The Gator Gab 16th Edition🐊

Hi Gators,

Happy belated start of Hanukah!

I think we are on day 12 of no sun in the Sacramento Valley. This is unbelievable.

As we say goodbye to 2025, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Holidays and a joyful New Year. Each year brings moments of great celebration as well as moments of challenge, and it is important that we learn from both. Such as embracing the joy of our successes while growing from the challenges. These experiences shape who we are as a school community.

I am confident that 2026 will be a year filled with accomplishments and celebrations. It will also bring challenges that will make us stronger, more focused, and more resilient. I look forward to working alongside you and seeing all that we will achieve together in 2026.

Have a wonderful week!

Doyal Martin, Principal

Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School

There is an opportunity for SJGE to possibly host an English Language Development class for adults. I am looking to gauge interest from you. It is free. It is generally 4 days a week at drop off (8 or 8:30 to 10:00 or 10:30). If you are interested in learning English please complete the interest survey below.

THIS YEAR ONLY (admission for the 2026-27 school year) Academy applications are open to students currently in Kindergarten through Third grade. Students will join the Academy going into First grade through Fourth grade.

Academy Applications will open after 5:00 PM PST on December 15, 2025.

For specific information and a detailed academy application, testing, and admission timeline go to The Academy - Theodore Judah Elementary.

To support a safe and orderly campus, we kindly ask that families follow our sign-in procedures when visiting. If you need to drop off a lunch, instrument, or any other item for your child, please let the office staff know. We will gladly call the classroom or ensure the item is delivered to your student.

Please do not sign in as a volunteer for the purpose of going directly to a classroom to drop something off. Doing so bypasses our safety practices, creates unmonitored movement on campus, and is a disruption to instruction. Thank you for helping us maintain a secure environment for all students and staff.

Strengthening Families 2025-26

CORDOVA MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SESSION

***ALL FCUSD FAMILIES WELCOME!***

In this 10 week program, the whole family has an opportunity to learn how to:

• Bond with family members; listen, understand and validate each other’s feelings, and banish communication boulders
• Set boundaries that keep kids away from alcohol and drugs, and monitor their activities
• Pre-problem solve, set up win-win negotiations and say no to potentially dangerous anti-social situations
• Create positive routines that teach kids responsibility
• Make contracts for change: teach kids to set goals for success

• Reduce stress, through mindfulness exercises and re-program the brain to step away from anger

  
  

DINNER IS PROVIDED! Children, age 7 and up, are invited to join this program with their families. For younger children, there is a childcare center on-site for parents enrolled in the SFP program.

Registration: www.fcusd.org/departments/health/sfp

• Wednesdays, 5:45 to 8:00 pm

• 2550 La Loma Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

• 1/7, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11 and graduation 3/18

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. If you have any information regarding bullying, crime, or misconduct at your school, report it to WeTip. Call or Text. You can remain ANONYMOUS!

Call or Text 844-916-2062.

For more information visit: https://www.fcusd.org/family-community/bullying-prevention-character-building/report-bullying-crime-or-misconduct

• Gallardo’s Neighbors: Please be mindful of our neighbor’s property. We are not allowed to block driveways or wait on their property during morning drop-off or afterschool pick-up.

• Stewart Street: Gallardo’s parents are asked to park in a designated space when dropping off or picking up a student. Stewart Street is an active lane of traffic and not an area to double park.

• Early Release on Thursdays: Students in grades K-5 are dismissed at 1:15 pm.

• Please check and update your access to ParentSquare. Make sure you are getting all the latest information. If you want to receive texts, mark that. We rarely use the “urgent” messages, so if that is all you receive you will not get weekly updates.

12/15-22 - Chanukah

12/19 - Minimum Day

1/5 - WELCOME BACK

Get ready for one of our most beloved community events! Join us on Friday, January 23rd, from 6:00–7:30pm in the Sandra J. Gallardo Multipurpose Room as we celebrate the amazing people and cultures that make our school so special. Families are invited to explore foods, arts, music, and traditions from around the world—shared by our very own school community!

✨ Want to be part of the fun? We need volunteers!
Help bring the night to life by hosting a cultural table to showcase your family’s heritage through food, artifacts, music, or displays. Student and family dance or music performances are also welcome! Please reach out to Rachelle Schulken (rachelles.pta@gmail.com) with questions.

Let’s come together to honor the diversity that makes Gallardo shine. We hope to see you there! 🌎💫

Click here to sign up!

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy and support Gallardo by dining at SHAKE SHACK! Together we raised $652.58 for Gallardo! 🙌🏻

Join us in January for another successful fundraising night at

📍Chipotle on Iron Point (this location only)

🗓️Tuesday, January, 27, 2026

⏰4pm-8pm

Believe us when we say your future self who might forget to do this in April will thank you! We use the company Treering to publish our school yearbook. Yearbook sales are completely online and if you order now, there is a 10% discount! Current cost is $24.61 each. After you order, you can even start working on your custom pages added to your book(s) only. This year’s deadline for custom pages is April 6, 2026. For more information on the yearbook, visit the Yearbook page on our PTA Website. Gallardo’s passcode is 1015682215844355.

• Upload your photos to Treering for Clubs, FAME, and Cookies & Cocoa.

Lots of opportunities to be involved in the education of your child and their friends.