I borrow from Carrie for this entry as she reminded me of the following: “To accomplish great things we must dream as well as act” (Anatole France).
Thank you to this incredible community of children, staff, and parents who made the year at SMASH full of dreams and actions. We set the intention of re-vitalizing whole school learning celebrations, and we had student demonstration-based Arts Sharings. We made our Family Donation and SuperSMASH fundraising goals during this dire financial climate. We committed ourselves to beautifying the campus and the small yard and big yard gardens have been nurtured into lovely learning nooks.
Summer is time for reflection as well as dreaming. I have learned from all of you this year and I will be reflecting on all of the experiences this year and planning for the next leg of our SMASH journey. I wish for all of you a relaxing, playful, and reinvigorating summer.
Truly Yours,
Jessica
SMASH Beach Day Guidelines
Students may not stay at the beach
with anyone other than a parent without a written note!
This will be strictly enforced!
Core 3 and Core 4 may bring Boogie Boards—NO SURFBOARDS.
Core 4 students MAY go get food at Perrys—they need to go in pairs or groups
and eat there—they may not bring the food back to the beach!
We will be leaving SMASH for Life Guard Station #26 (at the end of Ocean Park Blvd.) beginning at 8:45 a.m. Stay together on the walk down to the beach.
Cores will “camp” on the sand—sit together, please, and take care of your stuff!
No going in the water until
the lifeguard tells us about water conditions and the boundaries.
In the water, stay between the cones and only go in as far as the lifeguard allows
(knees, waist, and chest). Swim with friends!
Go to the bathroom in pairs or groups
tell an adult before you go and tell that same adult when you return.
Play safely and respectfully respond to all/any adults.
We will leave the beach at 1:00 to return to school by 1:30.
Follow these guidelines or get escorted back to school.
Have fun!
Students may not stay at the beach
with anyone other than a parent without a written note!
This will be strictly enforced!
Core 3 and Core 4 may bring Boogie Boards—NO SURFBOARDS.
Core 4 students MAY go get food at Perrys—they need to go in pairs or groups
and eat there—they may not bring the food back to the beach!
We will be leaving SMASH for Life Guard Station #26 (at the end of Ocean Park Blvd.) beginning at 8:45 a.m. Stay together on the walk down to the beach.
Cores will “camp” on the sand—sit together, please, and take care of your stuff!
No going in the water until
the lifeguard tells us about water conditions and the boundaries.
In the water, stay between the cones and only go in as far as the lifeguard allows
(knees, waist, and chest). Swim with friends!
Go to the bathroom in pairs or groups
tell an adult before you go and tell that same adult when you return.
Play safely and respectfully respond to all/any adults.
We will leave the beach at 1:00 to return to school by 1:30.
Follow these guidelines or get escorted back to school.
Have fun!
8th GRADE GRADUATION &
ALL-SCHOOL POTLUCK IS COMING!!!
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 — 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 jwold@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-F: DESSERTS, including brownies, cookies, cupcakes
G-R: MAIN DISHES, Big hits are dinner pastas, buckets of chicken,
giant (cut) subs, pizza (prepaid & delivered by noon) and anything homemade.
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
Can’t bring a dish? A cash contribution for supplies & food would be appreciated!
Just send it to Janice in the main office.
ALL-SCHOOL POTLUCK IS COMING!!!
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 — 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 jwold@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-F: DESSERTS, including brownies, cookies, cupcakes
G-R: MAIN DISHES, Big hits are dinner pastas, buckets of chicken,
giant (cut) subs, pizza (prepaid & delivered by noon) and anything homemade.
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
Can’t bring a dish? A cash contribution for supplies & food would be appreciated!
Just send it to Janice in the main office.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Mon. June 15 through Fri., June 19 - Minimum days, 1:30 dismissal
Mon June 15 & Tues June 16 - Hot Lunch only, no more salad bar, Wed. June 17 pre-ordered sack lunch only
Tue, June 16 - CRAZY HAIR DAY! Get Creative & join in the fun!
Wed, June 17 - 5:00-9:00pm - El Torito fundraiser - flyers sent home today.
Thurs, June 18 - 10:00 am - 8th GRADE GRADUATION & ALL SCHOOL POTLUCK! See Flyer
Fri, June 19 - ALL SCHOOL BEACH DAY. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! See Beach Days Rules!
Wed, Sept 9 - 1st Day of the New School Year!
CAFETERIA NOTICE
Salad Bar’s over for this year. Hot lunch available Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday-Sack lunches available if preordered by Monday. (Choices: #1 Peanut butter/Jelly; #2 Turkey Sandwich; #3 Ham & Cheese Sandwich. Ala Carte still available. Sack lunches may also be pre-ordered on Monday for Thursday graduation day and Friday Beach Day. The cost of sack lunches are the same as hot lunch/salad bar
Mon. June 15 through Fri., June 19 - Minimum days, 1:30 dismissal
Mon June 15 & Tues June 16 - Hot Lunch only, no more salad bar, Wed. June 17 pre-ordered sack lunch only
Tue, June 16 - CRAZY HAIR DAY! Get Creative & join in the fun!
