Altimira Middle School Vice Principal Aaron Gildengorin and Principal Chrissy Waters get ready for the distribution of school supply kits. The district-wide program, created in partnership with The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, and La Luz, gives every student a free box of supplies for their online classes, including, pencils, graph paper, calculators, protractors, and much more.
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The School District is supplying free meals for children aged 18 and under. Meals are distributed as follows, on Mondays and Thursdays:
- Altimira Middle School: 11:00 – 12:30 pm and 4:30 – 6:00 pm
- Sassarini Elementary School: 11:00 – 12:30 pm
- Flowery Elementary School: 11:00 – 12:30 pm
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Distance learning creates a dilemma for many Sonoma families where the parents work and can neither leave their young children home alone nor pay for them to be supervised or tutored. In response, the school district is entering into a $1.5 million partnership with the Boys & Girls Club to create safe learning spaces for students.
Teens will also have a safe learning environment at Teen Services Sonoma through a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club’s Teen Club, formerly housed at Maxwell Village Shopping Center and now a part of Teen Services. For more information contact Teen Club manager Erik Gonzales at egonzalez@bgcsonoma.org
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Last year the school district secured a $3.75 million five-year SAFE (Supportive, Achievement-based, and Flexible Environment) grant, to establish student support centers at school sites, staffed with a dedicated school psychologist and social worker. Teachers and staff can also access this free support. With the pandemic shutdown, the need for social and emotional support and services has never been greater.
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Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS) recently received another six-year reaccreditation, the longest available, from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
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The Sonoma County Library is offering an array of free resources for students: 24/7 access to online resources at sonomalibrary.org, one-on-one online tutoring in English and Spanish at tutor.com, ebooks and audiobooks, and more – and all at no cost. Students use their student ID number for access – see sonomalibrary.org/studentonecard for more information.
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Back-up generators are being installed at Altimira, Flowery, and Dunbar schools, and at the District Office. These are the sites that lost power in PG&E power outages in 2019, and remain the most vulnerable.
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SVUSD families are invited to join Superintendent Socorro Shiels for this year’s first Sip With the Supe on September 14 from 4 to 5 :30 p.m. She will be joined by Altimira Principal Chrissy Waters. This is a time to gather (on Zoom), share ideas, and ask questions. No agenda. The following Sip is on October 12.
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Attention SVHS seniors: free UC and Common App essays workshops via Zoom. The next one is on Wednesday, September 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. and covers some of the UC essay topics. On Wednesday September 16 from 5 to 6 p.m. some of the Common Application Essays will be covered. With questions and to register, email mcflynn@engeniuslearning.com
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The next meeting of the SVUSD school board is Sept 15 with the public portion beginning at 5 p.m. on Zoom.
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Does your family feel stressed? Anxious? Isolated? The school district has free mental health resources available. For non-emergency emotional and mental health support call 707-234-7379.
— Sarah Ford
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