CORNELL CHRONICLE 9/18/26
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CORNELL CHRONICLE September 18, 2026 Cornell strives to support a safe and secure learning environment that treats all students with dignity, respect, and high expectations. |
| CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
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Sep 19 |
Family Book Event, 2pm, Pegasus Books, 1855 Solano Ave |
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Oct 1-2 |
Picture Days |
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Oct 2 |
Coffee with the Principal, 8:30am, yard |
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Oct 2 |
PTA Family Math Night, 5:30-7:30pm, MPR |
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Oct 3 |
Westbrae Pumpkin Patch Bake Sale, 11:30-3pm, Westbrae Nursery |
| Oct 9 | No School - Fall Break |
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Oct 12 |
No School - Indigenous People's Day |
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Oct 17 |
Westbrae Pumpkin Patch Bake Sale, 11:30-3pm, Westbrae Nursery |
| Oct 30 | Halloween Parade |
Regular Weekly Schedule
Remember to set a reminder for Wednesday's early dismissal!TK & Kindergarten: 8:30-1:30 (Monday - Friday)
1st - 5th grades: 8:30-3:05 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
Wednesdays for 1st - 5th grades: 8:30-1:45
| PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING |
Dear Coyote Families,
My message today is packed with lots of information! Below you will find:
Information about our reading assessment and reading intervention groups for students who need additional support
Reminders about afternoon dismissal
An invitation from AUSD to join the district-wide Student Achievement Committee
Information for fourth-grade families about a California State Parks Free Pass
Reminder about parking in the alley
Reading assessment and intervention: In the first few weeks of school, all kindergarten through fifth grade students completed a DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment, which we use to identify students who may need additional reading support. All K-5th grade classes have dedicated “What I Need” (WIN) Time in their weekly schedules, which is when teachers meet with small groups of students to support them with targeted literacy skills and literacy enrichment. If your child’s DIBELS assessment indicates that they need additional reading support, your child will be supported during WIN time with either their classroom teacher or an Intervention Teacher who is qualified to provide more intensive support. If your child is on grade level according to our DIBLES assessment, then they will participate in literacy enrichment activities during WIN. In the coming weeks, you may hear your child talk about working with their classroom teacher or an Intervention teacher to build their reading skills throughout the school day. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns with regards to your child’s progress.
Reminders about afternoon dismissal: School is dismissed at 3:05 M/T/Th/F, and 1:30 on Wednesdays. After dismissal, all students are expected to go to an afterschool program, be promptly picked up by a parent/caregiver, or walk home on their own if they have parent permission to do so. Ten minutes after dismissal, any students who haven’t been picked up by a parent/caregiver or an afterschool provider will be sent to the office to call home. A teacher in an orange vest is on the yard for ten minutes to help students, answer parent questions, and send children to the office to call home if needed, but this is not a supervised student recess time.
AUSD’s district-wide Student Achievement Committee (SAC) is recruiting for new members! We're especially hoping to hear from families of English Learners, students with disabilities, students from low-income households, and foster youth, though all are welcome to join. SAC is our advisory group for the district's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). The committee reviews our progress toward district goals, looks at student achievement data, and gives feedback on the actions we're taking to support students. We welcome parents, guardians, community members, students, and staff who want to help improve student success across our district! Interested? Fill out this brief Google Form. The first meeting is Wednesday, 9/23, from 6-7:30pm. Dinner is provided for those who RSVP on the form by EOD 9/18.
California State Parks Free Fourth Grade Pass: Incoming CA fourth graders can download the Free Fourth Grade Pass, which allows students and their families to enter 54 state parks at no cost. The pass provides unlimited access to parks stretching from the North Coast to Southern California. The pass is valid for up to 13 months.
Parking in the alley: Please do not park in the alley between Cornell and AUSD offices. Those parking spaces are reserved for Cornell and AUSD staff. Thank you!
Warmly,
jen
| CORNELL ANNOUNCEMENT |
CELL PHONES and SMART WATCHES
Students are not allowed to use cell phones or smart watches, on school grounds during the entire school day.
Cell phones or smart watches ringing in or around classrooms are extremely disruptive to teachers and other students and are, therefore, unacceptable.
● Cell phones and smart watches must be turned off during the entire school day,
● Cell phones and smart watches must be securely put away as the school and district are not responsible for any lost or stolen articles,
● Smart watches may not be worn during school hours, and
● Failing to follow cell phone and/or smart phone rules may result in confiscation and/or conference with parents.
