Trojan Weekly 11/2/2026

Dear AME Families,

Can you believe it’s already November? Next Friday marks the end of our first trimester, and our kids have grown so much since August. Thank you for all you do to get them here each day ready to learn.

Happy Rocky Hill Halloween! I hope to see everyone on Saturday evening from 5-8pm for trick or treating. Come say hi, and keep an eye out for a few Storybook Pumpkins lining my driveway!

The clocks fall back this weekend, so the mornings will be a little brighter and the evenings will come early. Our health piece below has a few ideas for those longer nights at home. On Wednesday morning we’ll practice a full evacuation drill with our buses, and you’ll find the final part of our ALICE series below so you know exactly what that looks like for your child.

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you Saturday night!

This Week at AME

Monday, 11/2
Good News Club, 2:20–4:00
Boys’ Basketball Practice, 2:30–4:30

Tuesday, 11/3
MPC Meeting, 1:00–2:15
Boys’ Basketball Practice, 2:30–4:30

Wednesday, 11/4
Full Evacuation Drill with Buses, 8:45–9:45
Boys’ Basketball Practice, 2:30–4:30

Thursday, 11/5
Boys’ Basketball Practice, 2:30–4:30

Friday, 11/6
End of First Trimester
Top Trojan Pizza Lunch, 11:15–12:50

A big shout out to Coach Savaso, our STEAM teacher, who also runs lunchtime intramurals for our Trojans! We just wrapped up two exciting weeks of kickball, and the energy on the field was fantastic. Students showed great teamwork, hustle, and sportsmanship every single day. Congratulations to our kickball champions, [team/class name]! Thank you, Mr. Savaso, for giving our students a fun and active way to spend their lunch recess. Stay tuned to find out what’s coming up next!

Tuesday, 11/10

No School, Staff Work Day

Wednesday, 11/11
No School, Veterans Day

Friday, 11/13
Lifetouch Picture Retake Day, 8:00–10:00

Wednesday, 11/18
Minimum Day, 12:20 Dismissal
Lockdown Drill, 9:30
Dinner with a Scientist (4th and 5th Grade), Calaveras County Fairgrounds, 4:00–7:30
VUSD Board Meeting, Avery Middle School, 5:30

Friday, 11/20
Leadership Jog-a-Thon and Turkey Trot, 8:00–11:30
Top Trojan Assembly, 1:00–2:00

Monday, 11/23 through Friday, 11/27
No School, Thanksgiving Break

Monday, 11/30
Spirit Wear Orders Due

This month we’re celebrating our Top Trojans who stood out for their leadership. These students set a great example by helping classmates, making good choices when no one was watching, and encouraging others to do their best. Leadership isn’t always about being in charge. Sometimes it’s as simple as including someone at recess, holding the door, or showing a friend how to solve a tough problem. CongratulationsTop Trojans!

Boys Basketball Tryouts

AME boys basketball is a 5th grade team. This year we have a smaller group of 5th grade players, so we’re opening tryouts to 4th grade athletes as well. Please know that 4th graders are welcome to try out, but a spot on the team is not guaranteed. Any 4th grade players added to the roster will be chosen based on skill level. Tryouts will be held on 11/2 from 2:30 - 4:30pm at the AME Gym. Please make sure your athlete has paperwork ready.

Storybook Pumpkin Patch

Our Library’s Storybook Pumpkin Patch was such a fun way to celebrate reading this fall! Families turned pumpkins into favorite book characters, and the creativity was amazing. Walking past the display and spotting characters from stories brought smiles to students and staff all week. Thank you to every family who took part!

Any pumpkins left behind will be proudly displayed on Mr. O’Geen’s driveway for trick or treaters on Halloween night. Your child's literary masterpiece will make a great welcome for the neighborhood ghosts and goblins!

Monster Mash Guessing Game Winner!

Congratulations to Darla, Ewti and Talion for winning the guessing game at our Monster Mash Family Dance! Your sharp eyes and great instincts beat out a whole room of ghouls and goblins. Way to go!

Thanks to all our families who came out, danced, and joined the fun. It was a spooktacular night!

With a heart for helping children grow and a passion for making a difference, Kristin Walker brings warmth, dedication, and a genuine love for learning to the classroom. This school year marks her 25th year in education and her 6th year at VUSD! Throughout her career, Kristin has taught grades 4–8, along with Special Education, sharing her knowledge, patience, and encouragement with students at every step of their learning journey.

