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S.A.N.T.A. (Sharing 
Among Neighbors Toy Appeal) is once again working to brighten the lives of children and their families this holiday season. An annual tradition for over 20 years, the S.A.N.T.A. Project provides families who live in the Fern Ridge School District or the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District toys, books, stuffed animals, and more to help them fill every child’s wish list. They will also have Christmas trees, bicycles, jackets, stocking stuffers, personal care items, and much more for families in need. Any family who could use help this holiday season can come to the S.A.N.T.A. giveaway. Proof of need is not required, but families must bring proof that they live in the C-A-L or FRSD School Districts and that their children live with them. Proof can be a license, mail, medical card, etc.
This year’s giveaway will be in the Veneta Elementary School Gym on Saturday, December 17th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
For more information, contact 541-935-3282 or check their website at www.venetasanta.org.
For those who would like to support the S.A.N.T.A. Project in the great work they do, they are always in need of donations of toys, stocking stuffers, books, etc. Drop off boxes are located throughout the community or items can be brought to the school office. S.A.N.T.A. Project also accepts cash donations.
CONGRATULATIONS to our End of 1st Quarter PERFECT ATTENDANCE WINNERS!
We had 58 students who were in the GOLD HAT drawing for perfect attendance!
Our winners enjoyed a fire truck ride, station tour, and pizza lunch with Lt. Tressa Miller and others from the Lane Fire Authority!
Thank you for the awesome opportunity!
Family Fun Movie Night and Cookie Dough Pickup!
EES Gym
Tuesday, December 13th
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Movie starts at 6:00 p.m.
…
We will be watching Finding Dory. Wear pajamas or comfy clothes and bring pillows and blankets!
Admission to the movie is free. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.
Please look for a flyer to come home soon!
COOKIE DOUGH ORDERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP FROM 2:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. 
One of the goals of Elmira Elementary is to strengthen the school community in a way that kids will enjoy showing school spirit. We will have popcorn popped for each child to celebrate being an Elmira Eagle.
The theme for this month is PAJAMA DAY! Please make sure that students wear pajamas that are not too thin or too short. They can wear other clothes underneath if they need to or a robe is a great choice as well.
Please make sure they are warm enough for the cold weather. If they wear slippers, please make sure that they a hard sole for the wet ground or have appropriate shoes for recess/PE.
3rd grade classrooms are in charge of popping popcorn for this month. Please contact the school ASAP at 541-935-8214 if you are available to help out from 7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
Afternoon buses on regularly scheduled routes for this afternoon, 12/6.
The District is looking for parent/community feedback regarding a problem that needs to be addressed. The problem is that out of our approximately 600 Elementary students in the District K-5, approximately 380 live within the current VES designated boundary, and 220 live within the current EES designated boundary. The problem will continue to grow in the coming years, due to the vast majority of expected housing growth taking place within the VES boundary, as well as the fact that of our current 148 enrolled Kinders and 1st graders, only 46 live within the EES boundary. This problem manifests itself in different ways: transportation issues, unbalanced class sizes, loss of significant class time for students being bused and arriving too late to eat breakfast or are being pulled out of school early, additional costs and much more. To not address the problem would not be in the best interest of our students. For the past year, a District committee has met to discuss possible solutions. They are:
- Go to a K-2/3-5 model. Meaning one school would house all of the District’s K-2nd grade students, and one would serve the District’s 3rd -5th grade students. There are significant “pros” and “cons” to this model. A significant “pro” is that it would allow the District to have balanced class loads across a grade level. A significant “con” would be the difficulties and disruptions created for families with multiple elementary age students in different buildings.
- Re-drawing the District boundaries. This means taking the area that is currently identified as the VES attendance area and making it smaller. A significant “pro” of this model is that it would be much easier to accomplish this (vs. going to a K-2/3-5 model), and many people would not be effected at all. A significant “con” of this model is the tremendous disruption to families that would no longer be bused to their non-resident school, and that some families/areas that have always been “VES families” would now be “EES families.”
There are no easy solutions, but it is a problem that can be solved. And hopefully, once solved, will result in better services and educational experiences for our students. In the coming months the district will be communicating this problem in different ways, ending with a parent/community informational night, and survey to take place in late January or early February. Please share this information with your friends and family, and join the District in addressing this issue for the betterment of our students in the years to come.
Gary Carpenter-Supt., FRSD
Due to some snow and slushy conditions, FRSD called for buses to be on snow routes for the morning of 12/6. This information is sent to parents via radio, TV, and Flash Alert:
The FlashAlert system distributes emergency messages, such as weather closure information.
To subscribe to receive FlashAlert messages via email from Fern Ridge School District click the link below.
https://www.flashalert.net/id/FernRidge
Once you have a subscribed to FlashAlert, you can download an app to register your device to receive messages via text. The free FlashAlert Messenger app is available on Google Play and in the iTunes app store.
ITunes App Store
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flashalert-messenger/id545458058?ls=1&mt=8
Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.flashalert.messenger
At the beginning of each year, FRSD provides families with EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURE INFORMATION. The attachment below provides information regarding closure, bus routes, delays, etc.
Please keep the attached information available. Feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns.
Elmira Element
ary students will shine at the annual Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, December 1st. For the first time ever, it will be held at Veneta Elementary School in the new bus loop. Santa will arrive at 6 PM and followed by the tree lighting at 6:15 PM. After the tree is lit, the audience will be treated to performances from the Veneta Elementary first grade choir, from Elmira Elementary School’s choir, and from Veneta Elementary’s 4th and 5th grade choir under the direction of Mrs. McGuire. Children will have a chance to visit with Santa and the Kiwanis will be providing free hot chocolate.
Parking might be an issue that night, so give yourself extra time in case you have to park on a side street or at the West Lane Shopping Center.
Don’t forget to also mark your calendar for next weeks Fern Ridge Light Parade on Thursday, December 8th.
A HUGE thank you to our fabulous parent group and all of the families who shopped at the Elmira Elementary bookfair! We exceeded our goal and sold over $4,000 in books! This could not happen without all of our volunteers and families. The money earned has already purchased books for the classrooms and will also be used to buy new books for the library!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!
December At Elmira Elementary
Elmira Elementary is buzzing with excitement over fundraisers, community events, spirit day, movie night, and the upcoming move into our new building over winter break. Please take a moment to review our December Communication Calendar. Feel free to call or email if you have any questions at all!
Mrs. Marshall — mmarshall@fernridge.k12.or.us — 541-935-8214
