Dear SMASHing Families,
As I over viewed two weeks ago, every year
we receive submissions from our SMASH alums now at Samohi seeking a $500 scholarship for college. The alums
write an essay about how they were influenced by their time at SMASH. This week, I share an excerpt from Kiani
Becerra’s essay that shows the way her relationships with SMASH mentors created
a strong foundation for her to thrive in high school .
“In my time
attending SMASH I have experienced and learned so many things that will be with
me for the rest of my life. I have not only learned the
importance of teamwork and dedication but I was also given the opportunity to develop into my own independence. I feel
so lucky to have gotten the chance to attend SMASH; I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. With the help of
my teachers I learned about and developed my own style of learning that fits best to me. I was given an environment in
which I had room to grow at my own speed. Because of this I developed strong
study habits that have carried through up to now. It gave me a strong
foundation that has helped me thrive academically and socially in today’s
increasingly competitive society.
I have so many
memories with the people…some of the greatest mentors I’ve had in my life thus
far. The things they taught me reach far beyond
what I could have ever learned in a typical classroom setting. SMASH was also the way I got into my ASB class at Samohi.
My Leadership class has been a crucial part of my time here and it would not have been possible without the help
and encouragement of my SMASH mentors…I am also not afraid of situations with adults because at SMASH we were in
constant interaction with them and we were treated as equals.”
What might your children say in the future
about how SMASH has shaped their lives?
Truly yours,
Jessica
*********************
Look
for
SuperSMASH
Postcards
Being
sent home today
Pass
them out to your friends!
*********************
SUPERSMASH
AUCTION DONATIONS NEEDED!
Please bring your donations
into the office asap and e-mail Naren Desai at N.Desai@bep-la.com and let him
know the item and its value
so that it can go into the Auction Catalog.
*********************
SUPERSMASH
MAY 18!
ANY
ADULT BANDS OR STUDENT BANDS INTERESTED IN PERFORMING AT SUPERSMASH?
Please
contact John Lusitana at defuse@verizon.net to sign up!
POP UP
TENTS AND LARGE COOLERS NEEDED!
If you can
loan yours for SuperSMASH, please email Jessica at jrishe@smmusd.org
And plan
to bring them to the front office during the week of May 13.
THANKS!
*********************
DATES
TO REMEMBER
Wed, May 8 - 6:30-8:00PM - SMASH Parent Ed
Night: Transitioning to SAMOHI
Sat, May 18 - SuperSMASH!
Tue, May 21 - 6:00pm - Strings and Winds
Music Concert - 4th-8th grades (Orchestra, Band, Jazz Band)
Wed, May 22 - 5:30pm - PTSA Executive Mtg
Mon, May 27 - Memorial Day - School Closed
Tues, May 28 - 5:30-7:30pm - JAMS cafeteria.
Superintendent presents Centralized Fundraising Conversations with
SMASH, Grant, Edison & Rogers parents.
Wed, May 29 - Restaurant Night TBA
May 30 - 6:00pm - Choir Concert - 4th-8th
grades
Fri, May 31 - 9:45am - Core 1 Assembly
Fri, May 31 - 3:00pm - Last day to turn in
SMASH application for 1st-8th grade lottery
Mon-Tues-Wed, Jun 3, 4 & 5 - 8th grade
San Diego trip
Tue-Wed-Thurs, Jun 4, 5 & 6 - 7th
grade Fulcrum Trip
Wed, Jun 5 - 6:30pm - PTSA Mtg
Mon, June 10 - 10:00am - SMASH 8th grade
graduation
Tues, June 11 - Last Day of School Beach
Day
Thur, Aug 22 - First day of school!
*********************
Upcoming
SMASH Bashes with Remaining Spots
The remaining 2013 SMASH Bash Events still
have some available spots left - but sign up quickly! (In the office, or by emailing
Marni Ayers Brady at marniayers@gmail.com). REMINDER: These are family-hosted
events. All proceeds are donated to SMASH.
