Dear Alta Sierra Intermediate School Parents and Guardians,

On behalf of our entire faculty and staff, welcome to Alta Sierra Intermediate School! We are excited to begin another school year and look forward to partnering with you to ensure your student has a successful and rewarding experience.

Throughout August and September, you will receive a weekly Parent Update filled with important school news, upcoming events, reminders, and opportunities to get involved. Beginning in October, these updates will transition to a monthly newsletter. We encourage you to read each edition with your student so your family stays informed and connected to everything happening at ASI.

This first Parent Update is packed with important information to help your family prepare for the start of the school year. Please take a few minutes to read through it, save it for future reference, and keep it handy during these first few weeks of school. If you make it all the way to the bottom—thank you! We know it's a lot of information, but it's all designed to help your student have a smooth and successful start.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child. We are honored to be part of their educational journey and look forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and Bruin pride.

Warm regards,

Jennifer Carter
Principal, Alta Sierra Intermediate School

1. Missed Lessons = Falling Behind: Even one day can mean missing critical instructions and activities, making it harder for your child to catch up.

2. Impact on Future Success: Consistent attendance is a strong predictor of academic achievement and future opportunities.

3. Building Resilience: Regular attendance teaches your child the value of perseverance and responsibility—essential skills for success in life.

4. Stronger Friendships: Daily presence helps your child develop and sustain friendships, which are crucial for emotional and social development.

5. Healthy Routine: Attending school every day establishes a stable routine, promoting better mental and physical health.

Who to contact if your child doesn't want to come to school: Mrs. Mennucci (Mrs. Gilbert/ Mr. Hodges - Subbing this fall) & Mrs. Tenney: Counselors

Parent communication is sent through ParentSquare. Student communication is sent through StudentSquare, which students can access through Clever on their Chromebooks.

You will receive notifications via text or email. Please check your ParentSquare settings to ensure your phone number and email address are correct so you can receive all communication from Alta Sierra.

Messages from teachers, clubs, athletics, and co-curricular programs are also sent through ParentSquare/StudentSquare. You may download the ParentSquare app or check your notifications via email or text.

Senders are able to see whether you have received and viewed the information that was sent.

Important: If you ever send an email and do not receive a response within 48 hours, please email or call me directly. It is possible your email was delivered to our spam folder. Once we locate it, we can whitelist it for future deliveries.

Traffic is always busy during the first few weeks of school. This year there will be additional delays with road construction on Minnewawa Avenue and Shepherd Avenue. And also Shepherd Avenue and Peach Avenue from August through October.

With approximately 4,600 students attending the three schools in the Buchanan Educational Complex, many parents and student drivers arrive at the same time. Please plan ahead and follow these guidelines to help keep everyone safe.

Morning Drop-Off

• Recommended Drop-Off Time: 8:10 a.m.

• Earliest Arrival: 8:00 a.m. (unless enrolled in Zero Period PE or Percussion)

• Please do not drop off students before 8:00 a.m., as there is no supervision prior to this time.

• Free breakfast is available before school or at break (for students with zero period PE)—this can help save you time in the morning.

Primary Drop-Off Location

• Use the parking lot next to the basketball courts on Peach Avenue.

• When exiting this lot, right turns only are allowed for safety.

If you prefer not to turn right, alternate drop-off locations include:

• Peach Ave. (east side)

• Peach Ave. (west side) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

• Peach Ave. (north of Teague Ave.) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

• Teague Ave. (west of Peach Ave.) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

Do NOT Drop Off Students In These Areas:

• Bus loading zone on Teague Ave. in front of the school

• Teague Ave. parking lot in the front of the school

Afternoon Dismissal & Pick-Up

• Students should go directly home after school unless they are attending athletic practice.

• There are no after-school labs during the first week of school.

Primary Pick-Up Location

• Use the parking lot next to the basketball courts on Peach Avenue.

• When exiting this lot, right turns only are allowed for safety.

