A Message from the Core 2 Fourth Grade Leadership Team:
***Terracycling: who, what, where, when, why, and how***
***Terracycling: who, what, where, when, why, and how***
We find trash that could go in terracycling in the trash cans every day: empty wrappers, juice pouches, chip bags, baggies, and much more. Today, we found over 60 items in the trash that should go in the terracycling —and that was just from ONE 15-MINUTE, MORNING BREAK!!!
Who? What? YOU can collect terra cycling at school. Have you seen the pink teracycle bin at break and lunch? You can put your chip bags, energy/granola/cereal bar wrappers, Ziploc baggies, drink pouches, and string cheese wrappers in the bin. If you’re not sure if you have terracycling in your snack/lunch, look at the label on the pink bin. Make sure you teracycle at school! YOU can collect terracycling at home and bring it to school. Bring chip bags, baggies, candy wrappers and gum packaging, coffee bags, cereal/energy bar wrappers, Ziploc bags, beauty/lotion/cream/ointment/ toothpaste tubes, glue sticks, and all writing implements (no pencils). Put a terracycling bag or bin next to your trash at home!
Where? When? We asked SMASH students about terracycling and this is what they said. Core 1’s Lily said, “Yes! We use terracycling at break and lunch!” Core 2’s CJ and Core 4’s Mica said, “Yes! We collect terracycling at home!” Core 3ers said, “Yes! We know what terracycling is for.” Sadly, a group of Core 4ers said, “Yes, we know what the pink bin is, but we don’t know what terracycling is for.”
Why? You should terracyle so we can raise money for our school. We’ve raised over $175 so far. You should teracycle because it keeps that stuff out of the landfills. You should teracycle because the terracyled items provide work for
the people who make new things like jewelry boxes, bags, and notepads from them.
How? The Fourth Grade Leadership Team is sponsoring a TERRACYCLING CONTEST!
The contest runs Monday, February 14 – Friday, February 25. Each Core will get a box for terracycling and a large bag to collect it in at the end of each week. The core that collects the most terracycling—and raises the most money for SMASH—wins!!! The winning core will be announced at a SMASHing Assembly on Friday, February 25 9:45 am.
Please try to teracycle more—bring stuff from home and when you’re done with your snack and lunch, put anything that can go in terracycling in the bin!
Thank You,
Alex, Kaiden, Mosi, Bailey, Clara, Aurora, Luke, Asher, Simeon, Caleb, Riley, and Alan
*NO JUICE BOXES (They go in regular recycling bins) FROZEN FOOD BAGS, SQUEEZABLE YOGURT ORWRAPPERS WITH ANY FOOD LEFT ON THEM (These go in the trash)
***********************
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - VALENTINE’S DAY
PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY CANDY, COOKIES, CAKES OR OTHER SWEETS TO SCHOOL!
Please check your child’s Core letter for any rules. THANK YOU!!
***********************
WEDNESDAY BAKE SALE DATES
CORE 1: Feb 16, Mar 16, May 4
CORE 2: March 2, March 30, May 11
CORE 3: Feb 23, Apr 6, May 18
CORE 4: Mar 9, Apr 27, May 25
TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCH (Set up at 1:30pm)
CORE 2: Mar 18; CORE 3: Apr 1; CORE 4: May 13
***********************
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wed, Feb 16 - 5:30pm - Site Council
Wed, Feb 16 - 7:00pm - Race to Nowhere, SMASH Auditorium - & Bake Sale. Proceeds go to 8th grade fundraiser for
UC Berkeley/San Francisco trip scholarships
Mon, Feb 21 - Presidents’ Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Mon, Feb 28 - 9:00-10:15am - SMASH Tour
***********************
FEBRUARY IS FITNESS TESTING MONTH
ONE MILE RUN FOR 2nd through 8th GRADE (SHUTTLE RUN 1st GRADE)
PUSH-UPS, SIT-UPS, TRUNK LIFT, SIT ‘N REACH
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS WEARING APPROPRIATE
SHOES AND CLOTHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TESTING!
RUNNING DATES
CORE 1
1st Grade - Wednesday, February 23
2nd Grade - Tuesday, February 22 - NEW DATE
CORE 2
3rd & 4th Grades - Wednesday, February 23 - NEW DATE
CORE 3
Blue-Thursday, February 17
Orange-Wednesday, February 23 - NEW DATE
CORE 4
7th Grade - Monday, February 28
8th Grade - Wednesday, February 28
***********************
SMASH School Tours
Mondays 9:00 - 10:15am (Please Note Date Changes)
February 28 March 7 & 28 May 23
Deadline for Kindergarten applications is March 31. Deadline for grades 1-8 is May 31.
***********************
Flyers available in SMASH office
• Spring 2011 Santa Monica Swim Center. Adult and Youth swim classes
• Youth National Volleyball Association (YNVA) 2011 Spring VolleyGirlz/SpikeGuyz Outdoor Volleyball. Girls and boys in grades 3-8. 6-week program at Franklin Elementary. For details: www.theynva.org or 877-333-9682.
