Here we are fully in December. It's hard to believe how fast the year is moving by! Last week we recognized Ms. Peralta's Class for the November Attendance Award with 90% attendance. (Our goal for December is 95%) We also re-instituted our Golden Spatula Award, recognizing A+ Citizenship in Carrillo Café. For November the winner was Ms. Matsushino 2nd Grade. Finally, TUSD hosted its first STEP Up to Middle School event. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance!
This week marks the start of benchmark exams. These quarterly assessments are very important to Carrillo, as they help us determine what students have mastered and what they still need to learn as we round out our first half of the year. Thank you for helping your student get plenty of sleep this week so they are ready to perform their best.
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| November Attendance Award - Ms. Peralta's 4th Grade! | November Golden Spatula Award - Ms. Matsushino's 2nd Grade! | Faces at Step Up |
Las Posadas Support
We are looking for some food donations for the night of Las Posadas, if you can help us with any items on the Las Posadas Committee would appreciate it greatly! You can sign up for food donations using the following link.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A49A8A82FA6F85-lasposadas
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered so far! We are still looking for parent and community volunteers to help us with the event, especially with food service. If you have 30 minutes of time you can donate to support the Posadas we thank you in advance for signing up using the attached link.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Carrillo
PTO is carrying on the long standing tradition of Santa coming to Carrillo on Wednesday, December 21st. Come get your photo with Santa, do crafts, and enjoy hot cocoa!
This Family friendly event is another way to celebrate with the Carrillo Community and give back. PTO is looking for help manning their activity tables, food tables, and photo line, s well as help with a few donations. As an added bonus, families that donate time will receive a "Santa Fast Pass" after their time slot as a way of thanking them for their time.
Kind Campus Update - Kindness Requires Skill
Question of the Month
Why should we make time to practice kindness? What will happen if we make time regularly?
In order to make kindness part of our daily lives, it’s important to remember that kindness can require skill, and that, like all skills, it takes practice and upkeep. Allowing ourselves the time to do this work means keeping kindness front of mind so that it becomes a natural part of our everyday lives and environment. Dr. Lauren C. Howe notes that, “People may believe that their weaknesses will be lost over time, but that their strengths are there to stay. Because of this, we might not be very motivated to work on our strengths. Imagine a person who feels that they are a particularly kind person, and that this will never change. They might not take the time to cultivate kindness even further—for instance, to go out of their way to volunteer or help other people. Perhaps this person would instead let these habits slide, and—secure in their “kindness”—would actually become less kind over time. If we don’t actively engage with our strengths, we might see them fade.1” As kindness becomes one of our strengths, the benefits and impact are a continuing journey rather than a finite set of expertise. Remind students that kindness is not always easy; it takes practice, and that’s OK!
References: 1. Howe, L.C. (2016, May 24). A Self-Improvement Secret: Work on Strengths. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-self-improvement-secret-work-on-strengths/.
Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, December 6 - Grade 2 and 3 Writing Benchmark Exam
- Tuesday, December 6 - PTO meeting online (6:00pm)
- Thursday, December 8 - Grade 4 and 5 Writing Benchmark Exam
- Saturday, December 10th, Las Posadas Rehearsal at Presidio San Agustin (4:00 pm)
- Thursday, December 13 - Grade 2 and 3 ELA Benchmark Exam
- Wednesday, December 14 - Grade 2 and 4 Math Benchmark Exam
- Thursday, December 15 - Grade 4 and 5 ELA Benchmark Exam
- Friday, December 16 - Grade 3 and 5 Math Benchmark Exam
- Friday, December 16 - 86th Annual Las Posadas (5:00 - 8:00 pm)
- Wednesday, December 21 - Santa Comes to Carrillo (4:00 - 6:00 pm)
- Friday, December 23 - No Classes for Teacher Grading Day
Stay in Touch!
Stay current on our events by visiting our Facebook Page as well as school website. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns please reach out. It is our mission to provide all students with a first rate education in a kind and respectful environment.