Dear ASI Parents & Guardians,

As we move into February, I want to thank you for your continued partnership and support. The spring semester is a busy and exciting time at Alta Sierra, filled with academic growth, student celebrations, and opportunities for our students to demonstrate responsibility, resilience, and kindness.

Middle school is a critical period of development, and your involvement truly makes a difference. We encourage you to regularly monitor your child’s academic progress through Parent Connect and to stay engaged in conversations about organization, responsibility, and goal setting. Just as important, continued monitoring of social media use and cell phone habits helps guide students toward making safe, respectful, and positive choices—both in and out of school.

February also reminds us of the importance of character, empathy, and positive relationships. At ASI, we continue to reinforce these values through our school expectations and programs that support a safe and connected campus environment.

Please know that our staff is here to support both you and your child. If questions or concerns arise, we encourage you to reach out—we value open communication and collaboration with our families.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the ASI community. And, as always, thank you for taking the time to read and stay connected!

Warm regards,
Mrs. Carter
Principal, Alta Sierra Intermediate

Regular attendance provides students with daily access to a variety of services and supports. From free meals served to all students, to mental health and wellness programs, to character-building lessons, and to positive role-models and structure, each campus promotes a nurturing, safe environment. Students in school are less likely to get in trouble with the law.

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you for helping promote strong attendance habits at ASI! Each period 1 class below received a donut or hot chocolate party.

Week 1

• Mrs. Hutchason

• Mr. Houtsinger

• Mr. Estep

Week 2

• Mr. Downer

• Ms. Covarrubias

• Ms. Strong

Week 3

• Mrs. Reynolds

• Mr. Wilkins

• Mr. Charnow

Week 4

• Mrs. Albee

• Mrs. Milhous

• Mrs. Orellana

Keep up the strong attendance—every day counts!

Our Alta Sierra Spring Fundraiser is officially underway, and we’re off to a fantastic start! We’re selling delicious Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and other great items, and there are multiple easy ways to support Alta Sierra!

• Our goal: $50,000 to support our students and incentives
• Raised so far: $13,000 — let’s keep the momentum going!

How to Participate:

1. Register your student at www.shopfund.com
2. Add 10 contacts to their dashboard
3. Use Group Code: KHM4R

REGISTER – SHARE – WIN!
 Students earn virtual coins during registration and sharing that unlock prizes and chances to win from over $100,000 in prizes in the nationwide Spin-to-Win game!

PRIZE ALERT!

• By TONIGHT (Midnight 2/2): Register + add 10 contacts to be entered into a Water Balloon Toss for a chance to win an Amazon gift card!
• By NEXT FRIDAY (2/6): Register + add 10 contacts to be entered into a drawing for Amazon gift cards and a 43” TV! 

Prefer to Donate Directly? We’ve Got Options!

Families may choose to donate directly to the school; Good news, we will receive 100% of the donation:

• Check Donations: Please make checks payable to The Buchanan Foundation. Checks can be turned in to the Kodiak Cluster Office.
• Credit Card Donations: Credit card donations can be made by scheduling an appointment with Mrs. Powell at 327-3572.
• ** Important: Students will receive ALL prizes, even with direct donations!

Students have envelopes with a colorful catalog—perfect for Super Bowl parties, family gatherings, or sharing with friends, family, and coworkers. It’s an easy and delicious way to support our school!

Thank you for supporting Alta Sierra and helping our students succeed. Every contribution makes a difference!

A few of our students created a social board game with Mrs. Mechekoff, and I had the opportunity to play it with them. It was creative, engaging, and a lot of fun! Great job to Eli and Jillian for their teamwork and innovation.

To ensure the safety and well-being of our students, we want to remind you of the following procedures regarding student deliveries, including Valentine's Day deliveries:

• Food Deliveries:
  Delivery services such as DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates, Chow Now, Jimmy John’s, or pizza deliveries will not be accepted at ASI.

• Forgotten Lunches:
  If your student forgets their lunch, parents are welcome to bring one lunch for their student only. Parents may not bring additional lunches for classmates.

• Lunch Delivery Procedures:
  All lunches must be delivered to the main office. Parents must bring a valid ID. We kindly ask that parents do not wait for students in the hallway or request that students meet them in the parking lot or on the street. Lunch drop-offs are for your student only and must be done by an emergency contact listed on file.

• Special Deliveries:
  Deliveries of balloons, stuffed animals, flowers, or other celebratory items will not be accepted for students.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping our school environment safe and orderly.

In honor of National School Counseling Week, the ASI Counselors would like to share how they are 📣amplifying📣 student success. The ASI Counselors strive to create and implement a comprehensive school counseling program that supports students’ academic success, social/emotional well-being, and postsecondary readiness. Check out their mid-year report to see how their schoolwide lessons and events have impacted students this school year.

As we begin a new month, I want to take a moment to celebrate the amazing achievements of our students.

