October 1 PTO Meeting - Room A1 - 8:15am

October 2 Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL for students

October 5 SPARK in the Park 3:00-6:00pm - Corte Madera Town Park

October 6-10 Conference Week - Early dismissal each day at 1:30pm

October 8 Becoming a Trustee Workshop (Zoom)

October 15 All School Assembly - NC Gym - 8:30am

October 15 LCMSD Board Mtg. - Hall Middle School - 6:00pm

October 17 Superintendent Coffee Chat - NC Music Room. - 8:30am

October 22 Picture Retake Day - Please let your teacher know if you would like your student to have a retake.

October 22-24 Grade 5 - Outdoor Education

October 29 Annual SPARK Giving Day

Hello NC Families,

Conference Week is October 6-10.  We have 1:30 dismissal every day that week.

Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to connect and ensure your child feels seen and known. Teachers will be sharing baseline assessment data, classroom work samples and initial observations about your child so far this year. 

During the conference, you can expect to:

• Share information about your child so the teacher can learn more about them from the people that know them best.

• Review of information from beginning of year assessments and classroom work samples:

  • K - this includes the assessments from that first week of school that the teacher administered 1:1 with your child along with classroom work samples.

  • Grades 1-5 - you will be able to discuss math and reading data from our recent district iReady assessments as well as classroom work samples.

• Review how your child is doing with respect to learner traits (behavior, social skills, executive functioning, etc)

• Understand expectations for your child this year.

• Learn ways you can support your child at home

• Share any concerns or ask questions you have. 

• Teachers may also review attendance during the conference, so please consider any concerns regarding tardiness, early departures, or absences.

Please be sure to sign up for a conference through your child’s teacher. Our goal is for every family to sign up for a conference!

Sincerely,

Kyle Shaw, Principal

Morning Drop-off and afternoon pick-up: For the safety of all our students, please do not pull into the parking lot to drop off or pick up your child this includes parking in visitor spots during drop off and pick up times. During these busy times, many students are walking and riding their bikes through the area, and having cars drive in creates a dangerous situation. This past week we had a very near miss with a student on a bike and a car backing out. We ask that you use street parking and walk in to drop students off in the morning or when picking them up in the afternoon. 

Message from Assistant Principal, Harrison Blatt:

Assistant Principal Harrison Blatt and his wife are expecting a baby girl due in late November. Mr. Blatt’s anticipated leave is between Thanksgiving Break (last day 11/21/25) and Mid-winter Break (return date 2/23/26). Nancy Neu and David Sondheim will be serving as substitutes in Harrison’s absence. Both are retired Marin County school administrators, and both served as principal at Redwood High School when Harrison was attending Redwood as a student! We are excited for Harrison and his family and look forward to collaborating to ensure continued support for students and families during his leave. 

Board Vacancy
There is an open seat on the LCMSD Governing Board following the resignation of Trustee Eric Schmautz. Thank you for your service Eric! The application window is from October 8 - 24, with candidate interviews scheduled for November 12, 2025. An informational meeting on “Becoming a Trustee” will be held via Zoom (LINK) on October 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. The recording will be posted on the home page of the District’s website.

October and November lunch signups are open! The time is from 11:15am until 1:15pm each day. Please choose an open slot or two.  We appreciate your help! The sign up link is HERE.

New Lunchtime Recess Enrichment starting this week!

Gaelic Football with Neil Cummins Parent Chris Lennon

• When? Wednesdays | 12:20-1:05 PM

• Where? The blacktop

• What? Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland; 80,000 people go to the amatuer finals every year in Dublin! See here and here.  Chris is Irish and has played and coached Gaelic football his whole life! Thank you, Chris! 

Dance with Ms. Ena

• When? Thursdays | 12:20-1:05 PM 

• Where? The blacktop

• What? Dance with E.N.A is a cherished local dance studio that many of our students attend. Founder and director Enakshi Vyas will lead weekly sessions for all our students. They will learn fun dance fundamentals and routines across all genres! A great way to get moving at recess. 

