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Weekly Newsletter
August 12-16, 2024
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Dear Mountain Families,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the beginning of the school year! I am excited to share that we successfully completed our first week of school, and it has been a wonderful start filled with energy, enthusiasm, and learning.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated staff, who have put in tremendous effort to ensure a smooth and successful launch of this academic year. Their commitment, passion, and hard work have made a significant difference in our school community, and we are grateful for everything they do to support our students and families.
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new staff members who have joined us this year. We are thrilled to have you as part of our team, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact you will make in the lives of our students. From all accounts, the students are thrilled with their new teachers, and our instructional aides have already begun to build a new recess culture with more supervised activities and a focus on inclusion.
Thank you for your support, and here’s to a fantastic school year ahead!
Warm regards,
Megan Tresham
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The office staff is still working to get our new Student Information System up and running. We hope to get you your student registration information accounts in the next week. In the meantime I've attached two forms, Student Health History and Media Release, for you to review, fill out and return to the office or your child's teacher no later than Friday, August 16th. |
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Mountain Elementary is pleased to announce that our very own Shauna Sutton is our new Wellness Coordinator. Thanks to our incredible partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, we secured a grant to fund this position.
Shauna's role will center around supporting students who are struggling with behavior, big feelings, or social issues in and out of the classroom. In coordination with administration and our school counselors, she'll work one-on-one and in small groups to help students develop stronger peer relationships, problem solving skills and conflict resolution. She is also guiding our Instructional Aide staff to create systems of support during recess to best respond to student needs.
Shauna has worked at Mountain for 10 years and has been a part of the community for over 20. I can think of no one more skilled to fill this important role. Congratulations, Shauna!!!
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Staff Spotlight: Danielle Connally, TK
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My name is Danielle Connally, and I’m thrilled to be the new Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher at Mountain Elementary School. I come from a long line of educators, and having worked in education for several years, I bring a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the TK age group, especially since my own daughter was a TK student here just last year.
My background includes extensive experience in both preschool, TK, and Kindergarten classrooms, allowing me to implement developmentally appropriate best practices. I strive to create a classroom environment where students feel safe, are encouraged to take risks, and develop a strong sense of community. I am passionate about social-emotional learning, hands-on activities, and inquiry-based learning, which I integrate into our daily curriculum. With a degree in Philosophy, I highly value questions and exploring new ways of thinking and learning.
As a long-time resident of the mountain community, I cherish the close-knit relationships and support we offer each other. I have three wonderful children aged 18, 16, and 5, and I’m excited to bring my experience and enthusiasm to Mountain Elementary School.
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Volunteers are an important part of our school community and there are so many things that would not happen without their help.
If you are interested in volunteering in the classroom or on field trips and have gone through the fingerprinting/live scan process for Mluntain Elementary in a previous school year, please complete the RETURNING VOLUNTEER FORM.
If you are new to Mountain or have never completed fingerprints/live scan for our school, please fill out the NEW VOLUNTEER APPLICATION.
No volunteer may participate in any class activity or field trip without first completing this appication and all required steps listed therein. Thanks for your support.
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August 12: Mountain Parent Club meeting in the Library @ 6:30 p.m.
August 15: MESD Board of Trustees meeting at 6 p.m. in the PAC
August 19: Fire Wise meeting for Soquel/San Jose Rd. Neighbors, 5:30 p.m. in the PAC
August 28: Back to School Night (parents only). Schedule will be posted next week.
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