Suisun Valley School NewsletterDragon’s Breathsvs.fsusd.org

Letter from our Principal

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Dear Dragon Families,Thanks to all of you who were able to attend

parent conferences. We feel that it is important for students to be a part of this process and set improvement goals for the next trimester. When parents, students, and teachers are all working towards student’s academic success then students can make incredible progress. Please periodically check in with your child about the achievement of their goals and check on their weekly formatives that are sent home.

Suisun Valley Elementary School is seeking to become part of the No Excuses University network. No Excuses University is a college readiness program. College readiness is the idea that every student deserves the opportunity to be educated in a way

that prepares him or her for college if he or she chooses to attend. No Excuses University is a culture of universal achievement. As part of our college readiness program, our faculty will be analyzing your child’s test scores and data from standardized testing more

intensely than ever. We will be working to make sure all students are at level in reading, language usage, and mathematics. I encourage you to visit the No Excuses University website at http://turnaroundschools.com/neu-network/ to learn more.

What can parents do at home to support our efforts? Throughout the year, your child will be talking about his/her “goals.” We encourage all parents to have a daily conversation with their child. “Take Five” takes only five minutes of your time and can have a strong impact on your child. Each day I encourage you to consider these five questions with your child:

1. What is your student goal? 2. What did you do today to help achieve your

student goal? 3. How did you make character count today? 4. What can you do tomorrow to conduct

yourself as a college ready student? 5. What have I (parent) done to encourage

my child today?Educating your child is a partnership. Our teachers, guidance staff, office staff and administration are all here for what is best for your child.Thank you for your continued support!

Mrs. Bains Wright,Principal

Holiday Greetings The entire staff joins me in extending well wishes to you and your family for the holidays and the New Year. During this special time we take time to remember and share goodwill, joy and happiness with others. We hope that each moment of the holidays and the New Year will be filled with a deep appreciation for just how special those moments are. May we be able to: CELEBRATE LIFE . . Think freely. . .Practice patience. . .Smile often . . . Make new friends . . Rediscover old ones. . . Tell those we love that we do . . . Feel deeply . . . Observe miracles . . . Take time for people . . .

Reach out . . . Let someone in . . . Trust life . . . Comfort a friend . . . Laugh heartily . . . Make time for ourselves . . . Enjoy wonder . . . Have good ideas . . . Make some mistakes . . . Learn from them . . .

CELEBRATE EACH MOMENT!

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Build Character by teaching your child to be a good citizen.

This month we will be focusing on Respect. Talk with your child about the importance of respect. • Respectful people give others the

information they need to make decisions about their lives.

• Respectful people treat others with consideration. They do what is tasteful and proper in dealing with others. They don’t stoop to violence, meanness or rudeness.

• Respectful people tolerate other people’s beliefs and accept individual differences without prejudice. They don’t insist that everyone be like them.

• Respectful people treat others as they want to be treated. They value others. They build up others. They help other people value themselves.

Before School Drop Off ProceduresThe priority for before school drop off is to provide a safe environment for our students to enter the school site and to keep traffic flow moving. We ask that you adhere to the following:

• Drivers remain in their cars when they stop in the unloading area.

• Cars need to park in a parking spot if you want to leave your vehicle at any time. NO EXCEPTIONS!!

• Remember there are two lanes of traffic in the back parking lot - not three.

• There is only one line of cars entering and exiting the front parking lot. Please do not make two lanes. Recently there have been cars that are pulling out of line and almost causing an accident.

• No speeding through the pick-up area.• There is ABSOLUTELY no parking in front of the

marquee. Parking in this location really stops the traffic from moving.

Please exercise patience…it is better to move slow than to have an accident.

Important Dates to CalendarPlease remember our STAR test dates are from 5/6 to 5/17 . Please do not schedule family vacations during this time period.

Our scores are affected by student absences. MOVIE NIGHT

What: “Arthur Christmas” Who: Everyone! (rated PG)

When: Friday- December 7, 2012Right after school: 3:15-4:45 pm

Where: Multipurpose RoomWhy? Why not :) Let’s have some fun!

