Weekly Updates & Reminders – February 19th
Dear Ardenwood Families,
Hope you enjoyed the three-day weekend and stayed dry! Due to recent storms and continued winds, there are many tree branches on campus. Our custodians are doing their best to clear all debris, but please remind your students not to use branches or sticks for play. Safety first!
Ardenwood Highlights & Happenings
DRAGONS BASKETBALL – Last Wednesday, the boy’s and girl’s basketball teams played the Warwick Wizards and split games! The boys won decidedly and the girls showed grit with a great comeback but lost at the buzzer! Next up, our boys and girls teams play the Brookvale Mustangs this Wednesday, here at Ardenwood. Come out and cheer on our Dragons!
ASSEMBLIES & PRESENTATIONS – It’s going to be a busy week for our Dragons. On Tuesday, first graders will have Naturalist Presentations, on Wednesday, third graders will attend the Live Animal Assembly and on Thursday, second graders will take a walk through the rock museum. Thanks to the grade level teaching teams for bringing these opportunities to our students!
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS – Next week (February 26 – March 1) is our READ Across America celebration with lots of reading and spirit days too! As part of this exciting event, students will also have the chance to raise funds for our library through our Read-a-Thon program (February 19 – March 4). For more information, please visit: Ardenwood Read-a-Thon.
REUSABLE LUNCHWARE PROGRAM – As you may know, several FUSD schools have already transitioned to reusable lunch ware. In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and become more environmentally friendly, Ardenwood will be doing the same. Currently, we are scheduled to transition on Monday, February 26th and supporting this effort, students will attend assemblies on this same date. For more information, please visit Reusable Trays and Utensils Pilot Program.
ELPAC – Beginning this month, students who are designated as English Learners will be administered the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC). This test which includes four domains, reading, writing, speaking and listening, is used to determine the English proficiency of students whose primary language is any language other than English. Please feel free to email me with any questions.
REGISTRATION & ENROLLMENT 2024-2025 – The season of registration and enrollment are upon us. Please remember to complete the Annual Residency Verification to ensure your student’s enrollment “rolls over” for the next school year. Once you have completed the process, you will receive a confirmation email from “InformedK12.” Questions? Please reach out to our school office ardenwoodoffice@fusdk12.net or call us at (510) 794-0392.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
February 19th
Presidents’ Day Holiday – No School
February 21st
Dragons vs. Broncos @ Ardenwood
Incoming TK Parent Informational Night – Virtual Session Registration Link
Week of February 26th
READ Across America / Ardenwood Read-A-Thon & Spirit Days
Mon-Pajamas
Tues-Workout/Sports
Wed-Warm Up–Wear a Scarf
Thurs-Superhero
Fri-School Spirit
February 26th
REUSABLE LUNCHWARE PROGRAM BEGINS
February 27th
School Site Council, Library, 5:00 pm
February 28th
Ardenwood vs. Oliveira @ Ardenwood, Girls-3:00 pm, Boys-4:15 pm
February 29th
It’s a Leap Year!
February is Black History Month!
Important FUSD Links
Health Guidelines: When to Keep Your Dragon Home from School
From Our Ardenwood PTA
Founders’ Day Celebration – This event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 5th. Please join us in the school library for light refreshments and a celebration of the history of the PTA. We will also be celebrating our dedicated volunteers. If you’re curious about how PTA works and want to get involved, Founders’ Day is a great chance to meet officers, chairs and volunteers and hear about PTA!
Volunteer for Next Year’s PTA Board – The PTA is looking for parents eager to help during the upcoming 2024-25 school year. Whether you’re looking to take on a big role or contribute in smaller ways, we need you! No experience? No problem! We’re a small but mighty team, and we encourage and support each other every step of the way. You can view all of the current positions on the PTA website, and more details about each will be shared in the weeks ahead. Serving on the PTA board means diving into a world of exciting events and initiatives for the students and staff of Ardenwood. From fun events like the Spring and Harvest Festivals, to academic, cultural, and community programs, we’re at the center of it. We hope you’ll consider joining us!
Dragons, Unleash Your Talent! – Get ready to take the stage at the annual Ardenwood Talent Show! Auditions are open now. See the flier below or visit the PTA website for more info. Audition video entries are due by Monday, March 25, 2024. Final on-stage performances will be on Thursday, May 2, 2024. On Friday, March 8th, at 3 pm, the Talent Show Committee will host auditions for our student emcees. Auditions are open to 4th & 5th graders and the sign up sheet will be just outside the nurse’s station every day after school!
Mark Your Calendars: Spring Festival is Coming to Ardenwood – Save the date! Our PTA is thrilled to announce that our Spring Festival is blooming into Ardenwood on Friday, April 26th, from 5-7pm. Thanks to the incredible generosity of an Ardenwood parent and their supportive employer, we will be hosting an evening of fun, food, and treats for all our students and families. Stay tuned for more exciting details to come.
School Rule Reminders
START OF THE SCHOOL DAY – If your student arrives at school before 8:14 am, please remain with them until the 8:14 am bell rings and then they may proceed to the playground (students only, no parents or guardians should come onto campus). An exception for students who come to school and eat breakfast–they may enter campus at 8:05 am but must head straight to the MPR. They should eat breakfast, dispose of their trash and remain in the MPR until 8:14 am. At that time, students may proceed to the playground where staff is supervising until the 8:24 am bell. When the bell rings, students should walk to their line up location. For your review, here again is our Rainy Day Procedure.
DROP OFFS – Teachers and staff are focused on supporting our 600+ Dragons each and every day. Consequently, we ask that you refrain from dropping off lunches, water bottles and other items for delivery to students. A reminder–all Dragons have access to free breakfast and lunch as well as water fountains here on campus–we recently had a new water bottle filling station installed! If your child forgets their homework, please have them check-in with their teacher regarding late submission. Of course, if you need to drop off eyeglasses or any type of medication for your student, please let us know as we will certainly make exceptions for these items. Please support our Dragons in following our Ardenwood school rule of being responsible.
TRAFFIC SAFETY – Thanks to all families who have helped us increase safety on campus by focusing on traffic rules. However, recently, we have noticed an uptick in unsafe driving and parking behaviors: illegal U-turns, parking in red zones and crosswalks, blocking driveways, double parking and speeding. These driving behaviors make it unsafe for our students, families, teachers and staff and are also discourteous to school neighbors. Please follow traffic safety rules and comply with regulations. Local authorities continue to visit our campus regularly to support us in this area and in some cases, they issue traffic citations.
Finally, please continue to collaborate with us and review our school rules with your Dragons. We appreciate your support! Have a great week and Go Dragons!
Glynis Mason, Principal
