Charger Weekly Update #30

Dear Cherry Chase Families,

First, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to our amazing staff for putting together another wonderful Open House event at Cherry Chase Elementary! Thank you to all the dedicated teachers for their incredible work and commitment as educators. We truly appreciate all the parents who attended the Open House and showed their support by actively participating and engaging with our school community. A special shoutout to the PTA for organizing a delicious dinner for the staff who worked hard during the event- everyone genuinely enjoyed your generosity and kindness! Thank you all for being such a fantastic support system!

The WALK-A-THON was a tremendous success! It offered a unique opportunity for our Charger community to come together and support a shared cause. We were thrilled that the weather cooperated, and the teal shirts added a lively touch to the event. The joy on our students' faces was truly priceless. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers and participants who made this event unforgettable. The food and treats, as always, were a delightful highlight.

In April 2025, we will ask our Sunnyvale School District community to participate in the Panorama survey to share feedback and experiences within our district. Your input is crucial to ensuring we continue providing high-quality, rigorous learning opportunities that meet students' needs and prepare them for college and careers. Our district values your insights! We want to hear your thoughts. The Panorama survey will begin on April 7th at 9:00 am and close on April 25, 2025, at 5:00 pm. You can take the survey online at home or when you visit your child’s school. More information will follow! We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact us at kristin.brett@sesd.org.

Each spring, schools across the state participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress program, also known as CAASPP. This year, students in grades 3-5 will take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts and mathematics (SBAC), the California Alternate Assessments (CAA), and fifth graders will take the California Science Tests (CAST).

These assessments assist school districts and the state in monitoring student progress under the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), promoting more rigorous instruction and heightened student expectations. The CAASPP window opens on May 5 and closes on May 23. The testing schedule by grade level will be shared when it is available.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about CAASPP.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and smooth day for all students. We continue to value the diversity in our community. Your engagement and support are the cornerstones of our success, and we continue to look forward to the beautiful experiences this school year still has to bring.

Best Regards,

Gloria Marchant-Principal

GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND SEXUAL HEALTH(GDSH)

Here is an update on our Growth Development and Sexual Health (GDSH) lessons for this year. The GDSH Instruction Window (May 12 to June 11). The 5th-grade classroom teachers deliver the instruction.

The GDSH Curriculum comprises slide decks, student worksheets, videos, and Instructor Guides. Sunnyvale School District’s adopted Growth Development and Sexual Health (GDSH) curriculum, Puberty Talk, complies with the California Education Code - California Health Education Content Standards for “Growth, Development and Sexual Health,” and the California Healthy Youth Act.

Each year, caregivers can preview the Growth Development and Sexual Health Curriculum. Below are the two different formats for the 2024 - 2025 school year.

1. Preview Materials Online
   • https://bit.ly/Puberty-Talk-Curriculum
2. Attend 5th Grade GDSH Caregiver Information Session

• Who- Caregivers of 5th grade Sunnyvale School District students only
• What- A one-hour information session that will provide a general overview of the content covered during the 5th grade GDSH lessons
• When- Monday, April 21, 2025; 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
• Where- Via Zoom
  • https://sesd-org.zoom.us/j/81734950900?pwd=xYBZOK8oFQdBcl5c5u5wE3C4OJaIIZ.1
    • Webinar ID: 817 3495 0900
    • Passcode: 139777

• Interpretation will be provided for Spanish-speaking families.

Please submit questions regarding the curriculum via Google Forms by Friday, April 18, 2025. This will help us prepare for the Parent/Guardian Information Session. Questions do not need to be submitted in advance.

• Link to GDSH Parent/Guardian Questions- https://forms.gle/sWDWVSKUGHym6RAJ7

State law allows a parent/guardian to remove (opt-out) their student from this instruction (EC 51938). Parents/guardians may opt-out of selected lessons or the entire program by writing a letter or email to the school principal before the instruction begins. If you would like your child to be excused from specific lessons, please provide your child’s name and teacher’s name, and list the name of the lesson(s) with your written request to your child’s principal stating that your child should not be in the classroom during that specific lesson/s.

You may also view the California Healthy Youth Act (California Education Code Sections 51930 51939) by visiting https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/se/faq.asp.

English 5th (2025) GDSH Caregiver Info Letter.pdf

WALDEN WEST SCIENCE CAMP

The Cherry Chase 5th graders will attend Walden West’s Science Camp from May 19th to May 23rd, 2025. We are thrilled to announce that families will not need to pay for their children's attendance at Science Camp this year! Donations can be made to the Sunnyvale School District through the school if you wish to contribute to funding Walden West’s Science Camp.

