Friday Letter June 6, 2008

SMASHing FRIDAY LETTER
JUNE 6, 2008

Dear SMASH Community,

THANK YOU ALL for making SuperSMASH such a huge success! We grossed over $28,000 on Saturday and money is still coming in from our auction sales. Wow! That is truly incredible for a school our size. We may be small but we sure are mighty!

Don't forget that next Thursday is our Open House. We will meet in the Cafetorium at 6:30pm to spend some time reflecting on our year together. Then, the classrooms will be open for you to visit. You are welcome to visit all of the cores, not just the one your child is in.

Next Friday, Principal Ari will be taking the reigns for the day. He has quite a few fun things planned for us (I think he already agreed to give the staff raises! We'll have to talk about that and look at the budget together). We will definitely be showing a movie in all of the cores for part of the day.

Graduation is rapidly approaching and we need your help. Graduation is followed by an all-school potluck so please make sure to check what to bring (see this Friday letter). I also need about 10 parents who can help receive, organize and serve the food on graduation day. Please let me know if you can help.

Thank you to everyone who came to the School Board meeting last night to show your support for a small high school in our district. As soon as I know anything more about the board's thoughts/decisions, I will let you know.

Lunch payments are now on a CASH ONLY basis.
Please speak to Wende as soon as possible regarding any outstanding debt to food service .
LAST DAY FOR SALAD BAR - FRIDAY, JUNE 13

1:30 Dismissal - June 17, 18, 19 & 20. Playground Access will close at 3:45 pm.


Instrumental Music/Chorus Spring Concerts - Wednesday, June 11
Beginning Music 6:30 pm Advanced, Choir & Core 4 7:30 pm

Time to celebrate the hard work John Muir and SMASH students have done in music class with a concert!

Beginning Music Classes (4th Grade)
Beginning Violin, Viola, and Cello Class - Auditorium
Beginning Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, and Clarinet - Media Center
Beginning Flute - Room 415

Advanced Music Classes (5th Grade) and SMASH Middle School Classes
Choir, Advanced Strings, and SMASH Middle School Strings - Auditorium
Advanced Winds and SMASH Middle School Winds - Media Center

Performing is an important part of the music curriculum. Attendance to this event is mandatory, and is part of each
student’s grade in music class. Students are asked to wear nice school clothes to the performance.
Nice clothing will reflect the pride that they take in their hard work in music class!

OPEN HOUSE
THURSDAY, JUNE 12
6:30 pm

FAREWELL TO CARRIE

FRIDAY, JUNE 13 4:30 - 6:30
LULA’S ON MAIN - 2720 MAIN STREET, SM
ADULTS ONLY PLEASE – FINGER FOOD BUFFET – CASH BAR

DATES TO REMEMBER

Fri, June 6-Sun, June 8—Camping trip at Decker Canyon (Details in this letter)

Wed, Jun 11 - Core 3 and 4 Instrumental and Choral Music Spring Concert, Beg. 6:30pm Adv/choir 7:30pm

Thurs, Jun 12—Open House 6:30pm

Thurs, Jun 12 - Last day for Cores 3 & 4 district music

Fri, Jun 13 - Last day for Salad Bar

Fri, June 13 - Farewell for Carrie - 4:30 to 6:30 pm - Adults Only - Lula’s Cocina, 2720 Main St.

Tues, Jun 17 through Friday, June 20 - 1:30 dismissal

Thurs, Jun 19 - 8th Grade Graduation 10:00 am - Lists of what to bring in this Friday Letter

Fri, Jun 20—All school beach day (last day of school) ! Adults - Come & play with your kids at the beach!!


WANTED!
Lunch duty volunteers.
Any day you can, between 11:45 am and 1:00 pm to help supervise the kids playing in the yard

CREST Enrichment make-up classes

Monday class to be made up on Monday, June 9, 2008
Play the Fairway 1-5 (4505.120) @ 3:05:4:05 PM on Playground (missed 4.28.08)

YEARBOOKS $12
DON’T MISS OUT! ORDER YOURS NOW!
Place your order now with Janice or Wende in the main office.
Yearbooks are distributed during the last week of school.

