Cheetah Newsletter

Little Chico Creek School :

530-891-3285

LCC Fax:

530-895-3288

Chico Unified:

530-891-3000

Nutrition Services:

530-891-3021

Transportation:

530-891-3097

CARD After School Care:

530-895-4711

BLAST:

530-321-1046

Boys and Girls Club:

530-899-0335

Kristen Schrock (Principal):

kschrock@chicousd.org

Jessica Crane (Asst. Princ.)

jtcrane@chicousd.org

Kelley Serl (Office Mgr):

kserl@chicousd.org

Josie Harrison (Attend.):

jharrison@chicousd.org

Kari Fashing (Health Aide)
kfashing@chicousd.org

Mary Clare Edwards (School Coun.)
medwards@chicousd.org

Zahra Sorooshmehr (TCM)
ZSoroosmehr@chicousd.org

DECEMBER

Cheetah Café— Dec. 5

Holiday Party—Dec. 5

Science Night with Mr. Tom—Dec. 12, 5:30-7:00PM

Spirit Day—Dec. 20

December has several days off and minimum days…….On minimum days, school ends at 12:30. This is an Elementary School calendar only, if you have middle or high schoolers, please refer to those calendars.

Dec 20th- LCC minimum day (School out at 12:30pm)

Dec 23rd - Jan 6th – NO SCHOOL, Winter Break (Return Tuesday January 7th)

Monday, Jan 20th- NO SCHOOL, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observed

Tuesday, Jan 28 – District Wide Minimum Day, School out at 12:30pm

Come join us. Come join us.

WThis past month 4th and 5th grade students recognized their first Upstander with the LCC “Upstander Award.”

This month’s Upstander was nominated by two of their fellow classmates for welcoming new students and helping their peers to understand and respect that some student’s may have different needs. We’ll continue to honor a new Upstander from student submissions each month!

In SEL this month, we also took some time to learn about and reflect on the meaning of gratitude. Student’s learned several gratitude practices and created “one good thing” leaves. In the upcoming weeks, we’ll utilize the concept of character traits from our Upstander lessons to start thinking about positive and helpful friendships. Be on the lookout for some fun friendship mad libs coming home at the end of the month and try asking your students about “one good thing” that happened at school each day.

Mary Clare Edwards, PPSW, LCSW

December 20th is pajama day. Come cozy to school.

TK & Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year will begin on December 2, 2024.

· To enter Kindergarten in Fall 2025, a child must be five years old on or before September 1, 2025

· To enter Transitional Kindergarten in Fall 2025 a child must turn four on or before September 1 2025.

· Start here. https://reg.chicousd.org/

We invite you to become a member of our PTSO. We need parents to attend our PTSO meetings and/or volunteer throughout the year for various activities, events and fundraisers. This is a great way for parents to get involved and meet other parents, teachers and staff.

Who doesn't want to be Mr. Tom when they grow up? Come be a junior Scientist Thursday, Dec. 12th 5:30-7:00PM. Enjoy an evening of science activities. It’s going to be a great night! Parents must attend with student.

Have you verified ALL of your child’s absences with the Attendance Clerk? It is not only a courtesy to call, but a critical step in order to avoid truancy. Unverified absences are considered unexcused. Whether the 3rd unexcused absence happens in the first week of school or towards the end of the school year, it triggers the truancy process: 1. Truancy letters. 2. Principal conference. 3. SARB hearing. The attendance line is available 24/7. Please call 891-3285 and leave a detailed message including the student’s name, the date and reason for the absence. If you want information regarding your child’s unverified absences, please call the office.

When you're dropping off or picking up your student at school, it's important to be mindful of other drivers and the flow of traffic. By pulling into a designated space instead of stopping in the driveway, you can help prevent backups and keep the traffic moving smoothly. When drivers stop in the driveway to let their students out, it can cause a ripple effect of delays for other cars. This creates unnecessary congestion and frustration for everyone involved. It's like stopping in the middle of a busy hallway - it just doesn't work well for anyone. Please, be mindful of all and abide by our safety rules. Thank you.

LCC parents, come have a fresh cup of coffee and pastry on us! Meet and chat with the principal, asst. principal and school counselor. Every parent is welcome and encouraged to come!

Our school uses Securly to help keep students safe on their school issued devices. To access their full online activity history sign on to securly by going to https://www.securly.com/parent-login

Use your email and password that you use to sign on to the aeries portal. With securly you will see every site your student searches for and their daily activity.

