October Cougar Trails
Greg Ko, Principal, gko@cv.k12.ca.us
Vannoy Elementary
Email: cheuer@cv.k12.ca.us
Website: https://www.cv.k12.ca.us/vannoy
Location: 5100 Vannoy Avenue, Castro Valley, CA, United States
Phone: 510 537-1832
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vannoy-Elementary-School-139292102776055/?notif_t=page_user_activity
President - Gary Howard
Vice President/Clerk - Jo A. S. Loss
Trustees - Monica Lee, Dot Theodore, Lavender Lee Whitaker
Superintendent: Parvin Ahmadi
Principal: Greg Ko
Vannoy Parent Club President: Gloria Strasburger, vannoypresident@gmail.com
A Word From the Principal
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,
October is here, and we are excited for the upcoming fall events and change of seasons.
It was very nice to meet many of you at our Welcome Back Party at Rowell Ranch. I was excited to see many new parents at the event. Thank you to Raquel and her team for organizing.
The past week, we have witnessed devastating fires in Napa County. There have been loss of lives, businesses, and lives have been disrupted. In these times, it is important to recognize and be grateful of our own situations, but also be ready to mobilize efforts to support members of our larger community that is in need. Stay tuned as we will be working to identify and organize a support drive that our students and families can participate in the next few weeks.
!! School Safety – Drop Off and Pick-Up !!
Remember to drive safely – slowly and focused. We have had more close-calls in recent weeks. Follow our procedures and leave 5 minutes earlier.
Our Fall Festival is around the corner on October 27th. This event is always a fun event that involves a lot of volunteers. Please see more details below and use this link to sign up as a volunteer. Fall Festival Signup
Veteran's Day Recognition
We would like to recognize all Veteran's on November 7th at our Cougar Call. We will have special student performance, the Pleasanton Veteran's of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6298, Pleasanton American Legion Post 237 presenting Colors. Please let me know if you will be attending as a Veteran.
Regards,
Greg Ko, Principal
Fall Campus Clean Up is Coming Saturday, October 14th!
The hours of Campus Clean Up will be 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 14th. We hope to see you there!
Do you want to be a Volunteer?
Vannoy Fall Festival - Friday, October 27th from 1:35-4:30 p.m. Don't Miss It!
All of this fun requires lots of volunteers. At this event, volunteering is half the fun! We even have alumni students come back to Vannoy just to volunteer. So if you would like to help out and get in on the fun, go to bit.ly/vannoyfallfestival and sign up.
If you have any questions, please contact our fearless Fall Festival leaders, Maria Kaneshiro and Jenn Escoto at vannoyfallfestival@gmail.com
Fall Festival Costume Parade Guidelines
- Students will bring their costume with them to school on the day of the parade.
- Students will not be allowed to change into their costumes until after school.
- Keep the costumes simple because there will be little time to change.
- It is best for Kindergarteners to come back to school already dressed in their costume.
- Weapons, face painting, masks, goggles, helmets and/or anything that impairs vision will NOT be allowed (please save these for at home)
Parade:
- Students will be given time to change into their costumes immediately after school.
- Kindergarteners will need to come back to campus by 1:30 pm if they're participating in the parade.
- Students will line up in their classrooms and be escorted into the parade line.
- The parade will begin at 1:45 p.m. and will take place on Vannoy's track. All parents and spectators are asked to view the parade from the back field.
- Immediately following the parade, students will be escorted back into their classrooms, where parents will be asked to pick them up and take them to the Fall Festival activities.
Costume Contest:
- During the parade, students will be judged on their costumes. Costume contest winners will be awarded for the following categories: Best Original Costume, Most Hilarious Costume, and Most Crafty Costume
- Costume Contest Winners will be announced during the Fall Festival at 2:30 p.m.
- Costume Contest Winners will receive a special goodie bag with many great prizes!
Parental Interaction with Students/Parents
Safe PE Classes
We ask that when your child is injured or sick, they have a note from home or the doctor stating the problem and how we should limit their activity. We are looking forward to a fun year filled with fun and fitness!
