

SLVUSD Charter News
Vol 1.4 - Week of September 11, 2023
From the Principal
Hope you all had a great weekend!
A big thank you to Megan Turk, Sadie Philips and Melissa Sniffen for helping out tomorrow with Vision and Hearing testing! Our Kinders, 2nd, 5th and 8th graders will be screened by our district nurse tomorrow and Thursday. If there are two or three parents who are cleared as volunteers, who would be able to help us out for any 2-hour shifts between 8:30 and 2:30pm on Thurs, 9/21, please send an email to Danelle!
I wanted to update all our families about an organization known as Cradle to Career of Santa Cruz County (C2C). C2C is a family advocacy organization and a community connector that supports the education, health, character, and community strength of families across Santa Cruz County. Perhaps you know of a family who could utilize this resource? Please share widely!
Here's to a great week ahead!
Kerry
News and Announcements
Library update!
We have a wonderful new librarian this year, Mabel Cordero-Leathem, so please click here to find out about our Charter library hours and resources available!
Performing arts opportunities
Please join the wonderful Amber Walker for any and all of the following performing arts opportunities coming up: Click here for more details!
Dungeons and Dragons club
Parent volunteer Peter Vanderhaak is starting a Dungeons and Dragons club after school for all interested students, Thursdays after school starting Sept 28! Please click here for more information! And click here to sign up.
Community opportunities
Did you know that our district maintains a "Community Opportunities" website? This is for parents / students to receive information about current local events and opportunities for adults and/or children
Note: The San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District does not sponsor or endorse any of the organizations or events that are located here. They are non-school sponsored events and are not being promoted by the school District. All postings are provided as a courtesy to the parents/students.
Looking ahead - save the date!
Mon, Sept 18- Tryouts for Advanced Band - 5pm in the Multi Purpose Room
Tues, Sept 19 - Vision/Hearing screening Day 1 (K, 2, 5, 8)
- Ga-ga Ball pit reserved for elementary programs every Tuesday lunch time)
- Beginner Band rehearsal and "instrument petting zoo" #2 of 2 - 6pm in the Multi-purpose room
Thurs, Sept 21-- Vision/hearing screening Day 2 - K, 2, 5, 8
Mon, Sept 25 - Advanced Band rehearsal 5pm - MPR
Tues, Sept 26 - Ga-ga Ball pit reserved for elementary programs every Tuesday lunch time
QHHS Parent meeting 1:45pm in the MPR
- Beginner Band rehearsal - 6pm - MPR
Thurs, Sept 28 - First Dungeons & Dragons Club meeting - Library 2 - 4pm
Fri, Sept 29 - All Charter Skate Day (details to be shared from your program teachers)
Sat, Sept 30 - LGBTQIA+ Summits at Watsonville High School 9:30 - 1:30pm
Nature Academy parents, don't forget to check the Nature Academy Google Calendar to be sure which bell schedule we're on! (You can also click here if you are not a Google Calendar subscriber)
- A1 Mondays are 3pm dismissal at the tricampus;
- A2 Mondays are 2:05pm dismissal at Nature Academy;
- O days are Tues/Thurs, dismissal 2:05pm;
- E days are Wed/Fri, dismissal 2:05;
- Minimum Days dismiss at 12:05;
- Short Mondays dismiss at 1:19pm
- Excursion Days (dates not all finalized) - times are individual to the excursion
SAVE THE DATE! Career/College Family Night (mainly for high schoolers)
Career and College Family Night is a chance to meet university representatives from numerous public, private, and out-of-state colleges and universities. It is also an opportunity to learn about Cabrillo Collegeโs certificate, degree and transfer opportunities, attend workshops, and explore various resources.
This event is free and open to the public
Please visit the website for more information. Career and College Fair
Monday, Oct 23, 2023, 06:00 PM
Cabrillo College, Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA, USA
Ongoing information from previous Charter News
If youโre interested in following our Instagram account, showcasing news and events from SLVUSD Charter School, here is the info:
โI'm on Instagram as slvcharterschool. Install the app to follow my photos and videos, or click this link: https://instagram.com/slvcharterschool?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==
(Please know that we will be very careful not to post pictures of students on the "Do not Photograph" list.)
And if you haven't started following the District Instagram accoount, look for "slvusd" and click "Follow!"
Attendance matters!
Attendance Matters!
We hope to see a positive improvement in our attendance rates this year, and encourage our families to support your student in participating consistently, whether it be in a homeschool program where work completion = attendance, or in our classroom-based 5 day a week Nature Academy. Students who are absent 10% or more in a school year are typically "less proficient in reading, writing and math than their peers with good attendance" (Source: CA Dept of Ed.) Thank you for being our partners in supporting good attendance.
Volunteer information
New! Volunteer application hours - PLEASE NOTE: The Charter Office and SLVUSD Human Resources Office hours will process volunteer registrations on Tuesdays from 7:00-11:00 am and Thursdays from 12:30-3:30 pm. The Human Resources Office is located at 325 Marion Avenue, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.
