Hello Allen Families and Staff,
This week continues our minimum days and Parent-Teacher conferences before we dismiss for Spring Break. Please contact your child’s teacher with questions.
Did you set your clocks one hour forward?
We encourage all families at Allen to pick up a free take-home COVID test kit on Wednesday or Thursday from 1 pm to 4 pm in front of the school.
Some friendly reminders regarding COVID-19 procedures:
- If you have a COVID Positive Case in your home and need guidance on isolation/quarantine, please email covtest4@cvesd.org, but please always notify the school office of an absence or positive case. If you are reporting a positive case to us in the office, please email allenschool@cvesd.org. You may also call us at (619) 479-3662.
- Masks continue to be strongly encouraged on campus indoors, for all adults and students, regardless of vaccination and testing status. As of February 28, masks are no longer required outdoors. The CVESD Board of Education has decided that after Spring Break, masks will no longer be required indoors. Masks are still strongly encouraged by the California Department of Public Health.
- If your child is experiencing any symptoms, please keep them at home and notify the school office at (619) 479-3662.
- If you have someone who is known positive in your household, please also keep your child home and notify the office so that we may further support.
- Independent Study Contracts are available for students who have tested positive or who must isolate/quarantine. We thank you for your patience and kindness towards our staff as we weather this pandemic together.
We’ve got this, Eagles!
Questions about COVID-19? Want information on the free testing locations? Please see our updated page here: https://allenelementary.org/safety-and-health/
You can also download the latest cafeteria menu for the free meals served at school here.
Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week
Please view the short YouTube video below for Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week for this week, the week of March 13:
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 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!
Kindness counts! A few parents have wondered how to support their children if they experience a problem with another student. We suggest using “I feel…” statements, moving away from others, and seeking help from an adult nearby. Our staff prides itself in actively monitoring students at all times. 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:
Sunday, March 13, 2022 – Daylight Savings Time starts (Turn clocks forward at 2 am)
Monday, March 14, 2022
- 3rd grade field trip to the Fleet Science Center
- ELAC meeting online at 3 pm: LINK
- SSC meeting online at 3:30 pm: LINK
- PTC meeting online at 6 pm: LINK
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
- Take-home COVID test distribution 1 pm – 4 pm
- CVESD BAC meeting online at 6 pm [link at http://www.cvesd.org]
Thursday, March 17, 2022
- St. Patrick’s Day – Optional Spirit Day to wear green!
- Take-home COVID test distribution 1 pm – 4 pm
- 6th Grade Egypt Showcase outdoors in the courtyard
- Soccer Game at Allen (vs. Arroyo Vista) at 4 pm
- CVESD B-LAC online at 6 pm [link at http://www.cvesd.org]
Friday, March 18, 2022 – Holi and Spring Break begins at dismissal
Monday, April 4, 2022 – School resumes for all students [Min. Day for K-6 students]
Thursday, April 7, 2022
- Awards Ceremony for Q3 at 9 am on blacktop for grades 4, 5, and 6
- Awards Ceremony for Q3 at 10 am on blacktop for grades K, 1, 2, and 3
Take-Home COVID Tests for Spring Break
Ella B. Allen Elementary School will be distributing take-home COVID-19 tests to families this Wednesday and Thursday, March 16 and 17 at the front of the school from 1 pm to 4 pm. One kit (which includes 2 tests) will be provided for each CVESD student enrolled in our school until all tests are distributed.
While there is NO statewide testing mandate for students returning to school from Spring Break, we highly encourage you to use the kits to test your children for COVID-19 before they return from break to help keep in-person school safe for everyone.
Sixth Grade Camp Update
We have changed our camp dates to April 11 – 15, 2022 in order to secure a lower price for our families and get our preference of Raintree Ranch (rather than Camp Marston). A letter was sent home to the families of 6th grade students on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. If you did not attend the optional Parent Information Night last Friday, March 5th, please click this link to view that meeting:
Sixth grade will hold fundraisers (like the El Pollo Grill night and the World’s Finest Chocolate sales) to support their students in paying for camp. Please encourage support of these endeavors.
We are offering families concerned about the spread of the COVID-19 virus the opportunity to put their child on an independent study contract for the week of April 4-8, 2022. Any child exposed to the virus before camp who is not fully vaccinated or has not recovered from COVID-19 within the last 90 days will not be allowed to attend camp. Please contact the office with any questions.
