The Triton Tribune Parent Edition
Be Kind ~ Be Awesome ~ Make The Right Choices
Volume 3 ~ Issue 7 ~ August 30, 2021
Wonderful Triton Parent/Guardians and Students,
"No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking." ~Voltaire
As we end August, I want to congratulate all students who were nominated for Triton of the Week in the months of July and August. I have read all the nominations and have highlighted all students in the Triton of Week section below. Note that KINDNESS does not end because July/August are ending. We need to continue to be kind in everything we do.
This also brings us to our September Triton Trait: Growth-Mindset. Students, you are in the process of receiving your first progress report. Some of you will be ecstatic about the report, others will be ambivalent about it and another group will be upset about receiving bad grades. Regardless of what your grades are, your next steps will determine whether you have developed a growth-mindset. This is what I call the Power of Yet. "I don't have good grades YET." "I don't care about my grades YET." President Theodore Roosevelt said, "Believe you can….and you are halfway there." This progress report is NOT the end of your journey; it is only the beginning. Your response to this report will determine if you are moving forward, staying put or moving backwards. If your grades are not what you hoped they would be, take time to reflect on what needs to happen on your part because that is within your control. Create a plan and move forward. In the Academic Progress section below, there are opportunities for you to solidify or improve your grades. Read through that section as you create your plan for success.
Now that we have been in school for six weeks, we have been observing an issue that concern us. We have observed that many students are not maintaining appropriate boundaries and situations have arisen where bullying and harassment, especially sexual harassment have been reported. I have dedicated a whole section below on Bullying and Harassment. Sexual harassment is considered a Title IX compliance matter. Please read with your child as these acts are considered some of the most serious offenses in schools according to district policy and state and educational laws.
This Thursday, September 9, I will be hosting a Virtual Coffee With the Principal, one at 10:00am and one at 6:00pm. Please join me on TEAMS (see below).
We finally have a Robotics Coach, Ms. Conchas-Hererra. If your child is interested in participating in Robotics, please email her at tanya.conchas@sweetwaterschools.org. You can also complete this interest form. We will have an informational meeting soon.
Finally, please read the newsletter in its entirety as there are many pertinent information regarding school for the next two weeks.
Let's have a wonderful week!
Mrs. Finley
Students and parents, below are two slides that briefly discuss what sexual harassment/bullying is as well as what the district's guidelines are regarding bullying and any form of harassment. These behaviors are unacceptable anywhere but especially in schools and our staff is committed to being proactive and vigilant in addressing this issue.
According to district policies, bullying and harassment are serious acts that have strict consequences: suspension or expulsion or police charges depending on the severity of the act. Additionally, if you use your mobile devices to promote these acts such as sending pictures that include nudity, for example, you could potentially be charged with child pornography distribution.
In my 30 years in education, I have observed that outcomes of such acts, if proven, are never good for any student who becomes involved, as the consequences are often severe. Here is a typical scenario. A parent/student reports a sexual harassment/assault incident. Administration investigates. If proven, we determine the degree of involvement for every student involved, which could include evidence of the actual acts, child pornography distribution (typically via a mobile device), unwanted sexual actions, leering and continuous bullying of the victim. In addition to the district-mandated consequences, the police might be called in. The police then conduct their own investigations. They will determine if their investigations warrant the case being forwarded to the district attorney's office. Moreover, I have seen a few cases where the district attorney has decided to prosecute. My own investigations have led me to recommend expulsion of students because of these acts. The few times that I have had to present cases involving these acts to an expulsion committee, they have been heartbreaking for the students and their families.
Students, these are not joking/playing/laughing matter. Daily, I remind you to act safely. I remind you to keep your hands to yourself. I remind you to be kind, to be awesome and to make the right choices. Many of you will tell me that you are just playing but bullying and harassment are not playing; they are serious and cause harm.
Parents, I am asking you to be vigilant about your child's mobile devices. Many of these acts occur on social media, DMs and text. Most importantly, have a conversation about this topic with your child especially when it comes to reporting. Many victims stay silent because they are ashamed and they are afraid of retaliation.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to talk about this matter early in the year but it must be done. My team and I will work very hard to mitigate these incidents but we cannot do without your help. Let us be united in our diligence to provide a safe and positive culture at ELM.
Students, make it a habit to talk to your teachers about your grades. They are the best individuals who can give you advice on how to improve your grades. Also, if you have not logged on to Jupiter Grades, you need to start doing that as soon as possible. Remember, if you have missing assignments and you submitted them, they might not be graded right away.
Parents, if you have not logged on to Jupiter Grades, please follow the steps in the image below. I sent you an email on Saturday that looks like the image below.
Additionally, 7th grade math tutoring is available (See times below). The library is also open from 7:15am - 8:00am for you to have a study place. It is open Mondays - Thursdays.
Some of you may still be struggling with technology. Genius Bar is now open for technology support. Mr. Torres is the teacher who will be providing that support. Please complete the request form by clicking on this LINK or see image below to scan the QR code or us the bit.ly URL.
Pooled PCR Testing by Concentric @ ELM
Triton families,
If your child is a close contact of a self-reported C-19+ individual and is unvaccinated, Concentric will be on campus on Tuesday and Friday from 10:00am - 3:00pm to conduct Rapid Antigen Tests.
Starting next week, if your child is participating in baseball, girls and boys basketball and cross-country, they will need to get tested with Concentric on Tuesdays and Fridays in order to practice and play.
To get started, please fill out the consent form with your permission to perform a COVID-19 pooled test for your student at ELM. This process should take no more than 5 minutes to complete using a computer or a smartphone.
- First, click here (https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent).
- Then, enter this access code: [SWEETWATER-ELM]
- Finally, enter your child’s information, and you are done!
Note: If you have more than one child, please complete the process once for each child.
For more information, visit Concentric by Ginkgo’s website or reach out to Mr. Nafarrete at mendel.nafarrete@sweetwaterschools.org
Available SUHSD Testing Sites
Coming soon, the district will be offering routine COVID testing program for all students at ELM. Additionally, we will also be offering close contact testing without leaving campus. Please refer to the image slide below.
In the meantime, the district will continue to offer Rapid Antigen COVID testing, in partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU) and Communities Fighting COVID, at various campuses throughout the week.
This week's site testing schedule is:
- Monday: 650 L Street, Chula Vista, CA 91911
- Tuesday: Granger Junior High School
- Wednesday: 650 L Street, Chula Vista, CA 91911
- Thursday: Southwest Middle School
- All sites will operate from 9:30am-12:30pm with a pause for lunch and reopen from 1:00pm-3:00pm.
Click on this link to register for testing. Or you can scan the image in the flyer below.
For the month of August, the testing calendar will be posted on the district’s COVID website here: http://www.sweetwaterschools.org/covid-19-information/#rapidcovidtesting
We are so excited for the new school year and ask for your continued help in keeping all students and staff safe by wearing your mask, washing your hands, getting vaccinated and getting tested.
Eastlake Middle School
Email: easter.finley@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: elm.sweetwaterschools.org
Location: 900 Duncan Ranch Road, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619.591.4000
Twitter: @erfinleysd