El Verano Mustang News
August 14, 2017
Welcome Back to School
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year to all our new and returning families. What an exciting year we have planned for El Verano School! As many of you are aware, El Verano is a very special school. We pride ourselves on the individual attention, which is given to each student and family as we strive to provide a warm, caring atmosphere along with an academically challenging program.
We are focused on student achievement, and we are proud of the efforts of our students and their families. We encourage children to express their individuality while meeting the academic challenges set forth by their teachers. As a staff, we know ALL children will learn if we give them the tools and knowledge they need to be successful students. We will do what ever it takes to help your child succeed!
The preschool offers a year of education to 48 of our youngest learners. Our enrichment program continues to grow as we offer new and exciting programs for children after school. Valley Vibes continues to play beautiful music.
Here at EV we benefit from amazing community support for our programs. The Vadasz Family Foundation and the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation have provided us with funding to continue with our afternoon preschool. The Plein Air Foundation has provided us with funding for art classes. Finally, but certainly not last, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa continues to support our sports, literacy and technology programs. La Luz and SH Cowell fund our family resource center in room 31. We are very fortunate to have such fantastic community support at EV. We are all very excited about the future of these programs for our school, as well as for all of us working together for a caring, healthy and academically challenging school year.
We are also continuing with our excellent language arts and math programs. Common Core Standards in the state of California information is available for parents as to how this will affect our curriculum and instruction. Common Core Standards are also known as National Standards and are being adopted across the U.S. The Common Core Standards allow the teachers, students and families to have a clear understanding of what children are expected to learn and know at each grade level. Thank you! Maite Iturri
Common Core Resources for parents:
https://www.engageny.org/parent-guides-to-the-common-core-standards
http://achievethecore.org/dashboard/409/search/3/1/0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12
Readers and Writers Workshop
Dear Families,
Over the last few years EV teachers are using a reading and writing program from Columbia University: Teachers College entitled, Readers and Writers Workshop. These programs have 30 years of research supporting its success. Teachers use an assessment entitled A-Z to determine the right level of reading your child. Your child should be reading books at his/her level 90% of the time. The following components make comprise our reading program:
- Readers choose what they want to read.
- Readers talk about what they read with others.
- Readers read a variety of texts.
- Readers make sure they understand what they are reading.
Here are some things you can do at home to help your child progress in reading!
- Discuss the story with before reading the book. "What will this book be about? How will this book go?"
- Discuss the story during the reading of the book. "What's happening in the story? Who is in the story? Where are they? How are they feeling? Why?"
- Discuss the story after reading the book. Retell the story in sequence. Discuss character's feelings and how they changed throughout the story.
- SHOW YOUR CHILD YOUR LOVE OF READING!
For more information go to:
http://readingandwritingproject.org/clearinghouse/familyParking, Drop off and Pick up Procedures
Our drop off and pick up procedure for autos and buses, as well as parking procedures will remain the same this year. This policy is in place to improve student safety and greater efficiency during arrivals and dismissals.
The back lot is for buses and staff only. Students may not be dropped off in the rear lot. You may drop your child of in front of the school (flag pole) or park in front and walk him/her into the school. Family parking will be available in the side lot or in front of the office. We appreciate your support and cooperation in this matter. Thank you!
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER (FRC)
Our FRC is open and fully operational. Betzy Chavez, Patricia Gallardo, and Ana Rios offer a variety of services and opportunities for parents. The center is operated in collaboration with La Luz Center. The center offers case management, parent classes and leadership opportunities. Please contact Betzy or Mario at 707-935-6025.
Family Handbook
Included in your packet (for kinder and new families) is a copy of our family handbook. Please review this plan with your child. We have included information on rules and procedures. Our goal is to insure the safety and comfort of ALL our students. Included is our behavior plan. We have created a plan to support positive behavior. If you have questions please call me at 935-6050.
First Day of School
Monday, Aug 14, 2017, 08:15 AM
El Verano Elementary School, 18606 Riverside Drive, Sonoma, CA, United States
Family Barbecue
Please note these special staggered lunch times, beginning with Kindergarten at 11:15, 1st 11:30; 2nd at 11:45; 3rd at 12:00, 4th and 5th at 12:15, Please join us!!
Friday, Aug 25, 2017, 11:15 AM
El Verano Elementary School, Riverside Drive, Sonoma, CA, United States
Back to School Night
Time will be spent this evening meeting teachers and learning information on how to help your child be a successful student.
Wednesday, Aug 30, 2017, 06:00 PM
El Verano Elementary School, Riverside Drive, Sonoma, CA, United States
School Attendance
Daily attendance at school is crucial for children to become successful readers. Each day a child is absent he/she misses class instruction, which cannot be made up. If your child is ill, please call the school immediately to inform the office. We also ask that you try to schedule medical appointments after school rather than disrupting your child’s learning during the school day. Additionally, we ask that you schedule trips and vacations during the times when children are NOT in school. Let’s give your child every opportunity to be successful in school – which starts with good attendance!
