Bobcat Tales
October 25, 2024
A Message from Principal Ponza
Fire Safety Week
This week was Fire Safety Week at SLVE. It was a big success! TK-K grades received a basic overview of the terms of fire safety and prevention. They also watched “The ABCs of Fire Safety” video. 1st-3rd grade students visited the fire trailer which was located on the playground. Firefighters led the students through a tour of the trailer which is known as the "Safety House' and includes a kitchen, living room and upstairs bedroom. 4th graders stayed in the classroom, reviewing safety and prevention at home, which included a video and 5th graders were trained in proper use of a fire extinguisher, under supervision of fire safety personnel. The week culminated with a Fire Drill Extravaganza. Fire trucks came onto campus with sirens on and lights flashing. Firefighters unrolled their firehoses and sprayed the rooftops of our school buildings and the students. It was the perfect day for a little spray! It was all very exciting. We thank all of the firefighters who did a great job teaching Fire Prevention Safety training to our students at San Lorenzo Valley Elementary school this week.
Family Bingo Night Tonight @ 5:30-7:00 in the SLVE MU
Tonight is Family Game Night. A free bingo night for the whole family. There will be prizes and food for sale.
Free and Reduced Lunch Applications
We are happy to be able to offer free and reduced breakfast and lunch to all students. In order to help us keep this service going , please sign up at LINQconnect.com In less than 5 minutes, you can ensure our funding for our schools. Please fill out an application for Free/Reduced eligibility to continue generating funds for our district and benefits such as student fee waivers, P-EBT, Free/Reduced bus transportation
SLVE Halloween Parade Thursday, October 31st 8:45
Our SLVE annual Halloween parade will be on Thursday, October 31st at 8:45. Students may wear their costumes to school. Please remember, costumes should be school appropriate. No blood, weapons, or super scary costumes. Parents are welcome to come to our parade. Students will be walking with their classrooms through the hallways and eventually end up on the basketball courts where we will be dancing the Monster Mash under the direction of our super PE coaches, Coach John and Coach Rose. Parents, please remember to keep the hallways clear and watch from the blacktopped areas of the campus.
Accessing IReady/Lexia at Home
Learning Websites~IReady and Lexia
Your student can access Lexia Core5 (phonics/reading support) or i-Ready (math & reading) from home using their Google login information or their Classlink QuickCard (QR Code). Teachers will be sending home IReady/Lexia log in information (also linked below) and QR codes with students by Friday, October 4th.
You can access these applications from a personal computer (Mac or Windows), a personal Chromebook, a school-issued Chromebook, or an iPad. See the instructions for how to access them below:
How to Access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (Slideshow with all options)-SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (School-Issued Chromebook)--SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Ready from Home (iPads)--SLVE
How to access Lexia/i-Readyy from Home (Computers/Personal Chromebook)--SLVE
Updated Student Illness Protocols
For suggestions to help with knowing when to keep your child home when they are not feeling well please click on this Illness Protocol Link. Contact a health care provider if your child needs medical care. A doctor’s note is generally not required to return to school or child care. For more information, please visit the CDPH guidance page.
Construction Updates
The air conditioning units have been installed and are up and running in many classrooms and the SLVE office. Crews are working hard to finish up installing units in the remainder of the classrooms around campus.
Construction is underway on the SLVE perimeter fence installation as well. Crews are working hard to get the fence installed as soon as possible. Please be aware that there are a few taped off areas and detours around campus as work is being completed. Once installed, we will communicate protocols regarding the fence.
Students have been flexible and patient with all of the increased construction activity around campus. We are all excited to see and feel the amazing changes at SLVE.
Bobcat Club News
The Book Fair was a huge success! Thank you to our Chairpersons, Jessica, Emily, and Ivy, for all their hard work, and to all the volunteers and families who supported our library.
Drive For Schools raised just over $7,300 for our classrooms. Thank you, families!
October 25 is Family Game Night! A free bingo night for the whole family. There will be prizes and food for sale. Volunteer today!
November 12 is the next Bobcat Club Meeting in the library at 6:30 pm! We look forward to seeing you there.
November 15 is Family Science Night. Activities are from 5 to 7 p.m. in the SLVE Cafeteria, SLVHS Pool, and the SLVHS CTE/Makerspace. There will be Slime Making, Straw Rockets, Underwater Robotics, Electrical Circuits, Engineering with Legos, and much more! Volunteer by clicking here!
Buy a Yearbook Buy a yearbook today! 10% off through October 31!
5th-grade families can also buy dedications for their 5th-graders. They are called recognition ads in the system. Want to be on the yearbook team? Email yearbook@slvebobcatclub.org
Visit slvebobcatclub.org for more information!
