Don’t downgrade your dream just to fit your reality, upgrade your conviction to match your destiny. -Stuart Scott
Dear families,
We have officially entered the Winter season. The season often symbolizes both despair and hope. No one can deny that in this Winter of 2020, there is indeed various levels of despair and that we need to continue to build on those traits that will strengthen us and our hope. Please use this season to observe your student and scaffold them in the skills that they may need help in; resilience, organization, reflection and review of the work they turn in. Building these skills can help build their hope. Take the time to slow your emotional reactions and accept that the pace we are given may not be what we want. Find some new skill or challenge during this time to do with your student, or help them explore what new skills they can take on themselves. Oftentimes focusing on a new goal can bring in a new light and/or purpose.
Please read on to hear from our mental health counselor, new as well as consistent Zoom support meetings for various ages, and opportunities within the county.
Take care,
~Rhonda
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Special Fundraiser for CRHS/SLVHS Grad night: Who needs stocking stuffers or holiday gift fillers?! Help celebrate the class of 2021 and our #Slvstrong community spirit!
The Coast Redwood High School graduates have the opportunity to participate in the SLVHS grad night festivities every year. This year, like last year, may look a bit different based on any COVID restrictions the County may impose, but there will still be a celebration as grand as our families with 2021 can make! Here is an apropos way for you to support this effort.
We are excited to let you know that we are offering the exclusive FlipMSKS for only $10 to raise money for SLVHS Grad Night! These unique masks are designed with a different image on each side so they can be “flipped” to show a new look, this means you are really getting 2 masks in 1. To reduce bacterial and virus transmission, the masks are made with two layers of fabric treated with HeiQ V-Block. The V-Block treatment is machine washable, hypoallergenic, and provides a self-sanitizing, germ-resistant surface. FlipMSKS not only look great and promote health but are designed to allow for increased breathability and comfort.
Please consider supporting the SLVHS and Coast Redwood High School graduating class of 2021 festivities by buying a mask and sharing with friends and family
Follow the link below. (The SLV Charter logo is SLV-3) Thank you!
http://flipmsks.com/collections/SLVHS
______________________________________From our Mental Health Counselor: The Content vs. The Process
Hello families and happy holidays to all of you! I am just now remembering that the theme for this month last year was self-care! This is a season of many emotions and experiences - many that seem opposed to each other (but when we feel all of them we realized that they actually fit together nicely). Often we get so wound up caring for others and tending to our highest expectations, that self-care takes a backseat to all of the other things on our priority list.
And, even if self-care is on the top of the list, how many of you try to do your self-care “perfectly”?! I hear many people express disappointment in themselves for “not meditating long enough or often enough” or “not exercising as much as I’m supposed to” or feeling like coming up short in our diets or friendships or family. In other words, we get caught up in the results, rather than the process of getting there. The process involves looking at “how” we are approaching things, rather than the “what” we are aiming to achieve.
When you feel you’re not (fill in the blank) enough, remember to step back and recognize how hard you’re working or how far you’ve come to the point where you are. Remember to recognize all of the positive decisions you’ve made to bring the things you are grateful for today. When we focus on the “behavior” not the “results or things”, there’s a freedom and forgiveness that can happen in our psyches.
Here are some recent videos I’ve made to talk to some of your students to help raise awareness of their own process and the choices they can make for viewing their worlds:
“Wise Mind” - this is about the process of finding balance between our emotions and our logical thinking. This “middle way” is where we find wisdom and awareness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE1Wx1MIvHs&feature=youtu.be
“Dialectical Thinking” - In this video I talk about the practice of allowing two opposing thoughts or feelings to be true at the same time. This practice guides us out of “black and white thinking”, expands awareness and opens opportunities to gain new perspectives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIndKSRRlA&feature=youtu.be
I wish you all a peaceful, safe and healthy holiday season!
Robin Bates, LMFT
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Attendance: We need to know when your student is sick.
The Charter registrar needs to know when your student is sick and not participating in any schoolwork for the day. If your student is enrolled in the Nature Academy, please call in to the registrar phone number; 831-336-4032. If you are in one of our Homeschool programs, you do not nee to call in, but you do need to mark your absence in your attendance ledger as well as on your planning sheet. If your student has symptoms of COVID, please have them tested. If they (or you) test positive, we would like to know. While your are not obligated to tell us, we are requesting you to contact the Charter Administrator. The request is to support the broader awareness of the span of the outbreak in our district and community. Any information regarding positive cases is private and confidential.
