April is School Library Month, a time to celebrate and appreciate the invaluable contributions of our school librarians in nurturing a love for reading and learning among our students. Ms. Hunt plays a vital role in fostering literacy, research skills, and a lifelong passion for reading. From coordinating weekly class visits to the library to providing resources for academic success to opening up the library during lunch recess to coordinating the visit of children’s book author Monica Mancillas, our librarian Ms. Hunt goes above and beyond to support the love of literacy of every student. Please join us in celebrating all that she does for our students and school community!
We want to thank you for being actively involved in your child’s education. This final quarter of the year will be a busy one filled with learning, fun school activities, and end-of-the-year assessments. Please review the information below for important upcoming assessment dates and encourage your child to do their best and always let them know how proud you are of them! By working together, we can make our students’ testing experience positive and successful!
Be sure to stay up-to-date on all the great things by reading our weekly blog post and reviewing Class Dojo often. It is an exciting time of the year and we love to gather together as a Hazel Goes Cook Community.
Thank you for your continued support of our School-Wide Behavior Expectations. These behavior expectations ensure a safe and orderly environment for learning. These next two weeks we will be focusing and reviewing Restroom Expectations with all students. Please review the expectations with your child to ensure everyone’s safety.
End of Year Testing
End-of-year state (CAASPP) and district (Local Measures) testing begins this week through the end of the school year. CAASPP and Local Measures are designed to give information to teachers, students, and their families about what students know and are able to do. Please see this parent resource page about the assessment that all students in California will be taking.
Children do their best when they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive to school on time.
We are providing the testing calendar below. Please review the testing schedule to make sure your child does not have any scheduled appointments, or family trips during this time. You can reach out to your child’s teacher for more details on individual schedules.
Cook PTA Newsletter
Yearbook purchases are now available by clicking on the link below! Yearbooks purchases prior to April 30th will be shipped directly to Hazel Goes Cook Elementary and delivered to students upon their arrival around mid-May. Any yearbooks purchased AFTER April 30th will be charged $8 for shipping and be shipped to the student’s home.
Computers2Kids
The San Diego County Office of Education and Computers2Kids are hosting an event for families to purchase affordable computers on Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Granite Hills High School at 1719 E. Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92019. (Drive Thru Event).
We are looking forward to the many events coming up in quarter 4, be sure to stay up-to-date on all the great things by reading our weekly blog post and reviewing Class Dojo often. It is an exciting time of the year and we love to gather together as a Hazel Goes Cook Community.
April is the month of the Military Child! At Hazel Goes Cook, we have many military connected families and we salute them all! We are so grateful for their service and sacrifice. Thank for your service to our country!
Two Week Behavioral Focus
Thank you for your continued support of our School-Wide Behavior Expectations. These behavior expectations ensure a safe and orderly environment for learning. These next two weeks we will be focusing and reviewing Restroom Expectations with all students. Please review the expectations with your child to ensure everyone’s safety.
End of Year Testing
End-of-year state (CAASPP) and district (Local Measures) testing begins April 22nd through the end of the school year. Children do their best when they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive to school on time.
We are providing the testing calendar below. Please review the testing schedule to make sure your child does not have any scheduled appointments, or family trips during this time. You can reach out to your child’s teacher for more details on individual schedules.
6th Grade Masonic Awards
On Thursday, April 11th, Hazel Goes Cook Elementary honored six students for exemplary citizenship that includes behavior, participation in and enthusiasm for school activities, leadership within peer groups, and use of courtesies and proper manners. The Masonic Awards are part of Public Schools Month, celebrating students’ good citizenship. Masonic support for public schools dates back to our country’s founding, and Masons started some of the first public schools in America. The awards are a long-running tradition for sixth grade students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. Congratulations to our six Masonic Award nominees!
Children’s Book Author – Monica Mancillas
On Friday, April 12th, children’s book author, Mónica Mancillas, came to Hazel Goes Cook Elementary and presented to all of our students in the MPR, in addition to also providing a FREE book for each child and each classroom. Students in K – 3rd grade received Mariana and Her Familia, while 4th – 6th received the brand new publication, Sing it Like Celia. Mónica Mancillas got an opportunity to share her writing journey that eventually led her to become a children’s book author with our students, in addition to sharing one of her stories with them. We want to give a huge THANK YOU to our amazing librarian, Ms. Hunt for facilitating this amazing opportunity for all of our Crusader students and further promoting the key PYP element of international-mindedness with our school community!
