Bobcat Tales
November 8, 2024
Mark Your Calendar
Nov. 11th: Veteran's Day~no school
Nov. 22nd: Trimester 1 Report cards sent home with students
Nov. 25th-29th: Fall Break~no school
*Dec. 20th-Jan. 3rd: Winter Break
*Dec. 20th is reserved as a District Storm make up day if needed. If we do not need to make up the day, it will become a no school day for students.
Jan. 6th: Professional Development Day for teachers. No school for students.
A Message from Principal Ponza
SLVE students have been working hard these past two weeks. They've been wrapping up many units of study as Trimester #1 draws to a close. 4th graders had a successful "Town" celebration. There were so many creative handmade items they were able to "buy" and "sell" using their classroom currency. Classes have been going on field trips. 3rd graders have visited the SC Natural History Museum, and 1st graders visited Rodoni Farms. The 5th grade classes are currently working hard on a 5th grade play. A musical about Superheros learning social skills which our students will look forward to seeing the week before Fall Break. Our PBIS theme for the month of November is gratitude. Kindergarten through 5th graders have been talking about gratitude and what being grateful means to them.
Halloween 2024
SLVE celebrated another amazing Halloween. Students, teachers and staff had fun dressing up and participating in our annual Halloween parade. Coach John and Coach Rose led the entire school in the Monster Mash and some free dancing to wrap up our parade. Parties, buddy activities and tons of fun made this SLVE Halloween one of the best!
No School on Monday Nov. 11th!
Don't forget that school is closed on Monday in honor of the observance of Veteran's Day. We will look forward to seeing students back on Tuesday, November 12th.
Square One Art ~Order now
We’re thrilled to announce our Square1 Art Fundraiser! It is a great fundraiser and helps to support students in many ways.Each student poured their heart and creativity into a vibrant self-portrait masterpiece, and now these special works can be displayed on a variety of fun items available for purchase through Square1. This fundraiser is incredibly meaningful to our art program—it directly supports all the projects, tools, and supplies that make our time in the art room so enriching and enjoyable.
Your support will help us continue to inspire creativity, exploration, and joy in art. Thank you for considering a purchase that celebrates your child’s unique artwork and keeps our program thriving! Square1 Art Order deadline has been extended to 11/18/2024.
Bobcat Club News
November 11, dine out at Habit Burger from 4-9pm on Ocean Street and earn the Bobcat Club 20%! See the attached flyer for more details.
November 12 is the next Bobcat Club Meeting in the library at 6:30 pm! We look forward to seeing you there.
November 15 is Family Science Night.
Activities are from 5 to 7 p.m. in the SLVE Cafeteria, SLVHS Pool, and the SLVHS CTE/Makerspace.
SLVHS CTE/Makerspace Stations:
This year, SLE students will have a unique opportunity to preview through play in an amazing space that is the result of a multi-million dollar capital grant achievement by our Superintendent that serves students interested in learning about computer science, technology and engineering. This is also an excellent opportunity for kids across our three campuses to interact and provide peer mentoring.
SLVE Cafeteria STEM Stations:
• Make slime
• Hands-on exploration of UCSC Animal Skull Collection
• Launch straw rockets for the longest distance
• Build an aluminum foil boat to hold the greatest weight
SLVHS Pool STEM Station:
• Build and operate remotely operated aquatic vehicle (ROV) with Eric Brown
• Create a STEM Mural
Visit slvebobcatclub.org for more information!
Accessing IReady/Lexia at Home
Learning Websites~IReady and Lexia
Your student can access Lexia Core5 (phonics/reading support) or i-Ready (math & reading) from home using their Google login information or their Classlink QuickCard (QR Code). Teachers will be sending home IReady/Lexia log in information (also linked below) and QR codes with students by Friday, October 4th.
You can access these applications from a personal computer (Mac or Windows), a personal Chromebook, a school-issued Chromebook, or an iPad. See the instructions for how to access them below:
How to Access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (Slideshow with all options)-SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (School-Issued Chromebook)--SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (iPads)--SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Readyy from Home (Computers/Personal Chromebook)--SLVE
Updated Student Illness Protocols
For suggestions to help with knowing when to keep your child home when they are not feeling well please click on this Illness Protocol Link. Contact a health care provider if your child needs medical care. A doctor’s note is generally not required to return to school or child care. For more information, please visit the CDPH guidance page.
Construction Updates
The air conditioning units have been installed and are up and running in many classrooms and the SLVE office. Crews are working hard to finish up installing units in the remainder of the classrooms around campus.
Construction is underway on the SLVE perimeter fence installation as well. Crews are working hard to get the fence installed as soon as possible. Please be aware that there are a few taped off areas and detours around campus as work is being completed. Once installed, we will communicate protocols regarding the fence.
