Joe Serna Jr. Charter School

Joe Serna Jr. Charter School provides a supportive dual-language educational experience with high expectations for all staff, students, and families. We strive to ensure that our students are: Proud to be bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish; Valued members of our collaborative learning community; and college and/or career bound critical thinkers and problem solvers in a global society.

I hope you all had a fantastic three-day weekend.

As a reminder, safety is our top priority and we need your help to keep our students and staff safe. When students are being dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon, please pull forward, do not block the crosswalk while waiting in the line of cars, and do not leave your car unattended. Our staff is there to quickly help students out and into the vehicles. Also, if you plan on helping your student out of the car, please park in a designated area. Thank you for your patience and support.

Check out this week's newsletter for details on events taking place and friendly reminders.

In partnership,

Mrs. Alejandra Estrada

President: Juliet Benitez-Osorto

Vice President: Aritzel Chino

Historian: Yulissa Mesino-Reza

Treasurer: Alexa Vega

Secretary: Calum Webster

Join me on Thursday, September 10 at 8:30am in our school library to talk about our Comprehensive School Safety Plan and upcoming events. We will also a representative from Jump into English sharing information about the program.

We will have our third ELAC meeting on Thursday, September 16 at 8:30am in our Library. The ELAC is a school level committee compromised of parents, staff and community members designated to advise school officials on English learner programs. Questions about the meeting, please reach out to Mrs. Maldonado at imaldonado@lodiusd.net.

You are invited to attend the upcoming Community Advisory Committee meeting hosted by the Student Services/SELPA Department.

Topic: Special Education 101

Presenter: Kelsey Dibner, Program Specialist

When: Monday, September 14, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone by clicking the link below:

Join the meeting now

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Student Services/SELPA Department at (209) 331-7061. We look forward to your participation.

Join us on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. for an evening to explore our programs, meet our staff, and learn more about the opportunities available to our students and community.

We would love to see you there and hope you can join us!

The Imagine This... Story Writing Contest is now open, and we're inviting students in grades 3–8 to write and submit original stories—real or imagined—based on accurate information about California agriculture. This one-of-a-kind contest combines agriculture, creativity, and literacy. Each year, one state winner from each grade level is selected, and their story is illustrated by talented high school art students before being published in a beautifully bound book!

Important Dates:

📅 November 1 – Story Submission Deadline

🏅 December 1 – Regional Winners Announced

🏆 December 1 – State Winners Announced

Winners Will:

📖 Become a published author

🏛️ Travel to Sacramento to be recognized at the State Capitol (travel expenses covered)

🎨 Have their story professionally illustrated by high school art students

🖼️ Receive a giant poster featuring their story's illustrated book cover

Effective July 1, 2026, all volunteers are required to complete Mandated Reporter training (SB 848) annually as part of the volunteer approval process. Please see the instructions provided below for how to complete the mandated reporter training. For any questions or concerns, please reach

out to the Risk Management Department.

Link to register and complete training.:

https://lodi-nonemployee-keenan.safeschools.com/register/3489ef02

To complete mandated reporter training:

1. Sign up on Keenan SafeSchools with your email address.

2. Take the Mandated Reporter: Child Abuse and Neglect training course. (67 minutes)

3. Provide the completion certificate to our school office.

For assistance with the training process, please contact the Risk Management Department

Families, please take a few minutes to complete Online Data Confirmation (ODC). Completing ODC ensures that your child’s school has current contact information and all required annual forms for the school year.

To complete ODC:

1. Go to the Aeries Parent & Student Portal and log in. If you do not have a log in, please follow the prompts to create an account. If you need assistance with this, please call our school's office.
   
   
2. Once logged in, if you have not completed the ODC a pink banner will appear across the top of your screen prompting you to complete the process. Follow the prompts and select "Finish and Submit" to finalize the data confirmation.

If you need clarity on the above steps, or would like to see screenshots, please view this document or call our school's office.

Every completed confirmation helps our school stay connected with families and better equips us to support students. Thank you for partnering with us and helping us start the year strong!

If you are need of assistance completing, please call us at 209-331-7809 to set up time with Mrs. Maldonado.

Thank you for your patience as we get familiar with our new ParentSquare platform. We have heard feedback from some of you regarding the amount or frequency of notifications you are receiving. Families are able to change their settings and preferences within the app and browser. To do so, follow these instructions.

If you are interested in learning more about ParentSquare or need help setting up your account settings, please visit www.lodiusd.net/parentsquare or contact communications@lodiusd.net. We hope this helps!

TK students are always welcome to have breakfast in the morning when dropping off older children.

