Cougar Family Newsletter
August 7th, 2023
NOTE FROM MRS. RAMOS
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we approach the end of the school year, we would like to remind you that with the warmer weather, it is essential for your students to have a refillable water bottle and to apply sunscreen at home if desired.
We would like to take a moment to express our gratitude to our outstanding teachers for their tireless efforts and dedication throughout the year. To show our appreciation, we will be celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week from May 6th to May 10th, and we invite you to join us by showing your appreciation and support to our teachers through administration.
We are also in need of donations to replenish our recess equipment. If you are able to contribute, please let administration know, and we will create an Amazon wish list for our next newsletter.
We would like to take a moment to highlight an exciting event that took place this past week. Our 6th-grade students enjoyed an amazing field trip to the Exploratorium, organized by their dedicated teachers. The students and parents had a fantastic time, making wonderful memories.
We encourage you to carefully read all future newsletters, as they contain important updates and information regarding school events and activities.
Best Regards,
Callison Admin
CAASPP SCHEDULE
Dear School Community,
We would like to inform you that CASSPP testing will soon be taking place. Our 5th-grade students will begin administering the Science portion of the test from the week of April 29th, with ELA and Math following in the following two weeks in May. If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding the testing, please feel free to reach out to your child's teachers.
Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Best regards,
Callison Admin
CALLISON EVENTS
ENROLLMENT
SPREAD THE WORD.......
Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is open!
If your child’s birthdate is between 9/2/2018-9/1/2019, then they are eligible for Kindergarten next school year!
Please visit vacavilleusd.org to enroll online or come by the office to pick up a paper packet.
TEACHER OF THE WEEK: MRS. JOHNSON
Mrs. Johnson is an exceptional educator who consistently brings enthusiasm and energy to her daily lessons. With experience teaching upper elementary and lower elementary students, she has developed engaging and interactive teaching methods that cater to diverse learning needs. Additionally, Mrs. Johnson has made significant contributions to our school community through her involvement in various committees, currently serving as our Science Fair Director and PBIS Team member. Her dedication to her students is evident, and she is an invaluable asset to our school community, genuinely caring for each student and fostering a positive learning environment.
Attention Parents! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN BEFORE 7:45
Don't drop children off before 7:45 am
Parents and Guardians for the safety of your child (ren), please do not drop off your child before 7:45 am. We don't have supervision prior to 7:45 am, thus it is a safety concern. Thank you for your cooperation.
SPIRIT DAYS
IMPORTANT READ BELOW
COLLEGE OR CAREER CLOTHING ON WEDNESDAYS TO PROMOTE OUR A.V.I.D. MINDSET!
On Fridays, WE CELEBRATE BEING A COUGAR WITH SPIRIT WEAR FRIDAYS. Please wear Callison COLORS or GEAR EVERY FRIDAY!
6th Grade Parent and Immunization Information
AR INFORMATION
the deadline for students to get their name on the AR t-shirts is Friday, May 3. Criteria is as follows:
K-3: 100,000 or more OR 1,000,000 or more
4-6: 1,000,000 or more
All SDC: 100,000 or more OR 1,000,000 or more
COMMUNITY EVENTS, TUTORING, ACTIVITIES
Celebrate with BioVIlle
BioVille celebrates the biotechnology and biomanufacturing community in Vacaville, encouraging everyone, young and old, to learn more about the science that makes them genetically unique through events open to the public. BioVille activities are planned for April 24-26, 2024.
Register for a BioVille.us to participate.
A.V.I.D. What is it?
What is AVID? Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is an in-school academic support program for ALL STUDENTS. The purpose of the program is to prepare students for COLLEGE AND CAREER eligibility and success. This week we had our first AVID rally and it was a SUCCESS! We are excited for all the future AVID strategies and integration in our classrooms in the upcoming months and years!
In the elementary school years, teachers create an environment that supports the idea that anyone can be college-bound. They encourage students to dream big and help them start developing important study and organizational skills. Schools invite students to begin thinking about their future college and career path in an age-appropriate way. The goal is to create a ripple effect that takes students into their secondary years with an open, ambitious mindset.
AVID FOR THE FAMILIES
AVID provides support that educators and students need to encourage college and career readiness and success. Each week, Sierra Vista will be highlighting a specific College and Career! Consider reading and discussing this together as a family.
Career of the Week: Cloud Architect
A cloud architect is responsible for an organization's cloud computing system. They work with cloud technology to develop cloud adoption plans, determine cloud application design, and create systems for managing, monitoring, and maintaining the cloud system.
College of the Week: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“MIT offers both graduate and undergraduate education. There are five academic schools—the School of Architecture and Planning, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science, the MIT Sloan School of Management, and the School of Science—and the Whitaker College of Health Sciences and Technology. While MIT is perhaps best known for its programs in engineering and the physical sciences, other areas—notably economics, political science, urban studies, linguistics, and philosophy—are also strong. Admission is extremely competitive, and undergraduate students are often able to pursue their own original research. Total enrollment is about 10,000.”
BEHAVIOR NUGGETS
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
IndependentStudyUpdate!
