The Elk Hills PTO will be hosting the Coins for Courage coin drive next week, benefitting Honor Flight Kern County to help send a veteran on an Honor Flight! Each day we will collect a different coin! Monday: Pennies, Tuesday: Nickels, Wednesday: Dimes, and Thursday: Quarters. Gather up your loose change this weekend and help us honor a veteran! The class that turns in the most money will earn a pizza party. To learn more about Honor Flight Kern County please visit https://www.honorflightkerncounty.org/about/
The Literacy Team/Classroom pumpkins are ready, look how awesome they turned out! There's still time to enter to win! Tickets can be purchased until 10:45 a.m. tomorrow during the Trunk or Treat!
Grades and their respective themes: TK/K: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, 1st grade: Pete the Cat, 2nd grade: The Good Egg, 3rd grade: The Creepy Pair of Underwear, 4th grade: Harry Potter (face), 5th grade: Harry Potter (Coat of Arms), 6th grade: Nightmare Before Christmas, 7th grade: Winnie the Pooh, 8th grade: The Outsiders, Literacy Team: The Wonky Donkey.
Can't wait to see who wins!
Don't forget!: Elk Hills School District's annual Trunk or Treat event will be held on Halloween morning: Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Set up begins at 8:30 AM, Trunk or Treat begins at 9:00 AM, and will be followed by a student vote for best trunk and a costume contest! If you'd like to have a trunk, or have general questions regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Cassandra at 661-765-7431 x 111 or camcgowan@elkhills.org, you will need to provide your own individually sealed candy, please plan to have enough for 180 children. We look forward to seeing all the awesome trunks and fun costumes! *You do not have to decorate a trunk, if you would just like to stand at your car and pass out candy, that is OK too!
Name: Logan Rensel
Position: 5th Grade Teacher
Length of time at Elk Hills: 3 years
Educational background: Attended CSU Bakersfield and Point Loma Nazarene University. Dual credentialed in History and Multiple Subjects.
Why I enjoy working here: I truly enjoy the tight-knit community atmosphere at Elk Hills. Being born and raised in Bakersfield, California, working in a small school allows me to build meaningful connections with both my students and colleagues, creating a sense of family.
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts, playing video games, running, and spending time with my dog.
Hopes/goals for this year: My main goal for this year is to create an engaging and supportive learning environment where my students feel confident to explore and succeed. I also aim to integrate more quick and fun classroom games to keep things lively!
Each month, every student who has a 97% rate or higher, is entered into the monthly drawing. Congratulations to our attendance winner for the month of September! We are proud of you!
Don't forget!: Elk Hills School District's annual Trunk or Treat event will be held on Halloween morning: Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Set up begins at 8:30 AM, Trunk or Treat begins at 9:00 AM, and will be followed by a student vote for best trunk and a costume contest! If you'd like to have a trunk, or have general questions regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Cassandra at 661-765-7431 x 111 or camcgowan@elkhills.org, you will need to provide your own individually sealed candy, please plan to have enough for 180 children. We look forward to seeing all the awesome trunks and fun costumes! *You do not have to decorate a trunk, if you would just like to stand at your car and pass out candy, that is OK too!
Big Smiles will be on campus November 21, 2024. Don't forget to sign up your child if you'd like them to be seen! Go to www.myschooldentist.com to sign them up before November 12, 2024. Big Smiles is a mobile dentist that comes to school campuses and provides dental services, these services include xrays, cleaning, sealants, and small cavity fillings. Having dental work done in a safe, comfortable environment takes away a lot of the stress children can have about dentists. Elk Hills has been a proud partner with Big Smiles for three years and they have provided many students with excellent dental care.
Don't forget!: Elk Hills School District's annual Trunk or Treat event will be held on Halloween morning: Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Set up begins at 8:30 AM, Trunk or Treat begins at 9:00 AM, and will be followed by a student vote for best trunk and a costume contest! If you'd like to have a trunk, or have general questions regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Cassandra at 661-765-7431 x 111 or camcgowan@elkhills.org, you will need to provide your own individually sealed candy, please plan to have enough for 180 children. We look forward to seeing all the awesome trunks and fun costumes! *You do not have to decorate a trunk, if you would just like to stand at your car and pass out candy, that is OK too!
Next week is Red Ribbon Week! During the week of October 28 - November 1, we encourage our students to show their school spirit and dress up according to the flier posted! Students will be learning about the importance of living a drug free life. Stay posted about the Halloween festivities planned on October 31!
Staff Spotlight: Miss Taryn, 4th grade teacher
Hello!
