Mustang News

October 19 School Picture Retake Day

October 19 CogAT for Grades 3-7: Registration opens (see below)

October 21 Parenting Workshop - POSTPONED

October 22-November 15 Scouting for Food

October 22-31 Sloat Garden Center Giveback

October 25 Dyslexia Simulation (see Community News)

October 25-29 Red Ribbon Week

October 26 STEAM (GATE) Parent Informational Meeting, 6:00-7:00 PM, Virtual Meeting (see below)

October 28 PTA Parents & Caregivers Mix and Mingle

October 28 4th Grade Walk Thru California

October 29 Halloween Parade 8:15 AM (time updated), Class Parties

November 1-3 Restaurant Giveback with Hazy BBQ in Danville

November 1 School Recess No School

November 2 Teacher Work Day - No School

November 11 Veteran's Day - No School

November 12 Teacher Work Day - No School

November 22-26 Thanksgiving Holiday - No School

November 28 Alamo Rotary Tree Lighting Family Event, 4:30-6:30 PM, Oak Tree Plaza, Alamo

October Calendar

2021-22 SRVUSD Instructional Calendar

2021-22 Bell Schedules

Per the District protocol, all schools send one to three letters for every positive Covid reported:

1. One to the school community (staff & parents) notifying them of the exposure,
2. If applicable, a letter to the unmasked close contacts, and
3. If applicable, a letter to the masked close contacts.

We show three cases reported on our district Dashboard, but one of the three was reported in error. Alamo Staff or Families and Caregivers should have received two community letters to date:

1. September 7 from Principal Salazar
2. September 28 from Ann Dodson.

Unfortunately, we discovered that the letter to the school community from September 28 didn't reach all staff, families, and caregivers due to a system glitch. We apologize. More controls have been created to ensure letters are transmitted. Would you please click on the link above to view both letters? If applicable, close contacts were notified timely.

Proof of vaccination or proof of negative test is mandatory. Effective October 15th, all volunteers and vendors coming to our sites to volunteer or present to the site will need to show proof of vaccination or proof of negative test. BAM has sent out emails to all current volunteers that have been cleared to upload their proof of vaccination or negative test. Negative tests must be completed seven days or less before volunteering.

We are planning three units for the year:

1. Coding
2. Art
3. Science/Engineering Project - Build Motor Boats

Student meetings will be on Fridays from 1:30-2:30.

Please attend the Parent Information Virtual Meeting on October 26, 6:00-7:00 PM. Dates and more details about the units will be shared.

Meeting Link: https://srvusd-net.zoom.us/j/82916403623

SRVUSD will be offering the CogAT exam for all students new to the district who have never taken it and for 3rd and 4th-grade students who have taken it once previously and would like another try. The CogAT exam is used for Gate identification and ATP eligibility. Register from October 19 to November 12 on the Gate Testing page of the district website. Late registrations will not be accepted. All families in grades 3-7 should have also received this email from the District with additional information.

1. Don't get out of the car.

2. Have your child's mask and backpack ready.

3. Sit your child on the side of the car they exit.

4. Have your child unbuckle as you approach the MPR.

5. Say goodbyes while you’re driving up to the front of the line. Don't wait until your child is exiting the car.

6. Remember that everyone in the carpool line has the same goal as you.

Drop off at 7:45 AM. Avoid peak time from 7:55-8:00. Your help is much appreciated!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. More than one out of every five students will be bullied this year. This could be happening to your child or someone they love and care about. Let's take this opportunity to teach our kids to support others who have been hurt or harmed; to treat others with kindness; to be more accepting of people's differences and to help include those who are left out. Anti-bullying starts at home. You can find a great deal of resources on this topic HERE.

Run Club Returns!!

Calling all runners- Run Club is back!!! Research shows that exercise before learning increases knowledge retention, improves mood and behavior, and sharpens focus. All grades are welcome! Meet us starting at 7:25 am at the bottom black-top to get your heart pumping before school starts. You can walk, jog, or run until the bell rings. Kudos to Lisa Taylor, a parent volunteer for bringing this fun program back to Alamo School!

Homework Club

This year, the Alamo School PTA is proud to fund the Homework Club for grades 1st-5th. We want to provide students with a calm environment to complete their homework and access extra support, books, and computers. Our amazing paraeducator Mrs. Linda Henderson will supervise and assist students. She has an abundance of knowledge of our curriculum and experience in teaching as a classroom paraeducator.

