Hello Charter families!

Please consider participating in Nature Academy's 1st online fundraiser auction! Bidding ends Friday, 11/22/23. Winners can pick up most items during the Charter Winter Craft Fair on Friday 12/6/24. Some items are over 100 pounds and will need to be picked up at a different location. Those who can't pick up their winning items during the Winter Craft Fair on 12/6 can start making arrangements 12/2. All winners will be emailed at the conclusion of the online auction.

Bid on items such as
- Art created by San Lorenzo Valley Artists
- Gift Certificates from local Businesses & Restaurants
- New Household Items
- New Hand & Power Tools
- & More . . .
It's all just a click away bit.ly/napcauction

Your child in 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th grade will shortly be asked to take this year's Healthy Kids Survey, which gives us valuable information about social emotional and safety supports that are needed in our school. The survey will be administered in class on December 2 (CRHS, Nature Academy) and 5 (QHIA, CRMS, QHHS). Parents were able to opt in / out during Powerschool registration this summer, so if you opted your student out, we will be providing an alternative activity for them during this time. The survey takes approximately an hour. I have outlined the basic themes in which the HKS survey questions are grouped:

Elementary: Section on relationships with people at school and section on learning experiences, followed by brief section on experience of (or observations of) vaping, cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs

Secondary: Section on experience of school in general, section on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, other drugs, and section on violence, safety, harassment and bullying.

We are not expecting any issues, but if any student feels uncomfortable during the survey, or after, we will have our Mental Health Specialist available to support.

We are coming up on our second and final NWEA/Map assessment window, Dec 9 through 19, during which time we assess student growth in Reading, Math (and Science for 5th, 8th and 9th). Your teachers will be making plans for administering the assessments, and at the beginning of January I will send out updated reports for you to monitor your student's growth.

Parents, please sign up here if you're interested in attending one of more of our excellent Parent Math Trainings led by Mariana Allred of Silicon Valley Math Initiative. Our November training is on Thursday, Nov 21. TK-1 class starts 9:30; 2 - 5 class starts 10:30, and 6-9 class starts 11:30. All parents welcome!

Finally, here's a useful link that shows all the places in Santa Cruz your student can get a discount when they show their student I.D:

https://lookout.co/santa-cruz-student-deals/

Please read further for some important Charter updates and announcements.

Have a wonderful week!

Kerry

kleroux@slvusd.org

T. 831-335-0932

Starting Wed, Jan 8 we are excited to offer an after-school Band class (2:30 - 3:30pm) for any middle or high school student interested in learning an instrument and playing in a traditional Concert Band. This includes all Charter Homeschool programs and Nature Academy. Jan 8 will be for interested students to try out an instrument of their choice (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone or percussion). Families would then be responsible for purchasing the chosen instrument, although we will have a limited number available for loan.

Johnny Graves, our wonderful music teacher from Rivendell Music Academy, will be able to support beginners, although experience is also a bonus. (Students will use the same level 1 or 2 prep books that are used by the SLVMS middle school band director.) Middle schoolers who take this class would be prepared to try out for SLVHS Band program, were they to attend high school there. Charter high school players, please note this is NOT a class that can be counted for elective credit as it is strictly extra-curricular.

Please sign your student up here if they are interested, and plan to have them come to the first class on Jan 8 at 2:30pm.

You will find all these events and more on the google calendar shared by your Program teacher and on the Website calendar.

November is Native American Heritage Month!

Tues, Nov 19 - 11:30am - Lego in the Library

- 12:05pm Fashion Teens (Middle and High School only) info meeting in room 16

- GaGa Ball reserved for Elementary programs (Tuesdays)

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Wed, Nov 20 - GSA meets weekly in room 19 at lunch

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Thurs, Nov 21 - Spirit Dress Up Day - Dress in Fall Colors!

- 8am - Student Council - Library (TK-8) - anyone welcome!

