Tiger Cub Weekly
Cypress Elementary School
Week of April 15th-19th
Upcoming Important Dates:
April
- 19- Disney Dress Day
- 22- Earth Day
- 22- Restaurant Night- West of Orleans (4-7pm)
- 26- House Assembly- wear your house colors!
- 27-28- family photos fundraiser (See more information below)
May
- 3-Recognition Assembly
- 3- Principal Coffee Talk
- 3-Talent Show
- 6-10-Teacher Appreciation Week
- 13-30 CAASP testing Window
- 17- Hawaiian Dress Day
- 20-23- Book Fair
- 24-27 No School
- 30- Open House
Disney Dress Day April 19th!
Join us for West of Orleans restaurant night on 4/22! The wonderful owners of West of Orleans are opening up just for Cypress on Monday, 4/22 to support the school. Please make sure you come out and show them how much you appreciate their support by dining at WOO.
We can't wait to see you all there!
Are you interested in taking family pictures this Spring?? Cypress PTA has teamed up with local photographer Mary Anselmo at Lyfe Photo Studio for an opportunity available to Cypress families! For $150, Mary is offering 25 minute sessions IN HER STUDIO on April 27, 2024 and OUTSIDE (location TBD) on April 28, 2024. Half of the proceeds ($75) will go towards our Cypress PTA.
The cost will include 3 high resolution digital images to families participating with an option to purchase extended album options. Watermarked galleries from all sessions will be provided to families within 1 week of their session from which they choose their 3 images or extended album option. Once families decide on their images, their final photos will be provided within 2 weeks from that day.
TO FULLY CONFIRM YOUR TIMESLOT, YOU MUST PURCHASE THE $150 SPRING FAMILY PHOTO FUNDRAISER ITEM ON THE cypresselementarypta.org STORE AND SELECT YOUR TIMESLOT ON THIS Sign Up Genius.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Cypress PTA at cypresselementarypta@gmail.com.
Principal Coffee Talks
Principal coffee talk: May 3rd. Please join me in the MPR following the morning assembly for the following topic discussions:
May 3rd: Preview to the 2024-2025 School year. Next year is Cypress' 50th year as a school! Come learn about all the different events that are tentatively planned throughout the school year. (Not only events to celebrate the 50th, but all PTA tentative events will be shared.
March Music Report
Tk/K music: Students danced jigs, sang Irish and spring songs during March. Students accompanied “Rattlin’ Bog” with egg shakers.
All students are learning to take turns playing percussion instruments to, “I Make Myself Welcome.”
K. students focused on weather related songs in their unit of inquiry, “How the World Works.” They learned about various clouds in Thomas Locker’s book, “Cloud Dance” and correlated listening to J.S. Bach’s “Air On a G String.” We listened to & sang various songs about rain, sunshine, and rainbows. We sang S. Leavell’s “If All The Raindrops Medley”. Students recognized a song from the recent “Wonka” movie and “The Candy Man” from the original “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Some students were read, “Big City Song” by Debora Pearson.
T.K. focused on their songs for their recent performance. We discussed aspects of their field trip to the orchestra.
All students listened to Antonio Vivaldi’s “Spring.” In addition, our young cubs clapped Sunshine and Music’s spring rhythms. After spring break, we’ll tap out the same rhythms using rhythm sticks.
1st-5th: In preparation for our Peter and the Wolf unit, first and second grade students learned how instruments are classified into families in the orchestra. Connections were made with first grade classes about how some instruments imitate sounds in nature and the organization of species in the animal and plant families. Second grade classes made connections with rock properties and how a box of rocks could be sorted in different ways as well as the characteristics of each season. In case you didn't know, the instruments of the orchestra are sorted by how an instrument makes sound. Students watched/listened to a reading of the storybook Peter and the Wolf and then were asked how the story could be told only using instruments. First grade students made connections about animal adaptations that allowed the characters to sneak up on their prey (wolf and cat) and how the ducks webbed feet are similar to human use of flippers. This week students reviewed the musical theme in Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, played a matching game while listening to the music, and began work on their little book. To help with the language arts connection, students put story cards in the correct sequence, identified the characters in the story, named and drew the setting, and started identifying what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
Third and fourth grade classes have been moving through their Jazz Unit. Students have learned about the characteristics of jazz music, explored the contributions of the blues and ragtime to the genre, listened to different types of jazz including famous artists Louis Armstrong and Bobby Hebb. Students learned about the instruments used in jazz and how they work, had the opportunity to watch Shorty Trombone's amazing performance at the White House for President Obama, and were dazzled by Ella Fitzgerald's scatting ability. The students also learned how to play a new game (ask them how to play A Tisket A Tasket). This week, students worked in pairs to create their own 4-line scat! We have been making connections to the learner profile frequently in this unit!
5th grade classes have been exploring music that ties directly into their social study curriculum! They have learned about instruments used during colonial times, the role the fife and drums played during battle, and the importance of spirituals to the enslaved people in the South. Students listened to three different spirituals and discussed how the song could have a religious meaning, a possible secret message, and how the spirituals could be used as passive resistance. I got some audible "ohs" when asking them to make a connection between what message is being sent with Wade in the Water (think dogs tracking runaways) and the idea and hope of Follow the Drinking Gourd (ask the kids about the big and little dipper). Connections were made to the importance of water to the farming communities, the water cycle, and using the water to help navigate North to South. It is important to note that historians are split about how often and how many songs were used as actual messages. The students have been able to look at the lyrics of a few songs and make determinations as to whether or not they think the song was used as a map or message song.. This week, students learned about Swing Low Sweet Chariot and started working on rhythms to accompany the song. Over the next two weeks, students will add different instruments to the music and will come up with their own unique class arrangement of the song.
