O C T O B E R
3 - 7 ,
2 0 1 6
El Semanario Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS Recognizing Your Child’s Birthday at School – We appreciate your support as we’ve begun to implement food-free ways to recognize children on their birthdays. We’re making this shift because food allergies are a serious concern, because no child should be left out of an activity that happens in class, and because we have the responsibility to protect each child’s privacy. We’re trying to make our practices consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools. Included in those recommended practices are using non-food incentives for prizes, gifts, awards, and celebrations. Recognition of students’ birthdays should also not be dependent on their parents’ ability to bring something to the classroom. Our teachers have many simple and meaningful ways to make children feel special on their birthdays and will continue to do so. Spanish Phonics Workshops –Each year Edison offers workshops on Spanish phonics to support parents of children who are learning to read in Spanish. Parents of Pre-K, TK and K students are especially encouraged to attend. Due to very limited sign ups, the evening workshop originally scheduled for 9/28 is being rescheduled for Tuesday, October 11, 5:00-7:00 p.m. There will still be a workshop on Thursday, September 29 from 2:00-4:00 pm and you can still sign up. Please see the flyer in today’s folder and/or the sign-up sheets on the K bulletin board to reserve a spot. Bike It! Walk It! Day – The week of October 37, Santa Monica schools are working to reduce our reliance on automobiles. So ride your bike, skateboard or scooter (with helmets, of course!), take the bus or Metro, or walk to school. Mark your calendars and join in this fun way to help the environment! Last Call Volunteer Training! – For those parents who have difficulty attending morning meetings at school, we are offering a second volunteer training session on Thursday, October 6 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. If you’re a new volunteer or need to renew your volunteer status this year, please join us in the library for the st th training. If your 1 -5 grade children are signed up for playground access, they can be on the yard while you complete the training. TK and K students can read quietly in the library while we conduct the workshop.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SKILLS Many of us are familiar with Robert Fulgham’s little poem, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” The author lists some of the important social skills taught in kindergarten and most of us find ourselves nodding in agreement and chuckling as we read. For example: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.” The above examples of Kindergarten wisdom represent social skills, and they are part of the social and emotional learning (SEL) that goes on in schools. It probably won’t surprise you to know that in addition providing the foundation for maintaining high-quality social relationships and dealing effectively with life’s challenges, social and emotional skills also support academic achievement. Studies show that increasing SEL competencies can boost academic performance by as much as 11 percentage points. Relationships and emotional processes affect how and what we learn. And, while it takes the investment of some time to teach these skills, when we reduce the amount of time needed for classroom management, resolving interpersonal problems, and offtask behavior, there is more time for teaching and learning. So we’re building the structures for regular class meetings, learning to role play and problem solve, acquiring more relaxation and focus strategies, and exploring what it means to be a kind and empathetic person. In addition to the work we’re doing in classrooms, we are fortunate to have the skills of our School Counselor Tina Gonzalez (Family Services of Santa Monica), and Social Worker Bobby Verdugo ( UCLA School Function Project) and their interns to help us support the development of these skills. By strengthening students’ social and emotional skills and ability to be “upstanders” and not by-standers, we’re also attempting to intervene with small problems and reduce the negative attitudes and behaviors that can lead to bullying. We appreciate your support. Monday, 10/3 Local Holiday NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, 10/5 ELAC Meeting 8:30 a.m. Community Room
Wednesday, 10/12 Local Holiday NO SCHOOL