Homework Club meets Monday-Wednesday in the library, after school:

• Monday 2:30-3:30

• Tuesday 2:30-3:30

• Wednesday 12:50-1:50

You can turn in payment and fill out a Homework Club form in the office. Please email lhenderson@srvusd.net if you have any questions. NOVEMBER'S HOMEWORK CLUB SIGNUP FORM

Alamo School Directory Access: Thank you to all registered through the future fund program. If you purchased a PTA membership, you have access to the school's online Directory. Please view this short tutorial video here. Many thanks again to Bar Mizne for all her work on the School Directory. FYI- all PTA members receive perks. Check them out here!

POSTPONED: The SRVCPTA sponsored parenting workshop Improving Understanding and Communication Between Parents and Teens on Thursday, October 21 has been postponed. We will provide new registration details when they become available.

Thursday, October 28: Parents & Caregivers Mix and Mingle. This was formerly Moms Night Out on 10/21. We had to move the date and will provide more details soon- The PTA hopes to see you there!

The next Principal’s Chat is November 3. Zoom details as the date gets closer.

Alamo School’s Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts are Scouting for Food October 22- November 15. Bins will be placed in front of the school and within the community to collect food donations. Here is the list of foods most needed by the Contra Costa Food Bank: Natural Peanut Butter; Whole Grain Cereals; Hearty Low Sodium Soups; Beans and Lentils (dry or canned); Canned Tuna and Chicken in Water; Canned Fruit in Juice; Non-perishable Low Sodium Ready
to Eat Meals (chili, ravioli, etc.); Low Sodium Canned Vegetables; Brown Rice; Whole Wheat/Grain Pasta; Canned Tomato Products. Thank you for supporting this important food drive!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

We are looking for 1 parent volunteer for makeup picture day on October 19 from 8am - 1pm in the MPR. Please email Gayle Hughey, front office manager, ghughey@srvusd.net if you are able to volunteer.

We continue to need volunteers for lunch recess. This is a great opportunity to support your kids at school!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D45A8AB28A6F94-lunch.

Volunteers must be cleared only through Level 1 at Be A Mentor. Please check the menu for each day. Picky eaters or those with restricted diets may want to pack a lunch option for their child for the first few weeks while the District works out its kinks. Visit https://www.srvusd.net/childnutrition for more information about the school lunch program and thank you in advance for volunteering!

Volunteer Requirement Update:

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a new public health order (found here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Vaccine-Verification-for-Workers-in-Schools.aspx) requiring WORKERS AND ON-SITE VOLUNTEERS in TK-12 public and private schools to verify vaccination status and if not fully vaccinated to undergo at least weekly COVID-19 testing. The order is part of the state's efforts to protect Californians from the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Schools must be in full compliance of this policy by October 15, 2021. As with all state and county public health mandates, the SRVUSD and Alamo Elementary School will fully comply with this health order. You can submit a copy of your vaccination status to beamentor.org/login. You will be asked to fill out a form and then upload your proof of vaccination using the Upload Document. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school safe!

Kudos

Kudos to all parent volunteers who support their kids during school hours, especially our lunch volunteers. Special kudos to Lisa Taylor for bringing back the run club, to Ajitpal Pannu for yearbook coordination; to Diane Siegel for the monthly coordination of the display case; to Karen Chin and her dedication to Inclusion and Diversity; to Bar Mizne for her dedication to the sister school program; to the Ruffin Family and Sabrina Hansen for leading STEAM/GATE and to all the Odyssey of the Mind parent volunteers. The Alamo community rocks!!!

Be up to date and in the know!!! Follow us on Facebook @Parents of Alamo Elementary School and on Instagram @alamo.school THANK YOU Doris Tam for keeping us in the social media mix!

Michelle Petersen and Nicole Rocca, PTA Presidents

Restaurant givebacks: Thank you to all who dined with Tomatina last Wednesday! We are still waiting for the final amount earned and will share next week. Our next restaurant giveback will be November 1-3 with Hazy BBQ in Danville. More details coming soon!

Sloat Garden Center giveback: Are you planting your winter garden or picking out a new houseplant? Mention Alamo School at any Sloat Garden Center from October 22-31 and we will receive 10% back to use for our school garden areas. Please see this flyer for additional dates and thank you for supporting the Ed Fund!

