On Friday, January 23rd, our sixth grade students returned back to Sonia Sotomayor after spending the week up at Camp Cuyamaca. Students partook in a wide range of outdoor activities ranging from nature exploration, crafts, and all day adventure hike. We are excited to have you back and look forward to hearing about your camp experiences!
The countdown to The Great Kindness Challenge has begun! This coming week, our students will come together to celebrate kindness, demonstrate compassion, express gratitude, and actively showcase their LOVE in various uplifting ways. We’re eagerly anticipating it!
We want to encourage all of our students to come together with others around the world and complete Acts of Kindness and participate in our Kindness Challenge Spirit Week! Kindness is contagious and its through kindness that we can help move hearts, minds, and human kind in making our world a better place.
Kids Heart Challenge
Dear Families,
Kids Heart Challenge is set to conclude in 7 days! Has your family learned Hands-Only CPR yet?! If not, sign up today! DID YOU KNOW – 90% of people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest don’t survive. Immediate Hands-Only CPR can double, even triple, a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. By completing Finn’s Mission, YOU can learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR!
SIGN UP/LOG IN at http://www2.heart.org/goto/SoniaSotomayor and LEARN HANDS-ONLY CPR TODAY! Then from your HQ, share this lifesaving skill with 10 family members or friends, helping to create a community of lifesavers.
KHC GOALS & CELEBRATIONS:
Our goal is to raise $6,500 in lifesaving donations and we are currently at 68%of our goal!
- Raise $3,250 – SILLY STRING the Principal and Vice Principal
- The class with the most students signed up gets to Silly String!
- Raise $6,500 – SLIME the Principal and Vice Principal
- Raise $100+ to get a cup of Slime!
Why Finn’s Mission? Meet heart survivor Finn and hear how completing Finn’s Mission gives hope to everyone, everywhere. Thank you for supporting the American Heart Association and for being a Heart Hero!
Snowy Owl Expectation Focus
Our goal at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School is to create and maintain a positive and safe learning environment for all and hold students accountable for being positive forces within our school community. The Snowy Owl Expectations are taught, modeled, and practiced throughout all grade levels and locations around campus. For the next weeks, we will focus and reinforce the expected behaviors for restrooms. We appreciate your support in asking your Snowy Owls at home what specific behaviors allow them to be safe, respectful, responsible, and kind at restrooms.
LEAD Spring Academy
2026-2027 TK and Kindergarten Townhall
Don’t miss this! Save the date for our district online Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Town Hall on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Learn all about our programs, including dual immersion, visual and performing arts, special education services, and more! Click on the flyer for more information.
2026-2027 School Calendar
The 2026-2027 school calendar is here! We have included important dates for the 2026-27 school year. Please plan all fun family events during our school breaks so students are at school every day. Remember we are on a modified year around school calendar. School starts July 22, 2026!
Key breaks include:
- Student Start Date: July 22, 2026
- Student End Date: June 4, 2027
- Fall Break: September 21 – October 2, 2026
- Thanksgiving Break: November 23 – November 27, 2026
- Winter Break: December 21, 2026 – January 11, 2027
- Spring Break: March 22 – April 2, 2027
Open Enrollment Coming Soon
Open Enrollment for the 2026-27 School Year will open on February 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Families interested in enrolling can visit cvesd.org/enroll now for details about the process and next steps. Continuing Student Enrollments for the 2026-27 School Year will open on May 26, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
YMCA 2025-26 Annual Fundraising Campaign
Embrace the spirit of generosity this month by joining hands with the Sotomayor YMCA. Together, we can unlock the power of positive change and support an organization that breathes life into our community.
Your generosity can be the spark that lights up the path to a brighter, stronger community. Give joy, hope, and the gift of making a difference with the Sotomayor YMCA!
Sotomayor YMCA 2025-26 Annual Fundraiser Donation Link
YMCA Programs
We’re excited to share several upcoming opportunities from our partners at the South Bay Family YMCA, designed to support families, provide enriching experiences for children, and give parents some well-deserved flexibility.
💕 Parents’ Night Out – February 13, 2026
Looking for a worry-free evening? The South Bay Family YMCA is hosting a Parents’ Night Out where children ages 3–12 can enjoy a fun-filled night of games, activities, and a movie while parents enjoy time out.
🕓 4:45 PM – 8:00 PM
🍕 Snacks and pizza provided
🚽 Children must be potty trained
💲 $25 per child (membership discounts available)
🌸 Spring Break Day Camp 2026
Make spring break memorable with YMCA Spring Day Camp! Campers will enjoy a full week of arts and crafts, sports, games, and opportunities to make new friends in a safe, engaging environment.
📅 March 23–27 and March 30–April 3
🕢 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Locations include Veterans Elementary School and the YMCA Teen Center
💙 Scholarships and financial assistance are available
🛍️ Drop & Shop Child Care
Need time to run errands or do some shopping in peace? Drop & Shop offers supervised care with fun activities for children ages 3–12.
📅 January 17 & 31 | February 14 & 21
🕘 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 South Bay Child Watch Room
🍎 Snacks provided
💲 $25 per child (membership discounts available)
For more information or to register, please visit ymcasd.org/southbay or ymcasd.org/southbaycamp. These programs are a wonderful resource for families in our school community—we encourage you to take advantage of them!
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School 