Knights News

Hello Unity Families!

We have completed the first nine weeks of school and are very excited about the progress that our students are making. Our goals for this year are to increase our academic growth in Reading and Math, and to raise our student attendance level to above 95%. Our primary diagnostic assessment is iReady, you may have heard your student talking about iReady. Students will use iReady daily in math, and Benchmark for reading. After our fall diagnostic testing we have identified that nearly 60% of our students are already at or above grade level.

Overall, Unity students have an attendance rate of 95%. This is a fantastic start to the year; however, I want to remind everyone that attendance is the most important part of education. Once thing we know for sure, if the student is not in front of their teacher, they are not learning. One correlation with the data we are collecting, and the goals we have set, is that students with more absences tend to have less academic success as shown by their diagnostic.

With the coming of the second semester, winter weather will be coming. We remind the students often about this, but we still have some students coming to school in shorts and sandals. Students regularly come without coats, hats or gloves. On cold days like this, we don’t send students outside for recess, but there is always the chance that an emergency may cause us to evacuate the building, and we may not be able to control the amount of time that students are outside.

We want to thank you all for attending Parent/Teacher Conferences. It is an important part of the students’ overall education. Please remember, you do not have to wait until conference time to meet with a teacher. If you have any questions or concerns about staff, please reach out and we will get a meeting set up. You can expect to see your students’ report card come home on Thursday, November 6th in their backpacks. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Kevin Finkey, Principal

Unity Elementary School, Home of the Knights

There will be no school for students on the following days:

Tuesday, November 4th - Professional Development

Thursday, November 27th - Thanksgiving Break

Friday, November 28th - Thanksgiving Break

Monday, December 22nd - Friday, January 2nd - Christmas Break

Friday, January 16th - Teacher Workday

Monday, February 16th - Professional Develpment

Thursday, March 26th - Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, March 27th - Exchange Day

Thursday, April 2nd - Monday, April 6th - Spring Break

Monday, May 25th - Memorial Day

Unity's Spirit Squad is running a Donation Drive in honor of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week which is November 16-22.

Collection Dates are November 3rd - November 21st and items can be dropped off at the Unity Elementary School Office during regular office hours (7:30-4:00)

The list of items (new or gently used) that we are accepting are:

* Canned food

* Clothing (Kids and Adults: Underwear, Socks, Winter Coats, Boots, Hats, and Gloves

* Hygiene Items (Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Razors, Towels, Washcloths, Toilet Paper, Tissues, Body Wash, Bar Soap, Shampoo, Lotion, Health and Beauty Items, Feminine Products)

* Cleaning Supplies (Laundry Detergent, Fabric Softener, Dryer Sheets, Paper Towels, Trash Bags, Napkins)

* Extra Items (Journals, Board Games, First Aid Supplies, Lunch Boxes, Hand or Foot Warmers, Slightly used Appliances, Diapers)

Thank you for contributing to a brighter and better future for our community by helping bring to light Hunger and Homelessness Awareness. Every Item Matters!!

Our Sticky Stuff Fundraiser was a tremendous success! Thank you to everyone who participated! The top sellers, and winners of an electric scooter and helmet are:

Zaylee Newby - 1st grade

Easton Crooks - 2nd grade

Kilian Snyder - 3rd grade

Maline DelaCruz - 3rd grade

The top selling classroom and winners of the classroom Pizza Party is Mrs. Murman's 3rd grade class!

Congratulations to everyone!!

We have noticed that already this school year, many students are coming in late, being checked out early, or missing full days. While we realize that emergencies do happen, frequent absences, tardies, and early check-outs interrupt learning and make it harder for children to stay on track.

Below please find the Year-to-Date Attendance percentage per grade:

TK - 94.59%

K -92.41%

1st - 96.01%

2nd - 94.91%

3rd - 95.25%

4th - 94.77%

5th - 95.35%

It is our goal to have 95% attendance in all grades every day!

Every minute counts!! Bringing students late or checking students out early means they miss valuable instruction. Please try to schedule appointments after school gets out whenever possible so your child can get the most out of their learning day.

Research shows students who miss just two days a month are more likely to fall behind. Let's work together to make school attendance a top priority!

Showing up every day, all day, helps students learn more, connect with friends, and succeed!

Being in school = Being on track!!

On Wednesday, October 29th, Mr. Chapman, our Attendance Specialist, awarded 160 Unity students with an Outstanding Attendance Certificate for Quarter 1. That means that 34% of Unity's student population received an attendance certificate. These 160 students missed one, or less, days the entire first quarter of school! Congratulations to these students for their efforts to be: In School, On Time, Every Day!!

Unity's Staff of the Month are voted on by their fellow staff members! October's winners are Haylee Prochello (Guidance Counselor) and Kaitlyn Stusse (MTSS Specialist). Congratulations to these two amazing women! We are so blessed that they are a part of Unity's Team!

For the month of October, we focused on the character trait of Responsibility. One way to define Responsibility is "taking action and understanding the impact of our choices." Taking action can mean doing the right thing or completing the tasks you have been assigned. Understanding the impact of our choices means that our actions matter. Positive and responsible actions can help people and irresponsible actions can hurt others. In the classroom, students practiced responsibility and looked at the many different ways to show responsibility in and out of the classroom. During the all school assembly on October 28th, we recognized many students who demonstrated responsibility this year. Next month, we will focus on gratitude.

