ASI Bruin's Den December Newsletter

Dear ASI Parents, Guardians, and Students,

Welcome to our December Newsletter! As we enter this special time of year, I want to extend warm wishes to all our Alta Sierra families. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, another cherished tradition, or simply enjoy time with loved ones, we hope this season brings you joy, peace, and meaningful moments together.

Finishing the Semester Strong

As we approach the end of the semester, I want to encourage all students to persevere and finish strong. The final weeks are important, and staying focused will help ensure a successful close to the term.

All students will take end-of-unit exams or semester finals during the last week of the semester. Please make every effort to have your student present each day. While students who miss an exam may complete a make-up upon returning to school, historically these students do not perform as well as peers who test with their class. Consistent attendance during this time is truly crucial to their success.

Academic Support and Reminders

To help students finish the semester successfully, ASI offers multiple academic support options:

• Lunch Labs: Many teachers open their classrooms for additional support during lunch.

• After-School Labs: Monday–Thursday from 3:20–5:20 PM. Students must bring work to complete.

• Tutor.com: Free 24/7 online tutoring for all CUSD students.

Please also encourage your student to stay on top of missing work and communicate with their teachers. Many teachers set early deadlines for make-up assignments or retakes prior to finals week, so planning ahead is key.

Parent Tips

Your involvement makes a tremendous difference. We encourage you to:

• Regularly review grades on Parent Connect

• Check in on your student’s social media usage

• Monitor phone habits
  These small actions help support positive choices and healthy peer relationships—especially important during the middle school years.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. ASI is stronger because of our families, and we are grateful for the trust you place in us each day.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a strong finish to the semester!

Warmly,
Jennifer Carter
ASI Principal

Studies show being late to school can actually lead to students developing poor attendance habits and negative attitudes. It can also increase their stress. By helping children develop good morning routines that get them to school on time, kids will start the off right while also learning valuable skills. Managing time effectively will be needed for college, work and for life!

The Theme for the 2025 Veteran's Memorial District Contest was "United We Stand." I am very proud to say that ASI had many students participate this year!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following students!

1st: Madison Levay, Alta Sierra, 7th Grade - Beauchamp

3rd: Lucas Liang, Alta Sierra, 7th Grade - Avila

​

1st: Aaliyah Barabona, Alta Sierra, 8th Grade - Houtsinger

Honorable Mention: Matthew Jackson, Alta Sierra, 8th Grade - Houtsinger

To kick off the week, students completed a career interest inventory called the Interest Profiler on CaliforniaColleges.edu during a short lesson taught by our amazing math teachers. The Interest Profiler asks students a series of questions about how much they like or dislike different activities, and then identifies career matches for the student based on their answers. Students will be using their CaliforniaColleges.edu account throughout the remainder of their academic career in CUSD, using it to explore careers and colleges, learn about financial aid, and even apply to colleges and universities during their senior year. To view your student’s career matches, please click here for step-by-step instructions.

Students also enjoyed a variety of lunchtime activities like a Career Technical Education Pathway Fair, Dream Job Bingo, Career Taboo, and more. If you are interested in volunteering at our Career Day Speakers Event next year, please reach out to your student’s counselor.

THANK YOU to our incredible Parents and Community Members for making Career Week such an amazing and impactful experience for our students at ASI!

Many of our presenters were parents, while others joined us from local businesses, public service agencies, and community organizations. A few even stepped out of their comfort zones—speaking in front of middle schoolers for the very first time! One of our presenters even happened to be my husband’s boss, which made the week extra special.

Our students had the opportunity to explore a wide range of careers, including:

• Architecture
• Graphic Design
• Engineering
• Veterinarian
• Business Owner
• EMT
• Mayor

…and so many more!

The variety of presentations gave our students meaningful insight into real-world pathways, sparked new interests, and helped them imagine the many possibilities ahead. Career Week was a tremendous success because of you—your time, your expertise, and your commitment to supporting our students.

Thank you for inspiring our Bruins and helping make Career Week a memorable and meaningful experience for all!

This past month, our Peer Counseling team attended an insightful summit where they explored the important impact of social media on mental health and relationships. The students had the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions, share experiences, and gain valuable tools to support their peers in navigating the challenges of the digital world.

