Dear Encino Charter Families,
This is Principal Besser with your Sunday Message. We have another exciting week of learning, growing, and building community ahead at Encino Charter!
🚗 Arrival, Dismissal & Traffic Safety
Arrival and dismissal are busy times around campus, and student safety is always our highest priority. Please help us keep everyone safe by:
- Following all driving, parking, and traffic laws.
- Never double parking or calling your child into the street.
- Keeping crosswalks clear at all times.
- Having children enter and exit vehicles from the right side, directly onto the sidewalk.
- Reminding children never to enter the street from between parked cars.
- Using extra caution and patience when driving, crossing, or entering the roadway around our school.
Thank you for slowing down, staying attentive, and looking out for one another. Together, we can keep arrival and dismissal safe and orderly for all of our Encino Explorers.
⏰ Early Pick-Up & Student Release
We understand that there are times when families need to pick up a student before the end of the school day. Please plan ahead and allow enough time for the early-release process.
Please do not call the office in advance to request that your child be brought down to wait for you. For student safety, students will be called from class after the authorized adult has arrived at the office and completed the check-out process.
When picking up a student early:
- The adult must be listed on the Student Emergency Information Form or have written authorization from the parent/guardian.
- A valid government-issued photo ID is required.
- Appropriate absence verification should be provided when applicable.
Whenever possible, please schedule appointments outside of instructional hours. Even leaving a little early means missing valuable learning time. We want our Explorers in their classrooms and learning for the entire school day!
🏆 Attendance Matters — Every Day Counts!
Regular, on-time attendance makes a difference! Every absence, late arrival, and early pick-up means missed instructional time and opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.
To celebrate strong attendance, we will recognize students and classrooms during our Monday Morning Spirit Assemblies!
🏆 Golden Attendance Trophy: The classroom in each grade level with the highest attendance will earn the Golden Attendance Trophy.
🎉 Extra Recess: The classroom with the highest overall attendance in the school will earn an additional recess!
🎒 September Attendance Backpack Tag: Students who achieve near-perfect attendance during September will earn a special Attendance Backpack Tag that they can proudly collect and display on their backpack.
We look forward to celebrating our Explorers for showing up, being on time, and making every school day count!
💙 Monday Morning Spirit Assembly
We’re excited to kick off the week with our Monday Morning Spirit Assembly at 8:03 a.m.!
This week, our TK students will help lead us in a special celebration of Latino Heritage Month!
Students and families are encouraged to wear Encino Spirit Wear and show their Explorer pride. 💙🚀
Families attending the assembly should enter through the Addison Gate and proceed directly to the Assembly Area. Students should line up behind their classroom number, and parents and caregivers are kindly asked to stand behind the student lines so all students can see and hear.
Please remember that gates close promptly at 8:08 a.m. Students arriving after the gates close must enter through the Front Office and check in before going to class.
🎓 Middle School & CHOICES Information Session
Thinking ahead to middle school?
Please join Principal Besser and Region North Strategic Enrollment and PSA Counselor Shira Scherb on Monday, September 28, at 8:30 a.m. in the ECES Auditorium.
Ms. Scherb will share information about LAUSD CHOICES programs, middle school options, and the application process. All interested families are welcome!
🛡️ Lockdown Safety Drill
At Encino Charter, student safety is always our top priority. We regularly practice emergency procedures so students and staff know what to do and can respond calmly and safely.
Our Lockdown Drill originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 23 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 30.
During the drill, students will practice how to remain safe and secure inside their classrooms. These drills help prepare our school community for situations when it is safest for students and staff to remain indoors and secured in place.
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our Encino Explorers safe. 💙
🐄 Dairy Council Student Assembly
The Dairy Council of California will visit Encino Charter on Tuesday, September 29, with its Mobile Dairy Classroom. Students will have an opportunity to participate in a fun and engaging educational assembly during the school day.
📅 This Week at Encino
Monday, September 28
- 8:03 a.m. — Monday Morning Spirit Assembly: TK Leads our Latino Heritage Month Celebration
- 8:30 a.m. — CHOICES Parent Workshop, ECES Auditorium
Tuesday, September 29
- 8:03 a.m. — Line-Up Bell
- Dairy Council Mobile Dairy Classroom Student Assemblies
- 1:31 p.m. — Banked-Time Tuesday Early Dismissal
Wednesday, September 30
- Lockdown Safety Drill
Please stay up to date on school news, announcements, and upcoming events by visiting the Encino Charter website.
That’s all for now! Wishing all of our Encino Charter families an enjoyable and relaxing Sunday evening. We look forward to another wonderful week of learning, growing, and building community together.
It’s always a great day to be an Encino Explorer! 💙🚀
Kind regards,
Principal Besser