Message from the Principal, Dr. Jimenez
Message from the Principal, Dr. Jimenez
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Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year at Leal Elementary School! As the principal of our dynamic school community, I am thrilled and honored to embark on this journey with you. Together, we have the opportunity to create an exceptional year for your child.
At Leal Elementary, we are committed to fostering a secure, innovative, and outstanding educational environment. It is our collective mission to equip our students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century and beyond, preparing them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
To help ensure a successful start to the school year, I have created this website as a resource for your family. I encourage you to explore the links provided to familiarize yourself with important information and resources. Our school checklist includes additional helpful links to support your preparations.
I invite new families to Leal to join me and our Assistant Principal, Ms. Flaming, at a New Parent Meeting on August 11th at 4pm in the Leal MPR. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet our administrative team, learn more about our school's programs, and ask any questions you may have.
This summer has been exciting at Leal!
If you missed my summer newsletter, here is a recap:
🚧 Construction Progress is on schedule and looking great! We can’t wait for you to see the improvements this fall. Classrooms are being modernized with new floors, walls, 80" TVs for lesson delivery, technology infrastructure, alarms, and painting. During the summer, buildings A and E will be completed, and building B is scheduled for the fall. Buildings C, D, portables, nutrition services, and the MPR will be modernized between November 2025-June 2026. While classrooms are being modernized during the school year, classes will move into our 6 portable classes located in the back of campus. More photos are included is this google doc.
🎉 We’re also celebrating three incredible staff members who have made a lasting impact at Leal. Please join me in congratulating them on their retirement and years of dedicated service:
Ms. Mills, 2nd grade
Ms. Sato, SLP
Ms. Hamagiwa, 3rd grade
We wish them the best in their new adventures—and we’re already planting the seed for them to return with substitute teaching visits in the future!
🍎 Staffing Updates:
With these retirements, we’ve had some shifts in grade-level assignments. Please welcome:
Ms. Joseph to 2nd grade
Ms. Chung, M. to 3rd grade
Ms. Tai to 1st grade
🎓 Welcome, Ms. Guttentag as our new TK Teacher!
Ms. Guttentag will join Ms. Bryant in TK, as Leal will have 2 TK classrooms next school year.
Ms. Guttentag earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University Long Beach. Her experience includes a Toddler/Preschool Teacher at the CSU Long Beach Child and Family Center, Leal job-share teacher, LEAP Summer School Teacher, and most recently a full-time Kindergarten teacher at Niemes Elementary for 3 years.
Additionally, please mark your calendars and join us for our first Family Dinner Night at Islands in Cerritos, from 4-8pm on August 11th. This casual gathering is a wonderful chance to connect with other families, enjoy a meal together, and start building our supportive community.
Thank you for your partnership in your child's education. Together, we can make this school year a rewarding and successful experience for every student.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jimenez
Please sign-on to Parent Square: https://www.parentsquare.com/signin
We will be using this communication system to post information, send emails, texts, and phone calls. You can set up your preferences on this app. Be sure your information is up-to-date on Aeries.
Follow us on Instagram!
Calendar items
Calendar items
Leal at-a-glance WEB master for current year.pdfDates to Remember...
Dates to Remember...
AUGUST 2025
AUGUST 2025
Office Re-Opens to Public
Aug 5th Hours: 7:15-3:30
Welcome NEW TO LEAL Parent Meeting with Dr. Jimenez, Principal & Ms. Flaming, Assistant Principal
Aug 11th at 4PM @ Leal MPR
First Day of School
Aug 13th
TK-K: 7:45AM - 12:35PM (From 8/13-9/12)
1st - 6th Grade: 7:45AM - 1:42PM
Parents may escort students to class
Aug 13th & 14th - Morning drop off
Closed Campus Begins
Aug 15th - Gates will be locked right at 7:45AM
Leal Back to School NIght:
Aug 21st
TK-3rd: 5:30-6:30
4th-6th: 6:30-7:30
Elementary Parent Conferences 10/2-10/6
Oct 6, 2024 to October 10, 2024
Early Release at 12:40PM
Welcome NEW Parents!
Welcome NEW Parents!
Join Dr. Jimenez, Principal &
Ms. Flaming, Assistant Principal for a
Welcome NEW Parent Meeting.
Meet the principal and assistant principal,
and find out all we know about the start of school. This meeting is intended for new parents to Leal Elementary School
Aug 11th, 2024
4:00PM @ Leal MPR
Leal family dinner night!
Leal family dinner night!
LEAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FUNDRAISER
Date: Monday, August 11th
Time: 4pm to close
Location: Islands Cerritos
12751 Towne Center Dr • (562) 356-8905
Present this flyer to your server (or show it on your mobile device) and Islands will donate 20% of your food and beverage purchases back to Leal Elementary
School PTA.
Dine-In or Take-Out.
Order online at: www.islandsrestaurants.com
See you there!
Some teachers may also make special appearances!
Updates & Reminders for the Start of the School Year
Leal Handbook
Leal Handbook
The complete Leal Handbook with rules and procedures, may be accessed and downloaded here.
Included in this handbook are bell schedules, rules, procedures, and school-parent compact.
The ABC Unified School District has approved a dress code policy to provide a quality education in a safe and wholesome environment, free from disruption, and provide safety to and from school. You can read the detailed dress code policy here.
Use this link to ensure your child's emergency information is up to date.
You may also check back here Aug. 5th to see a tentative teacher assignment, after registration is complete and forms are authorized.
Click here for Parent Portal Instructions.
