SHES Weekly Update

Dear Shadow Hills Families,

This past week was full of field trips, differentiated learning, and fantastic weather. Our first-grade classes went to Sherman Heights for a cultural visit where they deepened their knowledge about Día de los muertos and the Hispanic culture. Our fifth graders also visited the Viejas fire station and experienced some amazing behind-the-scenes of daily firefighter life.

This coming week will be starting strong with our school-wide Halloween parade. We invite all families to attend. Families are asked to stand on the grass or dirt outside their child's classrooms. Classes will be walking up and down each hallway. Families are asked to stay in one spot during the parade. This will ensure all will be able to see the classes come by. Once the parade is over, there will be an announcement asking all families to please say their goodbyes and leave campus so instruction can begin. If you are taking photos, please respect others' privacy and only post photos of your child on social media.

"Día de los muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated November 1 - November 2. Día de los muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the deceased enjoyed in life. Students in each Spanish class will learn more about the traditions and meaning behind this cultural tradition on Tuesday and Wednesday.

We will have a PTA meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm, where we will debrief on the Fall Festival and start planning for the Veteran's Breakfast (Please see flyer below). And lastly, Wednesday is an early release day at 2:02 pm.

I'm looking forward to another fantastic week at Shadow. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Meris

Here at school, we have been very busy learning about gratitude - what it means, and how we can practice it! Learning happens best when it is done both at school and at home. Below are many ways that you can help you child continue to learn about the theme gratitude through reading about it, talking about it, and practicing it! We have really enjoyed exploring this topic at school, and I hope your family will enjoy it just as much!

Reading About It

Here are some books to help you learn more respect:

Practice It!

Start a gratitude journal with your child! Get a blank notebook and work together to design it. Each night, spend time together adding the things you are thankful for. It is fun to review your list every once in a while to see all of the things you have to be grateful for!

Talk About It!

Here are some discussion points to help you talk about courage with your child:

• What do you think gratitude means and why is it important?
• How do you think being grateful for what you have can affect your attitude?
• What are some big things you are thankful for? What are some small things?
• What are some things you can do at home and at school to remember to be more thankful?

The students of Joan McQueen Middle School share why they love their school and all it has to offer! Tune in now.

We are please to announce the launch of the Alpine Union Academy, a free after-school tutoring and enrichment program for Alpine Union students. In grades TK-2nd grade, our focus will center around early literacy, while grades 3rd and above will focus on supporting math. To support our students in our dual language program, tutoring will also be available in both English and Spanish. Tutoring will be available Monday - Thursday from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. We anticipate the Alpine Union Academy starting in November. To gauge your interest, please fill out the survey link below by Monday, October 31st, if you would like your child to participate.

This year, our Fall Festival and Halloween fall on different weeks. Students are asked to only dress up at school on Monday, October 31st. We wanted to give you plenty of time to ready those costumes with these guidelines in mind:

• No weapons of any kind

• No blood/gore

• Costume must be school appropriate

• No mask

• No costumes that promote the use of illegal substances or activities, or are derogatory, violent or disrespectful

On Monday, October 31st, we will be having our Halloween Costume Parade around campus. Parents that are wanting to watch, are asked to stand on the grass or dirt outside their child's classroom. Classes will be walking up and down each hallway. Parents staying in one spot will be able to see all classes come by. Once the parade is over, there will be an announcement asking all parents to please say their goodbyes and leave campus so instruction can begin. If you are taking photos, please respect others privacy and only post photos of your own child to social media.

“Día de los muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated November 1 - November 2. Although marked throughout Latin America, Dia de los muertos is most strongly associated with Mexico, where the tradition originated.

Día de los muertos honors the deceased with festivals and lively celebrations. It’s a typically Latin American custom brought to the region by Spanish conquistadores.

Assured that the deceased would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Día de los muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the deceased enjoyed in life. Dia de los muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community.

The most familiar symbol of Día de los muertos may be the calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are almost always portrayed as enjoying life, often in fancy clothes and entertaining situations.

If your family would like to learn more, Old Town San Diego usually hosts an event each year at the end of October. Also- “Coco” & “The Book of Life” are both great movies for kids that pertain to this theme.

Taste of Alpine will take place on Saturday, November 5th from 9am to 3pm. Alpine's 1st Annual Taste of Alpine is a self-guided restaurant and business tour. Ticket holders will receive a 'Passport Book' the day of the event that will have a map of all the participating restaurants and businesses. You will get to pick and choose which restaurants and/or businesses you would like to visit. There is no requirement on which one to visit first, second, third etc. Participating restaurants will choose what samples of food to have that best highlights their restaurant. Ticket holders are responsible for their own transportation to and from each restaurant or business. This is a Rain or Shine event so please plan accordingly. Shadow Hills PTA is the major beneficiary of the event.

The Kumeyaay Kids Gathering is a Free event that is open to the kids of the community. We will be providing free food and free giveaways throughout the day. We will be having a Semi-Pro Basketball Team performing named The Flight Squad putting on an exhibition game. We will also have a number of guest speakers from the community, Kumeyaay Bird Singers and Royalty, along with traditional games. We will hosting a career fair where the kids can connect with professionals from different industries and learn more about the profession and get them excited about further education. This event will be held on Saturday, November 5th, 2022, at San Diego City College’s Harry West Gym 1400 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101 from 9am to 5pm.

Please review and save this handbook for reference throughout the year.

• Water bottles - It is extremely important that your child brings a water bottle to school DAILY. We do have multiple water bottling filling stations on-site to refill their bottles.

If you are planning on volunteering this school year, please fill out our Volunteer Packet and return it to the Shadow Hills office.

• Halloween Parade, 9 am

• PTA Meeting, 6 pm, Room 15

• Early Dismissal, 2:02 pm

• Wear SHES Spirit Gear

11/1 - PTA Meeting

11/2 - Early Dismissal

11/9 - Hats Off To Kind People - Wear Your Favorite Hat

11/9 - AUSD Board of Trustees Meeting

11/10 - PTA Veteran's Breakfast

11/10 - Spirit Assemblies

11/11 - Veterans Day - No School

11/14 - 18 - Parent Teacher Conferences

11/21 - 25 - Fall Break

12/1 - 4th Grade Punkin' Chunkin'