COLINA MIDDLE SCHOOL

August 21, 2023

In this newsletter:

Colina, Welcome Back, Parent Information

CVUSD 2023-2024 Calendar

Dear Colina Families:

Orientations were held this week, and schedules were distributed. It was great meeting our new families and seeing the smiling faces of our returning families. If you could not make it to Orientation, please know our counseling office is open from 8 am-4 pm and available to assist you and your student. Our student store will also be open from 9 am-noon on Friday, 8/18, and Monday, 8/21, if you need PE clothes, spirit wear, locks, etc.

School will begin on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. If not received at Orientation, students with an A Period should report at 7:30 am to pick up their class schedules from the Counseling Office, then proceed to their A Period classes. Students who start with Period 1 should report at 8:30 to pick up their schedules from the Counseling Office, then proceed to their Period 1 class. Some food items will be sold in the cafeteria between Periods A and 1. Period 1 will be considered each student’s homeroom. This year's bell schedule is below.

Student Schedules- Schedules not picked up at Orientation can be picked up in the Counseling Office on the first day of school. The only program changes that will be made are grade-level errors or those needed to balance classes. No changes will be made based on preference for a different teacher, a different order of classes, or the like. Questions should be directed to the Counseling Office at 495-7429, ext. 1012.

Parent Access to Campus

Parent Access to Campus- With middle school comes some natural anxieties. We have worked hard with WEB to create many opportunities for making the transition from elementary to middle exciting and welcoming. Parents, it is best to begin allowing independence to flourish and perhaps saying goodbye in the car or at the gate; having your parent walk you on campus is not necessarily the most popular choice these days. If your student is finding some difficulty and you need that time to assist them, we will ask that parents sign into the office's Raptor System to receive a campus pass. Parents will need their driver's license to scan in.

Bus Transportation

The bus transportation, schedule, and stop information is available on the CVUSD website, www.conejousd.org. This is a fee-based transportation program. This program is available for students living three or more miles from the school in the Westlake, North Ranch, Lake Sherwood, and Los Robles Golf Course areas. The district establishes the rules that will be enforced for students who ride the bus. Applications must be completed with parent signatures and appropriate fees to the Conejo School District Office paid before passes can be issued. Once you have been issued a pass from the school district, if you lose your pass, there will be a $10.00 fee to order a replacement pass at the student store.

CVUSD Child Nutrition:

Hot lunches, a la carte items, and Breakfast and lunch meal services will be available at all schools. All students will receive free meals during the 23-24 school year. Because the federal government no longer provides funding for this option, we ask that all parents complete the free meal application. Parents or guardians must apply for free meals as soon as possible. You can complete the meal application online by visiting https://conejo.vcoe.org/fsonline/Main/Login to complete the application online, or paper applications will be available at the District Office all summer. If you have any questions or need assistance completing your application, please call Child Nutrition at (805)498-4557 x7530.

• It is vital to be sure your student brings their student ID to school daily, especially if they are participating in the free lunch program, as IDs need to be scanned.

The Colina School Site Council, which consists of parents and staff representatives, collaboratively implements our School Improvement Program. You are invited to attend the first Site Council meeting on Tuesday, September 5th, at 3:30 pm. We will elect parent representatives at the first meeting.

The PTSA Board invites you to join their active and enthusiastic organization at Orientation. Their assistance is a critical part of our success. Please visit our Colina PTSA web page at https://www.colinaptsa.com/ . If you would like to VOLUNTEER your time to the school in any way, please get in touch with the PTSA parent volunteer coordinator or Anita Chiapuzio, the School Office Manager, at 495-7429, ext. 1000. We look forward to you being part of our school community.

Our Welcome Back Dance and Social will be on Friday, August 25th. The 6th Grade Social will take place from 3:30–5:00 pm. The 7th and 8th Grade Dance will take place from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Students who have purchased ASB Cougar Cards will get in free. Admission for other students will be $10.00. Mark your calendars…you won’t want to miss this event!

School Pictures: During PE classes, student yearbook pictures will be taken on Thursday, August 31st. COLINA STUDENT ID CARDS MUST BE CARRIED BY STUDENTS AT ALL TIMES and are used for cafeteria purchases, library book check-out, computer use, ball/equipment check-out, etc.

Cell Phones

Reminder, electronic devices/cellphones/ear or air pods must be turned off during the school day. Students may use their cell phones at the blue benches before school and lunch to call or text parents/guardians; Colina assumes no liability for lost or stolen cell phones. Phones being used on campus or in classrooms will result in losing citizenship points and parent conferences. (Please encourage your students to be responsible users of this technology and to keep locker combinations secret!) Cellphone downtime/wellness is encouraged during school hours; see instructions below.

I look forward to seeing all parents at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, September 14th, from 6:00–8:00 pm. With your support, this will be an excellent year. Please call if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely-

Shane Frank, Principal

Gates Open- "A" period will start promptly at 7:55 a.m., with period 1 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Gates will open at 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. To provide appropriate supervision, please do not drop off earlier than our supervisors are available. Likewise, students who dismiss at 2:19 p.m. will need to be picked up by 2:45 p.m. due to supervision.

