAs. As a result, LAEF’s fundraising goal and per-student ask are increasing to help ensure consistent, reliable support for these programs at every school. We are grateful for your contributions in helping us meet this increased goal.

YOU are a vital part of this partnership. Your donations to LAEF help every LASD student receive an excellent, well-rounded education by funding specialized teachers and staff as well as instructional materials and programs across all nine schools. Learn more about the funded programs here.

Here’s how to partner with us: Complete the LASD Back to School process at LASDEducationPartners.org

Step 1: Donate to LAEF.

Step 2: Join and donate to the PTA for each school your children attend. Let’s get started. Your generosity can make a difference! Find out all the ways you can Donate or Pledge to LAEF today. Parents are encouraged to give $1,800 or $180/month per student this school year. Gifts of any amount are appreciated. If you can submit for a corporate match, we would be grateful.

Have you ever wanted to inspire the next generation of creators? You don't need to be an artist to be an amazing art docent for our district's elementary students—just bring your enthusiasm and a passion for working with kids!

Join us for our upcoming Info Coffee to learn more on Thursday, August 20th from 10:00-11:30am in the iLearn Studio at the Los Altos School District. Come grab a cup of coffee, chat with current volunteers, and hear more about our workshops, field trips, and incredible community.