August 14, 2026

Dear Charger Families,

We had a great turn out this afternoon at the TK Meet & Greet! Thank you to our TK teachers for hosting and great opportunity for our new learners to see their classrooms, meet new friends, and meet the teacher and support staff.

Tomorrow, Saturday, August 15th, the Cherry Chase PTA is hosting a TK/Kinder Playdate. We look forward to seeing the TK/Kinder children have this opportunity to connect with other students before the first day of school.

Monday, August 17th is our first day of school! The first bell rings at 8:12 a.m. and class starts at 8:15am. Following drop off, we will host a Principal's Coffee in the Multi for parents at 8:30am. I am looking forward to meeting many families this week!

On Thursday, August 20th, Ms. Field and I will be going into TK and Kinder classes to review our Charger Pride Expectations with each class. On Friday, August 21st, all 1st-5th grade classes will attend a Charger Pride Assembly to review behavior expectations for the school year. We are looking forward to reinforcing the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) expectations at Cherry Chase with our students.

Reminder for TK families: All TK students will have early release from 8/17-9/8 and will be released at 11:35am. TK students will have the option to take a bagged lunch home during these early release day. During drop off each day, please let the teacher know if your students needs a snack and/or lunch from the school cafeteria.

The NWEA Math and ELA Benchmark testing window is begins August 20th through September 4th for our 1st-5th grade students. These benchmark assessments will give teachers a baseline score showing what each student knows and is ready to learn at the start of the school year. It helps drive instructional decisions for the teacher and also allows opportunities to set growth goals for students to monitor their progress throughout the year.

We will have our first School Site Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 1st from 3-4pm. Prior to this meeting, we will be looking to elect parents for the 2026-2027 school year. Cherry Chase SSC has a total of 5 parent seats and we are looking for parents who are interested in serving as an elected member. I will be sending out a Nomination Form in a separate message as soon as I confirm how many open parent seats we have for the 2026-2027 school year. There will be between 5-7 meetings during the school year, typically on a Tuesday from 3-4pm Please consider nominating yourself or another parent and reach out if you have any questions.

Rest up this weekend and we look forward to seeing all students on Monday morning!

Warm Regards,

Ms. Crawford

Help us start each day safely and smoothly!

• Gates open at 8:00 a.m. Please enter through the designated gates shown on the arrival map.
• Use designated crosswalks, follow all traffic laws, keep driveways clear, and be respectful of our neighbors.
• Walk bikes and scooters once students enter campus and secure them at the bike racks for the school day.
• When the bell rings, students freeze, wait for the signal, and then walk to their line-up locations, where teachers will meet them and escort them to class.

• TK is the only grade where families walk students directly to the classroom door.
• Students arriving by school bus will be met and supervised by a staff member.
• After drop-off, families should exit campus promptly. Gates will be locked at 8:15 a.m.
• Any student arriving after 8:15 a.m. must go to the office to get a tardy slip before going to their classroom.
• For campus safety, all adults entering campus after 8:15 a.m. must check in at the front office.

Thank you for helping us keep arrival safe, calm, and ready for learning!

Bell Schedule

Here is the link to the CCE 2026-2027 Bell Schedule. Some key information about the Bell Schedule to keep in mind is listed below:

• For the first weeks of school, TK is in session Monday through Friday from 8:15 to 11:35 a.m. Students will be dismissed at 11:35 am
• Beginning on Tuesday, September 9, 2026, TK will transition to a full-day schedule Monday through Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
• Kindergarten begins full-day classes from the very first day: Kindergarten students will start in full-day classes on Monday, August 17, 2026 and is dismissed at 2:25pm.
• On Fridays, TK through 3rd Grade will be dismissed at 12:45 pm.
• On Teacher Learning Days (TLD), ALL students are dismissed at 12:45 pm.
• During Conference Week (October 5-19), ALL students are dismissed at 11:35 am.
• SESD Academic Calendar 2026-2027

• TK — Recess 11:10–11:30 | Lunch 11:30–11:50
• K–2 — Recess 11:35–11:55 | Lunch 11:55–12:15
• 3–5 — Recess 12:00–12:20 | Lunch 12:20–12:40

Pick up:

We welcome parents to drop off and pick up students at their classrooms on campus.