Wed, June 17 - 5:00-9:00pm - El Torito fundraiser - flyers sent home today.
Thurs, June 18 - 10:00 am - 8th GRADE GRADUATION & ALL SCHOOL POTLUCK! See Flyer
Fri, June 19 - ALL SCHOOL BEACH DAY. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! See Beach Days Rules!
Wed, Sept 9 - 1st Day of the New School Year!
CAFETERIA NOTICE
Salad Bar’s over for this year. Hot lunch available Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday-Sack lunches available if preordered by Monday. (Choices: #1 Peanut butter/Jelly; #2 Turkey Sandwich; #3 Ham & Cheese Sandwich. Ala Carte still available. Sack lunches may also be pre-ordered on Monday for Thursday graduation day and Friday Beach Day. The cost of sack lunches are the same as hot lunch/salad bar
FUN THINGS TO DO!
Fri June 12 @ 7:00 pm & Sun June 12 @ 1:00 pm - New Kid’s musical, CHARMING”
At Beyond Baroque Theater, 681 Venice Blvd., in Venice.
Prince Charming is great at saving damsels in distress, but not so good at keeping his promises of marriage. It all catches up with him in the new kids musical "CHARMING" Written and Directed by SMASH Dad Steve Fife, and starring several SMASH students, including Gabriel and Sebastian Schier, Sophia Torres Ulrich, Sofie Morales, Laird Galloway, Eloise Rollins-Fife, Woody Bronner, Sadie Saltzman and Caoimhe Whitebloom. The show lasts around 75 minutes with one intermission, and there is free parking behind the Pacific Resident Theater. Reservations can be made by voicemail at 310-664-1905 or online at slfife1@verizon.net. Hope to see you there!
Sat June 20—Noon-5:00pm, Virginia Avenue Park (Cloverfield & Pico) JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
Live entertainment, Marketplace, Children’s Area, Youth Performance Stage & More! FREE!
Fri June 12 @ 7:00 pm & Sun June 12 @ 1:00 pm - New Kid’s musical, CHARMING”
At Beyond Baroque Theater, 681 Venice Blvd., in Venice.
Prince Charming is great at saving damsels in distress, but not so good at keeping his promises of marriage. It all catches up with him in the new kids musical "CHARMING" Written and Directed by SMASH Dad Steve Fife, and starring several SMASH students, including Gabriel and Sebastian Schier, Sophia Torres Ulrich, Sofie Morales, Laird Galloway, Eloise Rollins-Fife, Woody Bronner, Sadie Saltzman and Caoimhe Whitebloom. The show lasts around 75 minutes with one intermission, and there is free parking behind the Pacific Resident Theater. Reservations can be made by voicemail at 310-664-1905 or online at slfife1@verizon.net. Hope to see you there!
Sat June 20—Noon-5:00pm, Virginia Avenue Park (Cloverfield & Pico) JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
Live entertainment, Marketplace, Children’s Area, Youth Performance Stage & More! FREE!
PTSA news brief
President’s Note
As the school year draws to a close, PTSA is preparing the budget for 2009/1010. While we’ve been able to meet our budget this school year, we will have to deal with the consequences of a reduced district budget next year. And with an eye towards even further cuts in future years, we have to be prudent.
We must diligently keep our expenses down while still offering the most vital classroom support, sustaining the educational programs most valuable to our students, and the community programs most important to the thriving SMASH community.
We need continued support from the entire parent population. SMASH needs all of us as volunteers and donors in the days, weeks, months and years to come. 100% participation in our family donation programs and fundraisers will be one of our most important goal in 2009/2010. Please help us achieve it.
That said, thanks so much for all your support, financial and otherwise, during this past school year. We all support our children’s education as best we can, offer money, volunteer hours, ideas and expertise to the extent we can. At SMASH, everybody chips in, everybody lends a hand. And it shows. From the youngest student to the oldest parent, from the newest staff member to those who have been here since the early days, this is a fantastic community!
Have a safe and relaxing summer!
Helga Schier and David Saltzman, PTSA Co-Presidents
President’s Note
As the school year draws to a close, PTSA is preparing the budget for 2009/1010. While we’ve been able to meet our budget this school year, we will have to deal with the consequences of a reduced district budget next year. And with an eye towards even further cuts in future years, we have to be prudent.
We must diligently keep our expenses down while still offering the most vital classroom support, sustaining the educational programs most valuable to our students, and the community programs most important to the thriving SMASH community.
We need continued support from the entire parent population. SMASH needs all of us as volunteers and donors in the days, weeks, months and years to come. 100% participation in our family donation programs and fundraisers will be one of our most important goal in 2009/2010. Please help us achieve it.
That said, thanks so much for all your support, financial and otherwise, during this past school year. We all support our children’s education as best we can, offer money, volunteer hours, ideas and expertise to the extent we can. At SMASH, everybody chips in, everybody lends a hand. And it shows. From the youngest student to the oldest parent, from the newest staff member to those who have been here since the early days, this is a fantastic community!
Have a safe and relaxing summer!
Helga Schier and David Saltzman, PTSA Co-Presidents
SMASH Student Council Presents
Crazy Hair Day!
