Banta Unified School District
December 2022 Update
Please take a moment to answer a few questions on our annual LCAP Parent and Community survey. Your input helps us improve our school and our programs. https://forms.gle/CjnUKwJFSgYg3rvTA
Superintendent's Corner
December is my favorite time of year. I love the lights, the sparkle, the cookies, and the season's magic. I love the smell of pine trees and how the whole house seems to shimmer in the evening light. I love the constant holiday music, mall Santas, and the Hallmark Channel.
More importantly, I love how people take time out of their busy schedules to be thoughtful and think about others. I appreciate the sense of community, a sense of caring about others, and a sense of giving back that people have during this season.
When I was a very young teacher, I met Donna Boyd. Donna was an outstanding kindergarten teacher, she taught down the hall from me, and over time, she taught all of my children. Donna had a big personality, would light up a room with her laughter, and could get strangers on the street to donate to her worthy causes.
When I was young, I did not fully understand Donna. Although we were fierce friends, I did not understand why she rang bells for over 100 hours each year for the salvation Army. I always took a shift or two, but 100 hours! I did not understand why she drove around town with care packages in her car and would frequently pull her car over and spend half an hour talking to a homeless person while delivering her care package. Donna also collected and washed hundreds of coats and blankets yearly for Tracy Interfaith ministries.
Donna helped spearhead our food collection each year, and with her help and encouragement, our school always filled the food bank's shelves. Donna adopted families at Christmas, bought school supplies for children she didn't know, sent shoes to hurricane victims, walked for the Cure, and went without such others had what they needed.
Many years back, Donna created an organization called Santa's Helpers. The premise of the organization was to recognize middle school students in need who showed great character at school. Over the years, hundreds of local students have been awarded the Santa's Helpers recognition and were able to purchase Christmas gifts for their families, all from Donna's fundraising efforts.
When I was having a hard day, Donna's classroom, with its colored macaroni, direct a draws on its walls, and bean plants in the windows was my refuge. I loved listening to her stories about kindergarteners, the things they would say, the stories they would tell, and of course, there was always a poop story. I always left kindergarten laughing!
Donna's been gone for over seven years, and I can not help but think of her around the holiday season. She taught me how to be a better teacher and a better mom, and she reminded me that one day I would miss all the hustle and bustle of driving three kids across town to sports practices. She taught me that a lab puppy could eat anything, including a couch and a Santa costume, and that giving back to your community is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.
I wish you the very best this Holiday Season. I hope you can take some time for your family, and perhaps you can follow my friend Donna's example and help out someone less fortunate than yourself.
I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Banta District office to you and your family!
Mrs. Pearlman
Breakfast with Santa!
Santa Claus arrived a little early this year at Banta Elementary School when he visited the students for the annual Breakfast With Santa festivities on Dec. 3 in the school multipurpose room.
PFA/ DLAC Meeting
Next Meeting:
Please join us at our monthly parent and staff meeting! January 18th!
Principal's Round up
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop
The holiday season is here and I am excited to welcome the holiday lights and warmth that comes with it! The holiday season is the perfect time for everyone to soak up some cheer.
During the month of December, our Banta Mustangs will focus on the Character Counts Pillar of Caring. This is the time to show kindness, empathy, charity, giving, and thankfulness. Be grateful for the things people do for you – no matter how small. Forgive the shortcomings of others. Don’t be mean or cruel to others. Be sensitive to the feelings of others.
Kindness is being friendly, generous, and considerate. Affection, gentleness, warmth, concern, and care are words that are associated with kindness. Being kind often requires courage and strength. Kindness is an interpersonal skill.
Empathy is the ability to sense and understand the feelings of another person. It is not the same thing as feeling sorry for someone, because sometimes when we do that we are looking down on that person. It is important to work on our empathy skills. Nothing makes another person feel better than to know someone understands them.
Charity is giving your time, money, support and comfort to make someone’s life better. Do this without thinking of what you will get in return. Help people in need.