Alternate pick-up locations:

• Peach Ave. (east side)

• Peach Ave. (west side) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

• Peach Ave. (north of Teague Ave.) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

• Teague Ave. (west of Peach Ave.) – students must walk to the Peach/Teague crosswalk to cross

Do NOT Pick Up Students In These Areas:

• Bus loading zone on Teague Ave. in front of the school

• Teague Ave. parking lot in the front of the school

Tip: To avoid congestion, consider waiting about 10 minutes after dismissal before picking up your student. Traffic clears quickly.

Bus Information

• Morning Arrival: Buses arrive between 8:10–8:20 a.m.

• Afternoon Departure: Buses depart between 3:20–3:25 p.m.

• The bus loading zone is on Teague Avenue in front of Alta Sierra, extending from the main office to the Energy Academy at Buchanan High.

• Please do not park in this zone—signs will be posted to mark it clearly.

Please check daily to ensure your student is in dress code. Dress code checks will be conducted every day starting Week 1, and progressive consequences will be applied for students not in dress code. All warnings will be documented from the first week onward.

Shorts

• Shorts must have a minimum 5-inch inseam AND a straight hem that is even all the way around each leg—front, sides, and back.

• To visualize: 5 inches is about the length of a dollar bill and falls around mid-thigh.

• Athletic-style shorts (e.g., Lululemon, Nike running shorts, etc.) that are curved, shorter on the sides, or do not meet both the inseam and straight-hem requirements are not allowed.

• Undergarments must not be visible.

Jeans

• Minor fraying and small holes are allowed.

• Shredded jeans with excessive holes are not permitted. Skin must not show through holes above mid-thigh.

• Beach/pool Slides/Flip Flops (e.g., Adidas or Nike slides) are not permitted.

• Tennis shoes are required for PE.

Tops

• Crop tops or bare midriffs (stomach or back) are not allowed.

• Tank tops must have a minimum 2-inch shoulder strap.

•  Undergarments must not be visible

• Pajama bottoms and slippers are not allowed.

• Hair color must be a natural color.

For the most current information, please refer to the Clovis Unified Dress Code on the district website.

Effective 2026-2027 school year, Alta Sierra Intermediate School will implement a cell phone-free campus policy for all students in grades 7 and 8. This policy is designed to support student learning, safety, and social-emotional wellness – helping students build stronger friendships and stay present during their school day.

Key Policy Requirements:

• Students must turn cell phones off or silent once the first bell rings. Students are allowed to access their cell phones before and after school.
• Phones must be stored in backpacks for the entire school day, including during passing periods, lunch, and break times.
• Use of cell phones is not permitted at any time during the school day unless authorized by a staff member. 
• Students may use their cell phones after school to contact parents.

📞 If a student needs to use their phone, they may do so in a cluster office or classroom under the supervision of a staff member.

If it is an emergency and a parent needs to contact their student, they may call the main school line. 

💬 A Note for Parents and Guardians

Please know that your student does not need to have a cell phone to be safe or connected at school. Many of our students do not have one, and that is completely fine. If your student ever needs to reach you during the school day, they are welcome to use an office or classroom phone with a staff member present.

We want Alta Sierra to be a place where students look up and look at each other – talking, laughing, and playing together instead of staring at a screen. A phone-free campus helps make that possible.

If you are considering a phone for your student for safety purposes, we recommend keeping it simple – a device similar to a GAPP-style phone that allows calling and texting without internet or social media access. At this age, talk and text is really all a student needs to stay in touch and stay safe.

💙 Keeping Each Other Accountable

• If a student uses their phone during the school day, the device will be held for safekeeping in Student Services.
• Phones may only be retrieved by a parent or guardian.
• Students will be placed on progressive discipline for repeated violations and will receive appropriate consequences as outlined in the student handbook.

Examples of progressive discipline may include:

• Warning and documentation
• Lunch Detention 
• After-school Detention
• Saturday School

🧠 Why a Phone-Free Environment?

