• January 27: Professional Development Day (non student day)
  

• February 2: Groundhog's Day

• February 12: Lincoln's Birthday

• February 14: Valentine's Day

• February 17: Washington's Birthday/President's Day

• February 17-21: District Recess (no student days)

On Friday, a student asked me, "What do you do on the days we’re not here?"

Well, tomorrow, during our professional growth day, our staff will focus on several key areas to enhance teaching, learning, and community building. These dedicated opportunities for collaboration allow us to reflect, plan, and refine practices to better serve our students and families.

One important focus will be restorative practices. Our staff will engage in activities designed to strengthen relationships, build trust, and promote inclusivity across our learning community. By refining these strategies, we aim to ensure that every student feels safe, supported, and valued at Connect Academy.

Our teachers will also collaborate to align rubrics and assessments. This ensures consistent grading practices, equitable expectations, and meaningful feedback for all learners. We’ll spend time reviewing student data and brainstorming strategies to effectively meet the diverse needs of our students.

Finally, we’ll kick off planning for our upcoming collaborative campus-wide exhibition with Design39Campus, 39XD. This collaborative effort will involve brainstorming creative ideas, setting the vision, and coordinating logistics to ensure an engaging and memorable experience for students and families.

We are excited about the important work we will accomplish tomorrow, knowing it will positively impact the education and community we build at Connect Academy. Thank you for your support as we continue to grow and innovate together.

Student and staff safety is our top priority. In the event of a fire or emergency, we will communicate with families once it is safe and appropriate.

We kindly ask that you do not rush to campus to retrieve your students. Doing so can obstruct law enforcement efforts, crowd roads, and impede campus access points. It also hinders CONA staff from implementing established safety protocols effectively.

If an evacuation is necessary, we will communicate all relevant information to you promptly.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Dear Connect Academy Families,

Happy New Year! We hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful holiday season. As we dive into this new term, we have some important dates and reminders to share with you.

Important Dates

- 1/27 - ProGrow Day, no school for students

- 1/31 - Disney Permit and Deposit due to hold your spot

- 2/04 - 20 Day Window#5 ends and P.E. Log#10 is due

- 2/05 - Safari Park forms are due

Field Trip Highlights

A huge thank you to our amazing students for their wonderful behavior on our field trip last week! We had so much fun and we’re looking forward to our next adventures. Speaking of our next adventures….

Upcoming Field Trips

- Safari Park: Be sure to submit your forms by 2/05 to secure your spot! This field trip is free for students!

- Disney Imagineering Trip: Don’t forget that the permit and deposit to hold your spot are due by 1/31.

Please see below for the email that was sent out on Thursday 01/23/2025:

Next Friday, January 31, 2025 is the last day to get your deposit and trip permit submitted to hold your spot for our Disneyland Field Trip. Deposits and trip permits are needed for students and chaperones. The remaining balance will be due by Friday, March 7, 2025.

The Disneyland Trip Permit can be downloaded here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BB2kHBzJWrAZpq1cfhYPCu3ecmGAUhcc/view?usp=sharing​

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 is the last day to submit trip permits and chaperone payments for The Safari Park Field Trip. This is due to our Presidents' Week Break. Trip permits are needed for students and chaperones.

The Safari Park Trip Permit can be downloaded here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/119cJz09JTCRHCf1Ah3Z1c-AQ-6J5NINk/view?usp=sharing

If you need more information on the field trip opportunities, including payment options, a copy of our Google Slides can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bDAcSiBdCYywOVF406H1_QyG_jC8-jpTO6E0AAbq0uY/edit?usp=sharing

A recording of the entire parent presentation is available here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pflHdzCjYdyktlQkC-_yYSWNFjoc0X7E/view?usp=sharing

Exploring Tech Year 2

We are having a blast during our in-person days! Our Exploring Tech Year 2 students are busy working on their 3D printing projects and T-shirt designs. Their creativity is truly inspiring!

Upcoming Lab

Upcoming Lab - Waves, waves, and more waves!

On Tuesday, we will have a hands-on science lab to explore waves of all kinds! If your student is not attending on campus, please help them gather the following materials to complete the lab at home:

• a slinky

• a yardstick

• a stopwatch

If getting these materials is not possible, they will have the opportunity to collaborate with in-person students.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

See you on Tuesday!

Mr. Gizzo & Mrs. Matos

Mr. Bibby's Tip of the Week: Plan Ahead for the Future!

The D39C/CONA Career Fair is coming up on April 4th, and it's never too early to start thinking about your future. This is a great opportunity to explore different career paths, connect with professionals, and learn about the skills and education needed to achieve your dreams.

Pro Tip:

• Before attending, make a list of careers that interest you and prepare a few questions to ask.
• Take notes during the event to help you reflect on what excites you most.
• Remember, every step you take now brings you closer to your goals!

Dream big, plan ahead, and make the most of this chance to explore the possibilities.

Connect Academy FAQ Link

Recording of Back-to-School Zoom Meeting

PUSD Substitutes Needed: With flu, cold, and COVID season upon us, we are once again in need of qualified substitutes to support PUSD and our campus in the event of an LED absence.

If you or someone you know are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher with Poway Unified School District, please click here.

Food and Nutrition Updates and Reminders: School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.

• Even though meals are free, families are still highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.

• Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.

• Interactive, web-based menus containing nutrient and allergen details are available at MySchoolMenus.com, as well as via links from the F&N webpage.