Tuesday, June 16
Show your SMASH Spirit with a mohawk, spikes, or a beehive!
Be creative!
Have FUN!
Crazy Hair Day!
Tuesday, June 16
Show your SMASH Spirit with a mohawk, spikes, or a beehive!
Be creative!
Have FUN!
CORE 1 NEWS
Last Friday Letter!
This is it! Thank you for being such dedicated readers this year. As you know, the Friday Letter is our main form of communication with Core 1 families, and most of your questions are answered in this important document. So take a break for the summer, but come back ready to read the Friday papers in the fall!!
NO HOT LUNCH STARTS WEDNESDAY
All students need to bring snack and lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week. The cafeteria will not be offering salad bar or hot lunch. Please come prepared!
End-of-the-Year Cleaning
It's time to clean out! Please look in, above, and around the cubby area for your things. Also check the hooks in the Peaceful Room. You won’t believe what you might find! Anything left behind will be donated to Goodwill.
Beach Day!
We will be having an all-school Beach Day next Friday, June 19th to kick off the summer. This is the last day of school! Please read the attached information sheet about Beach Day carefully so your child will be prepared to have a comfortable, safe, and fun day. We'd love to have you join us!
Summer Reading
“Catch the Reading Bug” at your nearest Santa Monica Public Library branch. You can sign up for Summer Reading at any of the Santa Monica Public Library locations beginning Monday, June 15. Visit www.smplkids.org for more information and some great book lists. Let's keep those reading muscles strong all summer long!
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 $20 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 18th 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!
Core 1 Summer Playdates
Soon we will announce playdates for our new Bigs and incoming Partners throughout the summer. We hope you can make 1 or 2 of these events. Also, look for summer notices about the Bigs/Partners Day, Family Summer Barbeque, and Parent Work Day at the end of August. Let’s give a warm welcome to our incoming SMASH families!!
Dates to Remember:
Monday, June 15th through Friday, June 19th—Minimum Days (1:30 dismissal)
Thursday, June 18th, 9:00-9:20am—Core 1 Graduation Ceremony in Core 1
Thursday, June 18th, 10:00am—8th Grade Graduation Ceremony in Auditorium
Friday, June 19th, All-School Beach Day; Last Day of School!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!
Chrysta, Candis, and Jackie
Candis: candis.berens@smmusd.org Chrysta: wyse@smmusd.org
8th GRADE GRADULATION & ALL SCHOOL POTLUCK - Thursday June 18 @ 10:00 am
Please Help Make This Event Happen!!
WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP DECORATE, RECEIVE FOOD & CLEAN UP
PLEASE BRING FOOD FOR THE PARTY!
IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH: A-F: DESSERTS G-R: MAIN DISHES S-Z: SALADS
Aloha Core 2 Community, June 12, 2009
Core 2 is publishing our friendly letters to incoming students. They have so many ideas of what the new Core 2 students will enjoy. Here is what the Chocolate Chipmunks have to say:
Theo: “I want to tell you about all the fun things in Core 2 that I hope you will enjoy next year.”
Alan: “First, Core 2 has fun teachers! Nadja! Jayme! Laura!”
Isabel: “Core 2 gets to go to the lunch benches… and the big yard.”
Simeon: “Nadja is a person who comes in to help us out like Jackie.”
Lucie: “For field trips we go on adventures with Kurt.”
Aurora: “Core 2 has many celebrations!”
Solal: “Another thing I want to tell you about is we have lots of supplies.”
Lily: “I really like community snack because you can try all different foods.”
Kanoa: “We have lots of reading time. For example, DEAR, media center, and RW.”
Kate: “The last thing I think you’ll enjoy is the teachers. For instance, we have Nadja who helps us with math, writing, reading, etc.”
Joe: “There are many fun things in Core 2.”
Levi: “The third thing I want to tell you about is that in Core 2 we have three adults that help us learn.”
Sam: “Choice choices is where you can do any activities you want if you don’t have any work to do.”
Riley: “Overall, there are so many great things you’ll enjoy next year.”
Willow:“We went to the Watts Towers that is a place where Simon Rodia built a lot of towers out of old things that he finds.”
Mika: “Community snack…you bring snack that you like a lot and then you share it with us.”
Alex: “There are so many celebrations that would be fun to show you.”
Tim: “We have many celebrations. We have them in the morning…afternoon…and even in the middle of the day.”
Duncan: “There’s new friends to SMASH and old friends from Core 1.”
Sophie: “Core 2 has two times where you choose what to do! There is something called Quiet Time where you can rest, read, draw, or write.”
Open House: It was so great to see all of you visit our Core and check out all the work we have done throughout the year! Your support is truly amazing and appreciated.
This is our last Friday Letter of the year.
We’ve had a great year and we’re looking forward to the future.
3rd Graders, best of luck on your new journey in Core 3!
We have attached a recommended summer reading list for each student.
Have a fantastic, safe, and book-filled summer!
Upcoming dates and events:
Tuesday, June 16- CRAZY HAIR DAY!! Can’t wait to see your follicle creations… it’ll be hair-raising!