Santa Monica High School: Spring Choral Concert
The Santa Monica High School Choral Department would like to invite our Middle School Students and their Families to the Spring Choral Concert on June 6th. Come and hear the beautiful music performed by the Samohi Choral Students and experience this outstanding Choral Program first hand.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Barnum Hall (Located on Samohi campus)
Tickets sold at the door : $5 Students, $10 Adults


Cub Scout Pack 67—Information Day for Boys entering grades 1-5
Saturday, June 7 11:00 am to Noon
First United Methodist Church - 1008 11th Street, Santa Monica (11th and Washington)
Contact Scott Andrews at 310-449-9295 for more information

8th GRADE GRADUATION &
ALL-SCHOOL POTLUCK IS COMING!!!
THURSDAY, JUNE 19 — 10:00 AM

WE NEED EVERYONE’S HELP
TO FEED THE ENTIRE SCHOOL & THEIR FAMILIES!!!

We are having an all school potluck party after the 8th grade graduation.
If you are able to help
please contact Janice in the main office, 310-396-2640, or wold@smmusd.org

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP
Decorate Receive and Serve Food Clean-Up
DON’T BE SHY—DIG IN AND VOLUNTEER!

ALL SCHOOL POTLUCK

Please bring enough food to serve 15 people.
Food needs to be ready to serve with serving utensils and pre-cut

ALL SMASH FAMILIES (except 8th grade) if your last name begins with:

A-M: MAIN DISHES, Big hits are dinner pastas, buckets of chicken,
giant (cut) subs, pizza (prepaid & delivered by noon)
and anything homemade.
N-R: DESSERTS, including brownies, cookies, cupcakes

S-Z: SALADS, including potato, pasta, vegetable, green and fruit salads


Please deliver your items to the lunch bench area on Thursday morning before 9:30

IMPORTANT:
To save disappointment and confusion, please label your dishes and utensils
and then check at the lunch benches following the party and take them home with you that day


If you cannot bring a dish, a cash contribution for supplies & food would be appreciated!
Just send it to Janice in the main office.

DECKER CANYON CAMP OUT
JUNE 6 & 7
DETAILS!

Attention SMASH Campers!!…
And those who like to hang out with campers.
It’s time again to go have fun in the great out doors, so we’re headed back to Decker Canyon!
It is located about 2 miles off PCH on Decker Canyon Road (about 23 miles North of Santa Monica.)

THE PRICE:
Decker Canyon Campground has a different pricing policy than National and State parks,
including a fee for day users. Prices are the same as last year:
OVERNIGHT CAMPERS: $10 PER PERSON, PER NIGHT
DAYTIME CAMPERS: $8 PER PERSON, PER DAY
CHECKS PAYABLE TO SMASH PTSA - PAYMENT DUE NOW!
Please sign-up and pay in the office by Thursday, June 5th

CHECK-IN TIME -- 11:00 am -- Friday, June 6
CHECK-OUT TIME -- 2:00 pm -- Sunday, June 8

FOR INSURANCE REASONS -- NO DROP-OFFS ALLOWED
All children must be accompanied by their parent or guardian.
No one is to be responsible for anyone else's child.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT PARKING
There is plenty of parking on the site and no extra parking fees!
That said, it's still a good idea to carpool if possible so we don't feel like we're camping in a parking lot.
Please try for one car per family (or less.)

WHAT TO BRING
Everyone is responsible for bringing their own food, tent, bedding, supplies, etc.
Bring charcoal and/or camping stoves if you plan on cooking.
Food should be stored in a plastic bins to keep it safe from critters.

