Hello Allen Families,
Our Eagles’ Nest Store begins this week as students can begin to redeem tickets for prizes and opportunities. See below for more information. Please note that students in Distance Learning do not need to come to campus physically to participate. They may shop virtually, “Amazon-style,” with their teachers in the last ten minutes of distance learning class on the day of their shopping.
Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week
Please see our revised Parent Handbook here.
A reminder of our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies:
The Core Value this week is Respect. This week’s Common Courtesy is “I apologize for…“
Students may earn an Allen Eagle Ticket for demonstrating the Core Values and Common Courtesies each day. Students can redeem these tickets at the Eagle’s Nest Store at the end of each quarter of the school year. Our staff is always looking for ways to celebrate our students!
If you need to conduct business with the school office, please contact the school office between the hours of 8 am and 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Anyone coming to the school must follow all safety protocols, including wearing a facial covering. We will ask you to remain outside. Please contact the office directly at (619) 479-3662 and we will arrange an appointment with you.
A friendly reminder that school starts for all students at 8:50 am: Some students in the hybrid model will start classes on campus at this time. Other students will begin their asynchronous learning time at home at this time, while a third group will be learning synchronously at home with their child’s teacher via distance learning.
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.
A Look Ahead:
Thursday, May 27, 2021 – CVESD BAC meeting at 6 pm [Link]
Monday, May 31, 2021 – NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day holiday)
Friday, June 4, 2021 – Virtual Family First Friday at 8 am [Link]
Friday, June 11, 2021 – Sixth Grade Promotion Ceremony at 9:15 am [Date/time changed]
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 – Last Day of School [Distance Learning for all students] and Kindergarten Promotion at 9 am [online only]
PTC Executive Board Results
Since there were no positions for the PTC Executive Board that faced any opposition, according to the PTC by-laws, there is no need to hold a public election. Therefore, we are pleased to announce our 2021-2022 PTC Executive Board:
- President: Maiko DeRosales
- Vice President: Sally Gonzalez
- Treasurer: Justin Frantzich
- Assistant Treasurer: Rich Rechif
- Recording Secretary: Cynthia Huelsman
- Corresponding Secretary: Christina Strangman
Until further notice, all meetings will be held online via this link. The next PTC meeting is Monday, June 14th at 6 pm. Please also check out the new PTC website to become a member and make a donation: AllenPTC.org
Returning Computers and WiFi Hot Spots
We will be collecting all school laptop computers that were checked out by families on the dates below. For your convenience, we are offering three different dates with a wide range of times. Please bring the computers and chargers to the front of the school where we will have staff ready to accept them at a table and record that the computer or wifi hot spot device was returned.
- June 14th: 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
- June 15th: 11:30 am to 5:30 pm
- June 16th: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm
Please make plans to return any computers or WiFi hotspots device at one of these times. Please note:
- If your device was damaged while in your family’s possession, you may contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 to set up a payment plan to fix or replace the damaged device. You may also contact the school office if the computer or wifi hot spot device was lost or destroyed to set up a payment plan to replace the device.
- If you would like to return your device earlier (because you have your own computer and no longer need a district device), please contact the school office to arrange an earlier drop-off date and time.
Order Your Yearbook Now!
Please use the link below to order your own copy of the school yearbook. This year, while very unique, will be a year that you do not want to forget! This yearbook will commemorate the year of distance learning and celebrate our community’s resilience.
Yearbooks are $27 for the hard cover version and $20 for the soft cover version. Order yours before the deadline at end of May!
Link: https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/allenelementaryschool
You can scan also the QR code below with your phone’s camera to open the link.
Releasing the Butterflies
Ms. Davies’ Kindergarten class has been learning about the life cycle of butterflies and had a chance to release these painted ladies onto the beautiful flowers that adorn our bucolic campus.
Eagles’ Nest Store
The time has finally arrived! This week, students may redeem the Allen Eagle Tickets they have earned by demonstrating our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies at the Eagles’ Nest Store. Students in Distance Learning will have a chance to shop online with their teacher “Amazon-Style” while students in the hybrid instructional model will be able to shop at school.
Students may only purchase one item at the store when visiting. Allen Eagle Tickets are not transferrable and cannot be exchanged, sold, or traded between students. Students may choose to save their tickets for bigger and better prices and rewards in store for June 2021!
