Venetia Valley TK-8 School

Hello Falcon Families and Friends,

I want to take a moment to appreciate the collective effort we’ve made to improve our student daily attendance. We know that students learn best when they are present, and research shows that positive attendance is one of the strongest indicators of success in meeting grade-level expectations.

So far this year, our daily attendance averages are 96.41% for Elementary and 96.92% for Middle School , an improvement from 96.16% Elementary and 95.97% Middle School at this same time last year. This growth is a reflection of the partnership between our students, families, and staff; thank you!

As we move into the second quarter, our schoolwide focus will continue to be attendance growth, under the theme “Present for Each Other.” We want to celebrate the students who show up every day and encourage those who can improve to make that extra effort.

Each week, we’ll host a friendly attendance competition:

• One elementary class and one middle school advisory with the highest attendance percentage will earn the Falcon Attendance Trophy for the week and enjoy a special attendance incentive.

At the end of Quarter 2, we’ll also celebrate individual student achievements at our Winter Attendance Assembly.

• Students who reach 98% or higher attendance in Quarter 2, or who improve their attendance by at least 4% from Quarter 1 to Quarter 2, will receive a Falcon Attendance Pin!

• Families will be invited to join us in recognizing these students for their effort and growth.

Thank you for your continued partnership in ensuring our students are “Present for Each Other” every day. Together, we can keep this momentum going!

Word of the Week:

We have begun a schoolwide challenge that focuses on a root word of the week. Each week during Monday morning announcements, I present the word of the week while providing the definition and examples of how the word is used. This challenge is meant to drive up our phonetic understanding of key root words, a school growth area that was identified through analyzing our I-Ready scores from the 24/25 school year.

The root words for November are as follows:

November 3rd: Port, meaning to carry. Examples: transport, portable

November 10th: Spect, meaning see, look. Examples: inspect, spectator

November 17th: Bene, meaning good, well. Example: benefit, benevolent.

Students who approach me with unique words containing the root word of the week will receive Falcon cards! Join our learning by asking your students about the root word of the week, and help them identify new words and grow their vocabulary!

Independent Study

As the winter season approaches, so do family trips and unexpected emergencies with family members who live out of the country. At San Rafael City Schools, Board Policy allows for families to request an Independent Study Contract when a student will miss anywhere between 3-15 school days. Independent Study will allow a student to review work ahead of time to complete during their absence so that they can easily transition back into the classroom upon their return. An Independent Study contract will also excuse the absences,  avoiding the student from accumulating unexcused absences that count towards truancy.

If you know that your student will be away from school for a period of 3-15 school days, please contact Ms. Arly Juarez today to request an Independent Study Contract.

Arly Juarez Martinez- Venetia Valley Attendance Clerk

415-492-3150  ajuarez@srcs.org

A reminder that all of San Rafael City School, including Venetia Valley School, will be closed from November 24th to 28th for the observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Winter Staff Celebration

Each year, the Venetia Valley staff comes together during the last week of December to celebrate and strengthen our sense of community. We are currently seeking a venue to host this year’s gathering that is both welcoming and cost-effective, in order to minimize the financial burden on our staff.

If you know of a location in the Santa Venetia or San Rafael area that could accommodate approximately 50 educators, I would greatly appreciate your suggestions. Suitable venues might include restaurants, private residences, or club/event spaces.

Please feel free to contact me at aoseguera@srcs.org with any recommendations. Thank you for your continued support of our Venetia Valley community.

In partnership,

Mr. O

Following Up on Conferences: Supporting Your Student at Home 🏡

Dear Venetia Valley Families,

Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent parent-teacher conferences! It was a valuable opportunity to connect and collaborate on your child's educational journey. Now that conferences are done, the real work of support continues at home. Here are some research-backed best practices and practical tips to help reinforce the learning and goals we discussed.

1. Establish and Maintain Regular Routines 📅

One of the most powerful tools for student success is a consistent daily routine. Routines create a predictable, low-stress environment that helps children manage their time, build responsibility, and get the rest they need to learn.