Cost: Admission= FREE!Water, Popcorn & Candy= $1 each

*** Donations to the Suisun Valley Parent Club Happily Accepted :)Attendees are asked to assist in a quick clean up and will be released

in the “U” pick up area immediately after.

MOVIE NIGHT What: “Arthur Christmas”Who: Everyone! (rated PG)

When: Friday- December 7, 2012Right after school: 3:15-4:45 pm

Where: Multipurpose RoomWhy? Why not :) Let’s have some fun!

Cost: Admission= FREE!Water, Popcorn & Candy= $1 each

*** Donations to the Suisun Valley Parent Club Happily Accepted :)Attendees are asked to assist in a quick clean up and will be released

in the “U” pick up area immediately after.

Parent Club Greetings!

Heather Merodio, President

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Technology at HomeLooking for some educational websites to keep your student busy and learning over Winter

Break? Check these out:

READING/Technology• At Learn Out Loud, you can

watch and listen to podcasts of your favorite authors and illustrators. Find out Brian Selznick’s story behind The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and learn how Chris Van Allsburg’s Jumanji and The Polar Express became blockbuster movies. Other interviews include Pam Munoz Ryan, Mark Teague, Marc Brown, Jane Yolen, and Betsy Lewin. HTTP://LEARNOUTLOUD.COM

• Click on Storytime Online and choose from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, Harlem by Wlater Dean Meyers, and Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen to watch picture book videos. WWW.KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG/MULTIMEDIA

• Play interactive phonics games. At Starfall, students can play free games to boost their phonics skills. Parents are able to choose games based on which skills are being worked on in class. Students fill in beginning sounds and actually hear them aloud as they solve problems. There are also short illustrated stories that students can read, as well. The words from the story are shown on the screen and can be clicked on if help is needed. The voice highlights every letter of the word and reads it aloud to the student. WWW.STARFALL.COM

MATH/Technology• PRACTICE MULTIPLICATION FACTS.

In Flight of the Knight, students choose which facts they’d like to practice (2s, 5s, 0s-3s, etc.). The countdown begins and students must solve facts to catapult a knight over a moat and safely

into the castle. If the answer is correct, the hero makes it. But if the answer is wrong,

the prince smacks into the side of the castle instead!

HTTP://WWW.MULTIPLICATION.COM/INTERACTIVE_GAMES.HTM

• Play with an online Geoboard. Click on a corner and drag the “rubberband” to any peg on the board. The length of each side is automatically shown. From there, students can determine the area. With a click of the mouse, they can check their answers, Just for fun, kids can change the color of any of the shapes they create. WWW.MSTE.UIUC.EDU/USERS/PAVEL/JAVE/GEOBAORD

• Let students fly through outer space! At Coolmath-4kids.com, your child will feel what it’s like to fly past the stars as they play Space Flight. They’ll use geometry as they investigate Super Spiro and Cursor. And they’ll practice trigonometry as they play Splash and make their own waves. WWW.COOLMATH4KIDS.COM/COOLTHINGS

• There is also Study Island that all students know how to access. This program is designed to teach grade level standards and is being used at school .

Dear Dragon Families, On behalf of Parent Club I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday. We would also like to thank each of you for the support you have provided Parent Club and Suisun Valley School. Our wonderful volunteers and parents help to contribute to the success of our school.

Thank you again and Happy New Year!

SAVE YOUR MALL RECEIPTS Are you saving your Mall receipts for us? We are in a tough competition with other Fairfield schools to win the $2,500.00 first place prize! Please do your holiday shopping at the mall and turn in your receipts to our school. Remember if you buy a gift card we get TRIPLE POINTS FOR THE WESTFIELD GIFT CARD! The Westfield Gift card can be used anywhere American Express is accepted, including Gas Stations, Grocery Stores and your favorite retailers. Purchase the gift card from the Westfield Management Office and earn 15 points for each dollar spent! Be sure to tell them to credit it to our school….Thanks for supporting us!

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