The Triton Tribune Parent Edition
Be Kind ~ Be Awesome ~ Make The Right Choices
Volume 2 ~ Issue 6 ~ August 31, 2020
Amazing Triton Students and Parents and Guardians,
"You cannot tailor make the situations in life, but you can tailor make the attitudes to fit those situations before they arise." ~Zig Ziglar~
For many of you and our teachers, Monday, 8/31 begins a day of juggling even more activities at home as many have children who will be starting school in Chula Vista Elementary School District. As a parent of children who have already graduated from school, I can't even imagine the scenarios that must be playing your minds about how tomorrow will function. Imagine the family who has two working parents at home and to school systems to attend. Imagine the teacher who has to teach and has children that attend two school systems. Imagine the single parent who has children and has been afflicted with COVID. These are only three of endless realities that families are facing right now. We did not choose these new realities and it has been challenging to respond positively because these are all stressful situations. But I encourage you to persevere, to be joyful and to be resilient and to think positively. We are a lot stronger than we think. And if it seems hopeless, ask for help. Our community, including the school, is a place where we can find support and solace in these times.
So I hope that as your start your day tomorrow, I hope that you know, ELM is here to support you. To our ELM families who will have other children start school tomorrow, we wish you the best day possible. We are thinking of you!
Below are information that are significant to Week 5 and beyond.
Upcoming Changes in the Daily Schedule
- Monday, 8/31 and Tuesday, 9/1 will be asynchronous instruction for all periods. This is our district's efforts to support CVESD first day of school. Please refer to the first slide below to know how teachers will be taking attendance. Students, you are responsible for completing the work for each period in the next two days.
- Labor Day Week - Monday, September 7 will be an official school holiday. Consequently, the schedule for the week has been changed to accommodate this holiday. Please refer to the first slide to know the schedule for the week.
- Friday Schedule was increased by 10 minutes and starts at 8:20am. In order to be compliant with SB 98's requirement of the 240 daily instructional minutes during distance learning, the Friday schedule was changed to meet that requirement. Please refer to the second slide that shows the new schedule. This change is effective Friday, September 4.
ELM Restorative Practice Parent Referral Form
As the school year moves forward, we know that there are students who are struggling. One of the ways in which we support students is to provide opportunities to connect with adults in school who are not their teachers. Ms. Quinn serves as our Restorative Practice Teacher. She is available to support your children, especially to hold conversations with them that can provide guidance on how to be successful in school. Below is a video that we shared during Open House regarding this support. If you feel your child needs this additional support, please click on this link to complete the referral form.
Tritons of the Week Nomination
Every week teachers have the opportunity to nominate students whom they have observed embody the Triton of the Month. This past week, three students were nominated. Please read the slide below on why they were nominated. Congratulations to Matthew Grimaldi, Nicholas Wise and Matthey Rollbusch.
Attendance Policy - How To Clear Attendance
Please read the information below on Attendance. We have created a general clearance form for all absences. ELM staff has now adopted a uniform policy on how to take attendance during synchronous instruction, even if your children misses it due to technical issues. Please go over that new protocol with them. Also, if you have additional questions about an attendance that has not been cleared in the last three weeks, please email our attendance clerk, Ms. Corona. Her email is danielle.corona@sweetwaterschools.org. Here is the link to the ELM Attendance Clearance Form.
Lunch Application
If you qualified for free or reduced lunch last year and have yet to renew your application, please scroll down the newsletter and find the directions on how to apply this year. Even if you don't think you qualify, I encourage you to apply as every year, the income threshold for the application changes.
ASB Activities
Please read all the slides that pertain to ASB. This Thursday is our first Spirit Day of the year - Throwback Thursday. Students, let's participate and submit lots of pictures. Click on this link to submit your comparison photo.
Additional Support
- Genius Bar Teachers Support Form: Parents if your children are still experiencing technical support in sofware and other applications for the classroom, please have them fill out the support form [link] so that a teacher can call them at the end of the day.
- Navigating the ELM Website: Our most under-utilized support is our website, which contains a lot of information to support your children's educational journey at ELM. At the end of this newsletter is a video on how to use this resource.
Below are slide and video information that are pertinent to the week. They appear in this order:
1. Upcoming Schedule Changes
2. Revised ELM Virtual Daily Schedule
3. ELM Restorative Practice Parent Referral Form
4. August Triton Trait: Kindness
~Try A Little Kindness by Brad Paisley~Tritons of the Week Nomination
~Kindness Quotes
5.Yearbook Request for Summer Activities
6. Attendance Policy - How To Clear Any Absences
7. Lunch Application Information
8. ASB Activities Announcement
~ThrowBack Thursday Spirit Activity
~ELM Spirit Gear on Sale
~Purple Pride Club Announcement
9. Genus Bar Teachers Support Form
10. ELM Technology Support Line
Finally, please refer to the website for updates. We update it on a daily basis.
Let's have an amazing week!
Mrs. Finley
In the advent of distance learning, a new protocol has been established to ensure that students are not marked absent due to technical difficulties. If students do not complete the new protocol by 3:00pm of that day, then parents will have to follow protocols for clearing absences.The protocol is listed below. It is also posted on the website.
How To Clear Absences
- Absences are to be cleared in writing with a parent note or physician/medical note. Notes needs to have student’s name, date of the absence, reason for the absence, and parent/guardian/medical provider’s name and signature.
- Blanket excuses, or notes without a reason provided for the absence will not be accepted: e.g. “Please clear all my student’s absences.”
- Absences must to be cleared within 30 days.
- To clear an absence, click on this link to access the clearance form.
How To Clear Absences as a Result of Missing Synchronous Instruction
- The student must email the teacher via Jupiter Grades by 3:00pm of the same day.
- If a student misses that window, the protocol for clearing absences must be followed.
2020-21 School Year Lunch Applications for Free or Reduced Meals
In order to receive free or reduced lunch, all students must complete a 2020-21 lunch application. If you received free or reduced meals last year and have not renewed your lunch application this year, services to you may have already stopped. To make sure that you have secured this support, please complete the lunch application using one of the methods below.
1. Complete the ONLINE lunch application in your Campus Portal.
- This is the preferred method.
- Click on this link to access Campus Portal
- Click on this link to access the PowerPoint Tutorial on how to complete the application.
2. Complete the PAPER lunch application.
- Contact Dr. Adams for a paper copy. Click on this link to email her.
- Click on the link on how to complete the paper application. English [link] Spanish [link].
If you have completed your application and you have been approved, you will need to obtain your child's barcode. To create a student barcode from your Campus Portal, please click on this link to follow the instructions on creating a student barcode.
Throwback Thursday Spirit Day: September 3
Here is an opportunity for you to participate in Spirit Days. Our first Spirit Activity is this coming Thursday, September 3 called Throwback Thursday where you submit a before and present photo of you. For example: A picture of you starting school this year compared to when you started kindergarten. To submit your comparison photo, please click on this link. I cannot wait to see your photos.
Order Your Spirit Gear Now - Purchase Deadline is September 7
Purple Pride Club Announcement
Eastlake Middle School
Email: easter.finley@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: elm.sweetwaterschools.org
Location: 900 Duncan Ranch Road, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619.591.4000
Twitter: @erfinleysd