Your Grit Inspires Us! Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff Members: As we see the 2019-20 school year come to a close, I want to thank you and your children for your flexibility and adaptability as we quickly transitioned to distance learning and instruction. Everyone showed a true level of grit that was both inspiring and uplifting. Congratulations on a successful school year and best of luck to those moving on to the next stage of their educational pursuits. Our attention turns now to the work of finalizing plans for the 2020-21 school session. At this time, we have targeted Monday, August 31, as the proposed date that school will begin. While we traditionally align our calendar with the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD), we also understand that the challenges and considerations regarding safely reopening schools and providing meaningful instruction via distance learning are different for elementary schools and secondary schools. It is our intention to align our future calendars with SUHSD once this pandemic is over. The direction our reopening takes will depend on several important pieces: implementing school guidance and public health recommendations, countywide efforts to ensure COVID-19 is under control and cases are on the way down, progress along the Governor’s multi-phased roadmap for ending the stay-at-home order, guidance from the newly released Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California’s Public Schools, and, just as importantly, input from our stakeholder groups. Survey Says… Recently, the Chula Vista Elementary School District reached out to our community and asked for input about the coming school year and the design of school reopenings. Over 9,000 responses were received and that input has been critical to our work in crafting our plan for teaching and learning. Three specific results are worth noting. When surveyed about potential learning models, our families indicated: 36% would prefer on-site instruction 19% would prefer virtual school 55% would prefer some form of blended learning model. During the summer, our staff will create both online virtual school as well as live sessions to help recover lost learning. Starting July 15, we will send an update every two weeks regarding the status of these learning platforms. We want to keep you as informed and up to date as possible so that we start the new school year off on the right foot. No matter what form instruction and learning take in the coming school year, CVESD remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our entire school communities. Getting back to school is critically important, as you know, but doing so responsibly and with a focus on preventing the spread of this virus is paramount. Challenging Times There is no doubt we find ourselves in challenging times and I would be remiss if I did not also comment on the events of the last few weeks with regard to social justice, protesting of police brutality, and demands for significant and meaningful change in our country. As protests continued for another weekend, I concentrated on listening. I listened to African-American school leaders in our District. I listened to African-American colleagues and friends. I also listened to teachers, staff members and school psychologists who were not African-American, as they shared with me their horror in watching video capturing the death of a bound George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. This was the latest in a string of killings and racial injustices targeting black Americans. Like those from all walks of life and many sectors of industry, we as a District proudly acknowledge Black Lives Matter. Many of our families are deeply hurting right now. We as educators and members of the larger community have a moral obligation to create safe spaces for discussion and learning so that we don’t miss the lesson in these recent events. We need to listen to the voices crying out for change and understanding. We need to listen to our children’s questions about the difficult images they are seeing on their screens. Together, we need to take action and assist in the process of developing strategies that will make a difference. Our students need us now more than ever. They need guidance that is informed, authentic, and filled with compassion and understanding. Sometimes, additional resources can be a bridge when we don’t feel fully equipped to assist our young people. Two valuable resources you might refer to come from our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Director and our District’s social workers, as well as the San Diego County Office of Education. These are excellent resources that may assist in facilitating conversations between students and families. I am hopeful we are ready to move forward as a District, a community, and a nation united in the belief that we can and will do better. Only then can we live up to our belief that each and every child is an individual of great worth. Sincerely, Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D. Superintendent

Revised School Calendar

 

Congratulations to the Loma Verde 6th grade class of 2020 on your promotion to middle school!  We had a car parade send-off for students and families last week.

