Lietz HSC May Newsletter
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice. -Peggy O’Mara
Dear Lietz families,
We have made it through another transition this school year! Many of our children are back on campus and we are waking up a little earlier than we were a week or so ago. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic about moving toward a new norm. It feels so good to see so many children waiting for their school day to begin – wearing their masks, socially distanced, with hundreds of zoom hours under their little belts! We have all learned so many new, unexpected lessons over the past 14 months.
Thank you for helping us celebrate Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week. As you know, it coincided with our extended school hours, so I think the timing was perfect to show some extra gratitude! This month, we are so excited to celebrate our fabulous fifth grade team, Mary Caddell, Jenna Garcia, and Leslie Long, as well as one of our stellar SDC teachers, Michael Gates, Jr. Please scroll down to our Teacher Spotlight to get to know them better.
We are still looking for parents to complete our incoming HSC Executive Board for the fall. There are three positions open: President, Vice President, and Co-Treasurer. I truly hope that some are quietly considering. We really do need your leadership in order to continue offering the many programs and events that our community has come to love, like Art Vistas, Project Cornerstone, Create With Clay, Music, Drama, and so many others. If you have even an inkling of interest, please reach out to me at kelli.martines@lietzhsc.com. I will be waiting to hear from you!
I do believe that the way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice, so be kind, especially when you aren’t feeling it. Give yourself time to take a deep breath and collect your thoughts before you speak. Be kind to each other, and be kind to yourself.
Hope to see you at our final HSC General Meeting of the year on Wednesday, May 19 at 7pm.
With friendship,
Kelli
GETTING TO KNOW OUR TEACHERS
A Staff Appreciation Initiative
After a long year of many challenges and hurdles, our teachers have persisted, to create a safe, welcoming environment so that our children could return to school. Our fifth grade team even found ways to bring the spirit of Science Camp at Walden West to their students! We are so grateful for your continued creativity and positivity! This month, we get to know our fifth grade team, as well as a teacher new to our SDC team. Welcome, Mr. Gates!
Kelli Martines | Staff Appreciation Lead
LESLIE LONG
Fifth Grade Teacher
As a teacher, what are your greatest joys?
Some of my greatest joys as a teacher are making personal connections with my students and watching my students grow into themselves. 5th-grade is a special year where students are on the cusp of being pre-teens and moving on to middle school and I just love the age. I love 5th- grade so much, I’ve been teaching at this grade-level for 30 years! I’ve also enjoyed being part of the Lietz community for so long because I’ve been able to see many generations of students complete high school, college, and move into their adult lives.
What would we find you doing on your ideal weekend?
In my free time, I love to be with family and friends. I have some great girlfriend groups to hang out with and take girls’ trips with. My husband and I enjoy hiking and taking our dog, Dani, for long walks. We also have season tickets to the SJ Sharks, so during hockey season we are either at or watching every game. I love going to the beach to relax, or to visit my mom at Pine Mountain Lake for some time away from the every-day hustle and bustle.
Where are your favorite places to shop?
This last year on lock-down I’ve done a lot of shopping on Amazon, but for in-person shopping you can’t beat Target! I also love candles, so I am a regular at Bath and Body Works and Yankee Candle.
JENNA GARCIA
Fifth Grade Teacher
Tell us a little about yourself…
I love teaching because I get to see kids take risks and learn things they did not think they could. The look on a student’ face when they overcome a problem is the best!
What would we find you doing on your ideal weekend?
I love the outdoors and the ocean. Before my daughter was born, my ideal weekend would be kayaking in Monterey or scuba diving. I am a rescue scuba diver. These days you will find me going for walks with my husband and daughter who just turned 11 months. I am loving my time home with her but miss the kids so much!
MARY CADDELL
Fifth Grade Teacher
Tell us a little about yourself…
I love teaching and have thought about being a teacher since I was in fifth grade. I found out as an adult that I am a fourth generation teacher. I hope that I give my students something that they take with them into the future – that I have given them tools so that they can have a happy, productive future. I love to see them gain confidence in their abilities and strengths.
What would we find you doing on your ideal weekend?
On the weekends I am boring – gardening and playing with my cats. If things were normal, I would be going to antique shows, estate sales and jewelry shows.
Where are your favorite places to shop?
I love gifts, but I think I have everything I need. The best gift was a gift card for massages.
MICHAEL GATES Jr.
SDC 1-2 TEACHER
Tell us a little about yourself…
Born and raised in San Jose although I spent some time in the Sacramento/ Folsom area for a little just to come home and graduate from Oak Grove High School. Working with kiddos has always been there for me, in high-school I started coaching tackle football with the Oak Grove Youth Football organization. This sparked my passion and insight that you can teach the same thing in multiple avenues/ ways (If we grade a fish’s ability to climb a tree it will always fail). I’m a lifelong learner, spent a long time at the JC (Evergreen/ San Jose City) trying to figure out my path but teaching was always incorporated. I started off wanting to be a PE coach/ teacher, from there I thought woah, I like history so maybe I can teach that or maybe math/ science. To this day I am always learning, whether it's learning different teaching styles or sociological perspectives or the microbiology in soil I love to learn.
What would we find you doing on your ideal weekend?
My ideal weekend would consist of hanging with the family and gardening. I love playing with soil, some would say I am a soil geek lol. If not with family I like to hang out with friends and go exploring, bike riding, skateboarding or just relaxing.
As a teacher, what are your greatest joys?
As a teacher, my greatest joys would have to come from the success of my students no matter the size of their success. The light that shines in them pushes me to be the best for them. And also hearing the kiddos stories, they’re so passionate about the little things that as adults we tend to lose sight of that.
