The Wildcat Post
February 2024
Welcome EBCA Wildcat Family!
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Important Announcements
Monthly Core Value: Responsibility
Students are expected to follow our Core Values here at EBCA. February's Core Value is Responsibility.
Responsibility means being dependable, making good choices, and taking accountability for your actions. A responsible citizen looks out for the well being of others and understands we all have a part to play in making the world a better place.
For children, responsibility might look like getting themselves ready for school in the morning, helping with specific household chores, or helping care for a pet ā in other words, age-appropriate tasks that contribute to the well-being of their family. To learn more, click here.
February is Black History Month
This year's theme for Black History Month is "African Americans and the Arts".
On Wednesday, January 31st, African Drum Interactive delivered an interactive, live performance to our students.
As a community-based business, African Drum Interactive focuses on using the cultural significance of African Drumming and drum circle facilitation as a way to bring people together. They aim to use drumming to preserve African heritage through drum circles, classes, workshops, and performances.
Learn about Black History Month by clicking here!
Attendance
At EBCA, we strive to promote perfect attendance. It is important for students to attend school on time, daily. Every Friday, the classes with the highest attendance rates are awarded a trophy to display in their classes. Additionally, prizes are raffled to students who have maintained perfect attendance throughout the week.
Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy
What is chronic absenteeism?
Chronic absenteeism means missing too much schoolāfor any reasonāexcused or unexcused.
How does California define chronic absenteeism?
A "chronic absentee" has been defined in Education Code Section 60901(c)(1) as "a pupil who is absent on 10 percent or more of the schooldays in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day. We attend 180 days in a school year. So 10% of 180 equals 18 days which is the most a student can have of excused or unexcused absences in a school year.
What makes a student 'truant'?
While chronic absenteeism measures total absences, including excused and unexcused, truancy measures only unexcused absences. The number of unexcused absences it takes for a student to be considered a "truant" differs by state. Read your school district policies and state codes on attendance. You need to stay well-informed on how many absences are allowed, and what count as excused and unexcused absences.
Take any warning you receive seriously. Why? The consequences of too many absences are serious not only for students, but also for parents! Schools handle minor truancy with warning letters, parent-teacher conferences and other means.
Our before school program opens at 6:00am
Cafeteria opens for breakfast at 7:20am
Flag Salute at 7:50am
Classroom Celebrations Policy
Food or Balloons of any kind may not be dropped off at school for class birthday celebrations. The main reasons for this are healthy nutrition and we have several students with a variety of food and latex allergies that we must monitor.
We will limit classroom celebrations to that last 30 minutes of the day for the following days:
- October 31 - Halloween (when it falls during the week Monday-Friday)
- November - Thanksgiving Break (last day before Thanksgiving break)
- December - Winter Break (last day before winter break)
- February 14 - Valentineās Day (when it falls during the week Monday-Friday)
- June - last day of school
Keep in mind these are the only days allowed but grade levels will have the discretion to not participate if they feel it is a disruption to the learning process.
2022 - 2023 School Accountability Report Card
By February 1 of each year, every school in California is required by state law to publish a School Accountability Report Card (SARC). The SARC contains information about the condition and performance of each California public school.
To view our SARC, click the links below or visit request a copy from our front office.
English | Spanish (TBD)
Upcoming Events
100th Day of School (02/01)
Deficiency Notices / Progress Reports (02/02)
Deficiency notices and progress reports will be sent out on Friday, February 2nd.
Parents could log onto their Aeries accounts to stay updated regarding student grades and attendance by clicking here.
6th Grade Camp (02/06 - 02/09)
Our 6th-grade students will be off-campus camping at Sierra Outdoor School from Tuesday, February 6th through Friday, February 9th. Students attending must be on campus by 6:30 AM on Tuesday, 02/06. Students will return to campus on Friday, 02/09 around 5:00 PM.
Lincoln's Birthday - No School (02/12)
There will be no school on Monday, February 12th in observance of Lincoln's Birthday.
Kindness Week (02/13 - 02/16)
Random Acts of Kindness Day is on Friday, February 16th. Kindness Week will be celebrated throughout the week, 2/13 - 2/16. The sole purpose of this week is to focus on the positivity that surrounds us every day. It's a week to learn, teach, and share our kindness with others.
Presidents' Day - No School (02/19)
There will be no school on Monday, February 19th in observance of Presidents' Day.