Family Involvment
We have several opportunities for family participation here at El Verano. We have our FANTASTIC Parent Teacher
Organization and the English Language Learner Advisory Committee. Ana Rios, Tiffany Briggs, Stephanie Clark, Leslie Benzon, Juanita Padilla, and Geronima Bataz are your representatives. They can be reached through the school office.
Our ELAC meetings are held once a month on the last Friday of the month at 6:00. Our PTO meetings are held twice a year. Meetings will be announced in the newsletters.
Both groups help raise funds for the school, plan events, discuss student achievement and support. Please join us!!
Breakfast and Lunch
Students are able to purchase individual lunches and breakfast daily. The Meal prices will also be posted on the monthly menus.
Additionally, application forms for our meal program may be picked up in the cafeteria or in the school office.
Use our app YumYummi for weekly menus and food program information.
El Verano Community School
Our vision is for us to work together to support the interests of this neighborhood and school. During our recent community meetings, parents, staff, local agencies and neighbors helped to identify common interests. We have named health, parent engagement and leadership as essential components to a healthy and vibrant community.
These areas will continue to be developed by neighbors, staff and families. For example, we may offer a zumba class in the evenings or a farmers market on the weekend. The community inclusive events would take place in the evenings and on the weekends. We promote a sense of family and community through these events.
Over the course of the last several years we have also noticed that children and families have needs that impact learning. These can include dental, medical or emotional needs. Schools are not equipped to meet this need. A Community School can often be a part of the solution by offering services on campus that are accessible to families. We opened Family Resource Center in April 2015 where we can refer El Verano families for needed services. In addition, we have hired a parent coordinator to support parents in a number of ways including leadership, educational classes and advocacy.
El Verano teachers have identified the need to support students in additional ways. This would include extra support classes and enrichment classes for all students during the school day. Students would receive targeted instruction to support his/her individual needs as well as enriching opportunities such as garden science, art or music.
We will continue to have meetings through our English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC), School Site Council (SSC), Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and Community Meetings to offer more clarity as we develop these programs. A parent advisory council will be developed for the Family Resource Center, and we welcome your participation as we continue this process.
Bus Passes
Passes must be purchased in advance at the Transportation Department (935-6092). No passes will be sold on the bus. Free and reduced rates are available for low income and large families. Be sure to watch the Sonoma Index Tribune for a listing of all bus stops and routes, or contact Transportation at 935-6092 or check out the district web site at www.sonomaschools.org for bus and other important information.
If it’s BLUE – read, review, SIGN and return!
If you receive information from El Verano School on BLUE PAPER – we ask that you please read the information as soon as possible and then return the signed sheet to school. We are making a concerted effort to send forms home requiring a parent signature on BLUE PAPER. This should make it a bit easier for you to locate and most importantly, sign and return immediately to El Verano School.
The Weekly Bell Schedule
Please review our scheudle below for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and shorten school on Wednesdays. Students leave school early on Wednesday, and teachers’ stay and work together on grade-level and school wide needs. The results lead to a better program for all students. Please review dismissal times and the schedule carefully. Dismissal times for the different grade levels follow:
Kinder
M,T,Th,F
8:15 – 3:00
Wednesdays
8:15- 1:06
Primary (Grades 1-3)
M,T,Th,F
8:15- 3:00
Wednesdays
8:15- 1:06
Intermediate (Grades 4-5)
M,T,Th,F
8:15- 3:10
Wednesdays
8:15- 1:00
Students should arrive at school between 8:00 AM and 8:10 AM. The first bell rings at 8:15.
Thank you!
Another HUGE THANKS to Maintenance and Operations and the Custodians. Everyone worked so hard this summer to get El Verano ready for the new school year. Thank you all for taking the time to make El Verano a safe and clean place for our students to learn.
Thank you!
HUGE THANKS TO ALL OUR PARENTS!!
Our Fantastic parents kept El Verano shinning bright all summer! The school looks beautiful. The plants are growing and the colors are spectacular! Thank you all so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to take such good care of our wonderful school.
Family Lunch
Family Lunch Day!
August 25, 2017
Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends are invited to join your student(s) for the BBQ lunch on Friday, August 30
Student lunch = 2.75
Adult lunch = 3.50
Please note these special staggered lunch times, beginning with Kindergarten at 11:15, 1st 11:30; 2nd at 11:45; 3rd at 12:00, 4th and 5th at 12:15, Please join us!!
Contact Us
Email: miturri@sonomaschools.org
Website: elveranoschool.org
Location: 18606 Riverside Drive, Sonoma, CA, United States
Phone: 707-935-6050
Facebook: facebook.com/elveranschool
Twitter: @evmustangs