Superintendent's Friday Update
December 17, 2021
Hello Alta Loma School District,

The holidays are here, and there may even be some rainy days ahead of us. Knowing that these are perfect opportunities for children to find a wonderful book or two to enjoy, our staff has worked to compile some resources for reading over Winter Break!

We hope you'll enjoy the Literacy Initiative information and book recommendations below:
Literacy Initiative
As part of State Superintendent Tony Thurmond's literacy initiative, the California Department of Education (CDE) has partnered with Renaissance Learning to ensure that every California student can access thousands of reading resources from December 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. The myON digital library and news articles in multiple languages can be accessed for free by all pre-K to grade twelve students in California. All books downloaded during the two months are able to be retained and accessed afterwards. Provided below is the family letter with the access code to unlock these free resources for students and families.
Kindergarten suggestions
Provided by Dayna Bautz, Lupe Berzunza, Andrew Carter, April Flores, Kim Giron, Dora Mangold, Bridget Travis:

How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace

Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright

Olive, The other Reindeer by Vivan Walsh and J. Otto Seibold

Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Grades K-2)

Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Broken Ornament by Tony DiTerlizzi

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus by Chris Plehal

I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

Grade 1 Suggestions
Provided by Kristin Aleman, Donna Carlson, Andrew Carter, Elizabeth Douge,
Dora Mangold, Shari Megowan, Tamara Youngstrom

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen (Gr 1.6)

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (Gr. K-1)

Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett

Strega Nona (he also has many Christmas books) by Tommie dePaola

Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems

Grade 2 Suggestions
Provided by Lupe Berzunza, Donna Carlson, Stephanie King, Kimberlynn Lavelle, Derek Munson, Lisabeth Piña, Jennifer Pingrey, Mrs. Sclafani's Class, Maureen Vass

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Ed Martinez

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty

Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas by Cynthia Rylant

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Owl Diaries Series by Rebecca Elliott (Gr. 2-4)

Grade 3 Suggestions
Provided by R. Armstrong, Terry Chiever, Chris Deegan, Delanie Emilio, Kim Hahn, Mrs. La Chase's Class, Khaleelah Lewis-Wilkins, Alexandra Pertusati, Jenny Rice, Mrs. Sclafani's Class, Curtis Quanstrom, Brandy Taylor, Mrs. Uraga, Maureen Vass, Keri Veylupek, Tamara Youngstrom

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
 
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Never Let a Unicorn Meet a Reindeer! by Diane Alber
 
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Suess
 
Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat by Naomi Howland 
 
Santa’s Book of Names by David McPhail 
 
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 
 
Magic Tree House & Merlin Missions by Mary Pope Osborne
 
The Night Before Christmas by Mercer Meyer
 
Land of Stories Series by Chris Colfer

One Winter's Day by M. Christina Butler 
 
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

Eight Keys Suzanne LaFleur

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Eerie Elementary the School is Alive by Jack Chabery

Pony Pals Series by Jeanne Betancourt
 
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
Grade 4 Suggestions
Provided by Lupe Berzunza, Brooke Bell, Andrew Carter, April Flores, Ted Guerrero, Kim Hahn, Alicia Parsons, Jenny Rice, Bridget Travis, Tamara Youngstrom

Gifts of the Heart by Patricia Polacco

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

A year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (sequel to A Long Way from Chicago) 
 
The Lemonade War Series by Jacqueline Davies 
 
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
 
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
 
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart 
 
Frindle by Andrew Clements 
 
Crash by Jerry Spinelli 
 
Keeper of the Lost Cities Series by Shannon Messenger
 
Charlie Bones Series by Jenny Nimmo
 
The Carpenter’s Gift by David Rubel
 
Shark School by Davey Ocean
Grade 5 Suggestions
Provided by Emilee Alcantara, Sandy Au, Donna Carlson, Victoria Carrera, Andrew Carter, Paula DeStefano, Delanie Emilio, Maria Griffith, Melissa Gunty, Khaleelah Lewis-Wilkins, Lauren Mann

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Number the Stars by Lios Lowry

The Search for Wondla (#1) byTony DiTerlizzi
 
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle
 
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
 
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George 
 
The Winter Horses by Philip Kerr

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
 
Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick
 
Hatchet by Gary Paulson

The River by Gary Paulson 
 
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan

Grade 6 Suggestions
Provided by Susan Andazola, Adriana Argueta, Donna Carlson, Ted Guerrero, Brandy Taylor

