Dear Encino Charter Families,
This is Principal Besser with your Sunday Message! We have another exciting week ahead filled with learning, celebrations, and opportunities to come together as an Explorer community! 💙🚀
💙 Monday Morning Spirit Assembly
Let's kick off the week together at our Monday Morning Spirit Assembly at 8:03 a.m.! Wear your Encino Spirit Wear and show your Explorer pride!
Families attending should enter through the Addison Gate and proceed to the Assembly Area. Students should line up behind their classroom numbers, and parents and caregivers are kindly asked to stand behind the student lines.
School gates close promptly at 8:08 a.m. Students arriving after that time must check in through the Front Office.
☕ Coffee with the Principal – Monday, October 19 at 8:30 a.m.
Join us in the ECES Auditorium for coffee, conversation, and connection!
In recognition of Bullying Prevention Month, our Psychiatric Social Worker, Ms. Dawn Brannon, will share strategies for preventing bullying and fostering a safe, kind, and inclusive school community.
Following her presentation, I will lead our next Every School Safe workshop, LAUSD Unified Against Hate: Words Matter, exploring the power of words, recognizing harmful language, and promoting respect, kindness, and belonging.
All families are welcome! We hope to see you there!
💻 Digital Citizenship Week | October 19–23
This week, our Explorers will participate in Digital Citizenship Week, with grade-level lessons focused on healthy technology habits, responsible digital choices, managing distractions, and balancing screen time with offline activities.
We encourage families to continue these important conversations at home and create opportunities for device-free family time. Together, we can help our Explorers become safe, responsible, and thoughtful digital citizens!
📸 Picture Day – Wednesday, October 21
Get those smiles ready, Explorers! Wednesday is Picture Day!
Picture order forms have been sent home with students. If you did not receive one or need a replacement, please stop by the Front Office.
We look forward to capturing those wonderful Explorer smiles! 📸💙
🤖 FREE Robotics League – Calling All 4th & 5th Grade Explorers!
Does your Explorer love building, coding, creating, or solving challenges?
We're excited to offer a FREE VEX Robotics League in partnership with Computerwise Kids! Students will design, build, and program robots while developing teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills. They'll even have opportunities to compete against students from other schools!
Program Details:
- Who: 4th and 5th Grade Students
- When: Mondays, 3:00–4:00 p.m., and Wednesdays, 2:45–3:45 p.m.
- Where: Room 1 – STEM Lab
- Dates: October 26, 2026 – May 19, 2027
- Cost: FREE!
Students must commit to attending both weekly practices throughout the school year.
We can't wait to see our Explorers become the next generation of engineers and innovators!
📚🎃🏀 Exciting Reading Adventures Ahead!
Our library has some wonderful activities planned to spark imagination, celebrate creativity, and inspire a love of reading!
📖 Author Visit – Thursday, October 22
Our 3rd–5th graders will welcome Emma Steinkellner, author and illustrator of The Okay Witch and Nell of Gumbling! Students will get a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of writing and illustrating books.
Interested in purchasing a personalized book? Orders must be placed by Tuesday, October 20.
Order a Personalized Book Here
🎃 Book Character Pumpkin Contest – Monday, October 26
Bring your favorite book character to life by decorating a pumpkin inspired by a beloved book, character, or story!
Drop off decorated pumpkins in the Auditorium during morning arrival on Monday, October 26. No carving, please! Prizes will be awarded at every grade level.
Be sure to label your pumpkin with your child's name, grade, classroom number, book title, and author.
🏀 Million-Minute Reading Challenge – October 26–December 4
ONE SCHOOL. HUNDREDS OF EXPLORERS. ONE MILLION READING MINUTES!
We're partnering with the LA Clippers Read to Achieve Program for a schoolwide reading challenge! Our goal? ONE MILLION READING MINUTES!
Students who read and log 500 minutes can earn a special Clippers prize.
Register for the Reading Challenge
💙 Every book is an adventure, every minute counts, and every Explorer is part of the team! Please see the attached flyers for additional details.
👻 BOO Grams – Spread Some Halloween Kindness!
Our ECES Student Council is spreading Halloween cheer with BOO Grams!
Want to brighten a friend's day, thank a favorite teacher, or surprise someone with a little kindness? Send a BOO Gram!
- Sales: October 26–28, before school
- Location: Addison Gate
- Cost: $1 each (cash only)
- Delivery: Friday, October 30
Each BOO Gram includes a special message and a treat. Let's spread kindness and Halloween spirit throughout our Explorer community! 🎃💙
🎃 Halloween Parade – Friday, October 30
We're looking forward to celebrating Halloween with our Encino Explorers! Students are invited to wear their Halloween costumes to school for our annual parade.
Parade Schedule:
- 8:03 a.m.: Students line up with their teachers.
- 8:15 a.m.: Addison Gate opens for families.
- 8:30 a.m.: Halloween Parade begins!
- 12:56 p.m.: Minimum Day Dismissal.
👻 Costume Guidelines
Students should wear their regular school clothes underneath their costumes, as they will change following the parade and resume their school day.
Costumes must be school-appropriate and allow students to move and see safely. Replica weapons, unsafe accessories, and offensive or discriminatory costumes are not permitted. Masks may be worn during the parade only, provided they do not interfere with safety.
🍬 Classroom Celebrations
All classroom Halloween activities must follow our school celebration guidelines. Food and candy may not be distributed to students. Families may coordinate with teachers and room parents to provide non-food treats, such as stickers, pencils, erasers, or small favors.
Thank you for helping us make Halloween a fun, festive, and safe celebration for all our Explorers!
🍎 Friendly Reminder: Protecting Instructional Time
At Encino Charter, protecting instructional time and minimizing classroom distractions are priorities. Please help your child arrive prepared with lunch, a water bottle, and other essentials.
To avoid interrupting teaching and learning, our office staff will not deliver forgotten items to classrooms. Students may check with the Front Office during recess or lunch to retrieve items dropped off by families.
As a reminder, outside food deliveries (DoorDash, Uber Eats, restaurants, etc.) are not permitted during the school day. If your child forgets lunch, our cafeteria will provide a free meal.
Thank you for helping us keep our classrooms focused on learning! 💙
📅 This Week at Encino
Monday, October 19
- 8:03 a.m. – Monday Morning Spirit Assembly
- 8:30 a.m. – Coffee with the Principal
- Student Behavior Assemblies: Words Matter
Tuesday, October 20
- 8:30 a.m. – CHOICES School Tour
- 1:31 p.m. – Banked-Time Tuesday Early Dismissal
Wednesday, October 21
- Picture Day! 📸
Thursday, October 22
- 8:15 a.m. – Grades 3–5 Awards Assembly
- 10:30 a.m. – Grades 3–5 Author Visit with Emma Steinkellner
Friday, October 23
- 8:15 a.m. – Grades TK–2 Awards Assembly
Stay connected with all things Encino Charter by visiting our school website at encinoces.lausd.org.
Thank you, Encino Charter families, for your continued partnership in making our school a safe, welcoming, and inspiring place for every Explorer. Your support and involvement help make Encino Charter such a special community!
Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!
It's always a great day to be an Encino Explorer! 💙🚀
Kind regards,
Principal Besser