Smash Friday Letter

Dear SMASHing Families,
As we wind down from another special Holiday Boutique chaired by Birte Reimer, Helga Schier, Siridyal Shilo, and Tamara Mugalian, we get ready for our next artistic SMASH event. Have you asked your children about visual arts with Julianna or drama with Kristy lately? As you get ready to attend the December 13 (Cores 1,2,3) and December 14 (Core 4) Art and Drama Sharings, here are a few creative experiences to ask your young artists to describe:
Core 1 artists have been making portraits out of found objects, drawings, painting on clay, and assemblage.
Core 3 students are having more technical lessons about drawing such as interpreting basic shapes according to eye level and various perspectives or left/Right brain use in visual perception of an artist.
Core 2 puppeteers and Reader’s Theater performers have storylines, props, and characters they’ve developed.
Core 4 film crews have been editing their footage now that the writing and acting stages are over.

Thank you SMASH PTSA for our thriving K-8 arts program. Come hear Dan McGee speak about our SMASHing Arts Program and other SMASH successes at the December 15, 6:00pm Board of Education meeting at the district office. E-mail me at jrishe@smmusd.org if you are able to attend.
Jessica
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CITY OF SANTA MONICA CONSTRUCTION NOTICE
OCEAN PARK BLVD COMPLETE GREEN STREET
THIRTY DAY NOTICE
The city of Santa Monica has awarded a contract to Excel Paving Company for the Ocean Park Blvd Complete Green Street Project. The project is scheduled to start December 2011 with completion in January 2013.

This notice is to make you aware of the start of this project. We will receive additional flyer approximately three weeks from work in the SMASH area, and again given a notice two days before the start of construction.

The Ocean Park Blvd Complete Green Street Project will consist of five phases
1. South side of Ocean Park Blvd.
2. North Side of Ocean Park Blvd.
3. Median of Ocean Park Blvd.
4. Ocean Park Blvd. Paving
5. Los Amigos Park Infiltration System
During each phase, traffic control will be in place and will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction.

This project will provide wider sidewalks and parkways for storm water runoff. The project will provide wider sidewalks and parkways for storm water biofilter swales and infiltration, new landscape medians, new marked crosswalks with enhanced overhead flashing beacons, new painted bike lanes and traffic striping, pedestrian level lighting, new trees and landscaping, street furniture, bike racks and traffic signal modification.

Contractor’s work operation, which will normally be from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
If you want to know more, have questions, or need additional information, you can contact Michael Aguilar, Construction Manager/Inspector at 310-857-4946
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DATES TO REMEMBER
Fri, Dec 9 - Fri, Dec 16 - SMASH Book Fair
Tues, Dec 13 - 6:00-7:30pm - Art Share (Cores 1, 2 & 3), Book Fair open
Thurs, Dec 15 - 6:00pm - SMASH Board of Education Presentation
Fri, Dec 16 - 8:45am - Hess-Kramer Assembly AND Crazy Hair Day
WED, Dec. 21 - TUES, Jan. 3 - WINTER BREAK - SCHOOL CLOSED
Wed, Jan 4 - 5:00-6:00pm - Site Council Mtg
Sun, Jan 8 - Fri, Jan 13 - Yosemite Trip for 7th grader students
Mon, Jan 9 - 9:00-10:30am - SMASH School Tour