Holes by Louis Sachar

Island of the the Blue Dolphin by Scott O'Dell

A Christmas Carol by C. Dickens

Theodore Boone Series by John Grisham

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
 
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly 
 
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Grade 7 Suggestions
Provided by Adriana Argueta, ALJH Staff, VJH Staff

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

A Twisted Tale Series by Various Authors

The Middle School Series by James Patterson

Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler 
 
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
 
Keepers of the Lost Cities Series by Shannon Messenger

All Patricia Polacco Books, especially
Thunder cake by Patricia Polacco
Thank you Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

Grade 8 Suggestions
Provided by ALJH Staff, Kelly Kulm, VJH Staff

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

Villain's Series by Serena Valentino

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Alta Loma Packing House Toy Drive
On December 12th The Alta Loma Packing House held their 2nd annual Toy Drive.  This community event proved to be a success once again. Over 200 toys were collected as we filled an Alta Loma School District Bus. All toys collected were donated to students in the Alta Loma School District. Those who attended also visited with Santa, enjoyed coffee and cocoa from Special Needz Coffee and cookies from Rescue Brewing Company.  The Alta Loma School District appreciates the partnership with The Packing House as we support our community together. 

Thanks to the many ALSD staff members who organized and supported this event! Some are shown below (l-r): our awesome driver of the Fill the Bus bus, Karen Cadle, Alta Loma Elementary Attendance Clerk Dora Mangold, Alta Loma Elementary Parent Ambassador Liliana Doonan, Director of Student Services Cara Cerecerez, Data Specialist Lori Rios, Family Engagement Liaison Belinda Holdridge Hays, Superintendent Karen Hendricks
Don't Miss the ALSD Kindergarten - 5th Grade
Choir Performance!

Song: Let Love Light the Way
Music and Lyrics by C. Gerber & J. Kavanaugh
Arranged by Audrey Snyder
Directed and Edited by Sierra DiSchiavi
Performed by K-5th Grade Students of Alta Loma School District
Please accept my most sincere wishes for a wonderful holiday season ahead. May your days be filled with the things that bring you joy.

We look forward to the return of students on January 3, 2022!

My best to you,

Karen Hendricks
Superintendent

  • Monday, December 20 - Friday, December 31 - Christmas Holidays/Winter Recess
  • Thursday, December 23 - Friday, December 24 - District Office Closed
  • Friday, December 31 - District Office Closed
  • Monday, January 3 - Students Return
Great Things Happening At Our Schools
From Principal Andrew Carter:
Bringing our Deer Canyon Families together this holiday season was so important to us here at Deer Canyon. Working with our amazing PTA, we were able to bring our Winter Wonderland event back! Our wonderful PTA created an amazing ambiance, served hot cocoa, popcorn, and had a crafting station. There, students could write a letter to Santa, make reindeer food, or craft an ornament for home. Our Preppy K and Kindergarten students shined so bright as they sang joyful songs to all! We even had a special visitor, Santa, who took pictures and listened to the wishes of our Eagles! It was such an amazing community event! We are so lucky to have such a caring, kind, and gracious school community! Happy Holidays to all from the Deer Canyon family!! 
From Principal Curtis Quanstrom:
The holiday spirit is alive and well at Jasper Elementary. All week long, students have been participating in holiday spirit days, everything from ugly sweaters to pajamas. The preppy K students had a winter concert while the 3rd graders shared a virtual performance of the Grinch. Giving to others was also at the top of the list. The Jasper students donated countless gifts to Sparks of Love. Their kindness and generosity prompted a visit from some special guests. 
From Principal Val Bires:
Our Husky Preppy K students shined this last week as they performed their holiday concert in our quad for their families. Their sweet voices and body movements were perfect! Great job Preppy K learners! We are proud of you! 
Preppy K at Hermosa is a fabulous place to be, thanks to Mrs. Lindley! Mrs. Hailey Lindley is remarkable in all that she does. Not only does she plan & provide enrichment activities along with lessons for her students, she creates a safe learning environment for them. She nurtures her students and guides them to be successful each day. Check out who is building holiday trees with green cups with our Preppy K learners? Yes, that’s right! That is Superintendent Karen Hendricks! 
From Principal Guadalupe Berzunza:
The student’s in Ms. Moore’s fourth grade class have been working on the book James and the Giant Peach. To culminate their reading unit, they each created a collage of items that represent the story, characters and other important facts. The students used their creativity to display what they have learned. Each student had the opportunity to participate in a gallery walk as they enjoyed Christmas music, cozy pjs and yummy treats. Through the gallery walk, students were able to admire each other's work and give positive comments to their peers. It was a treat to see them share their ideas and provide their peers with kind words of appreciation as an acknowledgment of their hard work. Stork superstars are not only excellent readers, they are also kind, loving and creative ladies and gentlemen. Stork Superstars wish each and every one of you Happy Holidays.
From Principal Kristy Johnson:
Victoria Groves held their first Winter Wonderland last Friday night. The festivities started off with an amazing holiday performance from Mrs. Coba’s Preppy K students. Families enjoyed a free dinner and students were able to write letters to Santa, play games, take some pictures in the photo forest and enjoy some hot chocolate, cotton candy and popcorn. A big thank you to our PTA and all the volunteers who came out to support this event. This was a great night to bring our school community together for a fun event.    
   
