Hello Allen Families and Staff,
State and district assessments continue this week. It is important that your child attends school everyday and on time during testing season as students are far more likely to do better testing with the rest of the students in their class.
Please see the letter below regarding our state and district testing that contains the school’s testing calendar.
Please also read the letter below from our Superintendent of schools. Kindly contact the school principal before your child’s testing begins if you have any questions or concerns about state and district assessments at (619) 479-3662.
Our school’s testing schedule is below:
Please read the letters above regarding testing and contact the school principal if you have any questions or concerns at (619) 479-3662.
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.
Arab American Heritage Month is celebrated in April. April is also Autism Acceptance Month and the Month of the Military Child! Allen Elementary and the Chula Vista Elementary School District celebrate and honor the diversity in our community!
Have you downloaded the Family Handbook for 2022-2023? Kindly review this periodically 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 Q4 Calendar of Events here:
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 Perseverance. The Common Courtesy for this week is “Good morning/Good afternoon.“
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:
Monday, April 24, 2023 – Room 501 visits the Health Station
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – Allen Basketball versus Salt Creek at 5 pm at Rohr Park
Thursday, April 27, 2023
- Sixth Grade Photos in AM
- Allen Soccer versus Discovery at Discovery Elementary School at 4:15 pm
- Allen Basketball versus Chula Vista Hills at 5 pm at Santa Venetia Park
Friday, April 28, 2023 – Spring Carnival at Allen from 4:30 – 7 pm (see below for details)
Monday, May 1, 2023
- Principal’s Day
- First Day of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
- Staff Appreciation Week begins (see more information below)
- Spirit Week Day 1 – Wear Allen Spirit Gear or green
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 – Spirit Week Day 2 – Decades Day: Wear an outfit from another decade!
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 – Spirit Week Day 3 – Wacky Hair Wednesday: Style or color your hair today!
Thursday, May 4, 2023
- Spirit Week Day 4 – May the 4th Be With You Day: Wear a Star Wars themed outfit!
- Allen Soccer versus Tiffany at Tiffany Elementary School at 4:15 pm
- Allen Basketball versus Clearview at 6 pm at Santa Venetia Park
Friday, May 5, 2023
- Spirit Week Day 5 – Fan Friday: Wear your favorite team’s shirt or jersey!
- Family First Friday 8 am to 9 am (free coffee for adults and PTC Spirit Gear Booth in front of school)
Monday, May 8, 2023 – Parent Meetings online and in person (in school’s MPR)
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
- CVESD DAC/DELAC 12 noon to 2 pm at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista
- Allen Basketball versus Valley Vista at 4 pm at Rohr Park
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 – Second grade field trip to the Zoo
Thursday, May 11, 2023 – Allen Soccer versus Valley Vista at Clearview Elementary School at 4:15 pm
Friday, May 12, 2023 – Family Science and Engineering Night at Allen from 5 to 6 pm
Friday, May 19, 2023 – Allen Music Festival (adults-only) at CV Golf Course, 6 to 10 pm
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
- Allen Elementary’s Variety Show at 5:30 pm in the MPR
- CVESD Board of Education Meeting at 6 pm at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista
Thursday, May 25, 2023 – Q4 Awards Ceremony for grades 3, 4, 5, and 800 building at 9 am
Friday, May 26, 2023 – Q4 Awards Ceremony for grades TK-2 at 9 am
Monday, May 29, 2023 – Memorial Day – NO SCHOOL
Thursday, June 1, 2023
- Sixth Grade Promotion Ceremony at 9:15 am
- Kindergarten field trip to the Zoo
- First day of LGBTQ+ Pride Month
Friday, June 2, 2023
- Last Day of School (2 pm dismissal)
- Kindergarten Celebration at 10 am
Wednesday, July 19, 2023 – First Day of School (all students in grades TK-6 dismiss at 2 pm)
Thursday, July 20, 2023 – Kindergarten and TK students dismiss at 2 pm
Friday, July 21, 2023 – Family First Friday (8 – 9 am) with free coffee for adults and the return of the PTC Spirit Booth
Yearbooks
Yearbooks are now for sale for the 2022-2023 school year! Please purchase yours in advance by ordering it online. Click the flyer below to see the cost and scan the QR code to purchase your yearbook in advance. You can also use this link: https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/allenelementaryschool
Soft cover yearbooks are $22 and hard cover yearbooks are $30.
A very limited number of yearbooks will be printed this year so be sure to reserve your copy now! Please order all yearbooks before May 15, 2023!
District and State Testing 2023
The Chula Vista Elementary School District began testing students on the following assessments on April 17, 2023. Our testing schedule is below:
Spring Carnival – April 28th
Friday, April 28, 2023 from 4:30 to 7 pm is Allen’s Spring Carnival! Admission is FREE to attend and play games. Food, drinks, desserts will be for sale. There will also be a craft fair with items for sale as well. We need volunteers to help run booths! Please contact Gina Bennett, our PTC President, to coordinate a shift.
Campus Safety Update – April 2023
CVESD and Allen Elementary take safety very seriously. We continuously monitor our campus: We work with community partners, such as the Chula Vista Police Department and the Chula Vista Fire Department, to improve safety and security on and around our school campus. Please read the letter from April 22, 2023 regarding our latest efforts to bolster security on our campus and contact the school principal with any questions.
DAC/DELAC Leaders Needed
CVESD needs parent leaders to step up to the plate to serve on the Executive Boards for DAC/DELAC.
Immunization Clinics
Free immunization clinics are now available for families on Sundays. See the flyer below:
Staff Appreciation Week & Spirit Week
Allen Elementary’s staff and teachers work very hard to support our school community. Our amazing PTC is putting together an optional Staff Appreciation Week:
In addition, the first week of May is also our Spirit Week! We encourage staff and students to dress up to celebrate!
Rise Against Hunger
See the photos below from our Rise Against Hunger event with the Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary Club on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Together, we packaged over 13,000 meals for people in need of nutritious meals across the globe!
Bonita Optimist Golf Tournament
If you enjoyed Allen Elementary’s PTC Charity Golf Tournament, you will love the Bonita Optimist Golf Tournament, called the Heroes for Children Golf Classic. See the flyer below for more information:
Attendance Matters!
Attendance is important! Allen Elementary celebrates excellent attendance as it sets students up for success!
Students attending Allen on a Zone Transfer may be denied if a student has a poor attendance record or behavior concerns.
Did you know that if your child is out of school for five or more days, you can request an independent study contract? If an independent study contract is completed, your child receives attendance credit. For more information, you can contact Ms. Baptista in the front office at (619) 479-3662.
- LET’S CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR ATTENDANCE AT ALLEN!
- Students should only miss school if they are sick. Those with symptoms can return with a negative COVID-19 test, no fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and symptoms improving. STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO BE SYMPTOM-FREE to attend school. We have plenty of rapid tests at school: just ask in the office. If you have a special circumstance and need an independent study, please let us know.
- Please make sure your child is at school by 8:45 am and lined up on the blacktop. If they arrive to campus after 8:50 am, they will be marked tardy.
- We begin a secure campus at 8:50 am. Parents/guardians must exit promptly at 8:50. Thank you.
- Students can arrive as early as 8:20 am when our school’s gates open. There is no supervision for students prior to 8:20 am.
- FREE breakfast is served from 8:20 am to 8:45 am. All meals are eaten at the lunch arbor outside, rain or shine.
- If your child is absent, it is very important to call the office to report the reason for the absence.
- Absences that are not reported will be considered UNEXCUSED. After 3 unexcused absences and/or tardies you will receive a truancy letter.
- If you pick up your child early and/or they are tardy for personal reasons, this is considered unexcused by the state of California.
- Remember to bring a doctor’s note. Vacations, dentist, and doctor visits should be scheduled during our breaks whenever possible.
- If your child misses school, they are missing out on important learning!
- Our school staff will be scheduling SART (School Attendance Review Team) meetings with parents/guardians, calling home, and doing home visits for students who are chronically absent (missing 10% of school or excessive tardies).
- Thank you for helping to get your child to school every day and one time!
Volunteers Still Needed
- Allen’s PTC needs volunteers to help run its events. Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 or our PTC President at galbertinibennett@gmail.com.
- Allen is expanding its Garden Committee! If you would like to help out maintaining our gardens, please leave your information with the front office staff.
- We need parent and community volunteers to help monitor student safety on the sidewalks around our school at drop off and dismissal time! Our Eagle Eye volunteers work with school staff to serve as an extra set of eyes to keep kids safe outside of our school gates. Any interested volunteers should contact Mr. Greenwell or Ms. Reza in the office or call (619) 479-3662.