Gaston Middle School Elective Ranking (02/20)
GMS will be on campus on Tuesday, February 20th to guide our 6th-grade students in selecting their 7th-grade electives. Although some students may not attend Gaston Middle School, this will be an opportunity for all students to learn more about electives and middle school expectations.
**REMINDER: If you wish to enroll your student in Gaston Middle School, contact their office directly for enrollment procedures - (559) 457-3400. EBCA is NOT responsible for enrolling students.
Parent Involvement Opportunities
Parent Engagement Polls - Your Voice Matters!
Please take the time to answer the polls below! We hope to address any barriers to parent engagement as much as possible.
What day would work best for you to attend Parent Meetings?
What time would work best for you to attend Parent Meetings?
Evening Parent/Family Engagement Opportunities
Looking for evening parent engagement opportunities? Attend our FREE evening Parent and Family Classes facilitated by Success Together! All classes take place in the EBCA Cafeteria from 5:30 - 7:00 PM - dinner and childcare is provided by preregistering/RSVPing.
Upcoming Classes:
- 02/06: Tuesday Parent Class on "Social Media & Texting"
- 02/22: Thursday Family Class on "Family Reading Adventures"
- 03/06: Tuesday Parent Class on "Mental Health & Today's Youth"
- 03/21: Thursday Family Class on "Family Science Lab: Discovering the Secrets of Plants!"
- 04/18: Thursday Family Class on "Family Science Lab: Making a Volcano - Chemical Reactions!"
- 05/07: Tuesday Parent Class on "Navigating the Haze: Understanding and Addressing Teen Vaping"
- 05/15: Thursday Family Class on "Family Reading Adventures"
Register Online: www.tinyurl.com/STLearn or by texting "SUCCESS" to 833-224-8208
*IMPORTANT PARENT MEETING* Wildcat Parent Time (02/14)
EBCA is undergoing a Federal Program Monitoring review. Reviewers will be on campus and would like to speak to parents on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 from 1:30 - 2:30 PM. Lunch and interpreting services will be provided. For questions, please contact Ms. Sanchez via text or call at (559) 212-4436.
We would greatly appreciate your participation!
Agenda:
- Federal Program Monitoring Visit
We look forward to seeing you!
Board Meeting (02/22)
Board meetings are scheduled during the 4th Thursday of Every Month (except as noted) at 5:30 in-person in the EBCA Library. Visitors can enter through the front gate by Room 4.
Upcoming meeting: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
Click here to view the Board Meeting calendar.
Expanded Learning Program Activities
Activities described below are for current students in our Expanded Learning/After School Program.
Sports - Scheduled Games
Boys & Girls Basketball (Start Time: 2:30 PM)
- Tues., 2/13 Bethune @ Kirk
- Thurs., 2/15 Bethune @ Sunset
- Tues., 2/20 King @ Bethune
- Thurs., 2/22 Bethune @ Lincoln
These dates are subject to change.
Student Spotlights
Student Art Work
Presenting Student Art Work from Mrs. Montoya's Classes
Chloe C.
Mrs. Contreras' Class - 6th Grade
Jayda P.
Mrs. Contreras' Class - 6th Grade
Giovanni C.
Mrs. Contreras' Class - 6th Grade
Hector C. B.
Parys C.
Mrs. Abundiz's Class - 1st Grade
Kingston T. M.
Mrs. Reyes' Class - Kinder
Jaylah C.
Mrs. Enns' Class - Kinder
Rin D.
Mrs. Reyes' Class - Kinder
Alexander S.
Mrs. Reyes' Class - Kinder
Additional Resources
Second Step Curriculum
Our teachers have been delivering classroom lessons from the Second StepĀ® Curriculum, a research-based social-emotional learning program designed to improve children's social-emotional skills. For the month of February, students will focusing on Problem-Solving topics.
National School Counselor Week (02/05 - 02/09)
National School Counseling Week 2024 is Feb. 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems.The 2024 theme is "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused."
Meet our School Counselor, Ms. Sanchez by visiting EBCA's Wildcat Counseling Center.
The school counselor supports students throughout the school day. As student advocates, school counselors collaborate with teachers, administrators, and families to develop a comprehensive counseling program that will assist in addressing students' social/emotional, academic, and college/career development while abiding by the ASCA national model. Please note school counselors do not provide "therapy" or "traditional counseling". Counseling taking place at school will be brief and solution-focused. Referrals for long-term counseling services are available if children need additional support.
Ms. Sanchez, EBCA School Counselor
Email: t.sanc@myebca.com
Phone: (559) 212-4436