Thursday, June 18 – 8th grade graduation, Potluck Lunch –See flyer in today’s Friday Letter
Friday, June 19 – Beach Day, last day of school—Please read Beach Rules in today’s Friday Letter
Have a terrific weekend and summer adventure,
Laura, Jayme, and Nadja
Laura’s e-mail: sherman@smmusd.org Jayme’s e-mail: jayme.wold@smmusd.org
CORE 3
Sum…summer…summertime! Core 3 students have been sharing their summer plans with each other in Morning Meeting. They are excited about visiting family, traveling, camping, days at the beach, sleepovers, playdates, swimming, camp, late nights, sleeping in, and just having lots of unlimited free time. It’s often in this free time that children get to dive right into their passions and build new interests. We hope they will get some new ideas and grow those ideas and discover new questions and search for their answers.
We also hope they will continue some reading, writing, and math routines they have put into place this past year in Core 3:
~We hope they will continue to read books every day (or almost every day). If they typically read before they go to sleep, there is no reason not to keep this routine in place. If they are going camping or visiting family, having a book with you is a nice way to get some alone time or pass the time en route.
~We know writing every day is harder than reading every day. Writing for fun can be relaxing and entertaining. Having to write is challenging, as all writers would agree. But it is still important to flex those creative muscles and writing skills. Please encourage your child to write over the long break. Having a special writing notebook over the summer is a great way to capture moments on paper. They could keep writing in their current writing notebook, but maybe a fresh summer notebook might be the invitation needed to get your young writer writing over the summer.
~And finally, it’s important to play with numbers and find real math problems to solve. If you find yourself crunching some numbers (and aren’t we all doing that these days!), invite your child to help solve the problem and then share strategies. Games like Monopoly, Rumicub (a Mugalian family favorite!), Pente, Battleship, Chess, and card games are a fun way to get some math in your child’s daily life. Summer time is also a good time for your child to get their math facts under their belts. Quiz them to see if they can do basic addition (6 + 7), subtraction (11-3), combinations of ten, multiplication (7 x 4) and division (24 ÷ 6) facts in a snap. They can make their own flash cards with index cards or you can purchase them at a bookstore or sometimes at the 99¢ store. This practice and knowledge will help your child feel more confident about their math next year.
There’s no week like the last week of school:
1:30 dismissal every day next week!
MONDAY and TUESDAY--Hot lunches available—no salad bar
WEDNESDAY--Sack lunches (order now!) or a la carte only
THURSDAY--Graduation and All-SMASH potluck lunch (bring a lunch anyway!)
FRIDAY--Beach Day—Please remember to give a written/emailed note to a teacher if your child is staying at the beach with anyone!
We have had a fantastic year filled with lots of growth and learning!
Have a wonderful and restful summer and we’ll see you in September!
Core 3 rocks!!!
mugalian@smmusd.org Tamara, Genie, and Malaika genie.hwang@smmusd.org
A big shout out to all of our Core 3 Musicians and Vocalists for a fabulous concert! Over the past several years we have watched the district elementary music program grow from an “option” which only a few students benefited from to a mutli-level instrumental and choral music program, with students performing in the annual Stairway of the Stars concerts, pursuing outside musical interests, and growing their talents into our Middle-School Program and beyond! Please help your child find the right musical pursuit for them: Singing? A different instrument? More practice at home? Private lessons? Together, we can continue to grow our Middle-school program. Keep playing /singing!!
CORE 4
FROM KELLY
Math “Sum”ming it Up!
What an incredible year! In this past week, we winded down our final unit and started looking back at all the accomplishments achieved over this past year. The mathematicians took time to reflect on various aspects of their Math experience this year. These areas included the biggest challenges of the year, their favorite moments, the funniest moments, goals they have reached, skills they have learned, ways that they have helped each other, and how they NOW feel as mathematicians. We also had them look at their Hopes and Dreams created for Math at the beginning of the year to see how they have fulfilled or have made progress toward them. By engaging in this process, it helps students to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in themselves, their class, and their school as well as a sense of belonging and an affirmation of their significance within the group. They also gain a feeling of satisfaction from having worked hard to learn something and most importantly they recognize the fun and excitement that are a part of learning. These mathematicians over this past year have experienced many successes, and it has been exciting to hear them recognize this! I encourage you to do the same outside of the classroom!
As the mathematicians move on to these summer months, we will urge them to continue reviewing their mathematics skills. This has been a part of our conversation this week, and it will continue next week. Playing the numerous games that we learned as well as observing and making notes of the math occurrences one encounters each day lie as two of the main ways we will urge them to practice their skills this summer. Please be on the lookout for a posting on the website about the highly encouraged summer suggestions. Also, if one is interested in receiving summer support/tutoring, I have am available to aid your child in maintaining and progressing their math skills, and I also have many other great people to suggest for support as well. Feel free to e-mail me at kelly.kulsrud@smmusd.org
I also want to take this time to thank all of you for the support you have provided throughout the year. It has made both the work in the classroom as well as the children thrive! I look forward to these last few days with these successful and wonderful children!
Writing Workshop: A Publishable Moment!