If you are interested in participating in recess enrichment, please reach out! In the past, we have had parents and teachers lead magic, art, yoga, soccer and more! This is a fun way to get involved with our community and also provide structure to our recess times. We look forward to hearing your ideas!

More Volunteer Opportunities 

Click   HERE   if you’re interested in getting involved!

• Readathon Lead Shadow - Learn the ropes this year, co-lead next year!

• Readathon Committee - Help plan events, prizes, and reading fun. 

• Video Editor (Readathon) - Short-term gig, help us polish our annual Readathon video.

• Variety Show Lead - Bring the magic of our annual show to life.

• Variety Show Committee - Support rehearsals & event logistics.

• Recess Enrichment - Bring joy to recess with art, sports, crafts, or anything you love to do!

Celebrate Your Child’s Birthday by Supporting Our Library!

When your child’s birthday rolls around, and with a $20 or more donation, your child can choose a book from a handpicked selection of the library’s newest additions. 

Their name and birthdate will be added to a bookplate inside, creating a lasting legacy on the shelves of the library for everyone to enjoy! 

Look out for July, August and September birthdays in backpacks this week!

Support Our School While You Shop! 

The PTO offers several ongoing discounts and givebacks that benefit Neil Cummins throughout the year. These vendors donate a portion of your purchases directly back to our school, helping fund programs like the garden, enrichment, and more. 

• Sloat Garden Centers: Mention Neil Cummins during your shopping outing, and 10% of your purchase goes to our garden projects.

• Minted: Use promo code FUNDRAISENEIL at checkout to enjoy 20% off holiday cards and gifts. 10% of net sales from your order will be donated back to Neil Cummins PTO.

• Sports Basement: Become a Basementeer and select Neil Cummins Elementary, you’ll get 10% off, and the school gets 10% back.

• Good Eggs: Enter code GoodEggsForNeilCummins at checkout for a 5% giveback.

Thank you for supporting Neil Cummins every time you shop!

The Hawks’ Garden

Garden Happenings

This month every class made it out to the garden! From fun introduction lessons to a fascinating microscope activity with live insects, students have been busy exploring and learning outdoors. And don’t forget, our garden is open during Lunch Recess on Tuesdays (except for the first Tuesday of the month)! Miss Natalie can take up to 15 students.

Read all our garden news on the Hawks’ Garden Blog. 

Follow SPARK on Instagram & Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news, events and opportunities to get involved.

58 Mohawk, Corte Madera, CA 94925 | Phone 415-927-6965

The Neil Cummins Weekly is a digital bulletin distributed to the school community each Sunday via email. To submit an article, email the Lyn Everly leverly@lcmschools.org at Articles must be received by Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in order to be included in the next issue.

 Need more information? Contact The Weekly editors or visit one of the following Web sites:  Neil Cummins,  Larkspur- Corte Madera School District , Neil Cummins PTO  or SPARK .

© 2025-2026 Larkspur-Corte Madera School District. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

September 24 Coffee Chat: SPARK Budget and Programs - NC, Room A1 - 8:30am

September 26 Fall Festival - on the blacktop - 3:00-4:30pm

October 1 PTO Meeting - Room A1 - 8:15am

October 2 Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL for students

October 6-10 Conference Week - Early dismissal each day at 1:30pm

October 15 LCMSD Board Mtg. - Hall Middle School - 6:00pm

October 17 Superintendent Coffee Chat - NC Music Room. - 8:30am

October 22 Picture Retake Day - Please let your teacher know if you would like your student to have a retake.

October 22-24 Grade 5 - Outdoor Education

October 29 Annual SPARK Giving Day

Dear Neil Cummins Community,

Wondering why your child's  teacher was absent for a day? They are busy growing as professionals!

Over the past two weeks, our teachers and instructional coaches have been  engaged in analyzing recent student data from our beginning of the year assessments. These data conversations are happening in Grade Level Learning Labs, where each team from Cove and Neil Cummins comes together with our Math and ELA coaches to dive into student performance trends, explore opportunities for more personalized learning, and share best practices and common experiences across classrooms.

By the end of this upcoming week, all grade levels will have had a full day dedicated to this collaborative work. Teachers are examining student progress, refining instructional strategies for math and our new ELA Curriculum, and planning targeted supports to ensure both challenge and support in student learning. This data has also been an important factor in shaping intervention support from our Math and Intervention teachers across both sites and all grade levels.

In addition, this past Wednesday teachers, coaches and interventionists participated in an iReady professional development session.. This learning supported our continued growth in making the most of iReady’s resources to inform instruction and help maximize student success.

This work is not just about numbers, it is about understanding the whole child and making sure our instructional practices respond to the diverse needs of learners. The energy and commitment our staff are bringing to these labs and training is important, and we are excited to see the impact this will have in student growth.

Sincerely,

Kyle Shaw, Principal Neil Cummins

Board Updates

Last chance to sign up to help with lunch during the month of September! Please note the time change: The time is from 11:15am until 1:15pm each day. There are still open slots on 9/22, 9/25, and 9/26. We appreciate your help! Sign up link is HERE.

PTO Volunteer Opportunities Available!

We’re looking for parents to join the Readathon and Variety Show teams, two of our school’s most beloved events. From planning and organizing to supporting rehearsals and celebrations, there are roles big and small for everyone. [Click here to learn more!] 

Support Our School While You Shop! 

The PTO offers several ongoing discounts and givebacks that benefit Neil Cummins throughout the year. These vendors donate a portion of your purchases directly back to our school, helping fund programs like the garden, enrichment, and more. 

• Sloat Garden Centers: Mention Neil Cummins during your shopping outing, and 10% of your purchase goes to our garden projects.

• Minted: Use code FUNDRAISENEIL at checkout for 15% back to our school.

• Sports Basement: Become a Basementeer and select Neil Cummins Elementary, you’ll get 10% off, and the school gets 10% back.

• Good Eggs: Enter code GoodEggsForNeilCummins at checkout for a 5% giveback.

Thank you for supporting Neil Cummins every time you shop!

The Hawks’ Garden

Garden Happenings

Read all our garden news on the Hawks’ Garden Blog. 

Follow SPARK on Instagram & Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news, events and opportunities to get involved.

58 Mohawk, Corte Madera, CA 94925 | Phone 415-927-6965

The Neil Cummins Weekly is a digital bulletin distributed to the school community each Sunday via email. To submit an article, email the Lyn Everly leverly@lcmschools.org at Articles must be received by Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in order to be included in the next issue.

 Need more information? Contact The Weekly editors or visit one of the following Web sites:  Neil Cummins,  Larkspur- Corte Madera School District , Neil Cummins PTO  or SPARK .

© 2025-2026 Larkspur-Corte Madera School District. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

September 17 LCMSD Board Mtg. - Hall Middle School - 6:00pm

September 24 SPARK Coffee Chat - NC, Room A1 - 8:30am

September 26 Fall Festival - on the blacktop - 3:00-4:30pm

October 1 PTO Meeting - Room A1 - 8:15am

October 2 Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL for students

October 6-10 Conference Week - Early dismissal each day at 1:30pm

October 15 LCMSD Board Mtg. - Hall Middle School - 6:00pm

October 17 Superintendent Coffee Chat - NC Music Room. - 8:30am

Dear Families,

What a turnout at the Volunteer Orientation last week. We had 184 participants in our zoom meeting. 

That is a testament to our amazing, engaged, supportive community! Thank you!

As promised, we have several resources to share:

• Volunteer Webpage

• Volunteer Orientation Presentation (Presentación de orientación para voluntarios)

• Zoom Recording of Volunteer Orientation 

• LCMSD Volunteer Expectations Summary (Spanish)

• Volunteer Agreement Mandatory Sign Off

• Field Trip Information Webpage

• Conflict Resolution Steps to Follow (Spanish)

• Photo Sharing Guidelines (Spanish)

• Emergency procedures:

  • Hall

  • Cove

  • Neil Cummins

Did you miss the orientation? Here is what you need to do before volunteering:

• Watch the Zoom recording of the orientation: Zoom Recording of Volunteer Orientation 

• Complete and submit this form: Volunteer Agreement Mandatory Sign Off

Again, thank you for volunteering your time and energy to help our schools. We appreciate you!

