Can you believe that we are finishing up the first quarter of the school year? This week is also our first Spirit Week of the school year. Read below for more details!
Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week
Please watch Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week via the 5 minute YouTube video below:
If you haven’t done so already, please check out the PTC website at AllenPTC.org to become a member of the PTC and make a donation. Allen’s PTC is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the school’s educational mission and funding programs and initiatives. The PTC is currently hosting their annual Ultra Fun Run to support STEAM activities this year (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
We also now have an Amazon Smile account for our PTC! Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible Amazon Smile purchases to the charities selected by you! It doesn’t increase the cost of the product and is a one-time, simple extra click to your Amazon purchases initially. Please choose Allen Elementary School Parents Teachers Club Inc by clicking this link for your Amazon purchases: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4403426
A reminder of our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies:
Allen School’s Core Values:
Caring • Honesty • Perseverance • Respect • Responsibility
Allen School’s Common Courtesies:
“Please.” • “Thank you.” • “Good morning” or “Good afternoon.” • “I apologize for…” • “Excuse me.”
This week’s Core Value is Caring. This week’s Common Courtesy is “Please“.
If you need to conduct business with the school office, please contact the school office between the hours of 8 am and 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Anyone coming to the school office must follow all safety protocols, including wearing a facial covering. If the office hour times do not work for you, please contact the office directly and we will arrange an appointment with you.
A friendly reminder that school starts online for all students at 8:50 am. Attendance and student engagement continue to be tracked and monitored, according to state law and AB 77 and SB 98. Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 if your child is having trouble accessing class online.
Although our goal of a phased return to in-person instruction was proposed for October 26, 2020, our District will take extra precautions and postpone the reopening because COVID-19 transmission rates in our boundaries are still too high. We remain committed to a safe return when the data in our boundary area supports resuming at least a hybrid form of in-person instruction. In the meantime, we will continue working with our bargaining groups and stakeholders to ensure a safe reopening at a future date. Please continue to follow our school blog and check your emails for future updates.
A Look Ahead:
Monday, October 12 at 3:00 pm – ELAC Meeting (Click here: Link)
Monday, October 12 at 3:30 pm – SSC Meeting (Click here: Link)
Monday, October 12 at 6:00 pm – PTC Meeting
Tuesday, October 13 at 12 noon – DAC/DELAC Meeting
Wednesday, October 14 at 6:00 pm – CVESD Board of Education Meeting
Thursday, October 15 (time varies) – PTC Ultra Fun Run
Fun Run theme: Full STEAM Ahead to support Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics activities this year
October 15 – 23 Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Please note the absence of a Fall Break in the school calendar this year.
October 26 – 30 Red Ribbon Week and Spirit Week
Friday, October 30 – Costume Day (Please, no scary or gory costumes, no props of any kind, no weapons of any kind, no masks that cover the entire face, and no costumes that may be considered culturally offensive).
Tuesday, November 3 (7 am to 8 pm) – Election Day
Friday, November 6 at 8 am – Virtual Family First Friday
Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day Holiday (NO SCHOOL)
Spirit Week
Our school’s first Spirit Week of the year is this week!
We are working with our vendor to get more Allen shirts and will share with parents when you may pre-order shirts online!
Monday, October 12: Allen Spirit Day – Wear any Allen School t-shirt or a dark green shirt!
Tuesday, October 13: Twin Day – Dress up with a friend and wear the same outfit!
Wednesday, October 14: Wacky Hair Day – Style your hair a new way or wear a hat!
Thursday, October 15: Sunglasses Day – Wear your coolest shades today.
Friday, October 16: Sports Day – Wear your favorite sports team jerseys or t-shirts. We humbly suggest supporting local sports teams such as the Padres, Xolos, Seals, or college teams such as the SDSU Aztecs.
We want you to share your photos showing your Allen School Spirit. Please send them to: michelle.reza@cvesd.org. Photos received may go on the Allen School Blog (allenelementary.org) or on our Twitter account (@EaglesBonita). Parents, kindly note when emailing the photos that you give permission for these photos to be shared on social media.