LUSD Nutrition Services

https://lusdnutrition.org/index.php?sid=2904102048414688&page=menus

TK - 8th Grade: Breakfast is served Monday - Friday starting at 7:45am in the cafeteria

Please note:

*** On FRIDAYS AM-TK & PM -TK BEGIN AND END AT THE SAMET TIME***

Monday - Thursday:

Start: 8:10 AM

Dismissal 2:37 PM

Fridays:

Start: 8:10 AM

Dismissal: 1:05 PM

Safety is our top priority and we need your help to keep our students, families and staff safe. When students are being dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon, please do not block the crosswalk while waiting in the line of cars and please pull forward. Our staff is there to quickly help students out and into the vehicles. Also, if you plan on helping your student out of the car, please park in a designated area. Thank you for your patience and support.

To sign-up, please use the link provided -- all registrations must go through the link. All students will be placed on a wait list as spots are limited.

Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv-0fQtvzOYAPk058YDXhWk-yfaz9vJ4FlM8GAq0H5FOpvHA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

If you have questions about the wait list, please reach out to:

Narey Soy

LUSD Administrative Secretary

Intervention & Supplemental Programs

209-331-8903 ext. 810010

email: nsoy@lodiusd.net

Wearing school uniforms supports in school unity across grade levels, promotes equality, reduces distractions and helps create a focused learning environment where students can concentrate on their learning without worrying about fashion trends.

Tops:

· *Students may wear a hunter green, blue, white, light pink or maroon shirt. The shirt can either be a button down, polo style shirt or Joe Serna logo t-shirt. The Joe Serna spirit shirt may be worn on any day but Friday is the spirit day where we want all students to wear the Serna tie-dye shirt.

Bottoms:

· *Students may wear khaki or black shorts, pants, or skorts and jeans.

Dresses:

· *Dresses/jumpers can either be khaki or blue with green plaid.

You are welcome to purchase uniforms at any retail store. If you would like to purchase uniform shirts with the Serna Logo, we will be sending out order forms soon.

TK Students are not required to wear uniforms.

Warm weather is expected this week, please encourage your students to bring a water bottle. We have refill stations. Ensure to label your child's water bottle.

We are in the seventh week of the quarter, please check in with your student's teacher if you have any questions or concerns about your student's academic progress.

Middle school parents, please make sure you are checking your students' grades in Aeries, checking Google Classroom, and checking in with their teachers.

We believe that a strong school community is built on the collaboration of students, teachers, parents and guardians. That's why this year we are bringing back the 30 hours of volunteer hours. Your involvement has a profound impact on both your child's experience and the overall success of our school community. We have many activities taking place this year. If you can contribute a few hours a week, help with specific events, or support with behind-the-scenes activities, every bit of help makes a difference. By volunteering, you're not only helping our school but also showing your child the importance of giving back and being involved.

Earn your hours by:

*Volunteering in the classroom, at recess, and lunches

* Attending field trips

*Attending Parent meetings like PTA, Principal Chat, ELAC, etc.

*Supporting school wide events like Fall Festival, Club Folklorico performances, uniform sales, Scholastic book fair, 2nd grade Holiday Boutique, Otter pop sales, middle school dance/events, campus beautifications, float for Lodi Parade of Lights, school picture days, kinder and 8th grade promotions, and many more events.

Volunteer slips are available in the office. Once you complete an event, ensure you turn in your volunteer slip to the office.

If you are interested in learning about volunteer opportunities, please feel free to reach out to our Serna PTA via email at jsjcspta@gmail.com. Thank you for being an essential part of our community.

Phones down, heads up. Creating connections in the classroom.

As we settle back into the routines of school, please help us remind your children that their phones should be put away during school. During school hours, campuses are a "no phone zone" and students will be expected to keep their phones off and put away.

This initiative is designed to support a more focused learning environment while encouraging real, in-person connection outside of the digital world. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit www.lodiusd.net/be-present.

If you have these items, please drop them off in the office. We have a collection basket where they can be dropped off. Thank you!

If your student is sick and will not be attending school, please call our office at 209-331-7809 to notify us.

Please plan family trips during our school's designated breaks and holidays. Our school calendar is linked at the end of this newsletter and paper copies are available in the office. If you plan a trip outside the designated breaks, please contact the office.

Laura Aguirre

laguirre@lodiusd.net

Blanca Aranda bsantiago@lodiusd.net

Alejandra Yepez alyepez@lodiusd.net

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

We want to inform you about the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a new, free, 24/7 helpline for anyone in emotional distress or facing a mental health crisis. If you or your child ever need support, simply call or text 988 or call 1-800-273-8255 to connect with trained professionals who can help.

This is an important resource for your family’s well-being. Please save this number.