Whitney Avenue Wildcat News
4248 Whitney Avenue 916.971.7407
Secretary--Cassandra Robles Attendance Clerk--Yvonne Torres-Jordan Principal--Christina Allison
Principal's Message
Dear Whitney families,
March and April has brought more than daffodils for a busy Whitney Avenue as instruction and events are continuing full speed.
Moving forward, we are busy preparing to administer the CAASPP State test to all 3rd-5th grade students. We will begin testing Tuesday, May 3rd. It is very important to ensure your children are on time for school and well rested! This is the first time they will be taking the State test and we want to ensure they are prepared and ready for it. Thank you for your support!
As we enter the last trimester and focus on end of the year activities, we want to stress the importance of finishing strong!! We strive to ensure our students receive instruction and social emotional support until the last moment they are with us. Please help us make sure they are focused and attentive with us for the remainder of the year!
Communication is essential and we strive to connect to our students, parents and families, and community each and every day. We will continue reaching out to you with newsletters and text messages. We also encourage you to visit our website and follow our social pages including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @WhitneyElem for announcements, information, and celebrations.
Please reach out to Whitney Avenue staff, social workers, teachers, or myself if you needs any support. We are here to assist your student and family and will persist until we find the resources you need. We can't hide that Whitney Pride! Go wildcats!
As always, we wish to express our sincere gratitude toward our entire school community. We would not be the amazing school that we are without the help and support of all of you. Thank you and may you have a safe, healthy, and happy spring season!
Thank you all for everything that you do for our school.Take care and be safe!
Christina Allison, Principal
Whitney Avenue Daily Schedule
Please see below daily guidelines for the return to school:
What happens if my child becomes sick or has symptoms?


Whitney Avenue Office
Visitors are allowed on campus for official business in the office only. Now more than ever we ask that you call school prior to coming to set an appointment. We are hoping most questions, or support can be done over the phone, but if not we will set up a time for you to come to the site. We are here to support you Monday-Friday from 8:00am-3:00pm.
Phone Number: 916.971.7407
Attendance 24 Hour Line: 916.979.8589
Attendance email: WhitneyAbsence@sanjuan.edu
Principal, Christina Allison (christina.allison@sanjuan.edu)
Secretary, Cassandra Robles (cassandra.robles@sanjuan.edu)
Attendance Clerk, Yvonne Torres-Jordan (yvonne.torresjordan@sanjuan.edu)

Arrival & Dismissal Times
Safety in the Parking Lots


The pandemic has ushered in a new way of teaching and learning. From in-person to virtual to a hybrid learning environment (all in one school year!), our students have faced challenging, yet innovative times in their learning and development—and teachers have been at the heart of it all!
It's time to show them our love and appreciation so let’s give the teachers in our lives a special thanks for all that they do during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2–6. That’s because Teaching is a Work of Heart!
Teachers continue to show up every day from the time our children get off the school bus to the time they’re back home safely in our arms. While there have been many challenges along the way, educators across America are committed to ensuring our children have the tools they need to reach their full potential.
Times have been tough, but our teachers are tougher. Now it’s time to celebrate the daily sacrifices teachers make for every child. For many of them, teaching is heart work. Teachers do it all for the children and youth they encounter each year.
During Teacher Appreciation Month, we will honor them for going beyond the call of duty to make a positive impact on our children’s learning and development.
From the Zoom calls, text messages and PTA meetings, to the emails, parent-teacher conferences and work they review—teachers touch hearts of our students in a special way and make a lasting difference on their lives.
Please see the items below and show our Whitney Avenue Teachers and Staff some love May 2nd-6th. Thank you for your support!

Whitney Avenue Calendar

SJUSD Track Meet Friday, May 13th


May is Bike Month!


Help US Raise Some Dough!!
Join us for a fundraiser at Chuck E. Cheese on Friday May 6th from 3:00-9:00pm. Whitney will get 20% of the proceeds to use for student achievement!! We hope to see you there!

Lost and Found Needs your help!
May Character Trait: Accountability

Examples of Accountability
- Bringing Solutions To Problems. When you see problems, try finding solutions instead of complaining. ...
- Ensure Proactiveness rather than Reactiveness. ...
- Speak Up. ...
- Admit Your Errors. ...
- Accepting Criticism. ...
- Show Focus. ...
- Communicate Better. ...
- Show Up.

