Dear SMASHing Families,
“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which,
if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.” –Henry David Thoreau
Mitch, Micah, Eli and I were lucky to spend the two weeks of Winter Break together in nature, enjoying the snowy ski mountains of Big Bear, the whales/sea otters/hiking trails of Big Sur, and the elephant seals of Pismo Beach.
Thank you to all SMASH families for the generous holiday gift that we put towards this joyful, rejuvenating two weeks of family travel.
Mark Your Calendars: Wednesday, January 11th 6:00-8:00 pm SMASH and John Muir are sponsoring an opportunity for adults and 5th-8th grade students in the SMASH/Muir community to come together to participate in a Dialogue on Race in our SMASH/Muir Library. This is a site based follow up to the District’s Dialogue on Race event that occurred October 29 at Samohi.
Superintendent Sandy Lyon and Board Member Oscar de la Torre are planning to join us, so this is an important chance to build connections with them. We welcome your voice and contribution to the dialogue as we further our campus’ respectful community.
Truly yours,
Jessica
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SMASH REMINDERS
Our attendance policies are dictated by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
Absences: Please call the office (310-396-2640 x 0) the day your child is absent.
The district does not take “not feeling well” or “ill” as an excuse - they require a specific explanation. Illness is defined as having a contagious disease, a temperature over 100 degrees, symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, chronic illness or other conditions with written orders from a doctor. Children can and should attend school with less severe symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and stomachaches. Per district policy, at 14 or more days of excused absences, they request that any further absences for illness be verified by a physician.
Any time your child is out for a reason other than illness, bereavement or medical appointment, the district considers it as an unexcused absence. (Students who hold work permits may be absent for a maximum of 5 absences per school year) Three unexcused absences is considered as one truancy.
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DATES TO REMEMBER
Sun, Jan 8 - Fri, Jan 13 - Yosemite Trip for 7th grade students
Mon, Jan 9 - 9:00-10:30am - SMASH School Tour
Wed, Jan 11 - 8:30am - PTSA Mtg
Wed, Jan 11 - 6-8pm - Dialogue on Race
Mon, Jan 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr Day—SCHOOL CLOSED
Wed, Jan 18 - 6pm - Multicultural Potluck Dinner
Mon, Jan 23 - 9:00-10:30am - SMASH School Tour
Fri, Jan 27 - 8:45am - Yosemite Assembly
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HAPPY NEW YEAR CORE 1
Welcome back to school after two weeks of recreation, relaxation, and extended family time. We are very grateful for the wonderful gifts and wishes we’ve received from you. We feel very fortunate to belong to the SMASH community and to work with your children. After our two-week break, we have renewed intentions for the remainder of the school year:
Parent Project Meetings for Parents Interested in Leading a Project
A Guided Writing Parent Education Afternoon
A Math Morning for Parents to Participate in with the Children
COMMUNITY GROUP MORNING MEETING
Once a month on a Friday morning, the SMASH student body mixes up for fun. Staying true to our school house model, children meet in cross-core groups for a morning meeting to build community. Core 1 students, together with their family group (Partner, Big, and Mentor) walk to their Community Group Morning Meeting. The meetings are planned by the SMASH Student Council. Children build relationships with childrenand teachers in other cores. We had our monthly community group morning meeting today. Some questions you could ask your child about his/her community group are Where does your community group meet? Who
is your leader? What is community group’s name? How did you greet your community group today? Whatgame did you play in your community group? Who do you know from Core 1/2/3/4 that is in your group?
DRAMATIC ARTS PROGRAM
We have begun our drama lessons with Kristy Pace, our amazing artist in residence. We are developing our dramatic skills as we prepare for our theatric performances of The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Mentors), The Three Little Pigs (Partners), and Goldilocks and The Three Bears (Bigs). We will be retelling these classic tales in shadow puppets.
BIRTHDAY BASH
Children have a need to feel a sense of significance, belonging, and fun at school. Birthday bashes are one way we celebrate each child and invite him/her to share a favorite snack with others. If your child will be celebrating his/her birthday this month, you will be receiving a Birthday Bash Invitation Letter. This is a new routine that we are trying out. We will celebrate January birthdays on January 20 at 11:45am. Friends and family are welcome to join us!
PARTNER ASSESSMENTS
Candis will be starting her January assessments with Partners NEXT WEEK. Please choose ONE afternoon for your child to stay at school until 3:00. Groups of 3-4 children will stay with Candis each day 1:30-3:00 to be fully assessed in reading, writing, and math. They will also have time to eat a snack and have some "down time." Please refer to the GOOGLE doc for available dates and sign-ups. If you're not able to access the doc, feel free to email Candis a couple of dates that work for you. Thanks!
