Mark Your Calendar: Key Dates & After-School Programs

7/23/2026 1:26 pm

The first weeks of the school year are full of chances to connect. Here's what's coming up, plus your after-school options.

Upcoming Events

• New Family Orientations — August 10 & August 14, 2026. All families new to Canyon are required to attend a new family orientation.
• New Family Meet-Up — August 11, 2026, at Rustic Canyon Recreation Center.
• First Day of School — August 12, 2026. Students will meet their teacher in the assembly area at 8:05am.
• School-Wide Assembly — August 14 at 8:15am. Families are welcome and encouraged to attend our monthly assemblies.
• Student Opening Packets Due — August 21, 2026.
• No School — September 4, 7 & 21.

The full calendar is always available at canyoncharter.com.

After-School Programs

Care and enrichment are available on campus with dismissal until 6:00 PM daily:

• STAR Program — starinc.org
• ELOP Program

Whether it's meeting your child's teacher, connecting with other families, or planning after-school care, we're here to help you start the year strong. Welcome to Canyon — we'll see you soon!

Questions? Call 310.454.7510 or visit canyoncharter.com.

Your Daily Canyon Guide: Bell Schedule, Drop-Off & Attendance

7/23/2026 1:25 pm

Here's your quick reference for the rhythms of a Canyon school day — bookmark this one!

Bell Schedule

• 7:45 — School gates open
• 8:05 — Line-Up Bell
• 8:10 — Tardy Bell
• 1:40 — T/Th TK & Kindergarten dismissal
• 1:45 — T/Th Grades 1–5 dismissal
• 2:45 — MWF TK & Kindergarten dismissal
• 2:50 — MWF Grades 1–5 dismissal
• 6:00 — ELOP & STAR close

Traffic Expectations

To keep arrival and dismissal safe and smooth for everyone, these procedures must be followed at all times:

• Always drive clockwise around the school.
• Remain in your car at all times while in the carpool lane — no exceptions.
• Always use crosswalks when crossing the street.
• Do not block driveways or park in red zones.
• Do not cut the carpool line.
• Be respectful and follow the directions of our traffic volunteers.

These procedures are in place to keep everyone safe. Your cooperation and respect for these expectations are essential for our community.

Attendance Policy — aim for no more than 7 absences all year

At Canyon, we expect students to attend school every day unless they are ill. Please try to schedule vacations, doctor appointments, and other personal matters outside of school hours. Our instruction is meaningful and rigorous, and missing class can impact a child both academically and emotionally — classroom learning cannot be fully replaced with make-up work.

While we strive for excellent attendance, please keep your child home if they have a fever over 99°F. Anytime your child is absent, log on to canyoncharter.com and click "Report Absence."

Before the First Bell: Opening Packets & the Parent Portal

7/23/2026 1:24 pm

A few key pieces of paperwork keep every Canyon student safe and set for the year. Here's what to complete and when.

Student Opening Packets — due August 21, 2026

We need this important paperwork completed for every student, each school year. Here's how:

• Access the packet on our website under "Find Fast."
• The file is a PDF and must be printed in order to complete it.
• If you have more than one student attending Canyon, you only need to complete one packet per family — with one exception: the LAUSD Student Emergency Form must be completed for each individual student.

Parent Portal

The LAUSD Parent Portal is separate from your Opening Packet:

• If you are new to LAUSD, you'll need to register for a parent account.
• If you have an incoming sibling, add them to your current account.
• The portal is available after August 17, 2026 at parentportalapp.lausd.net.

Getting these done early means one less thing on your plate when school starts. Thank you for helping us keep every Canyon student's information current and complete!

Get Connected: Set Up Your Membership Toolkit Account

7/23/2026 1:23 pm

Staying in the loop at Canyon starts with one important step: your Membership Toolkit account. Canyon uses Membership Toolkit for our family directory and all school communications, so setting up (or updating) your account is how you'll receive everything from event reminders to important school news.

New families: you'll create a brand-new account.
Returning families: please confirm your account information and add any incoming siblings.

Once your account is approved, you'll have access to the directory and will receive all school communications.

