April 2015 Newsletter - Alder Grove Charter School

Telephone: 707-268-0854
Fax: 707-268-0813
Website: www.aldergrovecharter.org
Alder Grove Charter School
714 ‘F’ Street
Eureka, CA 95501
~Alder Grove News ~
April 2015, 2nd Edition
From The Director ~
Alder Grove has never had to limit the number of guests
graduates may have attending the ceremony and we
don’t want to have to this year. For this reason, we are
moving the ceremony from the Eureka Inn to our own
site. By dismantling the partitions in the new wing, we
will be able to accommodate a much larger number of
guests. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I think a
change in location may be easier than a limit on guests.
The times will be the same, but the graduation ceremonies will be held at our site, 714 F Street in Eureka.
The new Smarter Balanced assessment begins April
13th. You should have received or be receiving a letter
with your student’s testing dates and times. If you have
not, please check with your CT as they have planned
testing sessions for their students. We will not have onsite classes for two weeks beginning April 13th. However, your students will still need to be completing work
at home on the days they are not participating in the testing. As you can imagine, testing 220+ students online
for several hours each is difficult to facilitate. Thanks to
our tech. guy Brett, and testing coordinator Debbie for
the countless hours they have put in to make this process
as painless as possible!
Please make sure to take a look at the candidate’s statements and ballot in this issue for the Alder Grove Governance Council. The Governance Council is an essential component of the school and acts much like a school
board in a traditional district.
Please check this newsletter for all of the exciting activities coming up! There are some fun field trips and a couple of awesome parent workshops.
I welcome your ideas, comments, and input on our program. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason.
Jenni Allen-SanGiovanni
Director
[email protected]
Graduation!!!
We are having Graduation Ceremonies here
at Alder Grove Charter School!
714 F Street, Eureka
Thursday, May 28, 2015
8th Grade Graduation: 3:30 p.m.
High School Graduation: 5:30 p.m.
SMARTER BALANCED TESTING!!!!!!!
Students at Alder Grove will test April 13th
through April 24th. Because we are testing over
200 of our students, onsite classes, math lab, and
writing lab are cancelled during both weeks of testing (with the exception of Terri’s theater class on
Friday). However, students are still expected to
keep up with their school work during the these two
weeks.
During testing, we will be providing cheese pizza
and veggies during lunch hour every day, but I recommend sending a snack along with your student as
well. Also, students are encouraged to bring a book
to read or some other quiet activity that will occupy
them during breaks. In addition, please leave all cell
phones and/or electronic devices at home if possible. Plan on your student(s) being at school for 4-6
hours each day of testing; however, some students
will finish early and some will need more time (all
tests are untimed).
Don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep and eat a
healthy breakfast every morning of testing!
...to 4th grader Lily Yasemi who won 1st place in the
Humboldt County Science Fair at HSU last Friday.
Her project was called “Toxic Chemicals In Your
Home?” in the physical science division.
This journal entry by fourth grader, Ernesto Hernandez, is
a response to the following excerpt from Carl Sandburg's
poem, "The People, Yes":
"Money buys everything except love, personality,
freedom, immortality, silence, peace."
Ernesto writes:
"I agree with part of it.
It would be nice if immortality was real,
but unfortunately it's not. I don't agree with that.
But I do to the freedom and love part because
love is like a blooming rose.
Love is beautiful.
Love is fantastic.
So is peace.”
*******
There was a Student Bird Art Contest that was held on behalf of the Redwood Region Audubon Society and Friends
of the Arcata Marsh, in conjunction with the Godwit Days
Spring Migration Bird Festival. Alder Grove students won 3
different awards!!!:
...Kindergartener Malachi Brown won 1st prize for his
drawing of a Bald Eagle!
...to 6th grader Merlin Newcomb who won 1st place
in the Science/Engineering genre. His project is labeled “The Power of Solar Panels and Tesla Coils”.
Merlin would like to be a part of eliminating nuclear
power plants in the future.
...4th grader Jordan Brown won 1st prize for her drawing
of a Cinnamon Teal!
...10th grader Tori McConnell won 1st prize for her painting of Marbled Godwits! HERE IT IS!:
*******
...Merlin Newcomb was also chosen as an alternate
for the Regional Spelling Bee!!!!
Our 12th grader Brianna Schatz has
done another great acting performance! This time as Hodel in Fiddler
On The Roof with the Ferndale Repertory Theater in Ferndale. The play
will be running through April 12th.
This play is very well done!
Egg cartons needed!
Do you have extra egg cartons? Our CT, Ami Brusca is
collecting them! You can bring them to the front office.
The Arcata Community Center will be open to view all art
contest entries from Friday April 17th , 5p-8p, Saturday
10a—3p, through Sunday April 19th 10a—3p. The above
awards will be presented Saturday, April 18th at 11:00 a.m.
PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
TRANSPORTING THEIR OWN STUDENTS :
April Field Trips
Zip Line / Ropes Course
Grades 6-12
Mad River Hatchery
Grades K-6
Mendocino Adventure Ropes Course, Leggett
Wednesday, April 1st, 10:00—4:00 p.m.
$42.00
1660 Hatchery Rd., Blue Lake, CA
Thursday, April 2nd, 1:00—2:00 p.m.
