HOME AND SCHOOL CLUB
Who we are & what we do: Las Animas Home and School Club is a 100% volunteer-based group of parents from Las Animas Elementary School. We are dedicated to providing an exceptional academic and creative enrichment experience for all children of this school, in partnership with our teachers and staff. The Club provides a multitude of enrichment opportunities and our team relies heavily on fundraising and parent participation to support the many programs. Please see below for a full list of descriptions that may interest you, and to see how you can get involved. Without parent support, these programs are not possible.
Staying Informed on HSC News & Events; be sure to use our communication tools:
- Find us on Facebook “Las Animas Home and School Club”
- For general questions, email the HSC: hsclasanimas@gmail.com
- Look for announcements via Parent Square
Home and School Club Meetings
Meetings are held monthly and are open to all parents at Las Animas. These meetings are a great way to stay current on important events and upcoming activities. Meetings are usually held the 1st Tuesday of the month at a Cydnee Casper Park, Weather Permitting and subject to change. Interpreters will be on hand for those needing translation. Join us and see how you can get involved!
HSC Board of Directors
| Board Member | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Co-President | Grace Hernandez | Grace.hsc@gmail.com |
| Co-President | Jen Waltrip | Jens.hsc@gmail.com |
| Co-Vice President | Ashley Dunn | ashleydunn25@yahoo.com |
| Co-Vice President | Carrie Kuen | carrie.hsc@gmail.com |
| Secretary | Claudia Bado | claudia.bado@gmail.com |
| Treasurer | Manuel Zuniga | Manuel_Zuniga79@msn.com |
What We Do
What We Do (Volunteer Programs Offered)
Las Animas Home and School Club provides a multitude of enrichment opportunities, through volunteer-based work. Our team relies heavily on fundraising and parent participation to support the many programs for all the children of this school. Please see below for a full list of descriptions that may interest you, and to see how you can get involved. Without parent support, these programs are not possible.
Arts (Wendy’s heART)
Program Description: A school wide art program, utilizing hands-on application in the classrooms, implemented and taught by parent volunteers.
Program Lead & Contact: Volunteer needed
Birthday Marquee
Program Description: Want to have your child’s name up in front of the school to recognize their birthday? Stop by the office and get the order form. Place the form along with payment ($20) in the birthday marquee slot in the HSC box in the office. Requests should be made at least two weeks before your child's birthday.
Program Lead & Contact: Volunteer needed
Book Fair (Scholastic)
Program Description: Promote reading and raise funds for classroom libraries! We have two fairs scheduled per year, on average. We are always in need of volunteers to help us set-up, staff and break-down the fair in our school library. Find out how you can help by contacting the program lead.
Program Lead & Contact: Alisha Lopez hsclasanimas@gmail.com
Box Tops
Program Description: Box Tops is an easy way to help earn cash for our school. Each one is worth 10¢ for our school! Look for the pink Box Tops on hundreds of products. It’s as simple as downloading the app and scanning your receipt. For more information, including a list of participating products, please contact program lead.
Program Lead & Contact: Sarah Sathianathan, sarah.sathianathan@gilroy.unified.org
ELAC
Program Description: This is a group for Spanish speaking only parents, and partners directly with the HSC to ensure we are inclusive and support the dual immersion foundation of our school community.
Program Lead & Contact: Hortencia Martinez 408-413-9083
Fundraising (General Questions/New Ideas)
Program Description: Fundraising is a critical part of HSC, and is fundamental to how we operate. There are many fundraisers offered throughout the year that will be communicated each month as they are upcoming. If you would like to help with fundraising, or have an idea please contact the lead.
Program Lead & Contact: Ellie Rose, le.f.rose4@gmail.com and Stanford Florence, sflo74@icloud.com
Grant Writer
Program Description: Do you like to write? Looking for a way to contribute to our school, but can only do so in your “off-hours” at home? We are always looking for help with writing grants to take advantage of the many financial opportunities available to fund the fun and exciting programs we strive to continue to offer our students.