- Parent Math Training in Room 12 - All welcome - please sign up here

- TK-1 9:30 - 10:20

- 2nd - 5th 10:30 - 11:20

- 6th - 9th 11:30 - 12:30

- 12:15pm - Chess Club in the quad (or MPR if bad weather)

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Mon, Nov 25 - Fri, Nov 29 - Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Tues, Dec 3 - 11:30am - Lego in the Library

- GaGa Ball reserved for Elementary programs (Tuesdays)

- 12:30 Elementary Division - Charter Spelling Bee (Library) - parent volunteers gratefully accepted!

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Wed, Dec 4- GSA meets weekly in room 19 at lunch

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Thurs, Dec 5- 8am - Student Council - Library (TK-8) - anyone welcome!

- 12:15pm - Chess Club in the quad (or MPR if bad weather)

- Charter Play rehearsals at 2:45pm in the MPR

Fri, Dec 6 - Month 5 Attendance paperwork due for homeschool/IS

- 10am - Charter Winter Craft Fair

For planning further ahead:

Fri, Dec 20 - Storm Make up Day: if we don't end up having to close our school for weather-related emergencies, we will not have Dec 20 as a school day, but please stand by and don't plan to start vacation early, just in case we do need to use it.

Mon, Dec 23 - Fri, Jan 3, 2025 - Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

Mon, Jan 6 - Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)

Tues, Jan 7 - Classes begin for Nature Academy and Coast Redwood High; Homeschooling begins for attendance purposes for all TK-8 homeschool programs

Tues, Jan 21 - In-person enrichment classes begin (TK-8 Homeschool programs)

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Nature Academy parents, don't forget to check the Nature Academy Google Calendar to be sure which bell schedule we're on each day! (You can also click here if you are not a Google Calendar subscriber)

• A1 Mondays are 1:19pm dismissal at Nature Academy
• A2 Mondays are 2:05pm dismissal at Nature Academy
• A3 Mondays are 3:00pm dismissal at the tricampus
• O days are Tues/Thurs, dismissal 2:05pm;
• E days are Wed/Fri, dismissal 2:20pm (Wed) and 2:05 (Fri);
• Minimum Days dismiss at 12:05;
• Excursion Days (dates not all finalized) - times are individual to the excursion, but typically 3pm dismissal

From Superintendent Chris Schiermeyer: "Providing a safe place for students to learn and grow is one of the most important responsibilities of our school system. All San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District schools have a School Safety Plan in place. Drill procedures for emergencies and disasters are regularly practiced at each school.

Starting the 2024-2025 school year, we have changed our countywide codes for emergency drills in collaboration with law enforcement and the fire departments. Our new codes are as follows: Evacuation, Reverse Evacuation, Hall Check, and Lockdown. Please see the Standard Command Emergency Response Poster for more details on these types of drills that will be practiced at our school sites as required by law.

Along with school staff, your family plays a critical role in preventing and responding to school emergencies. The information posted on the Emergency Information website page is intended to provide parents/guardians with the steps you can take “before”, “during”, and “after” an emergency. Please note the emergency information has been revised to be in alignment with the newly adopted codes. Please take a moment to review this information."

SLV Charter will be starting our monthly/quarterly evacuation drills (elementary/secondary) shortly. Please be sure to sign in to get a visitor sticker if you're coming on campus so that if you're on site for a drill we can account for you. Please contact me if you have any questions!

3rd through 9th grade parents, please continue to encourage daily keyboarding practice with Touch Type Read Spell, the "award winning multi-sensory course that teaches typing, reading and spelling" aimed at students from elementary to high school. We are encouraging all students to spend a minimum of 1 hour a week or longer. This program license lasts until May of 2025, and after completion of all 24 levels* (approx. one year), your child should show a substantial improvement in keyboarding fluency. If you did not receive your welcome email with login details, please contact your child's teacher or email me!

"Based on the average completion time, a student using TTRS for one hour per week should complete approximately 744 modules in a year. The main TTRS Course consists of 24 levels, with 31 modules in each level, totaling 744 modules. On average, students complete the entire course in about 12 months when dedicating one hour per week to the program.

It's important to note that individual progress may vary, and some learners might complete the course faster if they spend more than an hour per week on TTRS."

