We are off to a wonderful start to the new school year! The students have been busy working hard and are already growing as learners. We are practicing our drawing and writing each day, and the children are excited to share their ideas on paper. This week, we even took our writing outside and used chalk to practice our letters and words!

It is such a joy to see their creativity and enthusiasm shine. We are looking forward to many more fun learning adventures together this year!

Keep up the good work with turning in homework every day—it helps build strong habits and makes a big difference in our learning!

This month has been full of exciting learning and special moments! One of our biggest adventures was our field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The children had such a wonderful time exploring and discovering the fascinating world of marine life. They were amazed by the penguins, delighted by the colorful fish, and thrilled to see sharks, stingrays, and turtles up close. A favorite stop for many was the jellyfish exhibit, where the students marveled at the beauty and variety of these graceful creatures.

We are also proud to celebrate Maria, who received the Caring Award from our Character Counts program. Maria is a thoughtful and kind friend to all. She brightens our classroom with her smile, shares encouraging words, and helps her classmates feel included and valued every day. We are so lucky to have her positive spirit in our class!

First Grade Updates
Our first graders have been hard at work! In reading, we are learning new sounds and practicing how to blend them together. This helps students grow their vocabulary and begin writing complete sentences with confidence. In math, we are exploring number families and learning how to add and subtract within them. These lessons are helping students understand how numbers are connected and build a strong foundation for future problem-solving.

Second Grade Updates
Our second graders are diving deeper into language and literacy! They are learning about parts of speech, grammar, and vocabulary to improve reading comprehension. Students are also analyzing texts more closely and beginning to write their own creative stories. In math, they are practicing how to determine the correct equation to use when solving problems and developing step-by-step solutions to find their answers. These skills are helping them become more independent thinkers and confident problem-solvers.

News & Information:

Art Class with Mrs. Black

Dear Parents,

We continue to work hard in the 3rd grade and 4th grade classroom. Iris Martinez this past month received a Character Count award for being such a Caring student. We will be working on Respect for the next couple of weeks. Reinforcing what respect sounds like and looks like with our SecondStep curriculum. 

Also the student from 1st through 4th grade got an opportunity to visit the Monterey Aquarium where they got a chance to explore the different habitats in oceans and rivers.

Thank You,

Miss Rodriguez

Learning Focus

Reading:

3rd: RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions. RL.3.4 Determine word meanings.

4th: RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character in a story, drawing on specific details in the text. RL.4.1 Make Inferences. RL.4.4 Determine word meaning.

Math:

3rd: Unit 2: Multiplication and Division

4th: Unit 2: Operations- Multiplication, Division and Algebraic Thinking

Grammar:

Sentence Structure

Spelling:

Unit 2: Lesson 7- Short e, Lesson 8- Long e, Lesson 9- Long e, Lesson 10- Short u, Lesson 11, Contractions

Vocabulary:

Student work on five academic vocabulary words per week.

Writing:

Step-Up-to-Writing: Narrative Essay

Science:

Module 1: Egg Racers

Social Studies:

Chapter 8: California's Government

Monterey Bay Aquarium Field Trip

Calendar of Upcoming Events

• October 6th-10th: Fall Break

• October 31: Halloween Carnival at 1:30pm

This month, we introduced a new Emotional Check-In system to start our mornings with intention. Each student placers their personalized stick into one of our labeled jars-Worried, Angry, Happy, Tired, Calm, or Scared, etc.- to let me know how they are feeling as they begin the day.

This system has already had a powerful impact on our classroom community. It gives students the space to pause, reflect, and acknowledge their emotions, while also giving me, as their teacher, valuable insight into how I can best support them. Since starting this practice, I've noticed a significant improvement in classroom behavior, as students feel seen and heard before diving into their learning. 

Along with our check-in jars, we've also begun a new kindness initiative. Each student painted a unique flowerpot to represent themselves. These pots symbolize how we are all like plants-growing each day and needing nourishment, care, and love to truly flourish. 