Focus on the "Big Three" routines:

• Consistent Bedtime: Adequate sleep is crucial for focus, memory, and emotional regulation. Stick to a set bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, as much as possible.

• Designated Homework Time: Set a specific time and place for homework each day. This signals to your child that this time is for school work, minimizing negotiation and distraction.

• Daily Reading Practice: Even 15-20 minutes of reading each night can have a huge impact on literacy skills. This can be independent reading, reading aloud to a younger sibling, or you reading to them.

Sample Evening Schedules for Working Families 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

We know many of our families don't arrive home until dinner time. Here are two sample schedules that build in time for connection, homework, and reading, while keeping bedtime consistent:

2. Ensure Supplies Are Always Available ✏️

Reduce evening stress by designating a "Supply Hub" at home. This could be a kitchen drawer, a small bin, or a caddy on a shelf—just a place where your child always knows they can find the basic tools they need.

Concrete Suggestions for Your Supply Hub:

• Pencils/Pens: Keep a cup of sharpened pencils or a box of pens.

• Erasers: A few block erasers are always helpful.

• Notebook/Paper: A small stack of lined paper for homework or practice.

• Coloring Tools: Crayons, colored pencils, or markers for projects.

• Glue Stick and Scissors: Essential for many elementary projects.

Encourage your child to check their backpack each night. School forms, graded papers, and any unfinished classwork should be taken out, and the next day's needed materials (like a charged device or library book) should be put in.

3. Connect and Communicate About the School Day 🗣️

Instead of the one-word answer you often get from "How was your day?" or "What did you learn?", use developmentally appropriate "door-opener" questions to encourage more detailed responses. Wait until your child has had a snack or a chance to decompress before asking.

Alternative Questions to Ask About the School Day:

When Your Child Shares a Problem or Challenge:

When your child shares a difficulty, your first step is to listen and validate their feelings, not immediately solve the problem. This teaches them to process emotions and build problem-solving skills.

1. Acknowledge and Empathize: “That sounds really frustrating/sad/hard. I can see why you're upset about that.”

2. Gather Facts (Calmly): “Tell me more about what happened. Who was there? What did you say next?”

3. Brainstorm Solutions: “What do you think might help fix this or make it better tomorrow? What are a few different things you could try?”

4. Agree on Next Steps: “Okay, let's try that one tomorrow. If it still doesn't work, we can talk again. If it keeps happening, please let me know, and we'll reach out to the teacher together.”

We are partners in your child's education! By maintaining strong routines and open communication, we can ensure every Venetia Valley student is supported to thrive. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher with any questions.

Hello families, please talk to your students about these behavioral reminders. As always, when schools and parents work together, students receive consistent messages about expectations, responsibility, and accountability. When families back up school expectations at home, it helps students understand that their actions have consequences. 

No toys from home allowed at school

To ensure a focused, safe, and productive learning environment, please remind your child that toys should be left at home. These items can cause distractions, get lost or broken, and lead to conflicts among students. If an outside toy is brought to school, it will be kept in the office until dismissal.

This includes plastic spinning tops such as the picture shown below. Students have been playing too rough with them and it has become dangerous for other students.

Keeping our Campus Clean

Our school campus is a special place where our children learn, play, and grow. We need to work together to keep it a beautiful and clean environment for everyone! 

Please help us reinforce a few key messages at home:

1. Litter Patrol: All garbage should either go home or be placed in a trash or recycling bin. This includes wrappers, water bottles, and food waste.

2. Restroom Respect: Our restrooms are a shared space. We ask students to treat the facilities—sinks, toilets, and stalls—with respect. Remind your child to flush, wash their hands, and put paper towels in the trash. Keeping our bathrooms clean makes them safer and more comfortable for everyone who uses them.

Self-regulation

We have been working with our students on how to get help when they have a problem in the yard or in the classroom. 

Please ask your students to share these techniques with you:

1. Take a breath.

2. Step back or step out.

3. Use your words.

4. Talk to a trusted adult (on the yard, this is any adult with a yellow vest).

Thank you!