Like nearly every aspect of life, the holidays feel different in a pandemic environment. While our traditional celebrations may not be the same this year, the sentiments they represent remain strong.
As a school district, we acknowledge our many blessings this holiday season. At the helm, our Board of Trustees provides vision and clear direction as they set the course for our success. Our teachers, staff, and administrators are steadfast in their commitment to serve students and achieve district goals. Providing students with three different school schedules during this unprecedented time is just one example of how our team goes above and beyond to support our families. In turn, we are grateful for the support we receive from them, too.
This month’s e-Newsletter features some of the great things happening in our schools and around our district. We hope it makes your day just a little more merry and bright.
Sincerely,
Anne Silavs, Superintendent
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Nothing Says Love More Than a
Home-Cooked School Meal!
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After months of serving prepackaged curbside meals, our Child Nutrition Services team was eager to provide students with made-from-scratch meals and culturally diverse menu options when they returned to campus in September. Working together, they figured out how to get back into the kitchen and serve “home-cooked” meals while physically distancing and adhering to all the new safety guidelines. In November, they were back in full-swing serving up student favorites like orange chicken and brown rice, chili and cornbread, and tacos. Our school lunch heroes are committed to serving delicious meals and ensuring that no child goes hungry on their watch. |
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Inspiration from our Schools… |
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A.E. Arnold Elementary School
Recently, students in Mrs. Yue’s kindergarten class assembled care packages and wrote letters of encouragement to those serving in the US Coast Guard. Goodies included candy, puzzle books, playing cards, lip balm, coffee, and Pop-Tarts, of course! One of the classroom parents, who also serves in the Coast Guard, delivered the surprise packages to his fellow guardsmen who will be deployed over the holidays.
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Clara J. King Elementary School
The library is “open” at King! Mrs. Fraser, the school library clerk, makes sure that all students have access to high-quality books. She has created an online system for viewing book titles available in the library and requesting books for checkout. She then delivers them to students in their classroom. When the books are returned, they are quarantined for a week and sanitized before being recirculated.
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Margaret Landell Elementary School
In an effort to bring the school community together and help others in need, PTA supported a food drive for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Anaheim-Cypress. Non-perishable food donations were accepted in the school’s Winter Wonderland drive-through, which was festively decorated in honor of the season. Specific drop-off times were scheduled each day, and donors received a prepackaged holiday treat in appreciation for their donation.
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Steve Luther Elementary School
Although they attend in-person instruction on different days, sixth-graders in Mrs. Sanchez’s hybrid class connect with their peers through collaborative projects. After recently reading about naturalists, students were paired with partners in the opposite cohort to complete a writing project. Students collaborated virtually to conduct research on a National Park of their choice and create a final report in Google Docs.
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Juliet Morris Elementary School
For many students, visits to the school library to check out books and listen to a story have always been a pleasant highlight of the week. This year, students enjoy shared reading during “library time” on Zoom or outside on the grass. Library time provides students with a break from classwork and an opportunity to enjoy a great book while exercising their imagination and listening skills.
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Frank Vessels Elementary School
Despite the challenges of three different school schedules and physical distancing requirements, Student Council leaders are working hard to ensure that Vessels Bulldogs have a fun year, both on and off campus. Two student representatives from the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades are planning a variety of “activities” and philanthropic projects in service to their school and the larger Cypress community.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Candi Kern - Sandra Lee - Brian Nakamura - Bonnie Peat - Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D.
SUPERINTENDENT
Anne Silavs
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