LUNCH MENU CHANGE, Wednesday, February 23 - Chicken Fajitas instead of Pollo Loco
***********************
SMASH PTSA Presents: Parent Ed Night Screening of the critically acclaimed
Race to Nowhere
By Director, Vicki Abeles
Wednesday February 16 at 7:00pm - SMASH Auditorium
& 8th grade bake sale - fundraiser for UC Berkeley/San Francisco trip scholarships
***********************
Read by the Mile: Reading Marathon - Read Your Way Across LA!
Registration: February 1 to February 28 For students in grades 3 to 5
Put your reading skills to the test! Sign up and track your hours on a special reading log!
Read 26 hours. Complete by Sat, March 12 and receive an invitation to a special medal ceremony and program. Questions? Call the Youth Services Department at 310-458-8621
***********************
The Three Penny Opera
written by Bertolt Brecht, music by Kurt Weill
February 24-25 & March 2, 3 & 4 @ 7:00 pm
Santa Monica High School's Humanities Center Theater
Adults: $15. Students: $10 Purchase tickets online @ http://www.samohitheatre.org
“Three Penny Opera” changed the landscape of musical theater forever. With classic songs like “Mack the Knife” and “Pirate Jenny”, this gripping musical grapples with the bourgeois capitalism and modern morality prevalent in Victorian London. It's because of this groundbreaking musical we have “Cabaret”, “Chicago”, “Rent” and so many other musical hits.
***********************
A Whale of a Weekend
Come celebrate the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale during "Whale of a Weekend," February 19 & 20 at Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. A host of whale-related activities will be ongoing both days from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can feel the heft of a whale rib, check out bristly baleen and try on a layer of (simulated) whale blubber for warmth. Kids of all ages can have their faces painted and make a whale visor to take home.
The latest artifacts on display are two large segments of whale baleen, donated to the Aquarium by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. Learn interesting facts about these gentle giants at the Aquarium through story time, film screenings and staff presentations on the impact of climate change on local marine life. Aquarium naturalists, along with representatives of the American Cetacean Society, will staff a wildlife observation station at the west end of the Santa
Monica Pier. Those who stop by are welcome to spy for whales through binoculars and field guides will be available to identify local birds and other local marine life visible from the western end of the Pier.
Admission is free for children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. For those 13 and older, a $5 donation is suggested, with a minimum $3 admission per person required. For groups of 10 or more, the fee is $2 per person, regardless of age. Call 310-393-6149 for more information or visit our website at http://www.healthebay.org/
***********************
JAMS Wind Ensemble - Free Performance
Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00pm
The John Adams Middle School Wind Ensemble, conducted by Angela Woo, has been selected to perform at the 2011 California All-State Music Educators Conference on Feb. 18 at the Fresno Convention Center. As the only middle school band in the state to receive this honor, the JAMS Wind Ensemble will participate in the inaugural conference that will bring together the four statewide music educators associations in an unprecedented convention: the California Band Directors Association (CBDA), the California Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), the California Alliance for Jazz (CAJ), and the California Music Education Association (CMEA).
On Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in the John Adams Auditorium, the ensemble will be presenting an All-State Send-Off concert. The performance is open to the public, and there is no admission cost. For more information, please contact Angela Woo at awoo@smmusd.org or (310) 452- 2326 ext. 72-226.
***********************
CORE 1: Feb 16, Mar 16, May 4
CORE 2: March 2, March 30, May 11
CORE 3: Feb 23, Apr 6, May 18
CORE 4: Mar 9, Apr 27, May 25
TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCH (Set up at 1:30pm)
CORE 2: Mar 18; CORE 3: Apr 1; CORE 4: May 13
***********************
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wed, Feb 16 - 5:30pm - Site Council
Wed, Feb 16 - 7:00pm - Race to Nowhere, SMASH Auditorium - & Bake Sale. Proceeds go to 8th grade fundraiser for
UC Berkeley/San Francisco trip scholarships
Mon, Feb 21 - Presidents’ Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Mon, Feb 28 - 9:00-10:15am - SMASH Tour
***********************
FEBRUARY IS FITNESS TESTING MONTH
ONE MILE RUN FOR 2nd through 8th GRADE (SHUTTLE RUN 1st GRADE)
PUSH-UPS, SIT-UPS, TRUNK LIFT, SIT ‘N REACH
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS WEARING APPROPRIATE
SHOES AND CLOTHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TESTING!
RUNNING DATES
CORE 1
1st Grade - Wednesday, February 23
2nd Grade - Tuesday, February 22 - NEW DATE
CORE 2
3rd & 4th Grades - Wednesday, February 23 - NEW DATE
CORE 3
Blue-Thursday, February 17
Orange-Wednesday, February 23 - NEW DATE
CORE 4
7th Grade - Monday, February 28
8th Grade - Wednesday, February 28
***********************
SMASH School Tours
Mondays 9:00 - 10:15am (Please Note Date Changes)
February 28 March 7 & 28 May 23
Deadline for Kindergarten applications is March 31. Deadline for grades 1-8 is May 31.
***********************
Flyers available in SMASH office
• Spring 2011 Santa Monica Swim Center. Adult and Youth swim classes
• Youth National Volleyball Association (YNVA) 2011 Spring VolleyGirlz/SpikeGuyz Outdoor Volleyball. Girls and boys in grades 3-8. 6-week program at Franklin Elementary. For details: www.theynva.org or 877-333-9682.
