Thank you for sharing all of your student farewell videos. Click the link to view our students sharing what they will miss and what they are looking to. Enjoy your summer, Dragons!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZcO10X2IRA&feature=youtu.be
School News
Updated Thu, Jun 11th
We enjoyed meeting virtually with approximately 50 school community members on Friday, June 5th. If you were not able to attend, please watch this video.
Updated Thu, Jun 11th
The Castlemont Staff wishes you a happy and safe summer on the last spirit day of 2019-20, Color Day!
Updated Thu, Jun 11th
Our volunteers make Castlemont a stronger, more connected community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you who took the time to: lead Art Vistas lessons; check out and reshelve library books; read Project Cornerstone related books; raise funds for our school; sell tamales and popcorn; do copying and laminating; act as crossing guards on Payne Ave.; and chaporone field trips to give a partial list.
In lieu of our usual Volunteer Tea, please watch this thank you video!
Updated Wed, Jun 3rd
Despite our school building being closed, there is still quite a bit to share regarding end-of-the-year news and activities.
Chromebooks and iPads Students will keep the device they borrowed over the summer as long as they are returning to a Campbell Union School District school in the fall. Please take good care of your device and keep in mind that there will not be a process for repairs over the summer. Fifth grade students will keep their devices for now and they will be collected at a later time to be returned to Castlemont. NOTE: If you are not returning to CUSD in the fall, please call our office (408 364-4233) to make arrangements to return your device before the school year ends on June 11th.
Student Belongings Hand-Back Each grade level will be handing back student belonging from the classroom at a specific date, time, and location. Please open this link to see the specifics.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-uxlJ1znGQ4VqiE0CiyD1h2RkszYEWbew4D1v3JeyYA/edit?usp=sharing
You will be given a bag containing the contents of your student's desk, art from Art Vistas, a yearbook if you pre-ordered one, and the end-of-year feedback form for your child.
Yearbooks Our yearbooks are in, and they are beautiful! If you would like to purchase one, it is not too late. They be sold from the Barkwood and Castlemont parking lots during the hand-back times. They are $25 each, cash (exact change only), or a check made out to Castlemont HSC.
Virtual Coffee with the Principals Join us this Friday, June 5th, at 5:00pm for a live Zoom meeting with me and Mrs. Gonzalez. Complete the form linked below and we will send you a link to the Zoom meeting. We ask that you pose your questions for us on the form. This will allow us time to prepare our responses ahead of time.
5th Grade Drive-Thru Promotion Tuesday, June 9th from 8:30-12:30 is our drive-thru promotion. Please see the link below for the scheduled time for your child's class. We are making the promotion as festive and special as possible for our students. Keep in mind that this is a scaled-back event that cannot accomodate extended family members and friends during the ceremony. Please do not block the sidewalks or streets around the drive-thru location.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X9KC7W3b88HuIYwMMiUvB6gUhJCiHR_Evk6REI26KYs/edit?usp=sharing
Spirit Days Next week is our scheduled Spirit Week. Celebrate the end of the year by dressing up using the following themes:
Monday: Sports Day
Tuesday: Disney Day
Wednesday: Crazy Hat Day
Thursday: Class Color Day (your teacher will let you know what your grade-level color is)
Have a great last week, everyone!
Sincerely yours,
Kristen Kimoto Prindle
Updated Fri, May 15th
Hello Castlemont Families,
As we find ourselves in the last month of this unusual school year, we are planning the next steps for 2020-21. All district administrators are working in teams to plan for multiple scenarios for the beginning of next year. With the coming school year in the forefront of my mind, I would like to share some thoughts with you.
No matter what the beginning of next year looks like, one thing is certain. Expectations for our students will be that of a regular classroom setting. With only a few weeks of school remaining this year, if your child is having difficulty feeling motivated to complete assignments or to check in with his/her class on Zoom, we want to help. We have been tracking student participation -- not as a means of "grading", but to see who we need to contact for further support. Your teacher is happy to talk to any of our students directly and both Mrs. Gonzalez and I are available to make personal calls to any of our students; just email us. We are here for you.
