The Sun Drop

Last week, I shared the idea of E + R = O ... Event + Response = Outcome. We don't always get to choose the events that happen to us, but we do have a great deal of control over how we respond.

This week, I want to build on that idea with a message from Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson that has stuck with me: “Handle hard better.”

Lawson talks about something I think all of us, adults and kids alike, sometimes fall into believing: If I can just get through this hard thing, life will get easier.

But that's not typically how life works.

School gets harder. Friendships can get harder. Sports get harder. Parenting gets harder. Jobs get harder. As our kids grow, the challenges in front of them grow too.

So perhaps our goal shouldn't always be to make things easier for our children. Our goal should be to help them become better at handling hard things.

That doesn't mean we leave kids alone when they're struggling...Quite the opposite. We support them. We listen. We encourage them. We teach them strategies. We remind them that they are capable. Sometimes, we even let them struggle a little longer before stepping in to solve the problem for them.

That's where E + R = O comes back in.

Our kids can't control every event. They won't always get the teacher they hoped for, the grade they wanted, the part in the play, the position on the team or the response they wanted from a friend.

But they can learn to control their response.

And every time they work through disappointment, frustration, conflict or something that initially felt impossible, they're building something incredibly valuable: the confidence that says, "I've handled hard things before. I can handle this one too."

At Sunset, I don't want our students to believe successful people have easier lives. I want them to understand that successful people learn how to handle hard better.

That's a lesson worth learning in elementary school, and one I'm still working on myself.

Have a great weekend Sunset Nation!

Thomas Fletcher

Principal

Sunset Elementary School

Brand new"ish" news...

•Parent/Teacher Conferences - Early Dismissal~ These next two weeks are our Parent/Teacher conferences. School will be dismissing early EVERY day.

•TK and Kinder will dismiss at 1:10

•1st-5th will dismiss at 1:30

•Looking ahead to Unity Week~ Our district and Livermore community will be celebrating Unity Day on October 21st.

I’ve attached this year’s flyer with information about the activities planned for the week.

While LARPD, LPD, and the City of Livermore will not be participating this year, we still want to recognize Unity Week across our schools and encourage our students and staff to take part in the following activities:

Monday – Take the Pledge
Online Link.

Tuesday – Chalk the Walk
Students and staff are encouraged to decorate campus walkways with positive and uplifting messages in chalk.

Wednesday – Wear Orange!
Students and staff are encouraged to wear orange in recognition of Unity Day.

Thursday – Random Acts of Kindness (Every Day!)
I'll encourage our school community to spread kindness through random acts of kindness throughout the day.

•Core SEL Survey~ Parents/Guardians of 4th and 5th graders. I’m reaching out to emphasize the importance of the upcoming Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) survey. While the questions are somewhat general, they provide us with valuable insights into how our students are feeling. Whether they feel safe, supported and connected at school. These results help guide us in creating a positive and nurturing environment for every child.

In past years, many families have opted out, which limits our understanding of how to best support all of our students. I kindly ask that you consider allowing your child to participate this year. Your child’s voice matters and their input helps us make Sunset a better place for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support! I've included a few sample questions there and there is a link with more information on the LVJUSD District website under Student Services under CORE SEL.

Sample 1. Do adults at school encourage you to work hard so you can be successful?

A. No, Never

B. Yes, Some of the Time

C. Yes, Most of the Time

D. Yes, All of the Time

Sample 2. Do your teachers work hard to help you with your schoolwork when you need

it?

A. No, Never

B. Yes, Some of the Time

C. Yes, Most of the Time

D. Yes, All of the Time

Sample 3. Do you feel like you are part of this school?

A. No, Never

B. Yes, Some of the Time

C. Yes, Most of the Time

D. Yes, All of the Time

•FREE Bike Repair~ Does your child's bike need a little TLC? BikeMobile is coming to Sunset on Monday, October 26 from 3:00–5:30 PM!

They can repair most common bike problems, including flat tires, brakes and shifters, while also providing bike repair education.

Repairs are completely FREE, but space is limited and bikes will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bring your bike and let BikeMobile help get it safely back on the road!

•Sunset Volunteer?~ If you applied before September 8th and haven't received an approval email from Raptor, please reach out to Brooke (bway@lvjusd.org), as something may not have met the requirements. As of today, you must be cleared in order to be on campus during school hours. Thank you!

•Sunset's First-Ever Trunk or Treat is Coming!~ Mark your calendars for Friday, October 16, 2026, from 5:00–8:00 PM for an evening of family fun at Sunset's first-ever Trunk or Treat!

We're looking for families to help make this event unforgettable by hosting a decorated trunk or game booth. Whether you have a car, SUV, truck, golf cart, or would simply like to run a game using one of our carnival games, we'd love the help!