District and State Testing – Continuing this week!
All students at Allen Elementary will be completing some important end of the year assessments in the coming weeks. Due to the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of California has granted districts the flexibility to use other forms of assessment in place of the CAASPP state tests that normally occur each spring for students in grades 3 through 6.
Students are taking the End of the Year Smarty Ants, Achieve 3000, and i-Ready Math assessments. Please contact the school office should you have any questions regarding this required testing.
AAPI Heritage Month
Throughout the month of May, the Chula Vista Elementary School District will spotlight and celebrate the diverse communities that make up the Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander communities as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. With the recent rise in Anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes in our country, we want to share insight and stories from and about Asian Americans in an educational way. Please see the link below for more information and discuss the importance of celebrating and honoring differences in our community with your children.
https://www.cvesd.org/news/what_s_new/asian_american_and_pacific_islander_heritage_month
Allen Virtual Variety Show 2021
Please use the link below to view the Allen Elementary Virtual Variety Show for 2021. Please note, this link will only be active for a limited time, so be sure to watch this soon from the comfort and safety of your own home.
We are so proud of all our talented Eagles. A HUGE shout out goes to Ms. Cynthia Redfield, our amazing parent volunteer for putting this show together.
Family Resource Centers
Family Resource Centers (FRCs) of the Chula Vista Community Collaborative are here to help students and their family in a safe environment and in a confidential manner, including housing rental arrears or future rent increase/utility bill assistance and other related programs. California’s high cost of living puts many in the 50-80% range. Adults whose spouse/partner may have had reduced hours or been laid off may find these programs especially helpful. The CVCC FRCs are currently collaborating on several projects and are available to assist families. Here are some areas they can help you explore:
- City of Chula Vista Rental & Utility Assistance – SBCS (ERAP)
- Emergency Food/Diapers/Clothing
- CalFresh and Medi-Cal Application Assistance
- Mental Health Referrals
- SDG&E Residential Programs and Services
Please visit their website for more information: https://www.chulavistacc.org/
Last Day of School for Students – June 15th
PLEASE NOTE that Tuesday, June 15, 2021 will be a distance learning day, meaning that no in-person instruction takes place on this date. This schedule for this day will mirror our Friday minimum-day instructional schedule. All students will have class from 8:50 am to 11:25 am via distance learning.
FAVOR DE TOMAR EN CUENTA que el martes, 15 de junio de 2021 será un día de educación a distancia, lo que significa que ese día no habrá instrucción en persona. El horario para ese día será igual al de los viernes, con horario de instrucción de día mínimo. Todos los alumnos tendrán clases de 8:50 am a 11:25 am a través de aprendizaje a distancia.
Voluntary COVID-19 Rapid Testing
We are pleased to offer voluntary COVID-19 testing for staff and students. You will not need to make an appointment for testing at our school. Our school will provide on-demand testing, which means that we are accepting “walk-ins”—no appointments are necessary. Here is important information on the CVESD COVID-19 Testing Program:
· The final date of this type of testing will occur in front of Daly Academy on Tuesday, June 1.
· On these days, testing will occur from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM, with no testing for an hour in the middle of the day (around noon) due to staff lunch times.
· If your student is experiencing symptoms, we highly recommend getting a PCR test at a free County facility or with a medical provider, and not reporting to the school for the antigen test. Unfortunately, the antigen tests used by CVESD cannot be used for return to work or school, per the County’s Symptom Decision Tree. The antigen testing program is for surveillance purposes, in order to quickly determine if individuals are positive and remove such individuals and their close contacts from campus as soon as possible. Contact our school health office for more information or discuss your child’s symptoms.
· At this time, we can only test staff and CVESD students. No family members are able test at this time.
· You do not need to be with your child in order for your child to test under our program; however, if your child walks up to the testing location, we will not be able to test them unless you have signed the on-line consent form at the link you are provided. We highly recommend that you accompany your child to the testing location. A reminder that testing for all staff and students is 100% voluntary and optional. We will not provide a COVID-19 test for a child without parental permission and consent.
· Links that are sent to you are personalized for your specific student and shouldn’t be shared with others.
