SILVA Shark Report 2025-26

Hi Shark Families,

We value our strong partnership with families and appreciate the care and concern you show for all students at our school. To ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for every child, we would like to clarify the appropriate process for addressing student conflicts.

While it is understandable to want to help redirect students, it is important to note that reprimanding or scolding a child who is not your own is considered inappropriate. Addressing conflicts involving children should always be handled by school staff to ensure fairness, consistency, and student well-being.

If you have concerns regarding a conflict between students, we kindly ask that you direct these matters to school administration. Our team is trained to investigate concerns, support students, and work with families to resolve issues appropriately.

If the concern involves behavior on the school bus or at a bus stop, please report the matter directly to the District Transportation Department, so it can be addressed according to district procedures.

Additionally, if there is a concern you would like to bring to a teacher’s attention, the appropriate course of action is to contact the teacher to discuss the matter. This allows for open communication and collaboration while respecting the roles of staff and families.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support as we work together to keep our school community safe, respectful, and positive for all students. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Go sharks!

Vice Principal Ms. Sutter & Principal Mr. Gehrke

Dear Shark Families,

As Superintendent Young has shared, Lodi Unified School District is in the beginning stages of creating a district-wide strategic plan. Once completed, the strategic plan will guide and inform the district’s priorities, goals, and decisions over the next five years. In order to do this well, we need feedback from all of our community members - that’s you!

I’d like to invite you to participate in the upcoming Future Focused Forum at 6:00 PM on Thursday, January 29th. The forum will be held on campus in the cafeteria and will be a time dedicated to open-ended discussion and information gathering. The feedback that comes from this forum will be directly used to identify the five focus areas of Lodi Unified School District. These focus areas will then be used during a two-day workshop to guide the development of the strategic plan.

This discussion portion of this forum is for adults only. The district is utilizing other avenues to collect input from our students. Please plan to attend without your child(ren).

As a district, we are committed to gathering insight and feedback from as many individuals in our community as possible. That’s why over the course of the next two months, every school site in Lodi Unified will be holding one of these forums. If you are unable to attend our forum, a follow up survey will be sent for you to participate in based on the forum outcomes. If you have multiple children in the district attending different schools, you do not need to attend each different forum (though you can if you want to!).

I hope to see you at our community’s forum on Thursday, January 29th. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Principal Gehrke :)

PARA LAS FAMILIAS:

Estimado/a Shark Families,

Como el Superintendente Young compartió en su mensaje de fin de año antes de las vacaciones de invierno, el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Lodi se encuentra en las primeras etapas de crear un plan estratégico para todo el distrito. Una vez terminado, este plan ayudará a guiar las prioridades, metas y decisiones del distrito durante los próximos cinco años. Para que este plan realmente represente a nuestra comunidad, necesitamos la opinión de todos — ¡y eso incluye la suya!

Por eso, me gustaría invitarle a participar en el Foro con la Mirada al Futuro, que se llevará a cabo el 29th de enero a las 6:00 PM. El foro será en nuestro campus, en el cafeteria, y será un espacio para compartir ideas, conversar abiertamente y escuchar diferentes puntos de vista. Los comentarios que se recojan en este foro se usarán directamente para identificar las cinco áreas principales de enfoque del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Lodi. Estas áreas servirán como base para un taller de dos días en el que se desarrollará el plan estratégico.

Esta parte del foro está dirigida solo a adultos. El distrito está utilizando otros medios para recoger las opiniones de los estudiantes. Por favor planee asistir sin sus hijos.

Como distrito, estamos comprometidos a escuchar a la mayor cantidad posible de personas de nuestra comunidad. Por eso, durante los próximos dos meses, cada escuela del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Lodi llevará a cabo uno de estos foros. Si no puede asistir a nuestro foro, se le enviará una encuesta de seguimiento para que también pueda compartir su opinión. Si tiene hijos en diferentes escuelas del distrito, no es necesario que asista a más de un foro (aunque puede hacerlo si así lo desea).

Espero poder verlo/a en el foro de nuestra comunidad el 29th de enero. Si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en comunicarse conmigo.

Gracias,

Senor Gehrke :)

The Mako sharks won this week with the most total house points! Keep earning those house points by doing the right thing and wearing your house shirt every Wednesday!

GATE Information for Qualifying 3rd Grade Students' Parents: Jan. 27th @ 2:30 PM

Bingo Night (benefitting the American Heart Association): Jan. 28th @ 6:00 PM

Strategic Planning Meeting for Lodi Unified: Jan. 29th @ 6:00 PM. Please attend to provide input on Lodi's 5-year strategic plan.

6th Grade Science Camp: Feb. 2nd-4th. Meet at the Bus Loop at 7:30 AM. The buses leave at 8:00 AM.

Preschool Storytime: Tuesday, Feb. 3rd @ 8:15 AM

Please note: The 4th Grade Lottery Choice Google Form must be submitted to the GATE Office by February 4, 2026.

Detailed information was sent to families via email and U.S. mail on January 2, 2026.

For questions, please contact the GATE Office:
Tammy Alexander
Administrative Secretary
talexander@lodiusd.org
(209) 953-8318

Parents/Guardians, all TK through 6th grade students pulled a House. Houses are like teams. All eight House names are different types of sharks, and each House has its own distinct color and character trait. For example, the Hammerhead shark house color is yellow, and its character trait is honesty. The reason Manlio Silva is creating the House System is to build a better sense of belonging, reinforce positive behaviors with house points, and bring even more fun and joy into the school setting through house meetings and rallies! Some of the fifth and sixth graders are house leaders, so it also builds leadership with those students. House shirts should be worn every Wednesday to show pride in their house.