My name is Taryn Esquibel-Collins (Miss Taryn to the kids). I am the 4th grade teacher this year at Elk Hills. Although it is my first official year as a teacher here, some of the kids may know me as the long-term sub for the 7th grade class last year. I was born and raised in Bakersfield and I lived in Santa Barbara for 4 years while I attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. Some of my favorite hobbies include crocheting, reading, and playing instruments (I play the flute, piano, the acoustic guitar, and the ukulele). I have a 3 year old husky/malamute mix that is very energetic and social and whom I love very much. I appreciate Elk Hills’ small community and the welcoming environment that has made me feel a part of their family. My hopes for this year are that the kids and I will grow together, learn together, and have lots of fun together. I am looking forward to seeing where this year goes, and I can’t wait to see what amazing adventures we have!
Pumpkin Patch Learning Trip! It's that time of year and our TK-1st grades will be visiting the Cherry Acres Pumpkin Patch! Please see the post below for more information!
Each month, every student who has a 97% rate or higher, is entered into the monthly drawing. Congratulations to our attendance winner for the month of August! We are proud of you!
We did it again! 98% attendance today! KEEP IT UP! Let's see if we can get a 100% attendance tomorrow! You guys are AWESOME! GO ELKS!
L.I.T. Pumpkin Opportunity Drawing: Themes Released! Please see the flier posted below! Be on the lookout for ticket sheets and fliers coming home in the next day or two. Tickets are $1 each. Tickets and money need to be returned to Mrs. J in the Reading Room (room 10) by October 30th. Please be sure to fill out the ticket with all necessary information so you can be contacted in the event you win a pumpkin!
We just want to give a big shout out to all the parents, guardians, and students who have been working so hard to help us maintain such amazing attendance so far this school year! Today we have another day of 98% attendance!
So far this month we've had three days of 98% attendance, three days of 97% attendance, two days of 96% attendance, two days of 95% attendance, and one day of 93% attendance. Mondays and Fridays are our lowest attendance days; please keep in mind that Mondays are when students learn new concepts and Fridays are when they are assessed on those concepts. Let's keep this momentum going all year! We are so proud of all your efforts! GO ELKS!
Don't forget!: Elk Hills School District's annual Trunk or Treat event will be held on Halloween morning: Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Set up begins at 8:30 AM, Trunk or Treat begins at 9:00 AM, and will be followed by a student vote for best trunk and a costume contest! If you'd like to have a trunk, or have general questions regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Cassandra at 661-765-7431 x 111 or camcgowan@elkhills.org, you will need to provide your own individually sealed candy, please plan to have enough for 180 children. We look forward to seeing all the awesome trunks and fun costumes! *You do not have to decorate a trunk, if you would just like to stand at your car and pass out candy, that is OK too!
Our Literacy Intervention Team will be selling book-themed pumpkins again this year, only it won't be an auction: this year we will be sending home tickets for sale for $1.00 each! This will give more people the chance to win one of these amazing pumpkins! Each class picked a theme based on a book and the class will design and create a pumpkin to be given away to a ticket puchaser after our Trunk or Treat event on Halloween morning. You do not need to be present to win, so please be sure to fill the ticket out in full so we can contact you in the event you win! A flier with the pumpkin themes and a sheet with eight tickets will be sent home tomorrow, so be on the lookout! The money raised from this goes directly to the Literacy Intervention Team for things like their annual Book Tasting Event and incentives for students who make progress in their reading and spelling skills.
Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Watts, Instructional Intervention Aide
I’m currently a Literacy and Math aide. I’m in my second year working at the Elk Hills School District. Graduated Taft College with an associates degree in Direct Support Education and Disabilities Services and am currently enrolled at GWU working towards my bachelors degree. During my first year [I worked] as a Kindergarten Aide and special needs aide, I especially love helping kids have that “Aha!” moment. It’s very cool when a student gets what they are working on and has a full understanding of what they are studying. It’s very satisfying to help students get better with their skills!
My hobbies are gardening, cooking and going to concerts (love music).
Born in Taft, moved to Washington state when I was four years old. Spent many summers in Taft. Moved back in 1994. Love to travel all over the country, mostly the west coast. I’ve got 3 dogs and 5 cats. I live with my husband and youngest child. I have 3 adult children and 4 granddaughters.
Join us on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 in the Elk Hills cafeteria to discuss and plan for upcoming events, fundraisers, and more!
The Small Schools League Annual Volleyball Tournament will be held on Friday, October 11th, 2024 from 9:30 AM-1:30 PM at Maricopa Unified School District. Come on out and support our Elks! There will be a snack bar with lots of goodies, cash preferred.
