Weekly Bulletin

Welcome Back!

Reminder that every day this week is an early release:
1st-3rd Grade out at 12:50pm
4th-8th Grade out at 1:00pm

IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:

Welcome Back from Miss Kalen

New Faces

1st Day Packets

Appreciations

Students Walking or Biking Home?

Communications

From Mr. T

From the Garden

Library

School Calendar and Calendar of Events

School Start and End Times and Pick up Location

Parking

Before and After School Supervision

Cell Phone Reminder

Lost and Found Reminder

Community Events

Classified

Calendar

Thursday, August 27th, 11am-1pm:

4th Grade Walking Field Trip to Screamin' Mimi's

Tuesday, September 1st, 6-8pm:

3rd Grade Parent Evening

Wednesday, September 2nd, 6:30pm-8:30pm:

4th Grade Parent Evening

September 2nd, 3:10pm-4:10pm:

Library Committee Meeting
*This is a planning meeting for organizing and opening the school library.

Monday, September 7th:

School Closed for Labor Day Holiday

Tuesday, September 8th, 6:30-8pm:

8th Grade Parent Evening

Wednesday, September 9th, 5:30pm-7pm:

2nd Grade Parent Evening

Monday, September 14th:

First Volleyball Game

Tuesday, September 15th:

6th Grade Field Trip to Mt Lassen

Wednesday, September 16th:

3rd Grade Field Trip to Heirloom Festival

Welcome back from Ms. Kalen!
It is a great happiness to see the children, both new and returning, and to hear their voices and laughter on the playground and while participating in class activities.
Our first day's Rose Ceremony is a wonderful tradition welcoming the first graders who are beginning their journey through the grades, as well as acknowledging the 8th graders who are embarking on their final year. Thank you, parents, for choosing SunRidge School for your children. We're off to a smooth start!

New faces
Ms. Dana Gundling, parent of a second grader, is our Spanish Teacher in grades 4th-8th and the Home Study Program. Spanish will be twice weekly beginning next week.

Kathleen Austin is the new Choir Teacher for 5th-8th grades.

Our Instructional aides this year are:
1st Grade: Dayla Greenfield
2nd Grade: Nicole Greaney
3rd-5th Grade: Amanda Rose Hopkins
6th-8th Grade: Cristina Gosling

1st Day Packets
First Day Packets are being sent home this week with your child. Please read, complete, and return the emergency contact card (white, half-sheet), emergency contact form (salmon), directory form (green), and Walk/Bike Permission (half sheet purple) IMMEDIATELY!

Appreciations
Thank you to Jana Lombardo, Amber Risucci and the Parent Council for providing lunch during the Faculty and Staff Professional Development Day on August 20th. Thank you also to Parent Council members for hosting the Kindergarten Parent Tea.
Thank you to everyone who helped prepare the classrooms and playgrounds on both campuses prior to school's start. There is always so much to do in the days before school begins and with many hands helping, so much gets accomplished easily and well.
The Tibetan monks returned for a special assembly today where they sang and meditated with the students of grades 2-8, and offered a blessing of prosperity. Special thanks to Marcus and Miho Pizzorno for this opportunity.

Students Walking or Biking From School?
The school is responsible for the safety of your children until they are released to you each day. If you wish to allow your child to walk or ride their bike home or to some other designated after-school location, we will need you to fill out the form for that purpose that is in your first day packet.

Communications
Our primary means for communicating important information to parents is though our Weekly Bulletin. We send it out by email if you are on our email list, and provide hard copies outside the office if email doesn't work for you. Please read the bulletin every week in order to stay informed, and if you change your email address, let us know!

From Mr. T
Welcome back parents and players of the middle school!I'm very excited for another fun-filled year of athletics for SunRidge students. The athletics program offers many opportunities. SunRidge is a long-time member of the Middle School Sports League [themssl.org], which offers play in Fall Coed Volleyball, Cross-country running, and this year, Flag Football; Winter-Spring Boys' Basketball, then Girls' Basketball, and then additional opportunities for 6th grade basketball and casual play soccer at Summerfield.