BRING FIRE WOOD TO SHARE!
Bring marshmallows and fixin's for s'mores, instruments, games,
sports gear, hiking gear, sunscreen, insect repellent, first-aid kits, flashlights, etc.
Bring beach gear of you want to drive down to the beach.

BE PREPARED FOR FUN, FUN, FUN !!!

Contact Janice Merrihew (Jake's mom) with questions at:
(310) 392-4239 or email: jmerrihew@gmail.com

This is a PTSA sponsored event

SuperSMASH Raffle Winners 2008

VELOWORX BIKE
Lillian Ostrin - Core 2


PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY
Friday, June 13
Ari Bone - Core 2


JANICE FOR A DAY WENDE FOR A DAY LIBRARIAN FOR THE DAY
Friday, June 13 Friday, June 13
Riley Varner - Core 1 Esme Ison - Core 2 Devin Dempsy - Core 2


SKIRBALL with MARNI CROSS STICHING with LAURA PIZZA with GENIE
Tues, June 17; 1:45-3:30 pm Wed June 18; 1:30 - 4:00
Emily Lewis—Core 3 Jason Chung - Core 2 Henry Schlessinger - Core 2
Devin Dempsey—Core 2 Andrew Chung - Core 2 Mac Varner - Core 3
Riley Varner—Core 1 Guilia Trevellin - Core 1 Sophia Grecco - Core 3
Riley Varner - Core 1 Emily Lewis - Core 3


CRAFTS AROUND THE CORNER with MANA, CANDIS & JACKIE
Friday, June 13; 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Mac Varner—Core 3 Riley Varner—Core 1 Isabel Flanders—Core 1
Kate Zemke—Core 2 Eleanor Winterer—Core 1 Guilia Trevellin—Core
Devin Dempsy—Core 2 Bailey Flanders—Core 1 Maya Kiku—Core 1


SANTA MONICA PIER with JAYME & JANICE
Tuesday, June 17 200 - 4:00 pm
Ari Bone - Core 2 Ian Friedman - Core 2
Kate Zemke - Core 2 Eloise Rollins Fife - Core 2


HIKING with TAMARA & KELLY
Tuesday, June 17; 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Rene Ross - Core 4 Emma Green - Core 2

***Because some children won multiple raffles, and Tamara and Kelly had lots of room—we threw the rest of the multiple-ticket buyer’s tickets into one container and drew the following names as a “consolation” prize. Let us know if you’d like to join us for the hike!***

Kate Story - Core 4 Bennett Zemke - Core 3 Caroline Friedman - Core 3
Marlowe Leal - Core 4 Sadie Saltzman - Core 3 Fiona Story - Core 2
Tanner Spees - Core 4 Aspen Smith - Core 3 Naomi Altuner Miller - Core 2

THE SMASH GREEN COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU!!
“Californians create 46 million tons of trash a year, enough to fill 2 freeway lanes 100 feet deep from the Mexican to Oregon border. Our current patterns of waste generation and disposal contribute significantly to environmental, economic and public health problems. Imagine a community strewn with trash, whose waterways are clogged and beaches are unsafe to visit.”
Is this the legacy you want to leave your children? If the answer is ÅeNoÅf then you may want to join the Smash green committee and become a part of the solution. The green committee will meet once over the summer to discuss ways for Smash to become a more sustainable school and then again in the next school year. ÅgNow imagine a community without any visible trash, with clean streets and pristine beaches.Åh
If you are interested or have any ideas you would like to share, please contact Gina Garcia at 310-392-9610 or ginagplus2@msn.com
ptsa news

president’s note

Dear SMASHing Parents,
It is always amazing and wonderful how this community comes together to throw a party. SuperSMASH was truly a team effort… more than half our families helped to make it the fabulous event it was. And it showed. The carnival was great fun, and the Silent Auction a success... most of the Silent Auction items were sold. Thanks again to everyone who helped. SuperSMASH grossed about $28,000. Given the current state of the economy, this is a huge success! We will have more accurate numbers once all auction items have been picked up and all expenses claimed. We will keep you posted.

