Last week we ended Friday the 13th on an exciting note! We started the morning with a Barn Owl Assembly where students learned all about owls, their habits and habitats. We even installed an owl box habitat on the back side of the field that students and classes have had an opportunity to check out frequently. We also had our annual Walk-A-Thon Kick Off Assembly! Our theme this year is "Camp Sequoia". What you may not know is that our 6th graders picked the theme at the end of last year for their last walkathon of elementary school. I think they did a great job! You should have received a packet with all the information you'll need about the day of the Walk a thon, pledges and more. Remember that the BLUE FORM from the packet is due now! If you are interested in helping at this event, please click the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d49acac22a3f85-sequoia2.

I can't wait for October 11th!

I have good news to share! Our new app now has the ability to report absences. To access it, click the school building on the top right, select Sequoia, and then click the top left button with three lines and click "Absence Report". This should be filled out each day your child is absent. You may still call in absences if you prefer, but we find the app to be a much easier way to communicate with us about why your child is not at school. Speaking of absences, September is Attendance Awareness Month! Missing just two days of school each month means a child misses 10% of the school year. It all adds up, so please do your best to get your child to school on time, everyday!

Next week begins two weeks of parent-teacher conferences (Sept. 23-Oct.4). During this time, school will be dismissed at 1:55pm. Please make sure to make arrangements for this early release time. Conferences are a great time to get one-on-one time with your child's teacher but most of all, it is an opportunity for you to share your child's strengths, challenges and interests. We are getting to know each child's personality, learning styles and more, but you know them best and that information is valuable. If you haven't scheduled a conference yet, please be in touch with your child's teacher.

Mrs. Clark

Pledgestar helps make it easier for some families to request pledges from their family and friends who may be out of town or who would like to pay with a credit card. If you’d like to try this out, you can start requesting pledges now!

· Go to http://pledgestar.com/sequoia

· Enter your name and email address, then click Register

· Follow the instructions as prompted

When you finish, the system will email pledge requests to your family and friends, and allows them to make secure credit card donations online or send in checks. You get notified each time a pledge is made, and you can track your pledge progress online. Call 1-888-598-7510 if you need help.

Robert Ferguson Observatory at Sugar Loaf State Park has teamed up with the Sonoma County Library to present a Young Astronomers Club with meetings at different library branches throughout September.

The Young Astronomers Club is open to children grades 4 through 9. Each Saturday in September, a telescope will be available for solar viewing of the Sun at certain library branches, and Young Astronomers meetings will be held each Monday night at other library branches. Participants will be entered into a raffle to receive a free telescope.

The astronomy group is interactive. Students use their telescopes to present “star parties” at Sugar Loaf for campers and visitors, as well as at Yosemite National Park (in conjunction with the National Park Service) on a weekend during the summer when available (this year the group in August took telescopes to Glacier Point and presented a star party to park visitors, showing the clouds of Jupiter and rings of Saturn).

It is a fun way for children who have an interest in astronomy or related science topics to expand their experience and demonstrate their observatory skills. Click the links below for more information!

• September 23rd - Oct. 4th - Fall Conferences and Book Fair

• September 25th - Dine and Donate @ Rosso (RVEF)

• October 11th - Walk-a-Thon

Location: 5305 Dupont Drive, Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Phone: 707-539-3410