For more details, please refer to our Parent Handbook.
| CORNELL LIBRARY CORNER |
Weekly Library Spotlight
This week focused on how to find what you are looking for in the library. We identified sections, what they contain, and how they are organized.
TK-1st: Explored the early reader bins that are color-coded and organized by theme or character. We reinforced the concept of fiction and non-fiction
2nd & 3rd: Practiced alphabetizing materials so that they can build independence during book browsing
4th & 5th: Reviewed the features of spine labels and did a scavenger hunt through the Dewey section to learn what high-interest subjects are where
Latino Heritage Month Launched: Book Displays & Guest Readers Needed
Our display of Latinx Heritage book selections is up and available to all in the community. Kids are excited to host guest readers from our community who identify as Latino Oct 2nd-8th . If you would like to participate as a reader, please sign up here. Big thanks to the Familias Latinas de Albany for leading this great tradition!
THIS SATURDAY! 9/19/26, 2 pm @ Pegasus on Solano
Many of our students love the Timmy Failure series. The author, Stephan Pastis will be celebrating the release of his newest middle-grade graphic novel, Adventures of He-Man and Porter. Pastis and the illustrator will be doing a reading, talking about the cartooning process, and signing books. It’s free!
Ms. Kate, Cornell’s Teacher Librarian, is reachable anytime at kbowman@ausdk12.org to respond to any questions, needs, or requests.
| PTA NEWS |
Cornell PTA One Campaign!
The Cornell PTA One Campaign is happening now! The PTA directly supports students and teachers at Cornell with classroom enrichment, supplies, and hosts fun community events all year long like Popsicle Wednesdays, Saturdays in the Garden, Ice Cream Social, Math Night, Winter Craft Fair, and Cornell’s Got Talent. Donating to the PTA ensures these events continue and bring our community together! Donate here: https://cornellpta.membershiptoolkit.com/membership
Westbrae Pumpkin Patch Bakesale!
It's time for the ever popular Pumpkin Patch at Westbrae nursery. The pumpkin patch is our biggest fundraiser aside from direct parent contributions. Please make sure to buy your Halloween pumpkins at Westrbae Nursery, and to spread the word.
This fundraiser is essential to the PTA and the more we can send people to the fantastic Westbrae Nursery the better! Tell your friends to buy their pumpkins there. Tell your enemies. Tell strangers in elevators. Buy pumpkins for strangers in elevators. Buy pumpkins and leave them in elevators for strangers. Just make sure the pumpkins come from Westbrae!
To support the Pumpkin Patch, we also do the Pumpkin Patch Bake Sale, and we need volunteers!
We need Bakers and Sellers!
Saturday October 3rd and Saturday October 17th
Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/2026PumpkinPatchBakesale
Feel free to call or text me (Seth 510.847.5673) with questions, or send them to seth@redoakrealty.com
Math Night!
Friday October 2 from 6-8 in the Cornell MPR
Cornell Family Math Night is a night of community and fun! The PTA provides dinner and games for families to enjoy together. Many of these games tie in with math learning and games your children are learning in class! We’ll have activities for all grades.
We can’t do it without you! Sign up to help! We need parents to host games (Training provided! Math experience is not necessary!) And we need parents to help with food and prep!
We also need a head count to help us with food and planning. If you plan to attend, please RSVP here!
Popsicle Wednesdays! Volunteers needed!
We still have volunteer shifts available for Popsicle Wednesdays. Popsicle shifts are a lot of fun and a great mid-week dopamine hit. Shifts begin at 1:30pm in the Cornell yard and are finished within an hour.
Please sign up for shifts here!
Before your first shift, you will need to submit a Volunteer 1 form and read the volunteer handbook (if you have not done so previously). You may find that form and more information here.
Cornell PTA Instagram @cornellpta
Cornell Wear eStore is always here with t-shirts, hoodies and more for the whole family!
| FROM AUSD |
Superintendent's Community Update
Community Update from the Superintendent – August/September 2026
| COMMUNITY |
Link to AUSD Events and Announcements. This page features districtwide events, community events, and opportunities for AUSD students and families.
| NOTES FROM THE OFFICE |
Please visit the Cornell website for general information.
OFFICE HOURS
Office Hours: 8:15am – 3:30pm
Office Phone: (510) 558-3700
Email: Sui-Ling (sangelidis@ausdk12.org), or Margaret (mglendening@ausdk12.org)
LINK TO 2026-27 AUSD SCHOOL CALENDAR
LINK TO BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS