Dear AEA Community,

As we return from winter break, I want to warmly welcome you back and share my excitement for the months ahead as we continue this school year together.

Over the past several months, our community has navigated change, challenge, and growth. I want to take a moment to sincerely thank our families, staff, and students for your resilience, flexibility, and unwavering commitment to one another. Your dedication and perseverance are what make our school community strong, and I am deeply grateful for the patience and trust you have shown during this time.

Moving forward, we remain optimistic and committed to embracing change as an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow together. This new phase of the school year brings renewed energy, fresh goals, and exciting possibilities, and we look ahead with enthusiasm.

I would also like to share an important update with our families. Our first lottery for the 2026–27 school year will be announced later this month for incoming kindergarten and 6th-grade families. We encourage interested families to stay tuned for additional details and upcoming communications.

Lastly, please note that our upcoming Board Meeting has been rescheduled to January 27 and will be held at our middle school campus in the MPR. We encourage our community members to attend and stay engaged in the important work ahead.

Thank you for being an essential part of our AEA community. We look forward to a successful remainder of the school year filled with learning, collaboration, and continued growth.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Sciarretta, Ed. D., 

AEA Superintendent

Greetings AEA Families,

I would like to wish our families a happy New Year and warmly welcome you back to campus. Our students have returned well rested, eager, and ready to learn.

As we reflect on the end of our first semester, I would like to share several highlights. This fall, we welcomed back the Safe School Ambassadors program from Community Matters—an evidence-based, student-centered initiative that promotes a positive school climate through an “inside-out” approach. Approximately 40 fourth- and fifth-grade students were trained to identify misbehavior and develop constructive problem-solving skills. These students continue to meet throughout the year to share observations and collaborate on solutions. This week, they held their third meeting of the school year and are working together to raise campus-wide awareness.

The semester also concluded with our student grief support groups, led by Elizabeth Hospice and supported by our school counselor, Ms. Ordonez. These groups provide students with a safe space to learn, grow, and normalize the grief experience alongside their peers. Families interested in future groups for a child who has experienced a recent loss are encouraged to contact Ms. Ordonez at aordonez@aeacs.org.

The week leading into winter break included enriching field trips and assemblies. On December 15, our fourth-grade students participated in a “History in a Trunk” assembly aligned with their IB unit, Where We Are in Place and Time. Additionally, our second-grade classes visited the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, in connection with their “Sharing the Planet” unit, and students enjoyed learning about plant life and ways to conserve water and support the environment.

As we begin the second semester, we will continue refining our German language instructional model and implementing our Benchmark program, which supports both ELA and Designated English Language Learner instruction. Our Literacy and English Language Development Interventionists will also start working weekly with our upper-grade English Language Learners to support preparation for ELPAC testing, which begins in February. This additional intervention will help build both student language skills and their confidence.

We are pleased to share that the first round of interviews to assess German-speaker priority for the 2026/27 school year, has been successfully completed. It was a joy to meet prospective students and families, and we are grateful for the interest in our school community. Thank you to our staff for supporting a smooth and welcoming interview process.

We appreciate your partnership and support with the following reminders:

• Please do not send students to school wearing smart watches. If brought to school, smart watches, like cell phones, must be turned off and kept in backpacks.
• Outerwear should be navy blue with an AEA logo, except during severe weather.
• For drop-off and dismissal safety:
• Do not double park.
• Do not block neighbors’ driveways.
• Vehicle drop-off and pick-up are at the A Street back gate only.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we provide high-quality teaching, learning, and enrichment experiences for all students.

Warmly,

Michelle Guarino