Cheetah Spotlight

Hello Sunset Valley Families,

I hope you are all staying warm during this extra cold week! Thank you for maintaining daily routines and ensuring your children arrive at school on time. Lately, we’ve noticed an increase in tardies, and I want to stress the impact this has on student learning. Arriving late means missing out on valuable social-emotional learning activities that help students ease into their day. Your continued support in getting students to school on time is greatly appreciated.

This week, our students took the Science Interim, and make-up test sessions were held for those who were absent. Next week, we will begin TELPAS testing for our Emergent Bilingual students. A testing schedule will be shared soon. If you have any questions about TELPAS, please reach out to Mr. Hewlett for more information.

In other exciting news, our 1st-grade students have started their swim lessons and are thoroughly enjoying the experience! We are grateful to our 1st-grade team for going above and beyond to provide this enriching opportunity for our students.

Lastly, we want to congratulate our students who advanced to the Regional Science Fair! They will be representing our school this Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Palmer Events Center from 2:00 – 4:30 PM. We wish them the best of luck and are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication!

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our school community. Stay warm and have a wonderful rest of the week!

With gratitude,
Elaine

To ensure a safe and positive lunch experience where students can socialize respectfully while following expectations, we are updating our cafeteria procedures. Recently, our lunch monitors have noticed challenges with noise levels, lack of respect, and disruptive behaviors. To address this, we are implementing the following changes:

• Seating Charts: Starting next week, all classes will have assigned seating in the cafeteria to promote structure and accountability.
• Relocation Table: A designated table will be available for students who need a reminder to follow cafeteria expectations.
• Lunch Procedures: Students must be escorted to the cafeteria line by their teacher, and parents visiting at lunch may only eat with their own child.

Temporary Change to Family Lunches:
Our 1st grade students are participating in swim lessons from 2/14 to 3/13, affecting their usual lunch schedule. To accommodate this, we’ve added extra tables in the cafeteria, which has made it challenging to provide space for a family lunch table. We kindly ask families to pause cafeteria visits until after spring break. If you’d still like to eat with your child, feel free to enjoy a picnic lunch outdoors (weather permitting).

We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these changes. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your continued partnership!
Elaine

All Emergent Bilingual students will be participating in: the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) next week. This assessment is designed to measure English language proficiency for students who are learning English as a second language.

Your student's participation in TELPAS is crucial for evaluating their progress in English language proficiency. The assessment will help us better understand your student's language abilities and provide appropriate support and instruction to ensure their academic success.

To help your student prepare for the TELPAS assessment, there are practice materials available online. These resources are specifically designed to familiarize students with the format and content of the test, allowing them to feel more confident and comfortable during the actual assessment.

Practice tests can be accessed by visiting https://www.texasassessment.gov/families.html

Please encourage your student to utilize these practice resources regularly in the lead-up to the TELPAS assessment.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in ensuring your student's success in the TELPAS assessment.

Our Valentine’s Day dance had an amazing turnout with over 200 families attending! Our cheer team felt incredibly supported as they successfully fundraised and truly felt appreciated by our community. We look forward to hosting more heartwarming events like this to continue fostering unity and connection among us all.

Book People is having their annual Bookmark Contest. Entry deadline is March 1st.

Students can return their signed entry form at SVE library by February 24th so that they can be dropped off at the bookstore.

Join us for an exclusive tour of our incredible Dual Language Campus, where students thrive in a vibrant, multicultural environment and grow into confident bilingual leaders.

Experience our dynamic classrooms, meet our passionate educators, and see how our innovative programs empower students to embrace two languages and cultures. Whether you're a prospective family or a curious community member, we can’t wait to show you the transformative power of bilingual education!

Also, there's a PTA meeting this Thursday at 5:15pm in the library. Laurie Solis, Austin Council of PTAs President, will attend and give us an update on PTA advocacy during this legislative session, awards for Reflections art program will be presented, and we'll discuss any topics members bring.

Join the parent community in a few ways:

• Sign up for the weekly PTA newsletter
• Join the SVE WhatsApp community (with groups for grades and clubs)
• Join the SVE Facebook group
• And of course, join the PTA

• 2/17- Parent Teacher Conference Day
• 2/18 & 2/19- Lead4Ward: Rockin’ Review Training- 3rd-5th Grade Teachers
  
• 2/18- Science STAAR Interim
• 2/22- Science Regional Fair
• 2/27- Black History Month Performance
• 2/24-2/28- Food Workers Appreciation Week
  
• 2/24-2/28- TELPAS Test Administration
  

• February 07: Denise Escudero- PK4 Teacher

  February 07: Roberto Soto- 2nd Grade Teacher

Our incredible teachers work tirelessly to provide your students with the best education. This time of year can feel busy and tiring, and a little boost in morale can go a long way

A simple note of gratitude or encouragement can make them feel truly valued. Send a RAVE today and brighten their day!

Thank you for supporting our amazing educators!

Email: elaine.navarro@austinisd.org
Website: https://sunsetvalley.austinschools.org/
Location: 3000 Jones Rd, Austin, TX 78745
Phone: (512) 414-2392

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunsetValleyElementary

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