The MSSL has grown over a decade into 15 schools; last year we adopted divisional play. This year, Flag Football has been added.
Because SunRidge students have many wonderful, low-cost opportunities to participate in healthy movement, I encourage involvement in one or more of these sports. However, I'm limited by scheduling and other constraints, from coaching it all! I've managed to consistently coach Coed Volleyball and Girls' Basketball over the years, but the program is increasingly presenting a strong need for volunteers. I imagine a good deal of student interest in these activities this year. I'd like to encourage as much involvement as meets the desire of our students' families.
This is where parents, fun coaching, and family involvement hours in the school can overlap. Coaching a sport is a short-term commitment (2-3 months?). If this idea appeals to you, please make contact with me [dthurber@twinhillsusd.org]. As Athletic Director, I will do everything I can to help you and the team experience success.
I'd like to thank Laura Rewerts, Curt Quantz and Trinity Burnham-Polhmann for co-coaching coed volleyball with myself.

Warmly,

Dale (Mr. T)

FROM THE GARDEN

THANK-YOU Tina Howa, parent of Eli Goldberg in third grade, and Astika the water guru. When school ended last year, we focused on untangling irrigation spaghetti and getting things to a point where they could make it through the summer!!! Now the corn and pumpkins are HUGE!!!!!! ...the sunflowers dance everywhere. Farm year parents did an amazing job of watering and tending the garden all summer. Sara and Dennis Bird, parents of Hazel in third grade and Riley in fourth grade, provided both gardens with amazing starts and a truck load of compost. Kindergarten parents repaired a garden cart and helped clear the path to the willows with me on one of the Saturday work days. Yesterday, Dennis, from Dragonfly, Rudi, his parent, and I saw 8 different species of birds within five minutes. Last year, Rudi generously shared his love and knowledge of birding with my Thursday classes. He has offered to continue this year. Thank you to all of you for making this program possible. Our community is committed to providing students with opportunities to learn about Nature in Nature. The country campus is thriving with life and abundance in the garden. Happy Farm Year to all!!!

The permaculture garden at the town campus was designed and installed by last year’s eighth grade. Thanks to last year’s eighth grade parents, faculty, Theresa’s sister in-law and especially Maria Theresa’s (4^th grade) father Anthony Ott, the plants were watered and the Bermuda Grass kept at bay!!! This is no easy task. Anthony spent his day off to set up the much needed irrigation system for the entire area. Please take time to thank him.

On the town campus, the first and second grade garden did not fair as well over the summer. Much love is needed in this space as soon as possible. I need four parents to join Willy and I in an effort to prepare the space for classes. Please call me or email me this week to schedule.

Four Parents Needed ASAP for four hours heavy work and simple construction on town campus. Call Tess to schedule a time that works for you.
292-9867 or email sunridgegarden@gmail.com.

Thank-you.
Wormly,
Tess

Library

We are excited to be starting the work of organizing and opening a school library. Come participate at the first meeting on September 2nd from 3:10-4:10pm.

Topics we'll be discussing include:

Setting up circulation station and library management station
Planning which items are to remain in library
Create groups to catalog library items
Train volunteers for cataloging

School Calendar and Calendar of Events
A link to our school calendar for this year is attached. Please print it and keep handy for reference, noting holidays and breaks so you can plan accordingly. You can find it here: http://www.sunridgeschool.org/quick-reference-information.html

School Start and End Times and Pick-up Location

Please remember how important it is to get your child to school before the bell rings at 8:25 for the grades, and by 8:40 for kindergarten. Getting back into a good rhythm of bedtimes and rising times helps support your child to more easily integrate back into his or her school schedule. Here is the schedule:

	School Starts	Pick-up Window*
Kindergarten everyday (after the first day)	8:40am	12:40-12:50

1st Grade Regular Day	8:25am	2:15 – 2:25pm

2nd Grade Regular Day	8:25am	2:30 – 2:40pm
3rd Grade Regular Day	8:25am	2:30 – 2:40pm

4th–8th Grade Regular Day	8:25am	3:05 – 3:15pm


1st – 3rd Early Release Day	8:25am	12:50 – 1:00pm
4th – 8th Early Release Day	8:25am	1:00 – 1:15pm

*Pick-up Window begins at dismissal time

Parking
Students may be dropped off in the morning at either the front drop-off area or the back drop-off area no earlier than 8am. All students on the town campus are picked up at the yellow loading zone at the rear entrance of the school. You may also park in the back parking lot if you wish to escort your child to or from your vehicle. Please leave the front parking lot spaces for K-1st REACH parents who must walk their young children to their classrooms at the front of the campus. Do not park in the yellow-marked loading zones in either the front or back!

