Cambrian Superintendent Update

As we welcome the month of March, I encourage all families with students in TK through Grade 5 to participate in parent-teacher conferences. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to connect with teachers, discuss student progress, and support student success.

Also, please note that there will be no classes on March 14th due to a teacher professional development day.

On a fun note, March 14th is also Pi Day, celebrated March 14th (3/14) because the date represents the first three digits of pi (π), which is approximately 3.14. Pi is a mathematical constant that represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. No matter the size of the circle, this ratio is always approximately 3.14159 (but it goes on forever without repeating!).

FUN PI FACTS:

• It’s irrational, meaning it can’t be written as a simple fraction.

• It’s infinite, with no repeating pattern in its decimal places.

• Mathematicians and enthusiasts have calculated trillions of digits of pi!

• Pi is used in engineering, physics, architecture, and even space travel.

There are plenty of fun and educational ways to celebrate Pi Day (March 14th) at home with children! Here are some ideas:

1. Eat Some Pie! 🥧

• Bake or buy a pie and talk about circles, diameters, and circumferences.

• Cut the pie into equal slices and discuss fractions.

2. Explore Pi with Math Activities 🔢

• Measure the circumference and diameter of circular objects (plates, lids, or cookies) and divide to approximate π (3.14).

• Have a contest to see who can memorize the most digits of pi.

3. Get Creative with Pi-Themed Art 🎨

• Make a pi collage using the digits of pi.

• Draw a spiral or circular design inspired by pi.

4. Read Pi-Themed Books 📚

• “Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi” by Cindy Neuschwander (great for younger students!).

• “The Joy of Pi” by David Blatner (for older kids interested in math history).

5. Have a Pi Day Scavenger Hunt 🕵️

• Find circular objects around the house and measure their diameters.

• Hunt for things that have "pi" in their name (like pineapple, pizza, or pictures!).

6. Watch a Fun Pi Video 🎥

• Look up kid-friendly YouTube videos explaining pi in fun, engaging ways.

• Older students might enjoy learning about pi’s role in space exploration or engineering.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s education!

Sincerely,

Kristi Schwiebert

Superintendent

Cambrian School District

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Farnham teacher, dear friend, and respected colleague, Mrs. Joanna Haynes, who died after a courageous battle with cancer. She leaves behind a loving husband and two children.

Joanna was a devoted mother, wife, friend, and colleague with a strong faith. She began her teaching career in the private school sector and joined the Farnham Family in Cambrian in 2016. Her passing has left us all deeply saddened.

Teaching brought Joanna true joy. She always put others’ needs before her own and considered her students an extension of her family.

We are excited to announce that this year’s Read-a-thon was a huge success! Thanks to the support of our students, families, and community, we raised over $60,000, which will directly support social-emotional learning and mental health and wellness programs in our school.

Highlights:

• 2.4 million minutes read by students

• 67% participation in reading (2,110 students)

• 56% participation in fundraising, raising an average of $70 per student

A special thank you to our partners and sponsors, including the Cambrian Branch of the San Jose Public Library and Pam Foley, Vice-Mayor of San Jose, for their support. Also, don’t forget to check out the Student Book Recommendations, which are still on display at the Cambrian library until this Friday. There’s still time to donate! Donations close this Friday, March 7th, so be sure to contribute before then. The district award winners will be announced at the Cambrian School District Board meeting on April 3rd – don’t miss it!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success – we couldn’t have done it without you! https://cambrianeducationalfoundation.org

You are invited to participate in our annual LCAP Community Thought Exchange! Your input is essential in helping shape our district’s priorities for the next school year.

Our LCAP Advisory Committee, which includes parents, staff, and students, will be reviewing community feedback in the coming weeks to guide their recommendations. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and review the ideas of others.

Use the QR code or click here to participate: https://tejoin.com/scroll/754806307

Also, parents and staff can view the interactive reports for more details by clicking the link: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/report/ea3f4890550cdf5907f56779f7f44b90.

Thank you for your participation—your voice matters!

Common Sense Media Webinar: Digital Wellness Checkup: Healthy Tech Habits for Families and Young Kids
Tips and strategies for helping your family create healthy media and tech habits.

