W I N T E R
B R E A K
E D I T I O N
El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS Last Chance for the PTA/Education Foundation Challenge – Donate to SMMEF before the end of the year and you’ll be automatically entered in a raffle sponsored by the Edison PTA for two tickets to Disneyland or four wristbands to the Santa Monica Pier. Two lucky families will be selected the week of January 5 after we return from vacation and get verification of all Edison donations between 8/1/14 and 12/30/14. You can donate on line at http://www.smmef.org or leave a check payable to SMMEF in the Edison office by 4:00 pm on December 18, 2014. The raffle is our way of thanking you for investing in our students and supporting such important services and programs. Remember, every dollar counts and we’re all in this together! School Smarts Parent Academy, is coming back to Edison in 2015! This program helps parents better understand how the education system works AND how to increase the success of your child. This intensive academy provides seven-weeks of training with a small group of fellow Edison parents, here on the Edison campus. Workshops are interactive and include fun activities, light refreshments, and are conducted bilingually. Enrollment is limited, so if you’re interested in learning more about School Smarts, pick up a flyer in the office or contact Yoly Gutierrez directly at (310) 828-0335, ext. 61-307 or ygutierrez@smmusd.org. Facilities Update –During Winter Break, the library on the old campus and concrete foundations of the old buildings will be demolished and the remaining asphalt removed from the site. Then begins grading, removing excess “clean” dirt to lower the grade and excavate for the catchment basin. On the current site, adjustments to the Building Management System, heating, cooling and drainage systems, leveling of cement walkways, finishing the preschool parking lot and other fixes will occur at the new school over break. Construction schedules are posted around the school, and for more information please visit: http://fipcontractors.smmusd.org/edison-newconstruction.aspx.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! The last few weeks of the year on an elementary school campus feel kind of like a run-away freight train – moving downhill fast and picking up speed! It’s a crazy but wonderful time of the year, with performances and final projects and the great excitement of children about upcoming holiday plans with their families. This week before vacation we were treated to concerts and recitals of two programs sponsored by the Santa Monica Malibu Education th Foundation – our K-1-2 choral music program (in Spanish) and the 5 grade Ballroom Madness program. Our great appreciation to music teacher Jacqueline Fuentes and dance instructor Daniel Ponlicky for their work with our students. They are such creative and hardworking teachers and bring so much to our students! Edison teachers, assistants, and all our support staff have worked very hard this year – adapting to a new facility that at times has had more than its share of challenges, and digging deep to teach to the new common core standards. I’ve seen such wonderful teaching and learning during my winter observations in classrooms. As an educator, it’s thrilling for me to see teachers expertly designing and delivering such high quality instruction. And it’s equally exciting to see our students grappling with big ideas and concepts, explaining their thinking and strategies – and doing it through two languages! We’ve also had amazing work going on in professional development and coaching this fall! And teachers have been working in grade level teams to design Common Core math and writing instructional units and assessments, design differentiations for instruction to meet each students’ needs, and analyze data on student progress. It’s been a very busy and extremely productive year. While Winter Break is family time and there is no official homework, please try to keep your children reading over the holiday. Young readers need to exercise their reading abilities frequently to help them grow. And books make great holiday gifts! Wishing you and your family a wonderful, healthy and peaceful holiday season and looking forward to seeing you all in 2015!
December 17 - Noche nd
de Canto y Baile – 2 & th 5 grades. Dinner 5:30; Performance 6:30 p.m.
December 17 – 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Site Council Meeting, Community Room
January 5 – First Day of school in 2015