Please call or visit our office if you need assistance. Ensure you log on to validate the forms prior to the first day of school. Check your phone number and email to ensure you receive messages from the principal and the school.
Once ABCUSD has opened parent portal for authorizations, parents may view teacher assignments and room numbers. Leal Elementary will allow parents this access early in August. If your child's teacher is "unassigned," their enrollment may not be completely processed, or there may be a new teacher. If this happens, please check back periodically for updates. Click the document below for instructions.
School Map
School Map
Use this school map to guide your child to the right location for class! Teacher assignments and room numbers are available on Aries Parent Portal early August.
Parents: review the instructions for pick-up, no parking areas, and assigned gate dismissal.
We need your help to keep campus and the streets safe.
Leal Map Public w:grades 24-25.pdfLEAL IS A CLOSED CAMPUS
WITH A SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY- OUR MAIN GATE
We have specific *entry and exit protocols explained on this page, and our school handbook. Visitors must sign in to our visitor management system with a driver's license. Please see our handbook for more information.
We will allow parents to walk students on to campus on the first and second day of school. Our closed campus protocol will begin on Day 3.
1st Days of School: Drop-off & Pick-up
First Days of TK & Kindergarten
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL- We ask that our parents help our TK and Kinder students find their classroom line-up area in the kinder play yard. Once teachers pick-up the line, you will be allowed to walk them to their classroom to see where it is located. Parents will not be allowed to stay in the classroom during instruction.
SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL- We invite parents to escort their TK and K student to the Kinder play yard to understand where their line-up area is located. Please do not line-up with children, so they begin to understand their responsibility.
THIRD DAY OF SCHOOL- Parents may drop off their child using the drop-off lane, or walk students to the Kinder gate. Parents will not be allowed on campus, or onto the play yard, as closed campus will begin.
ORIENTATION: Teachers will be going into detail at our back-to-school presentation. Mark your calendar to be in attendance.
SHORTENED DAYS- During the first weeks of class, TK and kinder students will be released at 12:35PM. This allows our students to become accustomed to the school schedule. Also, our TK and Kinder teachers will be conducting assessments and conferences during these shortened days. Please be sure to sign up for an appointment with your child's teacher.
REGULAR DISMISSAL: TK/K Students will begin regular dismissal at 1:42 after the assessment weeks. Once regular dismissal begins, parents may pick up from the kinder play yard gate.
TK & K Assessment Days:
8/13-9/12:
7:45AM - 12:35PM
1st Days of School: TK-6th Grade DROP-OFF
7:15- Breakfast in Quad Area (Students Only, Parents are not allowed to eat with students). Students enter through the Main Gate#1.
7:15- Early Drop-Off (non-breakfast eaters) enter through Main Gate#1, gather in Quad
7:35- First Bell- Line-up Bell: Students enter campus and line up in blacktop areas:
TK &K: enter through the Kinder play yard gate, for the first 2 weeks
1st-3rd- enter through the main gate #1
4th-6th- enter through Gate #3 near the parking lot
7:43- Warning Bell--
Students will line up according to grade and color dot (On day 1, there will be signs for each class/room by dots)
7:45- Tardy Bell (Students are tardy if they are not in line or in class at this bell). Students arriving after 7:45 enter through the office, parents must sign them in. Teachers will mark immediate tardies. Office staff will mark tardies after 10 minutes.
*Please review the school map with your child to be familiar with classroom location, drop-off, and pick-up locations.
1st Days of School @ PICK-UP for TK-6th
TK & K- Shortened Day Release
12:35PM (for first 4 weeks of school)
Pick up by Kinder Play Ground, Grass Area in front of school
Once regular dismissal begins, parents may pick up at the kinder yard
1st-6th Grade- Students will dismiss from assigned gates:
1st- Kinder Gate#4
2nd- Main Gate #1
3rd- Side Gate #2
4th-6th- West rolling Gate #3 near the visitor parking lot
*DRIVE-UP PICK-UP: Students will wait until your car comes to the driving lane. Please drive FORWARD. Do not hold up the line. Parents are not to exit the car. If your child needs assistance getting into the car, please park in an appropriate spot and walk them.
*Do not park on the street in front of staff parking, that is reserved for busses and shuttles only.
Please remember that for the children's safety, we require that all children be picked up within 10 minutes of dismissal. We have no supervision past this time. Children left unattended will be checked into the office, and parents must enter office to pick-up. There is no playing or "recess" on front lawn after school time.
After School Programs will meet at the lunch benches until they are familiar with classroom location. TK & K Students will be picked up outside of their class area. Parents may check-out students at main gate during pick-up times.
Leal Map Public w:grades 24-25.pdfSchool Site Council, PTA, LEAP Foundation
P.T.A & School Site Council – Thank you to our PTA for purchasing student planners for upper grades, and homework folders for lower grades, as well as providing for field trip expenses, and school programs… we couldn’t do it without you! Please join us at our monthly parent meetings to help plan for our Leal students!
LEAP Foundation- LEAP is a parent-led, volunteer organization that supports the visual and performing arts at Leal Elementary. This foundation funds programs such as the Fall AND Spring Musical, International Festival, Diwali, Lunar New Year, the school choir, the school band, and provides a pull-out program (classes during the school day) for the visual and performing arts (theater)! Our school is unique in needs, and the LEAP foundation allows for our amazing programs to exist.
The Leal School Site Council is the governing board that works in tandem with school administration and staff to craft the School Level Plan, action items, and budget each school year. It is important that all parent groups work together toward the common goals established in the school -level plan.
PBIS @ LEAL
TK-6th Bell Schedules
*Bell Schedule Master copy for WEB.pdfPage updated
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