Common Sense Media Webinar: Living With Teens and Social Media

This webinar explored the impact of social media on adolescent mental health, and presented essential parenting strategies for dealing with the associated risks of being online. The work of parenting today centers on minimizing the harms, knowing your kids' particular personality, understanding how having a phone will affect them—and, perhaps most importantly, ensuring that kids get enough sleep to manage all of the other factors in their lives. Two important guardrails for parenting teens were presented: 1.) establish rules around technology that make sense to your kids, and 2.) ensure that you have a good relationship with them so they will come to you when situations are tricky.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our Crosswalk Flag Program to enhance pedestrian safety around our school! Thanks to local sponsors, we’ve installed flags at six intersections:

• Accurate Smog Check – 238 Curtner Ave, Campbell (408) 369-1676
  Intersections: Foxworthy & New Jersey, Potrero & Leigh

• Tech Confidence – (408) 883-7075
  Intersections: Curtner & New Jersey, Curtner & Leigh

• Sadique Insurance Agency – (408) 856-2882
  Intersection: Foxworthy & Ross

• Joseph Karakas Real Estate – (408) 690-4018, josephkarakas.com
  Intersection: Harris & Leigh

These flags help students and families cross streets safely. A big thank you to Meredith Nutter for coordinating the installation of the flags and holders! We’re looking for a sponsor to add flags at Leigh & Foxworth next. If you’re interested in helping, please contact us for more details. Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe!

www.cambrianeducationalfoundation.org

Due to low registration numbers, the 5-week Project Cornerstone "Take It Personally" workshop, held in Spanish and English, is cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Future Chefs: Send in your paper submissions until April, 17th by giving them to the kitchen staff!

Town Hall for PHP Families: Join PHP on Thursday, March 13 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. online for an important online event to voice your concerns and discuss issues impacting children and adults with disabilities. Register for the free event. For questions, contact Beverly Wong at beverly@php.com.

To connect to the 9-10 a.m. PST webinar on March 4, click here.

To connect to the 9-10 a.m. PST webinar on May 13, 2025, click here.

A regular attendance routine is important for your child’s well-being, learning and long-term success. Check out these reminders and tips from the National Association of School Nurses to keep your family healthy and avoid unnecessary absences from school.

Nutrition, Sleep and Exercise

• Maintain a regular bedtime and morning routine.

• Keep screens out of the bedroom and limit use prior to bedtime.

• Encourage your child to stay active for at least 60 minutes a day.

Hygiene

• Stress hand washing, particularly before eating, and after using the restroom.

• Remind your child to brush their teeth twice a day.

• Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick. Don’t share cups, utensils, hair brushes or combs.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough/sneeze into an elbow.

Wellness

• Try to schedule non-urgent medical appointments outside of school hours.

• Agree to allow your child to participate in health and vision screenings offered at school.

• If you are concerned that your child may have a contagious illness (including COVID-19), call your child’s health care provider or school for advice.

• If your child needs to stay home for a prolonged period due to illness, talk to your child’s teacher to find out about resources they can use at home to keep learning once they feel well enough. (Source Attendance Works)

All are invited to stop by, meet and talk with Cambrian School Board members! The next office hours will be held at Sartorette on Friday, March 7th from 7:45 - 8:45 a.m. Hope to see you there!

The next meeting of the Cambrian School Board will be held Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 7 p.m. Meetings are held in person at the Professional Development Center located at 4115 Jacksol Drive, San Jose, CA 95124 in Building 7, and can be viewed online as well. Agenda and login information will be available the week of the March 6th meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The Santa Clara County Office of Education announces the 2025 Young Artist Showcase. This showcase is open to public school students, grades Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, in Santa Clara County. Adjudicators will determine the student artwork to be accepted into the permanent exhibit of student artwork located within the SCCOE campuses and showcased at the virtual Young Artist Showcase Celebration.

Deadline to submit student artwork is April 1, 2025.

Application link: https://sccoe.to/2025YASapply

Submission details: https://www.sccoe.org/arts/yas/Pages/2025.aspx

The Child Mind Institute has created a series of free videos and other resources for parents to reference with practical and evidence-based information and skills. Information provided includes: self-care and parent-child relationships, healthy child and adolescent growth, big changes and challenges, and more.

For more information, visit: https://childmind.org/positiveparenting/