Children can learn that one of life’s greatest satisfactions comes from giving to others and that each person’s talents and skills should be shared through service to others. Rather than waiting to be asked, look for opportunities to respond positively to the needs of others without the expectation of reward.
Thankfulness is being grateful for the many gifts and blessings that we do have. Be willing to share them with others. True happiness can only be found when we are truly content with what we do have. When we are thankful we feel a sense of peace with ourselves and others will want to be around us more.
Here's to wishing you all the joys of the season and happiness all throughout the new year.
Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Maxie
2022-2023 School Calendar
Character Counts -Pillar of the Month- Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Banta students make merry for holiday contest
The second graders of Teacher Kathleen Jackson have been chosen to compete in the San Joaquin County Office of Education Holiday Card Art Contest. The Banta students are among eight randomly selected classes to participate in the contest. There are two classes from each of the four grade categories, TK-4, 5-8, high school and SDC, in the competition. The art created by the students will be considered to be featured on the SJCOE’s official holiday card. The cards are distributed to over 800 individuals including principals, superintendents and government officials.
Nurse's Corner
Holiday Traveling
With COVID-19 cases increasing, it is important to take precautions during this holiday season to keep your friends and family safe. Below are some resources
1. The CDC understands that these decisions are not easy. Click here for more information on doing what is best for your family during the holiday season
2. If you plan to attend or host holiday gatherings, the CDC has some recommendations to help keep you and your family safe. Those recommendations can be found here.
3. If you are exposed to COVID-19 at a holiday gathering while traveling, or at any time, quarantine yourself to protect others by doing the following:
a. Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19
b. Stay away from others, especially those who are at risk for severe illness from COVID-19
c. Watch for fever (100.4F or higher), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
d. Consider getting tested for COVID-19 (Click here for test sites). Even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should still stay home (quarantine) for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. This is because symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus,
and some infected people never have symptoms but are still contagious.
e. Do not travel until 14 days after your last possible exposure
Cold and Flu Season is Here!
Myths about colds and the flu:
Colds and the flu are caused by going outside in cold weather
Colds and the flu can be caught by going outside with wet hair
Antibiotics are needed to treat a cold or the flu
The flu shot will give me the flu
The flu is just a bad cold
Facts about colds and the flu:
Viruses in the flu shot are not active or alive and cannot cause you to get the flu
Antibiotics do not treat or cure colds or the flu
Colds and the flu are caused by viruses.
The best way to prevent catching a cold or the flu is to get the flu vaccine, practice good hand hygiene, and get plenty of sleep.
Does Your Student Have Health Concerns?
Our priority here at Banta Elementary is to keep your kids safe at school. The best way for us to be able to do that is to be aware of any medical or health needs that your child may have. This could include medications that need to be brought to school or health conditions that we would need to know about in an emergency.
Did you know: California state law allows for students to keep medications at school? The law requires that the physician of the child complete a form that gives us all of the information that we would need to know to safely give that medication to your child. Please contact the school office if you would like a copy of the medication form!
Food Service
I can not believe how fast the holiday season has come upon us. We have had a lot of fun putting together colorful, tasteful, seasonal salad bars for your students each day. The students have been enjoying freshly baked potatoes with all the toppings. Home-made Hummus. We are happy to bring back soups, chili with cinnamon rolls and my favorite, our mashed potatoes and gravy. Also look out this month for a new item: Monica's Tuna Casserole! I hope your students enjoy our food as much as we enjoy making it for them!
If there is a favorite item, you would like to see on the menu, please send me an email with your student’s favorite items to Jaanderson@bantasd.org.
The Librarian's Corner
Buon Natale or maybe Buone Vacanze is more appropriate in your family, but no matter how you
celebrate this time of year, don’t forget about books and reading! They make great gifts. But really that is not the reason for the season, it’s family and getting together and kindness. So in that spirit we have been busy elves in our library at Banta. Our student helpers are back on Wednesdays helping shelve books and get ready for our holiday craft week that will be taking place December 12th through the 16th, the week before we leave for winter break. We will have various craft stations including cards, snowflakes, ornaments, a makerspace, buttons and bookmarks.
