Cheetah Chatter! December 19, 2025

Posted Date: 12/19/25 (04:03 PM)

❄️ Happy Holidays, Cheetahs! 🎄

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!

We hope you find rest and cheer as you head into the break. Enjoy your time with family and friends celebrating those traditions that are near and dear to your heart.

We are looking forward to celebrating the New Year with you and your student when we return on Monday, January 6th!

Wishing you all a very happy holidays!

Reed Staff

💛 Thank You, Cheetah Families! 🐾

We want to send a huge thank you to all the families who participated in the FFA Canned Food Drive this past week. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we were able to donate over 500 cans of non-perishable items to the community food bank!

We also appreciate the spirited participation from students and staff in all of our Holiday Dress Days and the fun with the "Christmas goose on the loose"! It has been a joyful December filled with learning, dressing up, and celebrating the holidays.

Looking forward to what next year has to bring!

Keeping Our Community Healthy: A Partnership

Dear Cheetah Families,

As we head into the holiday season, we know that many different viruses are circulating, and we are asking for your help to keep our students and staff healthy and in school. The health and well-being of our entire community is our top priority!

A key to maintaining a healthy environment is a strong partnership between home and school. Please help us by encouraging your child(ren) to practice these simple yet effective health habits:

Hand Washing: Please encourage them to wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Hydration: Ensure they are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Cover Coughs: Remind them to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their elbow when they cough or sneeze.
Rest: Emphasize the importance of getting plenty of rest each night.

When to Stay Home

We know it's hard for students to miss school, but it is critical that if your child is not feeling well, they must stay home. Students and staff who come to school sick spread germs to others, causing widespread illness and making it harder for those who are sick to recover quickly.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone!

AVID: Holiday Break Idease

🎄 Organization Skills

1. Holiday Planner Challenge

Have your child create a simple holiday planner:

Daily to-do list
Gift list + budget
Family events calendar
“What I want to accomplish over break” goals
➡️ Builds responsibility and time-management.

2. Room or Backpack Refresh

Have them reorganize:

School binder
School backpack
Desk/workspace
Make it festive by adding holiday labels or colors.

🎁 Writing Skills

3. Thank-You Letter Writing

After receiving gifts or attending events, have your child write:

Thank-you cards
Gratitude emails
A holiday letter to relatives
Perfect practice for clear writing and warm communication.

4. Holiday Journal

Give them a notebook or digital doc to write about:

Something fun they did
A challenge they overcame
A tradition they want to start
What they’re proud of this year
Writing fluency + reflection.

❓ Inquiry Skills

5. “Ask 5” Curiosity Challenge

Each day, your child asks five curiosity-driven questions about the world:

“Why do we use evergreens for Christmas?”
“How are snowflakes formed?”
“What do other cultures celebrate in December?”
They choose one to research for 10 minutes.

6. Create a Mini Research Project

Let them pick a holiday topic, such as:

Origins of a winter tradition
The science behind lights or snow
How holidays are celebrated around the world
Include 2–3 sources, a short summary, and a simple presentation.

🤝 Collaboration Skills

7. Family Team-Building Activities

Cookie baking (assign roles: mixer, measurer, decorator)
Gingerbread house challenge
Puzzle night
These build communication and teamwork naturally.

8. Community Service Project

Ideas:

Make holiday cards for nursing homes
Donate gently used toys
Volunteer at a local event
Service learning supports AVID values.

Winter Weather Dress

Time to Bundle Up! Recess Reminders

The cold weather is officially here! We believe that getting outside for fresh air and movement is essential for our students, even in the winter. Therefore, we plan to hold recess outdoors as long as the temperature is 18 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

To ensure your child stays warm, dry, and healthy during outdoor time, please make sure they come to school each day prepared with the following:

Warm Coat: A heavy coat suitable for cold weather.
Hat and Gloves/Mittens: These are essential for keeping heads and hands warm!
Scarf or Neck Gaiter: To protect the neck and chest.
Warm Pants: Snow pants are encouraged on snowy or very cold days.
Boots: Necessary for keeping feet dry in snow or slush.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Please write your child's name clearly on ALL belongings! With so many winter items coming off and going on for recess, things often get lost and misplaced. Labeling coats, hats, mittens, boots, and backpacks is the best way to ensure that lost items make it back home to your student quickly.

If your family needs assistance with obtaining any necessary winter clothing, please contact the school office, and we will be happy to help connect you with resources.

Picking Up Students Early

Just a friendly reminder....

If you need to pick up your child early, please call the office by 2:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and by 12:30 PM on Wednesdays.

This allows us enough time to locate your child, as schedules often change throughout the day and students may be in specials, recess, or other activities. Calling ahead ensures your child is ready and waiting when you arrive.

Thank you for your cooperation and helping us keep dismissal smooth and safe for all students!

Food Service Information

If you are in need of assistance with school breakfast/lunch, please contact Heather Martinez in Food Service. Her email address is Hmmartinez@kunaschools.org.

You can also apply through the online application .

Food Service and Food Allergies Information

Our Child Nutrition Program (CNP) is sharing this reminder about procedures regarding student food allergies and account information:

Allergy Accommodations

A current medical statement must be on file in order to accommodate any meal-related allergies.
Without this documentation, we cannot provide allergy accommodations.

Following Medical Statements

When a medical statement is on file, we must follow it exactly as written.
Any changes or deviations require updated documentation from the parent or guardian."

The CNP website is listed below. The form is called Meal Accommodation Form. It is available in English and Spanish.

https://www.kunaschools.org/nutrition

Important Dates

December 22-January 5: Christmas Break

January 6: Students return to school

January 14: Spot Drawing

January 15: School Store

January 19: No School

January 23: PTO Bingo Night

Overhead view of a school parking lot with directional arrows for drop-off and pickup.

Pick Up, Drop Off, and Parking Lot Safety

Safety of your child(ren) is our priority. Please pick up and drop off your child in the designated areas.
NO drop-off/pick-up in the bus lane.
No traffic or parking allowed in the bus lane.
Please pull forward as far as you can. Students will use the sidewalks to get to the building/playground at the beginning of the day and again to get to you car at the end of the day.
If you plan to walk up to pick up your students, please park in a parking spot in the parking lot and use crosswalks.
Drop off may begin no earlier than 8:30 AM.
Use designated cross walks to access the parking lot or playgrounds.
Be patient, especially as we start the school year and the pick up/drop off routine are new to many families.
Call the office by 2:00 PM if there will be a change in the way your child will normally go home so the teacher can be made aware of the change in plans.