It's June! The small pinhole of light we saw at the end of the tunnel back in September is now a big spotlight as bright as the sun. We are so grateful for everything our staff, families, and students have done to make this year special.

Last week we celebrated our phenomenal classified staff with tasty treats each morning. This week we had field trips to the Linda Vista Library and our annual Field Day. Students participated in fun athletic competitions like hurdles, scooter races, sponge relays, and more. The entire day culminated in a few tug-of-war matches including a staff versus 1st grade class battle. The 1st graders won! We definitely have some super strong athletes here at Fletcher.

Next week will be our FINAL full week of the year! Our 2nd and 5th graders will be visiting the Linda Vista Library and also receiving their GATE testing score reports. Be on the lookout for those coming home.

“Live in the sunshine,

swim in the sea.

Drink in the wild air"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This week we also bid a bittersweet farewell to our magnificent Elementary School Assistant, (aka Chief of Staff) Mrs. Sarah Myers. Sarah's husband, a Navy Chief, was deployed to Dallas, Texas. We are so sad to see her go, but are eternally grateful for the immense efforts she dedicated to rebuilding Fletcher after the pandemic closing. Her effusive happiness helped keep us all going every day. We'll miss her "mom jokes" on the marquee, fun -isms like "banana pants", and relentless professionalism. Sarah spent the entire year creating a guide for how to do any and all of the 1,000 different things for which an ESA is responsible. She is also single-handedly responsible for the educational partnership between Fletcher and the US Navy's VRM-50 Sun Hawks squadron. Sarah's legacy that she leaves behind is one of joy, dedication, and love. We wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life in Texas. Once a Falcon, always a Falcon. This isn't goodbye, it's see you later.

This week's Student of the Week is Jackie in Ms. Yamashita's class! Jackie has grown “leaps and bounds,” in kindergarten. As her confidence grew, so did her academics. She loves to read the , “Brownie and Pearl” series, by Cynthia Rylant.

Jackie enjoys learning about our world. She uses problem solving strategies to apply to math and STEAM. “If I picked up 1 piece of trash for every school day, I would have picked up 171 pieces so far. Imagine if our whole class did it. I'm guessing close to 3,000 pieces...Wow. That’s one way to help our environment.”

When asked, “What is your favorite memory about kindergarten?” Jackie responds, “I learned that I can make a difference, no matter big or small. Throwing a pebble in a bucket and seeing the ripples outward, reminds me, kindness matters.”

Congratulations, Jackie! Thank you for being a phenomenal falcon!

Last month, our School Site Council voted to reallocate unspent Title I funds toward the purchase of supplies for a Maker Space on campus. We purchased tons of building materials, organizing racks, and crafting supplies. Turns out, we're not the only ones with the same great idea. The SDUSD Science Department also has unspent Title I funds that they are making available to school sites for building out a Maker Space, School Garden, or Robotics supplies. After consulting with the staff, we decided to choose the Maker Space package to further build out the program.

What is a Maker Space you ask? It's a dedicated classroom on campus full of materials students can use as part of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) curriculum. Rather than teaching about area and perimeter, students can experience it with building challenges using manga tiles or legos. Rather than teaching about forces like push and pull, students can design simple machines build them! The jobs available to our students when they graduated high school haven't even been thought of yet. But with the skills of design thinking, problem solving, and teamwork, they'll be prepared for whatever awaits!

Paraeducator Independence Facilitators, also known as a PIF, are incredibly important members of the Special Education staff on school campus. They support students with specific learning needs reach their goals by being in class and in small group settings. It's an incredibly rewarding position with a competitive salary + benefits. Salary starts at $19.40/hour with benefits.

Apply here: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/sandi

June

8 - Minimum Day - Report Card Prep

14 - Minimum Day - Last Day of School

14 - 5th Grade Promotion - 11AM

15 - Teacher/Staff Check out

*Dates subject to change due to shifts in the academic programming

Interested in joining the PTA Board? We currently have several opportunities for families to get involved in this essential partnership. Email our ESA, Sarah Myers at smyers1@sandi.net for more information.

Why join?

1. Support Students - Research shows that participating in your child's school helps them perform better academically.
2. Benefit the School - PTA performs support for teachers, staff, and students which creates a positive and caring atmosphere in the school.
3. Make Connections - Get to know the teachers and staff better. Make life-long friends with other parents at the school.
4. It's Good for You - Socializing with other parents and volunteering to do good for your child's school is fun, healthy, and rewarding.

Even if you don't have the time available to join our PTA Board, you can join the organization by clicking HERE: Fletcher Elementary PTA Sign-Up

Although we want students to be in school each day for class, we know that absences will happen. It is important that parents report their student's absence within 24 hours. Absences can be reported via our online form, phone or email. Please let us know if you have any questions and thank you for your support.

Click HERE for a link to the Online Absence Reporting Form

San Diego Unified School District now has a new testing site for all students and staff. If your student is showing symptoms at home or at school, this new resource will provide a quick and easy way to get test results so they can return to school as soon as possible. Testing will now be available at the Education Center located at 4100 Normal Street, 92103. It's only FIVE MILES away from Fletcher!

The site is open from 7:00AM - 7:00PM MONDAY through FRIDAY and 8:00AM - 5:00PM on Saturday and Sunday. No appointments necessary! Prior to testing, if your student isn't already registered to receive weekly testing on site, families will need to register for a Primary Health Portal account. https://my.primary.health/l/sdusd_testing.

Click HERE for a link to the flyer with a map.

Email: communications@sandi.net
Website: https://fletcher.sandiegounified.org/
Location: 7666 Bobolink Way, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (619)605-4600
Facebook: facebook.com/FletcherSDUSD
Twitter: @FletcherSDUSD