LUNCH MENU CHANGE, Wednesday, February 23 - Chicken Fajitas instead of Pollo Loco
***********************
SMASH PTSA Presents: Parent Ed Night Screening of the critically acclaimed
Race to Nowhere
By Director, Vicki Abeles
Wednesday February 16 at 7:00pm - SMASH Auditorium
& 8th grade bake sale - fundraiser for UC Berkeley/San Francisco trip scholarships
***********************
Read by the Mile: Reading Marathon - Read Your Way Across LA!
Registration: February 1 to February 28 For students in grades 3 to 5
Put your reading skills to the test! Sign up and track your hours on a special reading log!
Read 26 hours. Complete by Sat, March 12 and receive an invitation to a special medal ceremony and program. Questions? Call the Youth Services Department at 310-458-8621
***********************
The Three Penny Opera
written by Bertolt Brecht, music by Kurt Weill
February 24-25 & March 2, 3 & 4 @ 7:00 pm
Santa Monica High School's Humanities Center Theater
Adults: $15. Students: $10 Purchase tickets online @ http://www.samohitheatre.org
“Three Penny Opera” changed the landscape of musical theater forever. With classic songs like “Mack the Knife” and “Pirate Jenny”, this gripping musical grapples with the bourgeois capitalism and modern morality prevalent in Victorian London. It's because of this groundbreaking musical we have “Cabaret”, “Chicago”, “Rent” and so many other musical hits.
***********************
A Whale of a Weekend
Come celebrate the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale during "Whale of a Weekend," February 19 & 20 at Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. A host of whale-related activities will be ongoing both days from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can feel the heft of a whale rib, check out bristly baleen and try on a layer of (simulated) whale blubber for warmth. Kids of all ages can have their faces painted and make a whale visor to take home.
The latest artifacts on display are two large segments of whale baleen, donated to the Aquarium by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. Learn interesting facts about these gentle giants at the Aquarium through story time, film screenings and staff presentations on the impact of climate change on local marine life. Aquarium naturalists, along with representatives of the American Cetacean Society, will staff a wildlife observation station at the west end of the Santa
Monica Pier. Those who stop by are welcome to spy for whales through binoculars and field guides will be available to identify local birds and other local marine life visible from the western end of the Pier.
Admission is free for children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. For those 13 and older, a $5 donation is suggested, with a minimum $3 admission per person required. For groups of 10 or more, the fee is $2 per person, regardless of age. Call 310-393-6149 for more information or visit our website at http://www.healthebay.org/
***********************
JAMS Wind Ensemble - Free Performance
Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00pm
The John Adams Middle School Wind Ensemble, conducted by Angela Woo, has been selected to perform at the 2011 California All-State Music Educators Conference on Feb. 18 at the Fresno Convention Center. As the only middle school band in the state to receive this honor, the JAMS Wind Ensemble will participate in the inaugural conference that will bring together the four statewide music educators associations in an unprecedented convention: the California Band Directors Association (CBDA), the California Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), the California Alliance for Jazz (CAJ), and the California Music Education Association (CMEA).
On Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in the John Adams Auditorium, the ensemble will be presenting an All-State Send-Off concert. The performance is open to the public, and there is no admission cost. For more information, please contact Angela Woo at awoo@smmusd.org or (310) 452- 2326 ext. 72-226.
***********************
GEM FAIR - Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main St (at Pico)
Fri, 2/11: noon-6pm; Sat, 2/12: 10am-6pm; Sun, 2/13: 10am-5pm
$7 weekend pass, children under 12 free
The 22nd Annual Gem Faire. Over 70 renowned importers/exporters will be on site selling their wares. The event also includes classes and demonstrations by a host of experts. For info and 2 for 1 ticket, visit www.gemfaire.com.
***********************
IS YOUR CHILD STARTING KINDERGARTEN IN SEPTEMBER?
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RETURNED BY MARCH 31 DEADLINE
Applications are in the main office.
***********************
ONLY 3 MORE WEEKS UNTIL THE JOG-A-THON
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
GO GET THOSE PLEDGES!
Ask your neighbors, call family and friends, pledge your whole
Core (penny a lap anyone?), email those faraway relatives.
Is your teacher or parent running? They can get pledges too!
We have extra pledge packets in the office.
Pledge Packets are due Thursday, March 3
There is still time to volunteer
Are you handy with a paper cup, spray bottle or rubber band?
If so, the Jog-a-thon needs you! We need parent volunteers to help hand out refreshments, count laps and cheer on our SMASH athletes.
Contact Lillie Schlessinger
at lillie.schlessinger@transameri ca.com or 310-392-9446
to volunteer. You can volunteer or just come and cheer!
***********************
1855 Main St (at Pico)
Fri, 2/11: noon-6pm; Sat, 2/12: 10am-6pm; Sun, 2/13: 10am-5pm
$7 weekend pass, children under 12 free
The 22nd Annual Gem Faire. Over 70 renowned importers/exporters will be on site selling their wares. The event also includes classes and demonstrations by a host of experts. For info and 2 for 1 ticket, visit www.gemfaire.com.
***********************
IS YOUR CHILD STARTING KINDERGARTEN IN SEPTEMBER?