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LOOKING FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE?
Bennett Zemke’s Boy Scout troop #2 has trees up to 11 feet tall, as well as wreaths and garlands. Located on Montana Ave between 15th & 16th Streets. The lot is open 9am-9pm, with local delivery available Bring the flyer for a 10% discount,go to http://www.troop2bsa.org/2011TreeLotFlyer.pdf to print the flyer.
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SANTA MONICA SYMPHONY HOLIDAY CONCERT
Saturday, Dec 10 at 7:30pm Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Allen Robert Gross, Music Director & Conductor
FREE ADMISSION - Bring school-age children! www.smsymphony.org 310-395-6330
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WESTSIDE FOOD BANK DONATION BARREL
IN THE SMASH OFFICE UNTIL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
The following items are needed (no glass except for baby food)
Cans of: tuna, vegetables and soup; fruits and fruit juices; pork & beans; stews & other meats
Packaged food: pasta, lentils and beans; macaroni & cheese and packaged dinners; instant soup, hot and cold cereal; peanut butter and other nut butters; nutritional bars: protein, granola, energy or breakfast bars
Baby foods are urgently needed. Two thousand babies and toddlers are without adequate nutrition each day right here on the west side of Los Angeles.
Baby/Toddler needs:
Infant formula; jar foods-all flavors & stages; crackers, teething biscuits and cookies; raisins & fruit snacks; juices: jars, cans, pouches & boxes; infant & children’s cereals
Other items need at Westside Food Bank:
Socks - new or clean gently-used socks—any size. Blankets - new or clean gently-used
Travel size sundries are urgently needed: travel sized shampoo, hair conditioner, soap, bath & shower gel, toothpaste and toothbrush and towels (new or clean gently-used)
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Santa Monica High School Winter Choral Concert: Motus Perpetuus VII
Thursday, December 15 at 7:00pm - SAMOHI Barnum Hall
$5 Students, $10 Adults - At the door
This annual concert of perpetual motion features all of the students in the Santa Monica High School Music Program.
Choirs are strategically situated throughout Barnum Hall, with songs following each other without applause, from one piece to the next. From Gregorian Chants to the work of French composer Francis Poulenc, this year’s concert will intertwine one thousand years of choral music history as students traverse every area of Barnum Hall creating an exciting, immersive experience that is a perennial favorite of concertgoers. The concert concludes with the traditional singing of The Hallelujah Chorus, for which audience alumni choristers are invited to the stage to join in.
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SANTA MONICA LITTLE LEAGUE REGISTRATION
Community baseball with Divisions from T-Ball to Seniors, boys and girls ages 4 to 16. Spring 2012 Registration is Now Open! Go to www.smll.com for a description of Divisions, League Boundaries and more. Register Online or print the Mail-in Registration Form Scholarships are available Contact registrar@smll.com for more info
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WINTERLIT - HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS IN SANTA MONICA
Tuesday, December 20-27 - Chanukah Menorah Lighting at sundown
Nov 1—Dec 31 - Gift Your Schools. Shop & dine at Santa Monica Place and earn SMASH 5% donation. Just present your receipts at the Concierge on level 1. For details 310-260-8333.
Ice Skating - 5th & Arizona, November 11-January 16 - admission & skate rental $12
2 for 1 Tuesdays, Wacky Hat Wednesdays, After-Hours Broom Ball, Rock ‘N’ Skate Fridays, Costume Skate Sundays
Breakfast with Santa: RSVP at smpholiday.evenbrite.com
Sat, Dec 10 - 9:30-10 at Santa Monica Place Food Court
Pet Photos with Santa: Thurs, Dec 8 - 6-8pm - The Market Place at Santa Monica Place
For a list of all events visit WinterLit.com - SantaMonicaPlace.com - ICEatSantaMonica.com
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SANTA MONICA PIER - 2011 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, December 17 11:00am - 5:00pm
11:00-3:00 - Santa Claus visits the Merry-G0-Round. FREE rides during his visit
2:30-5:00 - Holiday Caroling - Carolers stroll along the pier.
December 1-18 - Canned Food Drive supporting Upward Bound House. Drop off in the Merry-Go-Round building
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PAL 6th ANNUAL BEST GIFT EVER DRIVE - Now through December 13
Donate a new unwrapped gift, gift card or make a cash donation to any of the following locations and help youth ages 6 to 17 in the Santa Monica community experience the joy of the holiday season
GIFT DROP LOCATIONS
Santa Monica PAL at 1401 Olympic Blvd
Downtown Santa Monica Police Substation at 1433 2nd St
Santa Monica Place Concierge, 3rd & Broadway (Gifts only, no cash or gift cards at this site please)
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In honor of Kwanzaa, the John Adams Middle School Pathway schools cordially invite you to the:
Karamu Community Dinner Celebration
Thursday, December 15 - 4:30-6:00pm
Check-in begins at 4:00pm at Will Rogers Learning Community; 2401 14th Street
R.S.V.P. by December 8th to Donna McCoy dmccoy@smmusd.org or (310) 452-2326 x 72218
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The UCLA Family Commons at Santa Monica
PROMENADE COMMONS KIDS CLUB
1221 2nd Street, Santa Monica (behind 3rd St Promenade) 310-395-5650
Mon-Fri: 10:00am-6:30pm
Sat: 9:00am-7:00pm (after 3pm by appt only)
Sun: 1:00-7:00pm
$15/hour - Siblings $5/hour
Drop off you child at the new Promenade Commons Kids Club. Children enjoy an afternoon of crafting, active games
and other healthy fun. Children are welcome to stay for one to six hours or anything in between.
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The UCLA Family Commons presents
Navigating Divorce: for Children ages 7-11
With Dr. Rebecca Eberlin, PhD.
Mondays 4:00-5:15pm; January 9 - February 27
Cost $350 per person
Classes include: identifying, labeling and controlling feelings; solving problems; divorce specific coping skills; age appropriate understanding of divorce-related concepts and creating positive perceptions of one’s self and family.
1221 2nd Street; Santa Monica 90401 310-395-5650 www.uclacommons.com
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ptsa news
president’s message

