Voyager Family News
Week of January 6, 2020
Strand Spotlights and Info: Happy New Year!!
We hope all of our Voyager families have enjoyed a wonderful and restful holiday! Happy New Year!
Special Saturday Enrichment Opportunity: Thanks to our DoDEA Arts4Learning Grant, we have an opportunity to provide a free Saturday Arts Enrichment experience for 80 students TK-5. Please see flyer attached to the newsletter email, and turn in to the office by the end of day Wednesday, January 8. First 80 students will be able to attend!
- Thank to all who attended our annual Holiday Concert! Special thanks to VAPA teacher Gina Mirtallo, who not only coordinated and organized the concert, but made relevant learning opportunities from the songs, traditions, and cultures. Thank you also to Band and Choir Directors Mark Margolies and Linda Kullman for preparing students for their performances ALL semester long. Technology Resource Technician Traci Orth and Custodian Yolanda Reyes handled technical and environmental logistics and heavy lifting! EVERYONE helped ensure our families were welcome and our students were organized and comfortable performing. Our students were professional, enthusiastic, and adorable! If you missed the Concert, you can watch the video at this link.
- Fond Farewells: We have two Voyager Crew members who are embarking on new adventures after the holiday break. Preschool teacher Moira May is leaving us to pursue a new arm of her education career. Instructional Assistant Emma Duffy is going on maternity leave for the remainder of the year and we look forward to welcoming her back next school year. Thank you for all you’ve contributed to our Voyager Family! We wish you the best!
- Families, to support safe and efficient drop-off in the morning, PLEASE DO NOT STOP EXIT YOUR CAR in the drop-off line (unless you are parked in a marked parking space). Student Curbside Hosts can help your students exit cars on the curb side; if your children need additional help, please plan on parking and escorting them.
- The theme for the new year is GOALS: We are starting a new calendar year, and will start a new semester this month! What personal, professional, and academic goals do you have?
School and Classroom Volunteers: What You Need to Know!
We thank you for your time, assistance, and enthusiasm, SSES volunteers! Please ensure you are aware of the following:
- ALL parents who enter campus and have interactions with other students, even while just helping at a party, MUST have verification of a negative TB test (within past four years) and have submitted our School Volunteer Application.
- Please contact Kelley Englehart in Human Resources (kelley.englehart@coronadousd.net) with questions about clearance to be a volunteer. Kimberley Junk in the SSES office can help as well.
- The Live Scan of Fingerprints must be completed if your role as a volunteer takes you out of the classroom with children/out of sight of the teacher.
- If you have concerns about your child you would like to address with his/her teacher, please make a separate appointment to discuss versus initiating a discussion during your volunteer time.
- Please respect confidentiality of students and staff and refrain from photographing other students or reporting or describing behaviors you observe to other parents/community members. Please share any concerns directly with the teacher.
- Volunteers are very helpful! But determining tasks and planning for volunteers takes time, too, and our teachers use their own discretion in inviting volunteers into the classroom. Please reach out to your child's teacher or room parent to learn more about opportunities to help.
Thank you for being a valuable part of the Voyager Family!
Calendar Events
This Week and Next:
Mon 1/6/20: School Resumes
Tues 1/7: Zoo Outreach Assembly for Grades TK-5
Thurs 1/9: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
Fri 1/10: Kona Ice after school
Mon 1/13: SAFE Coffee Talk on Executive Functioning Skills (see more info below)
Thurs 1/16: School Board Meeting @4Pm @District Office
Fri 1/17/20: End of Semester 1/Teacher Workday/No School for Students
Mon 1/20/20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday/No School
And Beyond:
Thurs 1/30: Late-Start: all students start at 10:00AM and Math Night at SSES
Fri 1/31: 3rd Grade Bring a Parent to Lunch (12:15PM)
Thurs 2/6: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
Fri 2/14-Mon 2/17: Presidents' Weekend/No School
Thurs 2/27: Spring Open House
Fri 2/28: 2nd Grade Bring a Parent to Lunch (12:15)
Thurs 3/5: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
Fri 3/13: PTO Family Fun Night: Freaky Friday Dance
Wed 3/18, 4:30-9 PM: CSF Telethon at CHS
Thurs 3/19: Late-Start: all students start at 10:00AM
Fri 3/27: 1st Grade Bring a Parent to Lunch (11:50)
3/30-4/3: Spring Break Holiday/No School
Tues 4/7-Thurs 4/9: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences (Students Early Release)
Thurs 4/9: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
Fri 4/10-Mon 4/13: District Holiday/No School
Fri 4/24: Kindergarten Bring a Parent to Lunch (11:50) and 25th SSES Luau!
