Cortez Elementary: Week of May 11, 2026

Posted Date: 05/10/26 (05:35 PM)

Cortez Weekly

Week of May 11, 2026

Cortez Open House - Tuesday, May 12th

We invite all families to join us for Open House this Tuesday! This is a wonderful opportunity to visit your child’s classroom and celebrate their learning and accomplishments. This year’s Open House will also feature two special presentations you won’t want to miss. Our students will showcase their learning with a Folklórico Dance performance, and our second grade students will present their annual program of patriotic songs.

We look forward to seeing you there for an evening of celebration and community!

Wishing Ms. Keegan a Happy Retirement

We would like to share that Ms. Keegan will be retiring at the end of this school year. Her dedication, care, and commitment to our students and school community have made a lasting impact over the years. We are incredibly grateful for all she has given and wish her the very best in this next chapter. She will be greatly missed!

Thank You

On behalf of the entire Cortez staff, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our families for the kind notes, messages, and gestures shared during Staff Appreciation Week. Your thoughtfulness truly meant a great deal. We would also like to give a huge thank you to our PFA for their incredible efforts in making the week so special—your generosity and support helped our staff feel genuinely valued and appreciated.

May Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Every student can receive free breakfast and lunch every day! Check out the attached menus to see what tasty meals are coming up.

Breakfast Menu

Lunch Menu

Intervention Counselor - Ms. E.

We are proud to highlight Ms. Esposito (“Ms. E.”), our Intervention Counselor at Cortez Elementary! Ms. E. plays an important role in supporting students as they learn and practice the Cortez 4 School-Wide Expectations through classroom guidance lessons, small-group counseling, and individual support. She also partners closely with families by connecting them to valuable community resources.

April Student Support Highlights

Tier 1: 6 Classroom guidance lessons
Tier 2: 18 Students participating in small group counseling & 19 Students participating in PALS program
Tier 3: 15 Students participating in miscellaneous Tier 3 supports

If your child or family could benefit from support, Ms. E. is here to help! Visit the Alicia Cortez webpage, click “Popular Links,” and select “Request for Support.”

Upcoming Events

May 12th, 5:00pm: Cortez Open House

May 19th: 3rd Trimester Student Awards Ceremony

May 20th, 8:30am: 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony

May 20th: MINIMUM DAY

May 21st: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (MINIMUM DAY)

CAASPP Testing Update

We’re pleased to share that our students have successfully completed this year’s CAASPP testing.

We appreciate your support in helping ensure students were prepared, well-rested, and ready to do their best. We’re proud of the effort they put forth and look forward to sharing more about their progress as results become available.

Official CAASPP score reports will be mailed to families by the state, usually starting in late summer and continuing into early fall.

Weekly Attendance

Our year-long goal for attendance is 97%

Congratulations to the classes with the highest percentage of students who were at school every day during the week ending May 8, 2026.

Overall Attendance Rate Year to Date: 94.07%

Primary:

Mrs. Flum: 94.55%

Elementary:

Ms. Chapin: 97.24%

Preschool: 88.33%

Kindergarten: 92.86%

1st: 87.50%

2nd: 90.80%

3rd: 92.90%

4th: 93.85%

5th: 95.63%

6th: 92.00%

Here are a few key pointers about attendance:

📉 Even a few absences can make it harder for students to keep up.

👩‍🏫 Frequent absences affect the whole class, since teachers and classmates have to work harder to review missed instruction.

🤝 Being present helps students build friendships and strengthen social skills.

⏰ Arriving on time builds strong habits for success in school and beyond.

💬 If your family faces challenges with attendance, please reach out—we’re here to help.

Cortez PFA

🎉 Support Our PFA! (email: cortezcougarspfa@gmail.com)

Our Parent-Faculty Association (PFA) plays a big role in making school more engaging for our students.

📸 We’re on Instagram!

Cortez Elementary is now on Instagram! 🎉 Follow @aliciacortezcvusd to stay connected and see what’s happening around campus and in your student’s classroom. Get updates, highlights, and a peek into what is happening every day at Cortez! 🐾

Morning Drop-Off Reminder ☀️

There is no student supervision before 7:40am. We have noticed some students arriving early and engaging in unsafe play and/or disagreements in front of the school, so please help us keep mornings safe and calm.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parents: If you arrive before 7:40 a.m., please stay with your student until the gates are opened. For student safety, please do not drop off students before 7:40am.

 If your student walks to school, remind them to arrive around 7:40am.

Thank you for helping us keep all students safe and ready for a great day of learning!

Important Reminders

Free Breakfast – Breakfast is available for all students beginning at 7:10 a.m. Students eating in the cafeteria will be dismissed to their classrooms at 7:40 a.m. Kindergarten students will be escorted by an adult.
Minimum Day Tuesdays – All kindergarten students should arrive by 7:50 a.m. Kindergarten dismissal is at 11:10 a.m., and dismissal for grades 1–6 is at 11:20 a.m.
Student Drop-off & Pickup – During morning drop-off, please have students ready to exit the car right away. If you need extra time, the parking lot is available. At pickup, please remain in your car and be prepared to pull forward as space opens up.
Questions or Concerns – If you have questions about your child’s academic progress or something that happened during the school day, please contact your child’s teacher first.

Contact info

Please reach out to schedule a time to talk or just to share an idea.

Gerald_Matthews@chino.k12.ca.us
Erin_Starks@chino.k12.ca.us
(909)627-9438

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