Dear SMASHing Parents,
As we move toward the Winter Break and heart of the holiday season, this is the time to start looking ahead to a bright future at SMASH. One of our unique qualities at SMASH is the strong sense of community and the shared belief that we strive to balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the community.

With the recent vote by the School Board on November 29th to implement centralized fundraising on a district wide level, this is the time for all of us to reflect and consider what we can do as a community to contribute to the success of this new fundraising model. Though the new fundraising plan will not begin until the 2013-2014 school year, development of the details will begin with the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, which will begin meeting after Winter Break, and will include the input of the SMMUSD Education Foundation, which will lead the centralized fundraising plan. At SMASH we have parents and families that have been leaders in past efforts, such as the SOS Campaign, and who have demonstrated year after year the ability to organize and coordinate efforts on behalf of our schools. These groups need the talent and input of our community. Now is the time to get involved and contribute to the exciting process to develop a comprehensive and successful district wide fundraising plan by volunteering to serve on the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee and attend Education Foundation meetings that are held on a regular basis.

For the present, the fundraising that we do at SMASH will not change. More importantly, much of our fundraising, whether the rummage sale, holiday boutique, jog-a-thon or SuperSMASH is as much about community and the things we share together as it is about the money we raise. We must continue to set an example for the entire district with our community, our energy and our volunteer spirit.
Thanks,
Dan McGee

ptsa annual family investment drive
· The SMASH Annual Family Investment Drive is on-going and will continue throughout the year. We are striving to surpass last year’s record breaking family participation. For those families who have not made a decision and have waited until after the end of the year before deciding, now is the time to make a decision about your end of the year
tax deductible contribution. If you haven’t made a commitment for your Annual Family Investment, we ask that you please make a commitment before the end of the year. Donations can be made by check, Paypal or credit card. Annual Family Investment (AFI) envelopes are available in the office. Please remember that your investment helps pay for classroom teaching assistants, reading and math specialists, the SMASH fine arts program, science equipment, technology upgrades, professional development and so much more. If you have any questions, contact Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com) or Helga Schier (helgaschier@verizon.net)

SMASH green tip
Green For The Dogs: Even old sports balls that no longer stay inflated can be repurposed. Check with your local animal shelter if they would like them for their dogs.
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Wigs, gel, pipe-cleaners and bows…
On Crazy Hair Day
anything goes!!!! Show your school spirit and wear a crazy hairdo on December 16


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CORE 1 NEWS

CIRCLE GROUPS
Our Core 1 children met in their new circle groups yesterday. Circle groups are comprised of Partners, Bigs, and Mentors. We meet in circle groups for Morning Meeting, Projects, and Magic Circle. Candis’ group is called The Golden Puff Balls, Chrysta’s group is called The Swimming Uffys (pronounced uh-fee-s) and Graciela’s group is call The Glowing Stars. We used a democratic process to select the group names. Even though some children were disappointed that their first choice did not win, everyone accepted their new names. Here’s what two Bigs had to say:

Simone: First we picked names, and then we were voting. The Gardening Gummy Bears didn’t make it, but the Golden Puff Balls did. I wish the Gardening Gummy Bears had made it.
Ana-Sofia: I don’t! I love Golden Puff Balls!
Simone: Me, too!