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New Zoom opportunity: Reflections on Homeschooling. 10:30 am Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday with a special start on December 9th.
After several months of hearing from parents in our R&R coffee check in groups, I have taken heed of the hint and started another group Zoom meeting specifically for Homeschoolers. This will be a time to discuss critical questions on your minds and various learning strategies for all age groups. The idea may have been initiated for those new to the homeschool process, but based on my 30 + years of experience, I know that this forum will be a great opportunity for more veteran homeschoolers as well. I’d love to hear the voices of old and new on these Wednesday Zoom times. Please join me.
Join Zoom Meeting
Reflections on Homeschooling: 10:30 Every other Wed. starting Dec 9
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R & R Coffee Chat Check-in for parents:
You are invited to our
R(honda) & R(obin)
“coffee check-in”
This is an open zoom meeting invitation for Charter parents to join Rhonda Schlosser, our Charter Administrator and Robin Bates, our Mental Health Specialist. This meeting is open to all to spend time with us, brainstorm issues, listen to your challenges and successes, and offer support in our road ahead together.
This link will work for the next four meetings
Join R&R Zoom meeting: November & December
Next meeting dates are:
- Thursday, December, 17, 10:00-10:45 am
Join R&R Zoom meeting: January 5, 21 February 2,18
- January 5, 2021
- January 21
- February 2
- February 18
We look forward to “sharing coffee” and conversation with you!
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Robin’s Consistent Meetings: In addition to classroom support and 1-1 sessions, Robin is holding regular group support meetings. For more information, contact Robin Bates,LMFT [email protected]
- 2x times monthly - R & R coffee parent meeting
- Thursdays at 12 - support group for parents with CZU home loss
- Thursdays at 3 - support group for highschool students - "The Unwind"
- Tuesdays at 12- home loss support group for middle schoolers
Parents' Support Group for Home Loss
Thursdays at noon
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88247283608
Hi families. I'm learning first-hand that losing a home is a major major loss. The experience of grief can be unexpected and overwhelming at times. I created this group for us to come together to support each other, share our struggles and successes in hope that we don't feel alone in this long process of healing.
Coast Redwood High School Students, you are invited to...
The Unwind
6 week/45 minute zoom group with Robin Bates
Join any week! Thursdays at 3 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83350602277
We will take some time to check in, explore mental health topics,
support and unwind together in a weekly group for 6 weeks. This is not a psychotherapy group, but simply a place to check in, unwind, learn and connect with the counselor and your peers. I hope to see you all there!
Support for Middle School students
who’ve lost their homes in the CZU Lightning Fire
Tuesdays from 12-12:45, starting Nov 10th
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89535971446
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COMMUNITY EVENTS: How You Can Help the Students from the CZU Fire
The SLV Booster Clubs, in partnership with SLV Ed Foundation, will be accepting donations for our SLV families that have lost their homes to the CZU Fire. There will be ongoing needs as they work through the process of rebuilding their homes and coming back home.
Please use this link to place a donation: https://www.slvfoundation.org/slv4kids
The “SLV 4 Kids” PAW is posted to the homepage of the SLV website to accept ongoing donations for our SLV Families.
Thank you for your generous support for students and staff in SLV. Be well - Laurie
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COVID testing sites: Here is a link for the county testing page, which also includes some CVS locations Get Tested
______________________________________From the County of Santa Cruz. From Santa Cruz County’s November 23 letter
In Santa Cruz County, schools may offer in-person instruction to small, stable cohorts to the highest need students, but the expansion of hybrid in-person instruction is not permitted until our county is able to emerge from the Widespread (purple) tier.
..it's important we continue to do our best to adhere to all of the recommended precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community, especially this upcoming holiday season. Public health authorities recommend avoiding gatherings beyond our own households, wearing face coverings, practicing effective hand hygiene, and physical distancing as some of the most powerful steps to reduce transmission of the virus. Participating in surveillance testing and making sure to get a flu shot this year is also highly recommended.
We anticipate the immediate path ahead will continue to be challenging and recognize how stressful, isolating, and exhausting the pandemic has been for our community. So many of us are struggling socially, emotionally, and economically which is why it is more important than ever to connect with each other and seek support when we need help. We must continue to come together as a community, tap into the inspiring strength and resilience of our students, and support each other as we overcome the many challenges we face.
