Hello Allen Families,
Please enjoy your last few moments of Fall Break safely. Public health officials have advised us to recommend the continued use of masks and physical distance when possible to protect unvaccinated individuals in our community. Our school office will reopen on Monday, October 4th, but please note that classes resume on Tuesday, October 5 for a regular day of school.
The CVESD Board of Education recently approved a change to the IIPP (Injury and Illness Prevention Program) requiring masks to be worn on all sites within the Chula Vista Elementary School District, regardless of vaccination status. Masks must cover the mouth and nose for all staff, students, parents, and visitors on campus. Students may remove masks for outdoor recess and PE, and staff and students may remove masks when eating or drinking.
Have you downloaded the school calendar for the 2021-2022 academic year? Click this link to download it.
Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week
Watch Mr. Greenwell’s short video Message of the Week for the Fall Break via YouTube:
Please see our revised and updated 2021-2022 Family Handbook here: Link to Handbook
A reminder of our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies:
The Core Value this week is Responsibility. This week’s Common Courtesy is “Excuse me…“
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!
Kindness counts! A few parents have wondered if their child is experiencing a problem with another student how to handle it. We suggest using “I feel…” statements, moving away from others, and seeking help from an adult. What our staff has noticed is that students are learning how to interact with one another and having some problems or conflict. This is not bullying. It may be due to trauma and other sudden social-emotional issues with a child.
See the helpful graphic below:
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. Please contact the office directly at (619) 479-3662 and we will arrange an appointment with you.
A Look Ahead:
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 – Students and staff return from Fall Break with regular dismissal
Awards Ceremonies are ONLINE ONLY due to recent changes in COVID-19 guidance.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
- Blas and Davies – Award Ceremony at 9 am online [see teachers for link]
Thursday, October 7, 2021
- Sinong, Gurule, Schultze, Venegas, Farlow, & Kriss – Award Ceremony at 9 am online [see teachers for link]
- Optional School Site Council (SSC) Parent/Member Training online from 3 to 4:30 pm
- School Staff and Parents are Encouraged to Attend
- Thursday, October 7, 2021
- 3:00 – 4:30 pm via Zoom
- https://sdcoe.zoom.us/j/89055631234?pwd=WlJ5MWJqQXpIZlBzbEYyY1FNMEU0QT09
- Meeting ID: 890 5563 1234
- Passcode: 4NBU6U
Friday, October 8, 2021
- Family First Friday from 8 am to 8:45 am and online only via Zoom [LINK HERE]
- Monis, Messina, Michel, Rechif, Manaig, and Linderman/Gonzalez – Award Ceremony at 9 am [see teachers for link]
Monday, October 11, 2021 – Indigenous People’s Day
- ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) at 3 pm [LINK here]
- SSC (School Site Council) at 3:30 pm [LINK here]
- PTC (Parent Teacher Club) at 6 pm [Link here]
Tuesday, October 12, 2021 – DAC/DELAC online from 12 noon to 2 pm [link at http://www.cvesd.org]
Wednesday, October 13, 2021 – CVESD Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) at 6 pm [link at http://www.cvesd.org]
Friday, October 15, 2021 – Fall CARnival: Save the date and look for details regarding our fall CARnival for the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 15. This drive-through event, sponsored by the PTC, is sure to bring family fun and frights!
Fall Awards Ceremonies in October
Awards Ceremonies planned for the first week of October will now be held online only due to recent COVID-19 guidelines. Teachers will share information about how parents can view your child’s ceremony online this week.
Traffic Safety and Good Neighbor Policy
We appreciate students and parents ensuring that all litter is thrown out in the appropriate trash bin or recycling bin: Allen Eagles love to leave things cleaner than they found it!
Please drive slowly and carefully around our school. Thank you for paying attention to our safety patrol. Our School Resource Officer and Ms. McConkey recently trained our safety patrol officers.
Many keen-eyed Allen family members have noticed the new signage at the exit of our Allen Elementary and Daly Academy parking lot. Please yield to cars as you exit the parking lot and one-way traffic loop to turn right onto Allen School Lane.
Thank you for observing a safe speed and all posted signs around our school. Chula Vista Police may issue traffic citations to drivers who fail to follow signs and directions from school staff and the safety patrol.
Ultra Fun Run 2021
Our Ultra Fun Run this year was a HUGE success! With your help, we raised funds for playground improvement and VAPA resources. A brand new Gaga Pit is coming to Allen in October! We also are pleased to say that we have hired a new music teacher who will begin instruction at Allen in the coming weeks!
Thank you for the generous donations of water bottles for students. Our school team will be sure to recycle all single-use water bottles.
SDG&E Work in the Neighborhood
Allen Families, San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) has notified us that they will be conducting work at the intersection of Otay Lakes Road and Allen School Lane from October 1 to December 1, 2021. Please plan accordingly as this may cause traffic delays in the neighborhood.
Free COVID-19 Testing
Testing is for staff and students only at this time.
The Chula Vista Elementary School District is offering free testing at the Education Services and Support Center located at 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA. 91910. This is for staff and students of our district only.
- Monday – Thursday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM. *Please note that walk ups stop at 3:40 pm.
- Friday from 10:00AM – 4:00 PM. *Please note that walk ups stop at 3:40 pm.
To find another testing location near you, please visit: Testing (sandiegocounty.gov) OR https://bit.ly/SDCOUNTYC19TEST
Las pruebas de COVID-19 están para alumnos y personal del distrito.
El Distrito de Escuelas Primarias de Chula Vista está ofreciendo pruebas gratuitas en las Oficinas Centrales, 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA. 91910. Esto es solo para el personal y los alumnos de nuesta distrito.
