From The Principal's Desk |
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Dear Blossom Hill Families:
Almost two years ago, on March 13, 2020, we were instructed to close schools and we all transitioned to remote learning due to the impacts of COVID-19. Today, we are transitioning from a pandemic to an endemic approach, where we are learning to manage COVID-19, rather than eradicate it. On February 28, Governor Newsom issued a joint press release along with the Washington and Oregon Governors that sunsets the requirement for mask-wearing in schools. The Governor announced that indoor masking in schools will move from a requirement to a strong recommendation starting after March 11, 2022..
In Los Gatos Union School District, we will continue to follow the guidance from state and local public health officials. We will transition from a mask requirement to a strong recommendation as it relates to indoor mask-wearing in schools starting on Monday, March 14, 2022.
As we hope this is the final stage of learning how to live alongside COVID-19, community support is imperative. The LGUSD Student Success Profile states: Demonstrate personal, civic, social, local, and global responsibility through ethical and empathetic behaviors. By partnering together, we have an opportunity to empower one another to be the “I” in KIND while respecting personal decisions about masks.
Moving forward:
- Per CDPH, beginning on Monday, March 14, 2022, students and staff are strongly recommended but not required to wear a mask indoors. This will be an individual decision, and we will be respectful of one another.
- Wearing masks outdoors will continue to be optional.
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Los Gatos Union School District will continue to follow protocols and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) state guidance regarding symptom monitoring, hygiene practices, quarantine, and isolation.
- Masked or unmasked, if a student has symptoms, they will be sent to the health office. Students with symptoms will be asked to wear a mask until they are picked up and a negative COVID-19 PCR test will be required before they return to school.
- As a community, we continue to encourage vaccinations within our community as our health experts indicate that it is the best strategy to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
- Optional and daily testing will continue at the Los Gatos Union District Office:
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On another note, I am delighted to invite you to a parent education event to share the work our staff is doing to create a school community that acknowledges and affirms the gender diversity of our students. We are happy that we will be able to meet in-person for these sessions in the Blossom Hill Multi-Purpose Room (MPR).
Please save the dates:
Session #1 Thursday, March 24th 6:30-7:30pm
Session #2 Thursday, April 7th 6:30-7:30pm
In education together,
Lisa Reynolds
Principal, Blossom Hill Elementary
Phone: 408.335.2100
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March/April
- 3/7-3/11 - Conference Week - Minimum Days
- 3/9 - 5th Grade Science Fair Projects Due
- 3/16 - K-4th Grade Science Fair Projects Due
- 3/17 - St. Patrick's Day Parade to the Terraces, 1pm*
- 3/17 - St. Patrick's Day Parent Party, 1:45-2:30pm*
- 3/17 - Community Playfields Input Session during School Site Council Meeting, 3pm (Zoom)*
- 3/18 - Family Science Night, 4-7pm (MPR)
- 3/19 and 3/20 - Voluptuary Give Back Days, 11am-7pm (Voluptuary)
- 3/23 - Community Playfields Input Session during H&SC Member Meeting, 8:30am (Zoom)*
- 3/24 - Gender Spectrum Parent Education Event, 6:30-7:30pm (BH MPR)**
- 4/4 - Mom’s Night Out, 6:30-8:30pm, (Home by Ling Interiors)
- 4/7 - Gender Spectrum Parent Education Event, 6:30-7:30pm (BH MPR)**
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*Scroll down for more details on these events.
**See details above "From the Principal's Desk"
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IMPORTANT SCHOOL CONTACT INFORMATION |
Office:
408-335-2100
Attendance:
408-335-2145
Office Hours:
7:30 am - 3:30 pm
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If you ordered a yard sign, they may be picked up from the front office during office hours. |
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Honeybee Barcode Scanning Winners |
Thank you to all the students who used "People Power" last Wednesday to get to school. We had a successful pilot day of our new Honeybee Barcode Scanning program which will run each Wednesday morning through May 11th.
The weekly drawing winners for March 2nd are:
Nico T. in Mrs. Bersano's class
Matilda M. in Mrs. O'Donnell's class
Omeed H. in Mrs. Rhine/Mrs. Bassani's class
Peter E. in Mrs. Roshinski's class
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The Health Benefits of School Breakfast |
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If you look around your house, we bet you’ll spy something your child created in Blossom Hill’s clay class. It may be a pinch pot, pumpkin, snowman, animal, or tiki cup and on the surface, it's a piece of pottery. However, beyond what is seen with the eyes is the process each child went through to create a piece of pottery. For a 2nd grader, she sat still and listened to the instructions. Then she imagined how she could make a pinch pot into a cat. She used her hands to translate her ideas into a tangible object. The clay can be challenging to shape so she had to persevere despite frustrations borne of little hands, still-developing fine motor skills, and cold clay. The pinch pot cat she had visualized turned out flatter than she had imagined. No longer a pinch pot cat, she stared at her clay and willed herself to see a new animal. She pivoted and problem-solved. Perhaps a turtle? She had never even drawn a turtle before but she took a risk and experimented in a place where it was safe and encouraged. After seeing her shiny turquoise and yellow spotted turtle beautifully glazed, she thought to herself, "I did it!"
