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Dear Handy Families,

Happy December! I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving Break with your wonderful children. We have three busy weeks until Winter Break.

November was a busy and productive month! I want to celebrate the many achievements and memorable events that made this month special. We ended the month with our 1st Trimester Awards Assemblies, where we honored our students' hard work and dedication. Report cards were also sent home, providing valuable insights into each child’s progress and areas for growth. Please be sure to send back the signed report card envelope.

A special congratulations to our Students of the Month, who exemplified the core value of gratitude. Their kindness, appreciation, and positive attitudes inspire us all. Another highlight was our Lunch with a Loved One event, where we welcomed families to share a meal with their students, strengthening our school community ties.

Looking ahead to December, our focus will be on the core value of generosity. We encourage everyone to practice and reflect on how they can give back, both in school and at home. Additionally, students will complete the iReady Diagnostic #2 assessment this month, allowing us to monitor their academic growth and tailor support to their needs.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Follow Handy Elementary school on Facebook and Instagram for weekly happenings at Handy! Please scroll down to see a complete list of December events.

I encourage every Handy scholar to give their best effort each and every day because: Learning today makes a brighter tomorrow!

With gratitude,

Erika A. Krohn, Principal

• LCAP Survey, survey window will remain open until January 17, your opinion counts!
• November 1, Ofrenda for Dia de Los Muertos, room 63, pan de muerto and coffee was provided for our parents
• November 7, Workshop regarding Potty Training, room 63, speaker Kendy Gioia
• November 14, ELAC Meeting, GRIP presentation Financial advisor Alejandro H., provided our parents valuable information about budget, fraud
• November 14, Outdoor science presentation for all 5th grade students/parents, room 63. Speaker Steve Benz, informed our parents of this great opportunity for our students
• November 18 - 22, Book Sale at the library stop by and see the awesome selection Ms. Jaya has for our students
• November 21, Coffee with the counselor, room 63, meet and greet Mrs. Anderson

Please come see me in the Parent Center if you need access to school and community resources!

It’s hard to believe that we’re already preparing for the second i-Ready® Diagnostic #2. The second Diagnostic is an important benchmark for understanding your student’s growth, which is why it’s so important they try their best. The students will be taking the Diagnostic during the morning blocks the week of December 2 and the week of December 9. These results allow us to better support them in achieving their goals for the year. The most important thing we can do is prepare students and motivate them to put forth their best effort. Here are a few things you can do to help support your student:

• Make sure they get a good night’s rest before taking the Diagnostic!
• Talk to your student about why the second Diagnostic is important. You can say things like: "The second Diagnostic helps you find out how much progress you’ve made since the beginning of the year." "It allows your teacher and I to celebrate your accomplishments!" "Try your best, and do not rush—but don’t spend too much time on a question either." "Remember, questions on the Diagnostic change based on your answers to earlier questions. You will see some questions you don’t know. That is okay! Just try your best."
• Let them know you’re excited to celebrate their progress.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your student’s learning.

Orange Unified School District is committed to providing the best possible educational experience for all of our students, and your input is essential to help us achieve this goal. As part of our ongoing efforts, we invite you to participate in the OUSD Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Survey.

The LCAP Survey is an important opportunity for parents, guardians, students, and community members to share their thoughts on how we can improve academic programs, school facilities, student support services, and more. Your feedback directly impacts decisions that shape our schools and ensures we continue to meet the needs of all students.

How You Can Help:

- Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and let us know your thoughts.

- Your responses will help us prioritize areas of improvement for the upcoming school year.

Take the Survey Here: https://tinyurl.com/ousdfamily24

Survey Deadline: 10/28/24 - 1/17/25

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and help us build a brighter future for our students.

Handy currently has a 96.32% attendance rate! This is .97 percent higher than how we ended last year. Let's keep up the great work and get to 97% by the end of the year.

Currently, 6.22% of our students are considered Chronically Absent. Per the state, the definition of chronically absent is a student missing 10% or more of the school year. Our goal is to reduce this number to 0.

Currently, Handy has 903 student absences, which is a loss of 258,702 instructional minutes. Students cannot learn if they are not here, so let's work hard on improving attendance. Additionally, due to the 903 student absences, Handy school has lost $73,613 of revenue. That impacts student programs and class sizes.

Let's keep working on great attendance! Students cannot learn if they are not here.

• Dec. 2-Return to school, bring signed report card envelope
• Dec. 3, 5 & 6-iReady ELA Diagnostic #2 (Tuesday, Thursday & Friday)
• Dec. 3-Principal Prize Patrol
• Dec. 5-Parent Wreath Making Workshop, 8:30 A.M. in the Parent Center
• Dec. 5-SART Meetings (by invitation)
• Dec. 6-Schoolwide Talking Circles-Generosity
• Dec. 9-Earthquake Drill
• Dec. 10, 11 &12-iReady Math Diagnostic #2 (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)
• Dec. 13-Spirit Assembly at 8:15 A.M. Dance & Pep Squad perform
• Dec. 18-GRIP Mentor/Mentee Gingerbread Holiday Party, 12:45-1:45
• Dec. 18-AYA Soccer Game at Handy, 2:30-3:30
• Dec. 19-ELAC Meeting, 8:30 A.M. in Parent Center
• Dec. 20-Spirit Day, wear holiday colors/festive attire
• Dec. 20-Spirit Assembly, 8:15 A.M.-TK, K and K/1 perform
• Dec. 23-Jan. 10-Winter Break
• Jan. 13-Return to school

2016 Title I Academic Achievement Award, 2016 Gold Ribbon School

Website: https://www.orangeusd.org/handy-elementary-school
Location: 860 N. Handy St. Orange, California 92867
Phone: (714) 997-6183
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Handyelementary/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: @handyelementary