ART PROGRAM SHARE
On Tues, December 13 at 6:00pm your family and friends are invited to our ARTS PROGRAM SHARE! Core 1 will be sharing our study of PORTRAITS and COLLECTIONS in all 3 classrooms. Come see our paintings, drawings, photography, and assemblage representing ourselves and the world around us. You will be amazed at the depth and quality of our artists’ creations. Thank you to Marni and Julianna for your leadership in this study! We would love PARENT VOLUNTEERS to help us with the installation.

SILENT AUCTION ITEMS
In conjunction with our portrait study, Core 1 will collaboratively create stunning artwork, which will be auctioned off as a fundraiser. This project is still in-progress, so we dare not reveal too much. But be on the look-out for these one-of-a-kind pieces. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go directly to our Winter/Spring Holistic Drama Study. More details regarding the silent auction coming soon!!

BOOK FAIR Please remember to visit the book fair to buy books for home and for the classroom. We have put some books in the wish basket, based on the children’s recommendations, that we would love to add to our Core 1 library. Thanks for making our wishes come true.

CRAZY HAIR DAY Will be on Friday, December 16th. Show your school spirit by changing your do! Hats, wigs, pipe-cleaners, bows…anything goes!

BIRTHDAY BASH
We will be celebrating December birthdays on Friday, December 16th at 11:45 in the Magic Garden. If your child will be celebrating his/her birthday this month, please sign up in Candis’ room to bring a Birthday Bash peanut-free snack to share with 75 children.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!
Candis, Chrysta, Graciela, Jackie, and Nadja

Candis: cberens@smmusd.org
Chrysta: cwyse@smmusd.org
Graciela: gbarba-castro@smmusd.org

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CORE 2 NEWS
Advisory News: It’s hard to believe that we are already at Winter Break (!) Tamara, Jayme, and Laura will be creating new mixed-group advisories (putting students from both advisory groups together). We do this to give students opportunities to work with a wide variety of classmates and have experiences with both Advisors. The students have given us some of their ideas, which we do our best to accommodate. Please respect the time and thought we put into the groups. They will start in their new groups after Winter Break. Let us know if you have
any questions or concerns about this process.

Theme: In Theme, Laura has been helping the students explore concepts and construction of simple machines. With Tamara, the students have been using atlases to learn about the continents and oceans. They are working in groups to color and label physical and political maps of each continent, which they will put together into individual atlases for each student.

Literacy: In Readers Workshop, we have been indentifying and discussing the Main idea and details in nonfiction books. In fiction books, we identified and discussed the theme, lesson, or big idea in our read alouds and Just Right books. By identifying what we think stories are really, really about, we can begin to put that understanding into our writing. We have also been discussing the importance of choosing Just Right Books for independent reading. It is critical for all students to read a book that is not too hard (5 or more “stumbles” on a page), but also not too easy (duh). It should be a book of high interest to the student that they can read and understand
by themselves. Please help your child choose appropriate books at home for reading homework.

In Writing Workshop, we just published our first narrative piece, a Small Moment story. We are currently demonstrating what we learned in that unit by doing a Small Moment quick publish piece—spending 1 – 2 days on each step of the process. Our next nonfiction/non-narrative writing unit will be a personal essay: using an idea or opinion as an angle to write about ourselves. (We also hope you enjoy the gifts of their mini-poetry unit.)

Math: Laura’s 3rd graders have started Collections and Travel Stories, another addition and subtraction unit.
Tamara’s 4th Graders just started Multiple Towers and Division Stories, a second multiplication and division unit, with an emphasis on division with remainders. These units will continue after Winter Break.

Wednesday Drama with Kristy: Theater Arts with Kristy was, as always, an amazing communal process. We look forward to sharing our hard work with you on Tues, 12/13, 6:30 – 8:00 pm. We will be starting VisualArts with Julianna as soon as we return from Winter Break.

Media Center: Both groups visit the Media Center twice a month on Thursdays (alternating weeks). Students may bring their library books home. Please help them be responsible for their books—and returning them to school on Thursdays.

Thank You to all the parents who helped make our beautiful Holiday Boutique projects and to all the SMASH families and students for shopping, snacking, and creating to make our Holiday Boutique a SMASHing success.

*Special shout out to Mimi for helping Tamara, Laura, and Jayme by subbing and volunteering to support Core 2. Her help, insight, and teaching expertise is invaluable.

CRAZY HAIR DAY Will be on Friday, December 16. Show your school spirit by changing your do! Hats, wigs, pipe-cleaners, bows…anything goes!