Over this past year, the sixth and seventh graders have all had the opportunity to engage in a Writing Workshop with me. During this Writing class, the students learned numerous skills: how to be independent within and across the writing process, ways to develop and deepen their repertoire of narrative writing strategies, how to explore powerful subjects from their lives and drafting these subjects as small moments within narrative structure, ways to mentor themselves to published writers to improve their writing, techniques to revise and edit with some of the craft of narrative writing, and how to publish within a community of writers. Many memorable moments and transferable tools existed and can be taken with them as they continue to act as a writer. One piece that we want the writers to take with them is a literary magazine where all the students’ personal narratives are published! Not only will each student receive one to celebrate their work and their peers’ work, but they will also be able to use it as a mentor text! I am in the midst of looking at ways to put this together, and I distribute them over the summer.
End of the Year Tidbits
Because the students have many things to take home in all three of the classrooms here in Core 4, we recommend they bring an extra BIG bag to take home all of their materials! Doubling brown paper bags always serves as a durable way to take things home. Things will be sent home throughout the week, so please have these bags at the beginning of the week!
Also, as a reminder, if you plan on taking your child from one of the school activities such as during Beach Day or after Graduation, please make sure to send a note with your child to aware their teacher of their early dismissal. Thanks! I look forward to seeing you all during these exciting events! --Kelly
Kelly: kelly.kulsrud@smmusd.org ; Kurt: holland@smmusd.org; Erin: erin.haendel@smmusd.org; Bailey:baileyfield@gmail.com
SMASHing Core 4 Summer Reading List
REQUIRED: THESE 3 BOOKS and 1 SCIENCE BOOK and 1 FREE CHOICE! ( 5 books minimum)
Three Cups of Tea young reader's edition by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin adapted by Sarah Thomson
A Beginning a Muddle and End by Avi
Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
For Follow up on Greece
Troy by Adele Geras
Highly Recommended Authors:
Sharon Creech
Nikki Grimes
S.E. Hinton
Walter Dean Myers
Gary Paulsen
Gary Soto
Jerry Spinelli
GREAT LISTS AT THE FOLOWING WEBSITES:
Santa Monica Public Library: http://smilenet.smmusd.org/
Santa Monica Unified School District http://www.smplteens.org/library/summerreading.htm
Middle School Summer Reading Recommendations: (borrowed from Archer School- why reinvent the wheel)
To find summaries, cover art, reviews and ratings of these
books, go to Archer’s Middle School Summer Reading ‘library’ on LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/archerenglish
If you like Harry Potter and fantasy:
Kristin Cahore’s Graceling
Edward Eager’s Half Magic series
Garth Nix’s Sabriel series
Nix’s Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom series)
Neil Gaiman’s Coraline
Gaiman’s Stardust
Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book (a tad scary)
Jerry Spinelli’s Star Girl
J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit
Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings (a challenge read)
Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy
Edith Pattou’s East
Madeleine L'Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time
Ursula K. Leguin’s A Wizard of Earthsea
Leguin’s Gifts series
Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series
Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series
Celia Rees’ Witch Child
Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series (a challenge read)
If you like Twilight:
Melissa De la Cruz’s The Blue Bloods series
Stephanie Meyers’ The Host (a challenge read)
Darren Shan’s Cirque de Freak series
If you like adventure:
Gary Korman’s Dive series
Korman’s Everest series
Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet
Charles Portis’ True Grit
If you like books with animals:
Sharon Creech’s Love that Dog and Hate that Cat
Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh series
Richard Adams’ Watership Down (a challenge read)
Jack London’s Call of the Wild or White Fang
If you like historical fiction:
Karen Cushman’s Catherine Called Birdy
Louise Erdrich’s The Birchbark House
L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Chains
If you like mystery:
Phillip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke (a challenge read)
Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game
E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankewiler
Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None
Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
If you like science fiction:
Lois Lowry’s The Giver
M.T. Anderson’s Feed
Scott Westerfeld’s The Uglies, Pretties, Specials series
Westerfeld’s Midnighters Series
James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series
For creative writers:
Kathi Appelt’s Poems from Homeroom
If you like realistic fiction:
Christopher Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy
Pam Munoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising
Anne Brashare’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
Brashare’s Three Willows
Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust
Patricia MacLachlan’s Baby
Naomi Shihab Nye’s Habibi
Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part time Indian (sensitive material)
John van de Ruit’s Spud
Edward Bloor’s Tangerine
Virginia Euwer Wolff’s Make Lemonade
Lori Gottlieb’s Stick Figure: Diary of my Former Self (sensitive material)
Paul Curtis’s The Watsons go to Birmingham
Terry Trueman’s Stuck in Neutral
Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak (sensitive material)
Virginia Hamilton’s House of Dies Drear
S.E. Hinton’s Rumble Fish
Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon
Michelle Magorian’s Good Night, Mr. Tom
Joyce Carol Oates’s Big Mouth &, Ugly Girl
Louis Sachar’s Holes and Small Steps
Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak (sensitive material)
Virginia Hamilton’s House of Dies Drear
S.E. Hinton’s Rumble Fish
Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon
Michelle Magorian’s Good Night, Mr. Tom
Joyce Carol Oates’s Big Mouth &, Ugly Girl
Louis Sachar’s Holes and Small Steps
Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing
Last Friday Letter!