How Parents Can Support the House System starting Thursday:

• Ask, "What house are you in?"
• Ask, "Have you earned a House point?"
• Ask "What are ways you can earn a House point?"
• Encourage your child to wear their house shirt every Wednesday.
• Feel free to buy extra props in the same color for Wednesdays to show even more House spirit.

The California State Park Adventure Pass is a program that waives day-use entrance fees to 54 state parks for fourth graders and their families for a full year. Details are available on the California Department of Parks and Recreation Adventure Pass web page. The program is overseen by California State Parks, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the California Natural Resources Agency.

Fill out the paperwork and send it back to the teacher or office along with the money. Thank you in advance for parterning to make this school year the best it can be!

Purchase gear in youth and adult sizes by following the link to our student store. If you don't see your favorite item, please let us know and we will inquire about adding it to the store. Check back regularly as new gear will be added and/or removed often.

All orders are taken online and delivered to your home usually within six weeks. Gear is easy to replace if it is manufacturer's error. All returns, repairs and replacements are simple.

The Spirit Store can be accessed at any time by going to the Silva website and searching Spirit Store under the Student Life tab.

https://manlio-silva-elementary.checkoutstores.com/

Dear Silva Families,

Please participate in the new digital “Box Tops for Education” Fundraiser for our school music programs. A “scan your receipt” label is located on many different household products including General Mills and Pillsbury brands. Please scan your receipt within 14 days of purchase for our school to get credit. If you don't want to create your own account then you can send the receipt to school with your child to give to their music teacher Mrs. Evans. Each “Box Top for Education” box is worth 10¢ for our school. The app will find participating products on your receipt and instantly add cash to our school’s earnings online. Download the Box Tops for Education App using the app store on your phone or tablet. Sign up with the app using your email and a password, select Manlio Silva Elementary School for our school to get credit. We will automatically receive credit from the receipt that you scan whenever you buy a product that supports the Box Tops for Education Program. It's that easy! Please see the page below that explains how to use the app. If you have any questions you can contact Mrs. Evans via email at kevans@lodiusd.net.

HOW IT WORKS

BUY BOX TOPS PRODUCTS

Look for the logo! You can find it on products from General Mills or Pillsbury.

DOWNLOAD APP, SIGN UP WITH EMAIL AND PASSWORD, SELECT Manlio Silva Elementary School, tap the scan button and snap a photo of your receipt within 14 days of purchase. Click the links below to go to the Box Top app. If you don't want to use the app or don't have access to it you can sign up using the website below. You can also ask your child to give Mrs. Evans in Rm. 208 your receipts and we can scan it during music class to get credit. Please do not cut the box top label off your packages. We can only receive funds from your purchases if we scan the receipt. Thank you for supporting our music programs! Mrs. Evans, Classroom Music Teacher and Choir Director

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1150038564

Box Tops for Education™ - Apps on Google Play

Box Tops Website: Please click the link! https://www.btfe.com

Commit today by following this LINK or emailing vsutter@lodiusd.net

Please join PTA today. Volunteer time to help us in the classroom or the playground. Assist with fundraising. Help with campus care. We want your partnership! Please commit today.

The following are important updates from the Dorothy L. Jones Family Resource Center:

Utility Assistance Programs

• All PG&E assistance programs have returned for the new year.
• REACH Grant (Dollar Energy Program): Initial grant amount has increased from $300 to $800.
• Match My Payment ((Dollar Energy Program): Qualified customers with a past-due balance can have payments (minimum $50) matched up to $1,000.
• HEAP Program (SJC Energy Program): Grant assistance has reopened for 2026.
  
  

Tax Season & VITA Program

• Free income tax assistance begins February 5th at DLJ.
• Appointment calendar opens Wednesday, January 21st.
• At DLJ, taxpayers will have two appointments:
• Thursdays: Submit forms and documents
• Tuesdays: Review, sign, and file completed return
• Please note: We screen clients and refer them to the VITA center closest to their residence.
  
  

For questions, contact:

• Vanessa Hernandez – General Information, Appointments, Utility Assistance
• Emelia Leang – Family Case Management & AB109
• Martina Cabrera – Employment & Training
• Alejandra Navarro & Armster Hampton – Youth Programs
  📞 (209) 444-5555

For more details, click on this month's newsletter:

Please press the button below for more information on the Lodi Adult School Paraprofessional Workshop.

As we enter November, some families may experience interruptions in food assistance benefits. Nutrition Services remains committed to ensuring all of our students have access to healthy meals each day. All Lodi USD students can enjoy no-cost meals—

• Breakfast before school
• Lunch during school
• Supper/After School Meal before heading home
  

Follow the button to access a Guide to Free Food Distribution Sites in San Joaquin County, which includes additional community resources. If you’re aware of other supports, please share with meals@lodiusd.net so we can continue to connect families in need.

Students - BE PRESENT: Phones down, heads up. Lodi USD is committed to creating connections in the classroom. Starting this school year, students will be expected to keep their phones turned during the school day - including lunches, breaks, and passing periods - as part of the district-wide initiative to Be Present. This initiative is designed to support a more focused learning environment while encouraging real, in-person connection outside of the digital world.

Please talk with your student(s) about this new initiative and the positive benefits associated with disconnecting during the school day. We believe that this initiative, over time, will support a more focused learning environment and encourage student connection outside of the digital world. You can find more information on the policy, the benefits, and frequently asked questions here.

Ongoing Preschool Enrollment