Dear Charter Families,
April 10th is now officially a Storm Day Makeup - School will be in Session on that day.
Due to the first storm day when school was canceled, Monday, April 10th is now officially a school day. On the District School Calendar, this day was labeled as a possible Storm Day makeup. This is the first day after Spring Break. The day has now been designated as a Storm Day Makeup and there will be school.
Please read on to learn more about:
- the next Parent Advisory Council date, - a special math enrichment opportunity for our older homeschool students, -Mental Health crisis resources, -Reminders from our superintendent, 2023-24 school calendar, - Jan 15 Barracuda Hockey ticket opportunity, -general CAASPP testing dates
Thank you for allowing us to work with you and your students.
~Rhonda
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2023-2024 SLVUSD School Calendar:
The 2023-2024 SLVUSD School Calendar was approved by the SLVUSD Board. It is now posted to the SLVUSD website HERE. And it is attached here and on the Charter website: 2023-2024 School Calendar
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January special option For home school students, grades 5-8.
Charter students in grades 5-8 are invited to come together in person this January for a special elective opportunity in Exploring Math Creatively. We will be exploring the concepts of fractions and data analysis through games, manipulatives and art to help build a stronger math mindset and enjoy working with math together. Every Tuesday and Thursday starting January 10th through the 26th from 12:45-2:05 at the Quail Hollow campus.
Many of the activities will be based on the work of Jo Boaler, co-founder of YouCubed, whose goal is to inspire all students with open, creative, mindset mathematics. If you are not familiar with this resource it's worth checking out. https://www.youcubed.org/
Students participating in the all charter play: If you would like to take the school bus from QH to the tri-campus for play practice in the PAC, please contact Rhonda or Danelle. You will either need to have a parent/guardian with you until the play practice begins or you can purchase a bus pass and you can quietly stay in the middle school library while you wait for the practice to start.
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Parent Advisory Committee meeting; Tuesday, January 17 at 9:30. We will meet in the Library or on Zoom. For those who cannot meet in person, you can connect via Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting: https://slvusd-org.zoom.us/j/82309371870
These meetings are designed to ensure we have parent input into critical documents that are the backbone of the Charter, as well as supporting the growth and development of the campus activities and culture of the Charter as a whole. Yearly this committee gives input to our Local Control Accountability Plan (includes our school goals and funding) School Safety Plan, Annual Parent Survey, and our 5 year Charter Petition Renewal and Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation review.
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CRISIS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES: In Case of Immediate Emergency Dial 9-1-1
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Suicide Crisis Line- 1-877-663-5433 (ONE LIFE)
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Crisis Line- 1-800-952-2335. Immediate crisis support to assess for hospitalization in a psychiatric crisis.
NAMI Santa Cruz County Help Line- 831-427-8020 x7 For individuals and family members affected by mental illness interested in learning more about local resources and navigating the mental health care system. Leave a message and receive a call back within 24 hours.
National 24-Hour Disaster Distress Helpline- 1-800-985-5990 Free counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters (COVID-19 included).
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-888-900-4232
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Child Abuse and Neglect Report Line-1-877-505-3299
Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast
https://fsa-cc.org/suicide-prevention-service 831-459-9373
Crisis Text Line-Text 741-741 for 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support
What to do in a Mental Health Crisis
If you are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide, tell someone who can help right away: Call your doctor’s office, 911 for emergency services, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.
Ask a family member or friend to help you make these calls or take you to the hospital. If You Have a Family Member or Friend in a Crisis: If you have a family member or friend who is suicidal, do not leave him or her alone. Try to get the person to seek help immediately from an emergency room, physician, or mental health professional. Take seriously any comments about suicide or wishing to die.
Even if you do not believe your family member or friend will actually attempt suicide, the person is clearly in distress and can benefit from your help in receiving mental health treatment. If you are not in imminent danger but need immediate crisis support call: (800) 952-2335 / (24-hours a day for Santa Cruz County residents to assess for hospitalization in a psychiatric crisis.)