The Most Rewarding Part of Teaching

For Kristin, one of the greatest joys of teaching is witnessing that special “light bulb” moment when something finally clicks for a child. Those little breakthroughs, big discoveries, and moments of understanding are what make teaching so meaningful. Watching students grow in confidence and experience their own “aha!” moments is a reminder of the incredible impact a teacher can have.

Her Favorite Role: Mom and Biggest Fan!

Outside the classroom, Kristin spends much of her time cheering on her children and celebrating all the things that make them shine. You might find her poolside at a water polo game or swim meet, at the baseball field cheering for her favorite catcher, or enjoying one of her daughter's dance performances. No matter the activity, Kristin loves being there to support her children and make memories along the way.

When she's not busy being her children's biggest fan, Kristin enjoys spending time at the lake boating, swimming, or simply soaking in the beautiful views. She also loves going for walks, getting lost in a good book, binge-watching a favorite show, and, of course, shopping!

Dreams for the Future

Kristin hopes to do more traveling in the years ahead, including a very special bucket-list adventure: scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef with her family of four! What an incredible experience to share together. And there's one more dream she'd love to bring to life — having pet donkeys!

Kristin's love for her family, her appreciation for life's simple joys, and her dedication to helping children discover their potential make her a wonderful part of our school community. We're so happy to have Kristin as part of our team and grateful for the care and heart she brings to her work each day.

Thank you, Kristin, for helping our students grow, learn, and find those wonderful light-bulb moments!

Now that you know what ALICE stands for, let’s do a quick review. These are the same simple ideas your child will learn at school, and talking about them at home helps them stick.

Alert: Know that something is wrong and listen for directions from a teacher or the office.
Lockdown: Get to a safe room, lock or block the door, stay quiet, and stay out of sight.
Inform: Staff share what’s happening in real time so everyone can make the safest choice.
Counter: As a last resort, create noise, movement, and distance to make it hard for someone to cause harm. For our students, this means following their teacher’s lead.
Evacuate: When it’s safe to leave, move quickly to a safe meeting spot and stay with your class.

Remember, ALICE is a set of options, not a checklist. The adults in charge choose what makes the most sense in the moment, and our job is to make sure every Trojan feels calm, prepared, and knows who to listen to. If you have questions, my door is always open.

August 2026 – Friendships

September 2026 – Respect

October 2026 – Leadership

November 2026 – Confidence - 😁😀😃🥲🤪😍🤩😘🤣😇

December 2026 – Belonging

January 2027 – Goal Setting

February 2027 – Kindness

March 2027 – Community

April 2027 – Resilience

May 2027 – Reflection

Halloween is almost here, and a little planning keeps our Trojans safe tomorrow night and feeling good once the candy comes home.

Trick or treat where it’s safe. Rocky Hill Road and Stella Drive will be closed to cars, so families can walk freely and enjoy the night. There will be lots of neighbors handing out treats, and a flashlight or glow stick still helps little ones see their way. We’ll see you there!

Make a candy plan. Let your child pick a few favorites to enjoy, then put the rest away. A couple of pieces a day with meals is much easier on tummies than a big bag before bed.

Give it a new home. If the pile is bigger than your family needs, some local dentists and groups collect extra candy for troops and first responders. Kids often like trading part of their haul for a small toy or a fun outing.

Watch the sticky stuff. Chewy and sticky candy clings to teeth the longest. A glass of water after a treat and a good brush before bed go a long way.

Get ready for the time change. Clocks fall back Sunday morning, right after a late Saturday night. Getting outside in the morning light Sunday helps reset sleep so kids are ready for school Monday.

Questions about your child’s health? Nurse Suzi is always happy to help.

At many schools drop off and pickup is directly linked to confusion and frustration. However, at AME we have a safe and usually smooth process. This year a staff member will be posted at the Feeney Parking Lot to help with drop off. To see the designated traffic flow, please take a look at the map below depicting our procedure for dropping off and picking up at Feeney Park. In addition, please remember the upper lot is for staff and students with disabilities not for dropping off or picking up. Lastly, please never park adjacent to the red curb. This area is solely for the buses. Thanks so much for keeping our children safe.

The Vallecito Union School District and its schools do not endorse any advertised products or services referenced in this publication.