- Lunes a jueves 8:00 AM a 4:00 PM. *Tenga en cuenta que los “walk ups” se detienen a las 3:40 pm.
- Viernes 10:00 AM a 4:00 PM. *Tenga en cuenta que los “walk ups” se detienen a las 3:40 pm.
Para encontrar otro centro de pruebas cerca de usted visite: Testing (sandiegocounty.gov) OR https://bit.ly/SDCOUNTYC19TEST
Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 with questions or reach out to your child’s teacher directly.
Equity and Access for All Students
The Chula Vista Elementary School District is working towards eliminating opportunity gaps by providing equitable educational experiences for each student. Supporting and fostering students’ excellence in academic pursuits occurs by focusing on the whole child—their race, culture, language, heritage, gender/expression, and experiences. The unique aspects of each individual are valued by educators and used to inform students’ learning and development. At the Chula Vista Elementary School District, we believe “Each child is an individual of great worth!“
To get the facts on the district’s Equity Policy and learn how all children are supported by this policy, please visit:
https://www.cvesd.org/parents/equity-and-access
Now Enrolling Students!
We still have room in a few of our classrooms, including our Kindergarten. Enroll your child in our school now by going to https://www.cvesd.org/parents/welcome_to_enrollment!
See our school flyer below or download it here
Safe Reopening Playbook for Parents
The Chula Vista Elementary School District recently released its Safe Return to School Playbook for Parents. This document outlines procedures for our safe return to in-person instruction. Please review this “Parent Playbook” thoroughly. As you may know, the California Department of Public Health states that multi-layered mitigation strategies are key to ensuring safe workplaces for teachers and other staff, as well as safe learning environments for children. As outlined in the playbook, our District plans to use this multi-layered mitigation approach. Please know that our district is committed to in-person learning this year and will follow the latest guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Please know that we will communicate with parents on the latest guidance from state, county, and district officials regarding the safety of students on Allen Elementary’s campus as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Please note there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place where people are present. The school and district strive to reduce this impact to staff, students, and families.
COVID-19 Corner: Health Updates
Please follow all district and school safety guidelines at school. We encourage families to monitor the latest state guidelines and mandates from the County of San Diego and California Department of Public Health. Parents, please assist in monitoring your child’s health before sending them to school.
- CVESD will follow the state of California requirement of face masks when K-12 students and adults are together indoors regardless of vaccination status. Students, staff, parents, and visitors are required to wear masks outside and indoors when on campus due to recent changes approved by the CVESD Board of Education. Students and staff may remove masks when eating or drinking. Students may also remove masks when playing outside during recess or PE.
- The California Dept. of Public Health explained that this is the best way to ensure that all kids can remain back in school in-person and miss fewer days – especially when masks are combined with other safety measures such as testing, screening, disinfecting, and handwashing.
- The California Dept. of Public Health will decide by November 1st whether to update the face mask requirements in school settings and will continue to examine evidence such as whether or not vaccines are available for kids under 12, community case and hospitalization rates, and ongoing vaccine effectiveness for the community, county, and state.
- For more information on vaccine and mask requirements, please visit the California Dept. of Public Health website here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/
If your child has a chronic health condition, such as allergies or asthma, please contact the school office and download the form below to have your child’s doctor complete and send it back to the school’s nurse. We recommend doing this in advance of a child showing symptoms.
If your child experiences any symptoms of COVID-19, please keep your child home and contact the school office at (619) 479-3662. If an unvaccinated person presents with symptoms of COVID-19 while at school, that person will be immediately sent home and may only return with a negative PCR/NAAT test and no more symptoms. All schools in CVESD must follow the latest County of San Diego COVID-19 Decision Tree (see below) for persons with symptoms associated with COVID-19.
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
*** Please see the latest COVID-19 Decision Tree here: LINK to Newest Decision Tree
Please know that we will communicate with parents on the latest guidance from state, county, and district officials regarding the safety of students on Allen Elementary’s campus as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Please note there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place where people are present. The school and district strive to reduce this impact to staff, students, and families.
Parent-Teacher Club (PTC) Corner
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, September 13th at 6 pm. Details regarding this meeting will be released soon, but we anticipate that we will meet in person in room 201 and will also have a Zoom link available here: [Link for PTC Meeting]
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, Guardian, & Families
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 Friday, October 8, 2021 at 8 am, available online only here.
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 scheduled for Monday, October 11th at 3 pm.
This meeting will be held only online via this link: [LINK for ELAC and SSC Meeting]
Please note that this online meeting link is the same for both ELAC and SSC. All ELAC members are welcome to attend SSC meetings for additional information. The school encourages all legal parent/guardian of students designated as an English Learner to attend both of these meetings.
School Site Council (SSC)
Allen School’s next SSC Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 11th at 3:30 pm.
This meeting will be held online only via this link: [LINK for ELAC and SSC Meeting]
Please note that this online meeting link is the same for both ELAC and SSC so if you join early, you will be joining the ELAC meeting. All SSC members are welcome to attend ELAC meetings for additional information.
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, October 11th online 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, October 20th at 6 pm. Limited in-person access is permitted, but check the district’s website for more information on this.
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 12th 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
This year’s School Calendar (2021-2022) is available online! Click this link to download it. All students will be on campus for in-person learning in the 2021-2022 academic year.
Distance Learning is not allowed due to changes in CA state laws. The district is offering a Virtual Academy, but this would require a transfer process and your child would no longer attend Allen Elementary.
Be well Eagles! Stay safe: We encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine when you are eligible to do so. The health and safety of our students, staff, and community is our number 1 concern!
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 