Forest Hill Elementary School

District News

Updated Tue, Apr 12th

In an effort to ensure safe return to school after spring break, the Governor’s office provided enough tests for every student and employee to receive two at-home COVID tests.  

This week our schools are distributing test kits to each student and employee as part of the strategy to detect any spikes in the virus. The at-home tests are provided to allow students and employees to test the day prior to returning from spring break (test on April 10) and then again two days later (April 12). 

Any positive cases should remain at home, isolate and report the absence to the schools.  

Updated Wed, Apr 13th

Testing is available only to those who present an insurance card and valid form of identifcation at the time of testing.

Location: Monroe Middle School, 1055 S Monroe St., San Jose. Parking lot on Genevieve Lane side of campus.

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm; Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm; Sunday 9:00am - 3:00pm

NOTICE FROM CITY TESTING SERVICES

As of Tuesday, March 22, 2022, government funding supporting no-cost covid-19 testing has changed. As a result, we can only offer no-cost testing to those who present an insurance card at the time of testing and cannot provide any testing to those without insurance. You must present insurance card and valid form of identification at the time of testing.

We anticipate funding will be extended soon and can return to testing those without insurance. In the meantime, we encourage you to reach out to your local government representative to provide feedback on the importance of providing no-cost covid-19 testing for everyone regardless of insurance status.

We are dedicated to our mission of keeping our communities safe at no-cost. For more information visit: ctestingservices.org

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

There are still a couple of days left to take part in Wellness Week, March 21-25!

The sessions offered during CUSD’s Wellness Week demonstrate the commitment of our community partners and staff to support wellness among our students, staff and families. This annual focus on wellness offers a variety of sessions led by local experts who help participants find and create a routine that works for them. See the sessions and registration information on our Wellness Week web page.

There was additional support on Wednesday at the CUSD employee wellness fair. Exhibitors greeted particpants with fresh food, healthy recipes, fun activities, and resources for staying safe, healthy and stress free.

We want to send a huge thank you to our
2022 Wellness Week partners:

staff at table with sign reading Uplift.  three adults at a zen art table

School Linked Services

Tzu-Chi Foundation

SKIPS

Seneca Center

San Jose Police Department

Alum Rock Counseling Center

Indieflix

Montalvo Arts Center

CUSD counselors, special education teachers and student services staff

Wellness fair exhibitors: 
Uplift Family Services, Stretch Lab Campbell, Sports Basement, ilovekickboxing, ICS4Schools, and Tzu-Chi Foundation

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

If Leela, Mason, Jacob and Emily have their way, parents will have a much easier time one day when bringing students to and from school. Their original idea—a hover bus—took a significant upward turn as they brainstormed about transportation 100 years from now.

“It’s a flying car that takes you to a floating school,” says Emily. Her team took their experience and what they learned in fourth grade about green transportation solutions and applied it to their futuristic idea: a self-flying, affordable (just $500), solar powered “car” that carries them to a school in the sky. Since the vehicle can collapse to the size of a Rubik's Cube, parking would not be a problem either. student project and sketch of idea

They are among hundreds of TK-8 students participating in Campbell Union School District’s Centennial Celebration Design Challenge, according to Julie Goo, the district’s Coordinator of Innovation, Teaching, and Learning.  

“Students are using the engineering and design thinking process to create real-world solutions and ideas for our community,” she says. First they look at a problem someone is having, brainstorm ideas and possible solutions, then create prototypes to see how the idea might actually work. 

Student teams with the best digital or physical prototypes will be selected as part of a special exhibit in the Campbell Historical Museum’s Carriage House. The exhibit opening and Centennial Celebration is scheduled for the afternoon of April 30th. Details online at www.campbellusd.org/centennial.

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

Whether they are playing sports, creating art, or designing with Legos, students in Campbell Union School District’s enrichment programs do a lot of learning as they play. 

“In our programs, we design fun experiences for students that incorporate what they learn during school hours,” said Edgar Romero Jr., assistant director of the Expanded Learning Department. “They collaborate, innovate and problem-solve through play!”

Thanks to the Expanded Learning Opportunity Grant (ELOG), more students have been able to register for the enrichment options.

Registration for the April Enrichment is open now. The session begins the week of April 11th and ends the week of May 23rd. 

groups of children and teachers smilingPictured here: Forest Hill students showcased their Lego robotics creations this week. Their Enrichment instructor, CUSD’s Eva Carrendar, (back row, center) is one of 11 Lego Master Builders in the U.S.

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

A message from Dr. Shelly Viramontez, Superintendent
March 18, 2022

Dear Families and Caregivers,

Through this academic year, your student has been receiving COVID-19 testing on campus at the school site.  We learned late yesterday that Grapefruit testing will be concluding their on-site testing at our schools today, March 18.  Because we knew that Grapefruit had been working with Predicine to conduct the sample collection and test processing, I reached out to Predicine to continue to keep our testing program in place.  

Predicine will be assuming Grapefruit’s role as the direct contractor overseeing and implementing on-site COVID testing as of Monday, March 21.  This transition will be seamless, meaning there will be no interruption or change in testing procedures or personnel at your student's school site.

By continuing to provide your student’s COVID-19 test samples on campus, you agree to Predicine’s providing your student’s sample collection, testing, results reporting and third-party billing services as a testing contractor.  Your student will continue to be tested with no out of pocket cost to you. 