See the flyer here for details:
First Quarter Parent-Teacher Conferences
Beginning on Thursday, October 15th and continuing through Friday, October 23rd, all CVESD schools will have their first quarter Parent-Teacher Conferences.
To increase the number of time slots available for parents to meet with teachers, the school will offer a minimum of 2 hours of synchronous live instruction. Remaining minutes of instruction will be asynchronous instruction for students. This means that all students will begin classes at 8:50 am. Students will have their normal nutrition break. However, students may switch from live, synchronous instruction to independent, asynchronous instruction beginning at 11:05 am during these conference days. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have questions about conferences.
Grab and Go Materials Distribution for Q2
We are happy to share the materials distribution process for quarter 2: the Grab and Go! This event is designed for the convenience of our families to quickly pick up necessary items for children to learn in quarter 2. Families will drive through the route below and pop their trunk for materials to be placed inside the vehicle. Please follow all safety protocols, such as wearing a facial covering in your car and kindly stay inside your vehicle at all times. If you have any outstanding paperwork that you need to turn into the office, this would be an ideal time to drop that off as well. We will host two dates with three separate times to accommodate the needs of our school’s families for this materials distribution process:
Thursday, Oct. 22nd from 4 pm to 6 pm
Friday, Oct. 23rd from 7 am to 9 am and 1 pm to 3 pm that same day.
Part Day Enrichment at Eastlake YMCA
The South Bay YMCA is now offering a 4 hour, fee-based, optional enrichment program from 2pm- 6pm (M-F) at the Eastlake YMCA.
- Activities include physical education, arts & crafts, STEM, ninja warrior & more.
With so many families needing childcare assistance, we encourage you to explore this option. Please note: Scholarships are available for qualifying families.
Read the flyers below for more information:
The CVESD Caring Crew and YOU!
We would like to remind our entire community that following the four pillars of health can prevent the spread of COVID-19. As we prepare for the eventual return of some students to campus in phases, our District and school will be enforcing the four core principles (also known as four pillars) for the prevention of COVID-19. These include: 1) Daily Health Screenings, 2) Mask Wearing, 3) Physical Distancing, and 4) Frequent Hand Washing.
Please speak to your children about the importance of following these four core principles.
PTC Ultra Fun Run: Full STEAM Ahead!
Keep up the great work getting those pledges, Allen Elementary School families!
The number of students registering and sending out the pledge emails and texts to family and friends continues to grow! Many students continue to increase their Pledge Requests to earn new prizes. Way to go!
Parents, remember to log the minutes run or walked DAILY into the student/parent portal – “Enter Minutes Run”.
Be sure to be on the look out for each day’s “assignment”!
While you have until the end of our fundraiser to raise money and qualify for the various prizes, PTC will continue to give out fun BONUS PRIZES for sending Pledge Emails and Text Messages.
If you have not done so already, please register here: www.ultrafunrun.com
Enter the Student Access Code: ALLEN
Below is a copy of the parent/prize letter full of important registration information and prize opportunities.
We look forward to an incredible turn out and thank you for making a difference. Remember, the funds raised from this main school fundraiser will provide hands-on learning experiences in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics).
Yearbooks from 2019-2020
The school office has only a handful of extra copies of the 2019-2020 school yearbook for sale. Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 to arrange a time to pick one up. Yearbooks from last year are $20 and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We will sell them until we run out. Please bring exact cash.
School Meals Program
Meal distribution will occur every Monday from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm for all students. Pick up the 5 days worth of meals at the front of the school. Please drive to the front of the school, open your trunk, and be prepared to carry meals from our CNS staff to your car.
Would you like your child to eat school meals this year? The school encourages all families who may need assistance to apply for free and reduced meals via the district website. These forms must be completed again every year, so please do not wait to fill them out! Find the forms and information at the district link here:
If you are unsure if your family needs to fill out this application, please contact our school office at (619) 479-3662 between 8 am and 3 pm.