All Charter parents are encouraged to register with the District as a volunteer and a field trip driver. (All parents are asked to drive on excursions...)
Please click here to access the required volunteer paperwork. Hard copy paperwork is also available at the Charter Office.
To use your personal vehicle to transport your own or other students, we will need updated driver information on file as well - please click here for the form.
ร New Volunteer: You will be required to fill out the volunteer paperwork and obtain a signature from the principal. Once complete, please bring your signed paperwork to the Human Resources Office. You will be required to provide a current TB result. Also, all new volunteers will be required to be fingerprinted.
ร Returning Volunteer: You will be required to provide current TB results. This documentation can be provided to the Charter office. The school site will forward current TB results to the Human Resources Office. You may also bring current TB results directly to the Human Resources Office.
Transportation
If your child takes the bus to or from school, please remember you will need to purchase a bus pass. Please click here to access the Transportation web page with all the information you will need.
ALL Nature Academy students will need to register to take bus transportation on A1 days to the tricampus. (No need to pay.)
Students at Coast Redwood High who need afternoon transportation to the tricampus for concurrent enrollment classes can take the TK bus that leaves the District Office at noon each day. They will not need to pay for a bus pass. However they still need to register with Transportation. Rides will be denied if students are not registered.)
The Charter Office staff ask families to call in before 1:50pm if they have a message for their student about changing that day's bus transportation arrangement.
Athletics information (middle school)
See the current sports update from our SLVMS Athletics Director here!
Please click here for a link to the Panther Athletics website (SLVMS).
Please click here for a link to the Cougar Athletics website (SLVHS).
Parking lot safety
Student drop off and pick-up:
Please be mindful of safety during drop-off and pick-up. Drive slowly, and stay with your young child when walking to and from your car. Older students should walk (never run), and watch for moving cars when the are in the parking area.
- Parents/guardians of elementary-age students need to park and walk their students to their classroom and sign them in at their classroom.
- Middle school and High school students can walk to their classroom, where the teacher will take attendance, or students will sign in.
- If your student is taking the bus, they will be dropped off in the morning in front of the District Office.
- At pick up time, teachers will supervise all students until they are picked up - either at the bus stop at the top of Marion, or at the parent pick-up spot behind the District Office building.
NOTE: The driveway down to the main campus is not designed for walkers and cars at the same time. Buses need to take wide turns to exit the transportation lot. Please use the stairs when going up and down from Marion Avenue to the central campus area.
Parking:
- Parents of elementary and middle school students can park in front of the District Office Building.
- CRHS students who are driving to classes can park in the front parking lot and walk up the stairs to the CRHS building.
Bikes:
- Any student who is riding their bike to the campus needs to park their bike at the top by the Coast Redwood High School building, along the side of the path, and walk down the steps to the central campus area.
Nutrition services
- All SLVUSD students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch through the cafeteria. But lunch must be ordered online.
- Complete the Free/Reduced Lunch Application at https://family.titank12.com/
- Although a meal application is not necessary to receive free meals during the 2023-2024 school year, households are encouraged to complete a meal application to ensure that your school receives accurate funding. As well, your childโs eligibility for free or reduced lunch could qualify you for additional outside services or benefits including Free/Reduced Bus passes, student fee waivers, P-EBT, discounted utilities, and more.
- Meals will be served from our Multi-use Room in the central area of the campus.
- Breakfast will be available in the mornings from 8:15 - 8:45am - no need to place an order
- Lunch times vary per program, but generally happen in the 11:50 - 12:30 window
- CRHS students can order lunch and it will be delivered to the CRHS building.
- Elementary students will have lunch cards (kept by teacher)
- Secondary students will need to key in their student ID on a keypad
- Make sure your online order is in by 9am on the day prior to ensure hot lunch. Some limited cold lunch options will be available for anyone who didn't order in time. Here is a link to the steps for setting up a LINQ account and ordering your child's lunch. (Free to all; no charge!)
- SLV Student Nutrition Services. Please click here for more information
After school childcare
SLVUSD partners with the YMCA to provide before and after-school childcare at Boulder Creek Elementary and San Lorenzo Valley Elementary. For more information, please reach out to the YMCA (831) 338-2128, or visit their website - YMCA CHILDCARE.
Parent/family engagement/involvement and education opportunities
Triple P
Triple P/First Five of Santa Cruz County offer ongoing parenting classes for parents of students of all ages. Please click here to see their workshop offerings.
Triple P also offers 1:1 sessions for parents who are needing intensive 10 week session and add-on sessions for people who are divorcing or separating (Family Transitions), for couples wanting to work on their relationship (Enhanced) and for people wanting to work on their strong emotions, like anger (Pathways). If interested in 1:1 sessions, please contact First 5 of Santa Cruz: https://www.first5scc.org/contact