- Mom's Night Out - May 4 (Sat) 7pm-10ish - Tuckett & Kim Residence, Santa Monica: $25/person (ADULTS ONLY)
- Cinco De Mayo SMASH Family Music BASH - May 5 (Sun) 4pm-7 - Fresco Residence, Santa Monica $50/Family or $20/Person
- Stand UpPaddle Board Group
Lesson - May 10 (Fri)
9:30-11ish - Mother's Beach, Marina Del Rey: $60/person (ADULTS ONLY)
- Mother's Day Tea on a Roof Garden - May 11 (Sat) 1pm-3:00 - Winterer/Taylor
Residence: $25/Adult & $10/Child
- Big Draw Art Party with Juliana Ostrovsky - June 1 (Sat) 2pm-4:00 Dempsey Residence, Pacific Palisades: $25/Person
*********************
APPLICATIONS
FOR GRADES 1-8 are due NO LATER than May 31, 3pm
Applications
are in the SMASH office and online at www.smash.smmusd.org
*********************
YEARBOOK
PHOTOS WANTED
We can
use any photos taken at school that you have!
Please send
your photo attachments to Lori Nafshun at gettalife@earthlink.net -
then do it
again and again-it’s so easy!
- Your
friends on the yearbook committee
*********************
SMASH
PTSA President’s Message
Dear SMASHing Parents,
WE NEED YOUR HELP: We are counting down to SuperSMASH which is
coming up on May 18. We have 15
days to pull it all together.
YOU CAN MAKE SUPERSMASH A SUCCESS by
volunteering. SuperSMASH
functions because every family participates by pitching in
at least two hours of work at one of the booths,
activities, or helping with set-up, clean-up and auctions
or other areas that need volunteers.
Thank you in advance for stepping up and
committing to making sure that this
important fundraising event is a success! Plus, it's a fun day outside with
your family and community - what could be better?
SIGNING
UP IS EASY - JUST A CLICK AWAY!:
Please consider adding your name to 1 or 2 shifts (and
while you're at it, volunteer your spouse too!)
Arts & Activities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AmTZGEfCR9NSdEtRR3lkTkxhLVNxSFZ2NkNwQWJRNWc#gid=6
Setup & Breakdown: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AmTZGEfCR9NSdC1wZm8yQjdoNDNXQkJVTW5OS19WX2c#gid=6
Field Games & Rides: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AmTZGEfCR9NSdFBjb2NGM2Jwa250em1SaGxPc1FGSXc#gid=6
Food Court: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AmTZGEfCR9NSdHNNSC1qVUxhV3JVRmZTMEI2TnV1LUE#gid=6
Auction: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AmTZGEfCR9NSdEpBZDMzamFlRmhGOHpyNjNKWnZRUVE#gid=6
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO GRAB A LAWN SIGN! They will be
available on Monday, May 13.
AND, THE SILENT AUCTION!
We still need more auction donations
because so far we are running behind and have fewer donations for the silent
auction than last year. Please don’t let up on efforts to procure
more auction donations. Time is running short.
SuperSMASH is our
biggest fundraising event of the year. The money raised from this event is very important to sustain the programs, staff and other things, that we are fortunate
to enjoy at SMASH. Even though there will be changes to the fundraising by
SMASH PTSA, nothing will change for this and the 2013-2014 school year. Our
SMASH community must still keep up our effort and volunteer spirit to make sure
that our SMASH kids have a great education.
There's
lots to do and fun to be had... please help us make it happen!
*********************
SMASH RAFFLE!
Would your child like to
be "Principal For The Day" or attend a Lego Party at Jessica's house?
Here's your chance!
