THURSDAY MESSAGE APRIL 24, 2025

THURSDAY MESSAGE APRIL 24, 2025
 

NO PARKING AT EARL WARREN SHOW GROUNDS APRIL 14 - MAY 6TH 

ROAR CARD 

Congratulations to the following Roar Card Winners who were recognized at last week’s Friday Flag: Jairo Cuevas, Kai Shinoda, Lia Paredes, Nayati Ortiz, Lisa Obispo, Mason Medrano, Alejandro Rosales, Hortencia Corral, Annabelle Bishop . Thank you for making Responsible, Organized, Academic, and Respectful choices! Each week we will celebrate students and staff at Friday Flag and announce them here to parents.

 

NEW INFORMATION THIS WEEK

 

NO FRIDAY FLAG TOMORROW

There will not be a Friday Flag assembly on April 25 due to the ROAR RUN. Join us for this fun event instead at the following times:

Roar Run Times

1 & 2 | 8:45-9:35 and Lower Montessori

3 & 4 | 9:40-10:35 and Upper Montessori 

TK & K | 10:40-11:20 *lunch from 11:20 to 12:05

5th & 6th | 11:25-12:30 *lunch from 12:30 to 1:15 

 

ROAR RUN FUNDRAISER IN THE FINAL STRETCH

We are 80% of the way to our goal of raising $30,000 to fund school community events, field trips, and classroom supplies.  Our fundraising partner, Booster, has been on campus all week and the excitement and school spirit is high! The fundraiser ends with our fun run tomorrow.  Please help get us to the finish line by sharing the fundraiser information with family and friends.

 

Here’s how you can support Adams Elementary:

1. Register on mybooster.com tonight. It’s so easy!

2. Share about our fundraiser with your family and friends using the SHARE BUTTON on mybooster.com  

3. Give a donation, if you are able.

 

CAASPP STATE TESTING IS APPROACHING

Mandatory Standardized State testing, CAASPP, for students in grades 3-6 will take place starting the week of May 5th. More information will come in the week ahead, but you can help your child prepare by logging in as a guest and doing practice test questions beforehand.  CAASPP Parent/Guardians Resources

 

STUDENT COUNCIL SNACK SHOP 

During the week of April 28 to May 2 the student council will be selling snacks before school from 8 am to 8:30 am outside of the cafe as a fundraiser. All items will cost $1. Students should not buy for their friends, or more than 2 items each day.  

 

PROJECT2INSPIRE WORKSHOP

Our Family Engagement Liaison Kenya Catalan is collaborating with La Colina Jr. High FEL to host the second Project2Inspire Parent workshop this coming Monday, April 28, 2025. It will be hosted at La Colina Jr. High in the Library at 6 pm. The topic will be on Module 5B: Social Emotional Support During Adolescence.  If you have any further questions feel free to contact our FEL Kenya Catlan at (805) 563-2515 ext. 1091 or by email at kcatalan@sbunified.org. Take a look at the attachment for more information. We look forward to seeing you there. 

 

2025 SUMMER CAMPS 

If you are in need of help looking for summer camps, Kenya Catalan our Family Engagement Liaison is available to help families. You can email her at kcatalan@sbunified.org or call her at (805)563-2515 ex. 1091 to schedule an appointment with her. Walk in are welcome, but to make sure she is available when you come in try and reschedule an appointment. 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR 2025

Teacher of the year: Anne Darga

Anne is a FANTASTIC teacher, coworker, and friend! She has a positive attitude and treats students, teachers, and parents alike with kindness, respect, and enthusiasm. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the teaching of foundational literacy skills and how to support emerging readers and students with Dyslexia to become confident. She is organized, and excellent at classroom management and shares her knowledge and resources with others to lift an entire team and school community. She is on the SST team, a member of our school leadership team, as well as piloting the District’s new universal screener program. Over the years, Anne has worked with many newcomers in her class and created a welcoming environment during a time in their lives when things were very scary and new for them. She was also the biggest contributor to their academic success, in which they made exceptional growth in a short amount of time.  Anne is an amazing 1st grade teacher who is well organized, works well with staff, and is a positive light here at Adams! 

