Hello Allen Families and Staff,
We are excited to participate in the Great Kindness Challenge this week and celebrate a culture of kindness, diversity, inclusion, and respect via our Kindness Spirit Week. We also wish everyone who celebrates a Happy Lunar New Year!
If you have questions for our staff or need assistance, please call at at (619) 479-3662. Office hours are 8 am to 3:30 pm, M-F.
Have you downloaded the Family Handbook for 2022-2023? Kindly review this with your child.
https://allenelementary.org/family-handbook/
Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week
Please watch Mr. Greenwell’s Message of the Week for this upcoming week at the YouTube link below:
Please download our Q3 Calendar of Events here:
Help our partners at the YMCA meet their fundraising goal as our students benefit greatly from services at Allen and at our local branch! Contribute here: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/4298539
Do you receive School Messenger emails and communication from our district? Be sure to check www.cvesd.org and bookmark our district’s website and follow its social media:
Please see our updated 2022-2023 Family Handbook here: Link to Family Handbook
A reminder of our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies:
The Core Value for this upcoming week of school is Honesty. The Common Courtesy for this week is “Thank you.“
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! Wondering how to support children if they experience a problem with another student? We suggest:
- Use “I feel…” statements to express yourself clearly.
- Set boundaries by saying “I don’t like that…” or “Please stop!”
- Move away from the student you have conflict with and…
- Seek 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. What is bullying? See the helpful graphic below:
If you have a concern about another child’s behaviors impacting your child, we suggest you first contact your child’s teacher. Afterwards, please see this page here. It’s our District’s Anti-Bullying page.
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, at (619) 479-3662 and we will arrange an appointment with you.
A Look Ahead:
January 23 – 27, 2023: The Great Kindness Challenge and Spirit Week at Allen Elementary
Monday, January 23, 2023 – Parent Meetings (in person in MPR and online)
- Kids Heart Challenge kickoff at school
- ELAC at 3 pm
- SSC at 3:30 pm
- PTC at 6 pm
- YMCA DASH/Junior Academy Cooking Class begins after school (and ends on Friday, 1/27)
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – CVESD Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) at 6 pm at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista
Thursday, January 26, 2023 – CVESD Black Learners Advisory Committee (B-LAC) at 6 pm at Hedenkamp Elementary
Friday, January 27, 2023 – Sees Candy Fundraiser ENDS
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
- Black History Month begins
- Virtual TK/Kinder Registration Townhall Meeting 6-8 pm [link at www.cvesd.org]
Thursday, February 2, 2023 – Groundhog Day
Friday, February 3, 2023 – Family First Friday from 8 am to 9 am (with free coffee for adults) and PTC Spirit Booth
Tuesday, February, 7, 2023 – CVESD DAC/DELAC at 12 noon at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista
Monday, February 13, 2023 – Parent Meetings (in person in MPR and online)
- ELAC at 3 pm
- SSC at 3:30 pm
- PTC at 6 pm
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – 3rd grade students visit the San Diego Zoo
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 – 5th grade students visit the USS Midway Museum
Thursday, February 16, 2023
- Kids Heart Challenge during the school day
- Family Focus Series: “10 Things Parents Need to Know About Fentanyl” at 6 pm at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista
Friday, February 17, 2023 – NO SCHOOL – Presidents Day Weekend
Monday, February 20, 2023 – NO SCHOOL – Presidents Day Weekend
Thursday, February, 23, 2023 – Spring Photography Day and Bus Evacuation Drill at Allen
Friday, February 24, 2023 – PTC’s Out of this World Family Dance (5 – 7 pm) at Allen
February 27 – March 3, 2023: Read Across America Week and Spirit Week
Tuesday, February 28, 2023 – 4th grade students visit the Living Coast Discovery Center
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 – Women’s History Month begins
Friday, March 3, 2023 – Family First Friday from 8 am to 9 am (with free coffee for adults) and PTC Spirit Booth
March 6 – 10, 2023: Scholastic Spring Book Fair (BOGO)
March 9 – 16, 2023: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences (dismissal at 2 pm for all students in grades TK-6)
Monday, March 13, 2023 – Parent Meetings (in person in MPR and online)
- ELAC at 3 pm
- SSC at 3:30 pm
- PTC at 6 pm
Friday, March 17, 2023 – Green Spirit Day and dismiss for Spring Break
March 20 – 31, 2023: Spring Break – NO SCHOOL
Monday, April 3, 2023 – Classes resume (with a 2 pm dismissal for all students in grades TK-6)
Sees Candy Fundraiser
Allen’s PTC needs your sweet support! We’re selling yummy See’s Candies for our latest fundraiser.
Visit our shop to pick and choose your favorites and buy your candy online. This fundraiser ends this Friday, January 27th so get those orders in online or on the paper form.
Happy shopping, and thanks for your support!
The Great Kindness Challenge
Allen Elementary is participating again in the annual, worldwide Great Kindness Challenge! This is our third year as a school community. We invite all staff, students, and families at Allen to participate in the official Great Kindness Challenge week this January 23 – 27, 2023.