Students have been flexible and patient with all of the increased construction activity around campus. We are all excited to see and feel the amazing changes at SLVE.
Dientes Community Dental Free Checkups Available December 4th at SLE!
About Dientes Community Dental:
Our goal is to make prevention more common than treatment.
We serve publicly insured and uninsured patients of all ages through four clinics in Santa Cruz County and an Outreach Program with multiple locations at schools and community hubs. We offer affordable sliding scale fees for those without insurance. For low-income patients in our community, we are the only provider of dentures, oral surgery, and endodontics (root canals).
If you would like your child screened at SLE on December 4th, please fill out this form and bring to the office or to your child's teacher.
Cradle to Career
Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County (C2C) is a family advocacy organization and community connector that strives to uplift all families. C2C has expanded into SLVUSD and has developed free programming, including recreation activities, parent workshops, and advocacy opportunities for families. Register with C2C for more information about upcoming yoga classes, and more! Contact Claudia Oblea, SLVUSD's Community Organizer, for more information about C2C, questions, or resource support.
To Register with C2C visit: https://share.hsforms.com/1PECJBXBRREmsdHAUyGb4Ggdl8zs
Claudia's Contact information:
Email - Coblea@c2cscc.org
Phone: 916-270-5237
Triple P Parenting Classes
Triple P Positive Parenting topical workshop flyers for November are attached. Información sobre programas en español disponibles en el sitio web.
Each flyer has its own unique link to register for each class, or go to https://www.first5scc.org/triple-p-classes and register on the website. All of these classes are on Zoom!
Workshops are all free, and grant funded by First Five of Santa Cruz.
Individual sessions are also available for free or sliding scale. If you are interested in a 1:1 session, please contact First Five of Santa Cruz at First 5 Santa Cruz County at (831) 465-2217 or
Community Opportunities Website
The "Community Opportunities" website link is provided as a courtesy to parents and students, by the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, to enable you to receive information of current local events and opportunities for adults and/or children.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up at SLVE
It is VERY important that all cars have the student placard in the front windshield when picking up your student. It allows staff on duty to see the name and call the student so they can be standing and ready to get in your car quickly. Thank you for following this very important pick up protocol.
We are really needing to focus on safety during our pick up time each day. As a reminder, the far right lane is the ONLY lane that you may idle in to pick up your student. The middle lane is a drive thru lane only for parents who are driving up to park. If cars stop in the middle lane, buses CANNOT get up the hill to pass without going into the far left lane which is the exiting lane. There have been some close calls and unsafe situations where cars are stopped in the middle lane when buses are making the wide turn to go down the driveway to head out onto Highway 9. We would also like to remind you that the parking lot in front of the school office is reserved for teachers/staff only. Please do not stop there to drop off or pick up your student. We appreciate your role in helping to ensure the safety of our SLVE students and families.
Bus and School Lunch Information
We will continue to provide free lunch to all students this year. We do ask that you complete the application on the district webpage. It is very important that ALL families complete this form, as it helps us with funding in several different areas.
If your child will be riding the bus this year and will need a bus pass, please make sure you purchase your bus pass online here. Once you log in to LinqConnect you will see "School Store" on the bottom right hand corn. Click that to buy your pass. Any questions contact the Transportation department at 831-336-2223
Please complete the Transportation Registration Form for all students riding the bus. Should there be a school bus breakdown, closed route or a route delay, School Messenger will not contact you unless your student(s) are registered.If you do not have your student registered by Thursday, 08/29/24 your student will be left at the school and sent to the office. For more information please call the Transportation office at 831-336-2223 or email Heidie at hoconnor@slvusd.org.
Thank you for your understanding.
-Transportation Department
Attendance Matters
As we conclude our first trimester of school, we continue to emphasize the importance of daily attendance for your student.
We know people get sick, people get injured, and there can be family or life responsibilities and other issues that are reasonable and excused. But if your student can attend, they need to be in school.
If your student is out for three or more consecutive days, we may request a doctor’s note to continue excusing the absences. Students who miss 3-5 days will receive a Chronic Absence letter. We will then meet with those families to attempt to support the student attending school. On the second Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet at the District Office to put a plan in place for the student’s attendance. On the third Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet with the County Office Student Attendance Review Board for truancy. Our goal is that nobody ever gets that far along with truancy. We are here to help and support, but it does start at home with the expectation that your student will attend school regularly.
Please remember that students who are absent 3 days or more should complete an independent study contract. Lisa Ghelardi, at lblairghelardi@slvusd.org our SLVE Registrar, will work with families to get the paperwork and the missed classwork assignments needed to complete the contract.