Hawk Updates

January

20th: MLK Day. NO SCHOOL

24th: Spirit Day: Twin Day!

27th: Teacher Professional Growth Day. NO SCHOOL

31st: Community Gathering

February

3rd: School Site Council

3rd - 7th: Valentine's Day Grams go on Sale! See information below.

8th: Dining for Dollars. Dirty Dough.

11th: Fitness Club Incentive Day

14th: Parent Night Out. See flyer below!

17th - 21st: February Break. NO SCHOOL

Click HERE for the School Calendar.

Dogs, dogs, we all love dogs! Yes, it's true San Diego is a dog city and our furry friends go so many places with us! However, one of those places should not be the CHES campus or any school campus. Please remember that many of our elementary age students are afraid of dogs, or at least ones that they are not familiar. Additionally, we don't want our furry friends using our lawns for their bathroom needs.

Thank you for supporting us on this topic by leaving that furry member of the family at home when you pick up and drop off your student.

This past Tuesday Chaparral was privileged to host our new superintendent, Dr. Ben Churchill, and board member, Heather Plotzke, who stopped by for a visit. Dr. Churchill and Mrs. Plotzke took a tour of campus, spent some time on Hawk Talk and got grilled with hard hitting questions from some of our TK kiddos! It was great to have them both here to see our wonderful school!

As we reach the halfway point of the school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate a positive step forward for our Chaparral Elementary community. Thanks to your efforts and commitment, our attendance rate has improved by about 1 percent compared to last year, bringing our daily attendance rate to approximately 95.7%. This is a meaningful improvement, and I am deeply grateful for the support and dedication you’ve shown in prioritizing your child’s education.

Daily attendance is a key factor in your child’s academic success and personal growth. Each day at school offers opportunities for learning, building relationships, and developing skills for a bright future. But beyond that, we genuinely love your kids, and we simply enjoy seeing them every day! Their smiles, energy, and curiosity bring life to our classrooms and hallways, making Chaparral the special place it is.

We also understand that life happens. Illnesses and family emergencies are sometimes unavoidable, and we want to assure you that we do not expect students to come to school when they are truly sick. Keeping children home when they are unwell protects their health and the well-being of others. However, whenever possible, we encourage families to prioritize attendance and schedule appointments or family activities outside of school hours.

Attendance also plays a critical role in how schools like ours receive funding. Public schools are funded based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA), and every absence impacts the resources we can provide. Unfortunately, PUSD loses approximately $500,000 annually due to absences at Chaparral alone—funds that could significantly enhance programs, staffing, and classroom materials for our students.

While we’ve made great strides, there’s still more work to be done to ensure every student benefits from consistent, daily learning. Let’s aim to finish the second half of the school year even stronger. Thank you for your partnership, support, and trust in us to care for and educate your children. If you have questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

It’s hard to believe it but it’s already time to begin to think about the 2025-2026 school year!

Here are some important dates to mark on your calendars:

• Transfer Requests - beginning on February 1st at 8:00 am, we will accept transfer requests for students who live in the Poway Unified boundaries and would like to attend a different Poway school. This includes incoming siblings of current students, as well as students who have not yet enrolled. Transfer requests can be made on the Poway Unified website by clicking THIS link. The transfer window closes on March 31st at 5:00 pm.

• Continuing Student Registration - from February 28 - March 31st, all parents whose current students will continue in Poway Unified for the 2025-26 school year need to complete online continuing registration. Look for more information coming soon.

• New Student Enrollment - beginning on April 1st at 8:00 am, new student enrollment opens on the Poway Unified website. We are excited to welcome our new students!

More details can be found on the Poway Unified website at www.powayusd.com.

It is hard to believe it but our district has already begun planning for the 2025-2026 school year! In an effort to help us provide the most accurate information about the number of students who will be returning next year, please complete THIS SURVEY no later than Sunday, January 26, 2025. This will provide us with the number of returning students as well as those who will be leaving Chaparral and will ensure that your child(ren) is enrolled correctly for the 2025-2026 school year.

Please submit one form per student.