How to set up your account:

1. Go to canyoncharter.com.
2. Click Register/Login and create an account.
3. Click Verify My Email — the verification link expires after 2 hours, so check your inbox promptly.
4. Log back in and finish the registration process.
5. Complete the Director Preferences section.
6. Once your primary account is set up (one account per family), you can invite other users to access the account.

A quick tip: set up just one primary account per family first, then invite grandparents, caregivers, or a second parent as additional users. If the verification email doesn't arrive, check your spam folder — and remember the link is only good for two hours.

Questions? Reach us at 310.454.7510 or visit canyoncharter.com.

Welcome Back to Canyon! A Message to Our Families

7/23/2026 1:22 pm

Welcome to a brand-new school year at Canyon Charter School! Whether you're returning to a place you already call home or joining our community for the very first time, we are so glad you are here.

A note from Principal Sheard:

"Welcome to a brand-new school year at Canyon Charter School! I am thrilled to begin my 13th year at Canyon and to welcome back our returning families while also extending a warm greeting to those joining our school community for the first time. We are so glad you are here!"

Our vision. Canyon Charter School sees a world in which educational opportunity is maximized and no child is overlooked. To create this world, we seek ways to advance our curriculum and lead education toward an even more flexible and responsive approach to learning development.

That vision shows up in the small, everyday moments — a welcoming assembly, a teacher who knows your child by name, a community that looks out for one another. Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing everything you need to start the year smoothly: how to get connected, the paperwork to complete, our daily schedule, key dates, and after-school options.

Here's to a wonderful 2026–2027 school year. We can't wait to see you!

Learn more at canyoncharter.com or call 310.454.7510.

Canyon Summer Meet-Ups!

7/1/2026 11:33 am

We have a lot of new students joining us in the fall, and it would be great for them to meet some current students so that there are familiar faces on the first day of school. Please see the attached flyer and save the dates!

What a great way for new families to connect with returning families.

Canyon Charter School Is Accepting 1st, 2nd and 3rd Graders

7/1/2026 10:09 am

Campus Beautification Day Brings Community Together

1/25/2026 12:00 am

Thank you to all the staff members and families who participated in Canyon Beautification Day! The event brought the community together to spruce up the campus in meaningful ways. Volunteers accomplished an impressive amount in just one day!

Over the next few weeks, the community will see the progression of three new murals on the playground, created and painted by artist David of BumbleBee Loves You. Watch for these exciting additions to campus!

Canyon Recognized for Outstanding Attendance Achievement

1/25/2026 12:00 am

Regional Recognition

Canyon Charter was recognized at a recent Region West meeting for having the second-lowest chronic absence rate in the area, with only 5.9% of students in this category.

This achievement reflects the commitment of Canyon families to prioritizing consistent attendance.

Attendance Benchmarks

The 100th day of school is approaching. Student attendance is monitored daily with a goal of 94% or higher attendance for all students.

Families can check their child's attendance rate in the Parent Portal.

Health Guidelines

With illness circulating in the community, families are asked to keep children home when experiencing:

• Fever of 100.0 or above — Children should have a normal temperature for 24 hours without medication before returning
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea — Children should be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning
• Severe pain or difficulty breathing — Contact a healthcare provider

Helpful Reminders

• A partial school day does not count as an absence. If a child has an appointment, attending school before or after helps maintain attendance.
• Use the school calendar when planning family activities and appointments to avoid unnecessary absences.
• Prioritize health — keeping sick children home protects the entire community.

Parent Workshop: Building Math Confidence in Your Child

1/18/2026 12:00 am

Math can feel challenging for both parents and children, especially when today's teaching methods differ from how parents learned. Building math skills and confidence during elementary school is crucial for future success.

Workshop Details

What Families Will Learn

This Parent Education workshop focuses on building a Growth Mindset to help children get excited about learning math and become comfortable with tackling challenges.

Attendees will walk away with:

• Tips and strategies for building math confidence, resilience, and mindset
• Language to help normalize mistakes and foster a Growth Mindset
• Ideas for making math more accessible and enjoyable at home

Bonus Opportunity

Mina will also be offering Canyon families a free Wonder Math session — don't miss this opportunity!

No RSVP required. All Canyon families are welcome to attend.