Free
May Field Trips
Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary
Grades K-6
River Rafting!
Grades 6-12
Our final adventure field trip of the year will be a full day river
rafting trip with HSU’s Center Activities Aquatic Program:
Center Activities would like to welcome your child to participate in this exciting event. The goal of this event is to provide a
safe, fun, and memorable rafting adventure on the Trinity
River.
Trip Date: May 27th, 2015
Meeting Time: 9:00 am
Meeting Location: Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, 921 Waterfront Drive, Eureka
Trip Cost: $45
Center Activities will provide trained guides, all of the necessary rafting equipment (rafts, paddles, wetsuits, lifejackets, helmets and safety equipment) as well as our years of expertise in
the outdoor field. Participants do not need to be excellent swimmers, however they should be able to tread water and be comfortable around aquatic environments.
Transportation will be provided by Center Activities. Students
will be gone all day and will return around 5:30PM. Students
have the option of paying for the trip with their student budget
or by paying privately, if out of budget. Checks need to be
made out to Center Activities for $45, and must be included
with the registration forms. Forms and information letters are
available at the front office. There will be 24 available student
spots. If we have any unclaimed spots, parents will have an
option to join for $85. If a parent is interested, let me know, and
I will inform you if we have an opening prior to the trip. Students and parents need to fill out and sign the forms to be put
on the list. All cancellations need to be made before noon on
May 25th, to not be charged for the trip. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Terri Tripp at 407-8196 or
by email: [email protected]
569 G. St., Arcata
Thursday, May 7,
10:00—11:30 a.m.
Free
Please sign up at the office—268-0854
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
Grades K-6
3431 Fort Ave., Eureka
Thursday May 14, 2015
11 am
Students will break into groups and take self guided
tours. They will get a brochure where they will be
looking for clues while learning park history. There is
room for 30 students. Meet by the office.
Directions: 3431 Fort Ave, Eureka, CA Take Highland
Ave off Hwy 101, travel east one block.
Parent Workshops!!
Saturday, April 25th
9:00—3:00 p.m.
Kim Sutton
www.creativemathematics.com
Learn how to integrate games, music, and hands-on exploration in to your math study. Creative Mathematics is a
leading local educational consulting company that has provided 23 years of teacher training workshops in the U.S.,
Canada, and internationally. There will be books, music,
supplies, and manipulatives for sale.
She will be addressing common core standards alignment and will be dividing into grades K-3 and grades 4-12.
All participants should bring their own scissors, markers,
scotch tape, stapler, and hole punch if possible. Participants should also bring a lunch, or enjoy a local restaurant
for the lunch break.
Please sign up by April 8th by calling 268-0854.
Wednesday, May 13th
1:15—2:45 p.m.
Calleagh Ferrara
Planning For Next Year
Evaluate your school year. Pick curriculum to
match your child’s temperament.
Sign up at the office or call 268-0854.
Rotary Youth Exchange
Information Night
Eureka High School Lecture Hall
Thursday, April 9, 2015
5:30 p.m.
Have you ever wanted to:
Keep on H.oW.L. - ing!
Marc McGowan is going to keep doing
Friday Hot Wheels classes here:
May 29th, June 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th
for a Summer Session. (The 26th will be held at Angelo’s Pizza). This Summer Session is free of charge!
It will be from 12:00 to 1:15PM for ages 5 and up.
There is a limit of 15 students, so don’t delay!
There are lots of surprises in store!!
Become fluent in another language?
Experience everyday life in another culture?
Make friends from around the world?
Help to foster global understanding?
Become a Rotary Youth Exchange Student!
Each year, Rotary International sends thousands of students on worldwide exchanges to destinations all over the
globe, and you could be next! If you’ve ever considered
traveling abroad, please come to our informational
meeting to learn more!
Come see the Alder Grove annual musical play!
This year, presenting:
Murder At Crooked House
This production is Free
Friday, May 15th
7:00 PM
(doors open at 6:30 PM for bake sale for donations)
Eureka High School Auditorium
1915 J Street, Eureka
Requests From The Office...
Please notify your CT if you have changed your phone
number or address. We want to keep you posted!
Please come look through our Lost and Found. We
will be donating all of the items in it to Uniquely You
clothing store in Arcata on June 1st.
Fill out the original only.
This form has been mailed to you.
April 2015
Sun
5
Mon
Tue
6
7
Wed
Thu
1
2
Field Trip for 6th—
12th grades—Zip
Line, Leggett (this is
now full)
1:00—2:00—Field
Trip for K-6th
grades—Mad River
Hatchery, Blue Lake
8
9
Fri
Sat
3
4
10
11
17
18
S P R I N G
B R E A K
~School Closed~
12
13
14
15
16
6:30—Governance
Council Meeting
S M A R T E R
B A L A N C E
T E S T I N G|
N O O N—S I T E
CLASSES
(3rd—8th and 11th grades)
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
11:00—Leadership
Team Meeting
S M A R T E R
B A L A N C E
T E S T I N G|
N O O N—S I T E
CLASSES
26
27
28
29
30
STAR SCIENCE TESTING
(5th, 8th, and 10th grades)
Onsite Classes Resume
9:00a—Parent Workshop—Kim Sutton,
“Creative Mathematics”