During the official Great Kindness Challenge week, all students in grades PreK-6 are challenged to complete as many acts of kindness as possible, using the school provided, age-appropriate kindness checklist. With the checklist in hand, students show the world that KINDNESS MATTERS! Ella B. Allen Elementary School is a proud Kindess Certified School!
Please download the appropriate checklist below. Students will receive one paper copy from their teacher.
Students in grades Preschool, TK, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade are recommended to use the Junior Edition. Students in grades 3-6 are encouraged to use the School Edition.
Kindness Spirit Week
As part of our celebration of The Great Kindness Challenge, Allen Elementary is also hosting a Kindness Spirit Week. Students will have special spirit days that will include some special activities to promote a culture of kindness, diversity, inclusion, and respect.
Check out our Spirit Days below!
CVESD Co-Ed Sports Update
Basketball: Mrs. Farlow (a 3rd grade teacher) invites all 4th – 6th grade students to try out for the Allen School CoEd Basketball Team. Students on this team play games against other schools within Chula Vista Elementary School District. The only requirement to tryout is to complete the CVESD Release to Participate Waiver. The season runs from February 15 – May 25, 2023 with games and practices on Mondays,Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Tryouts are 1/23 (Monday) & 1/24 (Tuesday) after school from 3:20-4:30 pm. Students must attend both days of tryouts to be eligible for the team. Students should wear athletic attire and athletic shoes for try outs. Please contact Mrs. Farlow by email at melissa.farlow@cvesd.org with questions.
Soccer: Ms. Millikin (a 5th grade teacher) invites all 4th – 6th grade students to try out for the Allen School CoEd Basketball Team. Students on this team play games against other schools within Chula Vista Elementary School District. The only requirement to tryout is to complete the CVESD Release to Participate Waiver. The season runs from February 15 – May 25, 2023 with games & practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tryouts are 1/25 (Wednesday) & 1/26 (Thursday) after school from 3:20-4:30 pm. Students must attend both days of tryouts to be eligible for the team. Students should wear athletic attire and cleats (if possible) or athletic shoe at tryouts. Please contact Ms. Millikin at erin.millikin@cvesd.org with questions.
TK/Kinder Registration Meeting
The CVESD Student Placement department, in collaboration with the Early Education Department, will host an online, virtual TK/Kinder Registration Townhall Meeting on Wednesday, February 1st from 6-8 pm. The link for the meeting can be found on www.cvesd.org and in the flyer below, via a scanned QR code.
YMCA Campaign
Students and families in our area benefit from free and reduced services from the YMCA of San Diego. Help give back by joining the YMCA Campaign for 2023! This year’s campaign theme is “Open Hearts, Open Doors.”
You can make a tax-deductible donation securely here: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/4298539
Zone Transfers and Registration Information
It’s almost that time again! Everyone attending Allen Elementary on a CVESD Zone Transfer will receive an email in the last week of January with a specific link to renew the Zone Transfer for their child for the 2023-2024 school year. 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 will begin on February 15 online for the following:
- Kindergartners who will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2023.
- 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 beginning on February 15: www.cvesd.org
Allen Elementary has plenty of space in our Preschool, TK, and Kindergarten classes for next year, but has limited openings in our upper grades. Please contact our office for questions about space availability at (619) 479-3662. More information will be posted on our district’s website at www.cvesd.org in February 2023.
- Please note:
- TK students will not need a renewal zone transfer link as they will need to register at their neighborhood school for Kindergarten. Our district’s Early Childhood Education department supports Preschool and TK enrollment. Please contact them directly at (619) 425-9600 Ext.181725.
- The Renewal Zone Transfer Form is independent of the “New Zone Transfer Form.”
- Students who will be transitioning to Sweetwater Union High School District for seventh grade (middle school) do not need to notify CVESD about this, but will need to complete registration processes with that district via https://www.sweetwaterschools.org/.
Preschool Enrollment
Are you considering enrolling your child in preschool? Look no further! Allen Elementary offers a free preschool program for qualifying families that live in San Diego County. Learn more and enroll your child today at http://cvesd.org/preschool.
Family Focus Series
The next event in our Family Focus Series will help families to learn more about pressing topics such as bullying, social and emotional well-being, and more! Free childcare and dinner are provided for all attendees.
The next workshop is on Feb. 16th at 6 pm and titled “10 Things Parents Need to Know About Fentanyl.”
Questions? Email Angelica.maldonado@cvesd.org.
- In person, 6:00 pm, dinner served, at 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910
- Free childcare provided.
Colds, Flu, RSV, COVID, & other illness
A friendly reminder that if your child is sick, please contact the school office and keep your child home.
With millions of people returning to their daily activities and traveling once again, it’s important to recognize that COVID-19 and the flu aren’t the only currently spreading diseases that can cause severe illness in infants. In San Diego, there’s been a surge in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases and it’s crucial you keep sick people away from children.