This is it! Thank you for being such dedicated readers this year. As you know, the Friday Letter is our main form of communication with Core 1 families, and most of your questions are answered in this important document. So take a break for the summer, but come back ready to read the Friday papers in the fall!!
NO HOT LUNCH STARTS WEDNESDAY
All students need to bring snack and lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week. The cafeteria will not be offering salad bar or hot lunch. Please come prepared!
End-of-the-Year Cleaning
It's time to clean out! Please look in, above, and around the cubby area for your things. Also check the hooks in the Peaceful Room. You won’t believe what you might find! Anything left behind will be donated to Goodwill.
Beach Day!
We will be having an all-school Beach Day next Friday, June 19th to kick off the summer. This is the last day of school! Please read the attached information sheet about Beach Day carefully so your child will be prepared to have a comfortable, safe, and fun day. We'd love to have you join us!
Summer Reading
“Catch the Reading Bug” at your nearest Santa Monica Public Library branch. You can sign up for Summer Reading at any of the Santa Monica Public Library locations beginning Monday, June 15. Visit www.smplkids.org for more information and some great book lists. Let's keep those reading muscles strong all summer long!
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 $20 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 18th 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!
Core 1 Summer Playdates
Soon we will announce playdates for our new Bigs and incoming Partners throughout the summer. We hope you can make 1 or 2 of these events. Also, look for summer notices about the Bigs/Partners Day, Family Summer Barbeque, and Parent Work Day at the end of August. Let’s give a warm welcome to our incoming SMASH families!!
Dates to Remember:
Monday, June 15th through Friday, June 19th—Minimum Days (1:30 dismissal)
Thursday, June 18th, 9:00-9:20am—Core 1 Graduation Ceremony in Core 1
Thursday, June 18th, 10:00am—8th Grade Graduation Ceremony in Auditorium
Friday, June 19th, All-School Beach Day; Last Day of School!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!
Chrysta, Candis, and Jackie
Candis: candis.berens@smmusd.org Chrysta: wyse@smmusd.org
8th GRADE GRADULATION & ALL SCHOOL POTLUCK - Thursday June 18 @ 10:00 am
Please Help Make This Event Happen!!
WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP DECORATE, RECEIVE FOOD & CLEAN UP
PLEASE BRING FOOD FOR THE PARTY!
IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH: A-F: DESSERTS G-R: MAIN DISHES S-Z: SALADS
Aloha Core 2 Community, June 12, 2009
Core 2 is publishing our friendly letters to incoming students. They have so many ideas of what the new Core 2 students will enjoy. Here is what the Chocolate Chipmunks have to say:
Theo: “I want to tell you about all the fun things in Core 2 that I hope you will enjoy next year.”
Alan: “First, Core 2 has fun teachers! Nadja! Jayme! Laura!”
Isabel: “Core 2 gets to go to the lunch benches… and the big yard.”
Simeon: “Nadja is a person who comes in to help us out like Jackie.”
Lucie: “For field trips we go on adventures with Kurt.”
Aurora: “Core 2 has many celebrations!”
Solal: “Another thing I want to tell you about is we have lots of supplies.”
Lily: “I really like community snack because you can try all different foods.”
Kanoa: “We have lots of reading time. For example, DEAR, media center, and RW.”
Kate: “The last thing I think you’ll enjoy is the teachers. For instance, we have Nadja who helps us with math, writing, reading, etc.”
Joe: “There are many fun things in Core 2.”
Levi: “The third thing I want to tell you about is that in Core 2 we have three adults that help us learn.”
Sam: “Choice choices is where you can do any activities you want if you don’t have any work to do.”
Riley: “Overall, there are so many great things you’ll enjoy next year.”
Willow:“We went to the Watts Towers that is a place where Simon Rodia built a lot of towers out of old things that he finds.”
Mika: “Community snack…you bring snack that you like a lot and then you share it with us.”
Alex: “There are so many celebrations that would be fun to show you.”
Tim: “We have many celebrations. We have them in the morning…afternoon…and even in the middle of the day.”
Duncan: “There’s new friends to SMASH and old friends from Core 1.”
Sophie: “Core 2 has two times where you choose what to do! There is something called Quiet Time where you can rest, read, draw, or write.”
Open House: It was so great to see all of you visit our Core and check out all the work we have done throughout the year! Your support is truly amazing and appreciated.
This is our last Friday Letter of the year.
We’ve had a great year and we’re looking forward to the future.
3rd Graders, best of luck on your new journey in Core 3!
We have attached a recommended summer reading list for each student.
Have a fantastic, safe, and book-filled summer!
Upcoming dates and events:
Tuesday, June 16- CRAZY HAIR DAY!! Can’t wait to see your follicle creations… it’ll be hair-raising!