 

Talking to your children about the current, tragic events can be challenging.  For support, please see a special edition of our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Family Newsletter: Click here to access this support for families. or use this link: https://spark.adobe.com/page/NHyPzJjO0V1OP/?w=2_8038

 

We Need Your Input: Parent Survey on Distance Learning Plan and School Reopening

Please take this brief, yet important survey to help guide our school and district as we consider staffing needs and models for teaching next year whether physically in person in a classroom, online in a virtual classroom, or a combination of both. The purpose of this survey is to measure you and your child’s experience this 2019-20 academic year and to assist schools in planning for the 2020-21 school year. Parents/guardians of current students will also be asked about interest in continuing their student’s education in CVESD for grades 7 and 8. The survey takes just a few minutes.   Take Survey

No Report Cards This Quarter

A friendly reminder that students will not receive a report card for quarter 4. If you did not receive a digital copy of your child’s 3rd quarter report card, please contact Mrs. Watson at bree.watson@cvesd.org.

 

Book Return

Monday-Wednesday, June 8-12 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Drop off classroom and library books at the front of the school.

 

Loma Verde Front Office

At this time, the Loma Verde office and the school remain closed to the public.   The front office staff will be working diligently to end the 2019-2020 school year and prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.  During the school closure, we have been checking and responding to voicemails and emails.  We will be in the office and available to receive phone calls and e-mails from 8:00-4:30 over the next week and a half before closing for the summer break starting Wednesday, June 17.

 

Computer Devices & WIFI on Loan to Families

In order to support continued learning over the summer for all students, we have changed the return dates of laptops and WIFI hotspots.  Revised dates will allow students to access our digital instructional programs, including Achieve 3000, Benchmark Universe, Smarty Ants, i-Ready, and other available online learning resources during the summer break.  Return “dates” are as follows:

• Preschool to Grade 6 students who we know are leaving our District/feeder area should return laptops and hotspots prior to office closure on June 12. Please return your device or WIFI hotspot Monday-Friday between 8:00-3:00 to the front office.
• Preschool to Grade 5 students who will remain in our District next year, will keep laptops and hotspots through the summer break. When school begins next year,  we will let you know about the device return.
• Current 6th graders who will be attending our feeder Sweetwater middle schools will keep their laptops and hotspots until our school offices open next year. We will let you know the plan for collecting 6th-grade devices before students begin middle school. You will be notified by a SchoolMessenger call and email.

 

 

 

Summer Learning Resources

School is over for the 2019-2020 school year, but learning never stops!  The Chula Vista Elementary School District is currently developing many optional resources to support learning over the summer months. Please view the My Child’s Learning page of the Parents section on the CVESD website. CVESD students (including 6th graders who have promoted) have access to online learning programs through July 31, including their class Team.

 

We hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy!  Please visit our CVESD website for up-to-date COVID-19 information with the link: COVID-19 Info Center.  Please click here to view updated COVID-19 guidance from the City of Chula Vista. You may find more information at www.chulavistaca.gov/coronavirus.

 

 

Need Technical Support for District Supported Programs?

CVESD has a Parent Helpline 619-409-6638 to provide technical support with Microsoft Office 365 and Teams, as well as assistance for District-adopted online programs (i.e. Achieve 3000). Office hours are Monday–Friday  8 a.m.–5:00 p.m. You may need to leave a message during peak times; someone will contact you as soon as possible. Need help with Office 365/Teams? Click here.

 

Our CVESD YouTube VAPA Channel is up & running! Make sure to click on subscribe to be notified of new videos created by our CVESD VAPA teachers weekly!  VAPA YouTube channel

 

Community Resource Calendar

Please share this Cox Home Network Tips Page and May-June Community Resource Calendar created by the amazing CVESD Parent Engagement Liaison, Ms. Angelica Maldonado.

Cox Home Network Tips

May June 2020 Calendar ENGLISH

 

Counselor Corner with Mr. Diego Arias

• The Chula Vista Collaborative Family Resource Centers are here to assist families in need.
• Click here for the latest counseling newsletters from Mr. Arias.

 

 

Census 2020

The 2020 Census is underway – more than half the households across America have responded – and more are responding every day. Online, phone, and mailed self-responses will continue through Oct. 31.  Remember to complete the CENSUS that is important for School Funding! If you need help completing your 2020 Census questionnaire, you can call the toll-free number 1-844-330-2020.  Click on the links to access the Census 2020_flyer_ENGLISH or Census 2020_FLYERS_SPANISH for more information

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