This Thursday, we will hold our Semester 1 Academic Honor Award Ceremony in the MPR. Parents are invited to attend. Please park in the parking lot on Peach Ave near the basketball courts and walk east to the MPR. You do not need to check in at the main office for this celebration

• 9:15am - 7th & 8th Grade High Honor Roll
• 11:15am - 7th Grade Principal's Honor Roll
• 2:00pm - 8th Grade Principal's Honor Roll

At this event, we will proudly recognize:

• 65 7th graders and 53 8th graders who earned High Honor Roll (GPA 3.76–3.99).
• 272 7th graders and 189 8th graders who achieved Principal's Honor Roll (4.0 GPA).

In addition, 98 -  7th graders and 115 - 8th graders who earned Honor Roll (GPA 3.5–3.75) all will be recognized with certificates in their AB classrooms.

These accomplishments represent a total of 435 - 7th graders (61% of the 7th-grade class) and 357 8th graders (52% of the 8th-grade class) earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence.

Thank you for your continued support in encouraging your child to reach their fullest potential!

Since Semester 2 concludes on the last day of school, the 12-week progress report grades will be used to recognize and celebrate Semester 2 academic accomplishments.

The 12-week progress report grades in April will be used to determine eligibility for the following Semester 2 recognitions:

• Principal’s Medallion

• Block ASI

• Semester 2 Academic Awards

As we continue through the winter months, we would like to take a moment to remind families of Alta Sierra Intermediate’s dress code expectations. These guidelines are in place to help maintain a safe, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment for all students.

Please review the following winter dress code reminders:

• Pajama bottoms are not permitted on campus.

• Slippers, including UGG slippers, are not allowed. UGG boots and booties remain acceptable.

• Holes or rips in clothing must be patched from behind so that bare skin or undergarments are not visible. Minor distressing is acceptable.

• Undergarments must be covered at all times:

  • Boys: Undergarments may not extend below shorts.

  • Girls: Tops must fully cover all undergarments.

• Blankets are not allowed on campus.

We appreciate your partnership in helping students arrive at school dressed appropriately each day. The majority of our students consistently follow the dress code, and with continued family support, we can minimize dress code violations and reduce the need for progressive discipline.

Thank you for working with us to maintain a positive, respectful learning environment at Alta Sierra Intermediate. If you have any questions or need clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Congratulations to our Alta Sierra Intermediate Spelling Bee team on the successful completion of their competition season! We are proud of all of our student spellers for their dedication, preparation, and perseverance.

A special congratulations goes to Drake Nenadov, who earned the distinction of Top Alta Sierra Speller at the CUSD Spelling Bee. What an outstanding accomplishment!

To ensure the safety and well-being of all Alta Sierra Intermediate students, we would like to remind families of the following campus supervision guidelines:

Morning Supervision
Student supervision begins at 8:00 a.m. There is no supervision available prior to this time. Please do not drop students off before 8:00 a.m.

After-School Supervision
Students are expected to leave campus by 3:30 p.m. unless they are participating in an academic lab, athletic event, or scheduled club activity with supervision.

Athletic Competitions
Students may not remain on campus to watch athletic competitions unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Supervised Areas
Students must remain in a supervised location at all times while on campus to ensure their safety.

Thank you for your cooperation and partnership in helping us maintain a safe and secure learning environment for all students at Alta Sierra Intermediate.

Our two FTC Robotics teams competed in their 3rd Meet on Saturday, right here at Alta Sierra. Our 7th grade team, Half-Wit Hatchlings, won 4 of their 5 matches and are now 3rd place in the League of 20 teams. Our 8th grade team, E.G.G., won all 5 of their matches and rose up to 1st place in the League. Both teams compete at their last League event on February 7th for a chance to advance to the NorCal Championship. Well done, teams!

Bravo Bruin tickets are handed out inside and outside of the classroom to students demonstrating a Positivity Project character trait. These tickets are entered into weekly drawings. January winners were...

We are proud to recognize our talented ASI students who auditioned and were selected to participate in the FMCMEA Honor Choir—a wonderful achievement that reflects their dedication and musical excellence.

Congratulations to our Honor Choir students:

• Myra Ahmed

• Robert Begley

• David Murdock

• Tyler Snow

• Daphne Watson

The FMCMEA Honor Choir concert will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the PAC. We wish our students the very best as they represent Alta Sierra Intermediate this weekend!

For additional academic support, we offer Afterschool Labs from 3:20pm -5:20pm

AB - Monday & Tuesday

7th Grade: Room 204 (Monday) & Room 202 (Tuesday)
8th Grade: Room 308 or 310 (Monday) & Room 204 (Tuesday)

Science - Wednesday
7th Grade: Room 403
8th Grade: Room 101

Math - Thursday
7th Grade: Room 201
8th Grade: Room 107

The following students were honored in January with a pizza luncheon with their teachers for displaying one of the 24 characteristics of the Positivity Project.

