Cheetah Chatter! May 8, 2026

Posted Date: 05/08/26 (11:10 AM)

Dear Cheetah Families,

This week we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week!

Thank you to our amazing PTO and families who showed so much love and appreciation for our staff this week! We truly enjoyed seeing the many ways you celebrated us—from personal notes and handmade cards to beautiful flowers and plants. And, of course, we thoroughly enjoyed the delicious food!

We appreciate you trusting your children to us. It has been a joy to watch them grow and "bloom" this year, perfectly matching our Teacher Appreciation theme: "Thank you for helping us Bloom."

It is a privilege and a joy to spend our days with our little Cheetahs. We look forward to these final few weeks together as we wrap up the year and head into summer!

Enjoy your weekend,

Principal Moore

Safety Planning: Keeping Emergency Routes Clear

Our goal is always to be prepared in the event of an emergency. To ensure we are ready, we regularly practice fire drills, reverse evacuations, lockdowns, and hall checks. While we work hard to prepare our students and staff, there is one critical area where we need help from our Cheetah Families.

As you may be aware, we had a medical emergency this week that required first responders and emergency vehicles to access the school. Because of the time of day, they were able to use the necessary route without delay. However, this serves as an important reminder that emergency routes must remain clear at all times.

We are asking for your help in keeping our students safe by ensuring immediate access for all emergency vehicles. Please do not park along the bus lane/drop-off zone or anywhere the curb is painted red at the front of the building. With your cooperation, we can ensure that first responders are able to access the school in a timely fashion whenever they are needed.

AVID: As we get ready to head into summer...

Maintaining AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategies over the summer helps prevent "summer slide" and keeps students in a college-ready mindset. You can adapt the core WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading) framework into low-stress, engaging activities at home.

This week we will focus on Writing (The "Teach-Back" Method)

Summer Reflection Journal: Encourage your child to keep a journal of their adventures. To add rigor, have them use the focused note-taking phases: write about an event, highlight key parts later, and then write a one-sentence summary of what made that day unique.

Recipe Writing: Have them write out instructions for a favorite summer snack. This reinforces procedural writing and attention to detail.

Success starts with physical and mental health. Ensure your student stays fueled with healthy meals and maintains a consistent sleep schedule to keep their brain ready for "blooming" when school returns.

Keep it Up: IRI Testing Begins Next Week!

As we head into next week, our 1st - 3rd grade students will continue with their IRI testing.

These assessments are a great opportunity for students to show off their hard work. To help them stay energized and ready to shine for round two, please keep these top testing tips in mind:

Rest Up: A solid 8–10 hours of sleep makes a huge difference in focus.
Fuel the Brain: A nutritious breakfast helps students stay alert through the morning.
Be on Time: Arriving at school punctually helps students start the day with a calm, confident mindset.
Positive Vibes: A little encouragement goes a long way—remind them that they’ve got this!
Take Your Time: Remind them to read carefully and check their work; there's no prize for finishing first!

Thank you for your continued support in keeping testing week a positive and stress-free experience for our students.

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 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

May 21: Kuna High School Graduation (Early Release)

May 25: Memorial Day- No School

May 26: Field Day

May 29: Yearbook Signing, Kindergarten graduation, Family Picnic

May 29: Last Day of School (Early Release)

Are you looking for a nurturing, engaging, and fun start to your child’s educational journey? We are excited to highlight My Place Preschool, located in Kuna.

My Place offers a fantastic curriculum designed to spark curiosity and build social-emotional skills through play, art, and hands-on discovery. Whether you are looking for a jumpstart on Kindergarten readiness or a supportive community for your preschooler, My Place provides a wonderful "home away from home."

Check out the attached flyer for details on:

Programs: Classes available for 3- to 5-year-olds.
Enrollment: Information on how to secure your spot for the 2026-2027 school year.
Contact: How to schedule a tour or speak with the instructors.

Spaces fill up quickly, so be sure to take a look and see if My Place is the right fit for your family!

Drama Camp is Coming!

Get ready for the spotlight! Registration is now open for the K–8 Drama & Theatre Summer Camp, running June 8–12 at Ross Elementary. Led by Kuna High Theatre Arts students and alumni, this high-energy week features daily workshops in improv, costume design, and scene development, culminating in a live performance of Boughser, The Too Proud Tree on June 12 at 6:00 PM.

The cost is $125 if you register before May 22 ($150 after) and includes a camp T-shirt, snacks, and art supplies. To secure your child’s spot, scan the QR code on the flyer, use this link:

https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/kuna-high-schoolkuna-high-school/69989dbcf271df63660a75f1 or contact Program Director Brett Eshelman at bmeshelman@kunaschools.org.

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.