Charger Weekly Update #22
Friday, January 31, 2025
A Note from Ms. Marchant
Dear Cherry Chase Families,
We want to thank PTA for funding the SkyDome Planetarium Assembly which took place on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Here are some pictures of the event.
The fifth-grade Cub Scout Den in Pack 462 is making a difference by holding a toiletry drive through Friday, February 7, which will benefit the Unhoused Haven to Home Program of West Valley Community Services. There is a box in the main office for donations. We are asking teachers to help spread the word by including information about this toiletry drive in your communications to families.
The Sunnyvale School District is thrilled to announce that we will recognize 5th—and 8th-grade students eligible for the California Biliteracy Pathway Recognition Awards. These awards celebrate students' progress toward bilingualism and biliteracy and honor their achievements in English and another language.
Students in 5th and 8th grade may qualify for the following types of awards:
Home Language Development Recognition: Celebrates students' growth and proficiency in their home language.
Biliteracy Attainment Award: Recognizes students who demonstrate academic proficiency in both English and another language. (Only Spanish at this time.)
Biliteracy Program Participation Recognition: Recognizes students enrolled in programs leading to biliteracy. (Only for students participating in Juntos program at San Miguel and CMS.)
These awards are part of the Pathway to Biliteracy, which encourages students to continue their journey toward earning the prestigious Seal of Biliteracy in high school.
A letter was sent home to all 5th and 8th-grade families within the district on January 21st to provide information about the Biliteracy Pathway Recognition Awards.
The Sunnyvale Education Foundation (SEF) brings community and resources together to support and grow enriched educational opportunities for all students in the Sunnyvale School District. SEF has an immediate opening on its nonprofit board for a member of the Cherry Chase community to represent the school in this engaging and rewarding work. Meets monthly on Saturday mornings. Contact info@sunnyvaleeducationfoundation.org or visit the website to learn more. www.sunnyvaleeducationfoundation.org
The Sunnyvale School District seeks qualified individuals to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education for Trustee Area 5. School Boards play a vital role in ensuring success for ALL students. They:
• Make critical decisions that fulfill legal mandates and ensure the District's long-term fiscal stability.
• Act collectively and transparently, prioritizing students' best interests while considering the community's needs.
• Are guided by legal requirements, available resources, and expert advice from the Superintendent and professional staff. Learn more here: https://www.sesd.org/Page/5851
The Sunnyvale School District is excited to offer a Parent Pay Preschool Program at Lakewood Elementary! Our program provides 5-day-a-week classes, with an option of either morning or afternoon sessions. Each three-hour session gives your child an excellent opportunity to learn and grow in a structured, supportive environment. Our licensed teachers provide a nurturing environment and follow the California State Preschool Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations. For more information or to enroll, please get in touch with the preschool office at 408-522-8213, Ext. 2039. Click here for more information
We understand that some families face unique challenges, particularly those with undocumented loved ones or dealing with immigration-related issues. Additionally, we recognize that families may have various perspectives and emotions regarding these matters. I want to emphasize that our primary focus as educators is to support our students and ensure their success in a positive, caring environment, regardless of race, gender, religion, or immigration status.
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
2025-2026 Registration
Great News! Cherry Chase Elementary will be adding a THIRD TK classroom next school year!
We are gearing up for TK and Kindergarten registration and any new registration for the 2025-2026 school year, which starts on February 3, 2025, at 10 am. We also offer Open Enrollment Registration from February 3 through February 14, 2025. Please have all your documents ready at the time of registration and follow the New Student Registration process found here: https://www.sesd.org/Page/4932.
Current TK students do NOT need to register for kindergarten in the 2025-2026 school year.
Current kindergarten through fourth-grade students do NOT need to register for the 2025-2026 school year; their registration will roll over to the next school year.
Current 5th-grade students do not need to register for Sunnyvale Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year; their registration will roll over to the next school year.