· If you have trouble registering/providing consent for your child through the link, please call the district office at (619) 425-9600 and speak to Sherry Stone at ext. 1327 or Theresa Fletcher at ext. 1027 or visit the testing staff on-site at our school and they will be able to help register and test your child during your visit.
· Because we are not taking appointments, we know there will be long lines before and after school. Please take this into account when planning the time have your child tested. Please be patient with the testing team and listen carefully to their instructions.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus on our campus.
See the one page document below for more information.
Preschool Information
There are still a few spots available in both our morning and afternoon sessions for next year’s Preschool Program at Allen! We encourage all interested families to contact the district’s Early Childhood Education office at (619) 425-2362 as they are able to share the most up-to-date information regarding this program.
Link to Pre-School Pre-Registration for 2021-2022: Click here.
We are excited to share that registrations are now opened for the 2021-2022 school year. Our Preschool Program is now offering in-person instruction for July 2021. Eligible children must have been born between December 3rd, 2016 through September 1st, 2018. Your child must be 3 years old and potty trained Applications are available through our website. Please visit www.cvesd.org, click on the Early Childhood Education quick link and select Preschool Registration. You may return any required documents via email or to the Preschool Drop Box located outside the preschool office at the Early Childhood Education office at 84 East J St in Chula Vista. You may also contact this office by telephone at (619) 425-2362. Please note that these offices will be following Public Health guidelines in regards to COVID-19 to ensure the safety of our students and staff. We look forward to serving you and your child through our free high quality preschool program.
Please find more information here: https://www.cvesd.org/parents/welcome_to_enrollment/early_childhood_education
Zone Transfers
Families who live in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, but whose neighborhood school isn’t Allen must complete the Zone Transfer form and email it to: allenschool@cvesd.org. Families who live outside of the Chula Vista Elementary School District must follow the Interdistrict Transfer process instead here.
If you have any questions or need assistance completing the form, please feel free to contact the school office at (619) 479-3662. If your child will not be returning to Allen, please let us know that as well. Parents of current sixth grade students on a zone transfer do not need to do this step.
Kinder & New Student Registration
Ella B. Allen Elementary School wants you to tell others how great our school is!
Do you know someone new to our community? Or, do you have a child ready for Preschool or Kindergarten? Enrollment in the Chula Vista Elementary School District for the next school year has begun! This year, the District is utilizing a new online enrollment system that promises to make registration easier than ever. Please spread the word to share how wonderful your child’s education at Allen Elementary has been! We are recruiting new students for Kindergarten and have a few open spots for students in grades 3 through 6 next year.
Kindergarten and NEW student registration for the 2021-2022 school year is now available on a NEW online system. There are no paper packets for this year’s registration. Those currently registered at our school DO NOT have to re-register. However, if you attend Allen on a Zone Transfer or interdistrict transfer, those documents will need to be renewed every year. All families will need to complete proof of residency when the time comes. CLICK HERE for further information and here to register on the district’s website.
The following groups of students need to complete the registration process:
- Kindergarten students who will be 5 years old on or before September 1st
- NEW students in grades 1st through 6th
- Questions? Email michelle.reza@cvesd.org.
- All inquiries and registration for the Preschool at Allen Elementary will be handled by the district’s Early Childhood Education office at (619) 425-2362 as they are able to share the most up-to-date information regarding this program.
YMCA Summer Camp
South Bay YMCA Summer Day Camp will be hosted at nearby Casillas Elementary. The YMCA Summer Day Camp program is a great way for kids to get active, socialize with their peers from around the community, and to learn new skills, games and songs. See the flier for more information on this fee-based program:
Curbside Library Book Service
Ella B. Allen Elementary School students are now able to check out library books online by Thursdays and pick them up curbside on Mondays! Students can access the library catalog online and place up to two books on HOLD. Please note that any books already checked out must be returned. Kindly ensure that all books checked out are returned by June 14, 2021.
For more information, click here: https://allenelementary.org/parents/library/
Health Reminders
We are very excited to have our Eagles back on our campus! Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 if your student will be absent from school for any reason, regardless of whether they are in the hybrid model or distance learning model.
Please note, for students who are physically at school in hybrid learning, it is very important that parents/guardians speak with our school office staff regarding the reason for any student absence from class. For the health and safety of all students and staff, students who are absent without parent contact will not be allowed back on campus until the parent/guardian discusses the reason for the absence with school office staff.