State Testing Begins on May 3rd for 3rd-5th Grade Students
What is tested?
Tests students’ knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics.
How are students tested?
The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments are computer adaptive. The online tests give students many different types of questions that allow them to interact with the test content. For some of the math questions, for example, your child might be asked to drag and drop things from one place on the screen to another or draw a graph to solve a problem. Computer-adaptive tests adjust the difficulty of the questions based on the answers that students give. As students answer questions correctly, they receive more challenging questions. Incorrect answers trigger easier questions. This helps keep the test short for many students and makes sure the scores are very accurate, especially for students who score very low or very high.Why are students tested?
Test results are just one piece of information about how your child is doing in school. Together with report cards and other information, test results help in understanding a student’s readiness for success in higher grades, college, and career. For students in grade eleven, these results are used by some colleges in California to decide how ready students are for college-level classes.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
You are an important part of your child’s education. Some things you can do to help your child are:
- Discuss the test with your child and make sure they are not scared or anxious.
- Tell your child that you and their teacher have high expectations and that you are both there to help them every step of the way.
- Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast before testing.
- Review test results with your child and discuss with their teacher where they might need additional help.
Visit the Starting Smarter website at https://ca.startingsmarter.org to better understand Student Score Reports, review practice questions, and access resources to support your child’s learning.
Save the Date---Open House is May 26th!!

San Juan Lunch Menu


Screen Free Week: May 2-8
We all need time to unplug. But with everything going around, what we all need around screens right now looks very different from family to family. Let's come together and celebrate however you can. Whether it’s by unplugging for one day, shutting off your phone at dinner time, spending more time outdoors, or taking the whole week to only use screens for work and school enjoying some serious offline fun! https://screenfree.org/
FACE'S "HELPING CHILDREN LEARN" APRIL FAMILY NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
Our monthly family newsletter, "Helping Children Learn", is available for download on our FACE website! These newsletters are available in three versions-- Elementary, Middle and High School. They are translated into Spanish, as well!
You can find the Newsletters here: https://www.sanjuan.edu/Page/5221


SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY & SJUSD PARTNERSHIP- STUDENT SUCCESS LIBRARY CARD!
A partnership between San Juan Unified School District and Sacramento Public Library allows all SJUSD students to access electronic resources with their student ID number. Students have already been enrolled and can begin accessing resources now by entering a library card number and a PIN.
Library card number: SJ and their student ID number. For example: SJ123456789.
PIN: The four digits of the year they were born which is on record. For example: 2013
Both of these items can be confirmed on Infinite Campus.
With the Student Success Library Card, students can:
● Borrow up to 30 eBooks or eAudiobooks at a time.
● Receive free online homework help in English or Spanish 7 days a week
● Access Language Learning software to practice over 70 world languages, including English
● Find practice tests, courses, and eBooks for SAT, ACT, ASVAB, and other major tests
● Access ebooks, newspapers, magazines, and primary sources with no wait
If students want to check out physical materials from the library, they can go into any library branch with a parent or guardian and have the Student Success account converted to a full library card. The parent or guardian will need to bring their photo ID and proof of address.
Student Success Library Card accounts will be kept private in compliance with all laws and regulations regarding both student and public library data. For further information, or to access the opt-out form, visit: www.saclibrary.org/studentsuccess
Superintendent's Parent Advisory Committee (SPAC)
Who are SPAC members?
Each school principal selects a member of their parent community to represent the school at SPAC meetings. The only requirement is that you are a current parent at the school you represent. Selections are made in the first few weeks of school. If you have an interest in serving on the SPAC, please speak with your school principal as soon as possible.
What do SPAC members commit to?
Members of SPAC should attend each scheduled meeting. Depending on the members' preferences, meetings may be held three to four times a year. Members are also responsible for taking the information shared at SPAC meetings back to their school site to share with staff and other parents.
Where can I access meeting agendas, minutes, and handouts?
SPAC meeting agendas, minutes, and other shared information can be accessed by clicking the links below:
2021-2022

ENCINA HIGH SCHOOL CLOTHES CLOSET OPEN TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES & COMMUNITY
Encina High school has a clothes closet available for families & community members in need! The clothes closet is open Thursdays from 1pm-4pm. If families can not make this time they can call Charlyn Perea to make an appointment. The number to call is 916-971-5891. See attached flier with more information.
Reminder: Whitney Avenue Book Boxes Here to Promote Reading
FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS NEARBY




