Sundays From The Mesa # 16

Dear Alta Mesa Families,

I hope each of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break. Here goes the last month of 2024! As we head into December, I want to share our December Attendance Challenge with you and the reasons behind it.

Missing just 10% of the school year is associated with reading difficulties and low performance on standardized assessments. Historically, our school attendance is great August through October and then it begins to fall off. Some of that may be due to winter illnesses, but some of it is also because of holiday travel, students wanting to stay home and snuggle in, and maybe even the belief that students aren't missing anything important because teachers are doing a lot of "holiday fluff" activities. Having taught in the classroom for many years before becoming a principal, I can attest that Trimester 2 (November through February) is a time when lessons are focused and we are moving at a quick pace. Students are all warmed up and into routines and we hit deep reading and comprehension, extensive writing, and difficult math concepts during Trimester 2. Of course, most classes will have some kind of holiday celebration on or around the 19th (our last day before break), but that won't be all day and students won't want to miss that. So, please join us in coming to school every day that students are healthy in December. Here's what our incentive will look like:

The 12 Days of Presence (see what we did there?)

Each day beginning December 4th, our attendance clerk will tally up the attendance rates for each class (# present/# enrolled). We'll draw one winner from the class with the highest attendance rate in each grade level. Students must be present to win;) The winner will earn a book of choice! They will also have their picture taken and put on our presents in the office.

In addition, we are also having a school-to-school competition between the Shasta Meadows Tigers and the Alta Mesa Eagles. Each day we will check which school has the best attendance rate that day. The school with the overall best attendance rate from 12/4 - 12/18 will earn a Hot Cocoa Party for Every Student!! We plan to have some fun with the daily contest and send out daily updates with mascot pictures to inspire the students to come in December and learn through the winter as much as we did through the fall.

Along with the attendance challenge, here are some upcoming events happening on campus this week.

• Soccer game schedule - Tuesday, December 3rd we will be at home vs. Shasta Meadows and on Thursday, December 5th we will be away at Mistletoe. All games are at 3:00pm.
• Booster Club meeting on Wednesday, December 4th at 6:00 in the Library. Booster Club will be going over the Alta Mesa Holiday Shoppe. Please see below for more information.
• There is a Lockdown drill is scheduled for Friday, December 6th.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Courtney Haedrich

Principal-Alta Mesa School

Did you know that after November 1st, the day after Halloween, the day before Christmas Break had the second highest rate of absenteeism last year? We are challenging our students to maintain high attendance rates between Thanksgiving and Christmas Breaks and that everyone is here for some special learning and events on December 19th (minimum day), the last day before our two-week break.

Parents, help us encourage your children to finish 2024 with the same excitement we carried into the beginning of the year! Help your child by prioritizing good rest, holding to homework routines, and coming to school every day ready to learn. The break is coming, but until then, every day counts for learning!

Monday:

Minimum Day - Dismissal at 1:23pm

Tuesday:

Student Lighthouse Team Meeting (12:00-12:40)

2nd Grade Tutoring (2:15-3:15)

4/5 Soccer Game @ Alta Mesa (3:00-4:00)

Wednesday: Attendance Challenge Starts

2nd Grade Tutoring (2:15-3:15)

Garden Club (2:30-3:30)

Soccer Practice (2:30-3:30)

Student Lighthouse Team Meeting (2:30-3:30)

Booster Club Meeting (6:00-7:00)

Thursday:

Student Lighthouse Team Meeting (12:00-12:40)

2nd Grade Tutoring (2:15-3:15)

4/5 Soccer Game @ Mistletoe (3:00-4:00)

Friday:

Lockdown Drill

Ski & Snowboard Club Meeting (2:20-2:50)

4/5 Basketball Camp (2:30-3:30)

The Booster Club will be meeting on Wednesday, December 6th in the Library from 6:00-7:00.

Here are some of the items Booster Club will be going over:

• Holiday Shoppe - Set up, parent volunteers needed, teacher shopping schedule

Our Student Lighthouse Team will be selling Candy Cane Grams starting on Monday, Dec 9th through Friday, Dec 13th. Students will be selling grams in front of the office before and after school. Each Candy Cane Gram will be $0.50 or you can purchase a class set for $10.00.

Candy Cane Grams will be handed out on Thursday, December 19th!

Cookie dough is scheduled to arrive at Alta Mesa on Tuesday, December 10th. Families who purchased items, please make arrangements to pick up your items after school from the office. Please make sure you pick up all items by 4:00PM because we do NOT have a place to store items overnight.

Booster Club is hosting a Holiday Shoppe at Alta Mesa for students! The shoppe will be open Wednesday, December 11th through Friday, December 13th. Students will be allotted time during class to shop in the store for gifts for their families! All items will be priced between $1 - $5. Flyers will be sent home this week!