Our entire team is currenly working on an end-of-the-year feedback form (aka "report card"). While we will not be assessing progress on standards as usual, we will likely have some feedback and a notation about the amount of participation each student has maintained. This information will help us identify students who may need extra attention next year. I will be able to share the specifics of the form during our Coffee with the Principals at the end of the month.
A couple of weeks ago, we shared a video reading of the book, Rainbows in Windows. Some of our students have participated in the activity related to the story and have made rainbows to display in the windows of their homes. I am attaching two projects from Elias and Elliot S. If you would like to share your child's rainbow, please send a photo in jpeg format to:
kprindle [at] campbellusd.org
I will include it in my next message.
Sincerely yours,
Kristen Kimoto Prindle
Updated Wed, Apr 29th
Dear Castlemont Families,
I have heartwrenching news to share. Last Thursday, we lost a precious member of our Castlemont family. Our third grader, Kekoa "Koa" Pagán passed away on April 23rd. Koa had attended Castlemont since Kindergarden, and he and his family are beloved members of our community. The Pagáns have graciously given me permission to share their Instagram page for Koa @kekoastrong . The family is creating a book and appreciate the cards and messages that have been left for them. We will memorialize Koa's beautiful spirit here at school in a fitting way with the guidance of his family. I know we will all keep Koa and his family in our loving thoughts. Koa will always be one of our Castlemont Dragons.
~Kristen
We have counseling services available for any of our students who need support in processing the loss of their friend and classmate. Please contact your child's teacher or me directly at kprindle [at] campbellusd.org if you would like your child to speak with our counselor.
Updated Wed, Apr 29th
Mrs. Gonzalez and Ms. Prindle recorded themselves reading a book called Rainbows in Windows for our students. This short story helps explain what is happening in our society due to COVID-19. We invite all of our students to watch and participate in the rainbow activity.
Updated Wed, Apr 29th
The next scheduled packet pick-up is for 1st grade only. First grade teachers will be distributing their packet on Monday, 5/4 and Tuesday, 5/5 from 10:00 - 11:30am in the MU courtyard.
Updated Wed, Apr 22nd
Hello Castlemont Families,
I hope you are all well. This week, Mrs. Gonzalez and I had the opportunity to see many of our families through our outreach and our iPad distribution. Some of us are managing well except for the frustration of isolation and restructured school/work/home life. Others of us are struggling with greater difficulties. We want to make your "school life" as easy as possible, and with this in mind, today we are rolling out our new Distance Learning Hub.
https://sites.google.com/campbellusd.org/castlemontdistancelearning/home
Click on the link above to find grade-level lessons, book clubs and read-alounds, STEAM activities, and Reading Intervention resources. We will be adding physical education links from our own Rhythm and Moves partners and many other enrichment opportunities. Most important for our families facing serious issues is the Parent Resource link. Please explore the Hub to see your options. It will be updated weekly.
One event will be taking place as scheduled with a Shelter-in-Place twist. Our Coffee with the Principal will be shared out with you on May 1st. Please use this link or take a look at the "Coffee with the Principal-- Your Questions are Needed" article.
This link will take you to a Google Form parent survey where we are asking you to record your questions for us. We will then answer your questions in a presentation that will be shared with you. One change-- you will need to provide your own coffee.
I am happy to say that our participation rates in distance learning are good and consistently improving. If you do not have Internet access at home there will be one more packet distribution for grades 2-5. The packets are extensive and contain enough standards-based work to take students to the end of the school year. Though this is a helpful option, our distance learning is far more comprehensive and also supports students' social-emotional well being. TK-1st grade have more work though packets that will be ongoing in conjunction with some work via devices.
The last packet distribution will be for 2nd- 5th grades will be Tuesday, April 28th in the courtyard outside of the M.U. building. The exact times are to be determined and will be communicated by the end of the week.
As always, we are here to serve our students and our families. Please take care.
Sincerely yours,
Kristen Kimoto Prindle