2024-25 SPSA Input Needed
We need your input on our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) which organizes funds received by the school in order to most efficiently serve the needs of the students and increase their achievement. Through your input we can learn what’s most important in meeting our goals and achieving our annual measurable outcomes.
We will be using your thoughts to assist us in the development of our SPSA for the 2024-25 school year. Please click here to view our SPSA Goals for the 2023-24 school year.
We are using ThoughtExchange so everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the increasing our students’ academic achievement. Please share your thoughts and then rate at least 10-20 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Come back often until Friday, April 26th to rate new ideas.
District-wide Attendance Competition
Are you ready to make your mark in the final quarter of the school year? CVESD invites you to participate in our exciting district-wide attendance competition – Back to Your Future!
How to Participate:
Attend school every day during the fourth quarter of the 2023-24 school year.
The competition will run from April 8th to May 28th, 2024.
Students who attend every day from April 8th to May 28th, 2024, will be entered to win special prizes drawn on May 31st, 2024.
All winners will be announced on social media and the district’s website.
During morning announcements, we will be announcing how many students are still in the running to be entered into the drawing to win various prizes. Make sure students are in school everyday and don’t miss out on this opportunity!
LEAD Classes Quarter 4
Most of our after-school LEAD classes for Quarter 4 have already begun and our Basketball and Cooking Clubs will be starting Monday, April 15th. Our dedicated staff have been hard at work preparing a diverse range of enriching and engaging activities to complement your child’s learning experience. We encourage all students to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills, and foster friendships outside of the classroom.
Please feel free to contact Ms. Rodriguez with any LEAD clarifying questions:
Our school is part of the Sweetwater Authority’s service area. Sweetwater Authority is hosting a “Being Water Wise” poster contest for Kindergarten through sixth grade students.
Prizes will be awarded to all local winners, and students will be entered to compete in the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) regional competition. The deadline is May 17th, 2024, at 5 p.m.
The “Being Water Wise Is…” poster contest gives K-6 students in Sweetwater Authority’s service area the chance to demonstrate how water is a precious and essential resource. By creating water-related art, students enhance their understanding of the importance of water.
Local winners will be entered to compete in the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) regional competition. Regional winning posters will be published in MWD’s 2024 Art Calendar and digital library. Winning posters will also be displayed on www.sweetwater.org.
Prizes are awarded to all local winners!
Submit your entry for this year’s contest here: Submit Artwork
Contest Details
Categories
Category 1: Grades K-3
Category 2: Grades 4-6
Submission Information & Guidelines
Rules and guidelines must be met for consideration. See contest flyer for full criteria.
The overall theme is “Being Water Wise Is…” as it relates to the stewardship and conservation of water. That means wise water use and conservation inside and outside of the home (including hygiene/cleanliness), at school, in the community, in business and industry, in agriculture and in recreation.
Sweetwater Authority will only accept digital files of artwork. Teachers are encouraged to add all artwork and form files into a zipped folder. Upload artwork electronically to: https://sendit.sweetwater.org/filedrop/PosterContest
Artwork should be scanned with the image setting of 300dpi (dots per inch), set to TIFF (Tag Image File Format) or JPG or PDF format. Files should be saved in the following format: Student name-grade-Sweetwater Authority.tiff or .pdf
All entries must be submitted with a fully completed Student Information Card and Student Artwork Rights/Parental Approval Form that clearly identifies the associated artwork. Form(s) should be saved in the following format: Form-Student name-grade-Sweetwater Authority.pdf or .jpg
It has been an absolute pleasure seeing our students return this week with refreshed energy and eagerness to dive back into their learning journey. The first week of Quarter 4 concluded with Crusader World Travelers: A Multicultural Celebration. We wanted to express our sincere gratitude to our Cook PTA and Crusader school community for making our 2nd Annual Multicultural Celebration a huge success! In addition to showcasing their musical talents through student performances, students got an opportunity to visit, experience, and learn about countries from around the world. Thank you to all who were in attendance, including Board Members Delia Dominguez Cervantes and Kate Bishop, and to those who volunteered their time in transforming our school into a world tour!