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RETURNED BY MARCH 31 DEADLINE
Applications are in the main office.
***********************
ONLY 3 MORE WEEKS UNTIL THE JOG-A-THON
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
GO GET THOSE PLEDGES!
Ask your neighbors, call family and friends, pledge your whole
Core (penny a lap anyone?), email those faraway relatives.
Is your teacher or parent running? They can get pledges too!
We have extra pledge packets in the office.
Pledge Packets are due Thursday, March 3
There is still time to volunteer
Are you handy with a paper cup, spray bottle or rubber band?
If so, the Jog-a-thon needs you! We need parent volunteers to help hand out refreshments, count laps and cheer on our SMASH athletes.
Contact Lillie Schlessinger
at lillie.schlessinger@transameri ca.com or 310-392-9446
to volunteer. You can volunteer or just come and cheer!
***********************
ptsa news
president’s message
Dear SMASHing Parents,
For the SMASH PTSA and the SMASH Community, this is the busiest time of the year. Much will be going on over the next three months. Now is the time to get involved. Our upcoming fundraising events require an immense amount of organization and preparation.
Lillie Schlessinger and Darlene Flanders are on top of the March 4th Jog-a-thon, but we still need to make sure that all the volunteer positions are filled. Please contact events chairs Darlene [dflanders@quixo.com] and Lillie (lillie.Schlessinger@transamerica.com] and let them know that you can help with setup, manning a booth, passing out rubber bands as students run laps, or clean-up.
Though SuperSMASH is still more than three months away, we need everyone in the SMASH community to help assure that we have another successful summer festival and community celebration. There are many booths and carnival games that need shifts filled. We need donations for the live and silent auctions. There are Core art projects that our SMASH students need to create and parents to coordinate. And, there is marketing. If you have any questions,
contact Helga at 310-828-8421 or helgaschier@verizon.net
This is also the time of year where we need people to step-up and get involved in PTSA. Historically, there is a core group of parents that carry on the important work of the SMASH PTSA, but all parents eventually move on as their children leave SMASH. This requires new parents to take over and continue the PTSA’s valuable and important
work. The PTSA especially needs newer SMASH parents whose children are in Cores 1 & 2 to take on a role, whether on the executive board, or on a committee, or as an event chair or just being an assistant to learn the role and be prepared to take over in the future. What can you do? - Dan McGee
ptsa annual family investment drive
• The SMASH Annual Family Investment Drive continues throughout the year. Have you made a commitment? We are striving for 100% participation. If you have any questions, contact Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com) or Helga Schier (helgaschier@verizon.net)
SMASH bash
• If you have not been able to enjoy a SMASH bash event, there are still openings. Contact Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com) at your earliest convenience and find out what upcoming events are still available.
SMASH ptsa nominating committee
• If you have an interest in getting more involved in PTSA, our board will have some openings for next year that need to be filled this year. We need someone to handle PTSA Membership for the 2011-2012 school year. The V.P. of Membership is responsible for maintaining the PTSA membership list. The bulk of the position’s job duties are front-loaded at the beginning of the school year, and duties are minimal after November. Anyone interested in the position should contact our outgoing V.P. of Membership, Catherine Lerer (clerer@mcgeelerer.com), and she can give you more info.
president’s message
Dear SMASHing Parents,
For the SMASH PTSA and the SMASH Community, this is the busiest time of the year. Much will be going on over the next three months. Now is the time to get involved. Our upcoming fundraising events require an immense amount of organization and preparation.
Lillie Schlessinger and Darlene Flanders are on top of the March 4th Jog-a-thon, but we still need to make sure that all the volunteer positions are filled. Please contact events chairs Darlene [dflanders@quixo.com] and Lillie (lillie.Schlessinger@transamerica.com] and let them know that you can help with setup, manning a booth, passing out rubber bands as students run laps, or clean-up.
Though SuperSMASH is still more than three months away, we need everyone in the SMASH community to help assure that we have another successful summer festival and community celebration. There are many booths and carnival games that need shifts filled. We need donations for the live and silent auctions. There are Core art projects that our SMASH students need to create and parents to coordinate. And, there is marketing. If you have any questions,
contact Helga at 310-828-8421 or helgaschier@verizon.net
This is also the time of year where we need people to step-up and get involved in PTSA. Historically, there is a core group of parents that carry on the important work of the SMASH PTSA, but all parents eventually move on as their children leave SMASH. This requires new parents to take over and continue the PTSA’s valuable and important
work. The PTSA especially needs newer SMASH parents whose children are in Cores 1 & 2 to take on a role, whether on the executive board, or on a committee, or as an event chair or just being an assistant to learn the role and be prepared to take over in the future. What can you do? - Dan McGee
ptsa annual family investment drive
• The SMASH Annual Family Investment Drive continues throughout the year. Have you made a commitment? We are striving for 100% participation. If you have any questions, contact Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com) or Helga Schier (helgaschier@verizon.net)
SMASH bash
• If you have not been able to enjoy a SMASH bash event, there are still openings. Contact Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com) at your earliest convenience and find out what upcoming events are still available.