The pride the students feel after creating pottery that is uniquely them confirms that it's so much more than just a piece of clay. If you would like to be in your child’s class the next time the students are imagining, problem solving, experimenting, and creating, we invite you to volunteer by signing up here. If you haven't submitted your TB test/risk assessment and proof of COVID vaccination yet, please submit your application here in advance of volunteering.
Projects take two sessions of approximately one hour each – one for forming (creating) and one for glazing (painting). We’re asking for 1-2 hours of your time and no prior experience is needed. Classes start this Friday, March 4. Class dates by grade level are:
- Kindergarten: March 14, April 4
- 1st Grade: March 15
- 2nd Grade: Two projects finished; no classes scheduled at this time.
- 3rd Grade: March 24, April 21 & 22
- 4th Grade: March 4, April 8
- 5th Grade: March 21, April 25
Our goal this year is to provide every Blossom Hill student the opportunity to create two pieces of clay art. Run by parent volunteers, the success of this program is wholly dependent on having parent volunteers from every class. Even if your child’s class has enough volunteers, your help would be welcome and appreciated for other classes. Join us as we help foster each child’s creativity and develop key life skills through art. Email [email protected] if you have any questions. We hope to see you in clay class soon!
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Blossom Hill's Pottery Program is made possible by parent contributions to One Community LG. |
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Join the H&SC Board - Co-Treasurer Needed! |
Are you highly organized with a background in accounting or finance? We want you to join the Home and School Club Board as a Co-Treasurer! This role takes an average of 2-5 hours per week with increased hours during year-end, special events and spring budgeting cycle.
Snippets of Co-Treasurer role:
- Daily - issue checks, make bank deposits, record transactions in QuickBooks, support committee chairs and school staff.
- Monthly - perform month-end close activities, generate financial statements and present at monthly board meetings.
- Annually - create and present annual budget, complete federal and state regulatory filings.
If you would like to learn more about this role, please email current Co-Treasurers Widya Junus or Jean Choi at [email protected].
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Mileage Club Helpers Needed! |
Mileage Club will take a break between 3/7-3/16 for Conference Week and 5th Grade Science Camp. Mileage Club will kick off again on March 17th with a special St. Patrick’s Day charm and will also have special atom charms on March 18th to celebrate the Science Fair.
In order to run Mileage Club, parent volunteers are needed to scan Mileage Club cards for runners and to give students the tokens they earn. Helpers are needed all school days, except Wednesdays, from 11:45am - 1pm. Click below to sign up for one shift or multiple shifts.
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Blossom Hill's Mileage Club is made possible by parent contributions to One Community LG. |
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Fun Fridays Needs Your Help! |
Fun Fridays is still looking for more family involvement! Fun Fridays cannot run without parent volunteers.
During lunch on Fridays, parent volunteers set up, manage, and put away yard games and sometimes a craft activities from 11:15am to 1:00pm.
Please sign up here to volunteer if you can. You can volunteer for just one Friday or as frequently as you would like. (Please ensure your volunteer requirements are up-to-date by completing the forms here.)
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Blossom Hill's Fun Fridays is made possible by parent contributions to One Community LG. |
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New LGS Recreation Offerings |
LGS Recreation Summer 2022 registration is now live! For more information about our summer programs, please visit www.lgsrecreation.org or call 408.354.8700. For a digital version of our Summer 2022 guide, please click this link.
LGS Recreation Clubhouse is offering an International February Break Camp. Come enjoy specialty celebrations and fun international games. In addition, students will have plenty of time for fun outdoors activities. To register, follow this link.
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Community Sponsor Spotlight |
The Blossom Hill Home & School Club proudly announces our latest sponsor at our Pollinator Level sponsorship - Green Mountain Retreat. Green Mountain Retreat is a retreat center located in the Santa Cruz Mountains – just a short 10-minute drive from downtown Los Gatos. Nestled in 66 acres of majestic redwoods and oaks, their facility is the ideal environment for group retreats, conferences, weddings, and special events for all group sizes. Their summer sleep-away Camp Supernova provides unique opportunities for children 4th-8th grades to learn, be with friends, and make lasting memories in a beautiful natural setting. Please contact Green Mountain at [email protected] to inquire about your next event.
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Blossom Hill Vision Statement
(Abilities and skills we expect our students to acquire and take-out into the world)
All students will have the necessary skills to become enthusiastic, life-long learners and productive, empathetic, respectful members of society.
Blossom Hill Mission Statement
(What we need to do as a school community to ensure this happens)
The Blossom Hill School community takes pride in providing an enriched standards-based curriculum in a safe, nurturing environment. We strive to appreciate an awareness of students’ developmental needs to help them progress towards independence.
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Blossom Hill Elementary School
16400 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Phone: 408-335-2100 | Fax: 408-356-0887
Attendance Line: 408-335-2145
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Blossom Hill Home & School Club
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*The Beehive newsletter is approved by Principal Lisa Reynolds and the H&SC Board and is written exclusively to provide the Blossom Hill community with pertinent, weekly school information. Articles, information, calendars, etc. may not be duplicated or re-printed in any manner without the permission of the Home & School Club or the Blossom Hill school administration. |
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Submissions can be made to The Beehive editor, Jennifer Shapiro,
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