Program Lead & Contact: Volunteer needed
Library
Program Description: It's a wonderful opportunity for us, as parents, to promote the love of reading and books to your children with weekly class visits. The students love coming in and choosing their own book with the assistance of the parent volunteers. This also aids in your child's AR (Accelerated Reading) quizzes and points that are a part of their classroom curriculum. Please consider donating time (no amount is too little!) to help us make this program possible.
Program Lead & Contact: Melysha Negron melysha.negron@gilroyunified.org
Project Cornerstone
Program Description: Promote good feelings, student-to-student respect, and help make our school a place ALL students feel safe. This YMCA-sponsored program involves parent volunteers reading in an assigned classroom once a month (Sept - May) and leading a discussion/activity to reinforce the strategy/lesson highlighted in the book. Spanish readers very much appreciated! New readers are required to take a 90-minute training session. Regular trainings are given monthly for each month’s lesson.
Program Lead & Contacts: Sarah Tait, SarahrTait@gmail.com
Los Dichos
Program Description: Los Dichos helps Spanish-speaking parents become involved in their children’s education and instill a positive cultural identity in their children. Los Dichos volunteers are trained in Spanish in the principles of positive youth development, including the importance of parent involvement in education. Each month, Los Dichos volunteers read specially selected bilingual books in the classroom and lead activities and discussions about topics including tolerance, family pride, peaceful conflict resolution and other important values.
Program Lead and Contact: Alma Aparicio 408.603.9354
Restaurant Nights
Program Description: Want to help support our school and get a night off from cooking dinner? Join us at our monthly restaurant night fundraiser! Each month, a different local restaurant donates a percentage of their profits back to our school when you dine on the designated night and show them the flyer from our school. It's a win for everyone and makes dinner easy! Watch for details to be sent home with your child, through the HSC Facebook page and the all call messages.
Program Lead & Contact: Ellie Rose, le.f.rose4@gmail.com
Safe Routes to School
Program Description: Las Animas Safe Routes to School Taskforce promotes safely walking, biking or rolling to school. We partner with County Public Health, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Gilroy Police Officers, and Gilroy Traffic Engineers to provide support and services.
Program Lead & Contact: Jeanna Licata
Jeannamarie1010@gmail.com
Science Alive
Program Description: Science Alive is run solely by parent volunteers. The purpose of Science Alive is to introduce science to our students as early as possible to prevent them from getting intimidated. Through the step by step FOSS study guides, parent volunteers lead lessons that allow students to handle and study objects that exist all around us, understand basic theories of cause and effect and the “how” and “why”. Students have a great time, while learning at each Science Alive session!
Program Lead & Contact: Volunteer needed
Auction
Program Description: Las Animas Annual Auction is an annual event where families come together for a wonderful cause (our children's education) and bid on amazing silent and live auction items. It will be a fun event for all, and more importantly, is responsible for bringing in over $25,000 each year towards our enrichment programs and technology.
Program Lead & Contacts: Ellie Rose, le.f.rose4@gmail.com and Stanford Florence, sflo74@icloud.com
Teacher Appreciation
Program Description: Acknowledges teacher and staff birthdays throughout the year, plans teacher’s luncheons. There is also an annual Teacher/Staff Appreciation event in May. Help is always needed – especially food donations. If you’re interested, please contact the program lead.
Program Lead & Contact: Jeanna Licata Jeannamarie1010@gmail.com
Theater Arts
Program Description: Our Theater Arts program is an after-school program for Third, Fourth and Fifth graders. The goal of the program is to provide a learning environment in which students will feel safe, creative, supported and part of a team. By combining our talents and energy, we will produce two plays each year that will allow everyone to develop, have fun and do our personal best. It is an opportunity to bring a theatrical experience to life for our performers, our schoolmates and our community.
Program Lead & Contact: Mrs. Campbell rachelle.bursheimcampbell@gilroyunified.org