SuperSMASH Staff Raffle
Tickets go on sale Friday after dismissal on the small yard
on May 3, May 10, May 17
and on May 18 at SuperSMASH
Here are the
confirmed Staff Raffle Events
Principal for a Day
Janice for a Day
Wende for a Day
Lego Party at Jessica's House Co-ed "Slumber"
Party with Taco Bar, Homemade Ice Cream, and a Movie with Core 2
teachers, Tamara & Jayme. At Tamara's House (for Cores 1, 2, & 3)
Picnic in the Park
with Core 1 teachers, Candis, Chrysta & Graciela.
Pizza making, Ice Cream Sundaes, and a Movie with Core 3 teachers, Genie, Erin & Mimi. At Genie's House. Winners will be able to bring 1 friend of their
choice
Movie-Iron Man 3 and Candy Store with Coach Tony & Malaika. Six lucky raffle winners
will go on the Santa Monica bus to 3rd St Promenade....students need
money for movie snacks.
Johnny Rockets - Milk Shake, Movie (decided by the group),
and Candy Store with Coach Tony! Coach will
take four lucky raffle winners on the SM Blue Bus to the Johnny Rockets (3rd St
Promenade) for milk shakes, candy store for one choice, and a movie decide by
the group. Students need money for movie snacks and food.
Jewelry/Friendship Bracelet Making and Snacks with Core 1 aides, Nadja and Laura. On campus after school,
date to be determined.
*********************
COMMUNITY
LECTURE
PAUL TOUGH, AUTHOR of
the bestseller: HOW CHILDREN SUCCEED
Tuesday,
May 14 7:00-9:00pm at John Adams Auditorium at 2425 16th St
This event
from the SMC School of Public Policy is co-sponsored by the Santa Monica-Malibu
PTA Council;
it is sure to be an
educational and interesting evening. Free parking is available at SMC across
the street.
I hope you can join us!
*********************
Benefitting the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation 10th Anniversary
FOR THE ARTS BENEFIT
CONCERT
May 18
- SOLD OUT - MAY 17 ADDED!
May 17
date added doors open 6:00pm, Show at 7:00pm
Santa
Monica High School, Barnum Hall
Proceeds
support the arts in SMMUSD schools
Jackson
Browne, Gary Wright and Venice perform in an intimate venue.
Student musicians
play and sing backup; it’s a concert unlike any you’ve seen before.
It’s
inspiring and incredible...and benefits arts education!
The
evening will also feature an exciting live auction. Please join in to support
the arts. www.smmef.org
*********************
THE LOS ANGELES
CHILREN’S FILM FESTIVAL
Aero
Theatre – now to May 5
1328
Montana Ave at 14th St, Santa Monica
Tickets
at Fandango.com (zip code 90403)
For
info americancinematheque.com. To read kid film critic reviews:
la.mommyoppins.com/lacffcritics
*********************
John
Adams Middle School Theatre Company Presents
Seussical
the Musical
Thursday
& Friday, May 9 & 10 at 7pm
Saturday,
May 11 at 2 and 7pm
John
Adams auditorium at 16th & Pearl
*********************
Downtown Santa Monica
SPRING JUBILEE
Sat
& Sun, May 4-5 - Celebrates BritWeek
Celebrate
the first every BritWeek. 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place will
transform into a
one-of-a-kind spring
festival featuring activities including hands-on demonstrations, live music,
children’s activities and more. DowntownSM.com/Spring-Jubilee
*********************
40th Annual Will
Rogers Learning Community Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!
Saturday,
May 4 from 10:30am to 3pm
2401
14th Street
Featuring
game booths, live music and student performances, a petting zoo, obstacle
course, handmade piñatas,
cascarones
(always a favorite!) and more, this year's event is bigger and better than
ever! All
proceeds from this year's event will go to the Santa Monica Malibu Education
Foundation, supporting programs that are vital
to our children's success, including smaller elementary classes, reading and
math support, the arts, and other
enrichment
programs at every school in our district. We hope to see you and your family
there!
*********************
THIS SUMMER at PAL
PAL provides educational, cultural and
recreational programs for youth ages 6-17, overseen by volunteers and staff from the Santa Monica Police and Community
and Cultural Services departments. Activities include classes in culinary arts, computer, basketball camp,
acrobatics, SAT prep and more.
