Dear Parents,

Welcome back! It was so rewarding to be greeted by happy, smiling faces last week when we returned from our break! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your family! We look forward to this second part of the school year with you and your children.

We are excited to announce the addition of a Special Day Class (SDC) teacher, Ms. Melanie Gilson-Diaz. Ms. Gilson-Diaz will be serving some of our students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in addition to our Resource Specialist, Michaela Carter. This program is a new addition to our school and will be held in Room 20.

Friday, January 20:

• Fridays: Wear Purple!
• Coffee with the Principals, 8:40am, Elementary School

Monday, 1.23-Thursday, 1.26:

• Give Big Dine and Donate at Cook Restaurant (St. Helena), 11:30am-8:30pm (10% of the proceeds are donated back to Give Big)

Friday, January 27:

• Spirit Day, "Snow Day" - Grab your mittens and beanies and come dressed for the winter!

Tuesday, January 31:

• ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) via Zoom, 6:15pm

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8499641680

Meeting ID: 849 964 1680

2.1: PTG Meeting, 5pm, Elementary School

2.7: School Site Council Meeting, 3:15pm

2.10: Principal Coffee Chat, SHPS, 8:30am

2.15: ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) Meeting (Reclassification Ceremony & Parent Texting Celebration/Dinner), 6pm

2.16: Possible School Recovery Day (No School)

Friday, 2.17 & Monday, 2.20: President's Holidays, No School

2.23: Special Needs Parent Support Group, 5:30pm, Rm. 14 (childcare provided)

3.29: SHPS Open House and Spring Concert, 6pm

4.3 - 4.7: Spring Break

4.27: DÍa del Niño (Day of the Child) Celebration, 6pm

We are becoming a certified Blue Zone School, which ensures a more healthy environment for all students! Teachers will be getting information to you about Valentine's Day plans, but we encourage parents NOT to send in candy with their children. Cards and other trinkets are welcome!

We are excited to announce that we will begin composting and recycling all food and containers (milk, cardboard boats for food) at school beginning on January 30th. We are looking for any adult volunteers who would be able to help during snack and lunch (10-10:15 am) and/or (12-12:15pm) at the trash stations, to help students properly disperse their food waste. Please contact the front office if you are willing to volunteer or register on the link below.Even one day per week would be appreciated!

Starting February 10th, we will be accepting application packets for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten for the 23.24 school year. You can access the pre-registration packet on our school website or come into the office for a paper packet.

We ask that all registration packets be returned by April 28th.

Children turning five between September 2, 2023 - April 2, 2024, are eligible for TK.

Any child turning five on or before September 1, 2023, is eligible for Kindergarten. We also invite you to attend a Parent Information Night on Wednesday, March 22nd at 6pm in the Barn. We'll also be holding Campus Tours on Friday, February 24th at 3:15pm and on Tuesday, March 21st at 4pm.

Each afternoon, our students attend "Language Club". This is a time when our English Language Learner students receive English Language Development instruction, and our English Only (and Reclassified English Language Learners) receive enrichment or intervention. Mrs. Gott is working with a group of 2nd-grade students on a school newsletter. Below, please find a slideshow of the first edition!

Our schoolwide focus for the month of January is Self-Control. In February, we will be learning about Empathy. Each week, we recognize students for positive behavior by giving them purple tickets. Each Friday, students from each classroom are chosen as the purple ticket winners (those students who have exemplified the focus skill of the month). We announce their names over the loudspeaker and Mrs. Montelli, our School Librarian, delivers a special pencil and eraser to them.

If your child tests positive for COVID-19...

• They need to stay home for at least 5 days.
• Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the day a positive test was performed, whichever comes first.
• After day 5 you can retest every day. Your student may return once they are negative (we will need a photo of neg test before returning). If you decided not to test, the student/staff can return after 10 days.
• Any student who has had a fever must be fever free for at least 24 hrs with improving symptoms. They can return to school if this is the case.

If you need help signing your child up for baseball, please stop by the office and ask to speak with Ms. Rocha. Scholarships are available! Boys and girls can play baseball! You can also sign up on their website below!

If you have any used baseball/softball equipment (cleats, helmets, gloves, etc), please drop off in the office. In a few weeks, we'll host a "shopping day" for parents to come to get items for their children who are playing!