Hello Allen Families and Staff,
We hope you had a wonderful Spring Break!
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. Are you interested in serving as a classroom volunteer? Please schedule in advance a volunteer orientation with our office. See below for more information.
Have you downloaded the Family Handbook for 2023-2024? Kindly review this periodically with your child.
https://allenelementary.org/family-handbook/
Principal’s Message of the Week
Please contact the school office at (619) 479-3662 with any concerns and our interim principal will support you.
Please look for our PTC and school’s Q4 Calendar of Events – coming soon!
Join our PTC at the level you are most comfortable with by completing this form or scanning the QR code right now!
Do you receive emails and communication from our district?
Opt-in to CVESD text messages (including emergencies by testing “Y” to 67587. Be sure to check www.cvesd.org and bookmark our district’s website and follow its social media:
There is also a Parent Helpline…
Please see our 2023-2024 Family Handbook here: Link to Family Handbook
A reminder of our school’s Core Values and Common Courtesies:
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 children 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 8, 2024
- ELAC at 3 pm [link coming soon]
- SSC at 3:30 pm [link coming soon]
- PTC at 6 pm
- All meetings available online and in person in the MPR at Allen Elementary
Q4 LEAD Program for Allen
Please contact Mr. Velasquez regarding information on Q4 LEAD programs and activities.
Q3 Report Cards & ELD Report Cards
You should have received your child’s most recent progress updates from Q3 at the Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions.
Students in Chula Vista Elementary School District receive Progress Reports in Quarter 2, Quarter 3, and Quarter 4. Reporting student progress is an essential part of the communication and partnership between home and school. CVESD has adopted a progress report which includes a revised rubric for progress towards standards. The Report Card’s standards-based rubric allows teachers to document a wider range of academic growth for students.
The Progress Report identifies academic achievement based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and documents growth towards end of year expectations in the following areas: English Language Arts, History/Social Science, Mathematics, and Science. These content areas are assigned a score based off a 4-point rubric.
More information is at this link… Be sure to scroll down to the section titled “Understanding the CVESD Report Cards“: https://allenelementary.org/programs/common-core/
WeTip – Reporting
The Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) is proud to roll out a new anonymous reporting program called WeTip. WeTip is a program to enhance safety and security at our district’s school sites.
Key Points for WeTip Program:
- WeTip will enhance safety at CVESD while actively empowering students, staff, and community members to maintain a safe and secure environment.
- CVESD encourages all students, staff, and community members to be vigilant and report concerns – if you see something, say something.
- Whether it’s a safety concern or any situation that raises suspicion, it can be reported quickly and easily online or through a phone call or text message.
- Reporting a tip is easy, anonymous, and confidential.
- The link for WeTip is here and posted on our school website: WeTip Link
Staying Healthy
Attendance matters as we approach district and state testing! Parents, please reference the infographic below to help you.
Volunteer Orientation
Our school loves Family Volunteers! All interested Volunteers must attend a Volunteer Orientation prior to starting to volunteer at Allen Elementary. Our next Volunteer Orientation will be later in Q4.
- 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 our school’s front office or call (619) 479-3662.
All volunteers are allowed to volunteer inside the classroom and school buildings after having completed the required training/volunteer orientation 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
- Completed, updated Volunteer Agreement
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.
As stated in the Allen Family Handbook, all adult visitors and volunteers must present a government-issued identification card to staff.
Traffic Reminders
Please follow all traffic laws and rules when dropping off and picking up your child from school. Here are some helpful traffic and safety reminders:
- Please do not block driveways, use driveways of homes, or park in red zones. Do not park in spaces designated for staff.
- Do not use staff parking spots in front of the 100 and 200 buildings to drop off and pick up your child.
- For the safety of all, do not stop in front of the school to drop off and pick up your child.
The traffic loop is split next to our beautiful new mural on the west side of our campus. Please do not block the bus lane. All parent drop off and pick up should be in front of the 800 building and then cars exit the traffic loop on the left side of the bus lane. Please do not park in the loop or leave your car unattended.
Follow directions from staff, safety patrol officers, and law enforcement. See the graphic below for more information.
Online Safety Reminders
Online Safety: Parents and legal guardians, please monitor your child’s activity on cell phones, online games, and computers. Online safety includes any computers, cell phone, gaming consoles, e-readers, tablets, and other devices. It is important to discuss with ALL CHILDREN (even at an early age) the following topics:
- Netiquette
- Looking at inappropriate content
- Pop-ups/Passwords
- Not trusting everyone and everything you see online
In addition, older children (tweens and teens) need to hear from trusted adults on:
- Cyberbullying
- Sexting
- Posting personal/inappropriate information (pornography, violence, hate speech, illegal activities)
- Meeting offline with others
We recommend that parents stay calm and level-headed when speaking to children about these topics. Often well-intentioned parents threaten to take away items and punish children when they are found exploring online and that just creates other problems that could be potentially more serious down the line. Ask your child if they are aware of conflicts between students via social media, online gaming, and other apps. Build trust and answer questions they have in an age-appropriate way.
We encourage parents to check out additional resources for online safety at https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/videos#elementary.
