Family Newsletter September 20, 2026

Posted Date: 09/20/26 (11:00 AM)

Santa Rita Elementary

Family Newsletter

September 20, 2026

Happy Sunday Hummingbird Families,

What a vibrant and joyful week we had on campus! It was wonderful to see our students and staff celebrate our Fiesta of Cultures for Hispanic Heritage Month. We loved honoring the rich diversity of our school community through colorful outfits, shared traditions, and scholars telling stories about their heritage.

Here is what you need to know for the week ahead:

🐮 Mobile Dairy School Visit: This week, our students will get an exciting hands-on visit from the Mobile Dairy Classroom to learn all about the importance of dairy in a healthy diet!
📸 Picture Day Updates: If you didn't get a chance to order your child's photos, you can still place your order online through the Lifetouch link and entering the Lifetouch code EVTXTR6ZJ
If your child was absent on Friday, don't worry—Picture Retake Day is scheduled for October 28.
🤝 Parent-Teacher Conferences: Please make sure to confirm your conference date and time with your child's teacher. Connecting together is so important to discuss your scholar's academic progress, strengths, and goals for the year.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Let's make it another fantastic week at Santa Rita!

Warmly,

Ms. K & Mrs. Zavala

🍦 September Attendance Challenge

Update: It’s a 3-Way Tie!

The race for September’s Attendance Awareness Month is heating up, and our upper elementary scholars are leading the pack!

Right now, we have a three-way tie between 3 classes in 4th and 5th grade for the highest percentage of perfect attendance this month!

With two weeks left in September, every single day counts. Let’s see who will finish strong and take home the grand prize—Popsicles with the Principal!

Keep showing up on time and ready to learn every day, Hummingbirds!

Family Engagement

💬 Hummingbird Home Connection

To help build your scholar's speaking and active listening skills at home, try this week's conversation starter:

Family Talk Prompt: "If you could ask our special visitor, the dairy cow, any question about farm life or where our food comes from, what would you ask and why?"

Tip: Encourage your scholar to state their question clearly and explain their thinking (e.g., "I would ask... because I am curious about..."). Asking open-ended questions helps build confidence in speaking and descriptive language!

🧥 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.
Lost and Found will be cleared out 10/2/2026.
Make sure to check out the rack one last time during parent teacher conference week (9/28-10/2)

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.

Safety & Wellness

When is sick too sick for school?

Keeping our Hummingbirds healthy, safe, and ready to learn takes all of us working together! While regular daily attendance is so important, we also want to make sure sick scholars get the rest they need to recover and protect our entire school community.

Please take a moment to review the attached guide, "When is Sick Too Sick for School?" It offers quick, clear guidelines on:

When to Stay Home: Specific symptoms (like high fevers, vomiting, or contagious illnesses) that require your child to rest at home until they are symptom-free.
When It’s Okay to Come to School: Mild symptoms (like minor sniffles or mild fatigue without a fever) where it is safe for your child to attend and learn.

If you are ever unsure whether to send your scholar to school, please reach out to our school front office for guidance. Thank you for helping keep Santa Rita healthy!