The Grass Valley Way
Family Newsletter: MAY 2020
Upcoming Dates
- May 25 No school in observance of Memorial Day
- May 26 Chromebook Return & Materials Pickup for Students (9a-1p, Kinder/1st/2nd)
- May 27 5th Grade Promotion (11a, Zoom link TBD)
- May 28 Chromebook Return & Materials Pickup for Students (9a-1p, 3rd/4th/5th)
IMPORTANT: Picking Up Student Materials and Returning Chromebooks
Students/families may come to Grass Valley between 9a-1p on May 26 or May 28 to pick up student's materials from their classroom (pre-collected by their teacher) and return their Chromebook.
Returning Chromebooks
- 5th graders and students NOT returning to Grass Valley in Fall 2020 are required to return their Chromebooks on May 26 or 28
- Returning students - If you are NOT returning your Chromebook, please take good care of it over the summer and be prepared to continue using it when school begins in Fall 2020
Schedule - please only come on the day assigned to your student's grade level!
- May 26 - Kinder, 1st and 2nd grades
- May 28 - 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Materials pick up/Chromebook return process
- Families arrive between 9a-1p
- Families will remain in their vehicle
- Volunteer (in a mask) will come to the car window and ask for the name/grade of the student
- Volunteer will take student's Chromebook (if returning one) and bring to Technology station
- Volunteer will get students' materials from their class' table in the cafeteria
- Volunteer will give materials to student/family in their car
Option 1
to VOTE!
Option 2
Grass Valley Community Mural
Background of the GV Mural
Jamila Harris, a parent of a current Kinder student at Grass Valley, has been working this spring to engage our parent community in working with local artist, Keena Romano, to design a mural for our large outdoor cafeterias wall. We are so excited to show our Grass Valley pride and community spirit through this artistic expression.
Vote for your favorite mural design!
On May 26 and May 28 at Grass Valley, you will have the opportunity to vote for the mural design that BEST reflects our school community. Preview the two options above! ^^^^
Want to showcase your "likeness" on our community mural?
We are looking to showcase the likeness of 4 scholars on our community mural. Any Grass Valley student who is interested in having their likeness showcased on our mural as a representation of the amazing scholars that are a part of this community may work with their family to write a 250 word essay answering "What do you enjoy most about the Grass Valley Community?" Essays are DUE to Ms. Beckner by Friday, May 29.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When will school begin next year?
School will begin on August 10, 2020, as planned. The 20-21 school calendar can be found HERE!
When will we get report cards?
For elementary students, teachers will focus on the comments section for the final report card and not issue specific grades. Further details and updates will be posted at www.ousd.org/covid-19studentlearning. Report cards will be mailed at the end of May.
Unless this was a conversation your were engaged in with your child's teacher BEFORE school closure went into effect, we do not recommend retention and would never retain a student without a conversation with your family first.
How can my student continuing leaning over the summer?
Our OUSD funded Summer Learning with Springboard in currently closed for registration, With that said, Springboard is offering a very similar program for addtional students who are interested. If your scholar is NOT enrolled in OUSD's summer learning program, but you would like support for their learning this summer, you can enroll them here: https://www.springboardcollaborative.org/resources/district-solutions/.
How do I register my child for the 20/21 School Year?
If you have been offered a space in a class at Grass Valley for next year, make sure you go into the system and accept the offer. If you have not registered yet, please go into the system and register. We still have space some spaces, however, all registration is handled at the district. (Please contact us if you have any concerns. Our contact information for registration is below.)
Current/returning OUSD students - Aeries, May 11-June 17
Dates: Online registration (“Data Confirmation”) for these families should open in Aeries on May 11, 2020 and will end on June 17, 2020.
Note that registration in Aeries is called Data Confirmation.
Notification: Families with Aeries parent portal accounts will be notified by the Student Welcome Center during the week of May 11-May 15 that registration is open in Aeries. Families will receive an email sent to their parent portal email address.
The Grass Valley Way!
Self Regulating with Toolbox!
We are excited to use Toolbox at Grass Valley!
What is Toolbox?
Toolbox is a social-emotional learning curriculum that supports students in building concrete skills to help them self-regulate when escalated (ie. angry, anxious, disappointed).
What can you do at home to continue working on "self-regulation" with your Eagle?
Continue working with your scholar on understanding the Tools we have reviewed at Grass Valley.
+Breathing Tool - "the action of pulling and pushing a measuring tape in and out of its case can be a good way to think about slow, deliberate Breathing...it can help students slow down and self-regulate when they use the Breathing Tool." Ask your scholar:
- How are you feeling? What are you thinking?
- How do we then act/feel toward ourselves?
- How might we feel/react toward others?
- How can taking a slow deep breath help you when you are struggling?
+Quiet/Safe Place Tool - This tool is about learning to focus on a memory of our safe places, which triggers our body to relax. We ask children to locate both an actual physical place that feels good the them, and to create one in their imaginations that can be visited again and again. We teach them how to "go to" their quiet/safe place in their minds whenever the feel the need for comfort or to reduce stress. Ask your scholar:
- Talk about your own quiet/safe place
- Ask your students about theirs
- Ask your children to explain the Quiet/Safe Place Tool tag line, "I remember my quiet place," and the hand gesture that goes with it
- During times of stress, suggest that your children use their Quiet/Safe Place Tools
- What does it mean to actively listen?
- How do you listen with your eyes and heart?
- How do you feel when others DON'T listen to you? How do you feel when others DO listen to you?
A bit about Ms. Beckner...
I feel so excited and honored to have the opportunity to lead as a member of the Grass Valley community! This is such a vibrant and tight knit community and I look forward to continuing to get to know the many facets of it. As you get to know me, you will learn that I am very transparent, so please reach out with questions and communicate your needs, so that I can do everything in my control to support you in meeting the needs of the incredible young people we serve.
Email: casey.beckner@ousd.org
Website: https://www.grassvalleyousd.org/
Location: 4720 Dunkirk Ave, Oakland, CA 94605, USA
Phone: (510) 636-4653
Twitter: @GrassValleyOUSD