Principal Pattiey's Post

Tuesday August 11th - Class Lists Posted in Aeries

Wednesday August 12th - 5:30-6:30 pm BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT @ SHS

Wednesday August 12th - 6:00-7:00 pm Popsicles on the Playground @ SHS

Thursday August 13th - 8:08 am First day of School

Wednesday August 19th - 1:02 dismissal (Remember Wednesdays are always EARLY dismissal)

Welcome back! I hope your summer gave you time to reconnect with family and friends—the people we sometimes do not get to see nearly enough once the busy school year begins. I also hope you had time to relax, recharge, and maybe even read a few great books. I certainly did!

This year, we are trying something new: Back to School Night will be held the night before the first day of school. This is the real Back to School Night—there will not be another one later in the year. Some school districts have found that families really appreciate the opportunity to bring their children to campus, see the classroom, meet the teacher, and get comfortable before that first morning. We are hopeful this will be especially helpful for students and families who feel less anxious when they know exactly what to expect.

Please help us spread the word. If you know a Sierra Hills family, neighbor, grandparent, or community member who may not have heard about the change, please reach out and make sure they know.

We are also excited to welcome a wonderful group of new employees to Sierra Hills this year. Joining our teaching staff are Miss Courtney Kirkland, TK; Mrs. Chelsea Ruiz, Kindergarten; Mrs. Allison Moreno, Kindergarten; Miss Cienna Abbasi, Kindergarten; Miss Callie Kay, Second Grade; and Mrs. Caitlin Nesbitt, Third Grade. We are also happy to welcome Ms. Desiree Leyba as our new kitchen assistant. We are still finalizing a few additional hires for recess duty and instructional assistant positions and look forward to introducing them soon.

We are so happy to have our Sierra Hills community coming back together. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning, laughter, growth, and connection.

Looking forward to another successful school year.

It Takes A Village.......

Principal Pattiey

Our littlest Woodsy Owls—our TK and Kindergarten students—will be getting to know their temporary playground this week!

On Thursday and Friday mornings, TK and Kindergarten students will head straight to their classrooms instead of going to the playground before school. During the day, their teachers will take them out to explore the space together, learn the boundaries and expectations, and discover all the fun things there are to play with.

That way, when they arrive on Monday, August 17 for before-school playtime, they’ll already know the playground, the rules, and where all the fun happens!

Questions? Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or the principal. We’re happy to help!

Teachers and staff have put a lot of thought into choosing the best class placement for each student. We will not be making any schedule changes except in extreme cases. Our classes are full, and moving any student can create a chain reaction that would affect many students and teachers. Thank you for your understanding!

Aeries is your link to student information, grades, and schedules. All Woodsy Owl families (new and returning) must complete the required Annual Data Confirmation (Updates) for each student in order to see your student's class placement/schedule. You should see a prompt asking you to complete the data confirmation when you log into the Aeries Parent Portal. This is the only way for us to have your current emergency contact information on file. All updates may be completed online via the Aeries Parent Portal.

5:30 p.m. All teachers open their doors to their waiting families. Teachers mingle with the throng of happy families, introduce themselves, point out features of the classroom, and show families

where to find important items or information.

6:00-6:30 p.m. Families who are ready may make their way to the big playground, where the PTC will be handing out Otter Pops. Teachers will continue greeting and talking with students and their families in the classrooms.

6:30 p.m. The classroom portion of Back-to-School Night ends. Popsicles with the Principal continues until 7:00 pm

7:00 p.m. The evening is officially over, and the PTC will pack up. No more Otter Pops will be handed out after 7:00 p.m.