Here are a few reminders:

• For pickup, the gates will open a few minutes before the bell rings and will be closed from 2:45 pm. to 4:00 pm.
• After 4:00 pm., the school grounds will be open to the public as a park and community will have access.

Please review the map posted above for a visual of these areas.

Attendance:

• School begins promptly at 8:15am
• If students are not in class by 8:15am, they must report to the front office to receive a tardy slip

We are very excited to welcome Cherry Chase staff and teachers back for a new school year!

Please welcome our new and newly returning members of the Cherry Chase community:

• Zain Farkouh - 5th grade Room 16
• Emily Steinmetz - Speech Language Pathologist Room 6A
• Lydia Dupré - Instructional Coach Room 9
• Allison Crawford - Interim Principal
• Sarah Field - Interim Assistant Principal
• Katherine (Katie) Rodriguez - District Nurse supporting Cherry Chase

Student Breakfast & Lunch

Student breakfast and lunch continues to be provided for free for all students this school year.

The menus can be found linked here once they have been set for this month - School Breakfast & Lunch Menu.

Universal Benefits Application

We do ask that all families please fill out the state’s income eligibility application which greatly helps our school’s funding. The data from this form call support our school in qualifying for discounted or free admission on field trips, transportation, and more! This additional funding can allow our students to experience more opportunities for enrichment. Families may also qualify for benefits such as SUN Bucks, reduced activity fees, and discounted college application fees. You can read more in the flyers linked below and submit your application using the QR code or the following link: https://linqconnect.com/public/universal-benefits-application/new

Parent Square

We use this free app to communicate with families. You can see whole school updates, district updated, as well as classroom specific updates. Please download the app for free in the App Store or Google Play Store.

When you login, you can update your notification preferences in your Settings.

Calendar of Events

Here is the link to the public Cherry Chase Elementary Google Calendar. We want to highlight some important dates and upcoming events over then next 2 weeks to ensure a smooth transition for our students. Please take the time to review the information listed below:

August

15 - TK/K Playdate 10 am-12 pm (PTA event)

17 - Students’ First Day

17 - Coffee with the Principal- Welcome Back at 8:30 am

20 - TK/K Charger Pride Classroom Visits - students only

21 - Charger Pride Expectations Assemblies - students only

• Grades 4-5 at 8:30-8:50 am
• Grades 1-2 at 9:00-9:20 am
• Grade 3 at 9:30-9:50 am

21 - No Friday Flag Assembly

21 - PTA Back to School Picnic and Resource Fair 5:30-7:30 pm

27 - Fire Drill at 10:30 am

27 - District Board Meeting at 6:00 pm

28 - No Friday Flag Assembly

September

1 - School Site Council (SSC) Meeting #1 3:00 - 4:00 pm (please see section above about School Site Council needs)

Save the Date for Back to School Night - September 9th

5:15-6:00 pm Grades TK-2

6:05-6:25 pm General Session (all grades)

6:30-7:15 pm Grades 3-5

Volunteers are an essential part of our school community! If you plan to volunteer, please review the updated process

To be a volunteer, you must complete an online volunteer application located at the bottom of the linked page below. If all the requirements have been met, the Human Resources Department will notify the school site that the volunteer is cleared to begin services. Approval may take up to three (3) weeks. Before you can begin volunteering, you must complete all volunteer requirements.

Thank you in advance for your commitment and time to volunteering at Cherry Chase Elementary or other Sunnyvale School District schools.

To learn more about the upcoming events from Cherry Chase PTA, be sure to check out their website and JOIN as a member to get regular communication and be a part of supporting the Cherry Chase students and community.

Cherry Chase PTA Website

Add the Cherry Chase PTA Google Calendar

Upcoming PTA Events:

• TK/K Playdate @ Cherry Chase - Saturday, August 15th 10am-12pm
• Cherry Chase PTA Community Picnic & Resource Fair - Friday, August 21st 5:30-7:30pm
• Family Paint Night - Friday, September 11th 6:00-7:30pm

Information about the YMCA after school program can be found here:
YMCA After School @ Cherry Chase 2026-2027