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El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS LUNAR NEW YEAR – begins on January 28 this year. Happy New Year to all those in our community who will be celebrating the Year of the Rooster later this month! PLANNING FOR AN EDISON EDIBLE GARDEN-- We now have a great space for an edible garden. Would you like to be part of a team planning for how we can use a garden as part of the children’s learning experience? Please join Principal Orum to begin this conversation right after the PTA Association Meeting on January 25 at 8:30 am or email her at lorum@smmusd.org
REFLECTIVE PARENTING CLASS IN SPANISH – Family Services of Santa Monica announces a 10-week class on Reflective Parenting to be held at Edison January 26 – March 30 from 9:00-10:30 am in the Community Room. There is no charge for this class but space is limited and pre-registration is required. See the flyer in last week’s Wednesday packet and/or contact Tina Gonzalez for more information t.gonzalez@smmusd.org
PARENT-CHILD COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES -- Do you sometimes wish you could communicate better with your child? The UCLA School Function Program is offering a workshop on Wednesday, February 1 at 8:30 am in Room 206 to discuss effective communication strategies. The workshop will be presented bilingually and all parents are welcome.
FINISHING UP 1ST SEMESTER ASSESSMENTS AND PREPARING PROGRESS REPORTS – YOU may notice some teacher absences in the next couple weeks as teachers conduct and score reading, writing and math assessments to examine student progress. Progress reports will be sent home on Friday, February 10.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: PRACTICING KINDNESS AND JUSTICE AND EXTINGUISHING BULLYING BEHAVIORS This month we are working on social emotional development and problem solving. In class meetings, teachers are exploring with students what it means to behave in a kind and fair manner. Students are thinking about things they can do each day that advance kindness and justice and are trying to do at least one thing a day. We do this as part of our participation in the Kindness and Justice Challenge each year in honor of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s also a time when review our school rules on how we solve conflict and treat others. We use Cool Tools and Caring School Communities programs to help children solve problems with classmates. And like all SMMUSD elementary schools, Edison uses the Olweus Anti-Bullying Program as one of our tools to help stop bullying behaviors. Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself. While we often think of bullying as being physical, it has many forms and student surveys indicate that verbal bullying and social exclusion or isolation have been the more prevalent forms of bullying behaviors used on our campus. While bullying behaviors are not widespread on our campus, any incident of bullying is too many. Bullying hurts everyone – the student who is being picked on, children who witness bullying behaviors, and the child who bullies. Using the tools in the Olweus program, we work to support children who are bullied, help bystanders become upstanders, promote inclusion and not exclusion and change the behaviors of children who bully. Our anti-bullying pledge includes these four parts: We will not bully others We will try to help students who are bullied. We will try to include students who are left out. If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home. Recently we’ve noticed an up-tick in students using profanity and name-calling and we’d like to ask that you help us shut this down. Please let your children know that they shouldn’t be using any language at school that they wouldn’t be proud to use in front of their parents or grandparents, teachers or principal. When children direct profane insults against their peers, it is a bullying behavior and is not tolerated at school. Thank you for your support as we work to make our school climate safe and nurturing for ALL students. On a personal note, I was away on bereavement leave in early January because my mother lost her long battle with lung disease. Our staff did a wonderful job in my absence. I want to thank you for the many messages of comfort and support. This truly is a caring school community. -- Lori January 18-February 15
MLK Kindness and Justice Challenge
February 8 – 8:30 am ELAC Meeting Community Room
February 10 – First Semester Progress Reports Go Home