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From our Superintendent:
TRANSPORTATION UPDATE: Our two new drivers have finished their classroom and behind the wheel training. The final stage is scheduling the written and driving tests with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Unfortunately, the CHP is in the process of hiring and training someone to administer these tests. We anticipate the drivers will be able to complete the CHP exam in January. Once we have an additional driver with their Class B bus driver’s license, the District will be able to reopen the Swan Bus Route (Ben Lomond). For information about bus routes and general transportation information, please contact the Transportation Department at (831) 336-2223 or visit the TRANSPORTATION website.
WINTER BREAK AND HOME TEST KITS: The District received additional COVID-19 home test kits. We are distributing these test kits to families to use prior to returning to school from Winter Break on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Although not mandatory, we will be providing each student with two home test kits.
We also want to remind everyone that home test kits can be picked up in the offices of any school site or at the District Office. Please click on the following link Santa Cruz County Inspire Vaccine Clinics for information regarding COVID vaccines, including the bivalent boosters.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY: Monday, January 9, 2023 will be a non-student day as our staff will be engaged in the Professional Development Day working together
We look forward to seeing the students return to school on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.
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Pick-up and Drop-off Safety: Safety Expectations and Warning of Accidents.
As we increase activities at our site, we are having more and more drivers dropping and picking up their students at various times in the mornings and afternoons. We have seen a downturn in the safely awareness, also seeing parents pick their children up in precarious locations. Please do not park outside of a designated parking spot in from of the District Office.
For any K-8 pick-up or drop-off.
- Please drive down and either park in front of the District Office building, or drive around back of the building to drop off your middle school student or wait in your car for your student to come to you during pick-up times.
- Please drive slowly when going around the District Office building. Please show some patience and wait in line for students to fully get in the cars.
- If you plan to wait an extended period of time for your child to get their things ready, please pull over to the far right side while you wait.
For CRHS families: The Coast Redwood High School parking lot is only large enough for Charter staff. To help ensure safety, we are requesting that parents drop off and pick up their students outside of the CRHS gates and not to utilize the staff parking lot as a turnout.
Parents and student drivers are encouraged to utilize the lower campus parking lot to park their cars and to walk up the stairs to CRHS.
- Your student may also meet you down at the lower parking lot, descending from the stairs from CRHS to the lower campus. Or if space, park off the road, along the wooden fence on Marion along the side of the CRHS building, outside of our gates.
- Please do not use the top of the drive down, or the small CRHS parking lot to make a U-turn. There have been a few close calls between students, bicycle riders, skateboarders, and vehicle drivers navigating in and out of the staff parking lot. And recently there have been some actual fenders benders,
- High school students are directed to wait for their rides at the bus stop or along the wooden fence outside of the CRHS gates, or at the lower campus parking lot.
Please do not park in front of the school bus stop. (at the top of the drive down, adjacent to the weed benches and signage.) Our wonderful bus drivers pull out of the district office driveway and turn right into their first bus stop at 12:00 and again at 1:15 or 2:10, based on the day.
-Thank you
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What’s growing in the Gardens:
FC & QHHS 4th/5th - It was all about weeds this week and students had a lot to say about them. We discussed what weeds are, if weeds are good or bad, and in what ways can weeds be controlled. Students had fun spreading a bale of straw to mulch their pathways in order to easily control the weeds in their garden organically. We finished the class planting purple pea seeds one finger knuckle deep into the soil.
CRHS - Our last class of the year was clear and sunny so we got down and dirty with leafy greens. Students prepared a bed by removing old plant debris, mixing in several buckets of composted manure, and adding a thick layer of straw to the top of the soil to regulate soil temperature. Students then created rows for each variety of leafy greens and sprinkled their seeds on top of the soil gently covering soil over the seeds. As a holiday treat students learned how to make a buttery caramel sauce to add to their yummy coconut popcorn.
