Family Newsletter August 23, 2026

Posted Date: 08/23/26 (11:00 AM)

Santa Rita Elementary

Family Newsletter

August 23, 2026

Happy Sunday Hummingbird Families,

Welcome to another exciting week at Santa Rita!

First, a big thank-you to our students and staff for doing such a wonderful job during our recent safety practices—our fire drill and lockdown/barricade drill were both a great success! Our scholars stayed calm, listened carefully to their teachers, and did a fantastic job learning how to stay safe in a real emergency.

We have another busy and fun week ahead, so please take a few moments to review this week's news:

🗓️ This Week at Santa Rita

Spirit Week Color Days Continues: See the flyer for the daily color.
Assessments: Initial diagnostic assessments continue this week to help teachers support student learning.
RAS After-School Pick-Up Changes (Effective Tomorrow, Aug 24) To keep campus safe and minimize program disruptions, front doors remain locked during program hours. After-school staff will be available in the front lobby during these designated windows only. You can see those times below.

Back to School Night (Thursday, Aug 27):

5:00 PM: Community Resource Fair (Cafeteria)
5:30 PM: Principal Presentation (Cafeteria)
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Classroom Teacher Presentations (Sessions 1 & 2)

📣 Other Announcements

Gear Store Update Our online apparel store is now closed! If you ordered gear, items will arrive in 2–3 weeks and will be distributed directly to students.

Action Required:

Housing & Income Forms Thank you to all families who have returned the Housing & Income Verification Form. If you have not been able to complete it, there is still time. Please return this signed document as soon as possible—it is essential for securing state funding for our school!

School Site Council: We are still in need of parent reps for our SSC. Please scroll below to sign up.

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation. Let’s make it a wonderful week for our Hummingbirds!

Warmly,

Ms. K & Mrs. Zavala

Family Engagement

📢 Last Call: Join Our School Site Council & Committees!

Santa Rita thrives when our families are involved! This is your final opportunity to join our School Site Council and help make magic happen for our students.

If you are interested in serving as a family representative, please complete our quick survey today:

👉 Join a Santa Rita Committee

Volunteers & Chaperones

If you are interested in volunteering or chaperoning this school year, please make sure to register through RAPTOR for clearance. Visit the District website and complete all the steps to volunteer.

After School Program

On site program-Right at School (RAS)

New Pick up times start Monday August 24

3:00 PM Pick-Up: Staff in lobby starting at 2:50 PM
4:00 PM Pick-Up: Staff in lobby starting at 3:50 PM
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Pick-Up: Staff in lobby starting at 4:50 PM

(For urgent early pick-ups outside these times, call staff directly at 831-750-2119).

Safety & Wellness

🆔 Safety First: Photo ID Reminder

To keep our campus secure, all parents and guardians must have a government-issued photo ID available when picking up students during the school day and from our after-school program.

While our front office staff may not ask to check your ID every single time once they become familiar with your family, a photo ID will always be required for after-school pick-ups. We appreciate your cooperation as we work together to keep every student on our campus safe!

🚗 Parking Lot Safety & Expectations

Thank you so much to our families for doing a fantastic job with morning drop-off and afternoon pick up! Your patience and cooperation make a huge difference. Please continue following our 3-lane rules during drop off, one lane rule during pick up and our safety guidelines to keep traffic flowing safely, smoothly, and efficiently for everyone:

Express Unload (Row 1): For independent students only; drivers must stay in the car.
Assisted Unload (Row 2): For quick drop-offs where parents need to step out briefly; do not leave cars unattended.
Park & Walk (Row 3): Park in a designated spot if you are walking your child to the entrance.
Safety Rules: Arrive early, follow staff and posted signs, and ensure children use marked crosswalks and sidewalks at all times.

Hummingbird Highlights

🧥 Lost & Found Reminder

Our Lost & Found is filling up! Please stop by to check for any missing jackets, water bottles, or lunchboxes.

To help us keep items out of the Lost & Found:

Label everything: Write your child's name on jacket tags, lunchboxes and water bottles.
Remind your scholar: Ask your child to grab their jacket and belongings every time recess finishes.

2014 Santa Rita St. Salinas CA 93906

(831) 443- 7221

Office Hours

7:30am-3:30pm

Click on the Hummingbird to visit our website

Family Newsletter August 23, 2026

Santa Rita Elementary