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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Welcome back and Happy 2012! Laura, Jayme, Tamara, and Karin would like to thank you for all of your kind, generous, and yummy holiday gifts. We hope you found the holidays to be as restful and reinvigorating as we did. As is the Core 2 way, we hit the ground running this week: starting the week with visual arts with Julianna and Tamara (Laura’s group made simple clay pots while Tamara’s group explored lines and shapes. Next arts session, the groups will swap activities.), launching a new theme unit (science with Laura—body systems and social studies with Tamara—Santa Monica history), jumping right back into our math units (3G—addition & subtraction and 4G— multiplication & division), planning and writing a small moment story in just 30 minutes (!), and making a renewed commitment to choosing Just Right Books for independent reading at school and at home. We need your help!
Please read the following articles for ways to help your child become the best reader s/he can be and get the most out of reading homework.
The Goldilocks Strategy for Choosing Books
Do you remember Goldilocks' quest in the fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to find the porridge, chair, and bed that were "just right"? Selecting a book can sometimes feel the same way. Just as Goldilocks found that some porridges were too hot or too cold and others were just right, beginning readers often have difficulty finding books that are "just right" and not too hard or too easy. Reading should always be fun for your child. You want them to feel
confident about the books they read and not frustrated. Children should read books that are on their level. Here is an easy strategy to help your child pick a book that is just right for him/her!
Too Easy Books. Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Too Easy Book for you.
1. Have you read it lots of times before?
2. Do you understand the story very well?
3. Do you know and understand almost every word?
4. Can you read it smoothly?
Just Right Books. Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Just Right Book for you.
1. Is this book new to you?
2. Do you understand what you’ve read so far?
3. Are there just a few words per page you don’t know?
4. When you read are some places smooth and some choppy?
5. Can someone help you with this book? Who?
Too Hard Books. Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Too Hard Book for you. Give it another try later.
1. Are there more than a few words on a page you don’t know?
2. Are you confused about what is happening in most of this book?
3. When you read, does it sound pretty choppy?
From “Lessons from Goldilocks: Somebody’s Been Choosing My Books But I Can Make My Own Choices Now!”by Marilyn M. Ohlhausen and Mary Jepsen. The New Advocate, Vol. 5, No. 1, Winter 1992, p. 36 Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc. Reprinted with permission of the authors.
The only way to become a stronger, better reader is by reading Just Right books every day. For more information about the importance of reading and reading at home, please see the articles with this week’s Friday Papers. Happy reading!
“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading,
or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” - Confucius
Laura: lsherman@smmusd.org
Jayme: j.wold@smmusd.org
Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org
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CORE 3 NEWS
Thank you for all the cards, notes, treats, handmade crafts, gifts, and PTSA staff gift! We felt your holiday spirit and appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity!
Welcome back to school! We hope you received in this week's email blast the attachment of the new schedule. No major changes, but we want you to be aware of the slight changes to accommodate Carrie and Erin's new days.
New Year’s Resolutions: ORGANIZATION! This is the second most common resolution for a reason and the habits start now! So...with that in mind, once a week Carrie is going to be working with the kids to help them get and/or keep organized. She will do weekly checks for some basic things that all kids should have (pencils, paper, HW binder, reading book, writing journal) and periodic checks on other things (like organizing their backpacks and subject binders).
The Orange group will have their checks on Tuesday afternoons and Blue will be on Thursday afternoon.
6th Grade Math with Carrie: Our study of fractions continues and now we are adding decimals to the mix.
6th Grade Math with Erin: Over the next few weeks we will be participating in a math games study through UCLA. This is a group opportunity for our students and our school to be involved in cutting edge research in math education. Paperwork was sent home with your child on Wednesday. There is nothing to sign and return, but please ask your child to see the paper so that you have all of the information. Feel free to ask any questions that arise.
5th Grade Math with Genie: We continued our fractions unit and tried to get back into the swing of things. We are learning to know (memorize) frequently used fraction and decimal equivalents as well as equivalent fractions.
Science with Carrie: We wrapped up our Space presentations and we are working on getting all of the videos up so you can see them if you missed it. As soon as they are posted, we will let you know how to access them. They were all quite impressive! We will be spending a few weeks doing some technology basics during science class including some basic organization skills, researching skills, and computer ethics.
Social Studies with Erin: Students took the time on Wednesday to reflect on their final unit projects on the Modern Civil Rights Movement. Many of the students did amazing work - putting together informational poster boards with photos, facts, and their opinions. If you are able, please stop by next Wednesday, January 11th (Blue Group 11:30 - 12:15 and Orange Group 1:20 - 2:00) to see what the students have created. We will spend the next few weeks talking about civil rights around the world (historic and current). A few parents have offered to share of their experiences growing up or working in countries that were (are) struggling for equality for all people. If you feel that you have something to share with the class, please let me know. The students always get a lot out of these personal histories.
Reading and Writing Workshop with Genie: We have started revising our science fiction short stories looking at our drafts with fresh eyes after the long break. We also read a picture book, The Boy Who Loved Words to think about collecting great words so that we can use the perfect word when we are talking and writing. For example, is respite a good word for our recent break? This also will help us as we learn how to be comedic on stage and how word choice can affect our meaning.
Dramatic Arts with Kristy: We had our first session this week and started off thinking about funny stories, what makes people laugh, and comedic exercises to help our funny bones.
Homework:
6G Math: assignment 7B is due 1/10.