In addition to the educational sessions, our Peer Counselors connected with students from other schools, building a network of support and exchanging ideas on how to foster positive mental health within their communities. The summit also included fun and interactive social activities, allowing our students to bond and strengthen their teamwork.

A big thank you to our dedicated Peer Counseling team for representing ASI so well at this event. Their enthusiasm, open-mindedness, and commitment to helping others make a real difference! We're excited to see how they'll bring their new insights and skills back to our school community.

Thank you for your incredible generosity during our annual Coat Drive. Because of your kindness, we collected 655 sweatshirts and coats for students and families in need. Your contributions will make a meaningful difference as the colder months arrive, and we are truly grateful for the compassion and community spirit you continue to show.

A special thank you goes to our Math Department, who once again led this effort with organization, enthusiasm, and heart. Their leadership made this drive a tremendous success.

Thank you for supporting our students, our school, and our community. We are proud to partner with such caring families.

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding performance of our ASI Chess team this past Saturday! Despite the rainy weather and 5+ hours of intense competition (7 rounds in total!), our students showed incredible perseverance, sportsmanship, and skill—culminating in a first-place team finish! 🎉

Special congratulations go to our individual medalists:

• Baron Fung – 3rd place

• Drake Nenadov – 4th place

• Trent Haroldsen – 5th place

• Ellyana Urrutia – 9th place (and 3rd place in the Female Division!)

• Steven Wu – 10th place

• Nicolas Gonzalez-Valtierra – 14th place

A big shout-out as well to Ryan Cargill (24th), Yisreal Rivera (33rd), and Napharie Gebyow (35th), who had some fantastic games and showed great resilience throughout the day.

Please join us in congratulating these incredible students if you happen to have them in class. Their hard work and dedication truly paid off, and we're so proud of their performance and representation of ASI.

Parents and students, let’s come together once again to support families in our community during the holiday season.

✅ What to Bring:
Non-perishable, non-expired canned or boxed food items (e.g., vegetables, soups, fruits, pasta, rice).

✅ Where to Donate:
Room 301 or with your student’s PE teacher.
(PE classes are competing to collect the most items!)
Families may also donate funds for ASI to purchase canned food items at: https://tinyurl.com/asicans25

✅ When:
December 1st – December 18th

Every can truly makes a difference. Let’s show the strength of the BRUIN red, white, and blue by giving back and supporting those who need it most.

Thank you for your generosity and community spirit!

Our Jazz students delivered an absolutely AMAZING performance in November at the PAC. The growth and progress they’ve made in their musicianship is truly impressive and a testament to Mr. Fredrickson's dedication and talent as their director. It was an unforgettable evening filled with incredible music and energy—congratulations to our very talented students on a job well done!

As the weather cools down, we’d like to remind parents and students of a few important dress code guidelines to ensure everyone stays warm and follows our school policies:

Winter Reminders:

• Pajama bottoms are not allowed.
• Slippers (including UGG slippers) are not allowed. UGG boots and booties are permitted.
• Holes in clothing must be patched from behind to ensure no undergarments or bare skin are visible. Minor distressing is allowed.
• Undergarments must be covered at all times:
  • Boys: Undergarments cannot extend longer than shorts.
  • Girls: Tops must fully cover all undergarments.
• Blankets are not allowed on campus.

Thank You for Your Support!

Thanks to your partnership, the majority of our students adhere to the dress code daily. With your continued help, we can avoid dress code violations and the need for progressive discipline.

Together, let’s keep Alta Sierra Intermediate a positive and respectful learning environment!

This past weekend, our Brickheads robotics team participated in the FIRST Lego League competition, and they had an absolute blast while showcasing their skills and teamwork! The students worked hard to design, build, and program their Lego robots, solving real-world challenges and competing against other teams. It was an exciting and fun-filled day full of problem-solving, creativity, and innovation!

