The Viking View for Families
January Newsletter
A message from Principal Williams
Dear Steele Lane Elementary Community,
We hope you all had a wonderful break and we are so excited to have your students back on our campus.
Recently, our school community has observed an increase in inappropriate behaviors, including physical disagreements, arguing during sports activities, unkind words to students and staff, defiance, and the spreading of rumors. We believe in fostering a positive and respectful environment for all students, and we kindly ask for your support in reinforcing these values at home. Please take a moment to remind your children about the importance of positive behavior at school. Encourage them to treat others with kindness, resolve conflicts peacefully, and engage in activities that promote teamwork and sportsmanship. By working together, we can ensure that our school remains a safe and supportive place for all students to learn and grow. Thank you for your partnership in creating a positive school community.
On Friday we will have an assembly that will kick off The Great Kindness Challenge Week, January 22-26th. This is a time where students are encouraged to demonstrate kindness with their words and actions. This year, students and staff will participate in a kindness spirit week, and have various opportunities to show their school and home community what it means to be kind.
We would love your support. Please use the checklist provided to students that demonstrate random acts of kindness in your home and community that will be sent home. Together we can do our part to spread kindness!
With much Gratitude,
Principal Williams
Youth Truth Survey
We are very excited to share that over the next few weeks we, along with many schools in our county and across the nation, will be reaching out to hear from our students, our staff, and our families through our participation in the Youth Truth Student Survey. The YouthTruth Student Survey is a nationally recognized survey used in hundreds of schools and districts across the country, surveying hundreds of thousands of students. The survey enables us to hear from our students about their experiences in our schools and how we can best prepare them for the future. Their feedback is incredibly valuable to our site and district and helps us to see what is going well and what we can improve upon. This anonymous survey will be given during a class period in the month of January. If you would like to opt your child out of this survey, please fill out this form.
Parking/Drop off/ and Pick up on Campus
I understand and share your frustration regarding the insufficient parking on our campus to accommodate both staff and families. However, it is crucial that we maintain clear driveways exclusively for staff during morning and afternoon hours.
Lately, there has been a noticeable increase in drop-offs and pick-ups occurring in the back parking lots and driveways, posing a safety concern for both our staff and students. Please note that the parking lots at Steele Lane are designated for staff use only. If you are dropping off or picking up your student, kindly park in the neighborhood or use the loading zone, ensuring to steer clear of the bus areas.
Your cooperation and support on this matter are greatly appreciated.
Important Dates ahead in January
Are you interested in helping with the Winter Fiesta?
If you are interested in helping with the Winter Fiesta please contact Itzel our Family Engagement Facilitator at ilopezcanela@srcs.k12.ca.us or calling 707-890-3945 ex. 74104
Mrs. Ogg's Reading Tips
You may think that knowing how to spell words isn't that important anymore since we have Spell Check. But did you know that in order for Spell Check to really be effective you need to be able to spell at about a 5th grade level? Spelling is important because it helps connect speech sounds to print. Here are some ways you can help your child at home:
- Have your child say the word they want to spell (example: "wish")
- Have them tap out the sounds they hear in the word (for "wish" they would say /w/-/i/-/sh/ for a total of 3 sounds)
- Write the letter(s) for each sound they hear.
- For longer words, they can tap out the syllables (example: "operation" would be op-er-a-tion)
- Draw a line for each syllable and spell the sounds they hear in each syllable.
Tapping sounds means touching something each time you say a sound. You can tap fingers on the table, or tap an object like blocks or even pennies. You can also just hold up a finger for each sound in the word. For example, for the word "dog" you would hold up a finger for /d/-/o/-/g/ for a total of 3 fingers.
Need more ideas or advice? Please feel free to reach out! I am always happy to meet with families about ways to support learning at home.
. kogg@srcs.k12.ca.usThe Behavior Bite from our Rebecca Branch
Positive reinforcement involves providing rewards or positive consequences to encourage and reinforce desired behaviors. Here's a simple three-step process you can follow:
Identify and Define Desired Behaviors: Clearly define the specific behaviors you want to encourage in your child. Be specific about what actions you expect from them. For example, you might focus on behaviors like completing homework on time, following household rules, or showing kindness to siblings.
Establish a Reward System: Create a reward system to reinforce positive behaviors. This could involve a token system, a sticker chart, or a points system where your child earns points for each desired behavior. Once they accumulate a certain number of points, they can exchange them for a reward. The rewards can be both small and larger, depending on the effort and consistency in displaying positive behavior.
Consistency and Celebration: Consistency is crucial for the success of positive reinforcement. Consistently reward and acknowledge your child's efforts when they exhibit the desired behaviors. Celebrate their achievements, and make sure to communicate why the behavior was positive. This positive feedback helps reinforce the connection between the behavior and the reward.
Remember, it's important to focus on praising and rewarding positive behaviors rather than punishing negative ones. By using positive reinforcement, you create a more positive and motivating environment for your child to learn and adopt good habits.
Wellness Information
Scan the QR code below to access mental health resources that are available in our county.
ParentSquare - Communication with Parents
- Para obtener información de ParentSquare en español, haga clic aquí
Santa Rosa City Schools uses ParentSquare for school communication, primarily with email, text and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number originating in the student information system. For email or cell phone number changes, please contact your student's school. ParentSquare can only recognize you as a parent/guardian if your school has the same email and/or textable cell phone information for you in our system.
We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.Log into ParentSquare today. If you are new to ParentSquare, click here for instructions (English/español).
Here’s what you can do with ParentSquare:
● Receive messages from the school via email, text or app notification
● Choose to receive information as it comes, or all at once at 6pm daily
● Communicate in your preferred language
● Comment on school postings to engage in your school community
● Direct message teachers, staff and other parent
Attendance Matters
This is a reminder that school begins at 8 am each morning. If your student arrives after 8 please have them check in at the office so we can record them at tardy. If you need to call in an absence please call the school line at 707-890-3945 ext 74112 para espanol ext 74104. You can message
Ashley Tirado on ParentSquare to excuse your student's absences as well.
Also, it is important for all students to eat breakfast each morning. Our cafeteria is open at 7:30 and all school meals are free for all students.
Steele Lane Elementary School
Email: awilliams01@srcs.k12.ca.us
Website: https://steele-santarosa-ca.schoolloop.com/
Location: 301 Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Phone: (707) 890-3945
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteeleLaneElementary/