Spruce Elementary Newsletter

This is a text messaging application that allows staff to text families. Teachers will text out to all families or individual parents. What is important to know is that you CAN respond to the message and only the original sender will see it! Feel free to message teachers back. It will translate in both directions too. You can download the Remind Application for a friendlier view.

**If you change your phone number it is important you inform the office. Ms. Garduno doesn't like mean people who text back not nice things because parents didn't inform the office of a change. Thank you!

This will be our main form of communication 😃

Please know that teachers/staff will not respond to messages in the evenings or weekends.

This is a messaging system that allows the school to send emails to families and robo messages. This will be use less frequently but you will see emails from time to time.

SPECIAL EVENTS

(Valentine’s, Halloween, Birthdays, etc.)

For safety and equity reasons, we are not accepting any outside food for any party favors. However, Teachers may request donations for curriculum-related projects or activities in the classroom for a special event or holiday.

Goody bags may be sent to the classroom with no food/candy.

Goody bag small object examples:

• Pencils, erasers, crayons, stickers, tattoos, mini puzzles, mini playdough, fidget, etc.

We encourage our families to have celebrations with their friends and families during non school hours for birthdays.

SNACK OPTIONS FOR WHOLE CLASS

Some healthy Snack Options:

• Fruit

• Whole Grain Products

• A snack with LESS THAN 175 calories per serving

➠INDIVIDUAL SNACKS:

Students should bring healthy snacks for recess time. Please no items such as chips/takis/candy/donuts/etc.

Teachers may request snacks for all students in the class for morning recess

• Snack donations that WILL BE SENT BACK HOME:

• Nut Products

• Chips

• Sweets (More than 10 grams of sugar per serving)

• Snacks with MORE THAN 175 calories per serving

*Class snack donations may be left in Main Office for class delivery

• The back gate of Tamarack will be closed at 8:20am ongoing.

🔸TARDIES

• Arriving after 8:20am is a Tardy
• If you arrive late, you are to go through the main office to get a tardy slip.
  
• Continuous tardies are usually due to adults, not children, please be on time every day!

🔸ABSENCES

• Students are expected to be at school every day.
• If there is an emergency or an illness, parents must call the office to inform the school of any absence.
• Phone calls will be made to families whose child is not present.
• You can send any absence message via REMIND to Stephanie Cruz
• Students must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication to return to school.

Let’s work together to give our children the best education possible and that begins by attending school daily❗

The only items coming from home to school should be materials for the classroom (as shared by classroom teacher) and technology issued by the school if asked by the teacher.

Any toys/items (including playing balls/dolls/fidgets not approved by teacher etc.) stay at home.

DOORS OPEN 5PM FOR SELLING 😃

You can visit your child's classroom, meet their teacher, and hear a brief presentation!

*If you would like to talk to the teacher about your child specifically, please make an appointment for another time.

• 5:30pm-5:50pmpm Principal Welcome (GYM)
• 5:50pm-6pm Transition
• 6pm-6:25pm Session #1
• 6:25pm-6:30pm Transition
• 6:30pm-6:55pm Session #2

If you have more than one child at Spruce, you can attend Session #1 for one child and Session #2 for the other child.

If you have one child, you can attend Session #1 only

We will be selling Spruce T-shirts and sweatshirts for students starting at 5pm in the gym!

• T-shirts $10
• Crew neck sweatshirts $15
• ZipUp Hoodies $25

Cash or Check Only

🔹Items are also on sale in the Main Office during regular hours

Stop by the PTA table starting at 5pm.

Purchase snacks and turn in your $12 membership to support Spruce!

Membership does not mean you have attend meetings, but it is a great way to support!

Reach out and get involved

🟢JOIN HERE!

The Parent Project® is a 12-week class that gives parents, grandparents, and caregivers the tools to build strong and healthy families. All classes are free!

See information on the attached flyers ⏬

Throughout the year we will practice five scenarios in case of an emergency at various times. These include Evacuation (fire drill), Drop Cover & Hold on (Earthquake), Shelter in Place, Secure Campus & Lockdown/Barricade. Before we have drills the principal will inform parents so that you may discuss it with your child the evening before. You can read more information HERE.

Pre-Order Pictures HERE

Picture Day ID: EVTNDCVZG

We want all students and adults to be safe! So I ask the following:

• Please do not make U-Turns in front of our Spruce gate, it's just not safe.
• Please do not cross the street in front of the Spruce gate, it is not a protected crosswalk, it's not a crosswalk.
• Please use the crosswalks

Let's remember that our children learn from what they see us do. Let's show them safe examples of crossing the street and driving.

BIG THANK YOU!

September 13

9am in the STEM Lab!

It is crucial that we join in partnership for our students success which is also our future! Please ensure to attend the conference for your child with their teacher. You will be receiving information soon from your teacher.

Minimum Day Schedule (TK-5th Grade):

Start time: 8:20 AM
Dismissal: 12:55 PM

Please make necessary arrangements for pick up on time.

Every month we will be highlighting a different Character Trait to teach our students. We will begin September with our norm of being SAFE! Please talk to your child about the importance of being safe not only at school, but at home and in the community.

At the end of the month a few students will be selected from each class who exhibited the Character Trait of SAFE and be invited to sit at our VIP (Very Important Person) Table at lunch and be given a certificate. We will work to highlight every student in the class throughout the year at least once.

We do plan to have field-trips again this year and in order for parents to volunteer to be chaperones, you must be a fingerprinted cleared volunteer. This process takes time! Please come to the office to pick up an application to start the process.
Want to volunteer if teachers have a need in the classroom? It is the same process. Start today!

• September 2: Labor Day - No School
• September 3: Kindergarten begins 1:20pm Dismissal
• September 5: Back to School Night
• September 12: Picture Day
• September 13: PTA Meeting at 9am STEM LAB
• September 30-October 4: Conferences - Minimum Day Schedule
• October 7: TK begins 1:20pm Dismissal
• October 14: Indigenous Peoples Day - No School
• October 24: Picture Retake Day (By order form only)
• November 1: Staff Development Day - No School
• November 11: Veterans Day - No School
• November 14: Ruby Bridges Day
• November 27-29: Thanksgiving Break - No School
• December 19 & 20: Minimum Day Schedule