Don't let the idea of hosting a trunk intimidate you, we're here to help! The PTO will provide decorating ideas, coordinate a bulk candy purchase, and even have games available to borrow, making it easy and affordable for everyone to participate. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Our students will simply love visiting each unique stop!

Event Highlights

• Trunk or Treat
• Fun games
• Food trucks
• Costumes encouraged for all students and families!

The more trunks we have, the more fun the evening will be for our entire Sunset community!

Interested in hosting a trunk or game booth?
Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8pxDTQwzeWLBjHODh7DdhTYPta3Ok7Q-1nl2YlkLMDNv3zA/viewform?fbzx=3716708751656097199&pli=1

Or contact Heidi Lovens: HeidiLovens@gmail.com

Thank you for helping us create what we hope becomes a favorite Sunset tradition. We can't wait to celebrate with all of you on Friday, October 16!

•Chromebook Insurance~

Protect Your Student's Chromebook for as low as $22 with School Device Coverage! Last Day to Purchase is 10/31/26!

Our District has partnered with School Device Coverage to offer parents optional, affordable insurance coverage for 1st through 12th-grade students’ LVJUSD-issued Chromebooks. (TK and Kindergarten students use a class set of Chromebooks when needed and are not issued individual devices. This coverage does not apply to students in TK or Kindergarten.)

Replacement costs without insurance can be as costly as $399 per device. School Device Coverage offers two policies, Basic and Expanded. See below for details on what is covered by each of the plans.

https://www.livermoreschools.org/departments/information-technology/chromebook-insurance

•Sunset Bell Schedule and Calendar are both attached below.

•Join Your Sunset PTO! ... What is the Sunset PTO?

The Sunset School PTO is a partnership between parents, guardians, and staff to promote cooperation and goodwill within our school community and to improve and enrich the Sunset Elementary experience for every student. The Sunset PTO funds and hosts many critical programs, events, and materials including: Science and Library Grants, Classroom Grants, Sunset Garden, PE Equipment, Assemblies, Halloween Carnival, Family Fun Nights and more!

Staying Connected / Important links

Sunset PTO Website: https://sunsetpto.membershiptoolkit.com/

Sunset Spirit Store: www.sunsetptostore.com

Sunset PTO Newsletter: Stay up-to-date on the latest Sunset news with the FREE weekly PTO newsletter. Sign-up instructions: Log on to www.sunsetpto.org, Navigate to My Account, Select Newsletter/Calendar Subscriptions from dropdown, Enter Preferences

Sunset PTO Facebook: @SunsetElementaryPTO, @WeAreSunset!

Sunset PTO Instagram: @sunsetsurfers_pto

•Looking for our menus~ Visit https://lvjusdchildnutrition.nutrislice.com/

Click the link for menus available in English and Spanish

Here is a flyer detailing how to print menus on Nutrislice

Click on the link to view the latest newsletter from the Tri-Valley SELPA.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://heyzine.com/flip-book/b0dc41fe53.html__;!!CDXB8Uds!9pYhdMV25RNlOEqJ5EyoPCIqyuTgg1qtQ2QEvJDDKEyy9Q2REG1vG491Z0ZF8dulxP0RuCLOonaSNZa0Yxck2Ulc$

9/18/26 - 10/9/26~ Fall Fund Raiser

10/5/26 - 10/16/26~ Fall Conferences (Early Release)

10/16/26~ Halloween Family Fun

10/26/26~ Bike Repair Clinic (3:00-5:30)

10/30/26~ Halloween Parade

Sunset PTO Website

Gate Entry and Exit for Sunset Elementary

Gates Open at 8:15 am

School Starts at 8:30 am

While you are allowed and welcome on campus, we ask that you be cognizant of teachers time and student behavior while we work to instill a culture of kindness and integrity. While we value you and want you to know you are a vital part of our community and are welcome here, we are still asking that you help your child take steps to becoming independent as they find their own way to class as they enter campus.

It is exciting to see Kindergartners walk to class, hang up their backpacks, grab what they need and head into class...all on their own. Trust me, it will happen in time.

In accordance with security guidance, IT has updated student passwords to 9-digits. That means students with 8-digit student IDs will need to add a leading zero and students with 7-digit student IDs will need to add two leading zeros to be able to log in. Students with 9-digit student IDs or who had previously changed their password to a personal password were not affected.

If students need help, they can get help from their teachers when school starts.

Aug 7th

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Aug 21st

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Sept 4th

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Sept 18th

Sept 25th

Email: tfletcher@lvjusd.org
Website: https://www.livermoreschools.org/sunset
Location: 1671 Frankfurt Way, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925.606.5230