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What's Happening at SVA?
Happening NOW! - Party Train Fundraiser
Nov. 17-18 -- Conferences *NO SCHOOL*
Nov. 21-25 -- Fall Break *NO SCHOOL*
Dec. 7 - TCOE Decision Hearing - 3:00PM
Dec. 10 -- SVA Musical
Dec. 16 -- Winter Performances
Dec. 16 -- Middle School Dance
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Message from the Superintendent
Last Monday night, we had a public hearing before the Tulare County Office of Education Board of Education to share the value and goals of Sycamore Valley Academy and Blue Oak Academy in this community.
Thank you to all of those who spoke on our behalf, including our scholars, alumni Kole Devereaux and current student Sofia Rasner who had spoken at prior meetings, and alumni Sarah Matthews and curret student Harper Dutton who
addressed the board in Spanish
: your voices mattered. We are inspired by the way you exemplified the SVA mission and vision statements.
We were encouraged by the TCOE Board's questions for us and for VUSD, and believe the time provided TCOE with a chance to get to know us and see what makes our organization a gem in this Valley, worthy of their support and authorization. We are available to TCOE Board members and staff during this review period, should they have any questions pertaining to our petitions or our schools, and are eager to return to TCOE on Wednesday, December 7th, at 3:00PM for the decision hearing for both SVA and BOA.
Are you wondering what the recent election portends for CA charter schools? An influential voice in the charter community, Eric Premack of Charter Schools Development Center
sent this message out Monday. I attended a training in Sacramento Tuesday to learn more and plan for continued advocacy efforts in the coming year via the California Charter Schools Association
"Capitol Advocacy Leaders" program. I have been a part of this program since 2013, protecting charter interests and championing CA's children every year SVA has been open.
You can also be a charter advocate by donating to our school. We will be sending out an annual End of Year fundraising letter and request for your support on
Giving Tuesday (11/29) as well. I hope that you will consider giving to sustain our school this year to ensure our continued viability and advocacy for excellent public education to become universally accessible in our community someday. Donations to our 501c3 are tax-deductible, and timely receipts are provided for tax purposes.
Thank you for your support!
Ruth
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Hop on the Party Train and support your school! From stargazing with Mr. Phillips to a bluegrass fest with the Johnsons, there's a party for everyone of every age and interest. Spread the word, and invite your friends and family to join the fun!
View all of the parties and
p
urchase tickets to the parties of your liking by
clicking here
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Sycamore Valley Academy families and staff have donated their homes, time, and money in order to offer these wonderful opportunities.
All proceeds from ticket sales go toward supporting academic and enrichment activities and to create meaningful, nurturing opportunities for all.
This year the SVA PTO budgeted thousands of dollars for computers, field trips, school supplies, electives, sports, and other activities.
Thank you for your continued support!
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Painting Party with Miss Yado
Send your child to a paint session led by our own Miss Yado! Your child will leave with a masterpiece on a 12x12 canvas ready to hang at home.
Sat, December 3, 2016
$25
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Holiday Crafts and Treats Party with Ms. Denham
Drop your child off at Ms. Denham's house for a crafty afternoon (and maybe even squeeze in a little afternoon alone time for your own crafts or shopping!) Buy your tickets here.
Sat, December 17, 2016
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
$15
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School policy regarding mobile devices and cameras remains in effect (they must be kept out of sight at all times). Students may request to use their phone to call home, but prior approval is required as it is during all school events. Staff will be acting as photographers at the dance.
Students may wear any colors they wish and are not required to wear a collared shirt. All other dress code policies are in effect including skirt length, heel height, too baggy/too tight, etc.
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Knitting Club
Knitting Club with
Mrs. Lewis is starting up after fall break
! The club is open to all 5th-8th grade students and will meet in room 15 on Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30. An informational meeting will be held on November 29, 3:30-4:00PM.
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Student Portraits
It's not too late to order photos!
Late orders will be accepted through December 1.
If your child missed Picture Day, make ups can still be taken at the CJ Hopper studio through December 1.
Contact the photographer directly: Christina Hopper,
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Winter Performances December 16
Each grade level has about 20 minutes of cafeteria time to impress family and friends! Note: this is the last day before winter break and a minimum day with dismissal at 12:15
The schedule of performances will be as follows:
| 7th & 8th Grades |
8:30-8:50AM
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| 5th & 6th Grades |
9:00-9:20AM
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| 3rd & 4th Grades |
9:30-9:50AM
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| 1st & 2nd Grades |
10:00-10:20AM
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| Kindergarten |
10:30-10:50AM
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Safety Reminder
When dropping off students in the front parking lot, please pull all the way forward so others may enter the lot behind you. Remember also to keep an eye out for kids and other pedestrians. Thanks!
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Grease is the Word!
| Rotary Theater |
December 10
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| 330 S. Dollner |
Two shows!
2PM & 6PM
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Our Theater Class is accepting donations for program ads for this show. Please contact Ms. Chan (echan@sycamorevalleyacademy.org or call/text
303-5536) for more information.
The theater costume crew is looking for donations of clip style hangers for their new, handmade poodle skirts. Please send donations to Ms. Chan in Room 14.
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Kinder Dental Assessments
A free dental program will be offered for kindergarten students on December 13. Kindergarten students will receive a free dental exam and are eligible to receive free fluoride treatment.
A dentist or registered dental hygienist will conduct an assessment of your child's teeth to decide which teeth need to be followed up and will then apply the fluoride.
If you wish your student to participate, you must sign and return the consent form linked below.
Download the consent form in English
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5 EASY Ways to Support Your School
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1. Give PTO Party Train Tickets
Many of the parties will be held in the spring, making party tickets a great holiday gift for anyone on your list. Purchase tickets
here.