Cradle to Career
Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County (C2C) is a family advocacy organization and community connector that strives to uplift all families. C2C has expanded into SLVUSD and has developed free programming, including recreation activities, parent workshops, and advocacy opportunities for families. Register with C2C for more information about upcoming yoga classes, cooking workshops, and more! Contact Claudia Oblea, SLVUSD's Community Organizer, for more information about C2C, questions, or resource support.
To Register with C2C visit: https://share.hsforms.com/1PECJBXBRREmsdHAUyGb4Ggdl8zs
Claudia's Contact information:
Email - Coblea@c2cscc.org
Phone: 916-270-5237
Join us for a gentle yoga class designed to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting and everyday stress. Perfect for all levels, this session requires no prior yoga experience and is led by a certified yoga therapist. The class focuses on gentle stretching to release tension, improve flexibility, and undo the impacts of sitting at a desk, in a car, or at home. Alongside the physical benefits, we’ll practice techniques to help manage stress and cultivate a sense of calm. This is a supportive environment where you can move at your own pace, prioritizing your well-being without any expectations. These free yoga classes will be hosted by Cradle to Career and led by Dr. Juko Holiday. Please refer to the Yoga flyers below to learn more.
Triple P Parenting Classes
Triple P Positive Parenting topical workshop flyers for November are attached. Información sobre programas en español disponibles en el sitio web.
Each flyer has its own unique link to register for each class, or go to https://www.first5scc.org/triple-p-classes and register on the website. All of these classes are on Zoom!
Workshops are all free, and grant funded by First Five of Santa Cruz.
Individual sessions are also available for free or sliding scale. If you are interested in a 1:1 session, please contact First Five of Santa Cruz at First 5 Santa Cruz County at (831) 465-2217 or
Community Opportunities Website
The "Community Opportunities" website link is provided as a courtesy to parents and students, by the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, to enable you to receive information of current local events and opportunities for adults and/or children.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up at SLVE
It is VERY important that all cars have the student placard in the front windshield when picking up your student. It allows staff on duty to see the name and call the student so they can be standing and ready to get in your car quickly. Thank you for following this very important pick up protocol.
We are really needing to focus on safety during our pick up time each day. As a reminder, the far right lane is the ONLY lane that you may idle in to pick up your student. The middle lane is a drive thru lane only for parents who are driving up to park. If cars stop in the middle lane, buses CANNOT get up the hill to pass without going into the far left lane which is the exiting lane. There have been some close calls and unsafe situations where cars are stopped in the middle lane when buses are making the wide turn to go down the driveway to head out onto Highway 9. We would also like to remind you that the parking lot in front of the school office is reserved for teachers/staff only. Please do not stop there to drop off or pick up your student. We appreciate your role in helping to ensure the safety of our SLVE students and families.
Bus and School Lunch Information
We will continue to provide free lunch to all students this year. We do ask that you complete the application on the district webpage. It is very important that ALL families complete this form, as it helps us with funding in several different areas.
If your child will be riding the bus this year and will need a bus pass, please make sure you purchase your bus pass online here. Once you log in to LinqConnect you will see "School Store" on the bottom right hand corn. Click that to buy your pass. Any questions contact the Transportation department at 831-336-2223
Please complete the Transportation Registration Form for all students riding the bus. Should there be a school bus breakdown, closed route or a route delay, School Messenger will not contact you unless your student(s) are registered.If you do not have your student registered by Thursday, 08/29/24 your student will be left at the school and sent to the office. For more information please call the Transportation office at 831-336-2223 or email Heidie at hoconnor@slvusd.org.
Thank you for your understanding.
-Transportation Department
Attendance Matters
As we head into our second month of school, we continue to emphasize the importance of daily attendance for your student.
We know people get sick, people get injured, and there can be family or life responsibilities and other issues that are reasonable and excused. But if your student can attend, they need to be in school.
If your student is out for three or more consecutive days, we may request a doctor’s note to continue excusing the absences. Students who miss 3-5 days will receive a Chronic Absence letter. We will then meet with those families to attempt to support the student attending school. On the second Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet at the District Office to put a plan in place for the student’s attendance. On the third Chronic Absence Letter, families may be required to meet with the County Office Student Attendance Review Board for truancy. Our goal is that nobody ever gets that far along with truancy. We are here to help and support, but it does start at home with the expectation that your student will attend school regularly.
Please remember that students who are absent 3 days or more should complete an independent study contract. Lisa Ghelardi, at lblairghelardi@slvusd.org our SLVE Registrar, will work with families to get the paperwork and the missed classwork assignments needed to complete the contract.