SMASH ptsa nominating committee
• If you have an interest in getting more involved in PTSA, our board will have some openings for next year that need to be filled this year. We need someone to handle PTSA Membership for the 2011-2012 school year. The V.P. of Membership is responsible for maintaining the PTSA membership list. The bulk of the position’s job duties are front-loaded at the beginning of the school year, and duties are minimal after November. Anyone interested in the position should contact our outgoing V.P. of Membership, Catherine Lerer (clerer@mcgeelerer.com), and she can give you more info.
• In addition, next year we are planning to create a new position on the SMASH PTSA Board to handle money for the Core 3 & 4 trips. The PTSA is planning to have a separate account for money collected from the 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th grade parents to pay for their kids’ learning adventures including Astro Camp, Catalina Island and Yosemite National Park. If you are interested, please Dan McGee (dmcgee@mcgeelerer.com).
SMASHing meetings
• Our next PTSA meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 3, at 8:30 a.m. If you have never attended a PTSA meeting, please stop by. For those who are regularly involved, we look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
GREEN TIP FOR THE WEEK
• Don't throw away those yucky rags and clothes! Take them to the Textile/Carpet Recycling Event:
What to bring--Clean and dry textiles like clothing, paired shoes, towels, old rags, sheets, scarves, hats, bags and belts.
Even soiled/torn. We even take carpet and rugs!
When: Saturday, February 26, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM.
Location: City Yards, 2500 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Questions? Contact: Kim Braun, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager, 310.458.8528
Upcoming Free City of Santa Monica Community Shred & Electronics Recycling Event
What- Great time to clean out your home and office. Free document shredding and electronics recycling. Shred those sensitive documents (bank statements, medical records, tax documents). The event is open to Santa Monica residents only.
When: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM.
Location: City Yards, 2500 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Questions? Contact: Kim Braun, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager, 310.458.8528
***********************
SMASH Site Council Agenda
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
5:30 PM Core 2
7-9pm Race to Nowhere screening in the Cafeteria
Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM.
Location: City Yards, 2500 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Questions? Contact: Kim Braun, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager, 310.458.8528
***********************
SMASH Site Council Agenda
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
5:30 PM Core 2
7-9pm Race to Nowhere screening in the Cafeteria
Adopt Agenda
Approve minutes of last meeting
Community participation
Reports and Announcements (regular agenda items)
Principal’s Report: SMMUSD Strategic Plan Draft Review
Student Reports
Community Organization Reports (to include but not limited to the following):
PTSA
Student Council
Other
Old Business
New Business
Community participation (is applicable)
Adjourn
***********************
CORE 1 NEWS
VALENTINE’S DAY is on Monday, and love is in the air. Core 1 traditionally showers their friends in Valentines in a celebratory Magic Circle.
Your child may bring 25 Valentines for all of the children in his/her circle group. Please don’t address the cards to
specific children. You’re encouraged to write From: _______ or Love, ________, but please DO NOT write To: _________. This can get extremely confusing at our celebration…. P.S. No sweets please! Your children’s love and kindness are sweet enough!!
PINKALICIOUS Field Trip to the Morgan Wixom Theater – Friday, February 18 All of Core 1 will be going to the Morgan Wixom Theater to see a children’s production of Pinkalicious, a favorite book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. We will be leaving at 10 AM on the Big Blue Bus to see their 11:30 show.
Please make sure your child is completely prepared for the trip – signed permission slip, walking shoes, snack and lunch (we will not return in time for hot lunch), and plenty to drink. Chaperones are welcome. Sign-up is in the Magic Garden Room & adult donations ($10) can be given to Jackie.
APPRECIATIONS –
Thank you to the Core 1 families who hosted the delicious (and beautiful) teacher lunch last Friday.
Thank you to Maggie (Marcus’ mom) for leading the Gods and Goddesses group during the past couple of months.
A group of Bigs and Mentors have been exploring self-expression through Greek Mythology and the dramatic arts – with a final performance this week.
WAYS TO HELP…
GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME - We continue to look for more volunteers for our PROJECTS time (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) 9:00 to 10:15. This is the time when our studies are most hands-on and interest-based – thus, this time often involves MANY materials (often messy!) and a variety of choices. We’re also open to parents coming in to lead small groups (less than 10 children) in your own project idea.
GIVE THE GIFT OF LITERACY - Now that the Partners have begun their formal Reading Workshop, we’ve noticed that our favorite, highly-engaging readers have been loved… to death. Some of these books have fallen apart and have been taped back together so many times, we can’t read them anymore.
PLEASE VISIT AMAZON.COM TO ACCESS CORE 1’S WISHLIST (listed under Gifts and Wishlists – type in smashcore1@gmail.com). This is a list of our favorite emergent readers. Any book donation will be loved by many children. Multiple copies of the same book allows the children to support one another in their learning. Most books are around $3!!
GIVE THE GIFT OF SUPPLIES – Core 1 continues to collect used ink cartridges to help fund our supplies (especially printer ink!). Our collection basket is in the Magic Garden room.
The next Birthday Bash for February birthdays will be February 25 at 11:45. Please sign-up to bring a healthy snack in Candis’ room. Family and friends are welcome.
