Sycamore Leaf
December 5, 2020
Shop Now for Sycamore Gear
Don't forget to order this year's Sycamore Gear! This year's student design, created by Tyler Anthony, is proudly displayed on hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts. In addition, you can purchase products from the past two years (quantities are limited). Payments can be made using Cash, Check, Zelle or Credit Card. All payments must be received before receiving your items. Please note there is a 4% convenience fee for using a credit card. Simply fill out this form, you will receive an email confirmation with payment instructions.
Publishing House
Join our PH community Lunchtime Zoom this Wednesday as we welcome Author, Illustrator, and a former Sycamore parent, Kimberly Gee. Kimberly Gee is the creator of the lovable character Bear and the children series which includes, Mad, Mad Bear! and Glad, Glad Bear!. Prior to delving into her life-long dream of writing and illustrating children's books, Kimberly parlayed her creative talents into a successful career in architectural design, illustration, and greeting card design and production. Mine, Mine Mine Yours!, the sequel to her nationally recognized Up, Up, Up Down!, will be coming out Summer 2021. Speaking will be followed by a Q&A session where students can ask questions. Since it is around lunch time, please feel free to nibble and zoom. Zoom link is available on the “Sycamore Students” Publishing House Canvas page.
Adults, please fill out the Sign Up form below by Friday, December 18th if your student is interested in participating in PH this year. We are also looking for virtual volunteers to help during drop-in PH office hours on Zoom. Please indicate your interest as a volunteer in the form or email: sycamorepublishinghouse@gmail.com.
Going beyond the classroom
The following activities will be available this week.
All links are available on the Sycamore Student Canvas page.
12:30-1:00 Monday: Grades 2-3 Book Club
12:00-1:00 Tuesday: Upper Grade Math Club
12:30-1:00 Tuesday: Grades 2-3 Math Club
12:30-1:00 Tuesday: Grades K-1: Music with Anna
11:30-12:30 Wednesday: Publishing House Lunchtime Zoom
12:00-12:30 Thursday: Sign Language Club with Leslie Roberts
12:30-1:00 Thursday: Grade 4-6 Book Club
12:30-1:00 Friday: Student Leadership Meeting, K-6
Ability Awareness
Over the next two weeks, students will be engaged in lessons around ability awareness. During Morning Meetings, students will explore our similarities and differences, learn about accessibility and resources, practice respectful and inclusive language and consider actions to stand against ableism.
Our Ability Awareness lessons center on the following Social Justice Standards (see https://www.tolerance.org/frameworks/social-justice-standards for a full view):
SJS Identity #4: Students will recognize that people's multiple identities interact and create unique and complex individuals. Students will express confidence and healthy self-esteem without denying the value and dignity of other people.
SJS Diversity #6 and #7: Students will express comfort with people who are similar to and different from them and will develop language and knowledge to accurately and respectfully describe these similarities and differences.
SJS Justice #12: Students will recognize unfairness at the individual level and begin to understand injustice at the level of institutions or systems.
SJS Action #16 and #20: Students will express empathy when people are excluded or mistreated because of their abilities and be prepared with strategies to take personal and collective action against the injustice.
In next week's Leaf, I'll share an activity that will allow families to extend this learning at home.
Calendar
Monday, December 7 at 6:00 PM
Equity and Inclusion Committee Meeting (see below for the link)
Friday, December 18
Due date for Publishing House Authors to sign up https://bit.ly/signupPH2021
Instead of asking families to come to campus for pick-up, we will be mailing January's student materials to homes. If there are unique items that need to be picked up on campus, your teacher will let you know.
Winter Break will begin at 1:00 PM on Friday, December 18 and students will return to distance learning on Tuesday, January 5. (NO School on Monday the 4th)
Equity and Inclusion Meets Monday at 6:00 PM
Sycamore’s Equity & Inclusion Committee will hold its monthly meeting this Monday, December 7th from 6-7:30pm. Zoom link below. In addition to hearing an update on Ability Awareness Day/Month events, we'll decide on some programming events for February and beyond. We'd love to have your input! Contact anthea.kraut@ucr.edu with any questions.
Zoom link: https://ucr.zoom.us/j/98176963043?pwd=QUd0QUE4amZMc3dZTlltVkpIVVJjUT09
Meeting ID: 981 7696 3043
Passcode: equity
Progress Reports
Just yesterday, progress reports from the first trimester were mailed home. These documents speak about your child's current habits for learning and describe how your child is progressing toward mastery of California Standards for their grade level. We see parents as the audience for this report, but you may want to share some of your teacher's feedback with your child. During distance learning, staff are not able to observe students in the process of learning as they would if we were in class. It can be difficult to assess each student's level of independence in completing work. For this reason, the reports are the teacher's best estimate of the student's understanding, based on what they've been able to observe during synchronous learning and what they've gleaned from assignments completed remotely.
Please continue to make daily attendance a priority and be sure your child sets aside time to practice through asynchronous assignments. We can offer time adult support to complete tasks in the afternoon if that is a need for your child. If you have questions about your child's progress or how we can be support learning or engagement in distance learning, please let us know.
Shop with Scrip!
Scrip is a gift card fundraising program and a fantastic option for gift giving. When our community members purchase a gift card, a percentage of the purchase is returned to our school. We now have an app that will take your order and accept payment without the hassle of forms and checks. Purchases can be mailed to your home (there is a small fee) or received as e-cards. Please share this information with friends and extended family members so they can join in. Such an easy way to support our school throughout the year.
1. Simply download the RaiseRight app on your smartphone
2. Select "Join a Program"
3. Enter Sycamore’s enrollment code AEFE49A43L158
4. Create your account
5. Follow the instructions in the app to start earning for our school
You may pay with a credit card or by connecting to your bank account. The app's “Pay Coordinator Directly” is NOT an option for our school.
In addition to purchasing through RaiseRight, we have the following local scrip still available for purchase: Eureka Burger, Rhino Records, Starbucks, Stater Bros, Vons, Sprouts, Wolfe’s, Eddie’s, Walters
To place an order for local scrip, please email Centia at Sycamoregovernance@gmail.com.
The Sycamore School Library has (VIRTUALLY) opened its doors!
To begin, sign in at https://syclibrary.goalexandria.com. Students' seven-digit Student ID serves as the Username (the number starts with 15... and is listed in Parent Connect and on the student data sheet provided at the start of the year) and the student's last name as the Password. Students may search for books by author, title, subject, etc. An icon of a book with a hand on it is used for HOLD requests. The program will walk you through the steps of placing a hold. Students may borrow 2 books at a time for up to two weeks. Renewals are permitted if there are no pending holds or reservations. Replacement costs are the responsibility of the student and family if books are lost or damaged.
Watch this video for more information on borrowing books. https://www.youtube.com/embed/BLBpNd1NqHw?feature=youtu.be. Feel free to contact the school office or our Librarian, Lis DesCombes, at edescombes@cusd.claremont.edu as you have questions.
Contact Information
Tina Hensley, Office Manager thensley@cusd.claremont.edu
Norma Perez, Attendance and Health Assistant nperez@cusd.claremont.edu
Email: astanger@cusd.claremont.edu
Website: http://sycamore.cusd.claremont.edu
Location: 225 West 8th Street, Claremont, CA, USA
Phone: (909)398-0324