Help the Cheetah Den out! Please help us stock the shelves so our students can spend their hard earned Cheetah Cash. We've added a few new things to our wishlist, too. We are in need of everything listed here.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/IIFSMM2BQXNT?ref_=wl_share

Class starts at 8:30AM, first bell rings at 8:25am and students should be in their class line on the playground. Supervision for students on campus begins at 7:00am in the cafeteria. We ask that students arrive as close to the starting of school as possible. If students arrive earlier than 8:00am, they are to report to the cafeteria until the 8:00am bell rings. Breakfast is served at 7:45am. Please do not arrive before 7:00am.

We all strive to set a good example for our children. That is especially important on our school campus where many children are watching.

Please be a positive influence in our school community and demonstrate our school values at every opportunity.

¨ Be safe and courteous in the parking lot. Drive slowly and stop at crosswalks.

¨ Do not park in handicapped or reserved parking spaces without permission.

¨ Do not leave cars unattended in the fire zone.

¨ Always sign in and out at the office when visiting and wear your sticker at all times on campus.

¨ Do not use bus lane to drop off/pick up.

¨ Do not drive the wrong direction in our one way zones.

Have you been searching for the jacket your child wore to school, but never made it home? We are overflowing with items that have not been found yet. Please come take a look.

We invite you to become a member of our PTSO. We need parents to attend our PTSO meetings and/or volunteer throughout the year for various activities, events and fundraisers. This is a great way for parents to get involved and meet other parents, teachers and staff. PTSO meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 3:00pm in the courtyard/Library.

http://www.chicousd.org//Serving-You/Donations/index.html.

We are encountering more issues with cell phone usage at school. As a reminder, student cell phone usage at school is restricted to afterschool only. During the school day, phones are to be turned off and left in backpacks. While we know that some students rely on their phones to communicate with family members, if this is not the case then students should leave phones at home where they cannot be broken or stolen. In cases of emergency, students are always welcome to use the school phone. Also, please help us curtail student social media usage and cyberbullying by monitoring your child’s cell phone usage. A great website that provides tips to families to keep their students safe online can be found at https://smartsocial.com/blog. We appreciate your partnership on this matter.

Thank you!

Do you need to add an emergency contact for your child's school record? Do you need to change your address or your phone number? Here is how to make these changes yourself:

-Log into your parent portal at https://hac.chicousd.org

-Select Student Info tab on far left side

-Select Data Confirmation BEFORE selecting Contacts!

-Select Contacts

To edit a contact record, select the pencil/edit button, make changes, SAVE changes

To add a new contact, select Add, create new contact, SAVE changes

To delete a contact record, contact the main office.

Parents, we need your help! There is no parking, stopping or dropping off in the red zone in front of the school at any time. The white zones are for dropping off or picking up only. You can not leave your vehicle or stop for longer than 3 minutes in the white zones. Please instruct you students to use the crosswalks at all times when crossing the street . Please, do not use the bus lane on Hartford side to drop off or pick up students. It is for busses only.

HELLO FAMILIES... We miss seeing our little cheetahs! Hope you had a great summer! If you have any questions about PTSO please contact Amber or Kari.

Kari Fashing kfashing@chicousd.org

Amber Nash anash@chicousd.org

Please, make sure you are checking your aeries portal and the CUSD websight for updated information. We hope everyone is well. LCC teachers are working together to get distance learning ready. Reach out to your teacher if you have any questions.

Our school uses Securly to help keep students safe on their school issued devices. To access their full online activity history sign on to securly by going to https://www.securly.com/parent-login

Use your email and password that you use to sign on to the aeries portal. With securly you will see every site your student searches for and their daily activity.

The majority of unkind behaviors on the LCC campus are conflicts between students and do not meet the definition of bullying. Such situations are addressed through our Reflection process and restorative conversations and are often resolved with adult guidance and support.

What is bullying? Bullying behaviors are intentional and aggressive that include:

· An Imbalance of Power: use of power to control and/or harm others

· Repetition: aggressive behaviors that happen repeatedly over time

These situations will be fully investigated and responded to with diligence and a variety of appropriate actions and/or discipline. Because our goal is to find solutions and teach children to become resilient and kind, the victim and the bully will both receive extensive support from our social/emotional wellness team and staff will be advised to closely monitor or minimize all future interactions.

PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports. PBIS creates an academic environment that maximizes academic and social behavioral outcomes for ALL students. LCC has just been formally

recognized by the California PBIS Coalition as a PLATINUM implementation school for our successful program! This is a HUGE accomplishment and recognizes the hard work that parents, staff, and students do everyday to reinforce positive behavior! LCC will be recognized at the 4th Annual California PBIS Conference in Sacramento and on the Coalition’s website here: http://bit.ly/PBISAward.LCC has seen a drastic decrease in disciplinary referrals throughout the years and we are so excited to show California that our school is rocking the PBIS program.

Check out https://www.schoolstore.com/. SchoolStore.com is an online shopping mall where over 350 nationally-known merchants have agreed to give a percentage of sales to our school. Companies like Walmart, Sears, Target, Disney Store, Family Book Store and Barnes & Noble participate. Get shopping!!

AERIES COMMUNICATION is the way of our future:

By now you have all received a message from Little Chico Creek introducing the new Aeries Communication system. It is the way teachers, staff and the district will now communicate with parents regarding general announcements and emergency announcements. Parents must have the Aeries Parent Portal account created in order to set up Aeries Communication. Please contact the office immediately to obtain the data needed to open the account. Thank you.

Chico Unified School District is transitioning to a new parent communication system.

Our new Aeries Communication system will allow you, as the parent/guardian, to customize how you receive school messages. We encourage you to share both positive, and constructive, feedback. You can provide feedback by visiting the Chico Unified website.

As we test this new communication system, you may receive duplicate test messages throughout January and February (one from our existing communication system and one message from our new system); this is an effort to ensure the new system is reaching all of our parents.

How to Ensure You Receive School Communication, Information and Emergency Alerts:

· Login to your Aeries Parent Portal and Confirm all Contact Information

· An opt-in message was sent to all cell phones on Wednesday, 12/19/18. If you wish to receive communication via text messages, then please make sure your text messaging option is enabled

· Provide feedback – we will be launching this communication system district-wide, so your feedback is an integral component of a successful implementation. We greatly appreciate any feedback you are willing to share with us.

We are very excited about this new program and hope that it will help us connect with you regarding important school events and information. If you have any questions, then please feel free to visit us in the main office or call Chico Unified School District at (530) 891-3000 ext. 149.

Thank you for participating, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.

“Give kids a smile” is the American Dental Association’s (ADA) annual campaign for uninsured children, ages 1 –12, and takes place during National Children's Dental Health Month. During the campaign, more than 1 million children nationwide will receive free dental care. Call the number for more information or to reserve an appointment. Contact information 893-4044

To edit or add contacts login to the Parent Portal (to delete a contact you must contact the main office) https://hac.chicousd.org

Hover over Student Info tab

Select Data Confirmation BEFORE selecting contacts!

Select Contacts

To edit a contact record, select Change

To add a new contact, select Add

Save changes

Academic time is a protected time at Little Chico Creek so classroom interruptions are strongly discouraged. We realize an urgent message may need to be delivered to a student on occasion. However, we encourage the parents and students to work together before school to make sure the students leave with their backpacks, homework, lunches, band instruments, snacks, etc. Thank you for your cooperation.

Have you heard about our new mascot? Meet HERO. Thank you PTSO for LCC’s newest addition.

LCC Klean Kanteens are here! They are available in two sizes: small (lunchbox size) or large. This is a fabulous fundraiser – plus they make great holiday gifts! Klean Kanteen is a local company offering us their superior product at a special discounted price. The 12oz size is $20 and the 16oz is $25. We have green, black, purple, red, and teal. Personalizing available. Please inquire with PTSO or the main office to order.

Parents, show your cheetah pride and purchase a T-shirt. They are $6 each. See PTSO or Ms. Amy in the library.

Clipping box tops from product packages that you use regularly is an easy way to support our school. Please send your neatly trimmed Box Tops to school in a sealed bag or envelope.

Little Chico Creek Sign Out Policy- If your child is leaving campus during school hours, your child will be called to the office ONLY once you have arrived to sign him or her out. Please keep this in mind and give extra time in the event the students are not in their classroom. No exceptions.

If an incident occurs at a school, we ask that parents not go directly to the school. Keeping clear access for emergency vehicles is essential - possibly a matter of life or death - and we depend upon your cooperation to help make this possible.

Please avoid calling your child's school during a crisis, since very likely the call cannot be answered. We need to keep the school phone lines open for emergency support contacts.

