SEC Monthly Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy New Year! I hope this letter finds you well and filled with excitement for the possibilities that the coming year holds. As we step into 2024, I want to take a moment to reflect on the successes of the past year and express my gratitude for your continuous support.

First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your children. It is a privilege and a responsibility that we take very seriously at Sierra Elementary Complex. Our dedicated staff is committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where your child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Looking ahead, we have exciting plans and initiatives in store for the upcoming year. Our focus remains on providing a well-rounded education that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and a love for learning. We are committed to maintaining open lines of communication with parents and guardians, and we encourage your active involvement in your child's education.

I would also like to remind you of the importance of partnership between home and school. Your support plays a crucial role in the success of our students, and we welcome your feedback, ideas, and involvement in various school activities and events throughout the year.

On January 9-10, 2024, 3rd - 5th grade students will be taking the IMSSA MOY test. Please help us by ensuring that your child is in attendance on these days. We appreciate your ongoing support.

Wishing you and your family a joyous and prosperous New Year!

Warm regards,

Shirley Muncy

Sierra Elementary Principal

• January 12- Report Cards go home
• January 15- No School- MLK Jr. Day
• Feb 15- Health Fair- Tentative

• Feb 15-16- Parent/Teacher Conferences

• Feb 19- President’s Day- NO SCHOOL

January Students of the Month!

Congratulations to our exemplary January Students of the Month for their outstanding behavior, dedication, and positive influence. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Positive behavior isn't just about following rules; it's about embodying the values of respect, integrity, and compassion in every aspect of school life. These excellent students have not only embraced these values but have also become role models for their fellow students, demonstrating that kindness and respect can truly make a difference in the lives of others. Here is what their teachers say about these stellar students.

Aurora S. “is very helpful and a positive role model. Not only is she very respectful, but she also helped the substitute understand the routines of the classroom. -Mrs. Gutierrez (substitute)

Marisol L. “is always very respectful and tries her hardest every day. She has a great attitude and is a friend to all.”-Mr. Glines

Caroline B. “is a respectful, responsible student and always works hard!” -Mrs. Gonzalez

Tyler B. “is a great student! He shows kindness and helpfulness every day. He is a great leader and is a joy to have in class.” -Mrs. Rivera

Casey Joy C. “is a wonderful young lady. She is hardworking and always determined to do her best. She is always willing to help struggling peers and be a positive role model.” -Mrs. Jankowski.

Max S. “continually strives to be the best he can be. Max comes to school with a positive attitude and works hard. The possibilities are endless for this young man.”-Mrs. Flores

LuCasey S. “has shown responsibility, teamwork, perseverance, and plenty of kindness as well as respect for everyone. He is a great student, and he really deserves this award.”-Mr. Madrid

Kensie G. “is always quick to get on task and focuses on what she’s doing and she show’s kindness to everyone!”-Mrs. Fletcher

Addison C. “always works hard and is friendly and very respectful”-Mr. Crofford

Raeleigh B. “is an amazing student. She is always kind and caring. She is a hard worker and always does her best in and out of the classroom. -Mrs. Zuni

Zen Y. “Zen is a great student and friend. He is always respectful to teachers and his peers. He is also always ready and willing to learn. Zen works very hard. -Ms. Gervasio

It is truly heartening to witness the remarkable commitment, dedication, and positivity displayed by these exemplary students. Thank you for rising above and beyond the expectation! Keep shining bright and keep ROARing!

January news from physical education:

Remember to wear tennis shoes on P.E. days. K– 5th will be working on basketball skills. Remember to eat healthy and exercise daily.

PE Schedule:

• Monday- 3rd-Rivera, 4th-Fletcher, Rintelen
• Tuesday- 3rd-Glines, 4th-Flores, 5th-Crofford
• Thursday- 3rd-Placencio, 4th-Madrid, 5th-Gervasio
• Friday- 3rd-Gonzalez, 4th-Jankowski, 5th-Zuni

Thank you,

Mrs. Zambrano

Hello SEC students and families!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. In the library we are going to start learning about the Dewey Decimal System and how it is used in our library. The goal is to have our students be self-sufficient and able to find the books they are looking for on their own.

Please continue to help your students return their library books in a timely manner and consider reading books together as a family to help nurture their love of reading at home. Thank you!

Mrs. Q

Hi families!

Happy New Year!

We always love donations of egg cartons! When students work with tempera or acrylic paint, egg cartons are used as paint palettes. We throw them out after use, so we go through quite a lot of them.

As always, the art room is filled with busy students engaged in exciting art projects! This month, kids are working on poppy posters and then will create a self-portrait for our annual Square 1 Art fundraiser. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the poster contest. Participating in this activity is a great way for students to engage with their community, and to honor veterans, while also learning about graphic design. The Square 1 Art fundraiser is a fun celebration of student art. Families can buy a product that is emblazoned with their child’s art! Meanwhile, students learn all about the self-portrait throughout art history, as well as practicing figure drawing and painting.

As always, please reach out with questions or concerns.

Be well,

Thea Storz

Rhonda Nickles

tstorz@torcschools.net

rnickles@torcschools.net

Hi Families:

TCES/ SEC will hold its third annual spelling bee on Friday, January 19th. Classroom spelling bees will be held the week of January 8th, and one to two students from each class will participate in the school spelling bee. If your child participates in the school spelling bee, you are welcome to come watch, you’ll just need to check in with the office as usual.

Our school spelling champion will represent us in the El Paso Spelling Bee. The winner of THAT bee will participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be in the late spring of 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Please note that during the school competition, students will be given words randomly, without regard for age or grade. The spelling study list is attached to this newsletter and has been posted on Facebook. There are plenty of paper copies available. Students can also ask their teacher to print the list for them. For more information about the Scripps program, for study tips, and for reading lists, please visit www.spellingbee.com

Please don’t hesitate to email me with any questions.

Happy studying!

Thea Storz

Art Teacher

tstorz@torcschools.net

Hello from music!

Hello from music! For the month of January, we will continue to reinforce our understanding of the musical alphabet. At the end of this month, I will be going on maternity leave. We have a fantastic long-term sub who will be here in my absence.

Thank you,

Mrs. Harrison

Welcome back, glad to be back!

Starting off the new year in computers we will be focusing on research skills, finding helpful information from the right sources is the key to many assignments. They will be working on building spreadsheets as well as coding activities, and pixel art challenges. Remember to practice your safe technology habits!

Ms. Lacey

Happy New Year and welcome back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and exciting Winter break.

Our STC class has added a few different students to our group, and we are so excited for them to be here. Parents please be on look out for a parental form from Save the Children to see if your student was chosen.

This month for 1st grade we will continue to focus on our skill-building skills with an occasional group read aloud.

For grades 2nd - 5th we will continue to focus on our GIRP (Guided Independent Reading Practice) with an occasional group read-aloud.

I am so proud of how well all the students have been doing and I look forward to continuing working with them. I hope this New year brings loads of joy and happiness to all!

-Mary Reuland (STC Program Coordinator)