**Parking lot construction/sidewalk detour**
A backup battery is being installed at Cypress for emergency purposes. Unfortunately, it will need to be installed in our parking lot taking up some of our spots. During construction, starting March 11th, the green section indicated in the image above will be blocked off. A temporary 'sidewalk' will be designated by the yellow lines on the map above. Once construction is complete, we will get some of the parking spots back. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
New Attendance Email for Cypress!
Parents/Guardians are required to contact the front office any time that their student will be absent. There are a few different ways to reach us:
Front office (805) 498-6683
24-hour Attendance Line (805) 498-6203
Email: : CYP-Attendance@conejousd.org (Now working!)
California Education Code section 48205 and CVUSD board policies state that absences for the following reasons may be excused:
- Personal Illness
- Quarantine
- Medical, dental, optometrically, or chiropractic services
- Funeral services of an immediate family member
Click on the image below to learn more about Tk/K enrollment!
Morning Goodbyes
Our goal is to begin our school day in the classroom at 8:15am. When the warning bell ring at 8:12, parents are asked to leave campus at that time as students line up.
International Baccalaureate Learner Profile Traits
Cypress Monthly Student Recognitions
Our awards schedule is as follows:
January 12th
February 2
March 1
April 12
May 3
We look forward to celebrating your child!
IB Learner Profile Traits are the core of the IB Primary Years Programme!
Now Available - New Website: CVUSD Mental Health Resources and Wellness Services
The CVUSD recognizes the social-emotional and mental health needs of students and families. We are committed to serving our student community in these important areas. Our new Mental Health and Wellness Services web page provides you with information, resources and details on how to access mental health support. Together we can achieve mental wellness in our District and community:
Wednesday Morning Laps with Mrs. Hauser!
Mrs. Hauser, one of our PE teachers, is beginning a Wednesday morning running/ walking group. Students can arrive anytime after 7:50 and track their miles with their own tracker provided by Mrs. Hauser. How many miles can you get by the end of the school year?
Please take note!
A section of the curb near the Cypress parking lot exit has newly been designated no parking. There is new signage to indicate this new change.
Cypress Emergency Preparedness Documents
Emergency parent letter
Emergency release information
Cell Phone and Smart Watches
Please remind students that cell phones are not to be used during the school day. They should remain off and in the students backpack. If they need to contact you during the school day, they need to reach out to their teacher, the health clerk, or the front office staff.
Smart watches may be worn during the school day as long as it is not a distraction to themselves and others. Again, they cannot use Smart watches to contact a parent or guardian. They need to reach out to their teacher, the health clerk, or the front office staff. If a smart watch becomes a distraction or is misused, they will be asked to place it in their backpack.
Thank you for understanding!
Weekly Attendance Announcement
Good attendance is essential for a continuous, uninterrupted program of instruction. As we start the school year, please honor the school calendar when planning vacations and appointments.
Excused Absences:
Personal Illness
Quarantine
Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services
Funeral services of an immediate family member
Jury duty
For a complete list of excused absences, please use the following link:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=48205
Unexcused Absences:
Family trips
Unforeseen family circumstances
Transportation difficulties
Non-school athletic competitions
Any other reasons not listed above in the excused absence list are “contacted unexcused”, which are considered truancies.
Short Term Independent Study is available for planned absences of 3 days or more, as long as at least 48 hours of notice is given (not including weekends). Please contact the front office for more information on how to begin the independent study process.
For more information on attendance, please click here.
#AttendTodayAchieveTomorrow
Notice to School Community
Cypress School Site Council
4/17/24
5/15/24
Thank you to all of our School Site Council members that contributed to this year’s School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)! Our school’s SPSA is available now at this link.
We are in need of a GATE Rep. to join SSC. Please reach out to me if interested.
Important Cypress Information
School and CVUSD Calendars
Parking Lot Safety
For Drop-off/ Pick up
-Pull into the second driveway off Kimber. 10 miles per hour max. in parking lot!
-Pull up to the curb for pick-up or drop-off
-Exit/enter only on the passenger/ curb side
**Do not stop in the school bus or red zone area for drop-off or pick-up**
-If you need to assist your child in or out of the car, proceed to a visitor's parking spot. Parents may NOT exit the car in the drop off lane.
-Always walk with your child in the parking lot. Use sidewalks to walk children from parking lot to school campus. Do NOT walk children through the parking lot.
TK and Kindergarten Families
-All TK and Kindergarten students must be escorted to the TK/K playground in the morning and picked up at the exit gate. Those picking up a TK/K students must park.
Please DO NOT park in staff spots. Specialists, paras, support staff, and campus supervisors arrive at school at various times. If you have a quick question for us in the office, you may park along the yellow curb by the front office.
Chromebook Insurance
- Chromebook insurance for the 2023-24 school year is $39 per student for Chromebook coverage and $45 for Chromebook coverage w/charger coverage included. We highly recommend the purchase of insurance for all students.
- Insurance Flyer (English): Conejo Valley USD-English Flyer (conejousd.org)
- Insurance Flyer (Spanish): Conejo Valley USD -Spanish Flyer (conejousd.org)
Cypress Elementary School Facebook Page!
PTA News!
Cypress Digital Backpack of Flyers!
Digital backpack for community Flyers
Cypress Student/ Parent Handbook
The Cypress Handbook has been updated. Please take a moment to look through the information located in this document. This document covers information about attendance policies, safety protocol, discipline procedures, dress code and more. After this week, this document will remain in this Smore for the remainder of the school year.
Cypress Elementary
Email: mmcdonald@conejousd.org
Website: https://www.conejousd.org/cypress
Location: 4200 West Kimber Drive, Newbury Park, CA, USA
Phone: 805-498-6683
Facebook: facebook.com/CypressElementarycvusd
Instagram: cypresscubs