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Attendance Always Matters
Over the course of last year, we improved chronic absenteeism by 3.4% - a tremendous achievement and a testament to the dedication of our families, staff, and students. This is one of the most significant improvements in recent school history (as well as the best in HBCSD), and it shows what we can accomplish when we work together. While this is an important number for school data - and has historically been the one area holding Eader back from California Distinguished School status - what matters most is the direct impact attendance has on student success.
When I spoke with students in grades 1-5 last year, I asked how it feels to come back after missing a day of school. Overwhelmingly, students described negative feelings: stress, anxiety, and difficulty catching up on missed lessons and work. They also talked about the frustration of simply not having access to the same learning that their classmates had in the classroom.
This is important for parents to keep in mind: every single day meaningful instruction takes place. The question “Will my child miss something if they’re absent?” will always have the same answer - yes. If we care about our students reaching their full potential, prioritizing school attendance is essential.
We will always support students staying home when they are sick. But outside of illness, families should continue to make attendance a top priority, knowing that each absence means their child will be behind when they return.
Celebrating Our Progress
We are seeing the results of this shared commitment. For the month of September, our attendance rate in grades TK-5 was 98.1%, compared to 97.5% at this time last year.
This improvement represents one of the best attendance records in Eader’s recent history and demonstrates the incredible effort our students and families are making.
Let’s keep this momentum going and continue to set the standard for excellence at Eader - together we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive academically and socially.
September Safety Drills
At Eader, the safety of our students is always our highest priority, and September gave us an opportunity to practice two important drills together.
• On Tuesday, September 9, we held our first Fire Drill of the year. Students did a wonderful job listening to their teachers and staff, exiting classrooms quickly and calmly.
• On Tuesday, September 23, we held our first Secure Drill. In this drill, classrooms and buildings are locked while instruction continues as usual. The focus is on practicing how quickly we can bring students inside and secure the campus.
We are so proud of how well our students handled both drills. These practices help build confidence and ensure that in the unlikely event of an emergency, everyone knows exactly what to do. Thank you for your partnership in making safety a shared priority for our school community. Art Reflections Contest - Deadline to Enter: Friday, October 10
Eader PTA invites you to participate in the annual Reflections Art Contest! This year's theme is "I Belong!". This is a great opportunity for recognition and access to the arts. If a student would like to participate please choose from one of the following categories to submit an entry; • Visual Arts • Music Composition (recording) • Literature (Print) • Dance Choreography (video) • Film Production (video) • Photography (print). All entries must be submitted on Friday October 10th.
Entries that are a physical copy must be turned in to the Eader Elementary office by 8:40am on October 10th and all digital submissions must be emailed by October 10th. All submissions must include a participant entry form with an artist statement. Please visit this link for more information and access to the participant entry form with the artist statement. If you have any questions please email reflections@eaderpta.com. We look forward to seeing the beautiful and creative pieces of art!
Family Skate Night - Friday, October 17
Join us for our first Eader Family Skate Night of the year! This year we are introducing the Eader Golden Skate Trophy! The trophy will be awarded to the class with the most points. Help your class be the first class EVER to display the golden skate trophy in your classroom! Admission $10, includes skate rentals- Tickets can be purchased at the door or you can PRE-PURCHASE TICKETS HERE*Reminder: Teachers & staff skate FREE! Just show your school ID at the door Please be sure to check in at the PTA table!
Every Eader Eagle who attends skate night will be entered to win a door prize! If you are unable to stay for the entire fundraiser, we will deliver the prize to you at school the following day. How to Earn Points for your Classroom: + 1 point for each Eader skater + 1 extra point for wearing Eader spirit wear + 1 extra point for each sibling or friend skater you bring who does not attend Eader + 1 extra point for parents who skate! + 2 points for teachers who attend (skating not required!)
Parent Teacher Conferences - October 21, 22, and 23
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on October 21, 22, and 23.
