N O V E M B E R
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D E C E M B E R
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El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:
ANNOUNCEMENTS Site Council Elections – Welcome to the following new members who will join Site Council in January: Constanza Murcia, Teacher Rep., Geralyn Goodman, Classified Staff Rep., and José Cervantes and Liz Kok, Parent Representatives. These individuals will join us at our December meeting for initial training and an “In and Out Meeting” with Site Council members who are leaving at the end of this year. Thanks to everyone who voted in the recent election for parent members. Winter Informances and Concerts -- Thursday, December 6 -5th Grade, 8:40 am in the Cafeteria. Monday, December 10 – Música en Español Informances in Room 109 as follows: 9:55 am -- Newman (TK); 10:35 am -- Banks (K); 11:15 am -Melendez (2); 12:30 pm – Fullerton (K); 1:25 am -- Jimenez (2); and 2:15 pm – Tejeda (1) Thursday, December 13 – 4th Grade Informances at 8:40 am as follows: Violin – Room 208 (Ms. Garcia); Viola and Cello – Cafeteria (Ms. Bersch); Trumpet and Trombone – Room 110 (Mr. Rowles); Flute and Clarinet – Room 109 (Ms Okumura); and Voice – Room 207 (Ms. Spike Gravelle). Friday, December 14 -- Música en Español Informances in Room 109 as follows: 10:00 am—Romo (Preschool);11:30 am – Cervantes (1); 12:30 – Díaz (K); 1:25 pm – Martinez (2); 2:15 – Cueva (1)
SCHOOL CLIMATE AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT Edison is committed to promoting a caring community for learning in a safe environment. We start with a set of core values: kindness and consideration for others; respect for cultural and linguistic diversity; effort, determination and perseverance; empathy; fairness and justice; integrity; respect for self and others; and responsibility and self-reliance. We want students to respect themselves and others, resolve disputes peacefully, and respect diversity. Next we teach about these values many, many, many times in class meetings (using Responsive Classroom) and in the literature we share with students. We also give students opportunities to practice these values in daily life as they work and share with each other, solve problems on the playgrounds and reinforce them in schoolwide projects like The Kindness and Justice Challenge, Big Buddy/Little Buddy meetings, and school service projects like the annual Corazon de Vida exchange. We expect that student behavior at school will follow the following Edison agreements: 1) Be respectful of differences of all types. Choose words and actions to help, not hurt others. Keep our school free of verbal and non-verbal put-downs; 2) Use school-appropriate language; 3) No use of physical abuse, taunts, threats or intimidation of peers; 4) Accept responsibility for words and actions. When students have difficulty following these guidelines, we start by reminding them of our agreements and offering them an opportunity to make a better choice. Sometimes students need some time to cool down, reflect, or make things right. We teach tools that students can use to cool down and regulate their emotions (like Mindfulness) and to solve problems with peers (Cool Tools and Olweus Anti-Bullying strategies). Sometimes they need help from adults to use these tools; sometimes they’re ready to use them on their own. If a child makes poor choice, we try to intervene at the level where the problem occurs. So, if the behavior occurs on the playgrounds or at lunch, Yard Supervisors or PE Coaches will try to remind them of our agreements, give them a little time to reflect, and redirect students. But sometimes, the discussion needs to be longer or deeper than can be managed on the yard and the yard supervisor will fill out a yellow Aviso notice to give to the teacher for follow up. Teachers work with students to resolve most problems and assign appropriate consequences. Sometimes, if there is a repeated problem that isn’t responding to past interventions or if the problem behavior is unsafe or serious, we will fill out a Pink Slip to make a referral to the principal and inform parents so we can bring them into the problem solving process. We may work toward a restorative process to “make things right” if another student has been harmed. We may assign a logical consequence, or hold a Student Success Team Meeting with parents and the school counselor to work on a longer term intervention to change behavior. The goal is to help students learn and be able to consistently use behaviors that let them solve problems and be part of a caring school community. November 27 – Giving Tuesday – Support the Education Foundation!
December 5 Young Storytellers’ The Big Show! 6:00 pm
December 6-14 Music Informances