 

Classified Employee of the year: Brenda Vega Pichardo

Brenda acts as a special educator paraeducator at Adams. She supports students on an IEP who are fully included students in the general ed setting. She consistently goes above and beyond in every aspect of her role, offering not only guidance but also a genuine sense of care and support. Her bravery, strength, and kindness shine through in all that she does. Brenda helps her students become the best versions of themselves, pushing them to achieve their goals while creating an environment where they feel seen and valued. She is amazing with students who need support focusing on their learning and attending to instruction. She offers strategies to reduce their stress and help them stay engaged. She leads with kindness and respect, understanding that school is difficult for some. She also supports our EML students by interpreting for them and making sure they can fully participate

 

CALM CORNER 

Understanding the Impact of Short-Form vs. Long-Form Video Content on Kids' Mental Health

Short-form video content, such as algorithm-driven clips on platforms like YouTube Shorts or TikTok, can be overstimulating for young children. These videos are often fast-paced, unpredictable, and designed to keep viewers watching through rapid rewards and constant novelty. According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, this style of content can impair attention spans, reduce emotional regulation, and contribute to anxiety in children by flooding their developing brains with constant stimulation and fragmented information. Over time, this can make it harder for kids to focus on slower, more meaningful activities like reading or creative play.

In contrast, longer-form stories—especially those with character development, emotional arcs, and clear moral lessons—help children build empathy, patience, and critical thinking skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports the idea that media with thoughtful narratives and positive role models can support social-emotional development. Stories that unfold over time invite children to connect with characters, reflect on actions and consequences, and internalize values such as kindness and perseverance. By guiding children toward richer, slower media experiences, parents and educators can help foster stronger mental health and emotional resilience.

Sources:

• Haidt, J. (2024). The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2020). Media and Young Minds.

• Common Sense Media. (2023). How Media Affects Children’s Development.

 

REMINDERS FROM PREVIOUS THURSDAY MESSAGE:

 

NO PARKING EARL WARREN ALL MONTH

No parking at Earl Warren for the next 4 weeks from April 14 - May 6 due to the upcoming County Fair. Please show caution when parking in the neighborhood. Look for signage. You will be ticketed by the police if you do not follow posted regulations. We thank Earl Warren Showgrounds who graciously allow us to use the parking lot of the Showgrounds on days without events or event preparation. We appreciate your respect of this agreement. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

SUMMER FUN IS BACK 2025 

The Parks and Recreation Department’s popular Summer Fun program provides recreation activities, sports, crafts, and special programs for children entering 1st - 6th grades. Participants in Summer Fun will enjoy 7-weeks filled with games, crafts, enrichment activities, sports, and the opportunity to participate in field trips, theme days, and more! Students interested in attending field trips that involve an admission fee, such as the Zoo or batting cages, will be required to bring money.  Pre-Registration (March 10 – April 11) Please note: Completing this step does not officially enroll your child in the Summer Fun Program yet. After registering for the Pre-Registration Activity, you will receive an email with a link to an electronic form where you must upload your supporting documents (see the list of “Accepted Documents” below). 

Qualifying families will then need to register and pay the $35 administration fee during Priority Registration (April 21 – May 9). For the families who do not qualify or have missed the required deadlines, a payment will be required at full price of $490 during Open Registration (May 14 – June 13).

If you have any further questions feel free to contact our Adams FEL Kenya Catlan at (805) 563-2515 ext. 1091 or by email at kcatalan@sbunified.org 

Accepted Documents:

(must upload at least one document from this list)                                                                                            -2024 Income Tax Return      -Two months of pay stubs for each adult in your household - 2024 W-2 Form  -CalFresh Letter (must be active during Summer 2025)  -Utility bill with discounted rates    

                                                                            

AOK SUMMER PROGRAM / SBUSD SUMMER SCHOOL                         Summer Program: SB Unified students are invited to apply for our A-OK Summer Program, offering academic support for those who need it, along with enriching activities and exciting field trips. The program will take place at Cleveland and Harding from June 23 to July 31, running Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Pre-registration will be open from April 7 to April 18, and acceptance notifications will be sent between May 12 and May 16. Space is limited, and priority enrollment will be given to foster youth, homeless students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students (free and reduced lunch eligible), and Emergent Multilingual learners. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yUklwNs8LgzUWYlfO_NYHUmdoI_ji-GM/view?usp=sharing  

 

SUMMER MUSIC CAMPS                                       

 Registration for the Santa Barbara Education Foundation music camps is open! Please see the attached flyers for more details on all the music camps available. Here is the link to the webpage:  https://sbefoundation.org/sbef-summer-programs/

 

April

25 Roar Run 

May

6 - 22 CAASPP Testing 

26 Memorial Day  No School 

27 Last Chance Tour 

28 Open House /  Book Fair