Vista Views
November 28, 2018
Principal's Message
We are entering that time of year during which the gift-giving can drive any parent crazy. We are running to the mall, spending hours on Amazon, or picking up the house for the next special event. It can seem like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. I'm going to add one more thing to your list because it is the perfect time of year to teach our children the importance of showing gratitude and appreciation. Here are a few simple activities for you and your family to share:
- Write a Gratitude Postcard, thanking a neighbor, family member, or teacher for their kindness or selflessness.
- The large amount of gifts that are exchanged over the next few weeks makes it difficult to keep up with thank you cards. You might want to consider keeping a Thank You Box filled with fun notecards (Dollar Tree is the perfect resource). Teach your child how to write a short, three sentence note of appreciation and make it a habit before playing with the newest toy.
- Appreciation Balloons are a fun way to show gratitude for family members. Write one sentence appreciation statements on small pieces of paper. Roll them up and place the notes inside of balloons. After inflating, write the name of the recipient on the balloon. Take turns popping the balloons and reading the notes.
- Make Thank You Cookies for your dentist, doctor, or childcare provider.
- Use Sticky Notes to thank family members for an act or attitude that you appreciate. No matter your age, it's wonderful to open a briefcase or lunchbox to a colorful note filled with love.
- Make a Gratitude Jar the centerpiece of your dining table. Keep pieces of paper and pens close by so that both children and adults can write something they are grateful for. Begin or end dinnertime by each person reading one thankful thought from the Gratitude Jar.
- We are all fortunate to have so much. Encourage your child to use her own money to purchase a gift for someone in need. Alta Vista's Girl Scout troop will be setting up a Family Giving Tree donation box on Thursday. Stop by the office to find out how you can make the season a little brighter for others in our community.
- End the day by Sharing a Book that emphasizes gratitude. Some exceptional titles include Thanks a Million (Nikki Grimes), The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein), Those Shoes (Maribeth Boelts), and Gratitude Soup (Olivia Rosewood).
This is the perfect time for me to say how much the Alta Vista staff appreciates your kind words and ongoing support. Thank you!
News & Information @ Alta Vista
RECLASSIFICATION CELEBRATION TONIGHT
Tonight, Union School District is celebrating the reclassification of our English Learner students who have met the criteria be be designated as fluent English speakers. We will be recognizing the success of fifteen Alta Vista students tonight in the Dartmouth Middle School cafeteria at 6:00. Congratulations to our hardworking Cougars!!
FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT - 11/29 (TOMORROW NIGHT)
Come and join us on Thursday for "Science in Wonderland". The Children's Discovery Museum will use the story of Alice in Wonderland to inspire a variety of exciting learning adventures. The fun begins at 6:30 as the cafeteria is transformed into a Wonderland of Scientific Exploration.
Children must be accompanied by an adult to participate in this event.
We need your help to make the night a success. Please sign up to volunteer by visiting http://bit.ly/FamilyScience2018 or emailing Mrs. Bergman at bergmanc@unionsd.org.
ALTA VISTA STAR PARTY - 12/5
We are excited to invite you to take a closer look at the stars Wednesday, December 5th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM on the Alta Vista black top. You’ll peer through high‐powered telescopes provided by the knowledgeable volunteers of the San Jose Astronomical Association and learn about our night sky. We'll have a great view of Venus and the moon hanging out together, nebulae, open star clusters, and double stars.
First and fifth grade families are especially encouraged to attend since this event directly supports the grade level Next Generation Science Standards’ (NGSS) unit, Earth and Space.
Amateur stargazers with telescopes or high-powered binoculars are invited to bring their equipment to share with the Alta Vista community. Please plan to arrive before 6:00 to set up your telescopes.
Please check here for tips for the evening. We look forward to sharing this special event with you.
WALK N' ROLL TO SCHOOL SUCCESS!
Despite air quality issues, we saw many of you participating in Alta Vista's first Walk n' Roll kick off during the days leading up to the Thanksgiving Break. Families were walking, riding, scootering and carpooling to school - keeping our streets safe and helping to save our environment.
Participating students received a raffle ticket and the following winners were selected:
Kindergarten: Rob S. & Rhea V.
First: Bryson E. & Mira P.
Second: Luke T. & Safa Y.
Third: Claire K. & Joseph H.
Fourth: Bradley H. & Olivia S.
Fifth: Kiya W. & Ashkan S.
The winners will be announced on Thursday morning.
A special thanks to all of our volunteers and especially to Dylan Drew for his help and support!
AVHSC DINING NIGHT OUT - 12/11
Take the night off from cooking, grab your family and friends, and join us at Super Duper in Los Gatos on Tuesday, December 11th from 5-10pm. Mention Alta Vista and 20% of the profits will be donated back to the Alta Vista Home and School Club, meaning back to your students directly. Hope to see you there!
BE SEEN AND HEARD ASSEMBLIES
On Thursday, December 13th, Alta Vista will host a series of Be Seen and Heard© assemblies. They are presented in the interest of student safety and will address the dangers of child sexual abuse, the differences between a safe and unsafe touch and a safe and unsafe secret, the importance of voice, and identifying trusted adults. The topics are scaled to be appropriate for each grade level, and previews of the material can be found at the links included in the flyer below. Parent information nights will be held on December 3rd and 4th - details are included the the flyer.
As a parent/guardian, you have the right to determine whether or not your child attends this assembly. If you DO NOT want your child to attend the Be Seen and Heard© assembly, please complete, sign, and return the opt-out information on the attached flyer to the school office.
Computer Science & Coding @ Alta Vista
First
Second
Our second graders enjoying their learning unit on bats. Their cross-curricular study included literacy and science activities.
Coming Events
11/28 - English Learner Reclassification Celebration (6:00 @ Dartmouth)
11/29 - Family Science Night (6:30-8:00)
12/3 - Fifth Grade Science Camp Information Meeting @ 11:00
12/6 - Second Grade Field Trip to History Park (8:45-12:45)
12/5 - Alta Vista Star Party (6:30-8:30)
12/10 - Alta Vista presents at the Union School District Board Meeting @ 6:00
Union School District Winter Break December 21st through January 6th
Alta Vista School
Email: baileyc@unionsd.org
Website: https://altavista.unionsd.org/
Location: 200 Blossom Valley Drive, LG
Phone: 408.356.6146
Twitter: @TeamAltaVista