QHIA 7th - This month 7th graders focused on creating a pocket park which is a fun way of saying they are beautifying a space on campus. Students took a walk around campus to decide where they would make this pocket park and they decided near their classroom would be the best spot. We then raked leaves away from the soil where they wanted to plant seeds. Students then planted seeds of rudbeckia, snap dragons, and scarlet flax.
CRMS 8th - Students continued their study on waste diversion and California native plants with this month's focus on the sacred and endangered white sage. Students will be planting the seeds that germinate next spring around campus. We also talked about reasons to prune and how to prune plants and trees. Students spent some time pruning back dead plants in the garden and finished spreading straw mulch into the pathways.
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All Charter Play Information: Peter Pan: Somebody to Love
Rehearsals: 2:45-5:15pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays,
- All January Rehearsals, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 10, are mandatory.
- Performance Week: January 30-February 5
Please email Amber directly with any questions at [email protected].
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Free online live tutoring now available.
Students can now have 24-hour access to various resources, including live 1:1 tutors. This is a fantastic resource for our students and families. Here is the link to check it out:
https://www.brainfuse.com/highed/helpNow.asp?a_id=6BE9380D&ss=&r=
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Charter Program happenings:
Coast Redwood High School: Second semester schedules are completed and students may view their grades and second-semester courses in Power School. Need a second-semester schedule change? Please email your Supervising Teacher to request a conference when we return on Tuesday, January 10. Cabrillo College or other authorized academic institution transcripts must be sent to both your supervising teacher and to our registrar, Janet Hendricks, in order to be placed on the student's high school transcript.
Coast Redwood Middle School: Mercari listings are posted, pen pal letters are completed, lamp-building progress was made, and the kids are looking a little tuckered. Special thanks to Michael Mangrum for guiding us in an introduction to electricity and lamp-making. The kids received a great introduction to project presentation process and product this week. We looked at the project presentation process outline together and then Claire followed by giving an excellent project presentation.
Quail Hollow Homeschool: We learned about Hanukkah and played Dreidel. During the Talent Share, we were treated to a variety of acts, including ventriloquism, comedy, song, and instrumentals. After the performances, we read two winter poems: The Night Before Christmas and Shortest Day, about the solstice, We brought home a card and gift for our parents. We want to encourage shared learning. When you conclude a unit of study at home and your child could benefit from a final presentation in class, we would love to have your child share their learning with us! This is such an important part of the learning process - explaining and teaching to others.
Fall Creek Homeschool: The kids had a blast planning the last two classes, and hopefully they learned some new skills while planning their own activities and schedules. I can't express enough how proud I am of each and every one of them. They have all grown so much this semester, and continue to support and encourage each other to be their best selves! I am very much looking forward to next semester- I know they will continue to impress with their attitude and the effort they put into our class activities. We will continue our Aquatic Life unit, moving more towards water management as the year progresses.
Quail Hollow Integrated Arts: We had fun this week making snocks (sock snowpeople), snow, and cookies as well as making cards with different mediums that we have worked with so far this year such as watercolors and oil pastels. We also wrote Thank Yous for some of the wonderful charter staff that do so much for us.
When we come back in January, there will be several weeks of homeschool while David and I meet with everyone for conferences. Month 7 attendance is due the week we come back. 7th and 8th graders have a U.S. history research paper that was assigned.Students will need to fill out their research tracker with a clear thesis statement with 3 claims and evidence to support each claim by Friday, January 13th. We will soon start our unit with Tandy Beal’s Creative Movement and Dance
Nature Academy: There have been so many special activities over the last month: noted here is just a “taste” A HUMONGOUS shout-out to parents extraordinaire, who taught all of the 7th and 8th graders how to make sushi today! They are amazing! Thanks too to all of the families who sent in supplies- very helpful. It takes a village :) Another BIG shout out to all of the kind, talented, patient, fun-loving 8th graders, who gave up their Language Arts time to focus on Lifeskill Caring- making and decorating cookies for every student in the Nature Academy. And just like that, a tradition is born. And to the amazing parents in the 6th grade class who helped make stone soup; it was so very tasty. And a huge thank you to the Turks family who tie-dyed shirts for the students.