Waiver to Borrow a Laptop
All students must have both reliable internet access and a computer or mobile device (such as a tablet) for required online learning. Families needing to borrow a district laptop must fill out the waiver online first. Families are responsible for the cost of repair or replacement to any district laptop. For families that have completed waivers, we will put you on the list and notify you when a laptop is ready. Laptops will be prepared for families on a first-come, first served basis.
Click here to complete the DISTRICT LAPTOP waiver.
Waiver to Borrow a Wifi Hot Spot
Please know that the district currently has a waitlist for wifi hot spot devices. Some devices have arrived, and more are on their way. We will do our very best to support your family and provide a wifi hot spot to families needing this in order for their student to learn.
In light of this limited supply, the school still needs to know if your family needs a wifi hot spot device. Families needing to borrow a wifi hot spot device must fill out the waiver online first. Again, we currently have a waitlist for wifi hot spots and these devices are intended for students that cannot access learning online. This device does NOT boost existing internet service. It provides basic internet service for families without internet service. Please complete the waiver as soon as possible and please wait until someone from our school contacts you to pick up the device.
Click here to complete the WIFI HOT SPOT waiver.
School Expectations for Online Learning
Parents and families, Allen School needs your help to ensure success this year for our students. The students and staff at Ella B. Allen Elementary School believe that a safe and positive online environment is important to a child’s learning in the digital classroom. To provide such an environment, Allen Elementary School has established the following online norms and guidelines:
Students should be ready to learn when the school day starts. This means your child should be “school-ready” and prepared for a day of learning at 8:50 am. Attendance and participation in classes will be monitored by staff, as is required by AB 77. We recommend that your child is dressed and has eaten breakfast so that learning may start when the school day starts. A computer and reliable internet connection and/or other materials such as paper, pencils, crayons or markers, books, and workbooks may be necessary to support your child’s work that day. If you need a district-provided laptop or wifi hot spot device in order for your child to learn, please inform the school office at (619) 479-3662.
Check for updates from your child’s teacher via Class Dojo or email. Two-way communication is important for your child’s success. Teachers will share schedules and ways to access lessons and activities. Please ensure the school’s office has the most up-to-date phone number and email address for your family. Please also check the school blog: https://allenelementary.org/.
Updates are usually posted on Sundays.
Create a working schedule for your household that supports academic time. You may need to ask others in the house to be mindful of a child’s learning. You may need to re-arrange some furniture or ask other members of the household to use quiet voices. If possible, please do not have students working in a bedroom. Some parents have expressed that having a headset or earpods with a microphone helps their child interact with focus in the live sessions.
Be healthy during distance learning. Take breaks throughout the day for movement. Students should drink water, eat a nutritious snack, use the bathroom, and stretch at breaks, as well as eat lunch at lunch time. Promote physical activity and health. Provide time for your child to do activities that are “off screen.”
Respect the privacy and learning of others. Students and guardians/parents should not record (neither video, nor audio) or take photos/screenshots of live sessions or of others in distance learning. Online tools, such as video chats and messages, should only be used as directed by teachers and staff.
See the helpful graphic below or download at the link:
In addition, your child’s teacher may have other norms and guidelines to ensure student safety and privacy for all students.
Meetings for Parents and Legal Guardians
Allen School needs parents and guardians to support our school through important parent groups, such as the PTC (Parent Teacher Club), the School Site Council (often referred to as SSC), and the English Language Advisory Committee (often referred to as ELAC). The site-based groups work with the Principal, staff, and other community members to ensure that community voice is part of the shared decision making process of a public school.
English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Ella B. Allen’s next ELAC Meeting will be held on Monday, October 12th at 3 pm and will be held online. Please email michelle.reza@cvesd.org for the meeting link at least one day prior to access this online meeting.
School Site Council (SSC)
Allen School’s next SSC Meeting is Monday, October 12th at 3:30 pm and will be held online. Public elections for SSC Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Parlimentarian will be held at this meeting. Please email michelle.reza@cvesd.org for the meeting link at least one day prior to access this online meeting.
