Allen Elementary Roadrunner Report

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Greetings to All Allen Families.

We hope everyone enjoyed their holidays - Welcome Back! We do not have school on Monday, January 19 due to our MLK Holiday.

At Allen, we believe a vibrant sense of community is the heartbeat of a truly student-centered school, creating an inclusive environment where every child feels safe to take risks and grow. Our teachers work tirelessly to ensure that our classrooms are hubs of collaboration and creativity, where students are not just passive recipients of information but active participants in the journey of discovery. By focusing on solving real-world problems and using their minds to explore new ideas, students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for modern success. In this setting, student advocacy and self-reflection are paramount; as students learn about themselves as learners, they gain the confidence to make meaningful contributions to their peers and the world around them.

Central to our mission is the belief that academic rigor and relevance must be paired with compassion and communication. We prioritize a learning environment where students learn to approach challenges with empathy and articulate their ideas with clarity. This holistic approach ensures that our community remains a space where inclusion is lived daily, and where the success of the group is measured by the growth and well-being of every individual. When students are empowered to find their voices and lead with kindness, they don't just achieve higher scores—they become the thoughtful, innovative leaders of tomorrow.

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If parents are planning to bring in food items to celebrate an event (birthday, etc.) in class, please make sure the food has been purchased from a store. In order to maintain nutritional safety, we need to be able to see the ingredients (Allen is a nut free zone). Thank you. 🙂

We have added some safety measures to our front office protocols. From now on, you have to ring the bell at the front door to be let into the front office during the school day. We have added this step to help keep our students and staff safe on a daily basis.

Please have your children wear closed-toed shoes, if possible, to school. Sneakers are best for running around during recess and PE. We have had multiple ankle injuries from students wearing sandals, crocs, etc.. Many thanks for your help.

We have an Early Bird drop-off program (7:15 - 8AM) in the Cafeteria every morning and it's free! This program will run throughout the school year, during all school days, Monday-Friday. Two staff members will be here to supervise 15-20 of our students. If you could use an early drop-off, please email our Front Office Manager/Cyrine Trasmer at ctrasmer@sbpsd.k12.ca.us. Thank you.

Volunteering in Our School District

Thank you to all who volunteer in our schools! Our programs are stronger because of your support. All volunteers must be cleared by the district to work in classrooms, volunteer at lunch, attend field trips, etc. To be cleared to volunteer you must:

1. Complete volunteer paperwork and return it to your school office

2. Complete fingerprinting (form included in volunteer paperwork)

3. Attend one volunteer training session during the year.

All volunteers MUST attend our district Volunteer training every school year. Volunteers who have not completed this training by the end of October will not be eligible to volunteer until training has been completed. Please join us on Zoom for one of our upcoming trainings:

Monday, Jan 26th- SPANISH, 6:30 - 7:30, Virtual

meet.google.com/qws-zuvy-rys

Monday, Mar 16th - ENGLISH, 6:30 - 7:30, Virtual

meet.google.com/hcy-kpjb-cve

Monday, - Mar 23rd - SPANISH, 6:30 - 7:30, Virtual

meet.google.com/xix-jqjn-zhg

Monday, Apr 13th - ENGLISH, 6:30 - 7:30, Virtual

meet.google.com/wdw-oups-xyn

Monday, - Apr 20th - SPANISH, 6:30 - 7:30, Virtual

meet.google.com/qyh-hzke-hcd

Below are a few profiles of our staff so you get to know our teachers and staff members a little better. Our PTA has created these neat, fun bios.

The Bell Schedule and District Calendar are attached below. Please take a careful look at both documents for planning purposes.