Promoting Good Attendance
Attendance is essential to school success, but absences - excused and unexcused - can quickly add up to academic trouble. Chronic absence - defined as missing 10% of the school year (about 18 days per year), or just 2-3 days every month - can translate into 3rd graders unable to master reading, 6th graders failing courses and 9th graders dropping out of high school. Low-income students, who most depend on school for opportunities to learn, are especially harmed when they miss too much instruction.
In order to monitor and support positive attendance for all students, the following letters will be sent home for the following reasons (California Education Code 48260):
3 Unexcused Absences: 1st Truancy letter - This serves as a reminder to the parent/guardian to address the student's attendance issues to avoid possible future truancy. (Student conference at middle and high school)
6 Unexcused Absences: 2nd Truancy letter - A student Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting is conducted to address ongoing attendance issues with Principal or Assistant Principal, Counselor, Parent, and Student. (An Attendance Contract is created)
9 Unexcused Absences: 3rd Truancy letter - A Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) meeting is held at the District Office. This is a truancy mediation program mediated by the County's District Attorney or probation officer, and/or juvenile court. Also in attendance are the Student Resource Officer (SRO), District Personnel, School Administrator, Parent and Student.
Excessive Excused Absences - after 11 excused absences, a doctor's note is required for every subsequent absence. When there is no doctor's note, the absence becomes unexcused and truancy letters will be generated.
Tardy Arrival - three unexcused tardies equal one day of truancy. Excessive tardies (excused or unexcused) will also generate truancy letters.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Missing 10% (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
WHY POSITIVE ATTENDANCE MATTERS:
Who can read at Grade Level after 3rd grade?
- 64% of kids with good attendance in Kindergarten and 1st (Missed 9 or fewer days both years).
- 17% of chronically absent in K and 1st (These kids missed 18 or more days both years!).
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Everybody plays a role in ensuring children attend school on time and regularly. Below are strategies for parents/guardians.
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine. Depending on the ages, most kids need roughly 9-11 hours of sleep per night.
- Choose clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- When lights go out, that includes cell phones, video games, and computers.
- Make getting students to school on time each day a top priority.
- Don't let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and can not be a reason to stay home.
- Avoid medical appointments or extended trips when school is in session.
If you are concerned about your child's frequent school absences, please contact Mr. Greg Ko at gko@cv.k12.ca.us for assistance.
For more school readiness tips and info, visit: AttendanceWorks.org
Please Be on Time!
Please remember:
School begins promptly at 8:05 a.m. for Kindergarten students and
at 8:10 a.m. for Grade 1-5 students.
Children arriving past this time must go to the office to get a tardy slip - no exceptions. Please make every effort to get your child to school on time. Students who arrive late miss important instructions for the beginning of the day.
Please remember to pick up your child on time.
Please make every effort to pick up your child after school on time - especially on Fridays when we release the students an hour early. We understand that sometimes emergencies arise but there is no structured supervision for your child after school hours. Please call the office at 510-537-1832 x 0 if you will be late picking up your child.
Vannoy's Emergency Plan
We will be participating in California's Great Shakeout on October 19th. If you would like to be an observer and advisor, please contact Mr. Ko.
We prepare for the following Emergency Actions:
- Evacuation - When it is unsafe to stay inside, students are evacuated from the buildings. This may be due to a fire or an earthquake or other dangerous situations.
- Lockdown - When it is dangerous to have students outside of the classroom, teachers will lock the classroom doors and keep the students inside. This may be due to a swarm of bees on campus or other dangerous situations.
- Shelter in Place - When there is a threat of an airborne chemical threat, it may be necessary to shelter students from exposure. Students remain inside, windows and doors are closed, and the ventilation systems (air conditioning/heating) are turned off.
- Go Home - It may become necessary to release students from school because of utility failure (water, etc.), flooding, or other unforeseen circumstances. The following is the procedure we will follow in the event we would need to release students.
Student Release Procedure
- School Personnel would begin to contact parents/guardians to notify you that students are being sent home from school. (If your phone number changes during the year, be sure to contact the office so we can update the emergency card information.)
- Adults who are picking up student, must check student out through the office (or student release center set up outside the office if the office has been evacuated.)
- The adult must be listed on the student's Emergency Card or Disaster Information Card. (If the adult is NOT listed or does not have valid identification, the child cannot be released to him/her).