From Principal Michele Rachielles:
Alta Loma Junior High Chorus class had a very special visit from Alta Loma High School Chamber Singers and Advanced Womens’ Choirs. We were treated to beautiful singing and even got to participate in vocal warm ups. The students sounded amazing and our students were able to see the possibilities ahead in the high school program. It was really sweet when the talented high school singers asked to hear our choir sing! Warriors impressed and the high school students gave a standing ovation! The office staff was also serenaded. What a perfect visit! 
From Principal Sandy Rose:
Our amazing Theater Club, directed by Mrs. Vandegrift, did an outstanding job during their theater performance entitled, The Enchanted Bookshop, last week. Our talented students made some famous literary characters come to life during their performance. Characters like Dorothy Gale, Robin Hood, Pollyanna, Sherlock Holmes, Heidi, and Tom Sawyer set out on a quest in the play to help a bookstore owner save her store. Although we were chilly during the outdoor performance, they without a doubt warmed our hearts. We are incredibly proud of our theater students and Mrs. Vandegrift for a job well done!
In science, our 8th graders participated in a fun-filled lab in which physical and chemical changes were made by mixing baking soda and conditioner to create these adorable snowmen.
From Principal Dolly Bentley:
Our ALE Preppy K students performed a wonderful winter concert for our parents and community this week. It was great to see families on campus celebrating and making special memories. Thank you to our Preppy K teachers, Ms. Laterreur, Ms. Torgerson, and Ms. Pilcher, for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to our students at ALE! Our amazing Preppy K program is a testament to your heart for children! Happy Holidays from ALE to you all!   
From Principal Khaleelah Lewis-Wilkins:
Banyan has had a plethora of reasons to celebrate this year and especially this week! Students and staff celebrated Holiday Spirit Week with creative intensity. From festive socks, hats, pajamas and more. Third grade students in Mrs. LaChase’s room read the book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas' ' several times. They worked together in small groups to answer comprehension questions and put them in sequential order. Students in Mrs. Kenyon’s second grade class used their engineering and collaborative skills to develop an Elf Trap in small groups. 
All of our students learned lessons on empathy and compassion. This year, we all learned to appreciate each other! Lastly, our Kindergarten students stole the hearts of parents and community members during their Holiday Kindergarten Performance! Thank you to our Kindergarten team and teachers- Mrs. Packer, Mrs. Hedlund and Mrs. Diamond!!  We are so proud of ALL of our Banyan Bulldogs and their commitment to excellence. Happy holidays to all and enjoy Winter Break to the fullest!
From Principal Chris Deegan:
It has been a festive week at Carnelian. A highlight of the week was catching the Gingerbread Man for our Kindergarten classes. I couldn’t “run, run, as fast as you can, . . . “ so instead, I had to use my lasso to catch the tricky guy. This is always a fun tradition with our little ones.  
Carnelian students have been busy reading and making progress on their math facts, so we enjoyed seeing many of our scholars up in the office for the Proud Board and Math Facts Board!  

We appreciate our Carnelian PTA for supporting our students with our monthly Gold Star Lunch with the Principal. This month’s participants were recognized as students who are exceptional in demonstrating the attributes of a 21st Century learner through their collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking and digital citizenship. 
From the COVID-19 Safety and Information Team:

ALSD continues to receive and deeply respect diverse input related to vaccines, which are not currently mandated.

As of the date of this communication, the Governor, the Legislature, and the CDPH have not adopted any order or statute that would implement a vaccine mandate for students in K-12 schools. At this time, we do not know if, or how, a vaccine mandate consistent with the Governor’s October 1 press conference will be implemented. 

Policies related to this matter would be set at the state level, not at the county or local level. If you'd like to reach out to your local representatives, contact information for Assembly Member Ramos and Senator Ochoa-Bogh can be found at https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/. Information for contacting Governor Newsom's office can be found at https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/.

For updated COVID-19 information, please visit our COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES tab on our website under the ABOUT tab.