California Department of Public Health issued a travel advisory that recommends limiting all non-essential travel and that all those who do travel out of state or countries self-quarantine for 14 days after returning from such trips. The recommendation is that our school staff and families follow the same guidelines.
Santa Cruz County Public Health has also notified us that they anticipate Santa Cruz County COVID19 numbers to continue to increase. As of Tuesday, November 10 we returned to the Substantial (red) tier. Please continue to do your best to remain vigilant and implement health and safety guidance.
Here are links to the 2 new advisories:
- Travel advisory: Travel Advisorycdph.ca.gov
- Gathering guidance: Guidance for the Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission for Gatherings November 2020cdph.ca.gov
Parent Advisory Committee: New Date for Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 8th at 10:30am.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87644888194 Meeting ID: 876 4488 8194
At our last meeting we discussed the need to put on hold any library work and discussions for hybrid small group opportunities due to the construction ast the Quail Hollow site and the county's COVID outbreak increase bringing us back to the Purple widespread tier. We are in the process of beginning our review of the Charter’s LCAP, Local Control Accountability Plan. We discussed pertinent questions for a parent survey and how best to ensure responses from a diverse range of Charter parents while we are still working under pandemic constraints.
Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings, however, please remember that it is important to have a consistent group of parents to represent each program in the Charter. This Committee helps advise on various Charter annual activities, reports, including the budget and Charter renewal. They then report out in their various program parent meetings and gather additional information from the parents in the programs.
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From our Student Nutrition: Free meals extended USDA has extended FREE meals to all children 18 and under, through the 2020/2021 school year!!! We want all families to know that you are not taking meals from someone who needs it more, they are for all children. You are providing meals to your students that are comforting and familiar. Participating in the school meal program supports our Student Nutrition Program and helps sustain and grow it.
Alisia Munoz-Rojas, SNS Manager
SLVUSD Student Nutrition Services
(831) 335-5384
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What’s Going on in Our Charter School? ..little snippets of some of our programs.
QHIA: This week In Radio Arts students learned how to record using an online audio editing software and made intros for KBCZ. Students are recording station id's and adding sound effects. Snock Supplies Ready for Pickup! ☃️ Supplies for making snow sock people (Snocks!) will be in Go Bags.
QHHS: One of our most loved QH Homeschool Traditions. Talent Share: Students are given the opportunity to share a talent on this day. This can range from singing, dancing, playing an instrument, stand up comedy, a display of martial arts or some other "talent" that your child would like to perform for our class and parents. This Zoom is a family event, please attend. You may invite grandparents and loved ones to join.
Nature Academy: This Monday is another go-box return and pick-up. Trimester 1 has ended and students completed their self-reflections and Life-Skills goal setting for trimester 2. 7th-8th grade students are starting the book, Freak the Mighty. 6th graders are completing The Little Prince. Activities for all the content areas can be easily reviewed through the students’ Google classrooms.
CRMS: Project Presentations: I’m excited to see your kids’ presentations in our preview meetings! Presentations to the class will begin next week. Some students will be recording their presentations for their classmates to watch anytime. Most students want to present live.
CRHS: Seniors!! Please get in touch with our College & Career counselor, Mary Zilge, to set up a meeting to discuss your post-high school plans. The PSAT will be offered at SLVHS on January 26, 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are only 86 seats available. Juniors have priority, then Sophomores and Freshmen.
FCHS: Alex is still sharing various experiments weekly, with each having a challenge component; the last was one on the speed and force of air. Students of various ages have started a Ukelele class.
MtIS: We had a very sweet class meeting this week with children. I let my plans take a back seat as I saw them open up and genuinely connect with one another, however much one can really connect on zoom! This sense of connection is so critical right now for many children in the community, as we are all concerned about the social and emotional wellbeing of the children throughout the county at this time. Our Language Ambassadors class is going strong! We have a core group of the class participating and really making progress with ASL. Soon we'll be moving into Spanish, Hindi and more.
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Dates to Remember:
- Friday, December 18-Friday, January 1: Winter Break
- January 4, Monday: First day back from the break
- January 18th, Monday: No school: MLK holiday
- January 29th, Friday: No school: Professional Development for Teachers
- February 8th, Monday: No school: Holiday
- February, 15th, Monday: No school: Holiday
Contacts
Administrator: Rhonda Schlosser: [email protected]
Administrative Assistant: Danelle Matteson: [email protected]
Registrar: Jane Hendricks [email protected]
Mental Health Counselor: Robin Bate [email protected]
HS Academic Counselor: Mary Zilge [email protected]