Recently, there was a change in EdCode regarding Short Term Independent Study, (ISP). Until now, the minimum number of days required to request ISP was 5 days, this number of days has now been reduced to 3.
ISPQuickFacts:
* You can now request ISP for a minimum of (3) days.
* You must request ISP a minimum of (10) days in advance by completing the attached form.
* Students can only use a maximum of (14) ISP days a school year.
* Students will have 5 days upon return to turn in completed work.
ATTENDANCE FACTS
EXCUSED ABSENCES:
Student illness
Medical appointment
Dental appointment
Judicial appointment
Funeral
Steps to Follow if a Student is Absent: ***
1. A parent or guardian may phone the school to report an absence or send a note with the student when they return to school. Within 72 hours of returning to school the absence must be cleared. If there is no phone call or note returned, the student will be marked truant. Our office follows up with monthly attendance letters informing parents of truancies or tardies.
2. Notes need to have the following information
Name of student
Date(s) of absence
Reason for absence
Signature of Parent or Guardian
3. The student should ask the teacher for make-up assignments. Assignments not made up may be reflected in the student’s grades.
ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCE READ ALL ABOUT IT
Good news, Parents/Guardians! You may report an absence using our new online form. You can find it on our website ( www.callison.vacavilleusd.org ) under the Information Tab marked Attendance or by clicking on the Parent tab directly. The absence will be sent directly to the attendance clerk.
¡Buenas noticias, padres/tutores! Puede informar una ausencia utilizando nuestro nuevo formulario en línea. Puede encontrarlo en nuestro sitio web (www.callison.vacavilleusd.org) en la pestaña Información marcada como Asistencia o haciendo clic directamente en la pestaña Padres. La ausencia se enviará directamente al secretario de asistencia.
*Rebecca Locarnini
Office Assistant I, Attendance Clerk
Jean Callison Elementary School
SAFETY AND SECURITY AT CALLISON
Parking Lot
Thank you, parents and guardians, for doing their best to get their child(ren) to school on time. We appreciate this since we promote punctuality here at school. However, our parking lot is for staff and disabled parking only. Our teachers are not able to attain a parking spot in the morning due to families parking in the lot. It is imperative that our teachers are able to find parking and to get to their classrooms in a timely manner. We are working with Vacaville Police Department to enforce traffic laws and red curbed areas for student safety. To avoid citations, please make drop off and pick arrangements to allow our staff to use the parking lot accordingly. Thank you for your cooperation and support. Callison Admin
PARENT SQUARE INFORMATION
Parent Square Communication is a unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with VUSD. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
Send and receive school and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
Schedule parent-teacher conferences
and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.
Jean Callison and Volunteers
Welcome back volunteers and visitors! We are excited to be preparing for a new school year. We would love to see you return as one of our valued volunteers for the 2023-2024 school year. We are honored by your commitment and dedication.
If you have already completed a volunteer form and have been approved to volunteer you DO NOT have to complete another form. Please check with your students teacher to ensure that you are listed as a volunteer.
First, we do differentiate between visitors and volunteers. Examples of each have been provided to assist you in the determination of which category you fit into. Secondly, only individuals falling into the screened volunteer category will be required to complete a background check. We recommend completing the volunteer application and background check early in the school year to ensure that you are able to work with students, support teachers on campus during the school day, supporting fun campus events, or attending field trips throughout the school year.
Additional information regarding volunteer opportunities will be sent out by teachers.
- Make sure to complete a volunteer form and a background check on file prior to offering to volunteer on campus. Volunteer forms are available in the front office and will be available during Kindergarten Orientation, Open Campus event on August 16th, at the PTO table at Back to School Night, and in the front office.
Vistor
A Visitor is a parent, relative, or other adult with permission of the child’s parent or guardian who visits the school for a specific event or reason, or attends an off-campus school-sponsored event. There is no reasonable expectation that a visitor would be alone with a child other than their own.
A Visitor checks in at the front office, presents their identification and wears a “Visitor” sticker at all times while in the building, at an off-campus school event during school hours.
Volunteer Definition
Screened Volunteers are adults who assist teachers, administrators, or other staff in public school classrooms, schools, or school district programs and who do not receive compensation for their work.
Screened Volunteers serve under the guidance and direction of district personnel. Volunteers have submitted a Volunteer Application to the school district, have cleared a background check, and will wear identifying stickers or badges at all times while on school grounds or at school-sponsored events. All Volunteers, like all adults entering our school buildings, must check in at the front desk and present their identification.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM ELOP (Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP)
What does unduplicated mean or how do I know if I qualify for FREE after school care for ELOP/ASES?
Qualifications are based on income, as well as students who are foster or homeless.
What is the customer service number for the program (varies by school site served)
Creative Art Reach: 707-371-5900
What if I have questions about the program or billing who do I contact?
You would contact the specific program at their customer service number to answer these questions.
Creative Art Reach: 707-371-5900
I completed the interest form that was sent to unduplicated families over summer who may qualify for FREE from VUSD, now what?
The company has sent a registration link to the email that was noted on the form with next steps on registering, as well as any codes needed to sign up. If you have not heard from them you can contact their customer service phone line.