Please make note of the following important schedule changes for those days:
Tuesday, October 21 - Early Dismissal
• TK dismissed at 12:25 pm
• Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade dismissed at 1:41 pm
• 4th and 5th Grade dismissed at 1:50 pm
Wednesday, October 22
Student-Free Day (No school in session)
Thursday, October 23 - Early Dismissal
• TK dismissed at 12:25 pm
• Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade dismissed at 1:41 pm
• 4th and 5th Grade dismissed at 1:50 pm
Thank you for planning accordingly as we partner together to support our students’ learning and growth.
Dine Out Night - Thursday, October 23rd
Mark your calendars! Our second Dine Out Night of the year will be held on Thursday, October 23rd at Pizza D’Oro.
This is a wonderful local restaurant that generously supports our staff with free meals throughout the year, and now we have the chance to support them, and our school in return.
Be sure to stop by between 5:00 - 7:00 pm, when I’ll be helping serve pizza. It’s sure to be a fun (and tasty) night for our whole community.
Upcoming Assemblies - October 24 & 31
We have two assemblies coming up this month:
• Friday, October 24 at 8:40 am - October School Assembly - Fun Run and School Musical Kickoff (families welcome to attend)
• Friday, October 31 at 9:00 am - Red Ribbon Week Assembly (students only)
Eader’s First Annual Trunk or Treat - Thursday, October 30
We’re excited to announce that Eader will be hosting our first annual Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October 30th, on the Eader blacktop.
This will be a fun-filled evening for the whole family, with decorated trunks, costumes, and plenty of treats.
This is an activity you won’t want to miss so make sure to mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable night of Halloween fun!
Yearbook Photo Requests - Beach Day and Family Picnic
We had such a great time at last weekend's Beach Day and Thursday's Family Picnic, and we’d love to capture those memories in this year’s yearbook!
If you snapped any photos, please take a moment to click the link below and upload your favorites. Your contributions help make our yearbook extra special!
Thank you for helping us showcase the amazing moments that make our Eader community so special.
Planning Way Ahead: Spring Sing - Save the Dates
Based on parent feedback from last year, we’ll be spreading out Spring Sing over two months instead of holding all grade-level performances in a single week. Families shared that it was difficult to take off work multiple times in such a short span, especially for those with more than two children performing. Our hope is that by splitting the event between May and June, families will have more flexibility with scheduling.
Looking way ahead, here are the dates we’ve set so you can mark your calendars:
Friday, May 8 - Grades TK, K, and 1
Friday, June 5 - Grades 2, 3, and 4
Please note that Grade 5 performs at promotion - Wednesday, June 17 (our last day of school).
McKenna Claire Foundation Fundraiser
Our annual fundraiser for the McKenna Claire Foundation is officially underway, following its kickoff at our September school assembly.
This long-standing partnership is especially meaningful to the Eader community, as McKenna was a student here years ago. Supporting this cause continues to be close to our hearts.
It’s important to note that while this fundraiser is very important, it is also one where we split proceeds with the McKenna Claire Foundation. In the coming months, we’ll launch our Eader School Fun Run, which is our primary fundraiser for the year and directly supports programs and opportunities for every student at Eader.
I share this in full transparency so families can plan ahead as you look to support both an incredible foundation and our school.
Please see the link below to participate.
Minted Fundraiser
October is here and the holidays are just around the corner. If you use Minted to order holiday cards, please help your Eader PTA by using the code FUNDRAISEEADER to get 20% off of your purchase and give 10% of your purchase back to our school!
Parking Lot Safety & Efficiency
With only a single lane entering and exiting our school parking lot, please keep in mind that one car has the ability to severely impact and hold up the entire line. To help keep traffic moving and ensure safety:
• Please have your child prepared to leave the vehicle safely and quickly on the curbside (school side).
• Stay in your car at all times.
• Pull up as far as you can, even past the gate, so the maximum number of cars can unload along the curb.
• Do not pull in front of other cars if there is a hold up.
• Safety is always our top priority—thank you for your support.
Additional reminders:
• Please drive carefully and observe all traffic safety signs and speed limits around the school.
• When leaving the parking lot, right turns only are permitted.
• Do not park or leave your vehicle in any area marked with a red curb.
• Children should always enter and exit vehicles from the curbside only.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in keeping our students safe and supporting the smooth flow of traffic in our Eader community.
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