Hello Creekside Families,

Happy last day of February! I hope you all had time to relax this weekend! It's the final countdown! We only have 15 days left until we welcome our students to campus 4 days a week. I want to thank everyone for your support during this time. The staff has been working to prepare for this day! Parent and community support and encouragement has been a huge part of being able to accomplish our district and school goals. Please review the Phase Three Updates in addition to our weekly reminders and updates.

Weekly Reminders and Updates:

• CELC registration is open for the 2021-22 school year. Please help spread the word.
• EAK, TK and K students may be dropped off at the gate in the morning as long as there is a staff member out front.
• We have added lunch tables and rearranged them to prepare for Phase 3.
• Thank you to the District for purchasing lap trays for our students in order to provide flexible seating and to maximize space in the classroom as we transition to Phase 3.
• Please report all absences to the office. We are required to trace all absences. Illnesses may require a 10-14 day stay at home. All students that are out for any reason will be temporarily assigned to distance learning. They can receive credit for their time off campus if they complete work online.
• The district continues to serve food during our Hybrid Schedule on Mondays from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at JMMS. If that time doesn't work for you, there is also a 5:00 pm pick up.
• Child Nutrition Services offers snack pick up for students at CELC during pick up times. Hybrid A parents may pick up snacks on Mondays and Hybrid B parents may pick up snacks on Thursdays. The grab and go snack bag will contain 5 days worth of snacks. This is available to all students 18 and under.
• We will continue to provide snacks during phase three. However, it will be on Mondays only beginning March 15.
• Join us for VIRTUAL FUN FRIDAYS. See the flyer below for March's schedule. Post pictures using #virtualfunfriday
• The district is still providing free wifi access at CELC, SHES, JMMS, and BOES. Just park in the lot and log in. The wifi name is AlpineUnited and no password is needed.
  
• The district has tech support available to parents. Please email helpdesk@alpineschools.net with your technology questions.

I look forward to an amazing week with our Cubs! Don't forget to wear your favorite college shirt on Monday.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ripke

Please review the IMPORTANT updates and reminders about PHASE THREE below:

• March 15, we begin in-person instructions 4 days a week (M/T/TH/F).
• We will continue to have staggered drop off and pick up times.
• All schedules will remain the same.
• Creekside teachers ordered lap trays for students. These will be utilized in multiple capacities to support student learning and social distancing. They started arriving this week!
• We have ordered sand toys for each cohort and plan to open up the sandbox area after Spring Break.
• Creekside received additional outdoor picnic benches to provide more seating for lunch and create outdoor learning areas.
  
• Creekside received addition pop-up shade tents to use for outdoor learning spaces and to provide shade throughout campus as needed.
  
• Our lunch area has been reconfigured to maximize space and ensure social distancing.
  
• Lunch bench seats were remarked with cub print decals to mark where the students sit. This visual is helpful for both our staff and students and provides a safe, staggered seating arrangement to support safety protocols.
• With the number of students increasing on campus at one time, we are painting more cub print spots on the playground and throughout the campus to help organize students and keep them distanced when they line up.
• Creekside has job postings to help with the remainder of the school year including an additional teacher and student supervisors to help with our Phase Three Opening Plan.
• Our custodians have undergone numerous trainings with a professional janitorial service, including this past week, and will continue to be trained each month to stay up to date on proper cleaning procedures.
  
• Our campus continues to be deep-cleaned every Wednesday and Friday. We have two electrostatic cleaners on hand.
  
• Our next HVAC filter change is scheduled for April and we will be using the highest MERV rated filters possible.
• We will be getting new thermometers to make the health checks of students simpler and less time-consuming for teachers and staff.
  
• The district is working to hire more ESS staff to provide more options and spaces for families.
  

If you, or any of your friends/family, love kids and are looking for part time work, please share our postings. We have a couple of positions on our site as well as on other campuses. Please visit https://www.edjoin.org/alpineschools. Creekside is currently searching for a Dual Language Preschool Teacher. Do you know anyone that has 12 ECE units and speaks Spanish? We are also searching for an instructional aide and two student supervisors. Please send qualified candidates our way!

The district would like to increase the number of substitute teachers in our pool. The pay has increased to $200 dollars a day. Please help spread the word. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Mrs. Ripke.

Our Virtual Book Fair Fundraiser begins March 1. Books make great birthday or Easter gifts! Help foster the love for reading by buying a book for a child. Click the link below to start ordering. The link will become live on Monday, March 1. Thank you to our PTA and Stephanie Green for organizing this!

We have received emails from parents and community members asking how they can help us with our unique needs this year. With the upcoming transition to Phase 3 on March 15, we are increasing our inventory of recess equipment and other supplies to accommodate larger groups of students. If you are willing and able to donate, please consider buying something from our wish list. Items we are most in need/want at this time are: Nerf footballs, bouncy balls, soccer balls, Flying Turtles, catch a ball set, sand toys, and a giant outdoor tic tac toe set. Please feel free to share our wish list if you know of anyone in your family or community members that may want to help.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3SFKL6ROWON5R?ref_=wl_share

The 2020-21 “Cubs in the Community” is on a roll. Connecting with kids is one of the most essential parts of building relationships and fostering learning. Mrs. Ripke has set a goal to connect with 100 future, current, and former Cubs in the community by the 100th day of school. If you spot Mrs. Ripke out in the community, please say hi and take a picture with her. Former CELC staff count too! Our pictures may look different this year due to social distancing; however, all of the love will still be there! She can’t wait to hand out hugs again when it is safe. Mrs. Ripke is up to 39 Sightings. See a Former Cub Sighting and Cub Teacher Sighting below.

At our last COVID-19 testing day in December, CALFire tested 606 people which is a new record number of tests in one day.

Our next two COVID-19 test and flu shot dates are scheduled for Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Testing will take place from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm at JMMS. All staff and community members are welcome to get COVID-19 testing and flu shots free of charge.

Spirit Days

Mondays- Wear a College Shirt or College Colors

Fridays- Wear CELC's School Colors or Join us for Virtual Fun Fridays

Kindness Weeks- TBA

To help foster school spirit and stay connected during Distance Learning, the Alpine Union School District will post Virtual Fun Friday Dress Up Days. Postings will be on the AUSD Facebook and Instagram Pages. If you are not already following us on FB or IG, please join us! We hope that you will all participate and post pictures on social media using the hashtags provided. CELC parents may email pictures to Mrs. Ripke at tripke@alpineschools.net. See the flyer below for Virtual Fun Fridays in March.

"Mindful means that we commit fully in each moment to be present"

Joh Kabat-Zinn

Action for Happiness calendars are packed with actions you can take to help create a happier and kinder world. Take a look at the March Calendar.The actions will help you more mindful and live in the moment! Fo more information and resources go to:

https://www.actionforhappiness.org

Thank you Zero the Hero for the gifts you sent our kindergarteners! They loved the super hero masks and the bracelets. We wish you health and safe flying!

3/1-3/5 Dr. Seuss Week/Read Across America Week

3/1 Virtual Book Fair

3/10 AUSD Board Meeting

3/15 Starting Phase 3

3/22-4/2 Spring Break

4/13 Spring Pictures

Office Hours

M-F 8:00 am to 3:30 pm

Email: sgreen@alpineschools.net
Website: https://www.alpineschools.net
Location: 8818 Harbison Canyon Road
Phone: (619) 659-8250
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Creekside-Early-Learning-Center-414783265277455/