Bobcat Tales
May 1, 2026
Mark Your Calendar
May 6th: Kindergarten Round Up
May 7th: SLVE TK Kick off
May 4th-15th: CAASPP Testing Grades 3-5
May 18th-22nd: CAST Science Testing Grade 5
June 3rd: 5th Grade Promotion 9:30 Field of Dreams
Message from Principal Ponza
CAASPP Testing for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students starts on Monday!
As we begin CAASPP testing, families can play an important role in helping students feel confident and prepared. Making sure your child gets a good night’s sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives at school on time each day can make a big difference. Encouraging a calm, positive mindset and reminding them to simply do their best helps reduce stress and build confidence. We are proud of all the hard work our Bobcats have done this year, and CAASPP is a great opportunity for them to show what they know!
CAASPP Schedule:
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Testing at SLVE begins on Monday, May 4th.
May 4th-8th (English Language Arts)
May 11th-15th (Math)
May 18th-22nd (CAST Science Test~5th Graders only during their Science classes)
Student Registration is now open.
The PowerSchool registration is now open for 2026-2027 school year, please follow these instructions below to complete the online forms. We need your up-to-date contact preferences, student health data, parent/student permissions, as well as other important information verified or completed within one week of receipt or prior to the first day of school whichever is first. Having all the necessary information will help us with student placement and scheduling. Your timely input and cooperation are greatly appreciated.
An email will be sent this week from PowerSchool Enrollment. Please follow the directions below to complete your registration form.
Directions to follow:
1. Please find in your email an email from PowerSchool Enrollment
2. Title of the email will read : SLVUSD POWERSCHOOL ENROLLMENT (ONLINE REGISTRATION)
3. Locate the yellow box on the email. In the yellow box will be the link for you to click to complete the online registration form.
4. You will use your student's date of birth to access the form, once you click the link in the yellow box.
5. Please use Google Chrome or a Firefox browser to complete the form
6. You will receive one email for every student you have that will be returning to SLVUSD. Each student will need to complete the registration process.
For any technical difficulties encountered during the enrollment process, please contact PowerSchool using the below channels:
- PowerSchool Support: https://help.powerschool.com/t5/reg
- Phone: (866) 752-6850, Listen carefully and follow the prompts; select Option 1; Monday through Friday, 8AM -5PM EST
School Contact Information:
- Boulder Creek Elementary - 831-338-6413 x510
- San Lorenzo Valley Elementary - 831-335-4475 x410
- San Lorenzo Valley Middle School - 831-335-4452 x310
- San Lorenzo Valley High - 831-335-4721 x210
- Special Education and/or Ludlow Preschool - 831-336-9678 x141
- SLVUSD Charter School - 831-336-5167 x610
Please reach out to the school Registrar and ask any general questions about the form or the Student Registration process.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in the upcoming new school year!
Lauri E. Martin
Assistant Superintendent Instructional Services
San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
831-336-8852
TK Kick Off! May 7th
Calling all incoming TK families! Don't forget to sign up for our TK Kick-off on May 7th using the link sent to your email. While your TK student plays and explores a real TK classroom, grown-ups will meet our TK team and Principal Ponza. You'll also hear about our TK program, YMCA after-school care, Nutrition Services, ELOP and Transportation. We can't wait to meet our newest students!
San Lorenzo Valley Elementary Intent to Return Form~Please complete today!
It is hard to believe but it is time for us to start thinking about next year. We ask that EVERY SLVE family complete the Intent to Return form. We need to know about each and every student so we can plan classes and staffing for next year. Please click on this link: SLVE Intent to Return Form to complete the form.
A Message from Ms. Alves, Dean of Students
May PBIS Theme: We All Belong!
Students will be participating in a whole-school art activity that will come together as a unified display at our final assembly. This project is designed to celebrate that every student belongs and is an important part of our school community.
Each student will create a drawing of their hand, and classrooms will compile these into a class collage. All class posters will then be displayed together in the MU, creating a lasting piece of art that represents our entire school for years to come.
School Store Update
Our final school store of the year will take place on Friday, May 15th during recess. Thank you for your generous donations throughout the year—your support has made the school store a huge success, and students have truly appreciated it!
End of Year Spirit Week: June 1st–4th
Our next Spirit Week is coming up soon! Student Council members will be voting on themes, so stay tuned for more details—but be sure to mark your calendars now.
PBIS Year in Review
This year, the PBIS team has made several improvements to ensure all students feel recognized, valued, and celebrated. One meaningful change has been highlighting students through our monthly assemblies. We have also appreciated the strong support and involvement from families in these celebrations. In addition, we have continued to enhance our routines like the Station Rotation Days where student leadership teaches each class on how to be Safe, Respectful and Responsible across campus. We were so excited to host our first ever Kindness Parade.