We are pleased to be able to continue to provide these testing services and wish you and your student a happy and healthy conclusion to this school year.

Please note that the Grapefruit community testing pod located at the Monroe Middle School parking lot will no longer be operational.

 

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

Online chats can be helpful for homework support among peers and the like. However, recently there have been some misunderstandings, verbal conflicts and other seriously negative comments taking place on a chat site called Discord. 

While this is happening when students are off campus, it has created problems at a few of our schools. Although district-issued devices have multiple safety features, students may still have access to online chat services—Skype, Whatsapp and Discord—through cell phones and game stations at home or at a friend’s house. Users are supposed to be age 13 or older to create an account, but most services do not verify the age.

“We continue in our partnership with parents and want them and other family members to be aware of this situation so they can support safe online use at home as we support it at school,'' said Superintendent Shelly Viramontez. 

Online Monitoring Suggestions for Parents:

  1. School-issued devices have multiple safety features. The devices we provide to students use multiple layers of security to limit their exposure to undesirable online content while still allowing legitimate educational use. Our web filter, Securly, blocks all websites categorized as chat/messaging. Another filter, called Gaggle, monitors all student email and drive activity for inappropriate language and content and notifies administrators of anything signaling harm to student health and safety.
  2. Check with your Internet provider about parental controls. ATT, Xfinity, DISH and other internet providers offer parental controls that you can use at home.
  3. Learn privacy settings for the apps and devices your family uses: Common Sense Media’s Privacy and Internet Safety web page offers instructions for setting parental controls on game stations, cell phones, and more. It has a special page about Discord, too. Discord also offers a Discord app safety – What parents need to know page with instructions.
  4. Monitor screen-time and focus on wellness: Overuse of technology has an impact on physical and mental health. There is a Wellness Week session for students about the emotional impacts that social media can have on them. Common Sense Media also offers guides and advice about screen time. 
  5. Encourage Digital Citizenship: At school, students learn how to use technology safely, responsibly, and effectively. Talk to your child about what they learn about using computers at school. Tell them your expectations for them and listen when they talk to you about their online experiences. 

“Technology is how our children are going to interact with the world," Viramontez said. "We  want to engage them in using it effectively as a tool for creating and learning, and not as a distraction for a passive consumer.”

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

“Education is going to change forever,” says sixth grader Tesfay when talking about his team’s project that looks at schools of the future. He and his partner, Aaron, envision a completely new reality for where and how students will learn one day. The two Monroe Middle School students are among hundreds participating in Campbell Union School District’s Centennial Celebration Design Challenge. 

“Student Design Challenge teams are creating exhibits for the Campbell Historical Museum that will celebrate the past, present, and future of our students and schools,” says Julie Goo, the district’s Coordinator of Innovation, Teaching, and Learning. Using the engineering and design thinking process, the students are designing exhibits that explore and amplify the stories of teaching and learning in the community. Some, like Tesfay and Aaron, create a vision for what education may be like for students a 100 years from now.

boy looks as 3-d printer works“There will be plenty of money for schools,” Tesfay says. “The facilities will be great and have everything students need for learning.” Holographic teachers, artificial intelligence, virtual reality devices, and 3-D printers will be as standard as laptops, pencils and projectors are today, says Aaron. In their vision, students will have much more real-life and virtual learning experiences that take place anywhere in the world. And while students will be more self-directed, they will still need live teachers to bond with students and guide them in learning.

“We are giving our students more opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and problem solve through a focus on our Profile of a Graduate competencies,” says District Superintendent Shelly Viramontez. “It is encouraging to hear the ways in which they envision school in the future.“

Coming in April: Student teams are presenting their digital and physical prototypes for selection in a special exhibit in the Campbell Historical Museum’s Carriage House. The exhibit opening and Centennial Celebration is scheduled for the afternoon of April 30th. Details online at www.campbellusd.org/centennial

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

The past two years have shown us the value of prioritizing and taking care of our physical, mental, and social emotional needs. Incorporating wellness practices into daily routines can help when we begin to feel tired, stressed, sad, anxious or overwhelmed.

Our 2nd Annual CUSD Wellness Week, March 21-25, offers a schedule of different wellness sessions for students, staff and families. With the assistance of community partners and district staff, we have compiled a variety of sessions to help you find and create a routine that works for you. Some are remote; some are in person. All of them can help you and your loved ones bring more well-being into your life.

More details are on our Wellness Week web page, on flyers posted on your school’s e-flyers page, or by contacting your child’s school.

Updated Fri, Apr 8th

On Tue., March 22, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., parents and community members are able to preview, ask questions, and provide feedback on the curricula being proposed for Science in grades TK-5.

The proposed new curricula—Twig Science and STEMScopes—will be available for in-person viewing and feedback in the Hamilton Room at the District Administration Office, 155 N. 3rd Street, Campbell. 

Educators and the publishers advise viewing the materials in person in order to see how the hands-on lessons are intended to be used, ask questions of the district instructional staff, and be able to view the student and teacher’s editions of the curricula.

The public also may direct questions about the proposed curricula by calling the District’s Teaching and Learning Department, 408-364-4200, extension, 6245.