In times of emergency, a variety of local media will be used to provide information. Parents should tune into local major radio and television stations, call the district office at (530) 891-3000, ext. 911, visit our website for emergency updates, or our Facebook page (ChicoUSD). Also, please be sure to give the school your current phone numbers and email addresses so messages can be sent directly to you regarding emergency situations.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL GUIDELINES

A child shall be excluded from attendance at school when he/she exhibits one or more of the following signs of communicable disease:

Temperature at or above 100 degrees F. Fever must be gone for 24 hours without the use of Tylenol or other NSAID before child can return to school.

Questionable skin lesions: oozing, purulent, crusty, itching, blistery, inflamed, bleeding or rashes. Variations in student’s normal behavior, e.g. unusually fussy, lethargic or irritable. Symptoms of abdominal discomfort, e.g. vomiting, diarrhea, pain, distention or excessive gas. Upper respiratory symptoms, e.g. coughing, difficulty breathing, sore throat, copious nasal discharge or green discharge from the nose. The child is suspected or known to have an infectious disease with high communicable potential.

A credentialed school nurse, either by phone consultation, or if available, will examine any child suspected of having a communicable disease and will make the recommendation regarding exclusion.

This procedure has been adopted for the safety and well-being of your child, his/her classmates and all staff members.

The student can be readmitted to school with either a doctor’s note or when he/she is well and 24 hours symptom free (i.e. fever free, diarrhea free, etc.)

Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

· fever* or feeling feverish/chills

· cough

· sore throat

· runny or stuffy nose

· muscle or body aches

· headaches

· fatigue (tiredness)

· some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Parking White Zones are strictly for loading or unloading of passengers. You may NOT leave your car unattended during this time. You may occupy the white zone for a maximum of three minutes. Red zones are for emergency vehicles and designated for buses ONLY. No parking at any time! (California Penal Code, Section 21458 Curb Markings). Please be aware, violations of the above could result in a parking ticket administered by the Chico Police Department. Please use the designated parking lots on Amanda Way and Hartford Dr. Please do not park in the reserved places in the Amanda Way parking lot.

Have you been searching for the jacket your child wore to school, but never made it home? We are overflowing with items that have not been found yet. Please come take a look.

Student meals cannot be shared with other students, siblings or parents. Additional breakfast/lunch can be purchased if parents or siblings would like to join their student for breakfast or lunch. Our breakfast and lunch program is a state funded program and this is a requirement of the state. Breakfast is served 7:45-8:20am. After 8:20am students will need to take their meal back to class with them so they will not be tardy.

The State of California is cracking down on truancies, especially at the elementary schools. This means the schools will be sending out all truancy letters without hesitation. There are currently laws in place that can charge parents fines for their children's chronic truancies. We would like to educate LCC parents on what constitutes truancy. If your child is absent and you do not let the school know the reason, then the absence is recorded as unverified. If your child is out of school because of vacation or family illness as well as other reasons, these absences are considered unexcused. California Education code requires that the school send letters home.

3 Unexcused/Unverified absences= Truancy Letter #1

4 Unexcused/Unverified absences= Truancy Letter #2

Meet with Principal to sign Attendance Contract

5 Unexcused/Unverified absences= Truancy Letter #3

SARB* Hearing at District Office

Law enforcement and truancy court can get involved if a SARB contract is broken.

*The SARB (Student Attendance Review Board) involves representatives from Butte County Child Welfare, the school district and the student’s school.

Please understand this information is not intended to scare parents, only to inform you of the truancy process as lawmakers are in the stages of writing various bills regarding truancies. The best advice we can give parents is to make sure you call in your child’s absence the day of the absence, bring in doctors notes if they are absent due to illness and do not pull your children out of school for unexcused reasons (vacations). If you absolutely must pull your child out of school for unexcused reasons and your child will be absent 5 or more days, please ask about the Independent Study Program (ISP) and the absences will not be recorded as unexcused. The attendance office will be happy to assist you with the ISP paperwork. An ISP will only be valid if the office is notified in advance of the absence so we can let the teacher know and arrange for homework to be gathered for your student.

We hope these attendance procedures will help both the school and parents work together in a cooperative manner towards our common goal of increasing each child’s success in school. As parents, you have a great deal to do with the establishment of regular and punctual student attendance habits. Your cooperation and support of our attendance procedures will be greatly appreciated.