What an incredible week of basketball! Huge congrats to the SIS and DCIS girls teams and the SIS and HIS boys teams—all advancing to next week’s championship games! Your hard work and teamwork truly paid off, and we can’t wait to see you shine on the court!

A big high five to the We Win Organization and Grapeland’s PTA! Last night, they treated all Grapeland staff to a fun paint night at The Purple Easel, and everyone had an amazing time. Thank you for bringing our team together!

Shoutout to Mr. Jerome at Grapeland from Ms. Shinn & Mrs. Schmitt! Always attentive, engaged, and a true role model for our students—he’s such a gift to our school community!

High five to Elijah from his mom. She’s so proud of how hard he works every day. Seeing his growth reminds her what a strong and amazing young man he’s becoming. She feels honored to be his mom and loves him more than anything.

A big high five to Mrs. W, one of Falcon Ridge’s favorite preschool subs. She’s stepped in over the past few weeks with so much joy and enthusiasm, and our students have loved every minute of it.

A big thank you to our Etiwanda educators for reviewing publishers and sharing feedback on the program we are piloting. We had more than 50 educators dedicated to this work, and we appreciate their time and insight.

Shoutout to James and Jacob for spending part of their Thanksgiving break giving back in such a meaningful way. Their family looks forward to taking part in Wreaths Across America each year, and this was the third year for James, a seventh grader at EIS, and Jacob, a second grader at Windrows.
At Riverside Memorial, they helped place wreaths at each gravesite, offered a respectful salute, and shared their thanks with the veterans. Their family has generations of veterans, which makes this tradition especially meaningful.
At Riverside Memorial, they helped place wreaths at each gravesite, offered a respectful salute, and shared their thanks with the veterans. Their family has generations of veterans, which makes this tradition especially meaningful.

We are excited to celebrate the people who make our schools shine. If you have a student, teacher, or administrator who deserves a high five this week, send us a photo and a short description at dosocialmedia@etiwanda.org. We’ll share your shoutouts tomorrow. Please send your submissions by 9 AM on Friday

Instruction in Action: Mrs. Costa’s Differentiated Phonics Magic!
In Mrs. Costa’s kindergarten classroom at Caryn Elementary, every learner’s journey begins with the power of sound, letters, and meaning. Through small-group instruction, she meets each student right where they are — turning phonics into a personalized adventure.
Some students build words with letter tiles, others draw pictures to match the words they hear, and still others read decodable text to strengthen fluency and confidence.
This thoughtful approach helps every child grow as a reader, writer, and communicator — one sound at a time.
Thank you, Mrs. Costa, for showing how intentional instruction sparks discovery and confidence in our youngest scholars!
#InstructionInAction #TeachingBrilliance #EtiwandaExcellence #EarlyLiteracy
In Mrs. Costa’s kindergarten classroom at Caryn Elementary, every learner’s journey begins with the power of sound, letters, and meaning. Through small-group instruction, she meets each student right where they are — turning phonics into a personalized adventure.
Some students build words with letter tiles, others draw pictures to match the words they hear, and still others read decodable text to strengthen fluency and confidence.
This thoughtful approach helps every child grow as a reader, writer, and communicator — one sound at a time.
Thank you, Mrs. Costa, for showing how intentional instruction sparks discovery and confidence in our youngest scholars!
#InstructionInAction #TeachingBrilliance #EtiwandaExcellence #EarlyLiteracy

Your voice shapes our direction. Feedback from our LCAP community drives the decisions that matter most for our students, including providing additional support for small-group instruction for our English learners.

The El-Rabaa family spent their break exploring Arizona and shared some of their favorite stops with us. They had a great time visiting the aquarium, Butterfly Wonderland, the zoo, and the museum. What a fun way to make memories together!

At school and at home, we’re helping students find balance between digital learning and real-world experiences. Time offline helps kids connect, reflect, and grow. #WellnessWednesday #HealthyEtiwandaKids

Jacob and his family love spending time in the kitchen together. This Thanksgiving was extra special because his grandmother flew in from Hawaii, and Jacob baked her a batch of his homemade muffins. He starts with the same base recipe and gets creative by adding different fruits or chocolate.
Jacob even shared his trick for finding the sweetest blueberries. He puts them in a cup of water and picks the ones that float for baking. The berries that sink are a little more tart, so he snacks on those while he waits for the muffins to finish. What a fun family moment to kick off the holiday break.
Jacob even shared his trick for finding the sweetest blueberries. He puts them in a cup of water and picks the ones that float for baking. The berries that sink are a little more tart, so he snacks on those while he waits for the muffins to finish. What a fun family moment to kick off the holiday break.

Today, flags at all San Bernardino County facilities are lowered to half-staff to honor the 14 lives lost in the San Bernardino tragedy on December 2, 2015.

We hope everyone enjoyed the break! School resumes tomorrow—how did you spend your time off?
The Wood family spent theirs camping in Johnson Valley. John and Emma loved riding their quads and dirt bikes and exploring the desert.
Send your Thanksgiving break photos to dosocialmedia@etiwanda.org
—we’d love to share more moments from our Etiwanda families!
The Wood family spent theirs camping in Johnson Valley. John and Emma loved riding their quads and dirt bikes and exploring the desert.
Send your Thanksgiving break photos to dosocialmedia@etiwanda.org
—we’d love to share more moments from our Etiwanda families!

Show up, shine bright! Consistent attendance helps Etiwanda students build good habits and reach their goals.

Mrs. George’s fifth graders at Perdew made dream catchers to honor Native American History Month. Students loved learning about the tradition and creating their own designs.

Mrs. Martinez’s fifth graders at Perdew created artwork inspired by Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau. Students followed a directed drawing and then made it their own with bright colors and designs. Their creativity really stood out.

Last week, Etiwanda Colony students showcased their Native American Heritage Month projects. Families and students explored the displays, learning about different Native American tribes, their history, and everyday items like baskets and the art of basket weaving.

Mrs. Sorensen at Golden is so grateful for her support aide, Miss Cuevas. She has been a true blessing for the TK students and for Mrs. Sorensen as well. She always goes above and beyond.
