The Sunray
Sunset Elementary Newsletter
June 4th
Well, today is my Son's 21st birthday and while I don't get to spend it with him (he's studying abroad) it makes me think about all the peaks and valleys he and I have shared together over the last two decades. Absolutely zero regrets. In so many ways, it's a similar comparison to a typical school year. So much to be grateful for, so many friendships made, so many hurdles to get over, so many struggles, disappointments, victories, connections, high fives, smiles, tears, late nights, hugs and the list goes on.
As long as I have the opportunity, I will make an effort to teach kindness, but maybe even more importantly, it's the lessons we learn from being disappointed, from not reaching our goals, from being let down. How do we grow from those moments? It's not to accept that bad things happen but it's the reality that we can grow and get better when these things happen.
This year has been amazing. Taxing? Yes. Fair share of disappointments? Yep. But has there been growth? Every single day! This community is amazing and I will always appreciate the support. As a principal, I will continue to do everything in my power to foster a healthy school environment. I am committed to supporting all of our students when things don't go their way.
If you have not listened to this Andy Grammar song, and you have a few minutes, consider watching it. It helps to keep me focused on how we can move forward in the face of disappointment and how we can become better people.
Let's have a great last week! Gooooo Sunset!
Thomas Fletcher
Principal
Sunset Elementary School
Bright Sunrays (UVA)
Brand new"ish" news...
•Tacos w/Tom~ Look for an RSVP from the Sunset PTO. We will be meeting on Tuesday morning to have a brief Q&A and listen to the "State of the Union" for Sunset Elementary.
•Juneteenth Celebration~ Livermore Valley Arts is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 17th from 10am-4pm at the Bankhead Theater. There will be music, food, dancing, makers, art, and MORE! See attached flier.
•Livermore Library’s Summer Reading Program~ Encourage your student to participate in the Livermore Public Library’s Summer Reading Program from June 1 - August 16. All ages can register online. For more information visit the summer reading program website.
•Raptor Renewal~ Just like you will have to renew your child's information through InfoSnap each year, you will also need to renew your Raptor account. Raptor notified you through email 60 days out from 6/30/23 so that you can renew. Please do that. Sunset will need to approve those again and this can take some time. Fingerprints? We will have a list of folks who have been fingerprinted, there is no need to do those again if you did that this year for Raptor.
•Alameda County Fair~ The Alameda County Fair is offering FREE general child admission tickets for students grades TK-6. The flier is attached. To receive the free tickets, parents MUST purchase them by June 15, and use this link and promo code:
Promo code: :LVJUSDTIX2023
Limit 5 per household
•Breakaway Summer Camps~ The deadline is now. So that the team can plan and prepare for the week, we are asking that you sign up ASAP if you are planning on attending. We do still have room and the team is excited to provide an excellent experience. It will be held at Sunset Elementary and it’s run by some great teachers who work here in LVJUSD. See attached flier. Sign up here.
•Student Art Submissions for Bankhead Exhibit-Comic Crossing: The Art of the Graphic Narrative~ Students can submit comic art, manga, anime, and graphic narratives for exhibition in the Bankhead Theater lobby gallery. Deadline to submit is June 15, 2023. See flier below.
•Electronic Watches and Phones~ Board policy is very clear about students using electronic devices during the school day. If you are sending messages to your students, please know that it can be very disruptive to the lesson. We ask that you use the main office if the message is urgent.
Last Week Festivities for 5th Grade
Monday, June 5th~ Movie Mania
Tuesday, June 6th~ Field Day (All 1st-5th grades)/Boomers (11:30-2:30)
Wednesday, June 7th~ Fun with Class
Thursday, June 8th~ Clap out and Luau
LVJUSD Menus~
•June Menus
•School Calendar~ See next year's 23/24 calendar is here!
•Sunray Archive...See below
Dimmer Sunrays (UVB)
Not brand new news...
•LPAC Campaign~ As we prepare to complete the 2023 update to our district’s current 2021-24 Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP plan, we are seeking your thoughts and suggestions for how our district can best serve students and meet our three LCAP goals related to academic achievement, physically and emotionally safe learning environments, and parent and community engagement.
Watch this brief 3-minute video from our Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Melissa Theide to learn more about what the LCAP is and for an overview of what we are currently using LCAP funding for in our district.
•PTO Wave of Kindness~ Stop by the MPR the next time you have a chance and check out the really cool "Wave of Kindness" wall.
•Phonics Instruction/Sonday~ Sunset has adopted a school wide reading curriculum entitled Sonday. (Pronounced Sunday) It was created by Orton-Gillingham expert Arlene Sonday who carefully crafted the lessons to teach the essential components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) and it also includes a systematic spelling component.
As I have been observing Sonday lessons in classrooms, I am absolutely blown away by the level of growth and knowledge the students have of the English Language. In a 1st grade classroom this week students were correctly identifying digraphs and identifying consonant, vowel, consonant patterns. 3rd graders were explaining the difference between open and closed syllables and they also reminded me that the "g" and "c" sounds were soft when followed by an "i" an "e" or a "y".
There were example after example of high level phonological awareness that will absolutely translate to better spellers and higher reading fluency. It was exciting and if you know anyone who volunteers in the classroom, ask them what they have witnessed. It is encouraging. It actually can be a little discouraging as I realize how little I know about the English language. lol
If any of you are interested in looking into the Sonday program for some activities to do at home, I've attached some "Parent Empowerment Kits". Please know these are not required for you to use, but they are helpful for me. (A High School Civics teacher who did not teach reading)
Fading Sunrays (UVC)
News that's been around a while...
•Amazon~ Support Sunset with Amazon Smile. Did you know that Amazon Smile offers the same prices and selection as Amazon, BUT when you shop using Amazon Smile your purchases can benefit Sunset? How simple is that? You do your usual Amazon orders, but use the Amazon Smile program, and Amazon Smile will donate a percentage of your purchase to Sunset's PTO! Just follow the quick steps below:
From the Amazon Shopping app:
- Tap the Main Menu
- Tap Settings
- Tap AmazonSmile
- Follow the instructions on the screen to turn on AmazonSmile.
- Select "Sunset PTO"
From your browser, visit: "smile.amazon.com," login to using your amazon.com information, then select "Sunset PTO"
We use these three statements to reinforce our positive behavior with our students and would love for your help and support as we teach our students how to behave in all situations.
•PLEASE label your child's water bottle and/or lunch box with a first and last name. We have had several misplaced items with no name.
•The Sunset office is open Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm. If you have questions please do not hesitate to call us or stop by and speak to Julie, Colleen or Tara.
Calendar these dates!
6/5/23~ 5th Grade Movie Mania
6/6/23~ Tacos w/Tom (A "State of the Union Address" with the principal)
6/6/23~ 5th Grade Field Day/Boomers (11:30-2:30)
6/7/23~ 5th Grade Fun with Class
6/7/23~ New Kinder Orientation
6/8/23~ 5th Grade Clap out and Luau
6/8/23~ Last Day of School
Student LVJUSD Gmail Accounts
In accordance with security guidance, IT has updated student passwords to 9-digits. That means students with 8-digit student IDs will need to add a leading zero and students with 7-digit student IDs will need to add two leading zeros to be able to log in. Students with 9-digit student IDs or who had previously changed their password to a personal password were not affected.
If students need help, they can get help from their teachers when school starts.
PTO Website
FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
When can my kid start TK?
Check out the attached flier below.
When is the last day of school?
June 8th
What is the plan for 5th grade promotion?
Stay tuned....More info coming soon
Where shall I pick up my child? It would be wise to have a plan for pick up and drop off. Grades 1-5 get out at the same time this year.
Sunray Archive
Sunset Elementary School
Email: tfletcher@lvjusd.org
Website: https://www.livermoreschools.org/sunset
Location: 1671 Frankfurt Way, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925.606.5230