2. Shop for Groceries and Shop Online with eScrip
eScrip has replaced the Save Mart SHARES program. Sign up
here to register your phone number and/or your Save Mart Rewards Card with eScrip. Save Mart will donate 3% of your purchases to our school.
By signing up for eScrip, you can also shop online and earn for your school at hundreds of retailers you already use. You DO NOT have to register a card to use eScrip online. Start your online shopping at
shopping.escrip.com, sign in to shop and receive special offers and earn cash for SVA!
3. Shop Online with Amazon Smile
Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Sycamore Valley Academy when you start your shopping at smile.amazon.com.
4. Shop Online with Mixed Bag
Use
this link to shop with Mixed Bag Designs for your holiday gifts, decor, and wrapping paper. SVA PTO will receive 40% of the purchase price of your items!
5. Collect Box Tops
Save those Box Tops from thousands of General Mills products and drop them off in the front office. Our school receives $0.10 per Box Top. It might not seem like much, but it adds up to hundreds of dollars a year in free money for our school!
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Monday, 11/28 - Rib-B-Q Sandwich
Tuesday, 11/29 - Penne & White Sauce
Wednesday, 11/30 - Mini Hot Dog Twins
Thursday, 12/1 -
Friday, 12/2 -
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Attention Bus Riders!
If you would like to be receive Remind text message alerts when busses are running late, please text @cvang to 81010 or get the Remind app for your smart phone.
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Substitute Teachers Needed
Sycamore Valley Academy has a experienced and dedicated teaching staff, but we are always looking to expand our sub list.
If you or someone you know has the desire to be a substitute teacher at our amazing school, has a bachelor's degree, has passed the CBEST, and is willing to get a substitute credential and fingerprint clearance we would love to grow our team.
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Next PTO Meeting
Monday, December 12
6:00PM
Round Table Pizza
4035 S. Mooney Blvd.
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Welcome to our new Parent Support section. To help achieve the intended outcome for families articulated in our Strategic Plan, we will be offering a series of informational resources to help support you in the often challenging, yet infinitely rewarding task of parenting. To begin, we'll talk about relational aggression among adolescent girls, some of the toughest parenting stuff out there!
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Relational Aggression (aka Mean Girls)
Relational aggression (RA) is behavior that is intended to harm someone by purposeful manipulation and damage of their peer relationships (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Unlike other types of bullying, relational aggression is not as overt, or noticeable as physical aggression. However, the effects can be long lasting. Nowhere is this behavior more prevalent than in adolescent girls.
In pre and early adolescence, much value is placed on friendships and social connections. Thus, relational aggression peaks in these years. RA has been noted as early preschool age and can continue into adult workplaces. In the past, many of these behaviors were dismissed and seen as "rites of passage" or even normal behavior. However, the harmful effects are being recognized as anything but normal.
Check out this short
article on Relational Aggression
amongst girls for a great overview of methods, motivation, and the roles girls play within the hierarchy of their peer relationships.
Here's a few tips for parents to help reduce Relational Aggression:
- Involve girls in activities outside of school so they are exposed to different types of people.
- Encourage relationships with adults and other children who appreciate them for who they are.
- Be available to listen and don't downplay the importance of an incident.
- Teach kindness and model that behavior.
- Talk about both sides of an issue. Girls may tell you about being a target but not talk about being the aggressor themselves.
- If your daughter is caught in the middle, encourage her to take the high road and support the victim, not be a bystander, and not take part in the aggression.
- If necessary, seek professional counseling.
- Become computer savvy. Be aware of their online activities- research filtering and parental control programs for your computer.
- Set guidelines for computer use- where they can use it and the length of time they can use it.
The Ophelia Project (
opheliaproject.org)is a great resource for parents, offering information for those who want to help prevent or reduce relational aggression.
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Dr. Jo Boaler's
Mindset Revolution
Central Valley Parents Night:
How to Encourage
Children to Love and Learn Maths
Parents, do you dread when your student has math homework? Have you
suffered from math trauma? Would you like to learn how to best help your
student succeed in math? If so, then join us for a FREE event Monday,
December 5 at the Visalia Fox Theatre with researcher and Stanford
Professor, Dr. Jo Boaler.
Dr. Boaler has worked closely with Tulare County
teachers and schools to rethink how math is taught and to help create better
math classroom experiences. She will share her ideas about the best ways to
learn math through her engaging stories and videos.
Dr. Jo Boaler is a professor of mathematics Education at Stanford
University and co-founder of
youcubed.org. She is the author of eight books
including What's Math Got To Do With It? (2015) and Mathematical
Mindsets (2016). She is recognized around the world for her outstanding
work and serves as an adviser to several Silicon Valley companies and is a
White House presenter on girls and STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math). She draws on her extensive research with
thousands of students to work with teachers, parents, and caregivers on how
they can transform children's ideas and experiences through positive
growth mindsets.
Visalia Fox Theater
308 W. Main St. |
December 5 6:30-8:00PM
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FREE! (registration is
encouraged to reserve
your seat) |
To register,
contact Caroline Koontz
carolinek@ers.tcoe.org
(559) 651-2130
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This event will be translated in Spanish.
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| Dr. Boaler with SVA Staff earlier this year |
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Holiday Home Tour
Redwood High School's Ranger Band & Color Guard presents Visalia's 12th Annual Holiday Home Tour on Saturday, December 3.
Tour homes around Visalia that are decked out for the holidays.
Tickets to this fun and festive event are on sale now for $15 ($20 at the door), contact Claudia Van Groningen for more information and to buy tickets.
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UPHS Theater Featuring SVA Alumni
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Sycamore Valley Academy | 559.622.3236 | office@sycamorevalleyacademy.org
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STAY CONNECTED:
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