Parents, here is what you must do:

• Check out our Science Camp Website if you haven’t already done so.
• Due March 25: Walden West Registration FormStore Order Form to your child's teacher
• Due May 19: Give the medication form and medication (in original packaging) in a 1-gallon ziplock due to the teacher

CLASS OF 2025 PROMOTION

The 5th Grade promotion will be held on June 12, 2025, at 8:30 am.

This year, the transportation department made great strides in expanding our HTST services, streamlining the registration process, improving student safety, and launching new data collection efforts to help us better demonstrate this program's positive impact on our students and families.

We’re excited to share some critical milestone dates for our 2025-26 Home-to-School Transportation (HTST) registration process:

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work to provide safe, efficient, and equitable transportation for all.

Calendar of Events

Here is the link to the 2024-2025 Cherry Chase Elementary Calendar. As we prepare for another exciting academic journey, we want to highlight some important dates and upcoming events to ensure a smooth transition for our students. Please take time to review the information listed below:

April

• April 7 Walk Through the American Revolution (5th Grade)- 1 class (8:30-11 or 12-2:30)
• April 8 Teacher Learning Day (TLD)-Dismissal at 12:45 pm
• April 8 PTA Board Meeting Virtually at 7 pm
• April 9 Walk Through the American Revolution (5th Grade)- 2 classes (8:30-11 and 12-2:30)
• April 10 ELAC at 8:15 am
• April 11 Friday Flag - Reclassification Awards Ceremony
• April 14-18 Spring Recess- No School
• April 22-24 5th Grade Tile Project
• April 24 Fire Drill at 1:30 pm
• April 25 Friday Flag- Citizen of the Month - Admin
• April 25 DRDP Reports Home (TK Only)
• April 28 DRDP Conference Week (TK Only)

2025-26 PTA Board Openings

Thank you, parents, for your support! We have filled most of the PTA Board positions for next year. Currently, the only board member position we are recruiting for is that of PTA President.

• The president runs meetings, attends events, signs checks, and troubleshoots. This role is required for the PTA to exist.

Make a difference in your child's school community! You don't need any experience. You can use this form to nominate yourself or others.

We invite all parents to attend our Coffee with the Principal sessions in the Multipurpose Room. We'll cover many essential topics, from school safety to academic progress, and your presence is invaluable. We hope to see you there! We want to thank our PTA volunteers for setting up the coffee and treats for these events.

Below is the 2024-2025 Coffee with the Principal dates, topics, and links to the presentation:

August 15, 9:00 am-Welcome to incoming TK/Kindergarten Families

August 19, 8:30 am-Welcome Back Chargers

September 13, 8:45 am-What to Expect During Conference Week

October 11, 8:45 am-Emergency Protocols

January 17, 8:45 am-Using Data to Drive Instruction

March 14, 8:45 am-SSD Strategic Plan-Promise and Student Profile

May 16, 8:45 am-TBD

We are excited to continue our partnership with Playworks, which helps kids stay active and build valuable life skills through play. We want to welcome back Playworks coach Fethiye Okan-Kolak and Team Up Coach Tommy Courtney, who will support students during recess, Class Game Time, and the Junior Coach Program. This year, we will share Playworks updates through the weekly bulletin. Here is the link to the Playworks Weekly Update (updated weekly)

Sunnyvale School District has contracted Pacific Health Clinics (formerly CHAC) to provide school-based counseling to students. We want to welcome Neguin Ghadessi to Cherry Chase. She will be in room 36 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the school day.

Our counseling caseload is currently full, and students will be added to a waitlist. For students referred to counseling, the counselor will contact families to get consent, let them know they are on the waitlist, and provide outside counseling resources.

Please contact Kristin Brett at Kristin.brett@sesd.org if you have any questions.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Skinner's legislation in 2022, which established a universal meal program for all K-12 public school students. Therefore, SSD will continue to offer free breakfast and lunch at school. The menus will continue to be updated each month. You can find the updated monthly food menus using this link.

For more information, click on California Universal Meals.

Cherry Chase Bell Schedule 2024-2025

Cherry Chase School Map 2024-2025

Parent-Student Handbook

PTA Website

1138 Heatherstone Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

(408) 522-8241 Main Office/Attendance