Research shows that a phone-free learning environment positively impacts student well-being:

• Academic Benefits: Removing phones during the school day improves focus, participation, and academic performance. One study found test scores increased by 6.4% in schools that banned phones (EPPC, 2024).
• Mental Health: Students in phone-free schools report reduced anxiety, better sleep, and fewer social pressures tied to digital communication (Digital Wellness Lab, 2024).
• Stronger Peer Relationships: Without phones, students engage in real conversations, building stronger connections, empathy, and social skills.
• Reduced Distractions and Bullying: Phone-free policies minimize in-class distractions and reduce incidents of cyberbullying and social media conflict during school hours.

All students are eligible to receive lunch and one additional meal before school or break (for zero period PE students) each day at no charge.

Lunch lines tend to be long during the first few weeks of school, but all students have enough time to eat. At the secondary level, students walk themselves to the lunch lines.

We have:

• 2 lines inside the MPR

• 4 to 5 lines at the outside windows

Students can also choose to wait until the lines shorten before getting in line to ensure they have enough time.

With no-cost meals for all students, no student will ever go hungry during the school day unless they choose not to eat. Please note that at the secondary level, students are not required to eat lunch.

Food & Lunch Deliveries

Alta Sierra Intermediate School does not accept deliveries from food delivery services such as Grubhub, Postmates, DoorDash, Jimmy John’s, or similar vendors. This policy also applies to other deliveries such as balloons, flowers, or gifts.

However, we will never deny a parent access to their child. If you wish to bring lunch for your student:

• Check in at the front office between 12:35 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. with a valid photo ID.

• Our staff will verify your identity through the Raptor system.

• Once cleared, you may personally hand your student the lunch you provide.

Important Notes:

• Parents may provide lunch only for their own student, not for friends or other students.

• For safety and supervision, parents must come into the office—students may not meet parents in the parking lot or at the street to receive items.

Forgotten Item Drop-Offs

Forgotten items—such as towels, athletic gear, textbooks, PE clothes, or shoes—should also be dropped off in the main office.

• We do not deliver items to classrooms or maintain a drop-off table.

• If you bring an item, we are happy to call your student out of class so they can pick it up from you directly.

At Alta Sierra, we value the development of responsibility and independence. Experiencing the natural consequences of forgetting an item helps students grow in organization, problem-solving, and accountability. We encourage families to allow students to manage their own responsibilities—even if that occasionally means going without a forgotten item.

PE Clothes & Locks:

• Available for purchase in PE classes during the first week of school.

• Checks should be made payable to Clovis Unified School District.

Zero Period PE

• Begins Day 1
• Students report directly to the gym at 7:25 a.m.

Lunch Period PE

• Begins Day 1.
• Students report straight to PE at 12:35 p.m.
• After PE, students will have the last 10 minutes of lunch to eat.

Hey Bruins!

Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 13th! We have several opportunities to help your family get ready for an amazing school year.

Back-to-School Sales
8:00–11:00 a.m. | MPR & Band Room

Stop by to purchase:

• ASI P.E. clothes & locks

• Sprit Packs

• Activities Pass

• Bruin Spirit Wear

• Foundation (PTC) Membership

Good news! We now accept all forms of payment.

Campus Tours
Tours will begin every 15 minutes starting at 8:00 a.m., with the last tour leaving at 10:30 a.m.

Bring your class schedule and join one of our guided groups as we help you become familiar with campus before the first day of school. No pre-registration is required—just show up!

Welcome to Alta Sierra Parent Information Night

Parent Information Night -5:30pm

Parents are invited to join us for our Welcome to Alta Sierra Information Night, where we'll share everything you need to know to start the school year successfully. We'll cover how Alta Sierra operates, important procedures and expectations, what families can expect during the first weeks of school, and how intermediate school differs from elementary school. We'll also highlight what's new for the 2026–2027 school year and answer your questions.

We look forward to welcoming our newest Bruins and their families!

Requirements to participate: A completed homecampus.com account including a current sport physical.

• All fall Sports Begin: Monday, August 24th @ 3:30pm.