PAL Youth Center at Memorial Park - 1401 Olympic Blvd
Mon-Fri, noon-10pm; Sat. noon-6pm
Friday Nights w/PAL for youth ages 13-17
6pm-1am. Weekly sign-up required
PAL Homework Assistance
Mon-Thur 2:30-6:30pm
Computers available until 9pm
PAL Fitness Gym at Virginia Avenue Park - 2200 Virginia Ave
Mon-Fri, noon-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm
310-458-8988/ smgov.net/pal
*********************
SUMMER
ART CAMP with LA ARTS
July 8 -
Aug 16, 9am-3pm
Join for
one week or all 6 weeks
$325/wk or
$900/3-week session
Art
classes from pre-school to adults only. All classes held in Westchester.
A minimum
of 4 students required to start a class; late starts are welcome; fees are
pro-rated!
Contact
Karen Sochar at 310.829.ARTS/2787
Email for
an application form at LAArts@gmail.com
*********************
LEARN
TO SURF LA - SURF LESSIONS
310-663-2479 - www.LearnToSurfLA.com
Use codeword SMASH when enrolling and 5% will be donated to SMASH!
CORE
1 NEWS
Farmers Market
Thank you to Kim Turner, Marlee’s mom, and
to Karina Rivera, Ana-Sofía’s mom, for chaperoning the Mentors’ field trip to the Farmers Market. Here’s what
the Mentors had to say about it:
Until today’s field trip, I didn't know
… that honey could last for over 4, 000
years. –Aiden
… how to open a honey stick. –Micah and
Ana-Sofía
… that carrots were so good. –Alani
… that there would be cherries. –Simone
… that there were so many fruits and
vegetables and that you can eat cactus. –Keera
… that Mentors could sample so many fruits
and vegetables and still have room for lunch. -Graciela
Core 1 Assembly
The Core 1 Students will lead the
school-wide assembly on Friday, May 31 from 9:45-10:15 in the cafeteria. We
will be sharing a slideshow of this year’s highlights. Please join us as we
celebrate how we’ve grown this year.
Upcoming Birthday Bashes
June birthdays will be celebrated on Friday May 31 from 11:45 to
12:15
July birthdays will be celebrated on Friday, June 7 from 11:45
to 12:15
If you child’s birthday will be
celebrated, we’d love for you to join us! On the day of Birthday Bash, the birthday child is invited to bring his or her favorite fresh fruit or
vegetable to share with the Core 1 community. Other snacks will not be
served. Your child can bring a fresh fruit or vegetable (as it was purchased)
to school at 8:30. The birthday
children will prepare the fruit or vegetable by
washing it, cutting it, and presenting it during Projects Time from 9:00-10:00. Birthday families are invited to
help at that time. At 11:45 the whole core will gather in Candis’ room for a story,
a poem, and a song. At about 12:00 the children will snack on the fruits and
vegetables that were prepared by the birthday children and they will eat their
lunch at that time. We always need help to set-up the buffet tables on the
small yard, to serve the food, and to help the
children clean up. Our reusable dishes will need to be taken home by a birthday family to be washed in a dishwasher.
Please let Graciela know if you can help or if you have any questions. Her
e-mail address is gbarba-castro@smmusd.org.
Wish List
We’ve run out of these essential items in
our classrooms. Please think of us next time you are out shopping. Thanks!
Tissue
Band-aids
Lost and Found
Every year, many unlabeled sweaters,
jackets, and lunch containers are left on the Small Yard. Please take a moment this week to check the hooks outside of
Chrysta’s classroom window for your child’s belongings. Most children don’t
recognize their items so they will need your help. The Lost and Found hooks for
the Big Yard (where all Core 1 children have PE) are located behind the block
wall closet to the bathrooms near the lunch benches.