If you need anything or just have a question, please don't hesitate to call our front office and leave a message or send an email. We will get back to you as soon as we are able,

(650) 624-3140, or email Cyrine Trasmer/Front Office Manager at ctrasmser@sbpsd.k12.ca.us

With gratitude,

John Berry

Allen Principal

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

Monday, January 19, MLK Holiday, No School

Thursday, January 22, ELAC Meeting, Library, 8:15-9:00am

Thursday, January 22, Half Way Day/PTA

Tuesday, January 27, SSC Meeting, Room 204, 3-4pm

Friday, February 6, SBEF/Allen Bingo Night

Saturday, February 7, Hike for Hearts/PTA

Friday, February 13, Early Release/Minimum Day

Monday - Friday, February 16 - 20, Presidents' Week/Holiday, No School

Friday, March 13, Professional Development Day, No School

Thursday, March 19, Spring Picture Day

Monday - Friday, March 23 - 27, Parent -Teacher Conferences, Early Release schedule all week

Monday - Friday, March 30 - April 3, Spring Break, No School

Hello Allen Community.

We hope you are doing well!

Our last newsletter of 2025 is below. What a meaningful way to wrap up the year and head into break. I hope you all enjoy a restful break and have a wonderful start to the new year.

Important Notes:

• Our next community workday will be Friday, February 7. Please mark your calendars!

• Garden programming will resume on Wednesday, 1/14. I hope that the first week back can be a gentle transition as we settle back into our routine. I’ll send out a reminder when we get back.

If you have any questions, ideas, or would like to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Saying hello to 2026,

Terilyn Wong

Terilyn Wong

Food Systems Educator

She/Her/Hers

E: terilyn@eachgreencorner.org

W: eachgreencorner.org

Explore Dual-Language Learning and Take Our Survey
Explora el Aprendizaje Bilingüe y Completa Nuestra Encuesta

We are gauging interest in offering a Dual-Language Immersion (DLI) program in our district and would love your input. DLI helps students develop bilingualism, biliteracy, and cultural understanding while learning the same academic content as their peers.

Please take a moment to complete our short interest survey.

Estamos evaluando el interés en ofrecer un programa de Inmersión en Dos Idiomas (DLI) en nuestro distrito y nos encantaría conocer su opinión. El DLI ayuda a los estudiantes a desarrollar bilingüismo, biliteracidad y comprensión cultural mientras aprenden el mismo contenido académico que sus compañeros.

Por favor, tómese un momento para completar nuestra breve encuesta de interésa.

Participate in this survey

Participa en esta encuesta

Want to learn more about Dual-Immersion? Below are several helpful resources you can explore.

¿Quieres aprender más sobre la Inmersión en Dos Idiomas? A continuación, encontrarás varios recursos útiles que puedes explorar.

What Is Dual-Language Education?
A parent-friendly explanation of how DLI programs work, the benefits of learning academic content in two languages, and why these programs are growing nationwide.

¿Qué es la Educación Bilingüe?
Una explicación para padres sobre cómo funcionan los programas DLI, los beneficios de aprender contenido académico en dos idiomas y por qué estos programas están creciendo en todo el país.

Learn More / Aprende más

California Department of Education: Dual-Language Instruction

An overview of how DLI programs are structured in California, when they start, what families can expect, and the state’s goals for multilingual learners.

Departamento de Educación de California: Instrucción en Dos Idiomas
Una descripción general de cómo se estructuran los programas DLI en California: cuándo comienzan, qué pueden esperar las familias y los objetivos del estado para los estudiantes multilingües.

Learn More / Aprende más

Video: Benefits of Dual-Language Immersion

A brief, engaging introduction to how DLI programs support academic growth, bilingualism, and long-term success.

Video: Beneficios de la Inmersión en Dos Idiomas
Una breve y atractiva introducción sobre cómo los programas DLI apoyan el crecimiento académico, el bilingüismo y el éxito a largo plazo.

Watch Now / Ver ahora

Video: Dual-Language Immersion—A Closer Look

This video provides insight into what DLI classrooms look like, how teachers support language development, and what families can expect day-to-day.

Video: Inmersión en Dos Idiomas—Una Mirada Más Cercana
Este video ofrece información sobre cómo son las aulas DLI, cómo los maestros apoyan el desarrollo del lenguaje y qué pueden esperar las familias día a día.

Watch Now / Ver ahora

Video: Why Being Bilingual Is Good for the Brain

A look at the cognitive advantages of bilingualism, including memory, flexibility, and problem-solving.