Where are your favorite places to shop?
My favorite places to shop at are Target, Amazon, Walmart, Lidz, Lowes, Home Depot, and Barnes and Noble.
HSC EXECUTIVE BOARD OPENINGS
We have three Executive Board openings for the 2021-23 term: President, Vice-President and Co-Treasurer. Please complete the form or email board@lietzhsc.com if you are interested or if you just want to start a discussion around it. Candidates will be confirmed at HSC General Meeting on May 19, 2021. Looking forward to hearing from you!!
DID YOU KNOW ?
HSC Newsletter (and the website) can be read in multiple languages. You can look for a drop down menu near the top left corner. Please choose the language option. If you find that your language is missing, please let us know by adding a comment to the newsletter or emailing us at board@lietzhsc.com. We will add it!
WALKATHON
Far Apart, Yet Close at Heart
April 25th – May 1st
YEARBOOK
Jennifer Kubisz | Yearbook Lead
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
This Month Project Cornerstone read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. In this lesson we taught the students to observe negative thoughts that keep them stuck and labeled them “muddy thoughts.” The thoughts that help us engage in meaningful activities are called “clear thoughts. When we are able to focus on clear thoughts,we are more able to engage in a growth mindset and this opens the door to finding our passions or “spark.” To highlight how the students have found their own spark, Project Cornerstone created a school wide project where they can draw a picture representing the things that they are passionate about. These include activities, people or causes. The students uploaded these pictures onto a drive and Project Cornerstone will be sharing a slide show of our students in the coming weeks. Keep a lookout for that in the Lions Roar Newsletter! We are so grateful that our students have such meaningful and diverse sparks and look forward to seeing the wonderful things they will accomplish!
This month the kindergarten readers had the option of reading, The Dot or Be Polite and KInd by Cheri G Meiners. Children who were read, Be Polite and Kind talked about good manners and the importance they play in getting along with others. We also talked about being kind and that it is important to treat one another with respect. We called these acts of kindness and made a list of ways to be kind to one another. Look for ways you can do acts of kindness together as a family. If you make a meal for someone, involve your child in the cooking, have them make a card and help with the delivery. Children who were read, The Dot talked about “muddy thoughts vs clear thoughts” and finding their passions or “spark.” Whichever story your child heard the message was still the same; stay positive, be kind to others, and help your child to focus on the good in themselves and how they can help others.
Happy Reading!
Sarah Rizvi at sarah.rizvi@lietzhsc.com
Lisa Valera at lisa.valera@lietzhsc.com
CHEF’S NIGHT OUT
One of the last Chef’s Nights Out for this school year will be on Wednesday, May 12th, from 5-9pm. When you order from the location next to Whole Foods (1110 Blossom Hill Road), Lietz Home and School Club receives 33% of your purchase. If you are ordering online, please use the code C2LHJL3, and don’t forget to click “apply”. Directions to order online can be found in the attachment. Ordering delivery is not included in the fundraiser. If you are ordering for takeout, make sure to show the flyer attached. Thank you for supporting the Home and School Club!
Jessica Iwamoto Steed | Chef’s Night Out Lead
MUSIC PROGRAM
DRAMA
How to Manage “Big Feelings” Around School Re-Opening
By Lietz Elementary Project Cornerstone Team
The air feels thick with anticipation as we approach the re-opening of school campuses. No matter what choice your family made about returning to campus, we have confidence that you made the best choice for your family given your situation, your knowledge and your values. Transitions are often stressful and this document was created by the Project Cornerstone team to serve as a general guide to making space for “the Big Feelings” students might be dealing with in the coming weeks.| Situation | Talking Points | Validating Feelings & Meeting Needs |
| Your child is remote learning, but their friends are going back to campus. OR Your child is back on campus, but their friends are staying remote. |
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| Wearing a mask for the entire duration at school. |
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| Child afraid of getting COVID or getting someone else sick. Child is concerned about physical contact with others. |
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| Your child has to switch teachers. |
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You can visit our Lietz shop to place your order. Our amazing volunteer will deliver them to you. As of now, we have adult and youth Lietz HSC masks in the shop. More to come!!
Kelli Martines | Spiritwear Lead
FARM FRESH TO YOU
We have partnered with Farm Fresh To You, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce and artisanal farm products delivery service. You can subscribe and receive fresh, organic produce conveniently delivered right to your home or office while earning 10% for Lietz HSC! Please use code “LIETZHSC”. If you an existing member you can add the code to your account. New members can add it when they purchase the subscription. 
Mathieu Olivari | Farm Fresh to You Lead
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR
A NEW PROGRAM?
Are you thinking of starting a new program that would benefit the Lietz community , may be in the next school year ? If so, please head to our website to complete and submit a simple Program Proposal Form.
We will work with you to make it a reality!
DONATIONS TO HSC
If your company is giving you money to give it to your favorite organization, please consider giving it to HSC either for General Donation or for Staff Appreciation. Or if you are planning to donate money, please check if your company matches the contribution. Please visit the Donate! page for making donation.UPCOMING EVENTS
May 11, Tuesday, Diversity and Inclusion
May 12, Wednesday, Chef’s Night Out at Chipotle
May 19, Wednesday, 7pm, HSC General Meeting
June 4, Friday, Last Day of School
To find all the HSC events, go to the Events page here. To have always up-to-date HSC events directly on your phone, tablet or computer, just Subscribe to the calendar feed.
Contact US
Please use this link to find information to contact your HSC board. Please note that now HSC newsletter is only delivered digitally on the HSC website.