Thursday, June 18 – 8th grade graduation, Potluck Lunch –See flyer in today’s Friday Letter
Friday, June 19 – Beach Day, last day of school—Please read Beach Rules in today’s Friday Letter
Have a terrific weekend and summer adventure,
Laura, Jayme, and Nadja
Laura’s e-mail: sherman@smmusd.org Jayme’s e-mail: jayme.wold@smmusd.org
CORE 3
Sum…summer…summertime! Core 3 students have been sharing their summer plans with each other in Morning Meeting. They are excited about visiting family, traveling, camping, days at the beach, sleepovers, playdates, swimming, camp, late nights, sleeping in, and just having lots of unlimited free time. It’s often in this free time that children get to dive right into their passions and build new interests. We hope they will get some new ideas and grow those ideas and discover new questions and search for their answers.
We also hope they will continue some reading, writing, and math routines they have put into place this past year in Core 3:
~We hope they will continue to read books every day (or almost every day). If they typically read before they go to sleep, there is no reason not to keep this routine in place. If they are going camping or visiting family, having a book with you is a nice way to get some alone time or pass the time en route.
~We know writing every day is harder than reading every day. Writing for fun can be relaxing and entertaining. Having to write is challenging, as all writers would agree. But it is still important to flex those creative muscles and writing skills. Please encourage your child to write over the long break. Having a special writing notebook over the summer is a great way to capture moments on paper. They could keep writing in their current writing notebook, but maybe a fresh summer notebook might be the invitation needed to get your young writer writing over the summer.
~And finally, it’s important to play with numbers and find real math problems to solve. If you find yourself crunching some numbers (and aren’t we all doing that these days!), invite your child to help solve the problem and then share strategies. Games like Monopoly, Rumicub (a Mugalian family favorite!), Pente, Battleship, Chess, and card games are a fun way to get some math in your child’s daily life. Summer time is also a good time for your child to get their math facts under their belts. Quiz them to see if they can do basic addition (6 + 7), subtraction (11-3), combinations of ten, multiplication (7 x 4) and division (24 ÷ 6) facts in a snap. They can make their own flash cards with index cards or you can purchase them at a bookstore or sometimes at the 99¢ store. This practice and knowledge will help your child feel more confident about their math next year.
There’s no week like the last week of school:
1:30 dismissal every day next week!
MONDAY and TUESDAY--Hot lunches available—no salad bar
WEDNESDAY--Sack lunches (order now!) or a la carte only
THURSDAY--Graduation and All-SMASH potluck lunch (bring a lunch anyway!)
FRIDAY--Beach Day—Please remember to give a written/emailed note to a teacher if your child is staying at the beach with anyone!
We have had a fantastic year filled with lots of growth and learning!
Have a wonderful and restful summer and we’ll see you in September!
Core 3 rocks!!!
mugalian@smmusd.org Tamara, Genie, and Malaika genie.hwang@smmusd.org
A big shout out to all of our Core 3 Musicians and Vocalists for a fabulous concert! Over the past several years we have watched the district elementary music program grow from an “option” which only a few students benefited from to a mutli-level instrumental and choral music program, with students performing in the annual Stairway of the Stars concerts, pursuing outside musical interests, and growing their talents into our Middle-School Program and beyond! Please help your child find the right musical pursuit for them: Singing? A different instrument? More practice at home? Private lessons? Together, we can continue to grow our Middle-school program. Keep playing /singing!!
CORE 4
FROM KELLY
Math “Sum”ming it Up!
What an incredible year! In this past week, we winded down our final unit and started looking back at all the accomplishments achieved over this past year. The mathematicians took time to reflect on various aspects of their Math experience this year. These areas included the biggest challenges of the year, their favorite moments, the funniest moments, goals they have reached, skills they have learned, ways that they have helped each other, and how they NOW feel as mathematicians. We also had them look at their Hopes and Dreams created for Math at the beginning of the year to see how they have fulfilled or have made progress toward them. By engaging in this process, it helps students to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in themselves, their class, and their school as well as a sense of belonging and an affirmation of their significance within the group. They also gain a feeling of satisfaction from having worked hard to learn something and most importantly they recognize the fun and excitement that are a part of learning. These mathematicians over this past year have experienced many successes, and it has been exciting to hear them recognize this! I encourage you to do the same outside of the classroom!
As the mathematicians move on to these summer months, we will urge them to continue reviewing their mathematics skills. This has been a part of our conversation this week, and it will continue next week. Playing the numerous games that we learned as well as observing and making notes of the math occurrences one encounters each day lie as two of the main ways we will urge them to practice their skills this summer. Please be on the lookout for a posting on the website about the highly encouraged summer suggestions. Also, if one is interested in receiving summer support/tutoring, I have am available to aid your child in maintaining and progressing their math skills, and I also have many other great people to suggest for support as well. Feel free to e-mail me at kelly.kulsrud@smmusd.org
I also want to take this time to thank all of you for the support you have provided throughout the year. It has made both the work in the classroom as well as the children thrive! I look forward to these last few days with these successful and wonderful children!
Writing Workshop: A Publishable Moment!