Have a joy-filled, stress-free, happy and warm holiday this Winter Break!
Tamara, Laura, Jayme, (and sometimes Mimi!!!)

Laura: lsherman@smmusd.org
Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org
Jayme:j.wold@smmusd.org
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CORE 3 NEWS
Tissues needed—we didn't get any last week and with all the colds, the paper towels were a bit rough!

Field Trip Reminder - Wednesday we LEAVE AT 8:00 for the Griffith Park Observatory. We are taking a chartered bus so we can get there by our 9:00am appointment. BE HERE EARLY so you don't miss it! Also, because it's a chartered bus, the cost is greater than we put on the permission slip. We are asking for an $8 donation to help cover the cost. Thanks to all the parents who have volunteered to chaperone!

6th Grade Math with Carrie: Our study of fractions has progressed to more complex topics. This week we worked on finding fractions between fractions (for example, naming two fractions that fall between 1/4 and 1/5). Ask your child to show you how they figure it out. We also started our study of improper and mixed fractions.
6th Grade Math with Erin "Data About Us": We continued delving into 2 dimensional geometry with our study of angles.
5th grade Math Workshop with Genie: How was playing Close to 1,000 and Close to 7,500? Were you impressed with any of the strategies your child used? We have been working on story problems that involve large numbers and realized that we are great at computation but sometimes try to solve the incorrect equation because we didn’t read all the words carefully. Your mathematician knows the final assessment of the unit is coming up and know there are times when it's ok to rush and not worry about accuracy and there are times when it counts.

Science with Carrie: Space Presentations will be on Monday, December 19. Students will sign up for times on Monday, December 12. If there is a particular time you would like your child to sign up for so you can be there to see them, please let your child (and Carrie) know so we can plan accordingly. The Orange Group will have their presentations between 10:45 and 12:25 and the Blue Group will be between 1:15 and 3:00. Presentations should be about 5 minutes each so the times will be approximate but, if you let Carrie know that you're planning to be there, she can make sure to hold your child's presentation until you get there. The creativity in the projects is impressive we have songs, PowerPoints, slide shows, posters, puppet shows, and much more. Carrie will video tape all of the presentations so we can watch them later (so, if you miss it, it will be on tape).

Social Studies and Geography with Erin: Students were busy working on their final Civil Rights project this week. We also took some time to read aloud from and discuss the Malcolm X book.

Reading and Writing Workshop with Genie: As writers we know it's challenging to write a short story especially since we are involved in our just right books that are so long! Ask your child how they are introducing characters and settings while moving the plot to make their story not too short and not too long. We are coming to an end of our Read Aloud White Mountains. The formal English is challenging to understand but we've learned a lot of vocabulary. And more importantly, we have been making personal connections to the story and connecting the story to different science fiction and fantasy stories we have read and seen. We've been taking notes during Read Aloud which will aid us when we write our literary essays.

Visual Arts with Juliana: We had our last visual arts session this week! We have been working on our independent projects that will be on display in Core 3 at our Arts Share on Tuesday, December 13 from 6:00pm- 7:00pm. Our artists will also be available to do quick sketches of visitors—portraits, hands, shoes, and object you have handy—Street-Artist-style! Come join us to see their phenomenal drawings, get sketched, as well as browse the SMASH book fair! Thanks to Juliana for an amazing semester of art!

Homework:
6G math: Assignment 5B due 12/13
5G math: packet #14 due Friday, 12//16.
RW: READ, READ, READ! Make sure to log in finished books on the yellow card in class.
WW: work on Science Fiction Short Story—we've finally started drafting!

CRAZY HAIR DAY Will be on Friday, December 16. Show your school spirit by changing your do! Hats, wigs, pipe-cleaners, bows…anything goes!

Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org
Carrie: cferguson@smmusd.org
Erin: ehaendel@smmusd.org
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CORE 4 NEWS

8th graders need to bring in photos on a memory stick by Friday, January 6 so they are ready to make yearbook pages.

Any 8th grader interested in submitting a design for the yearbook front and back covers should submit it to Jessica by Friday, January 6.

CRAZY HAIR DAY will be on Friday, December 16. Show your school spirit by changing your do! Hats, wigs, pipe-cleaners, bows…anything goes!