Kindergarten Song “Friends All Around Us”
1st Grade Song “Friends All Around Us”
2nd Grade Song “I’ll Be There”
3rd Grade Song “Bahay Kubo”
3rd Grade Song “I’ll Be There”
4th/5th Grade Song “ Our Earth, Our Home”
We want want to take a moment and introduce Christine Fernandez who will be joining our Crusader family as our Primary Years Program Coordinator/Resource Teacher. She comes to us with a variety of experiences and knowledge which will make her a huge asset to our Hazel Goes Cook community. Please take a moment to read her introductory letter below and join me in providing her a warm welcome!
Keep checking our school blog, our weekly happenings are updated every Sunday. You can also opt into following our blog and receive any new posts delivered directly to your email inbox.
Thank you for your continued support of our School-Wide Behavior Expectations. These behavior expectations ensure a safe and orderly environment for learning. This week we will continue focusing and reviewing Assembly Expectations with all students. Please review the expectations with your child to ensure everyone’s safety. You can find the expectations below.
As you may be aware, on Monday, April 8th, 2024, an extraordinary celestial event will occur in North America as a solar eclipse will cast its shadow across the continent. While San Diego County will experience a partial eclipse rather than a total one, the event is nonetheless significant. The San Diego region is expected to witness a partial eclipse that will begin around 10 a.m., peak at 11:11 a.m., and end at 12:23 p.m.
To ensure the safety and well-being of all our students and staff during this event, the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) has implemented a rainy day schedule for all schools on April 8th. This means that recess and lunch activities will be conducted indoors. Parental permission is required for classrooms intending to incorporate eclipse viewing into their curriculum, and adherence to NASA’s safety standards regarding appropriate viewing gear is mandatory.
Hazel Goes Cook Elementary will require permission slips for students whose classrooms plan to engage in educational activities centered around the eclipse. If your child’s classroom has communicated they plan to observe the solar eclipse, please return the permission slip to your child’s teacher on Monday morning.
We are excited to share that a wonderful children’s book author, Mónica Mancillas, will be coming to Hazel Goes Cook Elementary. She will be presenting to all of our students in the MPR on Friday, April 12th, in addition to also providing a FREE book for each child and each classroom.
Mariana and Her Familia A heartwarming picture book about a young girl on her first trip to visit family in Mexico, who learns there is no language barrier when it comes to love—from debut author Mónica Mancillas and rising star illustrator Erika Meza. Perfect for fans of Where Are You From? and Mango, Abuela, a www.harpercollins.com
This event is being made possible by We Need Diverse Books and Writers and Authors Across the Country of whom awarded a grant to our school librarian, Ms. Hunt. Thank you Ms. Hunt for helping make this event possible and further promoting the key PYP element of international-mindedness with our school community!
2024-25 SPSA Input Needed
We need your input on our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) which organizes funds received by the school in order to most efficiently serve the needs of the students and increase their achievement. Through your input we can learn what’s most important in meeting our goals and achieving our annual measurable outcomes.
We will be using your thoughts to assist us in the development of our SPSA for the 2024-25 school year. Please click here to view our SPSA Goals for the 2023-24 school year.
We are using ThoughtExchange so everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the increasing our students’ academic achievement. Please share your thoughts and then rate at least 10-20 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Come back often until Friday, April 26th to rate new ideas.
District-wide Attendance Competition
Are you ready to make your mark in the final quarter of the school year? CVESD invites you to participate in our exciting district-wide attendance competition – Back to Your Future!
How to Participate:
Attend school every day during the fourth quarter of the 2023-24 school year.
The competition will run from April 8th to May 28th, 2024.
Students who attend every day from April 8th to May 28th, 2024, will be entered to win special prizes drawn on May 31st, 2024.
All winners will be announced on social media and the district’s website.
During morning announcements, we will be announcing how many students are still in the running to be entered into the drawing to win various prizes. Make sure students are in school everyday and don’t miss out on this opportunity!
LEAD Classes Quarter 4
This is a friendly reminder that our after-school LEAD classes will commence starting Monday, April 8th. All LEAD classes will begin the week of April 8th, unless otherwise noted. Our dedicated staff have been hard at work preparing a diverse range of enriching and engaging activities to complement your child’s learning experience. We encourage all students to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills, and foster friendships outside of the classroom.