- So appreciated. ____________________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL COVID NOTIFICATION: 2022-2023 COVID-19 GENERAL NOTIFICATION
This notice is to inform you that Santa Cruz County has dropped to a lower status as it relates to COVID-19. While the County COVID rates may go up and down there is still a higher exposure potential in a school setting. Due to the potential of being exposed to someone with COVID-19 (both in and out of school), we encourage ALL students to follow the actions below to protect one another:
- CDPH recommends that students wear a mask while in indoor settings to protect themselves and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. High-quality masks with a good fit and filtration provide the best protection.
- If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, stay home, email your school site’s Health Office and get tested. You may pick up home test kits from any school site or the District Office. In addition, students can be tested at one of our Inspire testing locations.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, isolate at home and notify your students’ school site Health Office right away.
This general notification will be sent each week in this Charter News in lieu of providing individual exposure notifications for COVID-19. Note that infections diagnosed in students and school staff are not necessarily the result of exposure at school, and when safety protocols are followed in schools, COVID-19 transmission remains more likely to occur outside of school settings.
Thank you for considering this important information. We consider the health and well-being of our community a priority. Additional information can be found at 2022-2023 SLVUSD Students: General Protocol for Symptoms and Positive Test Results.
Health Office Contact Information Charter – [email protected]
Sincerely,
San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
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Student Nutrition Services: FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
- All SLVUSD students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch through the cafeteria.
- Complete the Free/Reduced Lunch Application at https://family.titank12.com/
- Although a meal application is not necessary to receive free meals during the 2022-2023 school year, households are encouraged to complete a meal application to ensure that your school receives accurate funding. As well, your child’s eligibility for free or reduced lunch could qualify you for additional outside services or benefits including Free/Reduced Bus passes, student fee waivers, P-EBT, discounted utilities, and more.
- Meals will be served from our Multi-use Room in the central area of the campus.
- Breakfast will be available in the mornings from 8:00-8:30
- Lunch will be served as followed:
- Mondays: 11:45-12:15
- Tuesdays, Thursdays and a few Mondays 12:10 - 12:40
- Wednesdays: 12:00-12:30
- Fridays: 11:50-12:20
- CRHS students can order lunch and they can pick it up from the Charter multi-use room.
- More details are coming from our Student Nutrition department. SLV Student Nutrition Services.______________________________________________________________________________
Student Absences: REMINDER
For Nature Academy families, everyday that your child is absent from school you need to call our attendance line at 831-336-8527 to report their absence. Please leave your child's name, your name, and the reason for the absence.
For Homeschool families if your child will be absent from enrichment classes please contact your teacher of record to report their absence.
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Dates to Remember: (Please refer to your program’s newsletter for greater detail regarding dates and details specific to your program’s Field Trips and class events.)
- Friday, December 23, 2022 - Friday, January 6, 2023: Winter Break
- Monday, January 9, 2023: No School-Teacher Professional Development Days
- Monday, January 16, 2023: District Holiday
- Monday, February 13, 2023: District Holiday
- Monday, February 20, 2023: District Holiday
- Tuesday, March 7, 2023: Information Night - All Homeschool programs, 6-7:30pm
- Tuesday, March 14, 2023: Information Night - Nature Academy, 6-7pm
- Friday, March 17, 2023: No School-Teacher Professional Development Day
- Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 7, 2023: Spring Break
- CAASPP Testing Dates
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- Monday, April 10- Friday, April 14, 2023: Fall Creek and Quail Hollow Homeschool
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- Monday, April 17-Friday, April 21, 2023: Coast Redwood MS and Quail Hollow Integrated Arts
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- Monday, April 24- Friday, May 12, 2023: Nature Academy
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- Monday, May 8- Friday, May 12, 2023: Coast Redwood HS - Math