Mustang Round-Up 9/1/25

Dear Maple Families,

Welcome to September! We are off to a great start, and I’m excited for all the learning and fun ahead this month. Starting this week we are encouraging students to walk into campus independently, or with the help of our paraeducators. We encourage families to say their goodbyes before students head onto the playground, and to exit campus before the 8:10 bell so that we can lock up and keep Maple safe.

To make it easy (and fun!) to remember, we’ll use the phrase:

🎒 “Hook it up, Hug it out, Head to the Playground.” 💙
Students can hang up their backpacks, share a quick hug, and then head off to join their friends. This small routine helps build independence, keeps our morning transitions smooth, and starts the day on a positive note. If you would like to schedule a meeting with a teacher please visit the front office to plan a time that teachers can meet without overlapping with instructional time.

A few important reminders for your calendars:

• Back to School Night is coming up on Tuesday, September 3 for grades 1-5. We can’t wait to welcome you to campus and share more about the exciting year ahead.

• Drop-off reminders: The drop-off line is a NO PARKING ZONE and is intended only for students who are ready to walk to class independently without help retrieving or carrying belongings. If your student needs extra assistance or you’d like to walk them in, please park your car in a designated parking space. Thank you for helping us keep the line safe and smooth for everyone!

• No school on Monday, September 2 in observance of Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend with your families!

We’d also love for you to consider getting more involved this year. Whether through our Parent Faculty Association (PFA) or School Site Council (SSC), your time and talents make a huge difference in building a strong and supportive school community.

Thank you for all you do to support Maple Elementary and our amazing Mustangs!

Warmly,

Mrs. O'Weger

We are looking for parents who would like to join Maple's School Site Council and help us shape the future of our school! Please contact Mrs. O'Weger for more information.

Dear Maple Parents,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Jackie Ougourian and I am honored to serve as the Special Education District Advisory Council Member at Large and the Representative for Maple Elementary. In this role, I am dedicated to advocating for the needs of our students with special needs and ensuring that their voices are heard within our district. As your representative, I am committed to fostering collaboration between parents, educators, and the district to address the challenges and opportunities in our special education programs. I believe that by working together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students at Maple Elementary. I encourage open communication and would love to hear any thoughts or concerns you may have regarding special education in our school. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at jackieuguryan@yahoo.com or at 818.421.9332 Thank you for your support, and I look forward to working with you to make a positive impact for our students.

Warm regards,

Jackie Z. Ougourian

SEDAC Member at Large

C:818.421.9332

In recognition of the Labor Day holiday there will be NO SCHOOL on Monday September 1, 2025

Back to School Night is on September 3, 2025. We will start with a PTA presentation at 5:00, followed by a welcome by Mrs. O'Weger in the MPR at 5:30, and classroom presentations immediately following.

Maple Elementary and the Conejo Valley Unified School District are dedicated to providing you with transparent information about your child’s education in a timely manner. We want you to feel comfortable addressing your questions. With direct and respectful communication, most issues are resolved at the school level.

Please use this "Where Do I Start?" Communication Guidelines for Parents & Guardians to help address any current or future questions and concerns you may have.

We are kicking off our first Parent/Guardian Workshop of the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, September 29th. The free workshop, presented by Dr. Dena Sellers, Shane Frank, and Nicole Judd, will be held at the University Center from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The goal of the workshop is to equip families with practical strategies for creating a positive learning environment at home, understanding academic expectations, and facilitating strong communication skills with teachers and school staff. More information can be found here: English/Spanish.

We wanted to make sure you are aware of the new district cell phone policy. I am sure you are aware of the dependency that many pre-teens and teenagers have to mobile devices. It has made it increasingly more difficult for kids to pay attention in class, engage with their peers, and we have seen an increase in students reporting anxiety and depression as a a result. We know that we need to do something different to help kids. Therefore, we are making school cell phone free areas. As a parent myself, I understand that parents are concerned about safety. We ALWAYS allow students to call home from the office. If you are putting a watch on your child, it must remain in "school mode." Any child found texting, accessing the internet, or using aps on their phone will have their phone/watch confiscated and it will need to be picked up from the office by an adult.

It is very important that you do your annual updates on Q! Here are the directions:

We look forward to welcoming your students back for the 2025-2026 school year in just a few weeks. As with each new school year, required Annual Updates must be completed by parents/guardians prior to the first day of instruction. We are pleased to be able to provide all Annual Updates information, including required acknowledgments and permissions, within Q Parent Connection again this year.

• Please complete the required Annual Updates process for all CVUSD students by Friday, August 15th.
• Annual Updates must be completed for every student, every year, even if the student has recently enrolled in CVUSD for the first time. We want to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information about your student(s) and that you are well-informed about laws and policies pertaining to your child’s education.
• Parents/Guardians are asked to complete the process in Q Parent Connection.
• For those that do not have access to Q Parent Connection, paper copies of the required Annual Updates forms may be obtained from Student Support Services at the CVUSD District Educational Center, 1400 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or from your child’s school upon their office reopening.

If you have questions regarding your unique login information, after following the Need Your Login Information? steps, please contact your elementary school’s Office Manager or your middle or high school’s Registrar for further assistance.

Additionally, CVUSD respectfully requests assistance in maximizing funding for the district by completing the free/reduced price meal program application. The application link HERE is also located in the Acknowledgments and Permissions section of the Annual Updates process. The information provided by families remains confidential. Whether or not your child plans to eat school lunches, it is important to fill out the free/reduced price meal program application to ensure our schools receive maximum funding. If you have any questions or need assistance completing your application, please call Child Nutrition Services at (805) 498-4557, extension 7530.

Starting August 2025, our CVUSD and school site Outreach text messages will be sent using a local 10-digit phone number.

New Text Message Number for Outreach: 805-491-6616

Please note: Emergency notifications will continue to be sent via our existing short code for now.

We recommend saving this number in your contacts as “[CVUSD/School Name] Alerts” so you always recognize messages from us.

Why the change?

Our mass communications vendor, Finalsite, is moving away from short codes in favor of local phone numbers, in line with industry best practices. Local numbers are more familiar and trusted by recipients, improving message delivery and recognition.

One important clarification:

• This change applies only to mass text messages
• Recorded voice messages (such as school closure alerts or attendance calls) will continue to come from our main school phone number, as they always have.
• While it might seem logical to use the same number for mass text and voice messages, federal regulations require separate numbers for each type of communication.

Thank you for staying connected with us — we’re committed to making sure you receive timely and clear communication from Conejo Valley Unified School District.

Come be a part of the Maple Parent Faculty Association (PFA), a non-profit booster club that supports fun activities at our school! Click here for more information!

Show off your Mustang pride with spirit wear for the new school year! Click here for our online store.

We’re excited to welcome back Deputy Jaime Reyes to Maple Elementary as our School Resource Officer! She has been with the Sheriff's Office for 14 years and this is our 3rd year with her at Maple. Deputy Reyes brings her warm smile, positive energy, and dedication to keeping our school safe and secure. She’ll be a friendly face around campus—connecting with students, supporting staff, and helping ensure Maple is a place where everyone feels protected and cared for. Be sure to say hello and give her a big Mustang welcome!

Lunch is FREE for all students this school year! Please help our school by continuing to fill out the school lunch application form

Click here for a Bus application for the 2025-2026 School Year