Sundays From The Mesa #16
December 1st - 5th
Principal's Message
Dear Alta Mesa Families,
As we head into December, I want to share our December Attendance Challenge with you and the reasons behind it. Missing just 10% of the school year is associated with reading difficulties and low performance on standardized assessments. Historically, our school attendance is great August through October and then it begins to fall off. Some of that may be due to winter illnesses, but some of it is also because of holiday travel, students wanting to stay home and snuggle in, and maybe even the belief that students aren't missing anything important because teachers are doing a lot of "holiday fluff" activities. However, I can attest that Trimester 2 (November through February) is a time when lessons are focused and we are moving at a quick pace. Students are all warmed up and into routines and we hit deep reading and comprehension, extensive writing, and difficult math concepts during Trimester 2. Of course, most classes will have some kind of holiday celebrations. So, please join us in coming to school every day that students are healthy in December. Here's what our incentive will look like: The 12 Days of Presence. Each day beginning December 3rd, our attendance clerk will tally up the attendance rates for each class (# present/# enrolled). We'll draw one winner from the class with the highest attendance rate in each grade level. Students must be present to win. The winner will earn a book! In addition, we are also having a school-to-school competition between the Shasta Meadows Tigers and the Alta Mesa Eagles. Each day we will check which school has the best attendance rate that day. The school with the overall best attendance rate from 12/3 - 12/18 will earn Cookies with Santa on December 19th!! We plan to have some fun with the daily contest and send out daily updates with mascot pictures to inspire the students to come in December and learn through the winter as much as we did through the fall.
We’re excited to invite all Alta Mesa families to our Booster Club Meeting on Wednesday, December 3rd from 6:00–7:00 PM in the Alta Mesa Library! The Booster Club plays a huge role in bringing fun events, student activities, and extra opportunities to our campus and we’d love for you to be a part of it! Whether you’re looking to get more involved, meet other parents, or help make a positive impact on our school, this is the perfect place to jump in. Come learn what the Booster Club is all about, share ideas, and see how your support can help make Alta Mesa even better for our students. We hope to see you there!
This December, we’re bringing everyone together for a cozy Family Game Night and.... we’ll have a Pancake Bar AND a Hot Cocoa Bar available to all families at no cost! Enjoy the night surrounded by Christmas music, a crackling fireplace on the projector, and lots of holiday decorations to get everyone in the spirit. It’s going to be a fun and festive evening you won’t want to miss! And to top it off, every family will leave with a game!
4/5 Soccer will be at home on Tuesday, playing against Bethel and at Lassen View on Thursday. Both games are at 3:00pm!
Looking ahead, next week Booster Club will be hosting their annual Holiday Shoppe from December 10th - 12th. Students will be allotted time during class to shop in the store for gifts for their families! All items will be priced between $1 - $20. Please see below for more information!
Thank You,
Kristen Crites
Principal-Alta Mesa School
(530) 224-4130
kcrites@eesd.net
MONDAY:
- Minimum Day - Dismissal @ 1:23
- Soccer Practice (1:30-2:30)
TUESDAY:
- SLT Meeting (12:00-12:40)
- Ski and Snowboard Club Meeting (2:30-3:00)
- Soccer Game @ Alta Mesa (3:00-4:00)
- Reading Pals (3:00-4:00)
WEDNESDAY:
- Soccer Game Practice (2:30-3:30)
- Garden Club (2:30-3:30)
- SLT Meeting (2:30-3:30)
- Booster Club Meeting (6:00-7:00)
THURSDAY:
- Student Lighthouse Meeting (12:05-12:40)
- Soccer Game @ Lassen View (3:00-4:00)
- Reading Pals (3:00-4:00)
- Family Game Night (5:30-7:00)
FRIDAY:
- 4/5 Basketball Camp (2:30-3:30)
Family Game Night - December 4th
This December, we’re bringing everyone together for a cozy Family Game Night — and you guessed it… we’ll have a Pancake Bar AND a Hot Cocoa Bar available to all families at no cost!
Enjoy the night surrounded by Christmas music, a crackling fireplace on the projector, and lots of holiday decorations to get everyone in the spirit.
It’s going to be a fun and festive evening you won’t want to miss!