Parents of students in TK - 9th grade! Have you struggled when helping your child with Math? We are once again offering a once-monthly Thursday morning Math training for parents, presented by an awesome instructor from the Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI). Please sign up here for one or all of the sessions on offer - they will build on one another over the course of the year. (Note there is a new tab for 2nd semester at the bottom of the spreadsheet.)

TK-1 parents come from 9:30 - 10:20am

2 - 5 parents come from 10:30 - 11:20am

6 - 9 parents come from 11:30 - 12:30pm

Dates: Thursday Sept 26, Oct 24, Nov 21, Dec 10 (Tues), Jan 23, Feb 6, Mar 20, Apr 17, May 8

Parents can now sign out loaner Chromebooks through the library for their students to use at home, starting tomorrow, Tues 8/20 and every Tues-Thurs according to the times below:

Charter Library

Tues, Wed, Thurs

8:30-9:30am or 2:15-3pm

Students can’t sign out a Chromebook without a parent; it requires a parent's signature. If there’s a problem, parents can email Mabel at CHlibrary@slvusd.org to make arrangements.

Students should not be bringing a personal laptop to school unless it’s part of an IEP. All teachers have class sets of chromebooks for students to use if it's required as part of the lesson.

If your child is in 6 - 12th grade, your teacher most likely uses Schoology to record assignment and test scores.

How a parent logs into Schoology:

1. Get your parent access code from your teacher or administrator.
2. When you have your parent access code, go to app.schoology.com/register.php.
3. Click the “Parent” button below the “Instructor” and “Student” buttons” in the “Sign Up for Schoology” section.
4. Enter the access code you received, and click Continue.
5. Enter your name and email (not the student’s) and choose a password.

Refer to the Parent Schoology Handbook to learn more.

Attendance matters!

Our attendance rate improved last year - thank you for your ongoing partnership in supporting good attendance! Students need to participate consistently, whether it be in a homeschool program, where work completion counts as attendance, or in our classroom-based 5 day a week Nature Academy.

Students who are absent 10% or more in a school year are typically "less proficient in reading, writing and math than their peers with good attendance" (Source: CA Dept of Ed.)

Volunteer application hours - PLEASE NOTE: The Charter Office and SLVUSD Human Resources Office hours will process volunteer registrations at the following times:

Tuesdays from 7:00-11:00 am

Thursdays from 12:30-3:30 pm.

The Human Resources Office is located at 325 Marion Avenue, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.

All Charter parents are encouraged to register with the District as a volunteer and a field trip driver. (All parents are asked to drive on excursions...)

Please click here to access the required volunteer paperwork. Hard copy paperwork is also available at the Charter Office.

To use your personal vehicle to transport your own or other students, we will need updated driver information on file as well - please click here for the form.

Ø New Volunteer: You will be required to fill out the volunteer paperwork and obtain a signature from the principal. Once complete, please bring your signed paperwork to the Human Resources Office. You will be required to provide a current TB result. Also, all new volunteers will be required to be fingerprinted.

Ø Returning Volunteer: You will be required to provide current TB results (within the last 4 years). If you don't know whether your TB is current, check with the Charter office. If you are turning in updated TB info, you can bring it to the Charter office or directly to the Human Resources Office.

• All SLVUSD students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch through the cafeteria. Breakfast can be picked up any time from 8:15am - 8:45am, no order needed.
• Lunch no longer needs to be ordered online. Our lunch lady will bring enough hot lunches for everyone who wants one, but should these run out we will have healthy cold alternatives available (salads, sandwiches, etc.)
• Meals are be served from our Multi-use Room in the central area of the campus
• Lunch times vary per program, but generally happen in the 11:50 - 12:30 window
• Elementary students will have lunch cards (kept in the MPR).
• Secondary students will need to key in their student ID on a keypad

Although a meal application is not necessary for your child to receive free meals during the 2024-2025 school year, households are asked 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.

• Link to SLV Student Nutrition Services website

If your child takes the bus to or from school, please remember you will need to purchase a bus pass.