The PBIS team has created a slideshow showcasing events, highlights and goals for next year below. We invite you to take a few moments to view the slideshow and celebrate these accomplishments together. PBIS 2025-26 at SLE
Last Chance for Free Yearbook Shipping
Order your yearbook by April 30 to have it shipped to school for free. Orders placed after that date will be shipped to your home. Buy a Yearbook Today
Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week | May 4–8
Let’s show our amazing SLVE staff just how much they mean to us! The Bobcat Club and SLVE families are coming together to celebrate and spoil our incredible teachers and staff all week long.
Kick things off by signing up to decorate a classroom door — decorations should be up by Sunday, May 3.
The Bobcat Club will be treating staff each day, and we’d love your help—sign up to contribute!
Students can join the fun, too:
- Monday, May 4: Bring your teacher or a staff member a flower (real, handmade, or drawn)
- Tuesday, May 5: Write a heartfelt note
- Wednesday, May 6: Show admin & support staff some love with a homemade card
- Thursday, May 7: Create a Disney-inspired drawing of your teacher or favorite staff member
- Friday, May 8: Pamper your teacher with a gift
Bobcat Club Board Nominations
Our programs—events, Life Lab, art, ceramics, and more—happen because of the Bobcat Club. We need your participation and leadership to keep it going!
Interested? Nominate yourself today by May11, emailing info@slvebobcatclub.org for one of the following roles: President, Vice President, Secretary, Co-Treasurer (Money), Co-Treasurer (Bookkeeper)
What is the Bobcat Club?
The Bobcat Club is SLVE’s parent-teacher organization, supporting programs like art, ceramics, and Life Lab, as well as field trips, assemblies, and campus improvements. Every bit of involvement—big or small—helps create a stronger, more connected school community.
Learn more at slvebobcatclub.org
Save the Dates
May 4-8: Staff Appreciation Week
May 12: Bobcat Club Meeting and Election
Community Opportunities Website
The "Community Opportunities" website link is provided as a courtesy to parents and students, by the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, to enable you to receive information of current local events and opportunities for adults and/or children.
SAVE THE DATE for The SLV Music & Art Festival, Wednesday, May 20th, 2026, 4-8pm at Roaring Camp Railroads!
The 5th annual SLV Music & Art Festival is an outdoor, community event that features performances by: SLVHS choir and bands, SLVMS bands, SLV Charter Band, SLVE and BCE 5th grade bands, and the SLV Community Band!
There is an art show put on by the SLVUSD Elementary to High School Art Programs and an Art Sale benefiting the SLVHS Art Department!
There will be five food trucks and also silent and live auctions that support the SLV Music Boosters.
Please come and celebrate the community while supporting our talented student musicians and artists!
Admission and parking is free but donations are highly recommended!
Triple P Parenting Classes
Triple P Positive Parenting topical workshop flyers for May.
Información sobre programas en español disponibles en el sitio web.
Each flyer has its own unique link to register for each class, or go to https://www.first5scc.org/triple-p-classes and register on the website. All of these classes are on Zoom!
Workshops are all free, and grant funded by First Five of Santa Cruz.
Individual sessions are also available for free or sliding scale. If you are interested in a 1:1 session, please contact First Five of Santa Cruz at First 5 Santa Cruz County at (831) 465-2217 or
Creating a Safe and Caring School for Everyone at SLVE
At San Lorenzo Valley Elementary, we want to start the school year by sharing something very important: we do not allow any form of hate, bullying, or unkind behavior in our schools. Every student and adult deserves to feel safe, respected, and welcome—always.
We are proud of the many different backgrounds, families, and identities that make up our school community. We believe every student should be treated with kindness, no matter their race, abilities, gender, religion, or family structure.
Here’s how we support a safe and inclusive school:
We take all reports of bullying, body shaming, or hateful actions seriously and follow our rules to keep everyone safe.
We teach students about kindness, respect, and how to treat others through class lessons and school activities.
We provide counseling and support to students and families who need it.
We ask for your help at home, too. Please talk with your children about treating others with empathy and kindness.
Together, we can make sure our schools are places where every student can learn, grow, and feel proud of who they are.
Attendance Matters
We'd like to emphasize the importance of daily attendance for your student.
We know people get sick, people get injured, and there can be family or life responsibilities and other issues that are reasonable and excused. But if your student can attend, they need to be in school.