Zone Transfers & New Student Registration
Please complete this Zone Transfer (or ZT) process ASAP to keep your child at our school, or families risk losing their child’s spot at our school if a new family moves into the neighborhood. Please also remember that a Zone Transfer or Intradistrict Transfer may be denied if a child’s behavior or attendance require improvement.
NEW STUDENT registration began on March 2 online for the following:
- Kindergartners who will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2022.
- NEW students in grades 1st through 6th
- All registrations will take place online. There will be no paper packets. To register please visit our district website: www.cvesd.org
Allen Elementary has plenty of space in our Kindergarten class for next year, but has limited openings in our other grades. Please contact our office for questions about space availability at (619) 479-3662.
Changes in Mask Policy
With decreasing COVID-19 positive cases, reduced hospitalizations, and more individuals being vaccinated, we are re-examining our mask mandates. Currently, we are happy to announce a lifting of the requirement to wear masks outdoors at school. This policy update took effect on Monday, February 28th. Of course, any student or staff member who feels more comfortable wearing a mask while outdoors at school is welcome to continue to do so. We will continue to monitor health organizations recommendations, and local, state, and federal mandates to determine the best course of action as we navigate through this pandemic.
The Chula Vista Elementary School District will follow the recommendations of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and encourage the use of masks indoors; however, masks will not be required after Spring Break indoors.
Update on Volunteers and Chaperones
Volunteers on campus must complete the following:
- Fingerprints and background check via Livescan Clearance CLICK HERE FOR FORM
- TB Clearance
- Proof of full COVID-19 Vaccination (all doses) – or see more information below
- RAPTOR system clearance and government-issued ID on file
- Volunteer Contact Information Forms
- Complete the 20 minute Allen Elementary Volunteer Training (offered by appointment at the school office)
Please email our Principal, Mr. Greenwell, at john.greenwell@cvesd.org or Secretary, Ms. Reza, at michelle.reza@cvesd.org for more information.
Effective February 22, 20022, all CVESD schools will be allowing “unvaccinated parents” to participate as volunteers/chaperones if they test weekly (or less frequently if they are just chaperoning a field trip, etc). These volunteers may work outdoors only and must comply with all the requirements for volunteers/chaperones at Allen Elementary with the addition that they:
- must wear a mask while on campus, regardless of other masking requirements that may or may not be in place
- test at one of our testing sites, Kiosks, or School During weekly testing
- share their results with staff who handles site volunteers
Lost and Found
Please check the lost and found rack outside of the MPR at school! Any unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity at the end of the quarter. Be sure to write your child’s first and last name in permanent ink on all personal items (hoodies, jackets, lunch bags, water bottles, and backpacks).
Eagles Soccer
Below is the schedule for our Eagles Soccer team! All games start at 4 pm.
Eagles Basketball
The start of the season will be the week of April 11th and season ends in May. Practices will be held typically on T, W, and Th. after school. Ms. Farlow will send home more information to our scholar-atheletes..
– Games are played on Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00 and 5:00 PM
– Games are played outdoors at CVESD schools and City of Chula Vista Parks
– The attached form is required for student participation in CVESD intramural sports. Following CDPH guidance, student-athletes must participate in weekly COVID testing. Please contact Ms. Farlow with questions.
Girls On the Run
A new opportunity for our young ladies in grades 3 through 6 is coming to Allen this Spring: We are proud to present Girls on the Run, an afternoon running club for girls!
Start date: March 16 after school from 3:20-4:45 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays here at Allen.
Come run with Ms. West, Ms. Venegas, and Ms. Farlow and build friendships with other girls!
Race date: Sunday, May 15th — Be at Crown Point at 8:15 am. The race starts at 9:00 am and is followed by a team celebration afterwards. More details to come!
Registration info: Regular fees are $225 per girl for the season, but reduced rates are available for multiple girls per family, active-duty military, government assistance or income-based aid and scholarships for girls as needed – we don’t want ANYONE turned away!
Come click the link and join the fun!
Spring Break Reminder
Please see the reminder for Spring Break 2022 below.
YMCA Campaign 2022
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our YMCA Campaign for 2022. Students and families in our area benefit from free and reduced services from the YMCA of San Diego. You can still make a tax-deductible donation securely here: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/3687811
Optional, Weekly COVID Clinic Testing
The free, “opt-in” COVID-19 testing program continues every Thursday as part of our district’s efforts to keep classrooms open and support our families with testing requirements for the state of California.
