We use the information from these assessments to understand student learning across our school and district. Results tell us how our students are doing and how we can direct instructional change and professional development to improve our efforts for our school, subgroups of students and individuals.

Parents can help their students in several ways. First, help them with a healthy perspective. Encourage your child to do their best and to put in extra effort when questions are difficult. Remind them these are not high stakes tests, but just one of many ways they show what they're learning. Affirm your child for their efforts to be ready, focused and persistent in each subtest.

Help them prepare by scheduling a good night's rest and routines to stay hydrated. Make sure your child has a good breakfast and a healthy snack during testing. Please refrain from making appointments during our testing so student can take tests with their peers. Testing times will vary by classroom, so check with your child’s teacher for their schedule. If you have specific questions about the tests, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher or Mrs. Stanger.

The plants in our new east courtyard garden are doing really well, but so are the weeds! Please consider spending some time one week pulling weeds. Try signing up with a fellow Sycamore family to make it fun. Click here to sign up and for more information

This year's Outdoor School has a cost of about $160 per student, and we've 66 students attending. We will meet that commitment through community donations and those of our sixth grade families. Cash or checks will be collected in the school office or donations can be made through Zelle at SycamoreDonations@gmail.com. We thank you for giving in any amount.

Don't forget to submit your child's pictures for the sixth grade memory book!

Use this link to upload one picture of your child for the "Baby Faces" collage. It should be labeled with your child’s name.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eThgr7eHMI--cT7_NrFxW6bFcl3C5FZM?usp=sharing

Submit three to four “Through the Years” pictures of your child and their friends from kindergarten to sixth grade.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15lWNyztewNCkvu79ZLqwVSWMRjasoxbv?usp=sharing

We thank you for your help in making the end of year special for our sixth graders.

Restaurant fundraisers offer a nice way to meet up with a Sycamore friend while earning a bit of money for our school. Enjoy fresh fruit or donuts on Monday or a salad, sandwich, pasta or pizza at Pizza N'Such this Thursday 6th graders will be helping out, too!

• Pizza N’ Such - May 5th, May 12th
• Pepo Melo/Nosy Neighbors - May 2nd, June 6th
• Honeybird - June 16th

The Claremont Educational Foundation's SLICE of Summer program will offer online, in-person and hybrid summer enrichment for grades Kindergarten through 12th. Offerings include Sports Fun Camp, Speech & Debate as well as College Essay Writing for college bound students. CEF partners with the University of La Verne to offer Tech Ed for 7th to 12th graders and STEM Center USA to provide hands on STEM camps for Kindergarten through 6th grade. In-person classes will be held at El Roble Intermediate School. Visit www.supportcef.com/slice to review SLICE offerings and descriptions. Register soon, space is limited!

This school year has been full of change, and recent changes are especially sweet. It's been so nice to have volunteers back on campus. College students are joining students at recess. Presenters, guest readers and Publishing House volunteers on site. Volunteers are in the courtyards, the library, and the classroom. Last night, we enjoyed a community Garden Party. Being together fills our sails as we go into the final weeks of the school year.

The month of May is a time when many pause to thank school staff. This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6 is School Lunch Heroes Day, and CUSD celebrates both Classified and Certificated staff over the first two weeks of May. I'd encourage you to talk to your child about the staff members who help them at school. As they think through their day, they may recognize the staff member who helps them cross the street or get their snack. They may think about the person who helps at the ball wall or opens their milk during lunch. They may thank their teacher, the custodian, the office staff and you. One thing we know very well is that we are all vital members of the same team. We thank you for recognizing school staff during the month of May. This Wednesday, the Spirit Committee of our school will honor our staff with a luncheon. We sincerely appreciate this thoughtful and delicious treat! Thank you!

(Under current protocols, volunteers need to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 and must check in at the school office.)

Jeff DesCombes asked me to extend a thank you to our students and community members who have extended condolences. As you know, Lis DesCombes, our school's librarian, passed away in late March. Many students wrote remembrances of Lis, and those were shared with Jeff and the family. You may also want to reach out to the DesCombes family and share a story or a picture of how your child was positively impacted by our dear Lis. You may drop notes at the office or email them at Thedescombesfamily@gmail.com. An obituary will be shared in the Courier soon.

Registration for CUSD Summer Day Camp has filled. You may submit your name for a wait list. If you are interested in enrolling, please register online at https://www.ezchildtrack.com/claremontusd/parent

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Child Development Office at (909) 398- 0373.