Guadalupe Gazette
April 2017
Our School in a Nutshell!
If you have been following our Twitter feed this year, you have seen what we are all about here at Guadalupe. You have seen our progress in implementing a new math curriculum. You have seen our kids do research and present information in a variety of different ways. You have seen us celebrate spirit days and holidays. You have seen our students embrace coding, robotics, engineering, and design. You have seen kids learning all over campus in a variety of different environments.
If you haven't jumped in with Twitter yet, you are missing out on a lot of cool things happening around our school. This Tuesday, April 11th, on Twitter is #LOVEMYSCHOOLDAY. We are encouraging all families and teachers to post something they love about our school. You can post a picture or a quote about something you love about Guadalupe. Make sure you tag it with #LOVEMYSCHOOLDAY, #GuadROARS, and #usdlearns that way our whole learning community can share in why you love our school.
Walkathon is this Friday: Rock the Walk
Rock the Walk has a Rock and Roll Theme. Students can earn various individual and class prizes for raising the most money. In addition, Friday is a Spirit Day. Students are encouraged to wear Rock and Roll outfits to school.
It is not too late to raise funds or make a donation. Students can still sign up online or pick up pledge sheets in the office. Funds from the Walkathon will go directly to funding our Music, Dance, and Recess 101 programs next year. Donations are also tax deductible. Please consider donating.
4th Grade Bike Rodeo: Volunteers needed
4th grade parents,
You’re help is needed to make our 6th annual Bike Rodeo a success. Our school will be holding its Bike Rodeo on Friday May 5th between the hours of 8:15 AM-noon. All 4th graders are encouraged to participate in this event by bringing their bikes and helmets to school on this day. The Bike Rodeo will consist of different bicycle stations. The goal of this event is to teach students bike safety and to learn the rules of the road, and to encourage students to bike to school more often.
Parents are invited to come out and enjoy the event with their kids by volunteering at the stations. We strongly encourage students to participate in the Bike Rodeo and bring their bike, and helmet to get the full experience of the bike stations. Students who do not bring a bicycle can still participate by walking/jogging through each station. Bicycle parking will be under the trees near the garden, the side gate will be open in the morning and at pick-up. Try to park your bike close your teacher's sign.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Bike Rodeo please contact Keith Wong, Guadalupe Bike Rodeo parent volunteer coordinator at kw5lgm@gmail.com
Cambrian Relay for Life: Team Guadalupe Grizzlies!
We all know someone who has been touched by cancer. The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is more than just a fundraiser. It is an event to honor those who have fought a battle with cancer. Our school district has long been a partner with Relay for Life and is honored to be hosting the event this year at Dartmouth Middle School on April 28th and 29th.
To promote our involvement in the Relay for Life, we also will be doing Relay Recess activities the week leading up to the Relay for Life event. Activities could include many things like drawing and writing healthy messages with chalk, jump rope, running the field...anything that promotes healthy lifestyles.
Project Cornerstone: Take it Personally: A Parent Study Group
This six-session study group gives parents tips and tools to keep up with the fast changing growth of our children, tweens and teens. Each week, we explore new ways to build stronger kids, stronger families and stronger neighborhoods. Data collected from our own Santa Clara county youth shows us 8 ways to help kids succeed in school, in relationships and in life, while supporting parents! Join us as we learn the 8 Keys To Success for young people, and for their parents!
Sessions will be held on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:00PM starting April 17th. You can sign up at the following link.
Safety Reminder: Red Curb Parking
Before and After School Programs
Upcoming Events
Check our Calendar for the most up to date events.
4/10: USD Board Meeting
4/12: Home and School Club Meeting
4/13: School Site Council Meeting
4/14: Walk-A-Thon
4/28-29: Relay for Life: Dartmouth Middle School
5/1: Family Night: No Homework
5/1-12: CAASPP Testing Grade 3-5
Superintendent's Message
Superintendent's Monthly Message - April 2017
After “springing forward” an hour for Daylight Savings Time and as we head into the Spring and Summer weather, we will all be again enjoying the warm, California sunshine. Families can head to local parks, participate in neighborhood activities, and enjoy the multitude of indoor and outdoor activities our community has to offer. Check out the links to parks and recreation departments and other community website resources below.