If you still need the link to give consent, it can be found here: https://school.covidclinic.org/register.
- Please know that giving consent for the COVID Clinic kiosks (at Clear View, Castle Park, or Eastlake) also automatically gives consent for your child to be tested via Allen’s weekly on-site testing.
We hope that you will choose to opt in and participate in this weekly testing program. No child will be tested without proper parental consent in this program.
- Please double check that you have completed the registration process correctly and placed an order for your child to be tested. Once these two steps have been completed, there is no need to update this each week. If you previously gave consent for your child to participate and have changed your mind, please notify COVID Clinic directly via email at k12@covidclinic.org before Wednesday morning. Please be sure to state your name and your child’s name, as well as their school in that message.
- Please note that the district does not want to test students and staff via this program who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days as they will likely test positive again via this PCR test. An at-home rapid or antigen test is a better option to use if you would like your child to return to school from an absence.
Free COVID-19 Testing
Testing is for staff and students at these locations.
*** We recommend that you check www.cvesd.org for the most updated times. The Chula Vista Elementary School District is offering free COVID-19 testing for students and staff at the following locations:
Education Services and Support Center at 84 East J Street, Chula Vista 91910
- Monday – Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (line closes to walk ups at 3:40 PM)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (line closes to walk ups at 3:40 PM)
Hedenkamp Elementary School at 930 East Palomar Street, Chula Vista 91913
- Monday – Thursday 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (line closes to walk ups at 2:30 PM)
- Friday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (line closes to walk ups at 2:30 PM)
Three more PCR testing sites are now available via COVID Clinic, outside of the weekly testing opportunity at Allen. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday, at EastLake Elementary, ClearView Elementary, and Castle Park Elementary.
Are you unsure if you should bring your child to school and/or test them for COVID-19? Click here for an easy-to-view handout. We highly recommend getting a COVID-19 test at a free County facility, at a medical provider, or at our District Office (Education Services and Support Center). If showing symptoms, a person will need a PCR/NAAT test. Otherwise, an antigen/rapid test will suffice. If you are unable to get a COVID-19 test from your healthcare provider, free testing is available at several locations across San Diego County. Click here to view a complete listing of no-cost testing options.
Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 with questions. Please note that if a child presents with any COVID-19 symptoms, we are required to send that student home until symptoms improve and families provide a negative test result.
We are happy to provide an independent study contract for families negatively impacted by the surge of COVID-19 cases in our community. Please contact the school office for help with this.
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.
Equity and Access for All Students
View this page here: https://allenelementary.org/equity-and-access/
COVID-19 Corner: Health and Safety
Vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 are now available. Please understand that the state of California may in the future be requiring children to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to attend a public school, just as they already do for other diseases (polio, mumps, rubella, etc..). This decision is not a school-based or district-based decision, but rather a state government decision.
The CVESD Board of Education encourages the use of masks on all sites within the Chula Vista Elementary School District, regardless of vaccination status. Masks, although not required, are strongly encouraged for all staff, students, parents, and visitors while indoors on campus. 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.
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 any person (regardless of vaccination status) presents with symptoms of COVID-19 while at school, that person will be immediately sent home and may only return with a negative 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 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.
Please help support Allen’s PTC by shopping at smile.amazon.com! AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of all eligible purchases to the Allen Elementary PTC when you shop on smile.amazon.com and choose Allen Elementary School Parents Teachers Club Inc as your charity.
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 Families & Staff
Allen School needs parents and legal 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, April 15, 2022 at 8 am. This meeting will be in person at school with a coffee cart available in front of the school.
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, March 14th 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, March 14th 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 usually 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, March 14th 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, April 13th 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 April 19, 2022 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 2022-2023 School Year
Next year’s School Calendar (2022-2023) is available online! Click this link to download it.
Students in our District are scheduled to start the 2022-2023 school year on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 and end the school year on Friday, June 2, 2023.
Student Starting Date: July 20, 2022
Student Ending Date: June 2, 2023
Key breaks include:
- Fall Break: September 26 – October 7, 2022
- Thanksgiving Break: November 21 – November 25, 2022
- Winter Break: December 19, 2022 – January 6, 2023
- Spring Break: March 20 – March 31, 2023
Be well Eagles! Stay safe: As a California public school, we encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to test regularly. The health and safety of our students, staff, and community is our number 1 concern!
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 