Thurs 5/7: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
5/25: Memorial Day Holiday/No School
6/4: General PTO meeting at SSES, 8:30 AM
6/11/20: 5th Grade Promotion/Last Day of School/Early Release
District Wellness Policy Assessment
School wellness policies are evaluated based on the degree to which they address 67 policy items. These items are categorized into six sections:
1. Nutrition Education
2. Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals
3. Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages
4. Physical Education and Activity
5. Wellness Promotion and Marketing
6. Implementation, Evaluation and Communication
Each policy is rate "0-not mentioned, "1-weak statement," "2-meets or exceeds expectations"
The WellSAT will give you two scores: a comprehensiveness score, which reflects the extent to which recommended content areas are covered in the policy; and a strength score, which describes how strongly the content is stated. Both scores range from 0-100, with lower scores indicating less content and weaker language, and higher scores indicating more content and use of specific and directive language. This wellness assessment was tested in 2018 in a sample of 50 school districts around the country and the average comprehensiveness score was 54 and the average strength score was 33. Our district received a comprehensive score of 58 and a strength score of 48. As we have some areas of improvement, we are definitely on the right track to ensuring our district is doing it's part to keep our students and staff healthy.
https://coronadousd.net/departments/food-services-student-nutrition/cusd-wellness-policy/
PTO News and Updates
The Silver Strand Scoop...PTO Membership is Sweet! Membership Drive is still in full swing! Thank you to those who have already joined! You should see your ice cream scoop on the window of Strand Hall. The donation requested is $20 but any donation will be accepted. The PTO board wants to eliminate any barrier to joining and reaching 100% parent and teacher participation! Please click this link to join!
SSES Water bottles are on sale now! Proceeds from your purchase will help fund water filling station upgrades at Silver Strand. Link: http://bit.ly/strandwaterbottles
Put your child's Name in Lights on the Silver Strand's Marquee Sign! We now have a convenient online form to easily schedule your Birthday, Welcome or Farewell message! The cost is $20 and your donation supports the SSES PTO! Schedule online now: http://bit.ly/NAMEINLIGHTS
Silver Strand PTO Board
- President: Lori Blauert
- Vice President: Nellie Ritter
- Treasurer: Leslie Broussard
- Secretary: Leigh-Ann Williamson
- Parliamentarian: Lisa Emme
Silver Strand PTO
Email: silverstrandpto@gmail.com
Call or Text: 619-537-8782
In addition to building community, supporting curriculum, and enriching students' school experience, the Silver Strand PTO is responsible for Family Fun Nights, Holiday Shoppe, Yearbook and Luau to name a few. Our fundraising efforts provide for school field trips and enrichments clubs. We are unable to do what we do without the support of Silver Strand families, teachers and staff.
After-School Enrichment Clubs
Session #2 Clubs will begin the week of January 19th! We have some fun, new offerings! Please be sure to check the club schedule on our school website here, and then Peachjar next week for ALL club flyers, registration & fee info.
Direct any questions to Karen Pierro at karen.pierro@coronadousd.net OR 619-522-8934 ext 4303
Sneak peek of soccer opportunity below!
Our SSES PTO is proud to sponsor and coordinate after-school enrichment clubs for students in grades K-5 from 3-4 PM Monday through Thursday (note that these clubs are not part of the CUSD/SSES instructional day, and clubs are run by private organizations/non-CUSD employees). SSES Teacher Karen Pierro works with our PTO as a coordinator/liaison.
