Hawk Updates

February

11th: Fitness Club Incentive Day

14th: Parent Night Out. See flyer below!

17th - 21st: February Break. NO SCHOOL. CHES Office is Closed.

24th: VAPA - VISION day

26th: CAPES Foundation meeting

28th: Community Gathering

28th: Movie Night. See flyer below!

Click HERE for the School Calendar.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of African Americans to our nation and the world. Throughout February, we honor individuals and movements that have shaped our collective story, from the transformative leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to more recent trailblazers like former President Barack Obama, poet and activist Amanda Gorman, and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. These leaders, alongside countless others, embody the perseverance, creativity, and resilience that continue to inspire us today. Black History Month is not only a reflection on the past but also a reminder of the ongoing journey toward equality and justice.

At CHES, we are committed to fostering an inclusive community where all voices are valued and celebrated. This month, we encourage families to engage in meaningful conversations about Black history and explore resources that highlight the achievements and contributions of African Americans. Together, we can honor this important legacy by embracing kindness, empathy, and the strength that comes from diversity. Let’s make this month a time of learning, reflection, and celebration that resonates beyond February.

This past week, we hit an exciting milestone—100 days of school! Our students and teachers celebrated in style, many dressed up as 100-year-olds and donned creative 100-day crowns. Classrooms were buzzing with activities that wove the 100-day theme into our learning, from counting challenges to creative art projects and writing prompts.

It was a fun and memorable way to reflect on how much we've learned and grown together so far this year. Thank you for your continued support as we head into the next 80 days of learning and discovery!

Rachelle Edstrom is an exceptional Special Educational Instructional Assistant who consistently goes above and beyond to support students and teachers alike. With unwavering dedication, Rachelle has worked across multiple classrooms, ensuring that every student—regardless of their challenges—receives the attention and encouragement they need to succeed. Her genuine care and compassion shine through in every interaction, creating a nurturing and inclusive learning environment. Never one to seek recognition, Rachelle quietly makes a profound impact through patience, creativity, and an unyielding commitment to student growth. Her dedication is an inspiration to all, and the school community is truly fortunate to have such a selfless and hardworking individual. We are happy to recognize her as Chaparral's 2024-2025 Classified Employee of the Year.

TK - 2nd Graders

When TK - 2nd graders arrive on campus on a rainy day they will be directed to our library where they will be able to stay warm and dry until classrooms open. Students who get dropped off in the back gate will be able to walk onto the main part of campus to the library. Those who are dropped off in front will walk through the TK/K gate directly to the library.

3rd-5th Graders

When 3rd - 5th graders arrive on campus on a rainy day they will be directed to our MPR where they will be able to stay warm and dry until classrooms open. Students who get dropped off in the back will be able to walk along the track toward the MPR. Those who are dropped off in front will be able to walk directly to the MPR from the parking lot.

Congratulations to Oliver Arda Erdemli, Anthony Gaughan, Jack Collins, Julian Pellegrini, Matteo Stefanelli and Roman Welty! These amazing kids make up the CHES Lego team. Last weekend at Westview High School they competed and received the Most Explosive Team award for exceeding nearly all the judging categories!

Great job!

Use the QR Code above to get a seat in the Chaparral section and have a portion of your ticket price donated back to the school!

It’s hard to believe it but it’s already time to begin to think about the 2025-2026 school year!

Here are some important dates to mark on your calendars:

• Transfer Requests - beginning on February 1st at 8:00 am, we will accept transfer requests for students who live in the Poway Unified boundaries and would like to attend a different Poway school. This includes incoming siblings of current students, as well as students who have not yet enrolled. Transfer requests can be made on the Poway Unified website by clicking THIS link. The transfer window closes on March 31st at 5:00 pm.

• Continuing Student Registration - from February 28 - March 31st, all parents whose current students will continue in Poway Unified for the 2025-26 school year need to complete online continuing registration. Look for more information coming soon.

• New Student Enrollment - beginning on April 1st at 8:00 am, new student enrollment opens on the Poway Unified website. We are excited to welcome our new students!

More details can be found on the Poway Unified website at www.powayusd.com.

Order Your 2024-25 Yearbook Today!

Chaparral Hawks Yearbooks are available for purchase. Choose softcover or hardcover and personalize for free by creating two custom pages filled with your own photos and memories. Personalized pages are optional but must be completed by Monday, April 21st.

Click here to order your yearbook—log in or create an account to get started.

Share Your Photos for the Yearbook!

Help us feature your smiling kiddos in the yearbook! Please upload your photos, such as "First Day of School" and "Fall Book Fair", to TreeRing by logging in and selecting Share Photos. Prefer an app? Download the free TreeRing Yearbooks app! Need detailed instructions? Click here.

(To be eligible, photos must be high quality and taken on campus. The deadline to include fall and winter school photos is January 31st.)