Sponsorship: Do you own your own business or work for a company that doesn’t corporate match? Support our students with a sponsorship! We offer year-long advertising opportunities for businesses as well as unique one-time sponsorships (such as sponsoring a FUNd Party). To review all of our marketing opportunities for corporate sponsors, please visit this website where you can review levels of sponsorship, view costs and place your order online.

Corporate Match: There is still time to submit your receipt! We hope to raise an additional $22,500 through corporate match, but we can’t do it without YOU! Email alamocorporatematching@gmail.com if you need assistance.

**Donate to our Annual Giving Campaign online anytime here. See how your donation is used here. Check here to see if your employer will match your donation.

Retail spotlight: Have you checked out Flipgive? Click “Shop online” to begin your online purchase or click “Join” and use code YLP5ZX to create an account connected to the Alamo School Education Fund team. Start your online shopping trip through Flipgive and your everyday purchases will earn cash back! You can also earn a % back on gift card purchases just in time for the holiday season! Many retailers are represented, including GAP, The Home Depot, Macy’s, Michael’s, Sephora, Anthropologie and Bed Bath and Beyond! Every little bit helps-thank you for your commitment to the Ed Fund!

See all “Free Money” retail opportunities here if you shop at Shutterfly, Minted, Amazon, or purchase certain grocery items. You can give back to Alamo through your regular shopping trips!

We have posted two part-time paraeducator positions and are also looking for an art teacher! If anyone you know is interested in working at Alamo School in this capacity, please email alamo.edfund@srvef.org. We hope to have additional personnel on campus soon to help our students.

• Follow us on Instagram! @alamoedfund

• School Loop Website for all Ed Fund news and events.

Lauren Cymerys
Ed Fund President

Alamo Elementary School yearbooks are back! See flyer for details. Special thanks to Ajitpal Pannu for making this special Alamo tradition happen this year. Questions? Email Nicole Rocca nicolerocca@gmail.com Click HERE to order then enter code 12361.

In recognition of Dyslexia Awareness Month, Decoding Dyslexia CA’s Tri-Valley Support Group and the San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs’ Exceptional Education Committee are co-hosting an interactive workshop that will help individuals gain a better understanding of and empathy for children and adults with dyslexia.

Monday, October 25, 2021
5:30 to 7:00 pm
On Zoom
Please REGISTER in advance and you will be emailed a unique link to join the meeting.

Participants will be guided through a series of exercises that simulate how those with dyslexia experience reading, writing and processing information in the classroom.

The experience is designed for adults, but families with older children may wish to participate together. Please share this invitation with anyone you think would benefit from participating, such as friends, family, caregivers and educators!

DDCA does not officially endorse, represent, or have a legal connection with our speakers.

We are a group of parents and educators coming together once a month to offer support, share ideas and resources, and empower each other as we experience the successes and challenges of raising/teaching a child with dyslexia.

This group is intended to be a safe place where we can together on a regular basis and freely share what we (and our kids) are going through with others who understand, or who may have overcome a similar challenge and can offer insight or experience.

DDCA's Tri-Valley Dyslexia Support Group is parent-moderated and free. The San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs’ Exceptional Education (formerly Special Needs) Committee partners with us in hosting this group.

In partnership with the First Partner’s Office and the Natural Resources Agency, the California State Park Adventure Pass provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 amazing state parks throughout the state. Mountains, deserts, forests, rivers … the choice of where to visit is yours. Learn more About the California State Park Adventure Pass.

October is National Walk/Bike Month, and Street Smarts is having a Poster Contest!

You’re invited to enter this year’s “Walk and Roll with Street Smarts” Poster Contest!

Please visit Poster Contest Guidelines and Requirements for all entry information.

The last day to enter is Thursday, November 4, 2021, by 4 p.m.

The two top winning posters in each grade level (K-2nd) (3rd-5th) will be displayed on Street Smarts Banners throughout the community and marking materials.

Board meetings are typically held twice each month on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are held at the SRVUSD Education Center located at 699 Old Orchard Drive in Danville. All meetings are open to the public. Board Meetings are live-streamed on the District's YouTube channel: SRVUSD Board

Board Meetings (Agendas, Minutes, Audio & Video)

Email: ghughey@srvusd.net
Website: https://aes-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com/
Location: 100 Wilson Road, Alamo, CA, USA
Phone: 925-855-4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142092245882817/
Twitter: @AlamoMustangs