Families do not need to complete the form for current 5th-grade students because they will be automatically enrolled in 6th-grade at their school of residence. This is NOT considered continuing student registration. Continuing student registration will take place February 28th - March 31st and needs to be completed for ALL students enrolled in PUSD for the 2024-2025 school year. Visit PUSD Continuing Student Registration for more information.

Order Your 2024-25 Yearbook Today!

Chaparral Hawks Yearbooks are available for purchase. Choose softcover or hardcover and personalize for free by creating two custom pages filled with your own photos and memories. Personalized pages are optional but must be completed by Monday, April 21st.

Click here to order your yearbook—log in or create an account to get started.

Share Your Photos for the Yearbook!

Help us feature your smiling kiddos in the yearbook! Please upload your photos, such as "First Day of School" and "Fall Book Fair", to TreeRing by logging in and selecting Share Photos. Prefer an app? Download the free TreeRing Yearbooks app! Need detailed instructions? Click here.

(To be eligible, photos must be high quality and taken on campus. The deadline to include fall and winter school photos is January 31st.)

We could really use donations of boys' underwear, size 4-6. Please drop them office in the front office.

Thank you!

In PUSD, we are committed to ensuring your child's online safety and privacy. As students engage in digital spaces—whether playing multiplayer games, using educational apps, or exploring new interests online—it’s crucial they understand the importance of keeping their personal information safe. With guidance on avoiding scams and protecting their digital footprints, students can enjoy learning and fun online while staying in control of their privacy. Families play an important role in helping children navigate these topics and establishing healthy, safe digital habits. Below are some Privacy and Security tips to share with your family.

• K-5 Family Tips

• 6-12 Family Tips

Sincerely,

Amy Fousek and Ken Wall

Director of Educational Technology and Director of Information Technology

We are collecting school supplies for the students who have been displaced and impacted by the fires in LA county. If you would like to donate any type of school supplies (pencils, notebooks, glue, etc.) please drop it off in the main office. We will be delivering these items to the SD Food Bank which will in turn deliver them up to their partners in the LA area to support those in need.

Thank you!

It's been a wonderful week back at school. Getting all of the students and staff on campus has returned CHES to a lively place full of energy and positivity.

As we return to the daily return of drop off and pickup, a few reminders...

Front of School

Walking your Students In. Please be sure to park on Tannin Dr. and walk onto campus, the parking lot is designated for staff. Thank You.

Curb Side Service. If you are pulling up to the curb for pick or drop off, please stay in your car. It's much smoother and easier for one of our staff to help, then to have you get out of your car. We are happy to do it and we are ok if you ask for the help by rolling down your window and asking - sometimes we don't know you need that extra help. :)

Speed. The universal speed limit in all school areas is SLOW. We would much rather have students come to school tardy or have them picked up late as a result of a parent driving slowly, then to have any sort of accident or have the school zone be unsafe for other cars or pedestrians.

Back of School

Navigating the Neighborhood. Please keep in mind that before you drop off your child at our back gate you are traveling through a neighborhood. We want all of us to be good neighbors by doing the following...

Do not stop and wait in front of a driveway. Our neighbors need to be able to get in and out of their driveways at all times.

No U-turns. U-turns are illegal on those streets.

SLOW is the speed limit. Please keep your speed down for the safety of everyone.

Thank you everyone for your help keeping drop off and pick up safe for everyone!

Parents-

We’d like to remind you that when students are checked out early, we wait until the parent or guardian arrives at the school before calling them out of class. This allows students to remain engaged in their learning for as long as possible, minimizing missed instruction time.

Additionally, please remember to bring ID!

Thank you for your understanding and patience when picking up your student.

It takes a lot to ensure our kids are getting the best experiences and education. If you or someone you know wishes to donate to a teacher's classroom or the overall school, one way you can do so is through the follow site: CLASSROOM SUPPLIES - ONLINE DONATION PROGRAM

Chaparral is proud of our Student Council, a group of student representatives from our upper grades whose sole purpose is to promote positive school culture.

THINGS TO REPORT:

Donations for those affected by the LA Fires

Donate new school supplies to families who were affected or displaced by the LA fires. There is a drop box in the front office to collect donations. Thank you!