Other helpful resources are Common Sense Media and Internet Matters. Those links are below…
We recommend that parents monitor carefully access to online websites, gaming, and social media. Seemingly innocent websites, such as YouTube, often link to videos geared for a more mature audience, including websites and videos. Please see this helpful resource: https://onlinemasteroflegalstudies.com/resources/how-parents-educators-protect-childrens-online-privacy/
Attendance Matters!
Attendance is essential for the success of your child! Students who attend school everyday and on time are more likely to excel in school and develop healthy habits that lead to successes as an adult.
Families who do not send children to school may be subject to California’s compulsory education laws. California’s compulsory education laws require children between six and eighteen years of age to attend school, with a limited number of specified exceptions.
Under state law, a pupil who, without a valid excuse, is absent from school for three full days in one school year, or is tardy or absent for more than 30 minutes during the school day on three occasions in one school year, is considered truant. Once a student is designated a truant, state law requires schools, districts, counties, and courts to intervene to ensure that parents and pupils receive certain services to assist them in complying with attendance laws. When these various interventions fail—meaning parents or guardians still do not send a child to school or a student misses an unlawful amount of school—the matter is referred to the courts. Courts can then use penalties or other measures to seek compliance. Essentially, these various interventions exist to ensure that pupils remain in school and that a pattern is not established that could lead to their dropping out of school later in their educational career.
Our Attendance-Health Secretary, School Nurse, Principal, other District officials, and law enforcement agents may set up meetings or conduct home visits to families who do not comply with compulsory education laws. Our number one job is to support the safety and education of children!
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.
All households can now order four more free COVID-19 tests at https://www.covid.gov/tests to be delivered by the US Postal Service. CVESD also has home antigen test kits for distribution to students and staff.
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
Campus Clinic is here to serve the healthcare needs of the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s students and staff! Over the past year, our providers have expanded to provide more than just outbreak prevention testing.
Campus Clinic regularly offers the following programs:
- Mental Wellness Programs for both Students and Staff Members
- Students and staff are facing a new and challenging pandemic: anxiety and depression. Campus Clinic offers immediate, affordable, and convenient access to mental wellness services right on your student’s campus or via telehealth.
- The In-Class Education Series with the School’s Licensed Provider
- This education series is brought to one class per school per week, and gives your student the opportunity to engage with their school’s licensed provider outside of the traditional medical environment while learning about important life skills, such as eating healthy, steps to maintaining mental wellness, and more.
- Weekly Outbreak Prevention Testing at school and at the kiosk at the ESSC (District Office)
- Students and staff members have better, more impactful school experiences when they are healthy. The weekly proactive testing program is designed to help catch illnesses early and reduce the spread throughout the classroom.
- Rapid Antigen and PCR Covid-19 Tests Influenza A, Influenza B, and Covid-19 Combo Tests
- Covid-19 Follow-Up Appointments with a Licensed Provider
To make sure you get the most out of these convenient, affordable services, please login to the registration portal to make sure you are opted in to the wellness program. If you registered for outbreak prevention testing last year, then your registration will be carried throughout the 2023/2024 school year. If you wish to discontinue your participation, please also login to the portal. Additionally, if there have been any changes to your medical insurance coverage, please update this information while in the portal.
If you are ready to set up an appointment, need assistance with updating your registration preferences (including adding the wellness program or unenrolling from services) or have any questions about these programs, please reach out to our dedicated Campus Success Team.
Visits are billed through insurance (the cost of the program is generally covered by insurance providers including Medi-Cal & private insurance companies).
See the flyer below:
Parents and legal guardians must opt-in to the voluntary 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.
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.
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 mandates for COVID-19 vaccines, nor a mandate for masks in the state of California. 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.
- New variants of COVID-19 continue to impact our community.
- 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 2023-2024
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, April 5, 2024 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 coffee and listen to Mr. Greenwell give an update on the school year and meet other amazing Allen families and staff members. Allen Elementary is proud to partner with Nitro Monkey Coffee, a locally-owned CVESD family company, to offer free coffee to all adults attending.
English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Ella B. Allen’s next ELAC Meeting will be on April 8, 2024 at 3 pm. This meeting will be both online and in person at Allen in the MPR. Online link here. The school will review our Title I School Information and our Home-School Compact, as well as our Parent Participation policy.
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 April 8, 2024 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. The school will review our SPSA (School Plan for Student Achievement) updates, budget allocations, and our CSSP (Comprehensive School Safety Plan) updates.
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 April 8, 2024 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 in person at the CVESD Education Support Services Center (ESSC) located at 84 East J. Street in Chula Vista. These meetings generally occur the second Wednesday of each month. The next regularly scheduled CVESD Board of Education meeting is Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 6 pm.
To access these public meetings online, 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 16, 2024 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 will be soon in the 2023-2024 school year 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. The next BAC meeting will be on Wednesday, April 3 from 6 to 7 pm. 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 this School Year
Please reference our 2023-2024 School Calendar. Please also use this document to plan and schedule family outings, vacations, and other important appointments in preparation for the upcoming school year. Excellent attendance is important in student success! Find that document in the file below…
The first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, July 19, 2023. The last day of the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
Allen Elementary is proud to be a Kindness Certified School again in 2024!
Be well Eagles! As a California public school, we encourage everyone to stay healthy and stay home when you feel ill. The health and safety of our students, staff, and community is our number 1 concern!
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 