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL (SSC) is composed of five elected parent/community representatives and five elected staff/teacher representatives. The role of the SSC is to develop, approve, and monitor the School Plan for Student Achievement.
With a few exceptions, meetings are held the second Monday of every month. Until further notice, meetings will be held online. All parents and staff are welcome to attend. Council members serve for two year terms.
Parent Teacher Club (PTC) Meeting
Allen’s PTC meets the second Monday of every month at 6pm. Until further notice, all meetings will be held online. The next PTC meeting is Monday, October 12th at 6 pm. Please also check out the new PTC website to become a member and make a donation: AllenPTC.org
Virtual Family First Friday Meeting
The first Friday of every month is reserved for our Family First Friday, Allen’s version of Coffee with the Principal. Our next Virtual Family First Friday will be on November 6th at 8 am. We encourage parents and legal guardians to join an online meeting with a cup of hot coffee or tea and listen to Mr. Greenwell give an update on the school year. The link will be posted on our blog and in an email shared with parents. You may also email michelle.reza@cvesd.org for the meeting link at least one day prior to access this online meeting.
CVESD Board of Education Meeting
The district’s Board of Education meetings are also being held online and generally occur the second Wednesday of each month. The next CVESD Board of Education meeting is Wednesday, October 14 at 6:00 pm.
To access these public meetings, please click the link here: https://www.cvesd.org/board_of_education/board_meetings
CVESD DAC/DELAC Meeting
District Advisory Council (DAC)
The DAC is composed of parent and staff representatives from each School Site Council. It meets regularly during the school year in open public forum to share information, study instructional issues, approve school planning schedules, and make recommendations to the Board of Education on specific items. District meetings take place once a month, mid-afternoon. Most meetings occur on Tuesdays from 12 – 2 pm, with a parent training beforehand. This is an elected position to serve a one-year term.
District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)
The district will continue to conduct all meetings online until further notice, including all DAC/DELAC meetings. DAC is the District Advisory Committee. DELAC is the District English Learner Advisory Committee. Both of these groups are designed to support and inform parents in a shared communication setting with the district. Parents learn with other parents and district leadership at the DAC/DELAC meetings.
The next DAC/DELAC Meeting will be on October 13th from 12 noon to 2 pm.
Below is a schedule of all DAC/DELAC meetings for the upcoming school year. I recommend all parents download this schedule if they are interested in learning more about theses district meetings.
Election Resources
Our school community encourages all adult citizens to participate in the upcoming election. Please visit https://www.sdvote.com/ to learn about how to ensure your voice is heard in the upcoming election.
Not only is November 3rd Election Day, but it is also MTS Free Ride Day! To help increase access to in-person voting options, all fixed-route MTS and NCTD buses, Trolleys, SPRINTER and COASTER will be free.
While you can skip the fare on Free Ride Day, face covering are a must! Face coverings (worn over your nose and mouth the entire trip) are required on all MTS and NCTD vehicles.
California offers voter registration online, by mail, and in person. Online voter registration is available at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. You can also request and complete a paper voter registration form and mail or hand deliver it to your county elections official to register to vote.
Election Day: November 3, 2020
Registration Deadlines: Online registration deadline is October 19. By mail registration deadline is showing that its is postmarked by October 19. In person registration deadline is November 3.
Absentee or Permanent by mail ballot: Request by October 27. Return by mail must be postmarked by November 3. Return in person must be received by November 3 at 8 pm. Early voting is available October 5 – November 2, but dates and hours vary. For more info, contact the County Registrar of Voters: https://www.sdvote.com/content/rov/en.html
Fun Fact: Did you know that you can also register and vote on Election Day?
Conditional voter registration is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information. Voters can use the conditional voter registration process from the day after the deadline all the way through Election Day. Eligible citizens can go to their county election office, polling place, or vote center to register and vote conditionally. These ballots will be processed once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
Be well Eagles! We love you and we miss you.
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 