Over this past year, the sixth and seventh graders have all had the opportunity to engage in a Writing Workshop with me. During this Writing class, the students learned numerous skills: how to be independent within and across the writing process, ways to develop and deepen their repertoire of narrative writing strategies, how to explore powerful subjects from their lives and drafting these subjects as small moments within narrative structure, ways to mentor themselves to published writers to improve their writing, techniques to revise and edit with some of the craft of narrative writing, and how to publish within a community of writers. Many memorable moments and transferable tools existed and can be taken with them as they continue to act as a writer. One piece that we want the writers to take with them is a literary magazine where all the students’ personal narratives are published! Not only will each student receive one to celebrate their work and their peers’ work, but they will also be able to use it as a mentor text! I am in the midst of looking at ways to put this together, and I distribute them over the summer.
End of the Year Tidbits
Because the students have many things to take home in all three of the classrooms here in Core 4, we recommend they bring an extra BIG bag to take home all of their materials! Doubling brown paper bags always serves as a durable way to take things home. Things will be sent home throughout the week, so please have these bags at the beginning of the week!
Also, as a reminder, if you plan on taking your child from one of the school activities such as during Beach Day or after Graduation, please make sure to send a note with your child to aware their teacher of their early dismissal. Thanks! I look forward to seeing you all during these exciting events! --Kelly
Kelly: kelly.kulsrud@smmusd.org ; Kurt: holland@smmusd.org; Erin: erin.haendel@smmusd.org; Bailey:baileyfield@gmail.com
SMASHing Core 4 Summer Reading List
REQUIRED: THESE 3 BOOKS and 1 SCIENCE BOOK and 1 FREE CHOICE! ( 5 books minimum)
Three Cups of Tea young reader's edition by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin adapted by Sarah Thomson
A Beginning a Muddle and End by Avi
Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
For Follow up on Greece
Troy by Adele Geras
Highly Recommended Authors:
Sharon Creech
Nikki Grimes
S.E. Hinton
Walter Dean Myers
Gary Paulsen
Gary Soto
Jerry Spinelli
GREAT LISTS AT THE FOLOWING WEBSITES:
Santa Monica Public Library: http://smilenet.smmusd.org/
Santa Monica Unified School District http://www.smplteens.org/library/summerreading.htm
Middle School Summer Reading Recommendations: (borrowed from Archer School- why reinvent the wheel)
To find summaries, cover art, reviews and ratings of these
books, go to Archer’s Middle School Summer Reading ‘library’ on LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/archerenglish
If you like Harry Potter and fantasy:
Kristin Cahore’s Graceling
Edward Eager’s Half Magic series
Garth Nix’s Sabriel series
Nix’s Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom series)
Neil Gaiman’s Coraline
Gaiman’s Stardust
Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book (a tad scary)
Jerry Spinelli’s Star Girl
J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit
Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings (a challenge read)
Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy
Edith Pattou’s East
Madeleine L'Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time
Ursula K. Leguin’s A Wizard of Earthsea
Leguin’s Gifts series
Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series
Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series
Celia Rees’ Witch Child
Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series (a challenge read)
If you like Twilight:
Melissa De la Cruz’s The Blue Bloods series
Stephanie Meyers’ The Host (a challenge read)
Darren Shan’s Cirque de Freak series
If you like adventure:
Gary Korman’s Dive series
Korman’s Everest series
Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet
Charles Portis’ True Grit
If you like books with animals:
Sharon Creech’s Love that Dog and Hate that Cat
Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh series
Richard Adams’ Watership Down (a challenge read)
Jack London’s Call of the Wild or White Fang
If you like historical fiction:
Karen Cushman’s Catherine Called Birdy
Louise Erdrich’s The Birchbark House
L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Chains
If you like mystery:
Phillip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke (a challenge read)
Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game
E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankewiler
Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None
Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
If you like science fiction:
Lois Lowry’s The Giver
M.T. Anderson’s Feed
Scott Westerfeld’s The Uglies, Pretties, Specials series
Westerfeld’s Midnighters Series
James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series
For creative writers:
Kathi Appelt’s Poems from Homeroom
If you like realistic fiction:
Christopher Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy
Pam Munoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising
Anne Brashare’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
Brashare’s Three Willows
Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust
Patricia MacLachlan’s Baby
Naomi Shihab Nye’s Habibi
Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part time Indian (sensitive material)
John van de Ruit’s Spud
Edward Bloor’s Tangerine
Virginia Euwer Wolff’s Make Lemonade
Lori Gottlieb’s Stick Figure: Diary of my Former Self (sensitive material)
Paul Curtis’s The Watsons go to Birmingham
Terry Trueman’s Stuck in Neutral
Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak (sensitive material)
Virginia Hamilton’s House of Dies Drear
S.E. Hinton’s Rumble Fish
Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon
Michelle Magorian’s Good Night, Mr. Tom
Joyce Carol Oates’s Big Mouth &, Ugly Girl
Louis Sachar’s Holes and Small Steps
Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak (sensitive material)
Virginia Hamilton’s House of Dies Drear
S.E. Hinton’s Rumble Fish
Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon
Michelle Magorian’s Good Night, Mr. Tom
Joyce Carol Oates’s Big Mouth &, Ugly Girl
Louis Sachar’s Holes and Small Steps
Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing
