Banta Unified School District
February Update 2024
Kinder and TK Registration is Open February 1st!
We are registering incoming TK and Kinder students starting next week! Please call the school office if you have any questions!
Superintendent's Corner
As a kid, I loved the month of February! Aside from Groundhog’s Day and my birthday, it was the month of Valentine's! When we were young, my mom always had us make valentines for our classmates. Doilies, construction paper, glitter, and glue would cover our kitchen bar as my sister and I cut out hearts and made intricate Valentine creations! I remember the sense of pride I felt bringing my works of art to school. My teachers always oohed and awed over the glittered hearts as I inadvertently showered their classrooms with sparkles!
Valentines, though, also meant having to work in my dad’s flower shop. Valentine's Day was big business and meant all hands on deck! Hundreds of dozens of roses would be delivered Valentine's week, and each rose had to be scraped of leaves and thorns. Sitting in the back of my dad’s shop, I would scrape thorns from roses, one at a time. It was tedious work– and, aside from the radio, it was boring work, but it had to be done. I remember scrapping as fast as I could and barely keeping up with the designers as they made their beautiful arrangements for the big day!
Working in the flower shop taught me the meaning of hard work. It taught me that sometimes the tedious and monotonous jobs are the most important. It also taught me the value of earning a dollar and that the people working in the background, the ones that you do not see, are some of the hardest-working people in the company.
Schools, I have learned, are a lot like flower shops. There is a lot of work happening in the backroom to ensure that our programs are exemplary. From the office preparing for registration, the teachers planning lessons and planning for valentines, the kitchen staff preparing 1000's of meals a week, the compliance person working on the countless state reports, and the custodians patching up leaks and keeping our facility clean, everyone's efforts are helping us maintain a sense of normalcy on our campus.
Speaking of hard work– our students and teachers have diligently been preparing for the state exams this year that will take place this Spring. We are working on concepts, analyzing past scores, and ensuring that all students have what they need before starting state testing! We know that our students will take what they have learned and do their best on their tests!
But the lives of our students are much more than test scores and grades. We know that students succeed best when they feel safe, loved, and supported. Hopefully, the success students feel academically, socially, and emotionally throughout their school years continues as they leave our classrooms each day and live as positive citizens in our community.
With that in mind, we’re going to work hard to do well on our State Exams. We’re going to make our Valentines and use lots of glitter and glue, and we’re going to try to recognize all of those who work hard each day to make our school district a wonderful place to be.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Dr.. Pearlman
My dad
Flowers
My mom and Dad
Important Dates for February
Feb 5th - Parent, Faculty Association (PFA / DLAC / LCAP) 5 PM
Feb 8th - Family Science Night 5 PM - 6:30 PM
Feb 12th – No School
Feb 14th – Valentine’s Day
Feb 16th - Family School Dance (Tickets on Sale Now)
Feb 19th – President’s Day – No School
Feb 23 - Early Release
Mar 1 - Report Cards go home
March 4 - Read Across America Day
March 6 - Mustang Award Assemblies
PFA/ DLAC / LCAP Meeting
Next Meeting: February 5th
5:00 p.m.
Please join us at our monthly parent and staff meeting!
The Principal's Playground
Discover Your Missing Treasures at Lost & Found - Your Lost Items' Second Chance!
Whenever I see a discarded item - whether it is trash or a child's forgotten lunchbox - I instantly hear my mother's voice, "Tabatha! Please pick up after yourself. You're leaving a trail of a mess!" I grew accustomed to her constant reminders, most of which are embedded in my consciousness. Now as an adult, picking up trash or returning a forgotten item left out at recess is a natural reflex. Taking pride in our school by keeping it clean goes beyond the aesthetic benefits, however. We must work together to clean up after ourselves everywhere we go - on the playground, at recess, in our classrooms, and the cafeteria.
After all, our school is the space we spend the majority of our waking hours, so it is more about a shared responsibility for our school and our surroundings. I urge you to help keep our campus clean and remind others to do the same. Remember - Always leave a space better than you found it!
Parents, our Lost and Found is overflowing! The Lost and Found bin will be accessible every Monday to sift through in hopes that your child's missing items are found. Let's make an effort to reunite students with their belongings and teach them the value of responsibility. Your assistance in keeping the Lost and Found organized will not only save you from having to replace lost items but will also contribute to the overall cleanliness and orderliness of our school. Thank you for your cooperation in making our school environment a better place for everyone.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Maxie
Transitional Kindergarten Questions and Answers!
What is Transitional Kindergarten?
Transitional kindergarten (TK) bridges the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten years. It is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that has been implemented in California for children who are not old enough yet for kindergarten but want to build their social, developmental, and academic skills.
TK classrooms are taught by a multiple-subject credentialed teacher and the TK curriculum is based on the California Preschool Learning Foundations and the Kindergarten Common Core Standards. TK is offered at select SFUSD Early Education Schools and elementary schools.
Who is eligible for Transitional Kindergarten (TK)?
According to a new state law, more children will be eligible for TK this school year!
For the 2024-25 school year, TK is for students who will be turning age 5 between September 2, 2024 and June 2, 2025. (California law requires that children be age 5 on or before September 1 of the school year to be eligible for kindergarten, and age 6 on or before September 1 of the school year to be eligible for first-grade.) See the age chart below.
