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: GOOD ATTENDANCE MATTERS
GET READY FOR THE EDISON JOGATHON – MARCH 11 Afterschool At Edison – More than 200 students are here on campus at least one or two days a week in various after-school programs. CREST Sports Supervisor Luis Acosta reports that Edison had 79 students playing in the winter sports leagues. CREST Enrichment Coordinator Diane Cancino states that 160 students participated in one or more of Edison’s enrichment programs (registration is now open for Spring programs at www.smgov.net/reserve). And CREST Site Coordinator Liz Barron shares that the child care program has 35 students and homework club serves 77 students. SMMUSD’s Child Development Services also offers a school-age child care program before and after school for students in grades K-3 and serves over 60 students afterschool in three classrooms. We appreciate our after school partners and staff and the important programs they provide for Edison students. Facilities Updates: Installation of classroom air conditioning and heating units is beginning. You can see the schedule posted on the windows near cafecito or by visiting http://fipcontractors.smmusd.org/edison-newconstruction.aspx Workshops for Parents – Mark your calendars for this series of bilingual workshops presented by Bobby Verdugo of the UCLA School Function Program. All workshops will be held in Room 208 from 8:30-10:00 am: Childhood Anxiety -- February 25 Developing Children’s Social Skills – March 25 Supporting Children Through Transitions and Building Resilliency – April 22 Ending the School Year – May 20 Getting Ready for Kindergarten – Family Services of Santa Monica invites Edison parents to a bilingual workshop on getting children ready for Kindergarten, to be held on March 7 from 5:30-7:30 pm in the McKinley Elementary School Auditorium. Child care available for children 4 years and older. Please call to RSVP: (310) 451-9747
Improving school attendance is one of our SMMUSD goals this year. It’s a priority because students who attend school regularly have higher achievement and are more likely to complete high school. Which is something we want for all our students. Further, in a dual immersion elementary school, regular and on-time attendance is particularly important because it takes every available minute of instructional time to provide students with an enriched education in two languages. Studies have shown that missing 10% or more of school days for any reason – excused, unexcused, etc. is an indication that a student is academically at risk due to missing too much instruction. These concerns start early as students with 10% or more missing days in kindergarten and rd first grade are much less likely to read proficiently by 3 grade. In fact, only 17% of children with these kinds of attendance gaps were proficient rd in reading by 3 grade (Applied Survey Research & Attendance Works (April 2011). And with two years of chronic absenteeism, 51.8% of students fell behind and dropped out of school later. In addition to achievement concerns, students must maintain acceptable levels of attendance in order for us to sign work permits. Poor attendance can also factor into decisions about attendance permit renewals. And families with serious attendance problems can end up in front of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). Over the course of the school year, it can be easy to lose track of how many days your child may be missing. A case of the flu here, a cold there, a few late arrivals or early departures for medical appointments or family business, or absences due to family travel or emergencies can mount up and put your child in the attendance danger zone. To help keep families aware of attendance rates, we include attendance data on progress reports, send letters to alert families when absences and late arrivals or early departures reach truancy levels and hold attendance conferences as needed to strategize on how to improve attendance. If you would like an update on the total number of absences and tardies and the percentage of time that your child has been absent or tardy, just call or e-mail Senior Office Specialist Iris Preciado (ipreciado@smmusd.org or ext. 61-348). To recognize students who maintain strong attendance and on-time arrivals each month and all year, we’re also going to be posting monthly congratulations on the window of the administrative annex – near cafecito. March is prime learning time, so please make every effort to have your child in school (on time) every day that he or she is healthy. March 9 – JAMS Science Magnet Outreach Visits
March 11 – Edison Site Council Meeting 4:00-6:00 p.m. Community Room
March 18 – PTA Association Meeting 8:30-9:30 am Community Room