If your student is out for three or more consecutive days, we may request a doctor’s note to continue excusing the absences. Students who miss 3-5 days will receive a Chronic Absence letter. We will then meet with those families to attempt to support the student attending school. On the second Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet at the District Office to put a plan in place for the student’s attendance. On the third Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet with the County Office Student Attendance Review Board for truancy. Our goal is that nobody ever gets that far along with truancy. We are here to help and support, but it does start at home with the expectation that your student will attend school regularly. For more information please visit our SLVUSD Student Attendance Policy on the SLVUSD website.
Please remember that students who are absent 3 days or more should complete an independent study contract. Lisa Ghelardi, at lblairghelardi@slvusd.org our SLVE Registrar, will work with families to get the paperwork and the missed classwork assignments needed to complete the contract.
SLVE Reminders
- Please be sure to review the SLVE Bell Schedule which highlights start/end times throughout the day.
- Please be sure to send all students to school with a snack, even if they are getting a school lunch.
- The students are very hungry by morning recess. A snack helps to keep them focused and engaged until lunch time.
- Label all jackets, backpacks, water bottles and lunch bags.
- Make sure to communicate pick up plans with your student's teacher.
- Our perimeter gates will be closed from 8:30 am-2:00 pm each day. All visitors should enter the school through the front office and sign in.
- TK Pick Up Protocols
- Car Pick-Up: You may pick up your TK child through the car pick-up line at the flagpole between 12:15–12:20 p.m. (Wednesday pick-up begins at 12:15 p.m.).
- Please note: On Wednesdays, our buses need extra time to complete TK pick-up and return for upper-grade dismissal, so we appreciate your timeliness
- Classroom Door Pick-Up: If you prefer to pick up your child at the classroom door, please stop by the front office first to sign in and get a visitor pass. To help maintain campus security and minimize disruption to other classrooms still in session, we ask that you do not enter campus before 12:10 p.m.
- A lanyard for TK pick up will be distributed at Back to School Night. TK teachers will be discussing this protocol at that time.
- K-3rd Pick Up Protocols:
- Perimeter gates will open at 2:00 pm
- Car pick up:Teachers will walk classes out to the pick up area for both car and bus pick up.
- Classroom door pick up: if you would like to walk in to pick up your child, please do not come before 2:00 when gates open.
- In an effort to minimize noise and distractions for our 4th and 5th grade classrooms the SLVE Playstructure and Field of Dreams playground areas will be closed from 2:15-3:00 pm
- If you plan to remain on campus while waiting to pick up an upper-grade sibling between 2:15 and 3:00 p.m., we kindly ask that you wait at the picnic tables located under the shade structure on the basketball court playground. Your cooperation helps us maintain a quiet, focused and safe learning environment for all students through the end of the school day. Thank you for your continued support!
- 4th-5th Pick Up Protocols:
- Car pick up: Students will be walked to the pick up areas by their teachers at 3:00 pm
- Classroom Door pick up: If you are walking in to meet your student, please be sure to wait until 2:55.
Student Pick up Drop off
We are really needing to focus on safety during our pick up time each day. As a reminder, the far right lane is the ONLY lane that you may idle in to pick up your student. The middle lane is a drive thru lane only for parents who are driving up to park. If cars stop in the middle lane, buses CANNOT get up the hill to pass without going into the far left lane which is the exiting lane. There have been some close calls and unsafe situations where cars are stopped in the middle lane when buses are making the wide turn to go down the driveway to head out onto Highway 9. We would also like to remind you that the parking lot in front of the school office is reserved for teachers/staff only. Please do not stop there to drop off or pick up your student. We appreciate your role in helping to ensure the safety of our SLVE students and families.
Hello from the SLVUSD Transportation Department,
To register your student to ride the bus, there are two options:
1) Online on the Transportation Department’s page located on the SLVUSD.org website. Under Registration Information there is a clickable link to our Google Doc which will automatically update our department on your student’s registration.
2) At our office in the school bus yard located at 315 Marion Ave, Ben Lomond, half-way down the driveway to the District Office. For the safety of our mechanics and drivers, we ask that you park at the District Office and walk up the driveway to our office.
Information about payments for an annual or single semester bus pass for your student is also located on the Transportation Department’s page. To pay by card, please use LINQ Connect, just as you would for student lunches. To pay by cash/check, come to our office at the transportation yard. If your student receives government assistance and you would like to see about free or reduced-price bus passes, or if you have any questions at all, please call our office at 831-336-2223.
Thank you so much for your continued support for the safe transportation of students, and remember:
If the red lights are flashing, you shouldn’t be passin’!