Notice from the Nurse for Core 1 First graders:
To all parents of First graders,
In the Friday packet you will see a permission slip for the Jules Stein Eye Clinic. This is for a free eye exam given to first graders by the UCLA Jules Stein Mobile Eye Clinic. We are one of a select group of schools that are lucky enough to receive this service. Please send the permission slip back with your child next week if you want to have your child’s eyes examined. This is scheduled for this Thursday March 3 and/or April 4 depending on the numbers of exams they
can do each day.
Thanks,
Nurse Sandy
VALENTINE’S DAY is on Monday, and love is in the air. Core 1 traditionally showers their friends in Valentines in a celebratory Magic Circle.
Your child may bring 25 Valentines for all of the children in his/her circle group. Please don’t address the cards to
specific children. You’re encouraged to write From: _______ or Love, ________, but please DO NOT write To: _________. This can get extremely confusing at our celebration…. P.S. No sweets please! Your children’s love and kindness are sweet enough!!
PINKALICIOUS Field Trip to the Morgan Wixom Theater – Friday, February 18 All of Core 1 will be going to the Morgan Wixom Theater to see a children’s production of Pinkalicious, a favorite book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. We will be leaving at 10 AM on the Big Blue Bus to see their 11:30 show.
Please make sure your child is completely prepared for the trip – signed permission slip, walking shoes, snack and lunch (we will not return in time for hot lunch), and plenty to drink. Chaperones are welcome. Sign-up is in the Magic Garden Room & adult donations ($10) can be given to Jackie.
APPRECIATIONS –
Thank you to the Core 1 families who hosted the delicious (and beautiful) teacher lunch last Friday.
Thank you to Maggie (Marcus’ mom) for leading the Gods and Goddesses group during the past couple of months.
A group of Bigs and Mentors have been exploring self-expression through Greek Mythology and the dramatic arts – with a final performance this week.
WAYS TO HELP…
GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME - We continue to look for more volunteers for our PROJECTS time (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) 9:00 to 10:15. This is the time when our studies are most hands-on and interest-based – thus, this time often involves MANY materials (often messy!) and a variety of choices. We’re also open to parents coming in to lead small groups (less than 10 children) in your own project idea.
GIVE THE GIFT OF LITERACY - Now that the Partners have begun their formal Reading Workshop, we’ve noticed that our favorite, highly-engaging readers have been loved… to death. Some of these books have fallen apart and have been taped back together so many times, we can’t read them anymore.
PLEASE VISIT AMAZON.COM TO ACCESS CORE 1’S WISHLIST (listed under Gifts and Wishlists – type in smashcore1@gmail.com). This is a list of our favorite emergent readers. Any book donation will be loved by many children. Multiple copies of the same book allows the children to support one another in their learning. Most books are around $3!!
GIVE THE GIFT OF SUPPLIES – Core 1 continues to collect used ink cartridges to help fund our supplies (especially printer ink!). Our collection basket is in the Magic Garden room.
The next Birthday Bash for February birthdays will be February 25 at 11:45. Please sign-up to bring a healthy snack in Candis’ room. Family and friends are welcome.
Notice from the Nurse for Core 1 First graders:
To all parents of First graders,
In the Friday packet you will see a permission slip for the Jules Stein Eye Clinic. This is for a free eye exam given to first graders by the UCLA Jules Stein Mobile Eye Clinic. We are one of a select group of schools that are lucky enough to receive this service. Please send the permission slip back with your child next week if you want to have your child’s eyes examined. This is scheduled for this Thursday March 3 and/or April 4 depending on the numbers of exams they
can do each day.
Thanks,
Nurse Sandy
Candis, Chrysta, Graciela, Jackie & Karin
cberens@smmusd.org
cwyse@smmusd.org
gbarba-castro@smmusd.org
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CORE 2 NEWS
Advisory News: The new groups have names: Laura’s group is Trash Cans From Our Backyard or Trash Cans for short. Tamara’s group is Hey, Elfonzo—want a pickle? (After a week of ties, this is our compromise/combo name--who knows what nick-name will emerge!) ***Family HW: We want you to read the Friday Letter; we want them to read the
Friday Letter. Hmmm…read the letter together and discuss the interesting community, SMASH, and Core events together. (hint: there will be a test ;-)
Theme: Our new Theme unit combines reading, writing, history, and science. Laura is teaching science to both groups. We have been reading about minerals and looking, drawing, and writing about table salt. Tamara is leading social studies. We have brainstormed ideas about Why People Move, using that lens to research different groups of people: Native Americans,
Pioneers, Missionaries, Refugees, Immigrants, etc. This week we explored African-American history from slavery and the Underground Railroad (which we called “secret passage” for clarity) through the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement up to the Los Angeles Riots. Each week, we will explore a different group before the students get to
choose a group to research independently. ***Theme discussion HW: Why would you expect all grains of table salt to have the same structure? What are some of the ways and reasons that Africans and African-Americans have moved? What does geology have to do with why people move???
Literacy:
RW: Tamara is launching a non-fiction unit on biographies. The students have perused a variety of biographies about artists, writers, and noteworthy individuals from history, along with biographies about groups of people who have shared experiences (The Women’s Movement, Native Americans, Jews or Japanese Americans during WW II, The Northern Migration of African Americans, etc.). ***RW HW: Core 2 students—read 30 – 45 minutes each night. By Monday, each student needs to choose a biography to read as their Just Right book—this book should take about 1 week (a page a minute at 30 – 40 minutes a day) to read.