A huge congratulations to our talented team members for their dedication and sportsmanship:

• Carson Alvarez

• Don Morrison

• Gabriel Alcala

• Shahar Erez

• Preston Eckman

• Jacob Crain

• Ryan Allen

• Luca Pinasco

• Marcos Galvan

Thank you to the students for representing ASI with such enthusiasm and teamwork, and to our parents and staff for their continued support! We look forward to seeing how our Brickheads continue to grow and excel in future competitions. Keep up the great work, team!

A huge shout-out to our amazing PE Teachers for their creativity, energy, and dedication to getting our students excited about running the Mile!

They’ve gone above and beyond—creating themed fun runs, dressing up for each event, and bringing joy and enthusiasm to physical fitness.

This year’s themed runs include:

• October: Spooky Run

• November: Turkey Trot

• December: Jingle Bell Run

Thank you to our PE team for making fitness fun and for inspiring our Bruins to stay active and engaged!

Bravo Bruin tickets are handed out inside and outside of the classroom to students demonstrating a Positivity Project character trait. These tickets are entered into weekly drawings. November winners are...

This past week, a group of our students had the incredible opportunity to attend the Native American Leadership Conference at Clovis High School. The event was an enriching experience where students learned about Native American heritage and culture through a variety of activities and presentations.

The highlight of the day was the powerful Keynote Speaker, a Native American leader who shared her personal story and showcased cultural artifacts, giving students a deeper understanding of her heritage. Students also had the chance to listen to traditional drum rhythms and songs, immersing themselves in the sounds and customs that are so important to Native American communities.

They also got hands-on with a cultural craft—creating bracelets from yucca branches, a meaningful tradition that ties them to the land and heritage of Native peoples.

It was a day full of learning, cultural appreciation, and connection, and we’re so proud of our students for participating in such an impactful event. We look forward to seeing how they use the knowledge and inspiration gained at the conference to continue fostering respect and understanding in our community!

Simone Luternauer

Audrey Berglund

Lillian Brown

Odin Hewitt

Emery Barnett

Emilia Thompson

Wyatt Kunkel

Bethberai Ochoa

Bella Henrickson

Liesel Agyemang-Boakey

Kindred Revis

Jocelynn Aday

Gia O’Gorman

Elias Garcia

Claire Benson

Kalista Milios

Jacob Regalado

Dominick Llanes

Avery Cuevas

Elijah Meister

Hannah Grace Dagarag

Ismail Ibrahimi

Addison Coon

Emerson Macdonald

Lennox Hafen

Luca Pinasco

Jonas Sanchez

Aiden Dyer

Logan Ostrow

Jaxon Ainsworth

Wyatt Dehaan

Ethan Brouillette

Gayane Bernetsyan

Liam Vang

Isabella Soler

Kaelani Ettinger

Nixon Parker

Jimmy Wilkins

Leon Morales

Leilani Kosila

Titus Medina

Lyric Falcon

Maujtsim Vang

Stallone Taliaferro

Keayaun Elijah King

Maxim Hartley

Emily Mora

Vivian Keenan

Leah Slowik

Logan Swift

Please ask your student if they need to bring anything on this day.

Yearbooks are available for purchase through December for $90. Prices increase in January to $125. Sales end January 23rd. ASI does not purchase additional yearbooks for sale after our order is submitted. Yearbook advertisements are also available for purchase. Email Mrs. Milhous for information. mailto:sherylmilhous@cusd.com

• Monday, December 1st - Canned Food Drive begins & Food Fair at Lunch
• Tuesday, December 2nd - IDAC Meeting @ 6:00pm
• Wednesday, December 3rd - Asian Heritage Success Conference @ CEHS
• Thursday, December 4th & Friday, December 5th - Jazz Festival @ Fresno State
• Friday, December 5th - 8th Bruin of Month
• Saturday, December 6th - CIF Regional Pep & Cheer
• Tuesday, December 9th - Club Day #3
• Wednesday, December 10th & Thursday, December 11th - Jingle Bell Run in PE
• Friday, December 12th - PASA @ Lunch - Making Holiday Cards
• Monday, December 15th - Winter Wonderland Dress Up Week Begins
• Wednesday, December 17th & Thursday, December 18th - Dancing with the Bruins in PE
• Thursday, December 18th - Dicken's Day in 8th AB
• Friday, December 19th - Last Day of the Semester - Grading Period Ends