Late Start Tuesdays

Reminder, every Tuesday this year will be a LATE START DAY. Our first LATE START DAY will be Tuesday, 8/29/23. There is no A period meeting on this day, and gates will open at 9:30 am, with Period 1 starting at 10:00 am. If you need to drop off your student early, please know that our Library and Auditorium will be open for study hall from 7:30 am to 9:30 am. The Boys & Girls Club also offers programming during this time; if that is of interest to you, please visit this web page.

As we prepare for the upcoming academic year, I want to review our traffic procedures for drop-off and pick-up to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and drivers. Our primary concern is the well-being of our school community, and by following these guidelines, we can create a smooth traffic flow that prioritizes safety while maintaining convenience for everyone.

1. Follow Campus Supervisor Instructions: When entering the campus, please adhere to the directions provided by our campus supervisors and administrators. They are here to ensure the safety of our students and will guide you through the appropriate routes.
2. Maximize Traffic Flow: To optimize traffic flow, we have prepared a map showing the correct routes for drop-off and pick-up. Please follow the designated paths to help maintain a steady movement of vehicles.
3. Busiest Times: Our busiest periods are from 7:35AM to 7:55 AM and 8:30-9:00 during morning drop-off and 2:15-2:35 PM and 3:05-3:30 PM for afternoon pick-up. If possible, consider having your child walk to a meeting point a short distance from the school or arrange to pick them up at 3:30 PM when traffic subsides.
4. No Parking at Ascension Lutheran: We are grateful to Ascension Lutheran for being great neighbors, so please refrain from using their parking lot for drop-off/pick-up.
5. No Left Turns: Between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, it is not permitted to make a left turn out of our parking lot onto Hillcrest Drive. Violating this rule can result in tickets issued by the Thousand Oaks Police Department.
6. Crosswalk Safety: If your child needs to cross the street, we strongly advise using the crosswalk with the City crossing guard. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind:

• Always use the designated crosswalk and follow the instructions of the crossing guards.
• Wait for the signal from the City crossing guards before crossing the road.
• Look both ways before stepping onto the crosswalk, even if the light indicates it's safe to cross.
• Encourage your child to walk, not run, across the crosswalk.
• Remind your child to pay attention to traffic and avoid distractions like electronic devices while crossing the road.

1. School Bus Zone: The area directly in front of the school (marked in red and yellow) is designated for school buses only. During peak hours (8:30 AM to 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM), dropping off or picking up students in this area is not allowed for safety reasons.
2. Exit Options: Turn RIGHT onto Hillcrest Drive after drop-off or pick-up.
3. East Staff Lot Restricted: For the safety of our students, the east lot near Ascension Lutheran is reserved for faculty/staff parking only. Please refrain from dropping off or picking up your child in this lot.
4. Avoid Left Turns into the Parking Lot: Turning left into our parking lot from Hillcrest Drive can be hazardous and may lead to longer wait times. It is recommended to take Erbes Road to Thousand Oaks Boulevard to Rancho Road, leading to a smooth right turn into the parking lot.
5. City's Traffic Assistance: The City has extended the green light duration at the intersections of Hillcrest Drive and Erbes Road during our heaviest traffic times. This measure aims to alleviate congestion and enhance traffic flow.

As we implement these traffic guidelines, we acknowledge that the first few days might be hectic as everyone gets accustomed to the system. However, with your cooperation and patience, we are confident that you will find the most suitable approach to pick up your child safely and efficiently.

Please don't hesitate to share your suggestions with us. We have diligently studied traffic flow at Colina for years, and your input is valuable to us. Together, we can ensure the safety and well-being of our students during drop-off and pick-up times. VIDEO CLICK HERE

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Let's work together to make this academic year a safe and successful one for everyone.

Now more than ever before, we have noticed that many of our students are having a hard time staying away from their cell phones during the school day, as their apps continue to send constant notifications from their social media accounts.

To help create a great learning environment, we are asking for your support in setting time limits on on your child's phone during the school day. As the owner of your child's account, each and every cell phone has the capability to set WELLNESS or DOWNTIME limits and controls on social media apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, etc. By doing so, we can model the expectation that in school, students should be fully engaged with their class and not distracted by their devices.

In addition to supporting the learning environment, we also believe that limiting phone usage during the school day will help our students grow and develop the social skills they will need for successful interactions. We encourage you to think of it as a modern day chore/reward chart; first this.... then you earn certain time such as access to their phone and social media apps.

We understand that managing screen time can be a challenge, but with your support, we are confident that we can create a positive and productive learning environment for all of our students. Remember we have to teach our kids about balance, time and place. (works for homework time too) I hope this helps:

Setting Wellness/Downtime Limits for IPHONE

Setting Wellness/Downtime Limits for SAMSUNG

Thank you for your consideration-

Click here for Project Summary Video

Proposed Phases for Measure I Modernization:

Phase 1: ADA Compliant Path of Travel, New Student Seating, New Fencing

• 6/17/23-8/15/23 Summer Project 2023

Phase 2: New Science Building Classrooms and Labs

• 8/1/23-12/29/23 Fall/Winter Project

Phase 3: Complete Entry Drive flow of traffic and Parking Lots

• 6/14/23-8/21/23 Summer of 2024