Holiday Shoppe - December 10th - 12th
Booster Club is hosting a Holiday Shoppe at Alta Mesa for students! The shoppe will be open Wednesday, December 10th through Friday, December 12th. Students will be allotted time during class to shop in the store for gifts for their families! All items will be priced between $1 - $20. Flyers will be sent home soon!
Don’t want students coming to school with cash? Parents can pre-purchase a gift card for their student before the holiday shoppe opens! Students can print out their gift card OR a volunteer can easily look up the student within the cash register app.
Gift card purchases: www.schoolshoppes.com/buy/polar-pals/C1QL1409
Booster Club is in need of parent volunteers. If you are able to spare an hour or two, please sign up HERE!
Christmas Sing-Along - December 19th
Please join us on in the Alta Mesa gym on Thursday, December 19th at 9:00am for our annual Christmas Sing-Along. This is such a fun event at Alta Mesa. Each class works really hard on their songs and are excited to perform for their parents, grandparents, and guardians. Everyone is welcome! We hope to see you all there!
The gym doors will open at 8:45am and we will start promptly at 9:00am.
Christmas Break - December 22nd - January 5th
Christmas Break will begin on Monday, December 22nd and run through Monday 5th. School will resume on Tuesday, December 6th. We hope you enjoy this well-deserved time off to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends.
Wishing everyone a warm, joyful, and restful holiday break!
Ski & Snowboard Club - Dana Randolph
Weekly Meetings:
Tuesdays, 2:30-3:00
12/02, 12/09, 12/16
1/06, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27
2/03, 2/10, 2/24
3/03, 3/10
Mt. Shasta Dates:
January 21st
February 11th
March 11th
4th/5th Grade Soccer: Cat Ellenwood
Tryouts:
October 13th and 14th
Practices:
Monday 1:30-2:30
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 2:30-3:30
Games: All Games at 3:00PM
11/04 - Lassen View @ Alta Mesa
11/06 - Alta Mesa @ Shasta Meadows
11/12 - Rother @ Alta Mesa
11/13 - Mistletoe @ Alta Mesa
11/18 - Alta Mesa @ Boulder Creek
11/20 - Alta Mesa @ North Cow Creek
12/02 - Bethel @ Alta Mesa
12/04 - Alta Mesa @ Lassen View
12/09 - Shasta Meadows @ Alta Mesa
12/11 - Alta Mesa @ Rother
4th/5th Basketball Camp: Jimmy Havlina
Camp Meeting Dates:
Fridays 2:30-3:30 **(11/21 will be 1:30-2:30 due to conference week)**
10/10, 10/24
11/07, 11/14, 11/21
12/05, 12/12
Garden Club: Devin Lindsley & Cate Richards
Meeting Dates:
Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30
October: 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29
November: 11/5, 11/12
December: 12/03, 12/10, 12/17
January: 1/07, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28
February: 2/04, 2/11, 2/25
March: 3/04, 3/11, 3/25
April: 4/01, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29
Student Lighthouse Team: Christina Huelman
Meeting Dates:
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:05 - 12:40
Wednesdays (optional): 2:30 - 3:30
Spirit Days
- 09/26 - Bright and Shiny (bright, bold colors)
- 11/14 - Fall into Thanksgiving (fall colors, leaves)
- 12/12 - Cozy Winter (winter colors, snow, cold weather clothes)
- 01/16 - Shiny New Year (sparkles, glitter, metallic colors)
- 02/13 - Valentines Day (hearts, red, and pink)
- 04/17 - April Showers (flowers, spring, pastel colors)
- 05/15 - Sunshine and Lollipops (summer theme, sunglasses, bright fun colors)
Alta Mesa School
Alta Mesa is a Preschool-5th Grade, as well as Mrs. Goetz's 6th-8th Graders. At Alta Mesa, we believe that every student deserves a safe, enjoyable learning environment with exceptional instruction. Our caring, highly qulaified staff is committed to meeting the individual needs of each student in all academic areas. We believe that in order for students to grow intellectually and attain academic success, we must also address their social, emotional, and physical needs. We have been recognized for the past 5 years as a Capturing Kids Hearts National Showcase School. For more information you can follow us on facebook @altamesaschool or go to our website altmesa.eesd.net.
We appreciate your support in helping students stay focused and safe while at school.
Address: 2301 Saturn Skyway, Redding Ca. 96002
School Phone: (530) 224-4130
Principal - Kristen Crites
School Secretary - Kaylene Elliott
Student Services Clerk - Michelle Poland