FAQ | feef

1. How do I stay informed about happenings at school? Once the school year is underway, you’ll start receiving information via a variety of communications channels. Here’s a heads up of what to expect: ROOM PARENT EMAILS: Your room parent(s) will send out a periodic email highlighting the upcoming important activities and dates for your classroom and/or grade. FRIDAY FOLDERS: A folder comes home each Friday in grades 1-5 with paper communications from the school, teacher, and/or FEEF. Look for things like completed classwork, field trip permission slips, the hot lunch menu, etc. PEACHJAR: The school district uses Peachjar to send out information about extracurricular activities and academic enrichment programs. After school begins, you will receive an email invitation with signup instructions. SCHOOL WEBSITE & CALENDAR: Bookmark the school website https://www.cusdk8.org/faria, where you will find up to date school information and be able to access school forms. The latest school events are always posted at the school calendar.

2. How do I subscribe to the Faria calendar? Here is the ical link: https://www.cusdk8.org/site/handlers/icalfeed.ashx?MIID=5152 iCal Feed Instructions: iOS Devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) Android Devices and Google Calendar Microsoft Outlook Other Calendar Programs

3. What is the Safe Routes to School for Faria? Safe Routes to School is an international movement to make it safe, convenient and fun for children and families to choose healthier, active, and sustainable school commutes. The goal of Safe Routes to School is to get more children bicycling and walking to schools every day. This improves community and personal health, benefits the environment, increases safety, and decreases traffic congestion around schools. The Cupertino Union School District continues to build partnerships with the cities where our students live (Cupertino, Los Altos, Santa Clara, San Jose, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale) so that we can all make sure our students are traveling to and from school in the healthiest way possible. Even if you have to get to school by car, there are still options for you to help reduce congestion and make your commute less stressful. Safe Routes for All - Santa Clara County - Youtube video Safe Routes to Faria School - PDF document with map and routes

4. Why do I get so many donation reminders? We just remind the parents who might have intentions to donate but just forgot! Ignore if you've already done. Thank you for helping our Falcons soar high!

5. What are the requirements to start a new club at Faria? Student club policy from the California Code of Regulations states that schools are not required to provide extracurricular activities, but when they do, the extra curricular activities must be supervised by CUSD certificated employees. Although FEEF is a separate organization, it is a foundation that supports school to provide all round education for the kids. Therefore, clubs conducted by FEEF come under this regulation. All clubs conducted by FEEF must have a teacher associated with the club who oversees the operation of the club. Teachers have about 25 hours per year of adjunct duty in their contract, which essentially means they can support various non-direct-instruction related activities up to 25 hours per year without additional compensation. Teachers use this time for many things, including maintaining grade level websites, attending FEEF and SSC meetings, ensuring Faria philosophy adapts to the changing times, etc. They have to use the remaining adjunct duty hours to support these clubs. Another restriction is that public schools are supposed to provide free education to all of their students. According to CUSD rules, no activity that requires a payment from parents can be endorsed by district and school (Since public schools are free). Since FEEF is associated with the school, FEEF also cannot conduct such activities. Programs that fall under this restriction are Math Kangaroo, Destination Imagination, etc since they require parents to pay a fee to participate. The only way we can get around this restriction is if FEEF paid the registration fee for all students who wanted to participate in such events. This will require either an increase in donation from parents or at least >95% participation for direct donation.

6. Why doesn't Faria have school bus service? CUSD is required by law for some of our special education students due to their eligibility for services and transportation.  For the other schools where bussing is provided at a cost to parents, most locations are due to the crossing of a major road such as Lawrence Exp, Stevens Creek, Foothill Exp.  For alternative schools, based on the nature of choice and families coming from all over the District, it would be challenging to run a bus - multiple would be needed. A few years back CUSD explored bussing at Faria but were challenged in many ways.  Currently, CUSD do not have enough buses or drivers to expand busing service in other communities that meet some of the same criteria (example Montclaire to CMS across Foothill Expressway).

7. How can an external requester use the GLC during the non school hours to conduct a test/ classes? You will need to complete an external use permit because there is no staff on site during non school hours. You need to request access to the GLC . There is more information on the district's web site. The procedure from the District follows: An external requester has to complete the online use permit which is located on the district website: https://www.cusdk8.org/domain/60

Did You Know?

Did your child loose lunch ID card?

Just write child's name, student ID number and make your own lunch ID card that is valid and accepted!

Lost your Visor card, that you display on car dashboard while drive-through pickup?

Just write/ print child's name in really big font for a new Visor card!

Got clearance to Volunteer and available during lunch time?

Drop by the office at 11:50 AM, signup in signup sheet, get volunteer sticker and vest, walk in to cafetaria to help! I am sure your child would be delighted seeing you!

Do you know any workarounds that help parents? email me yours at faria-feef@gmail.com, and we will add it here.