SPIRIT DAY - FRIDAY 1/24/25

TWIN DAY! Find a friend and "twin-up" on that day. Or wear black and white and see how many people you match with!

Valentine's Day Grams

How much? $1 Each! They will include a small item and a valentine for your friends!

When? Sales will be the week of 2/3-2/7 before school and during your recess

What? You need to know the name of your friend AND their teacher for the valentine so they can be delivered to the right person.

"What's this 'Second Step' I keep hearing about?" Great question! Second Step is a longstanding program at Chaparral and throughout our district. It forms the foundation of our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, which is designed to help students from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through all grade levels develop vital social and emotional skills.

Second Step lessons guide students in building empathy, learning strategies to self-regulate and calm down, solving problems effectively, and understanding bullying prevention, along with many other important life skills.

At Chaparral, we have a dedicated SEL team: Ms. Siebel teaches our youngest learners in TK through 2nd grade, and Mr. Hicks works with students in grades 3 and up. Together, they equip students with the tools they need to confidently navigate social and emotional challenges, fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment where all students can flourish.

2024/2025 School Year Birthday Marquee Signups are now open!

Complete the form from the link provided below if you would like your child's name (first name and last initial) to appear on the Chaparral Marquees during the week of his/her birthday. To secure your marquee reservation, please make a $25 donation to CAPES after submitting the form.

Note--Each marquee has only two (2) available sign-ups per week. If a week is not listed, it has reached the maximum capacity of reservations. Holiday weeks have not been included. This form is ONLY for the 2024/2025 school year. Please do not submit a response for a future school year.

Your child's birthday message (ex. Happy Birthday Lizzie B.) will appear at some point during the week and will stay up for a minimum of 1 day.

Please note that our CAPES volunteers may need at least one (1) week of advance notice to honor birthday marquee reservations.

Click the link HERE to sign up today!

We are looking for any parent who may be interested in helping with the 24-25 Yearbook!

If you are interested, please reach out to Will Smith at chaparralcapes@gmail.com.

Thank you!

PUSD provides breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge pursuant to the California Universal Meals Program. Free meals are available to all families, regardless of their free or reduced-price meal eligibility status. Breakfast service will begin at 8:25 am and end at 8:40 am. Students will report directly to the playground after eating breakfast. Students not eating breakfast need to arrive when the playground opens at 8:25 am.

Meal program details are provided on the Food and Nutrition Department website at PUSD Food and Nutrition. Families are still encouraged to submit a school meal application for free and reduced-priced meal benefits because this information may be used for other programs such as Federal and State funding for your school, reduced registration fees for academic tests, free or discounted fees for bus passes, ESS childcare, and athletic programs, discounted rates for internet service and many more! The application can be found online at https://www.myschoolapps.com/ . Applications must be submitted on an annual basis.

In order to Volunteer on campus, PUSD's Volunteer Requirements must be met and the following documentation needs to be submitted to the office:

1) Volunteer Application & Megan's Law clearance form + picture ID (signed annually)

2) TB clearance/negative result from a health care provider (Good for 4 years)

3) Code of Conduct form (signed annually)

4) Code of Confidentiality (signed annually)

Note--the district office needs at least 2 weeks to process and clear volunteers once all forms/documents are submitted; therefore, please submit the volunteer paperwork as soon as you are able.

Obviously, the best environment for any student to learn is the school environment. Whenever possible, families are strongly encouraged to avoid taking vacations and other trips that results in their students missing extended periods of time from school.

However, when these trips are unavoidable, parents can request an OCIS contract. Details of OCIS contracts can be found below.

Off Campus Independent Study (OCIS) Contracts

This contract allows the student to complete work that he/she would be doing if they were in class and helps the school to continue to receive funding from the state. The student needs to work with his/her teachers closely to submit the assignments.

The threshold for implementing an OCIS contract is limited to a minimum of 3 days through a maximum of 14 school days. The 14-school day limit for OCIS contracts is cumulative for the entire school year.

At least 5 school days of notice is required to set up an OCIS Contract.

*A family who plans to keep their student out of school beyond the 20 days must enroll their child in Poway Home Education Program (PHEP: TK through 8th grade)

Please refer to the PUSD website for more information and contact the student’s counselor.