ALL Nature Academy students have to be registered to take bus transportation on A1 days to the tricampus. (No need to pay.) Registration form link.

Students at Coast Redwood High who need afternoon transportation to the tricampus for concurrent enrollment classes can take the TK bus that leaves the District Office at noon each day. They will not need to pay for a bus pass. However, they still need to register. Rides will be denied if students are not registered.)

Please click here to access the Transportation web page for any other information you need.

The Charter Office staff ask families to call in before 1:50pm if they have a message for their student about changing that day's bus transportation arrangement.

If you’re interested in following our Instagram account, showcasing news and events from SLVUSD Charter School, here is the info:

“I'm on Instagram as slvcharterschool. Install the app to follow my photos and videos, or click this link: https://instagram.com/slvcharterschool?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==

(Please know that we will be very careful not to post pictures of students on the "Do not Photograph" list.)

And if you haven't started following the District Instagram accoount, look for "slvusd" and click "Follow!"

Charter students are eligible to try out to play in all sports at SLVMS and SLVHS. Please keep an eye on the respective websites so your child is aware of the tryout schedule for each season's sports. We will also share that information as we receive it.

Athletes, remember that eligibility rules require you to carry at least a 2.0 GPA (C average) to remain eligible to complete in the middle school athletics practices and competitions.

Parents, please read this updated Spectator Code of Conduct from SLVMS Principal Shanna Urbancic.

Please click here for a link to the Panther Athletics website (SLVMS)

Click here for a list of the tryout dates for 24-25

Fall Sports (August - October)

Boys Soccer

Girls Basketball

Cross Country (No cuts)

Winter I Sports (October - December)

Girls Soccer

Boys Basketball

Winter II Sports (January-March)

Girls Volleyball

Wrestling (no cuts)

Flag Football

Spring Sports (March- May)

Girls Softball
Boys Volleyball
Golf

Track and Field (no cuts)

Please click here for a link to the Cougar Athletics website (SLVHS).

Did you know that our district maintains a "Community Opportunities" website? This is for parents / students to receive information about current local events and opportunities for adults and/or children.

Note: The San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District does not sponsor or endorse any of the organizations or events that are located here. They are non-school sponsored events and are not being promoted by the school district. All postings are provided as a courtesy to the parents/students.

Homework Help at the Public Library

Bring your assignments to one of the FREE drop-in Homework Help sessions at one of the following public libraries.

Tuesdays from 3:00p to 5:00p.

Downtown, 224 Church St., Santa Cruz

Felton, 6121 Gushee St.

Capitola, 2005 Wharf Rd.

La Selva Beach, 316 Estrella Ave.

Open to all students up to grade 12.

Call 831.427.7713 for more information.

And also from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries:

SCPL are particularly excited to offer a new resource from Brainfuse called CollegeNow, which offers support with college applications, essays and more. This is in addition to HelpNow live tutoring.

Please click here for a press release containing comprehensive information on the many resources SCPL offers to all students. SCPL looks forward to welcoming your students to any of their 10 branches, Annex and Bookmobile during this new school year!

Guide to Resources for Families in SLV

Here's a handy one-pager listing various organizations and resources for families in the San Lorenzo Valley.

Mental Health resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - with a link to their March newseltter

Brightlife Kids, an organization that provides free online support in behavioral coaching for parents, caregivers and students aged 0 - 12.

Please click here for a link to a flier from the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz, containing a number of useful resources for families. CAB's mission is to "partner with the community to eliminate poverty and create social change through advocacy and social service. "

Triple P/First Five of Santa Cruz County offer ongoing parenting classes for parents of students of all ages. Please click here to see their workshop offerings.

Triple P also offers 1:1 sessions for parents who are needing intensive 10 week session and add-on sessions for people who are divorcing or separating (Family Transitions), for couples wanting to work on their relationship (Enhanced) and for people wanting to work on their strong emotions, like anger (Pathways). If interested in 1:1 sessions, please contact First 5 of Santa Cruz: https://www.first5scc.org/contact

Email: kleroux@slvusd.org
Website: charter.slvusd.org
Phone: (831) 336-5167