The school year is drawing to a close. And what a year it was! The Arts Program (sponsored by PTSA) is ever growing, and now includes drama. The performances we saw over the year were amazing! The Spanish Program (also sponsored by PTSA) had a successful start, and will move forward to become an even stronger component of the curriculum next year. Come to Open House on Thursday, June 12 at 6:30PM and see what the students have accomplished.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Best,
Helga Schier and David Saltzman

SMASHing events
Camping anyone? Don’t forget the annual Decker Canyon Camping Trip: Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8. More information in this week’s Friday Letter.

Open House, Thursday, June 12, 6:30PM. Come celebrate the end of the school year with fellow parents and students. It’s time to acknowledge the amazing accomplishments of our children, and to show our appreciation to the teachers and staff who have helped make it all possible. At Open House we will also offer leftover Silent Auction items for sale. Come early so you have a chance to browse. See you then!

Farewell to Carrie, Friday, June 13. Come to Lula’s on Main Street and toast to Carrie’s new adventures away from SMASH. We’ll gather in the back patio from 4:30PM to 6:30PM. Thereafter we’ll move on to the bar. This is an ‘adults only’ event. Please check out the flier in this week’s Friday Letter. See you there!

CORE 1 NEWS

Open House
We hope you can attend the SMASH Open House on Thursday, June 12 at 6:30pm. The Core 1 students will be sharing their portfolios and other accomplishments they are proud of this year. This is also a great time to see all of the amazing things the other cores have been doing.

July-August Birthday Bash
It’s our final bash of the year!! We will be celebrating our summertime b’days (July and August birthdays) on Friday, June 13. The Bash will be from 12:00-1:00 (this hour includes the birthday circle, eating, and playing on the Small Yard). The students will also be able to eat their lunches at this time. Students can still bring their lunch from home or buy hot lunch. (It's a good idea to send some lunch from home just in case…) The food/drink sign up for July/August families is in the Peaceful Room. Please bring enough of whatever you bring for 40 children. As always, family and friends are welcome!

Parent Poetry
Take a look in your child’s Friday folder for a special poem just for you! The kids have composed wonderful poems for mom and dad and they are ready for delivery. Look out for an envelope addressed to you…these are precious. (Some kids are putting the finishing touches on their parent poems and they will be sent home next Friday.)

Overdue Library Books
Some students still have one or more SMASH library books checked out in their name. You will receive an overdue notice, but please talk to your child to see if he/she still has a book at home. Yearbooks will not be handed out to students who have not turned in/replaced/paid for all overdue books. (Yearbooks are $12 and orders can be placed in the main office with Janice or Wende. They will be distributed during the last week of school.) Thanks!

Core 1 Graduation Ceremony
Please join us on Thursday, June 19 from 9:00-9:20 for our Core 1 ‘Moving on Up’ Ceremony. We will be honoring the Bigs and wishing them well as they prepare to enter the world of Core 2. We will also be acknowledging the Partners as they become Bigs. Bring your cameras!

Thank You
Thank you to all of the parents who chaperoned our field trip to the Santa Monica Main Public Library. We always have so much fun taking the Big Blue Bus around town! Be sure to sign your child up for the summer reading program. This summer’s theme is “Catch the Reading Bug”. Read, read, read!

Wish List: Paper Towels

Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, June 11, 8:45am—Last All-School Assembly
Thursday, June 12, 6:30-7:30pm—Open House
Friday, June 13, 12:00-1:00pm—July/August Birthday Bash
Tuesday, June 17 through Friday, June 20—Minimum Days (1:30 dismissal)
Thursday, June 19, 9:00-9:20am—Core 1 Graduation Ceremony in Core 1
Thursday, June 19, 10:00am—8th Grade Graduation Ceremony in Auditorium
Friday, June 20, All-School Beach Day; Last Day of School!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!
Mana, Candis, and Jackie
Candis: candis.berens@smmusd.org Mana: mhale@smmusd.org

Core 2 News

Dear Core 2 Community,

This week, June 2 - 6:
In Arts with Christine Marie, the children shared their work with the SMASH Community. Ask your child about their animal and what happened in their 6-cell comic. If you would like to see the animation that Christine Marie made last summer visit, greengorilla.org. Core 2’s video will be coming soon to the SMASH Website.

