January/February Cougar Trails

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,

Happy New Year! We are excited about the New Year and all the things that are happening at Vannoy. Our Adopt-A-Family was a great success- thank you to Noemi and Kathy for their hard work organizing and helping deliver. The whole Vannoy community did a wonderful job supporting CV families!

A special Happy New Year to all of our school family that celebrates the Lunar New Year! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

February Word of the Month – Honesty

Be truthful, build a good reputation and not cheat. Have integrity and be trustworthy.

After-School Programs

We are just starting our second session of school sponsored after-school programs. The program selections offer academic support as well as fun enrichment activities for students such as coding, art, and a new physical fitness class. Thank you to Kristen Popper for her help organizing and putting together these programs. We are continually looking for volunteers and ideas. Please email the principal for suggestions and help!

Regards,

Greg Ko

Phone: (510) 537-1832

Email: gko@cv.k12.ca.us

February is Black History Month. We celebrate African American leaders and community members and their accomplishments as well as historic events for African Americans.

Did You Know?

- Figure skater Debi Thomas becomes the first African American to win a medal (bronze) at the winter Olympic Games in 1988.
- The first Black professional basketball team "The Renaissance" was organized 1923.

We are looking for volunteers to come read in the library to celebrate African American authors and history. Please email our librarian ecamacho@cv.k12.ca.us
Library Schedule

Each year, Vannoy presents to the CV School Board about programs, people, and exciting things that are happening at Vannoy. We also have the opportunity to select a fifth grade parent and a fifth grade student that exemplifies the heart and soul of Vannoy’s achievement and accomplishments. This year, we are proud to present Tina Mitchell our Parent Club President and Shannon. We are proud of their dedication, positive spirit, and representation of Vannoy’s wonderful community.

The CVUSD Measure G Implementation Plan developed after completing a needs assessment, a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, and site specific timelines, was approved by the CVUSD Governing Board on December 19, 2016. The Measure G Implementation Plan is posted online. The Castro Valley Unified School District is grateful to the voters in Castro Valley for approving Measure G, a $123 million General Obligation Bond, and is looking forward to construction projects scheduled to begin over the summer into the next few years throughout the district. Regular updates will be shared with the community through school newsletters, print media and online. Please feel free to contact Dr. Candi Clark at (510) 537-3000 for more information or if you have any questions.

Following the passage of Measure G, a Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) was formed on September 22, 2016. The CBOC meetings will be held at least quarterly and are open to the public. Agendas and minutes for these meetings are posted online. If interested in participating on the CBOC, click here.

We are celebrating Read Across America on March 2. Our classrooms celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday by having special readers in our classrooms. We need you as our VIP readers to read for 15 minutes to help celebrate and encourage reading! The signup will be out soon - look for it online.

Please be reminded that regardless of the reason (illness, vacation, family emergency, etc.), Vannoy your child is missing school. Please try and schedule vacations and various appointments for days of times when school is not in session. Of course, if a student is truly sick, contagious, or running a fever, the student must stay home and get healthy. We understand that emergencies also come up unexpectedly and this is inevitable.

When your child is absent, please call our 24-hour attendance line at 510-537-1832 and press "1" each day she/he is absent. Thank you.

Come join us to roller skate the night away on the nicest rink in the Bay Area - The Golden Skate, 2710 Hooper Drive in San Ramon. Students, parents, siblings, and friends are welcome.

Bring your own skates (subject to inspection by the management) or rent. Both standard quad and inline skates are available.

The snack bar will be open and food may be purchased directly. Pizza, nachos, hot dogs, ice cream, sodas, etc., are available.

Adults who are coming to supervise, but not to skate, may enter without a ticket.

You may pre-pay or pay at the door. Only cash or checks will be accepted at the door.

Any questions? Please contact Laurie Schmeck at vannoyvc@gmail.com

Effective January 1, 2009, the California Legislature approved a bill that created Education Code 48900(r) which allows disciplinary action to be taken when bullying or harassment is committed physically, verbally, or electronically. This makes bullying, including cyberbullying, a suspendable offense. Bullying is hurtful. Encourage your child to report bullying to you or to an adult at school so action can be taken. Together we can work to make our schools a place where students feel safe, supported and ready to learn.

Tips for Parents
While bullying, harassment and teasing are unfortunate aspects of childhood, you can help minimize these occurrences by raising non-violent children. The American Academy of Pediatrics cites the following tips for curbing hurtful behavior in your child:

• Give your child consistent love and attention. Every child needs a strong, loving relationship with a parent or other adult to feel safe and secure and to develop a sense of trust. Without a steady bond to a caring adult, a child is at risk for becoming hostile, difficult and hard to manage.
• Make sure your child is supervised. A child depends on his or her parents and family members for encouragement, protection and support as he or she learns to think for him or herself. Without proper supervision, your child will not receive the guidance he or she needs. Studies report that unsupervised children often have behavior problems.
• Monitor your child's Internet use. If your child knows you are watching, he/she is less likely to take part in cyber-bullying. Also, encourage him/her to avoid using chat rooms with violent or derogatory conversations.
• Show your child appropriate behaviors by the way you act. Children often learn by example. The behavior, values and attitude of parents and siblings have a strong influence on them. Be firm with your child about the possible dangers of violent behavior and language. Also, remember to praise your child when he or she solves problems constructively without violence.
• Be consistent about rules and discipline. When you make a rule, stick to it. Your child needs structure with clear expectations for his or her behavior. Setting rules and then not enforcing them is confusing and sets up your child to "see what he or she can get away with".
• Try to keep your child from seeing violence in the home or community. Violence in the home can be frightening and harmful to children. A child who has seen violence at home does not always become violent, but he or she may be more likely to try to resolve conflicts with violence.
• Try to keep your child from seeing too much violence in the media. Watching a lot of violence on television, in the movies and in video games can lead children to behave aggressively. As a parent, you can control the amount of violence your child sees in the media by limiting television viewing and previewing games, movies, etc., before allowing access to them by your child.
• Help your child stand up against violence. Support your child in standing up against violence. Teach him or her to respond with calm but firm words when others insult or threaten another person. Help your child understand that it takes more courage and leadership to resist violence than to go along with it.
  

Come join us for Vannoy Family Night with the Oakland A's on Thursday, May 18th, at 7:05 p.m.! Special tickets include Lower Box Seats (first 20 rows), pre-game BBQ and wiffel ball in the lot (with special prizes), and an Oakland A's hat!!

Please return order form and payment prior to the deadline of April 20, 2017. Quantities are limited. Tickets sold first come first serve. Tickets and instructions will be delivered prior to the game.

Tickets are $35.00 per person. Please make checks payable to Vannoy Parent Club. Please contact Andy Eberhard with any questions at 650-269-8065 or email at andrew.eberhard4@gmail.com

CVUSD is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment and bullying based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; the perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Violations of this policy should be reported immediately to the site administrator(s) at District Schools. Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of Student Services, 4400 Alma Avenue, Castro Valley CA 94546, 510-537-3000 x 1257