We will use these pots for a special activity: throughout the week, students will be able to drop anonymous kind notes into one another's pots. These notes are meant to highlight the positive-acknowledging something kind, helpful, or thoughtful that a peer did. This practice will help students build empathy, show appreciation, and celebrate the small acts of kindness that often go unnoticed. 

By the end of each week, students will get to read the notes they've received, reminding them that their actions make a difference and that their classmates notice and value them.

Both systems-the emotional check-in jars and the kindness pots-work hand-in-hand to strengthen our classroom community. One helps students express their own feelings, while the other encourages them to see and value the feelings and actions of others. Together, they create an environment where every student feels acknowledged, supported, and inspired to grow. 

Happy October! This month our students have been working very hard to increase their math skills. We are excited to have the assistance of Ms. Black to help our class with math intervention. According to Ms. Black, the kids are making steady progress with the acquisition of their multiplication facts. 

We are also excited to have Mr. Hinderscheid from CST Productions. Mr. Hinderscheid gives our kids lessons in Performing Arts. Performing Arts provides an excellent way to help our students build confidence when speaking in front of people. 

Finally, we were very fortunate to have a United States Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, Staff Sergeant J. Macias come to our class to share his personal experience and memorabilia with us. It was a heart gripping story and really helped kids understand what patriotism and freedom mean. At the end of the presentation Ms. Madolora, Staff Sergeant Macias' colleague, performed a hula dance in honor of all who lost their lives in combat. Thank you for your service, Staff Sergeant Macias! Semper Fidelis OOOOOORAAAH! Thank you Ms. Madolora for helping to support our Marines in Monterey County! A big OOOOOHRAAAAH to you too!

Respectfully,

Dr. Bailey "Gunny/ Lt. Col " U.S.M.C. SEMPER FIDELIS!

Happy October!

We are continuing to work with sounds, blending sounds into words, and categorizing words by sounds/sound patterns. We are using these skills to build new vocabulary and enhance reading comprehension.

Over school break, I'll hold an open house at the San Ardo library with our branch partner. Our open house will be October 7th, from 9am to noon. Please stop by with your child anytime during that window. We'll explore the library, help your child sign up for a library card, and look at book options!

Thank you for the privilege of working with your children. Helping them reach their reading goals is my goal, too. Stop by anytime to talk to me about their progress.

Happy reading!

Mrs. Bobbitt

To contact Mrs. Bobbitt:

kbobbitt@sanardousd.org

--or just stop by!

• October 6-10, 2025 Fall Break

• October 7, 2025, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Health Department – Office of Equity (enLACE) and Transportation Agency for Monterey County who leads Safe Routes to School Community meeting Auditorium

• October 8, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Board meeting

• October 15, 2025, 9:00 a.m. volleyball game away at San Antonio

• October 16, 2025, 1:30 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 8th grade students to King City HS for tour

• October 17, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. track and field event San Antonio School

• October 22, 2025, 5:00 p.m. - student movie night

• October 27th - 31st, 2025 - spirit week

• October 31st, 2025, Fall Festival 1:30 p.m.

   

San Ardo Union Elementary School District

October Newsletter Message from the Superintendent/Principal

Dear San Ardo UESD Families,

October is a busy and exciting month on our campus! As the seasons change, we are reminded of the importance of our Character Counts focus—this month’s theme is Respect. Students will be learning about and practicing ways to show respect for themselves, others, and our school community.

Please remember that Fall Break will take place from Monday, October 6 through Friday, October 10, 2025. We hope this time provides your family with rest, renewal, and quality time together.

We are also looking forward to our annual Fall Festival on Friday, October 31 at 1:30 p.m. This fun tradition brings our students, staff, and families together to celebrate the season with activities and community spirit.

Looking ahead, please note that Interim Comprehensive Assessments will begin on Monday, November 3, 2025. These assessments help us monitor student progress and guide instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making San Ardo UESD a place where students thrive academically and socially.

Warm regards,
Catherine Reimer
Superintendent/Principal