Mr. Chapman, Unity's Attendance Specialist, has brought Student Council back to Unity this year! Student Council consists of six 5th grade students nominated by their teachers, and here is the best part: A new group of six student council members will be chosen each quarter! By the end of this school year, Twenty Four 5th grade students will have had the opportunity to serve on Student Council, experience leadership, and make a difference this year!

Each student nominated for Student Council will receive a medal on a lanyard that they MUST keep at school during the quarter they are serving. They will be required to wear these lanyards anytime they are doing something for Student Council. At the end of the quarter, the students will be able to take the medals home with them to keep.

Students serving on Student Council for their assigned quarter will be busy helping with all kinds of projects, events, and activities throughout the school year to make Unity an even better place to be a part of. This could include delivering items to classrooms, escorting students, helping out with fundraisers, etc.

If your classroom has an activity coming up where extra hands might come in handy, please contact me, and I can see if any of the Student Council members are available to help out; as long as it doesn’t interfere with their academic learning.

Get ready Unity! This is going to be an amazing year of teamwork, leadership, and school spirit!

Congratulations to the following students who were nominated by their teachers to serve on Unity's Student Council for Quarter 2: Adassa Martinez, Lexlie Cardenas Torres, Harper Gibson, Alan Ruiz, Thomas Powell, and Vidal Moreno Medina (not pictured)

On Monday, October 27th, our TK Class explored pumpkins and learned about shapes!

Our Trunk or Treat Event which was held on Thursday, October 23rd, was a HUGE success!! The weather was beautiful and we had a large turn out! We want to thank all those who participated by either showing up and handing out candy or by sponsoring a vehicle by donating candy. This is always a favorite event for our staff, students, and families!

Red Ribbon Week is a national drug prevention campaign that encourages students and families to make healthy, safe choices, and live drug-free lives. It’s a time to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and to show our commitment to making positive choices. We celebrate Red Ribbon Week to promote kindness, respect, and healthy habits in our schools and communities.

Congratulations to our Red Ribbon Week Poster and Coloring Contest Winners! it was a tough decision with so many creative entries, but we were able to make our selections! Here are this year's winners:

Kindergarten – Scholz’s Class: Mavinga, Uriel

1st Grade – Davis's Class: Legarreta Jr, Luis

2nd Grade – Mauer’s Class: Hulit, Saoirse

2nd Grade – Anderson’s Class: Doria Arevalo, Matthew

3rd Grade – Koser’s Class: Chim, Kaison

5th Grade – Mercural’s Class: Gomez Palomino, Anthony

5th Grade – Gooley’s Class: Reyes-Garcia, Hadasa

These students were able to come to the office and pick out a prize. Thank you all for helping make Red Ribbon Week such a huge success!

Just a reminder about our morning drop-off procedures:

• If you are dropping off students, please use the farthest left lane before entering the parking lot.
• Parents should stay in the car, and students should exit the vehicle quickly (within a few seconds).
• If you need more time, please park in a designated spot inside the lot so traffic can continue moving smoothly

This helps prevent congestion and ensures all students get to class on time.

Important Parking Reminders:

• No parking in front of the school – this area is reserved for school buses only.
• Handicap parking spots are located in the front of the parking lot. Please only use these if you have the proper permit, as families who need them rely on those spaces.
• Always drive slowly in the parking lot, watch for students walking, and stop to allow them to cross safe

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping drop-off safe and efficient for everyone.

Studies show a strong connection between eating breakfast and improved academic performance. To support a healthy learning environment, our school provides breakfast daily in addition to lunch.

Breakfast is served at our building from 8:00 am to 8:30 am. At this time, we are fortunate enough to be able to offer free breakfast and lunch to all of our students here at Unity.

Visit the District's website for more information on the District’s breakfast and lunch menus.

School will dismiss at 1:30 on Fridays again this school year! Please be aware and make sure appropriate transportation has been arranged for your students. If your students take the bus, they will arrive at their bus stop 2 hours earlier than their normal time on Fridays

Influenza (also called flu)

Influenza (also known as flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Influenza is not a stomach bug. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly.

Flu symptoms

ü Fever* or feeling feverish/chills * Not everyone with flu will have a fever

ü Cough

ü Sore throat

ü Runny or stuffy nose

ü Muscle or body aches

ü Headache

The Flu Is Contagious

ü Flu symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body

ü Call your medical provider if your child has symptoms

ü Stay home for 24 hours after fever is gone without the use of medicine

Soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizers for hands?

Both alcohol-based hand sanitizers and hand-washing are effective ways of preventing disease, but remember these important facts:

• Hand sanitizers are not as effective when dirt is visible on hands. Hand washing with soap and water, singing the “Happy Birthday” song, should be used to remove the oil and grime where bacteria can live.
• Hand sanitizers should not be used in place of soap and water:

ü when preparing food

ü after restroom use

ü changing diapers

• Hand sanitizers will not work in killing certain viruses or bacteria such as:

Ø Cryptosporidium - causes diarrhea.

Ø Norovirus – causes stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.

Ø Clostridium difficile – causes watery diarrhea.

Clean hands are one of the best ways to prevent infection or disease. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/handwashing/