Before School Supervision
At the country campus, Kindergarten students may be supervised by their parents in the kindergarten yard prior to school starting at 8:40am. At the town campus, students may be dropped off after 8am and may go to the playground where there is supervision.

Pick-Up and After School Supervision
School ends with a staggered dismissal schedule. Please check the schedule below to ensure you know your child's dismissal time.
All children are to be picked up at the back pickup area (marked by a white shade awning) where supervision is provided.
There is no after care/supervision beyond the 10 minute window following dismissal. Students not picked up are brought to the office to call home.
A permission slip form for students who wish to walk or bike hime from school is in the first day packet. Please fill this out and return it to the school office.

Cell Phone Reminder

SunRidge has a no-cell-phones-with-students-during-the-school-day policy. Please have them leave cell phones at home unless they really need one for important after school communication. Students with cell phones need to drop them off in the school office in the morning and can pick them up after school is out. Our students have been very responsible in following this rule and it works smoothly. We also ask that parents refrain from using their cell phones in any school building or area when students are present. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Please label your child's clothing with their last name and

check the Lost and Found frequently.

Classified and Community Events

At the end of every week's bulletin, a section titled Community Events will appear containing happenings in the community that may be of interest to SunRidge families. The Classified section will follow containing not-for-profit ads regarding housing, items for sale and other community needs. Please email your requests for these sections to Erin in the SunRidge office egreen@twinhillsusd.org for review and possible placement in future bulletins. Requests should be submitted no later than the end of the day on Monday every week.

CLASSIFIED
(We can list rentals, parents selling used items, free items, lost and found, or trades. With the exception of private, after-school care available for SunRidge students, we do not list for-profit business ads)

Dear SunRidge Community,

After several months, we are still looking for a home. We want to be back in Sebastopol or closeby as soon as possible to be back in our community again. I am the Spanish teacher at SunRidge and my son, Ayani, is in the 2nd grade. We are looking for a shared home with others, ideally a 3-4 bedroom place with some land for gardening and our chickens. We have others that are looking with us that would fill a home together. Our price ranges are $1500-$1800 for a 2-bedrm/2 bath, $1800-$2500 for a 3bed/2 bath and $2500-$3500 for a 4 bedrm/2-3bath. We would like to be within biking distance of SunRidge if possible but having a place with land (an acre or more would be nice) that is close to town yet in the country is most important. If you have any leads, please let me know as we ideally would like to move by September. Feel free to call me at 707-332-6225 or send me an email to danagundling@gmail.com. Thanks so much! Dana Gundling

Childcare Needed

We are looking for a creative, responsible, sensitive person to be with our daughters (ages 11 and 8) on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons. Responsibilities include picking the girls up from school, playing with them, taking the occasional trip to the library or park, helping with homework, and very minor dinner prep. The approx. hours are 2 PM-5 PM (Thursdays will sometimes be 1-5) with periodic increased hours on random school holidays or late work nights. Previous experience with references, a reliable (safe) car with a clean DMV record, and an excellent reading voice are musts. We are located in downtown Sebastopol. $15 an hour. Starting August 17th. Please contact Marla at marzipan29@sbcglobal.net or 707-824-5659.

Free Piano
Hi we are a SunRidge family, and we have an old, beautiful piano from the 1870s we would like to offer for free. Our son has taken a loving for guitar and so it barely gets any use. It is tuned, but it would need to be professionally moved, or get a good group of folks with a van/truck to move it. If you have any interest please contact Jen Rothman jenmichiahrothman@gmail.com