Students who complete TK will be required to apply for kindergarten the following year
How to Apply for Transitional Kindergarten?
Interested parents should contact the Banta school office (209) 229-4650 or the Banta District Office (209)229-4651 for information on registration. Registration forms will also be available by February 1st on the district webpage. https://bantaesd.sharpschool.net/
For the 2024-2025 School year, if your child will be..
School Calendar 2023-2024
Character Counts -Pillar of the Month- Integrity
Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that we admire since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It means having "wholeness" of character, just as an integer is a "whole number" with no fractions. Physical objects can display integrity, too — if you're going over a rickety old bridge that sways in the wind, you might question its structural integrity
Banta Family Dance - Friday, February 16, 2024
Nurse's Corner
Healthy Habits February
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children with obesity has continued to rise over the past two decades. Some of the reasons this is concerning are:
· Increased risk of being bullied, social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem
· Higher risk for having other chronic health conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea, bone and/or joint problems, and Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
What can you do?
+ Balancing Calories: helping kids develop healthy eating habits at a young age.
+ Encourage healthy eating habits
+ Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products
+ Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products
+ Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein
+ Serve reasonable-sized portions
+ Encourage your family to drink lots of water
+ Limit sugar-sweetened beverages
+ Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat
+ Help kids stay active
+ Children should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week, preferable daily. Remember that children imitate adults. Try starting by adding physical activity to your own daily routine and encourage your child/children to join you.
6th Graders It's Time for the Tdap!
Dear Parent/Guardian:
As your student prepares to enter 7th grade in the upcoming school year, it is important that they are up to date on all of their immunizations. As required by the state of California, your child will need to provide proof to the school that they have received their Tdap Booster immunization prior to entry into 7th grade.
If we do not have documentation of this immunization, unfortunately, we will not be able to place your child on a class list come the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Please note, there have been no extensions granted by the state due to COVID-19 and the TDAP requirement remains in place.
Please provide proof of your child’s Tdap immunization to the school no later than June 2, 2024.
Food Service
Banta Elementary is excited to add and try new menu items this school year. Some new items we have introduced include Spicy Buffalo Pizza, Chicken Fajitas, Fiesta Stuffed Pizza, Holiday Shaped Nuggets, Jello, Breakfast Sandwiches, and Taco Hummus. The kids have shown excitement for the new items. Banta has also committed to 40% scratch cooking beginning the 24-25 school year, so you will be seeing new items leading up to the transition.
If there is a favorite item you would like to see on the menu, please send me an email with your student’s favorite items to Jaanderson@bantasd.org.
The Librarian's Corner
Greetings Banta Community and Happy New Year!
It has been a busy winter in the library with lots of fun activities and more to come!
December was short and busy with lots of holiday activities and stories. Kids got to learn about how different holidays are celebrated around the world. Ms Delgado’s class got the honor of helping to decorate the library for the season. In addition to all the other December excitement, we had our first book fair of the year. Kids had fun, coming in and looking at the books, and all the fun writing accessories. Thank you for all your help making that a success in raising funds for new books at our school. Special thanks to Lettie for all your help working the event with me and making it a success!
January was filled with fun activities that kept the kids on their feet! Movement activities like our mock snowball fights and scavenger hunts had them exploring all parts of the library. Our upper grade classes also got to have some competition fun with our Library Jeopardy game, where they got to learn about different types or books and parts of the library as well.
We also got a small library grant for additional books, plus some donations came in. By the end of February, I am expecting to have added over 200 books to the library collection for students to enjoy!
We are so grateful for all the help we get at the library. Be it helping to raise funds through the Book Fair, our Birthday Book Club, Donors Choose, and even donating books and supplies for the library and volunteering. It means so much to the students and every bit helps us to make the library a fun, inviting space for kids to learn and grow. If you want to learn more about how you can volunteer or help the library out, please feel free to reach out to the school. I would love to meet you and share what we are doing!
-Mrs. Eichele
Parent, Faculty Association/ DLAC / LCAP
In our monthly meetings, we actively share ongoing academic successes and needs for all students, especially those learning English as a second language.
Meeting Days and Time Mondays from 5:00 - 6:00 pm
● February 5, 2024
● April 15, 2024
Child Find
Consistent with Federal and State regulations, the Banta Unified School District engages in ongoing “Child Find” services to locate, identify, and evaluate all students with disabilities residing within its jurisdiction. We will provide appropriate special education services to students who qualify. If you know of a child who is 2 through 21 years of age who may have individual needs that result from disabilities or developmental delays, and who is not enrolled in a school program, please contact NelLaine Kilgore, Director of Special Education, at (209) 541- 9992.
Co-Ed Volleyball Season is Underway!
Banta Unified School District officials are taking proactive measures to help lower Covid-19 outbreaks. In addition to providing every student at Banta Elementary School with a free at home Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test kit, the school is also serving as a Covid test site for San Joaquin County residents. Residents can make an appointment or walk-up to get tested by county health officials inside the tent that is located in front of the school multipurpose room Monday through Friday during business hours. For more information go to: https://sjready.org/events/covid19/testing.html