Knox News!
January 2019
Welcome to January!
Hello Knox Families!
Happy New Year everyone!!
December was a busy month on campus, filled with positive energy, exciting activities for students and lots of learning. Knox also received the wonderful news that we were awarded a $63,206.37 grant to improve our Knox library from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation! The grant will provide new books and furniture. As part of our grant program, all Knox students will visit the library with their Advisory class to check out books to support independent reading at home. We also just placed an order for new books that should be arriving shortly, as part of our $5,000 Barona Education grant we received in the Fall. We know that all of the support will encourage our students to continue to grow their love of reading. Knox has been extremely fortunate to receive approximately $185, 000 in grants since 2016 to support student achievement and facilities improvements! Learn more about our special grant projects here.
Last month, our AVID students took part in the Wild Wonders assembly to learn more about future career options and the path to becoming a vet/animal caretaker. This month our AVID students will be visiting Junior Achievement's Finance Park, where 120 Knox AVID students will learn about additional career opportunities.
The Knox ASB was busy planning a fun p2 Pep Rally as well as our first dance of the year. The picture above is from our p2 pep rally, where Advisory students decorated a festive sweater for their Advisory teacher to wear to the Pep Rally!
Ms. Valadez and our Knox musicians hosted multiple music concerts for peers and parents.
What an amazing job our Band, Orchestra and Guitar students did during their performances!
Our musical theater team has cast roles in our upcoming musical Annie, Jr. Last month, our theater students had the chance to see the musical Elf, Jr. in Ocean Beach. It was a great night out at the theater for our students.
Congratulations to Coach Brown, our Knox 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year!
As a reminder to all parents, the Semester comes to a close on January 25th. We encourage all parents to continue to check Power School grades and attendance to support our students. If you need your Power School Parent Portal password, please reach out to Ms. Kristen Ojetti (kojetti@sandi.net) our Knox Site Tech.
Supporting your middle school student with math at home:
National Council of Mathematics
Supporting your middle school child with math
Family guide for success in school mathematics
All Knox students will have nightly math homework. Homework is assigned from a math packet that is given to the students at the start of each chapter. Math tutoring is EVERY Tuesday in room S4 from 3:10-4:10.
Please check your child's planner nighty. They should be recording their homework assignments there.
Please log into Power School Parent Portal to monitor your student's grades.
Please mark your calendars for the 1:00 pm student dismissal on January 18th. We will be having our annual MLK March on this date.
Thank you for all of your support and collaboration!
Sincerely,
Principal Potter
GO BULLDOGS!!
AVID Wild Wonders Presentation
AVID Wild Wonders Presentation
AVID Wild Wonders Presentation
Winter Musical Performances
Winter Musical Performances
Winter Musical Performances
Annie Jr. has been cast!!
Jump Start Musical Theater Grant!
Math Update
Students have math homework every night!
English Language Arts Update
During the month of December, our 8th grade ELA team had the opportunity to join the 8th grade ELA team from Millennial Tech, as well as the ELA team from Lincoln High School for a vertical planning session. The teams collaborated to plan for implementation of reading and writing supports as part of our Gear Up grant partnership.
This month, all Knox students will take the 2nd aReading (FAST) assessment to measure student Lexile reading growth since September. Students will also complete a 2nd On Demand writing assessment in their English classes, as a way of monitoring student growth in writing.
To support school-wide literacy focus, our Advisory read aloud of Milkweed will begin when we return from break. Students will then participate in the Butterfly Project in their History class in early March.
We encourage all students to read for 20 minutes a night independently. Students can check out books during Advisory or lunch time.
Ms. Lapp has also started a guided reading group before school on Thursdays. The students are starting their next novel now. Please reach out to Ms. Lapp if you would like your student to take part in this special opportunity (elapp@sandi.net).
To support literacy at home, read articles together with your child online:
Helping your student with the Common Core Writing Standards
Our Knox focus for the year will continue to be engaging all of our students as readers and writers in all classes.
Current Units of Study:
8th Grade-To Kill a Mockingbird
Knox ELA teachers implement the Engage NY Common Core Curriculum in their classes. Please click the links above to learn more about what your student is learning in English Language Arts class.
School-wide Focus on Reading and Writing
Measurable Learning Targets
School-wide focus on writing
Strengthening our evidence
Attend our parent workshop on 9/26 to learn more!
Passwords were sent home on Friday 9/21 in Advisory and given at Back to School Night
Attendance Matters
We will continue to provide incentives to students that clear all of their missed days, showing responsible attendance!
At the end of the semester, ALL STUDENTS with no uncleared full day absences, will be entered into a raffle to win a FLAT SCREEN TV.
School is open Saturday and Sunday!
We are open this month on these weekend dates:
1/12
1/19
1/20
1/26
1/27
Each session will clear 1 full day absence and 3 tardies.
Happening on Campus this Month
1/7-School Reopens after winter break
1/9- 8:45 Parent Circle and Food Pantry
1/10- Parent computer class 10am room 15
1/18- MLK March- 1pm dismissal
1/21- School Closed MLK Holiday
1/23- 8:45 Food Pantry,Literacy workshop (Reading at home) in the Parent Room (Gear Up Coach)
1/24-Parent Computer class 10am room 15
1/24- SGT/SSC- 3:15 in S4
1/25- End of Semester 1
1/30-1/31- All AVID students to Junior Achievement Finance Park
1/30-Semester 1 report cards mailed home
1/31-Parent Computer class 10am room 15
Knox Brochure
Traffic Safety
Please remind your student to stay on the sidewalk when walking home from school. This is very important for student safety. Also, all students that ride bikes, skateboards, and scooters must have a helmet. In addition, students may not ride Bird scooters to or from campus. Per Bird Company policy, riders must be 18 yrs old.
SAVE THE DATE
January Lincoln Cluster Meeting
Monday, Jan 14, 2019, 05:30 PM
TBD
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Join our monthly parent events!
Knox Food Pantry and Parent Circle- Room 15
Translation will be available.
8:45-9:30 Knox Parent Room 15
9:45-10:45- Knox Food Pantry
Please bring your empty grocery bags.
Wednesday, Jan 9, 2019, 08:45 AM
Room 15 @ Knox
Knox Food Pantry and Parent Training (Literacy at Home)
Wednesday, Jan 23, 2019, 08:45 AM
Knox 15
Key Contacts At Knox:
Vice Principal- Angelica Hueso-Garcia- ahueso@sandi.net
Head Counselor-M-Z- Lori Watkins- lcruz@sandi.net
Counselor- A-L- Sherri Penaloza- sbaildon@sandi.net
Restorative Practices Coordinator-Jeff Ponsford- jponsford@sandi.net
Registration/Attendance-Leticia Alva Sanchez- lalvasanchez@sandi.net
Site Tech- Power School Parent Portal- Kristen Ojetti- kojetti@sandi.net
Admin Assist-Linda Dozier- ldozier@sandi.net
Parent Liason- Oneida Barrera- obarrera@sandi.net