WW: Laura is helping the students craft autobiographies. The students gathered ideas about themselves on a heart map. “No Excuses” expectations are in place for penmanship (using capital and lower case letters, lined paper, and finger spaces) and punctuation (periods and questions marks). We’re supporting them on using book spelling of the 100 most frequently
misspelled words/personal dictionary words and following directions. Talk to your child about how they meet these expectations. ***WW HW: Core 2 students—write a short biography across your fingers (who, what, when/where, and what’s important) about the person from history you chose to be on “Past” Day.
Math:
Laura’s 3rd graders began a new unit, Perimeter, Angles, and Area. Look for the attached parent letter for the Benchmarks and information about this unit. ***3G HW due F 2/18.
Tamara’s 4th graders continued the unit, Multiple Towers and Division Stories. This week they had many “aha” moments as they used multiple strategies (grouping, the relationship between multiplication and division, landmark numbers) and tools (cubes, arrays, breaking apart numbers within long division) to explore division problems and division situation with remainders. ***4G HW due F 2/18.
3G and 4G: the 100th Day of School is Wednesday 2/16. Core 2 will be sharing collections of 100. The collection should include 100 items arranged so it can be counted quickly (no groups of 1’s or 100), plus the math sentence that goes with it. (i.e. a button collection of 100 divided into groups of 4: 25 groups of 4 is 100 or 25 x 4 = 100 or 25+25+25+25=100 or 100
split into groups of 25 makes 4 in each group). ***Please allow your child to estimate items around 100 and choose their own way to share their collection.
SMASHing Arts: This week each advisory group used black and white charcoal sticks to draw still-lifes and portraits on brown paper. The students loved exploring this new medium.
Valentine’s Day, Monday 2/14: If your child plans to give Valentine cards, please make sure they have one for each child in their advisory (24) or one for each child in Core 2 (48). All your child needs to do is to sign their name on the cards— PLEASE do not write the recipients’ names on them. No candy, chocolate, or sweet treats, please. *** We are open to a parent or two bringing in a Valentine-themed community snack—think pink! If you would like to contribute or bake or join us, let Tamara or Laura know. The Valentine Shower will be at 9:45 and Community Snack at 10:00.
Dates to Remember:
Monday February 14 - Valentine’s Day Card Exchange, see info above
Wednesday, February 16 - 100th Day of School, see info above
Friday, February 25 - Core 2 Assembly, 9:45 am. Please join us!!!
Tamara, Laura, Jayme, Nadja, and Karin
Laura: lsherman@smmusd.org; Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org; Jayme: j.wold@smmusd.org
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CORE 3 NEWS
Needed: cleaning spray or cleaning wipes and tissues!
6th Grade Math w/ Carrie: We continued our work with fractions and decimals and just added working with percents. We are learning how to move back and forth between all three and trying to get better at being able to compare them. This is not an easy task! Please, use any opportunity you have to talk about how you use fractions, decimals, and percents in your daily life. For example, when you are out to dinner, how do you figure out how much to tip the waiter?
6th Grade Math w/ Erin On Wednesday we talked about a few terms that we will be learning about in this unit. Ask your child to tell you about lines, line segments, vertices, angles, sides, and polygons. Students then began to decorate and cut out their own 20-piece shape set that they will use during the unit. On Thurs. students who had their shape set ready began to sort the shapes into like-groups of their own choosing. How did they decide to sort them? By number of sides? Angles?
5th gr Math w/ Genie: We've been discussing different ways we use fractions, percents, and decimals in our world. Please take a look at the very informative parent letters from our math curriculum (in your child's backpack). They show how your child will make meaning of a complex idea, part of a whole, without arbitrarily learning algorithms, which do not substantiate understanding. Please use caution if you're going to try and explain how the fraction algorithms work. Also please read and sign your child's subtraction assessment and reflection sheet so your child can turn it in. Thanks!
Science: Our new project on the Power of Nature has begun! The students have their topic and their groups and have begun researching. They received a project guideline sheet and one will be attached to an email out to you so you can see it and talk with your child about it. This week we talked about taking notes on notecards and keeping track of all resources. The children have a sheet that explains how to take notes and what information is needed for a resource. They are working on finding ways to put information into their own words. This is something we will work on throughout the project. If they cannot find a good way to put information in their own words, they are to use quotation marks to note that they took it directly as it is written and we will work on rewriting it at later in the project. We have some resources at school but if you can make a trip to the library that would be helpful!
Social Studies and Geography: We continued our study of Native American mascots. Students first answered the journal prompt, "If your school had a mascot that represented your race, ethnicity, or religion, how would you feel? Would you care? What would you do about it? Explain." Student answers varied from, "It would depend on whether it was shown positively or negatively," to "I would punch, hit, fight them, etc." Students then viewed the documentary In Whose Honor. In Whose Honor tells the story of Charlene Teters, a graduate student and mother at the University of Illinois and her struggle to protect educate others as she attempts to "protect her cultural symbols and identity." After the viewing, the class had a discussion. Then students wrote an opinion piece, should Native American mascots be allowed?