In Literacy, the children revised their story starter writing, worked on an invitation and trademark for the Invention Convention, and continued reading and talking about their Just Right books.

In Math, the 2nd graders using their self-created coupons to figure out total savings while the 3rd Graders learned the Fraction Cookie Game.

The 3rd graders had their last district music class and next week will be part of the All SMASH Assembly.

On Wednesday, we had our last day this year for the 3rd graders to revisit Core 1 and for the BIGS to visit us.

Next Week, June 9 - 13:
Wednesday, June 11 -- all SMASH Assembly, 3rd graders playing recorders and 2nd singing along and other surprises.

Core 2’s Invention Convention, Thursday, June 12, 1:15 pm - 2:25 pm. See attached hand made initiation.
Same day, Thursday, Open House -- 6:30 pm

Final Birthday Bash of the year, June, July, and August birthdays, Friday June 13 at 11:30. If your child has a birthday we will be celebrating, see the attached note.

Friday, June 13 -- Ari, principal for the day, Riley, Janice for the day, and Esmé, Wende for the day!

Final Week of school, June 16 - 20:
Monday, June 16 -- 3rd graders participate in Core 3’s Morning Meeting.

Tuesday, June 17 to Friday, June 20, minimum days, 1:30 Dismal

Thursday, June 19 -- 8th grade graduation and Pot Luck Lunch
Check this week’s letter to see how you can help!

Friday, June 20 -- ALL SMASH Beach Day, Lifeguard Station #26, and more info in next week’s letter

Jayme, Laura and Nadja


Jayme: jayme.wold@smmusd.org Laura: sherman@smmusd.org

CORE 3 NEWS

The kids in Core 3 have been working very hard since Spring Break and have lots of wonderful work and learning to share with you. There are two opportunities for you to visit Core 3 and see what we have been up to in reading, writing, science, social studies, and Spanish! Open House is next Thursday, June 12 from 6:30 – 7:30 and our Expo is on Friday, June 13 from 9:00 – 10:15. See you there!

Next week is the last week of district Music—The Spring Music Concert is Wednesday, 6/11. 6:30 beginners/7:30 advanced and middle-school musicians

In Reading Workshop both groups continued reading their historical fiction and non-fiction books related to our theme “Why People Move.” They should read these books in class and at home, as they are their Just Right Books for June. Ask your child what book they are reading and how it relates to our Social Studies unit. Thanks to all who ordered Scholastic books. They should be coming in the last week of school--just in time for the summer!

In Writing Workshop we continued publishing our pieces in the computer lab. We are learning how to format a document, (margins, columns, tabs, font size, headers), how to use features such as spell check, and how to import images from Google images. Many students are editing while they publish, which is how many writers write. They are learning how they can do last minute revision, as well. Their published feature articles will be shared at Open House and our Expo.

Fourth grade mathematicians continued working with coordinates and played the game Sunken Ships, which is similar to Battleship. They are having difficulty remembering that the x-axis come before the y-axis. They are also confusing negative and positive numbers--creating some confusion in the game. Their math homework includes game sheets that they can play with someone at home. Fifth grade mathematicians continued the unit on measurement. They worked individually, then in groups to apply what they’ve learned about standard and metric measurement to solve problems. They found out that problem solving can be tricky—and it is even more difficult to explain your thinking in a logical way. It is important for them to be able to “show” their work and explain what the numbers are doing as they prepare for more complex math. Homework! Fridays! Do it! Thanks!

