Welcome Back!
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! Our first day of school is nearing, and we are thrilled to meet our new students and families and eager to reconnect with our returning families. Sun Valley prides itself on offering a welcoming, safe, and inspiring learning environment. We look forward to coming together with our students on Wednesday, August 21st, with an Early Release schedule of 8:45-1:30.

Our Daily Schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:45-3:30
Wednesday: 8:45-1:30​

Construction Update
Exciting things have happened at Sun Valley over the summer as construction is in full swing. While the ultimate goal of building a TK Village is a wonderful upgrade to our campus, we will use our flexibility and ingenuity skills as we return to a campus impacted by construction. Here are some things that you can share with your child so they are prepared for the first day of school (Note: TK and K students' play space is not impacted by construction).

​Things to Share with Your Child:

• The web playground and the Gaga Pit will not be ready for the first day of school. The construction crews know how important these are and are working hard to build them as quickly as possible.
• Although the field is smaller, we will still be able to hold soccer and football games in the space we have.
• There will be fencing all over the campus, just as there was at the end of last year. This is to keep everyone safe. The fences will come down as soon as the construction in each area is complete.
• Both Ball Walls and Four Square courts will be available for play.
• We will eat in the MPR until our outdoor eating space is completed.

​​Important Reminders for Caregivers:

• The front loop of the school will be open for student drop-off. As you know, our parking lot situation has been quite impacted. Please park only in an open space and do not block the loop.
• Buses will run as normal. All students (including TK) may ride the buses starting the first day of school.
• We are a dog-free campus.
• To maintain a safe campus, our gates are closed between 8:45 and 3:25. If you are joining us on campus, please check in through the front office.

​Our Super Star Staff
Please welcome our new staff:

• Jessaca Michaelsen, Assistant Principal, jmichaelsen@srcs.org 
• Jennifer Lynn, Administrative Specialist, jlynn@srcs.org
• Hannah Ritchie, 1st Grade
• Helen Robinett, 4th Grade
• Katherine Kistenmacher, 5th Grade
• Caroline Sequeira, Arts/Prep teacher 
• Lisa Bordley, Intervention Coach
• KaNi Kido, Youth-in-Arts Dance Teacher
• Tara Pandeya, Youth-in-Arts Dance Teacher​

Our Super Star Teaching and Support Teams

• ​TK: Lauri Peters, Anna Wentz, Katherine Brack, Alison Yezbak
• Kindergarten: Julie Christy, Kelly Dupree, Emma Hagan, Bailey Hill
• 1st Grade: Cathy Klein, Ginger Langley, Karen Lloyd, Hannah Ritchie
• 2nd Grade: Paula de Blaauw, Nicole Franceschi, Susan Renati
• 3rd Grade: Michelle Giraud, Aimee Logan, Carolyn Robello
• 4th Grade: Elissa Greene, Ryan Hall, Kelly Jean Underwood, Helen Robinett
• 5th Grade: Casey Hodel, Grace Mosher, Katherine Kistenmacher
• Special Education: Leah DeVinny (Psychologist), Ann Dill (Speech Therapist), Julie French (Occupational Therapist), Donna Senn (Learning Specialist), Annie Underdown (Instructional Assistant)
• Student Support: Meghan Greenwood (School Counselor), Melissa Werner (Instructional Coach), Lisa Bordley (Intervention Coach), Erika Genolio (Interventionist)
• Enrichment: Caroline Sequeria (Arts/Prep), Maddi VanZandt (Environmental Science), KaNi Kido and Tara Pandeya (Youth In Arts dance), we have two new PE coaches - names to be announced!
• Office: Leslie Birnbaum (Office Coordinator), Jennifer Lynn (Administrative Specialist)

​Contacting Us
The office is now open daily from 8:00 to 4:00. Please call (415-485-2440) or email Leslie Birnbaum (lbirnbaum@srcs.org) with questions. We look forward to helping everyone smoothly transition from summer break into the school year.

Important Morning Logistics

• Drop-In Childcare: As I shared last week, we have free morning drop-in childcare from 8:00 to 8:30 in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR). You do not need to register for this! Students who arrive before 8:30 should go straight to the MPR for supervised activities. Our staff will ask all students, including older 4th and 5th graders, to wait in the MPR if they are on campus before 8:30. Please make this clear to your child.
• Breakfast: Breakfast service starts at 8:30. All students must eat inside the MPR. If your child arrives after 8:40, they must save their food for snack recess. Instruction begins promptly at 8:45, and we do not allow students to eat inside classrooms.
• Using the Drop-Off Traffic Circle and Car Door Openers: Thank you to the PTO Executive Team for volunteering to be our first round of car door openers. To keep this effective tradition alive, all families must volunteer and cooperate when they drop off their children. Here are the expectations for families that want to drive up to the drop-off circle in the morning:
  • Do not stop in bus zones
  • Pull all the way forward and watch for volunteers to wave you in the right direction
  • Children must exit on the passenger side for safety (please rearrange car seats and booster seats)
  • Children must be able to unbuckle independently
  • Have the backpack ready and sitting on your child's lap
  • Drivers do not exit the car. If your child needs to be walked to their class lines, you should plan to park and walk them onto campus.
  • Please consider using the drop-off loop. While it may look more crowded at first glance, it moves much faster than trying to find a parking spot. Fifth street is not designed for stopping in the road and dropping off.

​Important Dates

• ​8/28 - Back to School Night
• 8/30 - Minimum Day (12:35 dismissal)
• 9/2 - No School (Labor Day Holiday)
• 9/4 - PTO Meeting at 7 pm
• 9/24 - Picture Day