Yale Elementary Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the second semester of the school year! As we move forward, I want to thank you for your continued support and dedication to your child’s education. Your hard work and partnership have made a tremendous difference, and I am excited to continue working together to ensure the success of every student.

While attendance is always important, it becomes even more critical in the second semester. For our 3rd and 4th graders, state testing is just around the corner, and consistent attendance will help them feel prepared and confident. For our K-2 students, second-semester assessments will help determine whether they have mastered the foundational skills needed to progress to the next grade level.

Please make every effort to have your child at school each day, ready to learn!

Additionally, as the weather warms and spring approaches, we often see an increase in challenging behaviors. Please remind your child of the importance of following school expectations so they can stay focused and get the most out of every day. Positive behavior contributes not only to their own success but also to the success of their classmates.

Thank you for everything you do to support your child and our school community. Your involvement is key to their success, and I look forward to finishing the school year strong together!

Best regards,

Ms. Rosa Swonger
Elementary School Leader

Yale Campus

Our goal for attendance is 95% for the school year. Here’s how each grade level is performing as of January 27:

• Pre-K: 89.16% (↑1.07% from November)
• Kindergarten: 89.70% (↑0.34% from November)
• 1st Grade: 93.65% (↓0.36% from November)
• 2nd Grade: 92.36% (↓0.49% from November)
• 3rd Grade: 92.59% (↓0.10% from November)
• 4th Grade: 93.04% (↓0.70% from November)

Average Attendance for January: 92.06%

Attendance in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades has continued to decline since October of last year. These years are critical for academic development — 2nd graders are preparing for state testing, while 3rd and 4th graders are engaging in daily instruction necessary for their assessments.

Remember: Students cannot learn if they aren’t in school. Your child should only stay home if they are vomiting, have a fever, or have diarrhea. For all other conditions, unless a medical doctor advises otherwise, they should attend school. Since MAS uses Direct Instruction, any missed work cannot be made up.

Attendance Incentive: When your child’s grade level reaches 95% attendance or higher for the week, they earn a Dress Down Day! We’ll notify you weekly via phone blast and social media about which grades have earned this reward.

Continue to check our newsletter for special student and staff recognitions!

We love celebrating the hard work and progress of our students, and we’ll be highlighting various academic achievements, along with teacher shoutouts straight from our students.

As we analyze our January data, we’re excited to recognize even more student growth in our February shoutouts.

Remember: Consistent attendance and focus the in classroom is the key to student success — leading to growth, progress, and well-deserved recognition!

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to celebrating our amazing students and staff together!

Check out some highlights from our staff dress-up days before Winter Break:

Check out our Kindergarteners giving thanks to our custodians for their hard work during our Choose Love pillar of Gratitude!

Did you see the recent phone blast reminding families to complete the Letter of Intent for the 2025-2026 school year. If you missed the call or haven’t completed your student’s Letter of Intent to Return to MAS, please take a moment to fill out this important survey:

Complete the Letter of Intent

Important Reminder: This is just the first step — official registration will still need to be completed later this spring.

Please note: Missing the registration deadline may result in losing your student’s spot, requiring you to reenter the enrollment lottery.

Questions: Please contact enrollment@mascharterschool.com.

Thank you for your prompt attention!

Please mark your calendars for the following dates in February:

All Month: ACCESS testing for English Language Learners (all grades)

Tuesday, Feb. 4: Istation Reading Assessment (kindergarten)

Wednesday, Feb. 5: Istation Reading Assessment (grades 1-2)

Friday, Feb. 7: Science Biweekly Assessment (grades 4-10)

Thursday, Feb. 13: Biweekly Test Prep Assessment (grades 3-4)

Friday, Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Celebrations (Classroom Celebrations for Elementary)

Monday, Feb. 17: President’s Day – No School (school is closed)

Thursday, Feb. 20: Math Quiz #7 (grades 3-4)

Thank you for staying informed and making sure your student is prepared!

Find your child's grade level below, along with the teachers you can contact for support:

PreK Teachers

Danlisa DePalma: danilsa.depalma@mascharterschool.com

Shannon Shanks: shannon.shanks@mascharterschool.com

Yuri Valles: yuri.valles@mascharterschool.com

Theresa Cordova: theresa.cordova@mascharterschool.com

Kindergarten through 4th Grade Teachers

K/1 Reading Mastery: Fatma Gondal - fatma.gondal@mascharterschool.com

K/1 Reading Mastery: Janie Mae Pelien - janiemae.pelien@mascharterschool.com

Kinder Reading Mastery: Xianalee Lovato- xianalee.lovato@mascharterschool.com

Kinder Reading Mastery: Kelly Berniklau - kelly.berniklau@mascharterschool.com

K/1 Math: Claudia Torres - claudia.torres@mascharterschool.com

K/1 Math Small Group Teacher: Marivi Castro - marivi.castro@mascharterschool.com

K/1 PE: Jaynard Rivera - jaynard.rivera@mascharterschool.com

1st Grade Reading Mastery: Mayra Ramirez - mayra.ramirez@mascharterschool.com

1st Grade Reading Mastery: Irene De La Pena - irene.delapena@mascharterschool.com

1st/2nd Grade Math: Ting-Ting Chang - ting-ting.chang@mascharterschool.com

1st/2nd Grade Math Small Group Support: Eyssy Rodriguez - eyssy.rodriguez@mascharterschool.com

1st/2nd Grade PE: Eden Delposo - eden.delposo@mascharterschool.com

1st/2nd Grade PE Educational Assistant: Vivian Rindone – vivian.rindone@mascharterschool.com

2nd Grade Reading Mastery: Christina Catigbe - christina.catigbe@mascharterschool.com

2nd Grade Reading Mastery: Sarah Spesock - sarah.spesock@mascharterschool.com

2nd/3rd Grade Reading Mastery/ Test Prep: Alejandro Bacabac - Alejandro.bacabac@mascharterschool.com

2nd/3rd Grade Reading Mastery/Test Prep: Gisela Hernandez - gisela.hernandez@mascharterschool.com

2nd/3rd Grade Math: Shih-Ting Wang- shih-ting.wang@mascharterschool.com

2nd/ 3rd Grade Math Small Group Teacher: Jamal Molina - jamal.molina@mascharterschool.com

2nd/ 3rd Grade PE: Joann Espanola - joann.espanola@mascharterschool.com

2nd/3rd Grade PE Educational Assistant: Joseph Montoya- joseph.montoya@mascharterschool.com

3rd Grade Test Prep: Jirah Ventura - jirah.ventura@mascharterschool.com

3rd Grade Test Prep: Tonikah Edwards - tonikah.edwards@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade Test Prep Teacher: Veronica Vigil - veronica.vigil@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade Test Prep Small Group Teacher: Kwame Yeboah - kwame.yeboah@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade Math: Kendal Paul - kendal.paul@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade Math Small Group Teacher: Chrishawnah Delgado – chrishawnah.delgado@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade PE: Iyean Varela - iyean.varela@mascharterschool.com

4th Grade Science Teacher: Sophie Vatcher- sophie.vatcher@mascharterschool.com