- If a student is sick, we are required to ask the parent to confirm which symptoms the student is experiencing.
- If symptoms align with symptoms of COVID-19, the school staff, including the school nurse and Attendance Health Specialist, must follow the COVID-19 Decision Tree set forth by the County of San Diego.
- If symptoms are part of a chronic condition, the school will work with the school’s nurse to determine next steps.
- If symptoms are not a possible symptom of COVID-19, the student will be welcomed back to school after following normal school health protocols.
COVID-19 Corner: Health & Safety Updates
Please follow all district and school safety guidelines at school. We encourage families to monitor the latest CDC guidelines for inside and outside of your own home.
Please see the latest updates regarding public health and safety from the County of San Diego, including information about COVID-19 testing and vaccination, here. With the arrival of the vaccine designed to prevent COVID-19, our District is happy to share a fact sheet that details why the vaccines are safe and effective. We are active encouraging all eligible persons to get the free COVID-19 vaccine.
The San Diego County Office of Education encourages families to learn about the importance of getting vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19 and they have other benefits, too. In the rare case that you do still get COVID-19, the vaccine may help keep you from getting seriously ill. Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Click here for English, or here for Spanish for facts about the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Visit covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/ for more information.
If your child experiences any symptoms of COVID-19, please keep your child home, leaving only to get tested or seek medical attention.
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19 and should stay home:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
There are a number of COVID-19 testing sites in the South County, thanks to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency. It is highly encouraged for families to make an appointment for COVID-19 testing in advance. You may wish to reference 211sandiego.org or the County’s website here. Please note that testing sites can only provide information about COVID-19 testing, not vaccinations.
Weekly Meal Distribution
- Meal distribution occurs every Monday through June 14th from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm for all students. Pick up the 5 days worth of meals at the front of the school. Please follow all safety directives, such as wearing a mask or facial covering that covers the mouth and nose. This free service is available for all families that attend a school in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
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! Find the forms and information at the district link here. We encourage all families to complete this form as the school receives additional funding to support families who qualify.
Parent-Teacher Club (PTC)
Visit the PTC website at AllenPTC.org to become a member of the PTC and make a donation to support the latest initiative at the school. Allen’s PTC is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the school’s educational mission through funding programs and initiatives.
Allen’s next PTC meeting is Monday, June 14th at 6 pm.
Please help support Allen’s PTC by shopping at smile.amazon.com! AmazonSmile has the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping as the Amazon you know and already use. AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of all eligible purchases to the Allen Elementary PTC when you shop. Make sure to shop on smile.amazon.com and choose Allen Elementary School Parents Teachers Club Inc as your charity. Thank you!
AmazonSmile customers can now support Ella B. Allen Elementary School’s PTC in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.
- Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
- Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into ‘Settings’
- Tap ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process
Please choose Allen Elementary School Parents Teachers Club Inc by clicking this link for your Amazon purchases: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4403426
Meetings for Parents and 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.
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 Family First Friday will be on August 6, 2021 at 8 am. We encourage parents and legal guardians to join this meeting with a cup of hot coffee or tea and listen to Mr. Greenwell give an update on the school year and meet other amazing Allen families.
English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Ella B. Allen’s next ELAC Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, August 9th at 3 pm. The school encourages all legal parent/guardian of students designated as an English Learner to attend these meetings.
School Site Council (SSC)
Allen School’s next SSC Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, August 9th at 3:30 pm.
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 via this link. The next PTC meeting is Monday, June 14th at 6 pm. Please also check out the new PTC website to become a member and make a donation: AllenPTC.org
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 regularly scheduled CVESD Board of Education meeting is Wednesday, June 16th at 6 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 June 8, 2021 at 12 noon. You can access the meeting here at the district’s website.
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.
Calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year
Did you know that next year’s School Calendar (2021-2022) was already approved by the CVESD Board of Education? Click this link to download it. At this time, we anticipate that all students will be on campus in July 2021 when this school year starts.
Be well Eagles! Stay safe: We encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine when you are eligible to do so. We anticipate that all students will begin the new school year in July 2021 on campus. In the coming weeks, please look for additional information in your emails from the district!
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 