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Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS Get ready for Edison's Family Salsa Night, Friday, December 1st - 5:30-8PM! This is a thankyou event for families who have donated to the Ed Foundation. If you haven't donated yet, please donate today at http://www.smmef.org/ or drop off your remit form with payment to the office by November 30th. If you need a remit form, you can pick up one from the office. Donate today and be part of this special event. There will be good food, dancing, and LOTS of fun, including: Salsa lessons from our very own, Maestras Ipiña and Murcia, a movie screening under the stars for kids (bring blankets, folding chairs, pillows and layer to keep the little ones warm), salsa tasting, a performance by our 5th grade ballroom dancers, photo booth, lottery, silent auction, and giveaways! Get a start on your holiday shopping with our Holiday Bazaar featuring Novica (https://www.novica.com/) and many more vendors. RSVP by November 30th to: edison.edfoundation.rep@gmail.com (Ayesha Mayagoitia) or at the yellow Ed Foundation table during Cafecito Wednesdays. Hurry, limited space! School Climate Survey – Please share your feedback on academic support, safety and climate by responding to the SMMUSD School Climate Survey. A link was emailed to all Edison families in order to respond on line, or you can pick up a paper copy of the survey in the office and turn it in there. PTA Reflections Art Program – This program of the National PTA encourages all students to submit original works of art in several different categories. Congratulations to all the Edison students who submitted entries for this annual program. You can see the entries showcased on the bulletin boards in the cafeteria facing the courtyard. 5th Grade Ballroom Dance Showcase-- Our th 5 graders have been working with instructors from the Santa Monica College Dance Academy to learn Ballroom Dancing. Join us in the Edison cafeteria on Thursday, November 30 at 6:30 pm to see them perform Tango, Merengue, Swing, Waltz and Foxtrot! This program is sponsored by the Education Foundation.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: CULTIVATING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE I love November! Fall finally arrives with its crisp days. Sweaters, scarves, and hoodies come out of my dresser drawers. And, right outside my bedroom window is a tree with brilliantly colored leaves that takes my breath away! With Thanksgiving coming, it’s also the time of year that especially reminds me to be thankful for all the blessings in my life. This has been a challenging year for our family, with the loss of my mother and some other dear family members. Yet, from the simple to the sublime, we have much to be thankful for and I try to start each day with gratitude for those things. I often find myself with the words of Violeta Parra running through my head, “Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.” While research about how gratitude affects the physical, emotional and social dimensions of life is still relatively recent, studies suggest that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is associated with better health, more psychological well-being, and better relationships with others. In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share a few ideas about helping children develop an attitude of gratitude. 1. Lead by example: Children notice the things we say and the things we neglect to say. If we as parents we constantly complain, our children tend to follow our example. We are our children’s first and strongest teachers. 2. Keep a gratitude journal – Take a few minutes each day to write down a few things for which you are grateful and keep adding to the list. These can be as simple as “I’m grateful for the chance to play with friends, for good books, that I can talk with my grandmother on the phone, etc.” 3. Teach manners and create good habits: Please and thank you are often among the first words we teach our children, and modeling this language in our homes is the best way to teach manners. The way we give instructions to children can also determine the mood in our homes. Think how you would respond differently to these requests: “Please don’t leave your shoes on the floor. Put them away where they belong.” “Thank you for putting your shoes away. That is helpful.” Or “Pick those up now!” 4. Count blessings: Cultivate optimism – optimists tend to live longer! Some of us are glass half full people, while others have to look hard to find the positives in life. Your kids may need a little help to see how rich they really are. Someone else will always have more but most of us still have more than we need to survive. 5. See the big picture: At an age-appropriate level, help children understand the bigger picture of the world we live in. Beyond being grateful for what they have, help them find a way to make a difference to those who have less. For example, contribute a few cans of food to a food pantry or make a charitable contribution as a holiday gift to those in need. See the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley (http://greatergood.berkeley.edu) for more suggestions for parents about how to grow an attitude of gratitude in the family. Happy Thanksgiving!
November 23-24 Thanksgiving Holiday
December 11 and 15 Música en Español Informances – Pre-K, TK, K,1, 2
December 7 and 14 Music Informances - 5th Grade (12/7) and 4th Grade (12/14) 8:30 am