If you have questions about registration or enrollment, please get in touch with the front office staff at cherrychasefrontoffce@sesd.org.
Cherry Chase Elementary Calendar-Important Dates
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:
January
- January 31 Lunar New Year Celebration 5 pm-8 pm
February
- February 3 Summative ELPAC Window Opens
- February 4 PTA Board Meeting at 7 pm (virtual)
- February 7 Friday Flag at 8:15 am-Ms. Penrose's Class
- February 11 Teacher Learning Day (TLD)-Early Dismissal at 12:45 pm
- February 11 School Site Council (SSC) Meeting at 3:00 - 4:00 pm
- February 13 ELAC at 8:15 am
- February 13 Earthquake / Fire Drill at 10:30 am
- February 14 Friday Flag at 8:15 am-Ms. Moreno's Class
- February 17 Presidents’ Day- No School
- February 18-21 Winter Recess- No School
- February 28 Friday Flag- Citizen of the Month- at 8:15 am- Ms. Wang
- February 28 Trimester 2 ends
RECURRING NEWS AND UPDATES
Noon Aides Needed!
Noon Aides Help Needed!
We appreciate the hard work of our noon aides. We have to fill several noon aide vacancies. If you are interested in applying for these vacancies, please email Mrs. Brett at Kristin.Brett@sesd.org
Details:
Compensation: 1.5 hours per day
Schedule: 11:10 am to 12:40 pm
Mrs. Brett provides monthly training sessions to all noon aides.
Coffee with Principal
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
Playworks
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)
School-Based Counseling
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.
Emergency Protocol
Effective emergency response requires training for students and staff, safety plans that govern the appropriate response, and strong leadership to determine the best response to a situation.
The Sunnyvale School District sets emergency drill requirements for all schools following the Education Code and best practices in emergency response. Drill scenarios include fire, earthquake, lockdown, and Run-Hide-Defend. All schools complete the drills and then conduct a debrief to collect feedback on what would improve the response. Please mark your calendar with these dates:
October 16-Lockdown Drill at 9:00 am-COMPLETED
October 17-The Great ShakeOut at 10:25 am-COMPLETED
November 19-Fire Drill at 1:30 pm-COMPLETED
December 12-Fire Drill at 2:15 pm-COMPLETED
January 23-Fire Drill at 10:30 am-COMPLETED
February 13-Earthquake and Fire Drill at 10:30 am
March 5-Fire Drill at 12:40 pm
April 24-Fire Drill at 1:30 pm
May 24-Fire Drill at 1 pm
June 5-Fire Drill at 10:30 am
Fire drills last between 5-7 minutes.
Earthquake drills last between 5-10 minutes
Run Hide Defend/Lockdown lasts between 10-15 minutes
We recommend you talk to your child about emergency preparedness and why we prepare and conduct drills.
Also, I hope you have a family emergency plan in case of a natural disaster or other disasters. It is always a good idea to be prepared for anything. Here are some links that can help you get started.
https://www.ready.gov/be-informed
https://www.earthquakecountry.org/sevensteps/
https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/California-Earthquake-Risk/Personal-Preparedness
Food Services
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.
PTA Updates
Become a PTA Member
Thank you to the 193 families who have become PTA members! We appreciate your support.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET 10 MORE FAMILIES TO JOIN!
Join the PTA to show your support of our students. Just $10/individual or $15/family.
As a PTA member, you have a say in how we support our school and our children. We understand that everyone's schedule is different, so while we encourage attending meetings and volunteering, we respect that it's optional. Become a PTA Member Today!
PTA Nominations
Do you know someone who cares deeply about Cherry Chase and can make a difference in our community?
The PTA is seeking parent leaders to join the team that coordinates a wide range of school enrichments, community events, fundraising, and more. Please fill out this form to nominate someone for the PTA Board. Self-nominations are welcome too!
Useful Links
1138 Heatherstone Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 522-8241 Main Office/Attendance