Falcon's Wing

Dear Farmar Families,

As spring blossoms around us, bringing with it the beauty of warmer weather, I hope this letter finds you all in good spirits. It’s a time of renewal and growth, both in nature and in our school community.

As we approach the final stretch of the school year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the dedication and hard work our students have put in. They have shown remarkable progress with understanding concepts and honing their skills to meet grade level expectations across academic areas, socially and emotionally. Please remember that Imagaine Language and Literacy and Imagine Math and Imagine Math Facts continue to be available for all of our students in TK-5th grade. These software programs are utilized in the classroom and can be accessed at home by having your student log into their Clever account. The pathway is designed with the specific skills your child needs and is a great way to provide extra practice at home.

We have been noticing an increase of student challenges with managing their emotions and continue to support. This is an area that we continue to teach explicit skills for and reinforce as we know it is challenging. Our messaging is always that it is ok and normal to have strong emotions. However, we will not normalize hurting others physically and or mentally. At this juncture, we encourage and expect greater independence among our students–to navigate conflicts, express their needs, and uphold our school’s values and expectations. It’s a time for them to shine and showcase the maturity they’ve developed throughout the school year. We appreciate your continued support!

Prior to spring break, our students participated in the March Madness 2024 Tournament of Books! This has become a tradition at our school for the past five years due to the leadership and commitment of Mrs. Barr and Ms. Carroll and the many staff that also support through reading books and providing encouragement. The main goal of this tournament is to expose students to a diverse range of books and get them excited about reading. Students get to watch videos of staff members reading a variety of books. Our 2024 Book of the Year is Stickler Loves the World by Lane Smith!

Below are some of the books read this school year!

• This is a Story by John Schu and Lauren Castillo

• Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin and Kate Messner

• Real to Me by Minh Lee and Raissa Figueroa

• Hidden Gem by Linda Liu

• Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang

• Remember poem by Joy Harjo

• I’m from by Gary R. Gray and Oge Mora

We were fortunate to have many of our scholars share inspirational stories of many women who have contributed so much to our country and society as a whole! Thank you to the many second graders who came to the office during morning announcements and shared information about Simone Biles, Ruth B. Ginsberg, Jane Goodall, and many more!

I’m proud to share that our staff remains deeply committed to professional growth. Thanks to a generous grant for all of the elementary schools in BUSD, we have been able to delve into topics aimed at strengthening our foundation to support each and every student to be successful. From concepts like Culturally Relevant Practices, Implicit Bias, Positive Sayings, Planning to Provide Praise, and being aware of our own Vulnerable Decision Points. This is important and continuous work.

In the past month, our Parent and Teacher Group (PTG) has been instrumental in leading multiple events to support our students and community! From an amazing STEAM Night, hosting a fundraiser, Bingo at the Chill, many activities in the garden with parent and guardian volunteers, and an unforgettable Talent Show! The Talent Show was a huge success and did not happen without a lot of work behind the scenes. We would like to thank Taylor Cassacia who took the lead for this event and Natalie Sagun, Nicole Opperman, Bethany Barr, Meagan Carroll, Kellie Barragan, Courtney Cronon, Anneliese Harlander-Bakimi, Hilary Neil, and Milaina Bergman for their support from try-outs, rehearsals, and supporting our students in this process. Their efforts are truly commendable and make a significant difference in enhancing the lives of our students.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars for our upcoming Fun Run on April 26th. This is our major fundraiser which makes it possible for students in grades TK-2nd to have STEAM lessons from Brickspace, financial support for transportation for field trips, books for every student from preschool thru fifth grade in December during Books and Blankets, purchasing of additional recess equipment throughout the school year, funds to add books to our school library, funds for teachers to buy additional supplies to use with students in the classroom, and so much more. Please check out our PTG’s website for more information and sign-ups. Your support is invaluable! Please consider volunteering for this event, every bit of support matters!

Let’s rally together and finish this school year strong and on a high note. Together, we can make these last few months memorable and impactful for our students. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our school’s success. Have a great spring break!