Our school is part of the Sweetwater Authority’s service area. Sweetwater Authority is hosting a “Being Water Wise” poster contest for Kindergarten through sixth grade students.
Prizes will be awarded to all local winners, and students will be entered to compete in the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) regional competition. The deadline is May 17th, 2024, at 5 p.m.
The “Being Water Wise Is…” poster contest gives K-6 students in Sweetwater Authority’s service area the chance to demonstrate how water is a precious and essential resource. By creating water-related art, students enhance their understanding of the importance of water.
Local winners will be entered to compete in the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) regional competition. Regional winning posters will be published in MWD’s 2024 Art Calendar and digital library. Winning posters will also be displayed on www.sweetwater.org.
Prizes are awarded to all local winners!
Submit your entry for this year’s contest here: Submit Artwork
Contest Details
Categories
Category 1: Grades K-3
Category 2: Grades 4-6
Submission Information & Guidelines
Rules and guidelines must be met for consideration. See contest flyer for full criteria.
The overall theme is “Being Water Wise Is…” as it relates to the stewardship and conservation of water. That means wise water use and conservation inside and outside of the home (including hygiene/cleanliness), at school, in the community, in business and industry, in agriculture and in recreation.
Sweetwater Authority will only accept digital files of artwork. Teachers are encouraged to add all artwork and form files into a zipped folder. Upload artwork electronically to: https://sendit.sweetwater.org/filedrop/PosterContest
Artwork should be scanned with the image setting of 300dpi (dots per inch), set to TIFF (Tag Image File Format) or JPG or PDF format. Files should be saved in the following format: Student name-grade-Sweetwater Authority.tiff or .pdf
All entries must be submitted with a fully completed Student Information Card and Student Artwork Rights/Parental Approval Form that clearly identifies the associated artwork. Form(s) should be saved in the following format: Form-Student name-grade-Sweetwater Authority.pdf or .jpg
We hope everyone had a wonderful two weeks off and enjoyed the time with family and friends. Our staff has missed our Crusader students and look forward to having all our students return on Tuesday, April 2nd. Please remember Tuesday, April 2nd is a Minimum Day with all students being dismissed at 2:00 pm.
We look forward to jumping right in and continuing our work of pushing for student measurable growth. Despite only having one quarter left, we have a plethora of upcoming activities and events.
We also want to communicate the transition of Mr. Anthony Morales into a new role within CVESD. Please take a moment to read the letter written below and join me in wishing him the best of luck in his new chapter as Acting Associate Principal for Corky McMillin Elementary!
Keep checking our school blog, our weekly happenings are updated every Sunday. You can also opt into following our blog and receive any new posts delivered directly to your email inbox.
Thank you for your continued support of our School-Wide Behavior Expectations. These behavior expectations ensure a safe and orderly environment for learning. For the next two weeks, we will be focusing and reviewing Assembly Expectations with all students. Please review the expectations with your child to ensure everyone’s safety. You can find the expectations below.
Beginning April 2, 2024, important changes will be implemented to our morning routines. These changes are being made with SAFETY and LEARNING as our top priorities. All students must be in class ready to begin their day at 8:45 AM. Gates will be locked at 8:45 AM and all parents/visitors must be off campus through the front gate at this time. Thank you for all your continuous support and understanding!
Crusader World Travelers: A Multicultural Celebration
Please join our Cook PTA and Crusader staff for our 2nd Annual Multicultural Fair. In connection with the IB Organization Mission and to enhance the international mindedness of our students, each classroom has selected a country around the world to research, learn, and showcase their knowledge with the community. Families in attendance will get an opportunity to travel around the world, collect passport stamps after partaking in activities hosted by each classroom country, and cheer on our student performers as they showcase their musical talents.
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Classroom Country Exhibitions
5:00 – 7:00 PM – Classrooms are closed and event moves to blacktop with vendors, performances, and food trucks.
Come join the festivities as this is an event that you don’t want to miss!
We need your input on our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) which organizes funds received by the school in order to most efficiently serve the needs of the students and increase their achievement. Through your input we can learn what’s most important in meeting our goals and achieving our annual measurable outcomes.
We will be using your thoughts to assist us in the development of our SPSA for the 2024-25 school year. Please click here to view our SPSA Goals for the 2023-24 school year.