In Social Studies/Science we learned about the Oregon Trail through a video and a fun online scavenger hunt. The students made their own maps of the different trails settlers used to get from the densely populated, increasingly civilized/industrialized East Coast states/cities across the so-called (and government granted) “Permanent Indian Territory” to Oregon, California, and other U.S. territories. They learned that the same industrialization that brought African-Americans from The South and immigrants from European countries actually caused the farmers and others to seek out pioneer life in The West. Ask your child how all the pieces of this unit fit together. The students will be sharing all of their Science and Social Studies work at Open House and our Expo.

The Human Relations Council of the Santa Monica Bay Area will have their 47th Annual Literature and Arts Program “Be the Change You Want to See” Tuesday, June 10 at 4:00 in the JAMS auditorium to honor students selected from all over the district. Congratulations to our students whose work was selected in two areas: Art--Seanie, Lola, Savannah, and Claire and Essay--Gabe M., James, Gigi, and Dylan. If any of you would be interested in attending the reception, please rsvp hrc@smmusd.org or call (310) 450-8338 x 155 asap!

Thanks to all who organized, set up, cleaned up, and came to SuperSMASH! The weather was perfect, and it was a really fun day! Thanks, especially to Birte for helping the kids create the beautiful felt work and to Delia Cabral for grouping them into beautiful art pieces—we made lots of money!
Have a terrific weekend!
Tamara, Genie, Malaika, and Ingrid

Genie.Hwang@smmusd.org Mugalian@smmusd.org

CORE 4 NEWS

El Charrrombly Advisory: Great project presentations, wacky schedules, many things to celebrate. It is starting to look like the end of the year around here. Please join us for one of the many learning celebrations that are happening around the core. We know the children are pushing you away all while looking over their shoulder to be sure you are watching; this is a great time to be visible.

Ciencia: We are finishing the beach monitoring project currently and a few caught-up students are building rockets to loft Egg-O-Nauts. This year has proven especially gratifying at the beach investigation site and the quality of the work product shows this. I will have the boards available for your inspection all day on the 12th ending with the open house at 18:30. Please ask your student about this exciting and authentic long-term science project.

6/7 Math: Rate it! Over this past week, we began looking at strategies for solving rate problems. Completing rate tables and finding unit rates were two of these methods. The students should now feel comfortable using the terms unit rate and equivalent rate. We are continuing to generate and discuss ways that rate is used in our everyday lives. Through this connection, the concept of rate becomes more meaningful to the mathematicians, and they can see our purpose in studying it.

Next week, we will start to wind things down by studying our last concept: proportions. They will build on using equivalent rates as they set up proportions to solve various problems. By the end of the week, they should be able to use proportions to model, summarize, and solve rate problems.

A Broadway Hit! The Flying Hippos did it! They successfully performed their compilation of Broadway Musical songs and dances on Wednesday. Each Hippo stepped up into their role and showed the audience all the talent they have. Three cheers to all the performers and our leading artist, Kristy!

Algebra: Only one more week of Algebra left! We're working on Chapter 12 and our test will be next Friday!

8th grade: Graduation is on Thursday, June 19 at 10am! Every child has a chance to make a short speech. They will have a little class time to work on it but it is a good idea for them to work on it at home as well. Dress is nice casual (it's a graduation but suits and dresses are not required).


Santa Monica High School Water polo team is looking for incoming 9th grade boys and girls to participate in the fall season, which actually begins with a summer program. Summer training will run Monday-Thursday from June 23 through August 3, including two tournaments. Swimming and polo experience is helpful, but not necessary. Contact Head Aquatics Coach Matt Flanders for full details: matthew_flanders@sbcglobal.net or 310-266-0864. A program for middle school players is also available.


Enjoy the weekend!
Kurt, Kelly, Erin, Carrie, Ingrid & Karin


Kelly: kkulsrud@aol.com Kurt: holland@ Krin: erin.haendel@ Carrie: cferguson@ smmusd.org