In PUSD, we are committed to ensuring your child's online safety and privacy. As students engage in digital spaces—whether playing multiplayer games, using educational apps, or exploring new interests online—it’s crucial they understand the importance of keeping their personal information safe. With guidance on avoiding scams and protecting their digital footprints, students can enjoy learning and fun online while staying in control of their privacy. Families play an important role in helping children navigate these topics and establishing healthy, safe digital habits. Below are some Privacy and Security tips to share with your family.

• K-5 Family Tips

• 6-12 Family Tips

Sincerely,

Amy Fousek and Ken Wall

Director of Educational Technology and Director of Information Technology

Parents-

We’d like to remind you that when students are checked out early, we wait until the parent or guardian arrives at the school before calling them out of class. This allows students to remain engaged in their learning for as long as possible, minimizing missed instruction time.

Additionally, please remember to bring ID!

Thank you for your understanding and patience when picking up your student.

It takes a lot to ensure our kids are getting the best experiences and education. If you or someone you know wishes to donate to a teacher's classroom or the overall school, one way you can do so is through the follow site: CLASSROOM SUPPLIES - ONLINE DONATION PROGRAM

"What's this 'Second Step' I keep hearing about?" Great question! Second Step is a longstanding program at Chaparral and throughout our district. It forms the foundation of our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, which is designed to help students from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through all grade levels develop vital social and emotional skills.

Second Step lessons guide students in building empathy, learning strategies to self-regulate and calm down, solving problems effectively, and understanding bullying prevention, along with many other important life skills.

At Chaparral, we have a dedicated SEL team: Ms. Siebel teaches our youngest learners in TK through 2nd grade, and Mr. Hicks works with students in grades 3 and up. Together, they equip students with the tools they need to confidently navigate social and emotional challenges, fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment where all students can flourish.

2024/2025 School Year Birthday Marquee Signups are now open!

Complete the form from the link provided below if you would like your child's name (first name and last initial) to appear on the Chaparral Marquees during the week of his/her birthday. To secure your marquee reservation, please make a $25 donation to CAPES after submitting the form.

Note--Each marquee has only two (2) available sign-ups per week. If a week is not listed, it has reached the maximum capacity of reservations. Holiday weeks have not been included. This form is ONLY for the 2024/2025 school year. Please do not submit a response for a future school year.

Your child's birthday message (ex. Happy Birthday Lizzie B.) will appear at some point during the week and will stay up for a minimum of 1 day.

Please note that our CAPES volunteers may need at least one (1) week of advance notice to honor birthday marquee reservations.

Click the link HERE to sign up today!

We are looking for any parent who may be interested in helping with the 24-25 Yearbook!

If you are interested, please reach out to Will Smith at chaparralcapes@gmail.com.

Thank you!

PUSD provides breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge pursuant to the California Universal Meals Program. Free meals are available to all families, regardless of their free or reduced-price meal eligibility status. Breakfast service will begin at 8:25 am and end at 8:40 am. Students will report directly to the playground after eating breakfast. Students not eating breakfast need to arrive when the playground opens at 8:25 am.

Meal program details are provided on the Food and Nutrition Department website at PUSD Food and Nutrition. Families are still encouraged to submit a school meal application for free and reduced-priced meal benefits because this information may be used for other programs such as Federal and State funding for your school, reduced registration fees for academic tests, free or discounted fees for bus passes, ESS childcare, and athletic programs, discounted rates for internet service and many more! The application can be found online at https://www.myschoolapps.com/ . Applications must be submitted on an annual basis.

In order to Volunteer on campus, PUSD's Volunteer Requirements must be met and the following documentation needs to be submitted to the office:

1) Volunteer Application & Megan's Law clearance form + picture ID (signed annually)

2) TB clearance/negative result from a health care provider (Good for 4 years)

3) Code of Conduct form (signed annually)

4) Code of Confidentiality (signed annually)

Note--the district office needs at least 2 weeks to process and clear volunteers once all forms/documents are submitted; therefore, please submit the volunteer paperwork as soon as you are able.

Obviously, the best environment for any student to learn is the school environment. Whenever possible, families are strongly encouraged to avoid taking vacations and other trips that results in their students missing extended periods of time from school.

However, when these trips are unavoidable, parents can request an OCIS contract. Details of OCIS contracts can be found below.

Off Campus Independent Study (OCIS) Contracts

This contract allows the student to complete work that he/she would be doing if they were in class and helps the school to continue to receive funding from the state. The student needs to work with his/her teachers closely to submit the assignments.

The threshold for implementing an OCIS contract is limited to a minimum of 3 days through a maximum of 14 school days. The 14-school day limit for OCIS contracts is cumulative for the entire school year.

At least 5 school days of notice is required to set up an OCIS Contract.

*A family who plans to keep their student out of school beyond the 20 days must enroll their child in Poway Home Education Program (PHEP: TK through 8th grade)

Please refer to the PUSD website for more information and contact the student’s counselor.