Video: Por Qué Ser Bilingüe Es Bueno Para el Cerebro
Una mirada a las ventajas cognitivas del bilingüismo, incluyendo la memoria, la flexibilidad y la capacidad de resolver problemas.

Watch Now / Ver ahora

We hope these resources help you learn more about the possibilities a Dual-Immersion program could offer our students. If you have questions or thoughts to share, we encourage you to note them in the survey or reach out to us directly.

Thank you for your time and for being partners in your child’s education.

Esperamos que estos recursos le ayuden a aprender más sobre las oportunidades que un programa de Inmersión en Dos Idiomas podría ofrecer a nuestros estudiantes. Si tiene preguntas o comentarios, le animamos a incluirlos en la encuesta o a comunicarse con nosotros directamente.

Gracias por su tiempo y por ser socios en la educación de su hijo(a).

Happy 2026 Roadrunners!

Looking forward to all of the new adventures and experiences our students will have in this new year. Reflecting on 2025, PTA would like to say THANK YOU all for your participation and engagement. Thank You to the PTA Board and volunteers for your hard work. Please know that we value the ways in which you support the PTA, so we may all support the Allen community. Together we are helping make this school year a memorable and successful one for our students. And a big and special shout-out to our Allen families who really showed up and brought the best cookies and baked goods last month! Our staff enjoyed an endless amount of treats from the Holly Jolly Holiday Cookie Bar to enjoy on winter break.

With last year behind us, please mark your calendars for the upcoming events/activities taking place in January and February of the new year. Flyers and further details will be sent out closer to the dates.

• ½ Way Day - Thurs. 01/22
• Roadrunners Represent - Wed. 02/04
• SBEF/Allen Bingo Night - Fri. 02/06
• Hike For Hearts - Sat. 02/07

Early Bird Yearbook Sales are in the works, we will keep you posted with more details and send the order form home with students. We are also researching ideas for a Spring Spirit Wear item.

The next PTA Association Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21st 2025 at 6:30 PM. Join us to discuss, share, collaborate and grow!

We are so excited to now have in person meetings in the Allen School Library (thank you Ms. Katie for hosting us). The meeting will also be on Zoom for those who prefer the meeting online or are unable to attend in person. Besides taking care of PTA business, an important item on the agenda will be the formation of a Nominations Committee which together will work on recognizing and seeking qualified nominees for 26/27 PTA leadership.

If you are looking for ways to get involved at school, we can and want to help. The more we work together, the better our school will be!

See you around campus, -Melissa B.

REGULAR DAY SCHEDULE

Drop-Off between 8 - 8:15AM

School begins

• 8:15 for all grade levels, TK - 5

Dismissal

• 2:00 PM, TK & K

• 2:15 PM, 1st - 3rd Grades

• 2:40 PM, 4th - 5th Grades

EARLY DISMISSAL/MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE

(Every Wednesday, Parent Teacher Conferences, and select other dates - please check the District Calendar and Important Dates above)

Drop-Off between 8 - 8:15AM

School begins

• 8:15 AM for all grade levels

Dismissal

• 1:00 PM, TK & K

• 1:15 PM, 1st - 3rd Grades

• 1:25 PM, 4th - 5th Grades

COVID-19 Guidance from the California Department of Health:

We are sharing the latest update from the California Department of Public Health on COVID-19 isolation guidance that we will now be following across the District.

This update to the COVID-19 isolation guidance moves to a symptom-based exclusion approach. What this means is that if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, you should refrain from all school activities until symptoms are mild and improving. If you are not experiencing symptoms, you may continue to come to school.

Additionally, instead of staying home for a minimum of 5 days, individuals may return to school when they start to feel better, meaning that their symptoms are mild and improving, and they have not had a fever for a full day (24 hours) without the use of fever-reducing medication. Masking recommendations have not changed. Whether asymptomatic or symptomatic, it is recommended to wear a mask for 10 days following a positive test result or the onset of symptoms.

SBPSD continues to follow our county health officials on this matter.

See below for a reference on what should be done in the event of a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to COVID-19 based on the latest guidance.