Santa Clara County Parks - https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/
San Jose Public Library - https://www.sjpl.org/
San Jose Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services - http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns
Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation - http://www.lgsrecreation.org/
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy - http://www.grpg.org/
Visit San Jose Website - http://www.sanjose.org/activities/kids-family/
With children outside a little longer in the day, now is also a great time to have a discussion with your family about safety. No community is completely immune from safety concerns, and parents can take any opportunity to help children understand safety rules and what to do in an emergency. There are a multitude of tips and resources to help parents begin and continue talking to their children about being safe.
Make sure your children are familiar with your neighborhood, whether or not they walk to or from school. Children should know which areas or roads are unsafe, as well as safe places they can go in an emergency (e.g. the library, police station, or trusted neighbor the child knows.) Communicate and set a practice with your children to check in with you often when they are not at home. Teach children to always be aware of their surroundings and help them understand what to do if anything makes them feel suspicious or uneasy.
Having these conversations and taking the time to go outside and practice safety directions with your children, will give them confidence when out in the community. There are also a multitude of community resources to support and inform our families. Some are listed below:
San Jose Police Department - http://www.sjpd.org/BFO/Community/
Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department - https://www.losgatosca.gov/43/Police-Services
California Megan's Law Website - http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/
National Crime Prevention Council - http://www.ncpc.org/
We hope that you enjoy the beautiful weather and wonderful activities our community and indeed our city has to offer.
Parent Notification of CAASPP Testing
Each spring, students in Union School District participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). These tests were created specifically to gauge each student’s performance in English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science. These tests measure the skills called for by the academic standards, including the ability to write clearly, think critically, and solve problems.
The California Science Test (CAST) Pilot Test- grades five and eight only:
California’s new state standards for science call for students to think and work like scientists and engineers—asking questions and learning through hands-on investigation and discovery. This year your child will participate in a pilot of test items for this future assessment. While this pilot will not provide scores for you child, it is an important first step in developing an assessment that will fairly and accurately measure how students are achieving on the new science standards. For additional information about the new science tests and sample questions, please visit the CDE’s CAASPP Science Assessment Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/caasppscience.asp.
Because CAASPP tests are given statewide, they provide an opportunity to measure the skills of all students against the same academic standards. Given online, the tests are computer-adaptive, allowing more precise measurement of individual skills. In 2017, parents will be able to compare results across three years (2014–15, 2015–16, and 2016–17) to determine their child’s progress in meeting the standards. (Exceptions: Only two years of data will be reported for students in grade four, and only one year of data will be reported for students in grades three). The CAASPP assessments will be one measure that will be used—along with other information—to measure the progress that our schools and district are making in educating all students.
Our official testing window will be April 17 through May 19. Within this window, each school will create a specific testing schedule and will notify the parents and community of their specific testing schedule. Testing generally takes two weeks, with make-up testing taking additional time beyond the two week testing window. We appreciate your efforts to ensure your child is in school at this time.
Practice and Training Tests can be found on the CDE’s Smarter Balanced Practice and Training Tests Web page at http://www.caaspp.org/practice-and-training/index.html. Parents can preview the kinds of questions that students will encounter on the tests and students can experience items that look and function like those found on the summative assessments. To access the Smarter Balanced practice tests, click on the green box, log in as a “guest,” choose a grade level and subject, and follow the prompts.
If you would like more information about CAASPP and your child’s participation in state testing, please visit the Union School District website at http://www.unionsd.org/apps/pages/CAASPP. Here you’ll find testing updates, student practice test links and resources for parents including the new CAASPP Parent Guides for grades 3-5 and 6-8.
Sincerely,
Karen Miller
Director, Educational Services/Assessment
Guadalupe Elementary School
Principal: Chris Izor
Superintendent: Denise Clay
Board Members: Vickie Brown, Jennifer Petroff, Janice Hector, Sheila Billings, Thomas E. Rossmeissl
Website: http://guadalupe.unionsd.org
Location: 6044 Vera Cruz Drive, San Jose, CA, United States
Phone: (408) 268-1030
Twitter: @guadgrizzly