Venetia Valley TK-8 School

Dear Falcon Families,

We want to thank all of the parents and family members that joined us in December for coffee. We appreciated seeing so many of you that wanted to hear about the school counseling program at Venetia Valley. We hope to do it again in the near future with another topic that benefits students. This week (January 26–30, 2026), our school is buzzing with energy as we participate in The Great Kindness Challenge! This global initiative encourages students to complete as many intentional acts of kindness as possible, using a checklist of challenges—ranging from smiling at 25 people to inviting someone new to play. We have had activities every day and we are going to end the week on Friday by having students make cards for the staff here at school so we can demonstrate our appreciation and show our Kindness. As your school counselors, we champion this week because it serves as a powerful, proactive tool for bullying prevention and social-emotional growth. By shifting the focus toward positive interactions, we help students build essential skills like empathy, respect, and inclusion. Beyond just a week of fun, this challenge helps us cultivate a school climate where every student feels safe, valued, and connected, creating a ripple effect of compassion that lasts long after the week is over. As the week comes to a close, we always tell our students that it is very important to recognize being Kind every day, not just during The Great Kindness Challenge Week!

Warmly,

Mariya Cree K, 2, 4, 6, 8 School Counselor

Barbra Katz 1, 3, 5, 7 School Counselor 

Hello Venetia Valley Families, 

Below is some information from the Main Office:

Attendance

If your child will not be attending school, please contact the Main Office directly on the morning of the absence at 415-492-3150, and provide the student’s name and the reason for the absence.

When a Child Should Stay Home:

• Fever (typically 99°F or higher) — stay home until fever is gone without fever-reducing medication and symptoms are improving.
   

• Vomiting or diarrhea — remain home while symptoms are active and usually until 24 hours after symptoms stop.

When a Child Can Return to School:

• Fever-free without fever-reducing medicine for at least 24 hours and symptoms improving.
   

• Vomiting/diarrhea resolved (typically 24 hours after last episode).
   

• For diagnosed contagious diseases (like strep throat, pertussis, etc.), return may be allowed after appropriate treatment and medical advice.

***After 3 absences, a medical note will be required to excuse the absences***

Please return any medical, dental, or other appointment notes to the Main Office as soon as possible. These notes ensure that your child’s absence is officially excused and help us maintain accurate attendance records.

Thank you for helping us support your child’s education by keeping their attendance up to date!

Technology: Chromebooks

• If your child is experiencing difficulties with their Chromebook and/or internet access, please visit the Main Office. It is crucial that all student Chromebooks are up to date and functioning properly to support academic success.

First-time repairs are free. After that, the following charges apply:

• $95 — Replacement screen
   

• $325 — Replacement Chromebook
   

• $30 — Replacement charger

Head Lice Guidance

CDPH has released guidance for the care of children found to have head lice. The transmission of head lice in the classroom setting is low, CDPH recommends that children should not be excluded from the classroom based on finding head lice or nits. For more resource see below:

• CDPH How-To Guide for Nit Combing (ca.gov)

• CDPH Head Lice Flyer (ca.gov)

📝 Quick Wins for Home Writing

• Create a "Writing Nook": Stock a small basket with gel pens, funky stationery, and stickers. If the tools look like toys, writing feels like play, not a chore.

• The "Oral First" Rule: Before they touch pen to paper, ask them to tell you the story out loud. If they can say it, they can write it.

• Master the Grocery List: Give them "real world" jobs. Let them be the official scribe for the weekly shopping list or the family’s weekend "To-Do" board.

• Focus on the "What," Not the "How": When they show you a draft, comment on their ideas first ("That dragon is hilarious!") rather than pointing out spelling errors. Keep the spark alive first; edit later.

• Be a Writing Role Model: Let them see you writing—whether it’s an email, a journal entry, or a thank-you note. Kids mimic what they see.

The Marin County Public Library is a great, FREE resource with:

• books & ebooks & Audiobooks

• multimedia

• technology

• homework help & tutoring

• events

• community resources

VISIT ANY OF THE 12 LOCATIONS 

Free English Classes in Canal Alliance:

ELAC Meeting Tuesday 02/24 at 6 pm

ALLEN SPORTS CLUB - SPRING 2026 Calendar

Free After School Program is started  (This is a sports program for grades  6th to 8th)

DELAC Meeting- Thursday 02/12 at 6:00pm

• Join us! Zoom link coming soon!

San Rafael City Schools , we invite you to a series of topics: 

           La Crianza Efectiva de los Hijos

Walk & Roll - Feb 4, 2026

Our newest member to the Family Center-Mr. Jesse

Hi Venetia Valley families, my name is Jesse Ochoa and I’m the new Family Center Lead. I’m super excited to be a part of this wonderful community and truly grateful for the opportunity to support our families and students. I’m coming over after spending the past three years at Davidson Middle School, where I worked in the Family Center supporting families, connecting them to resources, and creating a welcoming space for everyone.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know you, learning about your needs, and working together to support our students’ success both in and out of the classroom. The Family Center is here to be a place where families feel comfortable asking questions, finding support, and building community—whether that’s help with school-related resources, family workshops, or just a friendly conversation.

Please feel free to stop by the Family Center to say hello, introduce yourself, or share ideas on how we can best support our school community. I can’t wait to meet you all and begin this journey together!

Upcoming Events!

Parent Tour: 2/4, 2/11, & 2/25- 

Families! Do you know someone who is looking into enrolling their student in Kindergarten or Middle School? In that case, we need your support in encouraging them to sign up for our school tour! We have an upcoming tour on February 4th, 11th, and 25th at 10am and they can sign up via this LINK .

Coffee with the principal: 2/13-

For February our principal, Mr.Oseguera, will be focusing on conferences for February’s Principal Coffee. The most important topics that will be talked about are:

• What are the important aspects of the student conference?

• What are you getting out of it?

• What would you like teachers to focus on more?

Please join us for this important presentation on February 13th at 9am!

City of San Rafael After School Enrichment Activities

Venetia Valley families! The City of San Rafael is now hosting some of their after school activities here at our school, but it’s not too late to join if you are still interested in signing your student up. Please reach out to the Family Center team to see which activities still have spots available for sign up/any questions you may have beforehand. You can call us at 415-496-0226 and our extensions are as follows:

Jesse Ochoa- ext: 2070

Rosa Flores- ext: 2049

Kim Mazariegos- ext: 2007

Let’s Talk Spanish Only Presentation- How To Care For And Support Children During The Middle School Years

For our Spanish speaking families, Estela Merida Godfrey and Kimberly Navarrete will be giving a virtual presentation on behalf of Let’s Talk Marin on February 11th from 6-7pm on Zoom. This presentation will focus on e-cigarettes  (vaping), as well as alcohol/ other substance use during middle school. They will be sharing local data from Marin County and we highly encourage you to join this meeting for this super useful information. Join via this link.