Don’t want students coming to school with cash? Parents can pre-purchase a gift card for their student before the holiday shoppe opens! Gift cards can be purchased HERE in advance of the holiday shoppe. Students can print out their gift card OR a volunteer can easily look up the student within the cash register app.

Our code is VXHN857.

Booster Club is in need of parent volunteers for the Holiday Shoppe. Please sign up HERE if you can spare a little time to help students shop and wrap gifts for their families. It's a great way to get involved because students are very excited to get this opportunity to shop on their own!

Please join us on in the Alta Mesa gym on Thursday, December 19th at 9:00am for our annual Christmas Sing-Along. This is such a fun event at Alta Mesa. Each class works really hard on their songs and are excited to perform for their parents, grandparents, and guardians. Everyone is welcome! We hope to see you all there!

The gym doors will open at 8:45am and we will start promptly at 9:00am.

Christmas break starts on Friday, December 20th and we return to school on Tuesday, January 7th. Please note a few things:

• Thursday, December 19th is a minimum day - dismissal is at 1:23pm
• 12/20 - 1/03 Christmas Break - NO SCHOOL
• 1/06 - Staff Development Day - NO SCHOOL
• 1/07 - All Students Return to School
  

2nd Grade Tutoring: Lori Duke

11/5 - 11/14

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

&

12/3 - 12-12

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

Meetings: Fridays 2:20-2:45

Trips to Mt. Shasta:

TBD

Practice: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 2:30-3:30

**Practice will only be on Wednesdays when games start**

Games: All games are at 3:00PM

11/05: Lassen View @ Alta Mesa

11/06: Alta Mesa @ Bethel

11/07: Alta Mesa @ Shasta Meadows

11/12: Mistletoe @ Alta Mesa

11/14: Boulder Creek @ Alta Mesa

11/19: Alta Mesa @ Rother

11/21: Alta Mesa @ Lassen View

12/03: Shasta Meadows @ Alta Mesa

12/05: Alta Mesa @ Mistletoe

12/10: Alta Mesa @ Boulder Creek

12/12: Rother @ Alta Mesa

Camp Dates: Fridays 2:30-3:30

**11/22 will be 1:30-2:30 due to parent/teacher conference week**

10/04, 10/11, 10/18

11/08, 11/15, 11/22

12/06, 12/13

All Meetings will be Wednesdays 2:30 - 3:30 - Except Wednesday, September 11

9/04, 9/18, 9/25

10/09, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30

11/06, 11/13

12/04, 12/11, 12/18

1/15, 1/22, 1/29

2/05, 2/12, 2/26

3/05, 3/12, 3/19

4/02, 4/09, 4/23, 4/30

Meeting Dates:

Tuesdays and Thursdays during 4/5 lunch: 12:00-12:40

Wednesdays 2:30-3:30

• 12/04: Booster Club Meeting
• 12/04-12/19: 12 Days of Presence
  
• 12/06: Lockdown Drill
• 12/10: Cookie Dough Pick Up
• 12/11-12/13: Holiday Shoppe
  
• 12/19: Christmas Sing-Along - MINIMUM DAY
  
• 12/20-1/06: Christmas Recess - NO SCHOOL+
• 12/24-25: District Office Closed
• 01/01: District Office Closed
  

This month, we’re focusing on Habit 3: Put First Things First. At our school, we want every student to understand the power of prioritizing! This habit is all about setting and completing our most important tasks first. When we focus on what matters most - whether it's schoolwork, teamwork, or personal responsibilities - we create a strong foundation for success. Together, let's practice balancing work with fun, focusing on our goals, and making smart choices that keep us moving forward!

CDPH has moved to a general framework to reduce the spread of all viral illnesses. There are no specific or differentiated guidelines for Covid alone. Please see the flyer below for information on what to do when your student is ill. If you have any questions, please contact our office.

Alta Mesa is a Preschool-5th Grade, as well as Mrs. Vice's 6th-8th Graders. At Alta Mesa, we believe that every student deserves a safe, enjoyable learning environment with exceptional instruction. Our caring, highly qulaified staff is committed to meeting the individual needs of each student in all academic areas. We believe that in order for students to grow intellectually and attain academic success, we must also address their social, emotional, and physical needs. We have been recognized for the past 5 years as a Capturing Kids Hearts National Showcase School. For more information you can follow us on facebook @altamesaschool or go to our website altmesa.eesd.net.

Address: 2301 Saturn Skyway, Redding Ca. 96002

School Phone: (530) 224-4130

Principal - Courtney Haedrich

School Secretary - Kaylene Elliott

Student Services Clerk - Michelle Poland