Welcome Back Duveneck Dragons!
Duveneck Elementary School, August 5, 2022
Welcome to the 2022/23 School Year!
Dear Duveneck Families,
I am thrilled to welcome you to the 22/23 school year. I look forward to meeting and getting to know each and every one of you as we launch into a new school year of learning, building relationships and uniting as a strong and positive Dragon community.
Duveneck values inclusion and connection and the campus is a hub of student, teacher and community energy. Our school’s test scores have consistently been among the highest in the state, and we continue our commitment to providing a balanced educational program for our students. Duveneck is devoted to developing the whole child - academically, socially and emotionally. We honor every student’s learning needs and provide support for each child to access curriculum as well as to cultivate social connections that foster community and belonging. Our students establish relationships that provide joy and empathy for others, and most importantly, our dedicated staff helps to support the process of learning while having fun.
One of the most impressive features of Duveneck School is our community. Our robust Parent Teacher Association (PTA) orchestrates numerous community-building events throughout the year and our staff works hard to ensure that students have many opportunities to build friendships so no one feels left out or alone. Close to 60% of our students and their families walk or ride their bikes to school. Our students and families bring a wealth of multiculturalism, speaking dozens of languages as well as coming from many different countries in our world.
You may have noticed the picture in this section. The staff and students of PAUSD will become a community of "builders" this year through investing in service and celebrations on behalf of others. We will positively impact peers, colleagues, and the broader community through human interaction and connections free of judgment and full of joy. Programs, groups, and individuals will be routinely celebrated for building people up through their actions, words, and kindness. Our shared commitment to celebrating our builders will allow for multiple layers of people to contribute at every level. We, at Duveneck, are excited to celebrate and serve others this year.
We've had some staffing changes over the summer that I would like to share with you. Please welcome Ms. Kara Brahana, Speech Therapist, Ms. Katherine Aguayo, Occupational Therapy, Ms. Sherry Burton, Educational Specialist and Ms. Bonnie Foster, Counselor. Finally, we say goodbye to Ms. Stephanie Maples, our Spectra Art teacher. She will be teaching elsewhere and we wish her all the best at her new school. The district is currently in the process of hiring her replacement and I will let you know who that person will be soon.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter carefully because it is filled with very useful information to get you and your family acclimated to our school. The staff and I appreciate the partnership we have with you, our student’s families. It is because of this partnership, communication and collaboration that our students excel and thrive at Duveneck School!
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions that may arise - it is my honor to serve this amazing community.
Yours in Partnership,
Leslie Crane
Principal
On-Site Day Care
Kids' Club
Right At School
Class Placement Notifications
For Transitional Kindergarten families and Kindergarten families, we have set up "Meet & Greet' events on Wednesday, August 10.
- Kindergarten 'Meet & Greet': 10:00-11:00 AM, Kindergarten playground and Rooms 1 & 2
- Transitional Kindergarten (TK) 'Meet & Greet': 11:15-12:00 PM, TK Classroom, Room 4
Complete your Annual Update
If you did not completed the Annual Data Update (ADU) in the Spring, please do so as the ADU is a very important part of continued enrollment. It provides us with the correct information for our families as well as complies with proving residency annually. ADU Detailed Instructions
If you do not have access to a computer, please click here to make an appointment to complete the ADU on a district computer with district staff assistance.
Medicines/Immunizations
Medical Forms:
If your child takes over-the-counter or prescription medications, they cannot be distributed or brought to school until forms signed by a parent/guardian and your child’s pediatrician are on file with the School Office. All necessary forms are accessible through: https://www.pausd.org/school-life/health-wellness/health-services
For families new to PAUSD: Please check the Health Services website for important information about immunization requirements.
Please contact Cecelia Perez, Office Clerk, ceperez@pausd.org, if you are unable to access a printer and need paper copies of any needed forms at or call 650-322-5946.
Health & Safety Updates
PAUSD will follow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) as well as the Santa Clara County COVID-19 guidelines and protocols to keep our environment, students and staff safe and healthy on our campus.
COVID - 19 Testing
As per the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the District will no longer be providing surveillance testing. This means that only individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed should test. There will be two testing locations for staff and students who are symptomatic or have been exposed:
25 Churchill Avenue
Monday – Friday
8:00-3:00 PM
Cubberley Campus
4000 Middlefield Rd
Monday - Friday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
COVID - 19 Reporting
Schools will continue to report any cases using the same online reporting forms that were used last year.
Updated School Handbook & New Bell Schedule
School Meals Update
School breakfast and lunches will be provided this year at no charge to families. Please refer to the district's Food Services information on the website below.
PAUSD Attendance Policy
Daily attendance is critical to school success - every second in the classroom counts! Instructional time with your children is sacred!!
PAUSD Attendance Policy:
Every Student is expected to attend school daily, unless there is a valid justification for the absence (Education Code 48200)
Excused Absences
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Illness or injury verified by parent, guardian or medical professional
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Funeral of immediate family member (includes anyone residing with the student): 1 day in
state or 3 days for outside the state or country
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Medical, dental, COVID-19 related, optometric or chiropractic appointment verified by written note from medical professional
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Quarantine: Directed by a county or city health official
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Exclusions by school nurse: immunizations or lice (should take one day to clean up and only one day is excused)
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Approved participation in a school co-curricular activity in which the student represents the school or district
Unexcused Absences
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Running errands for family
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Vacations or trips
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Unverified illness
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Transportation problems
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Inclement weather
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Babysitting
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Any absence without documentation or note from parent, guardian or medical professional
Truancy
All absences must be verified within three (3) school days. Verification of student absences will only be accepted from doctors, other medical professionals, and parents/guardians, either by note, email, phone, or other electronic means. If verification has not been received within the three-day period, the absence(s) will be unexcused, and the student will be at risk of becoming truant.
What to Bring and Not to Bring to School
Duveneck does not have a School Supply List. Laptops and all necessary school supplies are provided by the school with support from our awesome PTA! Families can choose to shop for such personal items such as backpacks, water bottles, and lunch boxes/bags.
Personal Items from Home:
We strongly encourage students to leave personal items such as toys, trading cards, athletic equipment, stuffed animals, at home to prevent loss, theft, or damage and to promote equity at school. Parents/guardians will be notified about any specific requests to bring items from home by your child's teacher.
Any such belongings needed for after-school activities need to remain in your child's backpack or in the office during the school day. While students may have cell phones at school, in elementary school, communication with students is best conducted between adults, so we ask that student cell phones remain in the student's backpack or in the office during the school day.
Palo Alto Partners in Education
THANK YOU for your generous donations to PiE!
Donations of any amount to our education foundation, Partners in Education, or PiE, are also vital ways to support every student at Duveneck School. We simply could not continue to provide the level quality classroom, art, and music programs without the classroom aides and instructors that PiE funds! Please be on the lookout for PiE donation day events, or you can send a check to the office any day!
Donations to PiE in any amount count! THANK YOU!
Duveneck Elementary School
Email: lcrane@pausd.org
Website: https://duveneck.pausd.org/
Location: 705 Alester Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 322-5946