5G Math: Packet #15 due Fri 1/13.
Writing: work on revising draft if you are behind.
Reading: read every day for 30-40 minutes!
Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org
Carrie: cferguson@smmusd.org
Erin:ehaendel@smmusd.org
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CORE 4 NEWS
Thank you for the cards, treats, homemade items, and the PTSA staff gift. You are always so generous and thoughtful, we deeply appreciate it.
Yosemite Trip: Our winter adventure for 7th graders in beautiful, and currently summer like Yosemite Valley is just days away. Preparations have ended and soon we shall be enjoying the meadows, animals, and geology of this national park. Our stellar chaperone team is set, reservations are made, and copious quantities of cash has left our accounts to pay for transportation, housing, and learning activities. Please do everything possible to insure your child’s attendance; this trip is potentially life changing, memorable, and fun. In addition, at this
point no refunds are possible, as the money has been spent. Some reminders:
1. We will depart at 04:10, Sunday the 8th of January from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and return during the evening on Friday the 13th. Please have your child and gear at the station by 03:00 Sunday morning. Be sure they have enough food to keep them happy for ten hours. Our adult leadership team will bring emergency rations, but each child should have two sandwiches, trail mix, and two full water bottles when they arrive at Union Station. Please do not send junk foods: candy, chips, or any food with saturated fats.
2. Use the following link http://www.naturebridge.org/yosemite/parents to find out all you could want to know about the trip, the location, or the people we work with up in the park. A packing list may be found here: http://www.naturebridge.org/yosemite/clothing-and-equipment-lists.
3. It is critical that they bring two water bottles, a spare winter hat, and rain gear. Gloves are another frequently lost item, so bring two sets of those if possible. The forecast is for warmer temperatures meaning any precipitation will be rain and not snow. As a reminder, “No Cotton” means 100% freedom from cotton clothing. The only person who has ever had to go to the hospital from Yosemite went as a direct result of sneaking cotton underwear into his daily outfit. He lasted two days and had to be sent home to prevent serious injury. Cotton will put your child at risk. Keep the cotton clothes at home and enjoy wearing them in the stable Santa Monica climate.
4. Communication during the trip. As agreed at our planning meeting, all electronic devices should remain at home. In the past children have lost phones (average of three a year), cameras (2-5/year), and a significant variety of other devices. We scramble, climb, swing upside down and engage in many types of play. If your child’s device finds its way onto the trip, you are likely buying another to replace it. Adults will take lots of pictures for you to see at the January 27 8:45 am Yosemite Assembly.
We will be checking our phones frequently while in the park and text messages get through most of the time. Do not leave messages as the system will take them, but we are unable to retrieve them. In addition, we will be updating Janice/Jessica daily before noon and will be able to address any needs through them.
8th Graders: will spend the week with substitute teacher Tom Boyd (yes, he’s Jackie’s husband). They will focus on completing yearbook pages and 8th grade tiles as well as Humanities, Algebra and Science projects
.
Kurt: kholland@smmusd.org
Darwin: dmendinueto@smmusd.org
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FREE FLAMENCO GUITAR AND DANCE WORKSHOP, SUNDAY JANUARY 8
A free Flamenco Guitar & Dance Workshop with Adam del Monte and Venessa Acosta will be Sunday, Jan 8 at 4PM in Virginia Avenue Park's Thelma Terry Performance Space, 2200 Virginia Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404.
This Workshop is a presentation of the Santa Monica Symphony http://www.smsymphony.org/
FREE SANTA MONICA SYMPHONY AFTERNOON CONCERT FOR FAMILIES,
SUNDAY JANUARY 15
PREMIERING ADAM DEL MONTE'S CONCERTO FOR FLAMENCO GUITAR AND ORCHESTRA
The Santa Monica Symphony's annual afternoon free concert for families, with conductor Allen Robert Gross and Adam del Monte, guitar, will premiere del Monte’s 'Paisajes': Concerto for Flamenco Guitar and Orchestra, in an afternoon of dance music from around the world with Dvořák: Three Slavonic Dances, Chen Yi: Duo Ye, and Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 2. This Santa Monica Symphony concert is at 3:30 PM, Sunday, January 15th, in the SGI Auditorium at 525 Wilshire (free parking for this concert is at 1212 7th Street).
The Flamenco Workshop and the Santa Monica Symphony concert are free and open to the public. Families and groups are especially welcome.
You can contact the Symphony at (310) 395-6330 or www.smsymphony.org
To learn more about January 15th Symphony concert go to http://www.smsymphony.org/CurrentConcert.html
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Santa Monica Youth Orchestra - Free after school program
Open enrollment for Teens. Sign up at www.santamonicayouthorchestra.org
Details in e-mailed version of this week's Friday Letter
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Green Living Workshops
sustainable works.org
Upcoming Green Living Workshops
sign up at sustainableworks.eventbrite.com
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State of Our Schools
Community Report
Tuesday, January 31 - 6:30-9:00pm
Virginia Avenue Park, Thelma Terry Building
2200 Virginia Avenue, Santa Monica