All volunteers are allowed to volunteer inside the classroom and school buildings after having completed the required training with the school principal and meeting the District’s volunteer requirements. See below for these requirements:
REQUIRED ITEMS:
- Proof of TB
- RAPTOR I.D. Scan
- Fingerprint Clearance – DOJ & FBI
Note that COVID-19 testing requirements have been lifted by CDPH. Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 to be put on the volunteer list and to schedule a volunteer training with the school principal.
ThoughtExchange – We Need Your Voice!
This is the final week to share your input on our district’s annual ThoughtExchange! We need to hear from every parent/legal guardian at our school. This year, we are asking the question: What are some things we are doing well, and what could improve the educational experience we provide students through the LCAP?
As you’re aware, the LCAP shapes our District’s goals and guides our budgeting priorities. Please join in on the conversation from Feb. 1 through May 1, 2023. Please note that any negative comments and comments with profanity directed at an individual will be deleted. Constructive criticism on how to improve our school and district (and better serve students) is always welcome!
Feel free to reach out to our office team if you have any questions at (619) 479-3662. Allen Elementary’s budget priorities are discussed at every ELAC, SSC, and PTC meeting as well.
Link to survey: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/629912727
Zone Transfers & Registration Information
If Allen Elementary is not your school of residence, 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 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 is posted on our district’s website at www.cvesd.org.
- 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 and Early Childhood Education
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.
Free Campus Clinic Health Services
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.
Campus Clinic has partnered with the Chula Vista Elementary School District and Allen Elementary to provide free or low-cost services to staff and students for the convenience of our community. Services offered include:
- Vision and Hearing screenings as part of Preventative wellness visits
- Annual Well Visits
- Anxiety and depression screenings
- Mental health services including group therapy
- Diagnostic testing (flu, strep, COVID-19, etc)
- Immunizations
A new mental wellness program is now available. This program is designed for students aged 8 years & older. Campus Clinic allows parents to schedule one-on-one visits with a licensed provider. Parents are encouraged to attend the first visit via telehealth, and then schedule 12 additional 30-minute sessions between their student and the provider either in person at the designated location in the school or via telehealth.
Families do have the opportunity to continue these visits through summer & holidays as well. Visits are billed through insurance (the cost of the program is generally covered by insurance providers including Medi-Cal & private insurance companies).
This program will be rolled out at Allen Elementary soon. See the flyer below:
Weekly, voluntary COVID-19, flu, and RSV 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. Again, for this free testing support, please email: support@campusclinic.org.
This combo test is designed to provide results for symptomatic individuals for some of the most common illnesses, such as Flu A, Flu B, RSV, and COVID-19. This testing is provided at no-cost or free to families, but Campus Clinic is required by the state of California to collect insurance information. Campus Clinic will also be providing other essential public health services on our campus in the coming weeks.
MedLab2020 may call or email families to verify insurance information for individuals who have tested with Campus Clinic previously. MedLab2020 is the lab that Campus Clinic partners with to process COVID-19 PCR & flu combo tests administered through weekly in school testing, as well as at the four kiosks throughout the district. They are part of the letterhead on most of the results sent out. Please feel free to direct any questions or concerns you may have to the Campus Success Team.
Campus Clinic now provides access to licensed healthcare providers available via telehealth for follow-up visits and care. Following a positive flu or COVID test result, patients will receive a link in their email that gives them the opportunity to schedule with a provider to receive further care or ask any questions they may have.
Learn more about this and other additional services on the website: campusclinic.org. Allen Elementary is proud to partner with Campus Clinic! Watch the video below:
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
Health and Safety
There are currently no mandate for COVID-19 vaccines, nor a mandate for masks. Please understand that the state of California may (in the future) require 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 and our school by joining as a member of the Allen Elementary School Parents Teachers Club.
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, May 5, 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 May 8, 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 May 8, 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 May 8 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, May 24 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 May 9, 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 April 20 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. April 26 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.
Academic 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 has approved our 2023-2024 School Calendar as well. Please also use this document to plan and schedule family outings, vacations, and other important appointments in preparation for the upcoming school year. Find that document in the file below…
Students in our district will end the current academic year on Friday, June 2, 2023. The first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
Allen Elementary is proud to be a Kindness Certified School again in 2023!
Be well Eagles! 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 