Coronado SAFE Events and Activities
Coronado SAFE is sponsoring a Coffee Talk on the importance of developing Executive Functioning Skills on Monday, January 13 from 8:30-9:30 AM at the District Office Board Room. For more info and to register click here.
Coronado SAFE supports healthy families and children through workshops/"coffee talks," school programs, speakers, and counseling.
Morning Dropoff and Afternoon Dismissal in 2019-20
Our new bell schedule means ALL students TK-5th Grade start school at 8:10 AM (same as this past year), and ALL Kindergarten-5th Graders will release at 2:55 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 1:40 on Wednesdays (Transitional Kindergarten release at 11:50 each day).
Adult supervision outside school in the morning does not begin until 7:50 AM; please do not plan to drop your child off prior to this time unless they are participating in band/choir/other officially supervised school activities.
IN THE MORNINGS: TK and Kindergarten students line up outside the gate to the right of our office door each morning by 8:05 AM to be picked up by their teachers and escorted to class. First graders enter the same gate and proceed to class at the first bell. All other grades enter the gates to the left by Strand Hall when the first bell rings to line up by class on the blacktop.
IN CASE OF RAIN OR INCLEMENT WEATHER, students will report to Strand Hall and line up in designated areas in the Hall.
At the end of the school day, Kindergarten teachers escort their students to the PRESCHOOL GATE for parent pickup ahead of other students, so parents of kindergarteners should plan for their students to be ready to reunite with you 5-10 minutes before 2:55 (or 1:40 on Wednesdays).
We encourage those students/families who can walk/bike/scooter to do so!
Crosswalk Safety
Dropoff/Pickup Safety
Military Connections: Focus on Anchored4Life
Silver Strand Elementary School is SO fortunate to have the full-time services of our very own MFLC (Military Family Life Counselor), Marie Millard! Our MFLC is available to help students through the emotions and transitions associated with military life.
Thank you to our community advisory members, MFLC, and students who attended the Anchored4Life Club training in October! Our students learned how to help their peers who are experiencing transitions. The Anchored4Life program at our school focuses on helping new students adjust to Silver Strand, lifts up students whose loved one is leaving for or returning from deployment and sending our warm wishes with students who are relocating. The Team Leads provide care package "Kits" with a theme designed to support each of the four transitions. The kits contain comforting items, coping skills, DVDs to help kids understand that they are not alone and helpful tools for parents. If your child will be experiencing one of these transitions this year, please inform their teacher or the MFLC to receive a free transition kit. The MFLC's information is always available in the Silver Strand office with the other resource materials.
You will also see our Anchored4Life Team Leads around campus this year presenting uplifting messages, helping with service projects and growing in their leadership skills. We are excited to be partnering with Anchored4Life to provide this service to all of our students.
Military Spouse Support Meetings:
Village Wed. Nov. 20 8:30-9:30 Building Resiliency in Children
Strand Wed. Feb. 19 8:30-9:30 Supporting Your Child Through Deployment
ECDC Wed. May 20 8:30-9:30 Transitions
For information about military-sponsored activities for youth, visit the Fleet and Family Services website here.
Coronado Schools Foundation Events & Updates
We’re excited to announce the Coronado Schools Foundation #GivingTuesday campaign! We created a unique Facebook fundraiser page and are hoping to leverage the power of your social networks to make this a big success!
Facebook fundraising page will go live on Monday, Dec 2nd. You can share the link to your contacts.
If you aren’t on Facebook, you can send an email with the form and text to give options.
Text to Give GIVE4KIDS to 91999
2019-20 Parent and Student Handbook
Community Agreements and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
How Does Coronado Unified School District Communicate with Families?
Stay Connected with Silver Strand Elementary School!!
Check out and "like" our Facebook page to see photos of student events and programs! https://www.facebook.com/Silver-Strand-Elementary-School-176775765849277/