We are using ThoughtExchange so everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the increasing our students’ academic achievement. Please share your thoughts and then rate at least 10-20 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Come back often until Friday, April 26th to rate new ideas.
SUN Bucks Summer Food Program
A new Summer Food Program called SUN Bucks has been launched! Please see attached flyers containing further details on this program.
Qualia Global Scholars Summer Program Opportunity
Organized by Stanford University undergraduate and graduate students, Qualia Global Scholars is a selective pre-collegiate virtual summer mentorship program matching talented students in grades 6-12 with Stanford mentors. The program features personalized mentorship, interdisciplinary research, project-based learning, and guidance on college applications. The program aims to empower students to become future global leaders by teaching them about leadership & problem solving, emerging areas in STEM & liberal arts, critical thinking & communication skills, and real-world impact through research & innovation. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Need-based financial aid is available for the program. Please see flyer below with program info (also linked here).
Dear parents, please take a moment to speak with your children about the importance of treating others with kindness and respect, and the impact of both bullying and inappropriate physical contact. Your guidance plays a crucial role in fostering a safe and supportive environment for all students. ALL OUR STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL.
Join the Cook PTA and Classrooms for our Spring Multicultural Celebration on April 5th, 2024
Please look out for information and a signup schedule from your child’s teacher. Please make sure you schedule a time to discuss your child’s progress.
Parent Conferences – Minimum Days
Beginning Thursday, March 7th – we will be on minimum day schedule through March 15th due to parent conferences. All students will be dismissed at 2:00 PM. Please plan accordingly.
Report Cards –
Teachers will send home report cards during the parent conference.
Spring Break
Friday, March 15th will be our last day in quarter 3. We will be on spring break from Monday, March 18th and students will return on Tuesday, April 2nd.
Our February Assembly will be held on Thursday, February 29th
Any student receiving an award MUST STAY IN SCHOOL until 3:10 PM. If you need to remove your student from school before the end of the day, please know this early dismissal CAN count against their attendance rate. Also, please schedule ahead of time with the classroom teacher and the front office staff that your child will be leaving at the end of their assembly. We would like to expedite the process and have them bring their backpacks and belongings to the assembly. We would also like them to be signed out in the front office BEFORE the assembly begins.
Parent Conferences – Begin March 7th
Please look out for information and a signup schedule from your child’s teacher. Please make sure you schedule a time to discuss your child’s progress.
Parent Conferences – Minimum Days
Beginning Thursday, March 7th – we will be on minimum day schedule through March 15th due to parent conferences. All students will be dismissed at 2:00 PM. Please plan accordingly.
Coffee with the Principal – Tuesday, February 20th @ 9:00 AM in MPR
School Site Council (SSC) – Wednesday, February 21st @ 3:30 PM in Room 402
English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) – Thursday, February 22nd @ 9:00 AM in Room 501
Parents, for the safety of our students, staff, and our community, it is important that our traffic rules be followed DAILY from 7:00 AM-4:30 PM. There have been many incidents reported of cars being left unattended in front of the school, blocking traffic and school buses trying to get through. Please be respectful of our Safety Patrol members and volunteers helping us with traffic, they are only trying to keep our students safe. Your cooperation is appreciated.
No Cellphone use when on campus. Please remind your child to leave their cellphones in their backpacks or turn them in to their classroom teachers. Students should not have their devices out while on school grounds (including BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL).
Please remind your child to leave their cellphones in their backpacks or turn them in to their classroom teachers. Students should not have their devices out while on school grounds (including BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL).
Behavior Expectations – Lunch Expectations
The behavior focus for the next two weeks will be Lunch expectations. We want to make sure all our students are Safe, Respectful, and Responsible during our lunch routines.
The district wants to hear from you! Every year, we gather stakeholder input through a survey process called ThoughtExchange. The district and school sites host various forums and events to gather input from stakeholders to shape our LCAP. To find an upcoming event near you, please check the Upcoming Events Section below or contact your school site.
If you cannot attend one of our forums, we invite you to take the survey now.
ELPAC will be administered to Cook students from February 5 through April 12, 2024. As testing begins, we encourage parents and guardians to support their children during the testing period by preparing for the ELPAC.
Hazel Goes Cook Elementary School 