• Emie Nenadov
• Samuel DeVoll
• Jessenia Espejel
• Taylor Hoshida
• Madeleine Gong
• Sophia Kourouyan
• Steven Wu
• Calvin Martin
• Ella Carlson
• Kalino Arroyo
• Elyana Bibler
• Perri Rohde
• Braden Cruise
• Presley Woods
• Addison Katano
• Emily Evans
• Rylan Soung
• Zachary Starkey
• Keilan May
• Jensen Kampsen
• Evelyn Guido
• Athena McBath
• Ethan Demanby
• Jaxon Tirapelle
• Ellie Giorgetti-Cipolla
• Ari Sobaje
• Jasmine Vang
• Carter Jaeckel
• Arthur Moye
• Tanner Jaekel
• Ananya Gulati
• Leah Kradjian
• Evan Micheli
• Mia Barnes
• Gretchen Rogers
• Nathan Schlundt
• Kaelyn Woods
• Elly Cargill
• Sophie Westra
• Dylan Lor
• Gabriel Lopez
• August Brummel
• Ezra Silagan
• Carissa Reinke
• Andee Bernhardt
• Brooklyn Wake
• Samantha Lara

Our ASI Student Body provides the materials and ingredients that allow students to participate in Club Day activities, including hands-on clubs such as Baking. Our next Club Day is February 17th.

 February 3-7, 2025

Alta Sierra Intermediate has two school counselors, Mackenzie Mennucci and Meghan Tenney, who aim to help students thrive every day. Middle school counselors identify students’ academic and social/emotional needs, connect students to resources, and promote college and career exploration. Ms. Mennucci and Mrs. Tenney work to ensure your students leave middle school equipped with the skills needed to be successful in high school and beyond. In celebration of National School Counseling Week, please review their mid-year report to see what the counselors have done to help students thrive this school year.

We are proud to announce an outstanding winter season for Alta Athletics. The Bruins captured four CIAL league championships during the winter season, showcasing the dedication, talent, and hard work of our student-athletes and coaches.

The four championships were earned by:

• 8th Grade Girls Basketball
• Gymnastics
• 7th Grade Girls Soccer (See picture below)
• Wrestling

Our gymnasts capped off back-to-back undefeated championship seasons, the 7th Grade Girls Soccer team posted a perfect 13–0 record with an astonishing 102–0 scoring differential, wrestling went undefeated in league dual meets but finished as co-champions with Clark Intermediate after falling just two points short in the league championship tournament (Clark 296.5, Alta 294.5), and the 8th Grade Girls Basketball team ended the season as CIAL co-champions, highlighted by a historic victory over Kastner—their first win against Kastner since 2019.

These four championships have propelled Alta Sierra to the top of the CIAL supremacy race. As we head into the spring season, Alta Sierra (120 points) currently holds a 16-point lead over Clark Intermediate (104 points) and a 22-point lead over third place Granite Ridge (98 points).

Congratulations to all our Bruins athletes, coaches, and families on an incredible winter season. We look forward to continuing this momentum into spring.

It’s a great day to be a Bruin!

• African American History Month
• Week of February 2nd - ASI College Week & National School Counselors Week
• Monday, February 2nd - College Lessons in Math Classes
• Tuesday, February 3rd - AVID College Trip to CSU Monterey Bay
• Thursday, February 5th - Semester 1 Academic Awards & MATHCOUNTS competition @ CSU Fresno.
• Thursday, February 5th & Friday, February 6th - ADV Drama Production - Room 701 - 7:00pm
• Friday, February 6th - 8th Grade Bruin of the Month
• Saturday, February 7th - FIRST Tech Challenge Competition @ CTEC High School & FMCMEA Honor Choir - 1:30pm - PAC.
• Monday, February 9th - Lincoln's Birthday - No School
• Wednesday, February 11th - 3rd Qtr. SART Meeting - 9:00am - Room 853 BHS
• Friday, February 13th - SJVCGPR Show #2
• Monday, February 16th - Washington's Birthday - No School
• Tuesday, February 17th - Club Day #5
• Wednesday, February 18th - Cookie Dough Order Turn-In & Foundation Mtg. 11:30am - BHS Room. 853
• Thursday, February 19th - CUSD Drama Festival
• Friday, February 20th - Last Day of the 6-Week Grading Period. (Progress Reports) & African American Heritage Conference
• Friday, February 20th & Saturday, February 21st - SJV Jazz Festival
• Sunday, February 21st - USA Pep & Cheer Nationals - Anaheim, CA
• Week of February 23rd - Physical Fitness Testing Begins
• Monday, February 23rd - Parent Info Night - Incoming 6th & New 7th - 5:30pm - ASI MPR
• Tuesday, February 24th - Parent Info Night - Incoming 6th & New 7th - 5:30pm - Cole MPR
• Wednesday, February 25th - 6th Grade Rally -**Special Schedule
• Thursday, February 26th - Parent Info Night - Incoming 6th & New 7th - 5:30pm - Tarpey MPR
• Friday, February 27th - SJVCGPR Show #3