•. If a student or staff member tests positive:

Refrain from all school activities until: At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Other symptoms are mild and improving.

Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you get sick; you may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least a day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date.

• If you do not have symptoms, the automatic 5-day isolation period has been removed from guidance and you may attend all school activities

Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you test positive; you may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least a day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date.

If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving, continue to stay home until symptoms are improving.

• If a student or staff member is exposed:

Continue coming to school if there are NO symptoms regardless of vaccination status or type of exposure. Get tested 3-5 days after the date of last exposure OR sooner if experiencing symptoms and/or around individuals considered at HIGH-RISK. Continue to monitor for symptoms and wear a well fitting mask at all times for at least 10 days following an exposure.

If experiencing ANY symptoms of COVID-19, stay home and seek testing.

If you are in need of Before and/or After School Care for your child, please contact Champions:

Gesmyne Bell

Area Manager

Region 51 Area 2 Cupertino & San Bruno

KinderCare Education LLC

Gesmyne.Bell@discoverchampions.com

Cell: 669-298-7357 (call/text)

The Allen Front Office is now open, and we are busy preparing for the school year. If you have questions or need assistance, please email or phone our Front Office Manager/Cyrine Trasmer at ctrasmer@sbpsd.k12.ca.us or (650) 624-3140. Our Front Office is open between 8:00 - 4:00, Monday through Friday.

Our drop off and pick up procedures are about student safety and efficiency. Please be patient during our drop off and pick up times, we have many students arriving at school and leaving school at the same time. The details are below:

Drivers: drop-off and pick-up procedures by car (we call students traveling by car, DRIVERS) will continue this year. Transition Kindergarten/TK students and Kindergarten/K students will drop-off and pick-up in the round-about in the staff parking lot (entrance is on Linden Ave, opposite the fire station). If you wish to walk your child to class the first few days of school, please park off campus, and then safely walk your child to school. Parents with TK and/or K children, and children in other grades can drop them all off at the TK/K curb. Please do not walk up or down the ramp in the staff parking lot. It is very busy with car traffic and unsafe.

For TK and K drop-off and pick-up starting our first day of school, between 8-8:15am, we ask all parents driving into the parking lot to only use the curb lane to drop their kids - we need this for safety reasons. Teachers and staff will be present to help with unloading and loading. We have organized the district vans to arrive later so they will not disrupt the flow. Parents have to be patient with this process, and they have to drive slowly (we have too many cars arriving in a hurry). Therefore, as parents drive up the ramp they need to stay to the right, not stop and get out, or try to go around the car in front of them. We are asking parents to stay in their cars until they reach the curb area (marked by cones) in front of the TK/K classrooms/gate. When parents arrive in our drop-off zone, they can either quickly unbuckle their kid's car seats from inside and let them get out on their own, or they can quickly (and safely) get out, circle around the car, help their kids get out of the car, and then direct them to the classroom gate, without escorting them inside or stopping to talk. We cannot stress this enough for safety reasons - your children need to get out of the car on the curb side (if you need to move their car seats to have them on the right side of your car, please do.) We are asking for this so we can provide a safe, efficient, and productive drop-off system. As usual, we encourage parents to park in the neighborhood (without blocking driveways or using red zones) and walk up the designated ramp off Linden (opposite City Hall), not the car ramp leading to the parking lot. Several parents use this method and they seem to enjoy it because they can take their time, chat with other families, etc. Walking up the car ramp is highly unsafe. In addition, please do not use the parking lot, refuse area, or backside of the circle to double-park (we also cannot have 3-point turns in the middle of the round-about). For TK/K parents with older children (grades 1-5), those students have to get out of their cars (on the curb side) and walk over on their own to the regular line-ups outside the main classroom building (through the Administrative Building gate as they normally do) - parents cannot park on the circle or on the ramp to escort their children onto campus or go to the front office. If TK/K students are late (beyond the 8:15am drop-off time), parents need to park their cars on the curb, and walk them to the front office so we can make arrangements to get them to their classroom(s). If parents with students in grades 1-5 are trying to use the TK/K circle for drop-off, we respectfully ask that they they use the designated driveway off Angus with the rest of the families (for Grades 1-5). We will have staff members and parent volunteers posted in several spots to help with this process. We understand people are trying to get to work in the morning, etc., but we need a better system that promotes safety and efficiency. With a high number of families arriving in a small window, in a small parking lot, please understand that we have to work with what we have in place. Please help us by following these guidelines to ensure a safe and successful drop-off system.

As for the TK/K pick-up process, we need to use the curb lane, again, to be safe. That means, parents can pull up to the drop-off/pick-up zone and quickly (and safely) get out of their cars, pick up their kids, and get them situated (buckled up) back in their cars before pulling out. Again, please be patient with this process. Thank you in advance for helping to make this system work for everyone.

For parents with children in grades 1-5, please drop them off and pick them up using the traffic lane off Angus Ave West (between Elm and Linden). You will have to enter this lane from the Elm side of Angus (it is a one-way traffic lane) and wait until you can drop off your child at the end of the traffic lane in front of the main gate. Teachers and staff will be present to help with unloading and loading. Please do not drop your children off earlier than 8AM (teachers will not be present to help with supervision until 8), and pick-ups will begin according to our end-times (please see our bell schedule). After students enter campus in the morning, they will line-up by grade outside the classroom building. Please be patient with our drop off process in the morning, we have many parents coming to campus at the same time. The afternoon pick-up is staggered (due to different end times), so we hope it is more manageable.

Walkers: for students walking onto campus, it will be similar to last year. The main gate entrance is off Angus Ave West. Students can wait on the sidewalk near the main gate until 8AM and then proceed to their line-up area by grade/class outside the main classroom building. For pick-ups in the afternoon, students can meet their parents/guardians in the same main gate area where they dropped off in the morning. Please be careful in this area, the cars pulling out of the drop-off/pick-up lane are nearby, and there are cars moving down Angus. This area gets very congested during drop offs and pick ups. If you are parking in the area, please use legal parking spots, please don't block our neighbors' driveways, and please be safe crossing the streets around Allen.

Please do not park in the Staff Parking Lot. We do not have enough parking spots for all of our staff. Thank you.

San Bruno Park School District announced an amendment to its policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch / School Breakfast Programs for the 2025– 2026 school year. All students will continue to be served lunch and breakfast at Allen at no charge.

The San Bruno Park Elementary School District is required to comply with the California Universal Meals provision, that builds on the foundations of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) to provide food to all children attending school. Under California Universal Meals, in San Bruno Park School District, all students will be offered Breakfast and Lunch Free of Charge daily, as long as they attend school.

We encourage families to still fill out Meal Applications, as the income data collected is necessary for the district to maintain funding for other programs.

Extra Meals will still be charged to students through their MySchoolBucks account. If your child regularly needs extra meals, please make sure to create an account, and load funds into their account to prevent negative lunch balances.

Pricing Effective 8/24/2023

• K-8th Breakfast Extra Meals - $2.50

• K-8th Lunch Extra Meals - $3.50

As a reminder, Tuberculosis/TB test results for all FIRST GRADERS should be turned into Nurse Aashna in the Front Office. You can email (or drop it off) your TB documentation to Nurse Aashna at Aachand@sbpsd.k12.ca.us

For ALL STUDENTS, please email any updates to immunizations to Nurse Aashna.

Any students who require medication to be administered during the school day MUST have forms on file that are completed by a doctor. A medication form may be accessed below. As a reminder, all medications must be kept in the office, not with the student.

School Site Council and English Language Advisory Committee Members:

The Allen School Site Council (SSC) and English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) are looking for new parent members. The primary task of the SSC is to oversee Allen's Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). This plan reflects the district and school goals. The ELAC is a group of English Learner parents and community members who advise and assist Allen in making important decisions related to services for English Learners. If you are interested in the SSC, please email Mr. Berry, jberry@sbpsd.k12.ca.us. If you are interested in ELAC, please email our Parent Liaison, Sylvia Rodriguez, srodriguez@sbpsd.k12.ca.us.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

–L. Buscaglia