Talk to your child’s doctor if they are showing signs of illness. Always consult your child’s care provider before giving them medicine or medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. Please contact our school office if your child must stay home due to illness at (619) 479-3662.
Free Campus Clinic Testing
Families may come to the school office, Monday- Friday, between 8 am and 3:30 pm to receive a free COVID-19 home antigen test. The testing is not required. Please report all positive cases to our school office at (619) 479-3662.
Weekly, voluntary testing will continue on our school campus via Campus Clinic each week. Parents and legal guardians must opt-in to the program and no child will be tested without proper consent. If families would like to watch a video on the registration process, they can visit: https://campusclinic.org/how-to/. For community testing at the kiosks, individuals will need to register on-site. You only need to register one time for a test through the kiosk
As we all know, the winter months are often accompanied by cold & flu season. In alignment with our district’s commitment to keeping your children healthy and in school, we are excited to expand Campus Clinic’s testing services by adding the flu combo test to our weekly COVID-19 testing program. This combo test is designed to provide results for symptomatic individuals for some of the most common fall and winter illnesses, such as Flu A, Flu B, RSV, and COVID-19.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the information above, please call or email our Campus Success team.
Campus Success; 8:00am -4:00pm PST
855.286.2577
support@campusclinic.org
www.campusclinic.org
Again, for this free testing support, please email: support@campusclinic.org.
Health and Safety
Vaccines for children 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.
Masks, although not required at this time, are encouraged for all staff, students, parents, and visitors while indoors on campus. There is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 and other illnesses in any public place where people are present. The school and district strive to reduce this impact to staff, students, and families. It is a current public health recommendation for all eligible people to get COVID-19 booster shots.
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. 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
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
The standing PTC Meeting link is here: PTC MEETING LINK 2022-2023
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 usually reserved for our Family First Friday, Allen’s version of Coffee with the Principal. Our next Family First Friday will be on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 from 8 am to 9 am. This meeting will be in person at school with a coffee cart available in front of the school. Our Allen PTC will also have their monthly Spirit Gear Booth with great items for sale!
We encourage parents and legal guardians to join this meeting with a free cup of hot coffee or a cold cup of cold brew on nitro 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 will be on January 23, 2023 at 3 pm. This meeting will be both online and in person at Allen in the MPR. Online link here.
The school encourages all legal parent/guardian of students designated as an English Learner to attend these meetings.
School Site Council (SSC)
Ella B. Allen’s next SSC Meeting will be on January 23, 2023 at 3:30 pm. Please note that if you join early, you’ll be attending the ELAC meeting already in progress. This meeting will be both online and in person at Allen in the MPR. Online link here.
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. 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. This meeting will be both online and in person at Allen in the MPR. Link: via this link. The next PTC meeting is January 23 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, February 15 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 February 7, 2023 at 12 noon. This meeting will be in person at the CVESD Education Services and Support Center (ESSC) in room C. The address is 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA. 91910.
The link below contains 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: https://www.cvesd.org/parents/getting-involved/dac-delac
CVESD B-LAC Meeting
District Black Learners Advisory Council (B-LAC)
The B-LAC is composed of parents, staff, and community representatives from around the district. The B-LAC provides and monitors the ongoing support for Black/African American students and families in the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) to ensure unbiased practices/policies, equitable educational outcomes, and equal access to a quality education. The group meets regularly during the school year, once a month. Most meetings occur on Thursdays from 6 – 7 pm. The next meeting is February 23 at 6 pm and will be in person at Fahari Jeffers Elementary (1145 Camino Prado, Chula Vista, CA 91913). For more information and to download the schedule of these meetings, clink the link: https://www.cvesd.org/parents/getting-involved/black-learners-advisory-council—b–lac
CVESD BAC Meeting
District Budget Advisory Council (CVESD BAC)
The District’s Budget Advisory Council (BAC) is composed of parents, staff, and community representatives from around the district. The BAC monitors the financial statements and fiduciary obligations of the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD). Although it usually only meets 5 – 6 times a year, the BAC’s meetings are useful in understanding how state and federal monies support student learning at a local level. January 25th at 6 pm is the next BAC meeting. This meeting will be in person at the CVESD Education Services and Support Center (ESSC) in room C. The address is 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA. 91910.
Calendar for the 2022-2023 School Year
The 2022-2023 School Calendar is available online! Click this link to download it. Please reference this when planning vacations or scheduling appointments with your children that may require them to miss school. Excellent attendance is important in student success!
Our Board of Education recently approved our 2023-2024 School Calendar as well and we are pleased to share that it aligns well with Sweetwater as well. Find that document in the file below…
Students in our district will end the current academic year on Friday, June 2, 2023.
Be well Eagles! Stay safe: As a California public school, we encourage everyone to stay healthy and get the COVID-19 vaccine (and/or booster shots), as well as to test regularly. The health and safety of our students, staff, and community is our number 1 concern!
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 