Additionally, we have two visits from our furry reading buddies on December 8th and the 13th . On the 8th, they will be reading with our pre-school SDC folks and then on the 13th , they will be here to visit with Miss Cradick’s third grade class for awhile. The dogs and handlers will be wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and our students are encouraged to do the same.
This next week, we will have a read-out in the dark and celebrate a glow-in-dark story time with our third and fourth graders. This will be a glowing good time, with glow sticks, a draw-in-tell, a story, song and a “Will it glow or no session” with a black light. This way students will have an opportunity to guess if something will glow such as nail polish so there is a “sciency” lesson involved as well.
This week we are celebrating our Accelerated Reader program with our students and giving them their hard earned prizes throughout the trimester so that they know their reading achievements have not gone unnoticed this year. Students can earn bookmarks, stickers, pencil boxes, medals and even gift certificates to Texas Roadhouse for reading and taking AR quizzes in their classes.
Other than that we are busy decorating for the holidays, shifting books, and updating our space. If a
parent volunteer is interested in helping in the library they are always welcome. Please call me at 209-647-0774 or email me at emcdaniel@bantasd.org.
Enjoy this time of year with your friends, family and of course your Banta Mustang! Tanti Aguri and Buon anno! Ciao!
Cheers,
Dr. McDaniel
Student Book Reviews
Turkey Trot Fun!
Banta students chased a turkey around the school playground on Nov. 17 for this year's Turkey Trot just before their November break. The students had a blast chasing our turkey volunteer, Food Services Supervisor Jamie Anderson.
Parent, Faculty Association/ DLAC/ LCAP
In our monthly meetings, we actively share ongoing academic successes and needs for all students, especially those learning English as a second language.
Please join us, virtually, this year as we continue to honor Banta’s rich history and community involvement.
Meeting Days and Time Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
● January 18, 2023
Banta Students Honored
A group of Banta Elementary School students were chosen to receive the Donna Boyd Santa’s Helpers Character Award this year. The students were presented with certificates for their outstanding character and giving spirit on Monday, Nov. 28 by Principal Tabatha Maxie.
As part of their award, the students will go on a Christmas shopping spree at Target in Tracy on Dec. 13. Each student will be given a specific amount of money to buy presents for their family members and themselves.
Santa’s Helpers is a program created in 2004 by Donna Boyd, a Tracy kindergarten teacher and community volunteer. She started with a couple of students from the school where she was working and the program has since blossomed over the years. After her passing, her children have been carrying on her legacy with the assistance of the Tracy community and a team of volunteers.
Look Who's At Banta
Teacher Joseph Flores, 23, of Ripon
Family:
Parents Jean and Tony Flores
Educational Background:
Bachelors of Arts degree in Communication and a minor in Business Marketing from Sacramento State College in Sacramento. He is currently attending Teachers College in San Joaquin. This is his first year as a teacher and he is currently teaching fourth grade.
Hobbies:
Spending time with family and friends highlight his free time. He enjoys socializing with his friends and going out to dinner and shopping in the Bay Area. He also loves to travel around the United States; among the states he has visited include Las Vegas, Arizona, Minnesota, Alabama and Washington. He aspires to visit every state to experience what they have to offer, such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. He is currently planning a trip to Nashville to experience country music first hand, which is his favorite music genre. He loves going to country music concerts and he has previously seen performances by such entertainers as Dierks Bentley and Chris Young. You will also find him often on social media sites, particularly Instagram.
December Tech Time
Limit Social Media Profiles
Check all your child’s social media profiles and double-check the security setting on their accounts. Teach your kids the importance of security settings and how to be safe online. Show your kids how to use social media appropriately. How conversations in real life differ from conversations online. How to prevent cyberbullying and avoid problems coming from strangers.