F E B R U A R Y
2 7 - M A R C H
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El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: GROWING YOUNG READERS AND MATHEMATICIANS
NOROVIRUS UPDATE – Thanks
for continuing to work together to minimize the effect of the Norovirus in our community. Please let us know if your children came down with symptoms over the long weekend and if so please keep them home until they have been symptom free for 48 hours. Extracurricular activities are still being restricted and we are making decisions week by week about taking campusbased special events off calendar. We’ll send out a dialer with any events have to be cancelled or postponed. TWO PICO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
NAMED FOR LOCAL VETERANS– The City of Santa Monica announces the opening of the new Isihara Park, a 2.3 acre park constructed as a buffer between the Metro service yard and Exposition between Dorchester and Stewart Streets. The park is named for George Ishihara, a local World War II veteran. The former Stewart Street Park has been re-named Gandara Park, after Joe Gandara, a Santa Monica native killed in WWII. These two parks will be dedicated on Saturday February 25 at 10:00 am (ceremony at Ishihara Park). IMMIGRATION INFORMATION -- Please see the link on Edison’s official web page (www.edison.smmusd.org) for resources, a copy of the SMMUSD Board resolution on immigration and information about community meetings. Please be aware that schools do not inquire about or collect information on the immigration status of students or families. The Supreme Court has been clear (Doe v. Plyler) that the role of public schools is to educate students regardless of their immigration status.
Last week Edison students wrote on blue paper hearts why they think Edison earned a National Blue Ribbon. Each grade level arranged these hearts like leaves on a tree and created some very lovely pieces of art. They’ll be on display for a while in the cafeteria and I hope you’ll come by and see them while they are up. The children’s ideas about why Edison is a strong school were very touching and insightful. They wrote about Edison feeling like a second family, about working together and supporting each other. They wrote about the power of learning in two languages and how it makes their brains smarter. They wrote about the strength in the diversity of the school and the importance of learning to respect other cultures. They wrote about their teachers being great because they have high expectations for them and support them in doing their best. They wrote about the difference between not knowing something and not knowing it YET. And they wrote about seeing themselves as critical thinkers, mathematicians, scientists, and as people who work hard and persevere. As you review your child’s progress report, you will see the progress they’ve made so far this year toward the end-of-year grade level standards. If you are not sure how to interpret the progress report, or how you can support your child’s literacy or math development at home, please contact the classroom teacher for specific ideas. Some excellent tools to grow these skills are Edison’s on-line learning programs that are available for use at home as well as at school. Raz Kids (grades 1nd rd 2) , KidBiz (2-5), Lexia Core 5 (2 -3 ), ST Math (K-5), and Reflex Math (1-5) all provide students with opportunities to work at their own instructional level and pace on important skills. They also provide opportunities for practice. And digital text is engaging for students! Students have their own accounts and can access these programs either at home or from the library – anywhere there’s a connection to the internet! These tools are good for all students – those who are struggling to meet standards, those who just need a little push, and those who are ready for challenges to move beyond grade level. Second semester before and after school intervention programs begin this week so we can give students the support they need to meet reading and math standards. If your child is at risk of not meeting standards, you should have received a letter at the end of last week – or will receive one this week – strongly encouraging their attendance. Working together, we can make sure all our wonderful students end the year meeting or exceeding grade level expectations. Finally, you can support your child’s reading growth by paying attention to what they are reading. A book that is too easy doesn’t help them move forward and one that is way beyond their skills will lead to frustration rather than learning. At school, the teachers and our library coordinator help them find “just right” books in fiction and non-fiction. The librarians at the public library can also help them in this way – don’t be afraid to ask! Thanks for all you do to support our students! February 28 –Deadline for all TK, Kinder and other applications for 2016-17
March 1 – 9:00 am Parent coffee with our new Superintendent Ben Drati
March 1-2 – Rotary Reads on Campus