A P R I L
2 0 - 2 4 ,
2 0 1 5
El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS Enrollment o Initial offers for Kindergarten enrollment went o
out on March 27; confirmations due by April 24. Continuing Students – confirmations of intention to return are due by this Friday, April 18. Please return the yellow flyer that went home before break asap. Additional copies are in the office.
Parent Workshops o o o
School Smarts Academy continues on Monday mornings at 8:30 am. Reflective Parenting Class (in Spanish) continues on Tues. mornings at 8:45 am. UCLA School Function Project Workshop on Resilliency and Transitions – Wednesday, April 24 at 8:30 am.
Community Happenings o
Arts and Literacy Festival: Where Books Come to Life. April 25 11:00 am -3:00 p.m. – Virginia Avenue Park and Library. Showcasing the building blocks of early literacy with food, music, performances, and interactive stations.
Facilities Update – Over Spring Break, the following work was done: o Installation continued on the infrastructure to place air conditioning units in all classrooms. o Acoustic treatment applied to cafetorium ceiling. nd o Steel and structures for the 2 floor bridges were readied and some concrete poured. o Steel posts and beams for shade structures in the new Kindergarten and the new PE warm up area on the large playground were installed. o Steel structure for the playground outbuilding (restrooms, equipment lockers and sports offices) was installed. o The oak tree from Carolina’s garden at the old school was replanted in its new home at the edge of the new playground. o Underground cisterns now in place for the new grass field). o Some additional space was added to the playground and the dirt volleyball court was blacktopped.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: SPRING FUNDRAISERS We’re nearing the end of the first year of an ambitious plan to make sure all our SMMUSD schools have access to the kinds of staffing, professional development, and enrichment programs that help all students succeed. As part of this work, the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation (SMMEF) has really stepped up its fundraising and has provided significant grants to all SMMUSD elementary schools. While ours is a generous community and we make many sacrifices for our children, we are also a community of modest means. We’re fortunate to have a Title I grant from the federal government that has helped us provide additional support for striving students. But on our own, we weren’t able raise enough money to provide the same kinds of things that some other schools were able to offer. We have worked so hard to support SMMEF because we have benefitted enormously from this new partnership. With SMMEF taking responsibility for STAFF, we now have seven bilingual instructional assistants, a full-time literacy coach, much more funding for professional development, and our PS Arts Theater and K-2 Spanish music programs no longer need to be supported by the PTA. The Edison PTA still provides important support (extra supplies for teachers, our KidBiz program, field trips, assemblies, library books, etc.) -but the burden is much less than in the past. Nearly 32% of Edison families (107 families) have now made a direct donation to SMMEF. Our PTA also gives SMMEF 20% of the profit from all fundraisers we hold at Edison. So supporting the PTA is also supporting SMMEF. We are in the home stretch, but there is more work to do so that both SMMEF and the Edison PTA can assure that these programs are back again next year. Won’t you please join in this effort by any or all of the following: o If you haven’t yet made a direct donation to SMMEF and the Edison PTA (in any amount), please do so now. Please give to both in whatever amount you can afford. Every dollar helps! o Purchase tickets for the SMMEF second annual private Pier Party at Pacific Park on Sunday, April 26 from 10:00 am to 2:00 p.m. You can buy tickets at http://smmef.org/?/pierparty for $25.00 for a wristband with unlimited rides. Other pricing options are available too. Get your tickets soon – the party sold out last year! th o Come to the Edison screening of Whitewater on May 16 at the Arrow Theater in Santa Monica. Tickets are $5.00 per person with all proceeds going to SMMEF. Watch for more information! April 15 – PTA Executive Board Meeting 6:00-8:00 pm – Community Room
th
April 17 – 4 Grade Field Trip to UCLA
th
April 17 – 5 Grade Colonial Fair – 8:30 am Edison Cafetorium