IHMS Newsletter - November 18, 2024

Important Upcoming Dates

Nov 18 - Ed Fund Meeting, Online, 6:30pm


Nov 19 - Board of Education Meeting, SRVUSD Boardroom, 6pm


Nov 20 - Site Council/ELAC Meeting, 8am


Nov 20 - SRVUSD Budget Town Hall Meeting, SRVUSD Boardroom, 9:30am


Nov 21 - SRVUSD Budget Town Hall Meeting, SRVUSD Boardroom, 6:30pm


Nov 21 - PTA Meeting, Library, 7pm


Nov 21 - Dyslexia Simulation, 7-8:15pm


Nov 22 - Minimum Day, 8:15-11:44am


Nov 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break, No School


Nov 27-29 - Ed Center & Service Center Closed

Dec 2 - COPE Seminar, Overcoming School Avoidance/Refusal, Zoom, 6-8pm


Dec 3 - SRVCPTA Reflections Showcase, Cal High Auditorium, 5-8pm


Dec 12 - Sister School Gift Donations Due


Dec 23-Jan 6 - Winter Break, No School



Note: Sometimes Gmail clips the What's Up newsletter. Look at the bottom of the newsletter for this message, "click to view the entire message"



Principal Updates

Traffic Safety


Our SRO has been in the area and has seen traffic violations that need to be remedied to support student safety and to prevent tragedy. It is illegal to stop on Alcosta Blvd and drop students off. Citations can and will be issued. Please do not drop your student off in the parking lot and send them across traffic to enter the school. Students must be accompanied by an adult while crossing the parking lot and everyone must use the crosswalk at all times. Bike and scooter riders must wear helmets at all times.


Contra Costa County African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub Survey 


Contra Costa County is inviting Black/African American residents to participate in an important survey to shape the future of wellness services in the community. Your feedback will directly influence the design, services, and locations of a new African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub—a center dedicated to providing culturally relevant and responsive services that meet the unique needs of our community. By completing this 15–20-minute survey, you will help shape decisions on wellness support services and locations that will best serve the African American community. The first 1,000 respondents with valid email addresses will receive a $15 digital Visa gift card! Click here to take the survey


Eat a Rainbow - November is a great month to eat orange fruit and vegetables!  


During the week of November 18th, SRVUSD Harvest Bars will be full of sweet orange bell peppers and persimmons. Child Nutrition is providing educational resources to go along with the offering on the salad bar. Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables in different hues provides essential vitamins and nutrients that can help prevent disease.  So, make sure to fill your plate half full with a variety of fruits and vegetables each day! 

Resources to share on ORANGE color month:  Folder with educational materials and activities.



Budget Reductions Input Survey and Town Halls  


We encourage our entire community to take the time to participate and make your voice heard! Take the Budget Reductions Input Survey - srvusdlinks.net/BudgetSurvey (remains open until November 22nd at midnight), and join an upcoming Town Hall. Your input is vital in ensuring that our decisions reflect the needs and values of our community.

School Updates

Sister School Holiday Gift Drive


Hello Jaguar Community,


It’s the time of year to support those less fortunate with our Sister School Holiday Gift Drive. Our sister school is Riverside Elementary in San Pablo. Each year, Riverside identifies the neediest families and we set out to get gifts for all the children in those families. This year, they selected 15 families with multiple children.


HERE is the link to the Sign up Genius. Each gift has a number and a letter to help us when we are wrapping and sorting them. Each number represents one child in the family.


Please consider supporting this important cause. As a reminder, we will do the wrapping so we need to know which gift is which (attach the number and letter).


We would like to have the gifts before December 12th so we can get them delivered to Riverside Elementary before they go on winter break.


If you have any questions, please feel free to email Michelle Hamon at mhamon@srvusd.net.


Thank you!

Sign Up Here

Clothes and Shoe Drive


Iron Horse is participating in the America Recycles Day collection challenge this November, for a chance to win up to $1500 for our school!


America Recycles Day, celebrated every year on November 15th, is a nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling efforts across the United States. It plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the importance of recycling and educating individuals on how to reduce waste and contribute to a more sustainable future. As part of the America Recycles Day challenge, we can win money for our school AND give gently used belongings a 2nd life. 


A list of items that can be dropped off in our tree machines (at the far end of the parking lot) are listed here. Thank you for your support!


Yearbook & Yearbook Ads

PTA Updates

PTA Meeting



Come learn what we are all about. We are energetic, fun parents who care about the kids in our community and want to make a difference through advocacy, community building events, staff appreciation, and more. 


Our next PTA Meeting will be

Thurs, November 21st at 7pm in the IH Library.

Reflections Art Showcase



Please join us on Tues, Dec 3rd 5-8pm in the Cal High auditorium for our annual SRVCPTA Reflections Showcase where art from this year's SRVUSD school Reflections competitions throughout the district will be showcased.