Is there such a thing as a "respectful" mascot or representation of a of certain group of people when it is not done by the people themselves? In geography, we studied on our own to learn more US States and capitals. The quiz on Thurs. was our last, and hopefully students feel that they met their own goals of how much they hoped to learn. We also finished writing the letters to the tourist offices of our chosen state. They are asking for information in the form of brochures,
postcards, maps, etc. and asking to learn about major cities, cultural events, national parks, sports teams, ethnic groups, and other things. One student even asked if Alaska could send him a moose. We'll see… In addition to their letters, we are embarking on a new project regarding the state of our choosing. We will be making a 2 x 3 map of our state using a grid blow-up style. On Fri. we traced our state in the Atlas onto grid paper and then will make a large grid onto the poster board and transfer the information square by square. It should be fun! Unless the moose tramples them.
Reading & Writing Workshop w/ Genie: We had interesting conversations regarding our inalienable rights. We looked up the definition of inalienable and alienable. We discussed the content but also the importance of connecting what we are reading to our prior knowledge through past text, conversations, and observations which is one of the most meaningful ways to help our comprehension. We also looked closely at the first 10 pages of Seedfolks discussing what inferences we need to make and what clues we use to help us 'get' what is going on. In writing, we're drafting and revising our museum brochures. Ask your child where they are on their piece. Everyone should have planned, drafted, and are currently revising by using a thesaurus and transition words to make their paragraphs flow.
Homework:
6g Math - Assignment 20 is due Mon, Feb 14. Extra Credit assignment 21 is also due on 2/14
5g Math - Packet #18 is DUE 2/18 (and packet #17 is DUE today, 2/11)
Science - No homework - if you are able to help your child get resources for their project that would be helpful!
Reading - Read every day for 30min—Log in pages/write at least 1 question or thought
Reading – Nonfiction Article "Jack Roosevelt Robinson"—read and marked up by Thurs 2/17
Writing –collect at least 2 entries for the week-work on Museum Brochure (follow rubic) and Personal Narrative
Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org Carrie: cferguson@smmusd.org Erin: dodgers44@hotmail.com
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CORE 4 NEWS
It’s busy times upstairs in the middle school with saws rasping, Paper Mache flying, paint splattering and a controlled chaos in the name of ocean science learning; quite invigorating, if you like this sort of thing. All this means we are in the middle of one of the most exciting times of the year, student interest based projects! This year, as most of you know because you read and signed the project description, we are working with NOAA marine sanctuaries around the US on sustainability issues within their boundaries and adjacent watersheds. A smaller group of able investigators have signed up for the challenging science completion called QuikScience; these able students are in the final two weeks of the project.
Some of the activities we engaged in include building models of the watershed, researching complex questions such as how to keep whales from being struck by cargo ships and investigating the relationship between dams and salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest. Ask your child to explain the sustainability issue they are working on, why it matters, and what do they plan to do help the sanctuary or a local conservation organization. If they are vague in replying, get them in front of the computer to refresh their minds on the research they have already performed. Keep them working until the answers are SMART (S=specific, M=measurable, A=accurate, R= reliable, T=timely). This is also a great time for parents to visit and see hands on science at its fullest expression. However, you are always encouraged to drop around anytime; we would enjoy seeing more parents during our day. Research and my own experience demonstrates the value unannounced parent drop ins. Join us! It is good for the kids.
On the other hand, some students and families find projects confounding due to the long advance planning required, demands for inexpensive materials (recycling is encouraged!), and the endless questions that are designed to lead to more questions. If this is your situation, I encourage you to drop around personally and get the answers you need. You or your kids may also email or text to get my attention most days. However, do not wait for the last minute or I may not be able to thoughtfully help you. I tend to email early in the morning and again at lunch-time. After school, I am normally helping kids in time so dropping around then is always a good way to get help. It is difficult to reach me by phone. Kids may get help by scheduling after school visits, asking clarifying questions during class, and by using the many tutors we provide.
8th Grade News: Our SMASHing seniors are “stepping up” to the challenges of our deliberately demanding high school/college prep program. Many parents have noticed evidence of this as their child is studying more, bragging about high test scores, or discussing college entrance requirements; this is all a fine development but transitions come at some cost to peace of mind. Parents may also have noticed kids saying things like “I am so behind” or “how will I get it all done?” This too, is normal for this time in the curriculum, and in high demand/high support middle schools. You should not worry that your child is slacking or falling behind if you hear this sort of comment; instead, you should understand that we are consciously revving the learning pace up to high school standards specifically so they acquire high school ready habits before they go off to a new and inherently stressful setting. In essence, we are providing this transitional experience (with all of its necessary failures and triumphs) while they are still working with people who love and understand them in all their adolescent richness. We believe this approach is superior to allowing this transition to high school readiness occur during freshman year with its predictably larger classes, frequent social pressure, and unknown but presumably caring teachers. Please, visit or email if I can help you understand the special nature of the next two months and the “critical path” to graduation.
DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR CORE 4 STUDENT TO:
Wed, Feb 16 -7:00-8:30pm - RACE TO NOWHERE screening in the SMASH auditorium
8:30-9:00pm - SMASH alums panel discussion about resiliency to high school and college stress
Kurt: kholland@smmusd.org
Darwin: dmendinueto@smmusd.org