- The Office will radio our runners who will then bring your child to you. Teachers will not release students to parents or adults directly.
- All gates, except the front one, will be locked.
Our release procedures include a sign-out procedure and verification of the authorized persons picking up students.
Off Campus Assembly Area
In the event that we should need to leave our school campus, our OFF CAMPUS ASSEMBLY AREA is the Cull Canyon Recreation Area.
Radio Stations - In the event of a major emergency, the following radio stations would be broadcasting information:
KCBS - 740 AM (415) 765-4112
KGO - 810 AM (415) 982-4664
Our staff and students will be practicing these procedures during the year so we will be prepared for any emergency we might have. Our Parent Club is always accepting donations to replenish our emergency supplies. The complete Plan is available in our School Office. If you should have any questions, please contact our school office at (510) 537-1832.
Please Sign in at the Office . . .
Castro Valley Community Alliance
The Community Alliance is a collaborative group of Castro Valley community and educational leaders, students, and families advocating for compassion, understanding and acceptance. We will leverage all available resources in our community to help ensure Castro Valley community members, including students attending schools in Castro Valley, are valued, welcomed, respected, supported and are provided the best opportunities to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.
Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) serves a diverse community with a rich history and dynamic members from across the globe. Students and families bring with them a variety of cultures, religions, experiences and languages. This diversity strengthens our community. CVUSD works diligently to ensure all students enjoy a safe, inclusive learning environment that encourages healthy academic, social and emotional development. CVUSD’s motto is “ALL means ALL.” ALL means ALL is the philosophy at the core of the Community Alliance and drives the work of the group.
● We partner with members of the broad, diverse Castro Valley community to engage in the shared effort of supporting every student’s success in school and in the community. The Community Alliance and CVUSD will engage in a comprehensive approach to build partnership in our community. CVUSD will host meetings of the Community Alliance to develop and plan activities to support our diverse community. The Community Alliance has planned the following steps to begin its work.
The Community Alliance will:
● Attend middle and elementary school walk-through registrations to connect with parents and inform them of the Community Alliance.
● Attend CVHS’s Back to School Night to connect with parents and inform them of the Community Alliance.
● Visit every school in district the first two months of school to let students know we are here to support them.
● Have a presence at community events, parent meetings and in the media to share our message of ALL means ALL.
● Celebrate diversity with multi-cultural community events.
● Plan community conversations in partnership with the County’s Human Relations Commission.
● Provide a series of parent and community workshops.
● Support the District Student Leadership Alliance. The District Student Leadership Alliance will produce a video and presentation to advocate for compassion, understanding and acceptance.
How can you be a part of this effort?
The Community Alliance is seeking partners to support the work outlined above. Opportunities for participation include:
● Become a Community Alliance member.
● Attend Community Alliance events.
● Attend Community Alliance trainings and workshops.
● Post and share information about the work of the Community Alliance.
● Follow the CVUSD Facebook page & Twitter feed.
● Help us develop a Community Alliance media presence.
For more information, contact Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi at superintendent@cv.k12.ca.us
Parent University
Our children and adolescents are developing right before our eyes, continually changing and feeling their share of growing pains! As parents, we often wonder what’s the best way to handle a situation or if our child’s behavior is normal. A great place to explore these questions with other parents and some really helpful educators is Parent University!
Castro Valley Adult & Career Education invites parents, grandparents, educators, and caregivers to its 6th annual event, scheduled for Saturday, October 21st. Participants will attend an inspiring morning of workshops on a wide selection of topics, such as “Parenting Adventures in the Digital Realm: From Surviving to Thriving,” Growing Readers for the 21st Century,” and “Managing Teen Stress”. Visit https://vimeo.com/189861375 to see a brief video of last year’s event.
See a complete course listing in the Castro Valley Adult & Career Education Fall brochure and also on the website at www.cvadult.org.
***** Help Needed! *****
1) Need a parent to help put together shelving storage units
2) Parent interested in working with the district's Equity Task Force. Discuss and share ideas for equity work in CVUSD and at Vannoy.
3) Drone with a camera for aerial picture and operator.
4) Music Matters our new music program needs diverse parents to share knowledge about special traditions and rituals as they are building their music lessons focused on different cultures.