Inclusion Matters @SRVUSD


SRVUSD celebrates all students with disabilities and strives to model respect, empathy, and high expectations for every student with disabilities during Inclusive Schools Week on January 13-17, 2025.


To celebrate inclusion of all of our students with disabilities at all of our district schools, San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs, through J and R Gear, is selling Inclusion Matters t-shirts to be worn on the final day of Inclusive Schools week. The shirt is based on the disability pride flag which aims to promote awareness of the positive pride felt by those in the disability community and says "Inclusion Matters @ SRVUSD." Click here to order



Deadline to order is December 2, 2024. Delivery to schools will be the week of Jan 7, 2025.


SRVCPTA Exceptional Education Committee in partnership with the Special Education Local Plan Area’s Community Advisory Committee has created SRVUSD’s own Disability Pride Flag design which is showcased on the Inclusion Matters @ SRVUSD Shirt.  The design is inspired by Ann Magill's Disability Pride Flags originally designed in 2019 and then redesigned in 2021.  SRVCPTA EEC has created a visually appealing design of the muted colors from the redesigned disability pride flag in which the colors red and green are no longer side by side to trigger those with visual disabilities.  The lightning bolt from the original flag was redesigned as a zig zag which signifies the non-lateral lives that many disabled people lead, often requiring them to adapt themselves or their paths to navigate an inaccessible society.  The black background symbolizes mourning for disabled individuals who have been victimized by ableism or lost to disability-fueled violence, abuse, negligence, and death. Each color of the zig zag represents a different aspect of disability or impairment. Green represents those with sensory perception disabilities. Blue represents those with mental illness. White represents those with invisible disabilities and/or undiagnosed disabilities.  Yellow represents those with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. Red represents those with physical disabilities.  At SRVUSD schools, education takes on a beautiful shape when ALL students are included.

Order your Inclusion Matters t-shirt Today!

Ed Fund Updates

Ed Fund Meeting


The next Ed Fund Meeting will be 
Mon, November 18th · 6:30pm

Virtual

Please email ironhorse.edfund@srvef.org for login details

Fundraisers

Counselor Amazon Wishlist


Please see the below link for the IHMS Counselor Amazon Wishlist if you are interested in purchasing any of their wishlists items for the counseling office. Thank you for your support!

Wishlist

Donors Choose


Please check out the Donors Choose page for Iron Horse staff where you can see which staff are requesting funds for resources to create a more engaging and interactive classroom environment for our students.


Our staff appreciate all we can contribute to help them make the start of this school year a success!


Current posted projects include:


Mrs Martin - "Stock Our Library's Shelves!"

Donors Choose: Iron Horse Page

Volunteer Opportunities

Library Volunteers


Are you interested in volunteering your time to help Ms Martin in the Iron Horse Library? If so, please see the Volunteer Link below if you would like to sign up for one or more volunteers slots. Or, if you are interested in volunteering in the library on a regular basis, please use the Regular Volunteer link below to reach out to Ms Martin.


Please keep in mind that all volunteers must be cleared through the district. Please see this page on the district website for more info.

Volunteer Here
Regular Volunteer

Lunch Time Volunteers


We are in need of parent volunteers to help supervise students during lunch times on campus.  

Please remember that there are requirements to volunteer on campus all parent volunteers working with students must have completed backgroud screening, proof of Tuberculosis clearance and uploaded this into their Be A Mentor profile. All volunteers must check in at the office when they arrive.


Please see below slots and signup if you are available to help us out this year. 


Thank you for your support.

Volunteer Here

Community News

Dyslexia Simulation
Due to popular demand, Decoding Dyslexia CA is offering another FREE virtual dyslexia simulation on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 PM.

Register today to hold your spot - space is limited!
Click here to register for the free online dyslexia simulation
Simulations are a powerful way to share the dyslexia experience with others.
They are designed to help individuals gain a better understanding of (and empathy for) children and adults who struggle with dyslexia.

Street Smarts “Be Reel” Video Contest 


STREET SMARTS “BE REEL!” VIDEO CONTEST IS HERE!


Enter for a chance to win amazing prizes! 



The Street Smarts “Be Reel!” Video Contest invites SRVUSD students to showcase their traffic safety knowledge by creating engaging public service announcements (PSAs) to raise awareness about traffic safety issues within the community.


  • Theme: “Safety First!”
  • Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8 and grades 9 – 12, with separate divisions for middle and high school
  • Middle school and high school students can collaborate, but their entry will be judged in the high school division
  • Submission deadline: January 30, 2025 at 4:00 pm


Get ready to showcase your creativity and knowledge—start planning your PSA today!

For full rules and guidelines, please visit street-smarts.com.

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