Sincerely,

Kyle Shaw and the NC Team

Board Updates: On September 17, 2025 the Board will meet at 6:00 in the Hall Library where Cove School will provide an update. Additionally, Trustees will vote on school fencing for all three sites, unaudited actuals, and the sufficiency of instructional materials. Jaime Heaps, Executive Director of SPARK, will present the annual budget report. Also Trustees will be presented with the 2025 CAASPP data. The meeting will be live streamed via Zoom (link; passcode - lcmsd). Please know, public comments will only be taken by in person attendees; public comments via Zoom will not be available. We hope to see you there. All agendas can be found here.

LCMSD Partnership Messages:

• Take the Raising the Bar Survey (ENGLISH SURVEY LINK; SPANISH SURVEY LINK)

• Check out the Let’s Talk parent resources and workshops

• Register for the MCOE artificial intelligence parent workshops 

LCMSD Volunteer Orientation 

Calling all volunteers! There is a required LCMSD Volunteer Orientation to review volunteer procedures, best practices, safety measures, and general expectations. This webinar will be posted on the website. Following the orientation all volunteers are required to complete a Volunteer Mandatory Sign-Off acknowledging their commitment to LCMSD’s Volunteer Expectations before they can volunteer. Thank you!

Please sign up to help with lunch during the month of September! Please note the time change: The time is from 11:15am until 1:15pm each day. There are still several open slots. We appreciate your help! Sign up link in HERE.

The Fall Festival is coming up and all students and their families are invited to attend. There are still plenty of volunteer opportunities for parents, as well as a few slots for Hall Middle School students. Sign-up here! 

PTO Volunteer Opportunities Available!

We’re looking for parents to join the Readathon and Variety Show teams, two of our school’s most beloved events. From planning and organizing to supporting rehearsals and celebrations, there are roles big and small for everyone. [Click here to learn more!] 

Support Our School While You Shop! 

The PTO offers several ongoing discounts and givebacks that benefit Neil Cummins throughout the year. These vendors donate a portion of your purchases directly back to our school, helping fund programs like the garden, enrichment, and more. 

• Sloat Garden Centers: Mention Neil Cummins during your shopping outing, and 10% of your purchase goes to our garden projects.

• Minted: Use code FUNDRAISENEIL at checkout for 15% back to our school.

• Sports Basement: Become a Basementeer and select Neil Cummins Elementary, you’ll get 10% off, and the school gets 10% back.

• Good Eggs: Enter code GoodEggsForNeilCummins at checkout for a 5% giveback.

Thank you for supporting Neil Cummins every time you shop!

The Hawks’ Garden

Shopping at Sloat? 

The Hawks’ Garden participates in the Sloat Growing Up Green Fundraiser where any purchases earn 10% back directly for the school garden. Stock up on your fall plants and garden supplies, and help our outdoor classroom grow at the same time! Click HERE to check out the dates throughout the school year where Sloat will give 10% of your purchase back to Neil Cummins!

Garden Happenings

Read all our garden news on the Hawks’ Garden Blog. 

$100,000 Band Instrument Donation

Follow SPARK on Instagram & Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news, events and opportunities to get involved.

58 Mohawk, Corte Madera, CA 94925 | Phone 415-927-6965

The Neil Cummins Weekly is a digital bulletin distributed to the school community each Sunday via email. To submit an article, email the Lyn Everly leverly@lcmschools.org at Articles must be received by Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in order to be included in the next issue.

 Need more information? Contact The Weekly editors or visit one of the following Web sites:  Neil Cummins,  Larkspur- Corte Madera School District , Neil Cummins PTO  or SPARK .

© 2025-2026 Larkspur-Corte Madera School District. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy