Charger Weekly Update
Update #27
Friday, March 22, 2024
A Note from Ms. Marchant
Dear Charger Families,
The WALK-A-THON was a resounding success! It provided a unique opportunity for our Charger community to unite and support a common cause. We were delighted that the weather was on our side, and the pink shirts added a vibrant touch to the event. The joy on our students' faces was truly priceless. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers and participants who made this event memorable. The food and treats, as always, were a delightful highlight.
On March 20, Dr. Gallagher hosted a student luncheon, a crucial event where your children's voices were heard. The purpose was to share the six-year strategic plan draft with student leaders from all 10 SSD schools. Your children's perspectives are invaluable in shaping our future. They reviewed SSD's Promise, Portrait of a Sunnyvale Learner, Goals & Measures, Signature Strategies, Equity Statement, and Our Core Values. I had the pleasure of taking Maayan and Lena with me. They were not just present, but highly engaged in the conversation. Both students were perceptive and articulate, and they shared their points of view clearly. I am very proud of them! Please check out the SSD Facebook page to see our students in action.
March is Arts Education Month, a time to celebrate and foster an appreciation for the arts. The SCCOE’s Young Artist Showcase is a prestigious annual event in Santa Clara County. It offers students in TK-12 a unique platform to submit their artwork to be featured in the state’s largest curation of youth artwork. This year’s theme,' The Arts are Culture!', encourages youth to explore their imagination through art and understand its role as a cultural expression and belonging space. The deadline to submit artwork is April 1. We encourage you to inspire your children to participate and learn more at https://sccoe.to/youngartistshowcase.
Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our student's success. We want to reassure you that our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and partnership are not just words but the guiding principles of everything we do. Together, we can support children's best interests and ensure a nurturing and inclusive environment.
Best Regards,
Gloria Marchant-Principal
SimpliScience
Hands-On-Science
We've transformed a vacant classroom at Cherry Chase Elementary into a vibrant science hub. Here, every K-5 student has the exciting opportunity to delve into science regularly through hands-on experiments and exploration. It's a place where our students can actively apply what they've been learning in the classroom, guided by their teachers and using the SDD Board-adopted science curriculum, Mystery Science.
We are thrilled to be the Trailblazers, the first elementary school in Sunnyvale to have a structured science program. In the academic year 2023-2024, we embarked on this exciting journey, where every K-5 student at Cherry Chase now visits the Science Activity room weekly for 30 minutes, engaging in SimpliScience hands-on activities. These activities reinforce theoretical concepts, ignite curiosity, and foster a love for science.
This year, SimpliScience has worked closely with teachers to learn and modify as we learn from implementing this program for the first time. We look forward to continuing to build a rigorous science program at Cherry Chase Elementary. This couldn't have happened without the combined support of the PTA, site leadership, and staff. Site funds and PTA funds provide funding for this program. PTA supports this program with an annual contribution of 51K. We hope to continue to provide this program next school year, and we need the continued support of our community and PTA.
Emergency Drills
Response to Emergencies
Sunnyvale School District sets emergency drill requirements for all schools following the Education Code and best practices in emergency response. Drill scenarios include fire, earthquake, lockdown, and Run-Hide-Defend. All schools complete the drills and then conduct a debrief to collect feedback on what would improve the response. Please mark your calendar with these dates:
April 23, 2024
Fire Drill 2:15 pm
May 16, 2023
Fire Drill 12:50 pm
June 18, 2024
Fire Drill 9:00 am
Fire drills last between 5-7 minutes
Earthquake drills last between 5-10 min
Run Hide Defend/Lockdown lasts between 30-40 min
We recommend you talk to your child about emergency preparedness and why we prepare and conduct drills.
Also, I hope you have a family emergency plan in case of a natural disaster or other disasters. It is always a good idea to be prepared for anything. Here are some links that can help you get started.
https://www.ready.gov/be-informed
https://speaker.asmdc.org/earthquake-preparedness-checklist
https://www.earthquakecountry.org/sevensteps/
https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/California-Earthquake-Risk/Personal-Preparedness
Friday Flag Assemblies
We hope you have enjoyed our Friday Flag assemblies. Below is the schedule for the upcoming Friday flag assemblies through the end of April:
- March 29: Mrs. Pierik's Kindergarten Class-COM
- April 5: Mrs. Holland's Kindergarten Class
- April 12: Mrs. Lindsey's Kindergarten Class
- April 19: Spring Recess-No School
- April 26:Mrs. Song's Kindergarten Class-COM
Cherry Chase Elementary Calendar-Important Dates
Calendar of Events
Here is the link to the 2023-2024 Cherry Chase Elementary Calendar. As we prepare for another exciting academic journey, we want to highlight some important dates and upcoming events:
MARCH
March 22: Friday Flag Assembly-WAT Announcements at 8:15 am
March 22: Walk-a-Thon and Auction
March 25: Starting Arts Rotation #4 Starts-6 Weeks
March 29: Friday Flag Assembly and COM at 8:15 am
APRIL
April 1-12:
April 15-19: Spring Recess-No School
April 22: Back to School
5th Grade Only:
The 5th grade GDSH Instruction Window is from Monday, May 6, to Friday, May 31, 2024.
The 5th grade GDSH Instruction Information Night for parents/caregivers is via Zoom on Monday, 4/8, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. You do not need to attend this meeting, but you can join and share the link with families.
https://sesd-org.zoom.us/j/99501238574?pwd=YjJsblRsaHlNT2VYNzB4TVh6SHY2dz09
Webinar ID: 995 0123 8574
Passcode: 152383
Interpretation will be provided for Spanish-speaking families.
Food Services
The SSD menus will continue to be updated each month. The updated monthly food menus can be found using this link.
Update from Food Services
We have heard from some parents that the cafeteria is running out of lunch options, and their child is not eating lunch because the option they wanted was unavailable. We want you to know that food is available free of charge for all students every day. The cafeteria staff works diligently and has never run out of food, resulting in students not having food available. They also make sure that there is always a vegetarian option available.
We also want to clarify that when the preferred meal is out/unavailable, some students choose not to eat because they do not want or like what is available. Parents, we need your support. If you know your child is a "picky eater," please pack them a snack or food if you think they may like something other than what is being served in the cafeteria to ensure they eat throughout the day.
Attendance Policies and Procedures
Please remember that school starts each day at 8:15 a.m. The gates open at 8:00 a.m., and we encourage all of our families to drop off their students early to avoid traffic.
We will lock the gates at 8:15 a.m. Students arriving after 8:15 a.m. should come to the office for a tardy pass before going to their classroom.
If your student is absent from school for any reason, please report your student's absence by calling the office at (408) 522-8241 or emailing cherrychasefrontoffice@sesd.org. In your message, include the following information:
- Student Name
- Parent Name
- Teacher Name
- Grade Level
- Reason for Absence
Thank you for communicating with the school that your child is absent!
Walk-a-Thon-Friday, March 22, 2024
WALK-A-THON!
What a fantastic community event.
We want to thank all the volunteers for their support and dedication to making this event a success.
1138 Heatherstone Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 522-8241 Main Office/Attendance