PLEASE
REFER TO OUR GOOGLE CALENDAR WITH CURRENT UPDATES
https://www.google.com/calendar/render?gsessionid=ewUDkGI14mKgdhWdM7dMmg\
Candis,
Chrysta, Graciela, Nadja & Laura
Candis: cberens@smmsud.org
Chrysta: cwyse@smmusd.org
Graciela: gbarba-castro@smmusd.org
********************
CORE
2 NEWS
Hi Core 2 Families and Friends,
We are currently reading and writing Historical Fiction.
We are exploring all different time periods in US history. One of the
incredible things about Historical Fiction is that the story seems so real,
almost like a biography or autobiography, instead of a fiction piece. In order
to gather information to write such a realistic piece, students will need some
help researching their time period to make sure that their stories are historically accurate. Below you’ll find a list of eras/time periods that
students are thinking of writing about. Core 2 is using the SMASH Library as
one resource, yet they can use internet resources and the public library to
gather more information to use in their writing.
1600s-Salem Witch Trials
Ram Rattan and Emily
Slavery
Shira, Ocean, Erin
1800s-Westward Expansion, Gold Rush,
Immigration
Sydney and Mateo
World War I
Lauren
World War II
Josh, Jack, Oisin, Jovana, Thea, Jadyn, Hayden, Rio, Elisa,
Olin, Lucca (Specifically Holocaust)
*Some of us are still undecided and may need some time to
explore different time periods or important
historical events. Parents: share some of the
historical events that are interesting to you or significant to your
family. What a great way to inspire your child to further
research and write about those time periods!
Another important aspect of writing powerful Historical
Fiction pieces is READING those kinds of stories as
well. While the time period that your child is reading may
not match the time period they are writing about,
those books can still serve as excellent mentor texts to
guide them in the writing process. Everyone should be
reading 30 minutes or more each night. Shared
reading of a Historical Fiction piece is a great time to have
deeper, more in-depth conversations about important
historical events.
_________________________________________________________________________________
PARENTS: You play an essential
role in the success of our Core 2 activities and field trips! Larger, more
ambitious projects, like the SuperSMASH Project, are
difficult to manage without extra adult support. Field trips run smoothly and
are more organized when we have chaperones attend because our adult to child
ratio is drastically less. 3rd
and 4th graders enjoy having their
parents in the classroom for special projects and along for the ride on field
trips.
___________________________________________________________________________
Upcoming Events
Monday, May 6 (9:00am-1:30pm) - Field Trip - Guitar Trio at
UCLA
Saturday, May 18 (11:30am-5:30pm) - SuperSMASH!!
Friday, May 31 (8:30-9:10am) - 3rd grade Recorder
Presentation in Jayme’s room
Have a
wonderful weekend!
Jayme, Tamara, & Nadja
Jayme: jwoldflorian@smmusd.org
Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org
*********************
CORE 3 NEWS
~The Getty Villa was a beautiful setting
of art and artifacts to launch Ancient Rome with!
Thanks to our many chaperones, Neil,
Yvonne, Kenny, Matt, Ross, Claudia, JessyElena, John, Lisa (Sarah's aunt)!
~Thanks for pencils, cleaner and
scrubbers, Varner family!
SuperSMASH: Get those silent auction items! And we
are giving Core 3 Families a challenge to be the biggest
presence at the end of the event! Sign up
for break down and end clean up! It's easy when many hands are available!
Eoin Colfer book order due Tuesday the 7th! We
read some of WARP and it's a page-turner with great vocabulary! The author will be reading from his new
book on Monday the 13th
at 9:30 in the
cafetorium.
6G Math with Mimi: We only met once due to the state pilot
online testing. Our work with multiplication of decimals continues. Using Fact Families is one of
the concepts that keeps coming up unit after unit. Students have been working with
Fact Families since Core 2. Ask your student about them. They can help us
figure out how to solve number sentences with a variable. For example, if we
have N + 0.6 = 0.36. We know that 0.36 - 0.6 = N. We can use Fact Families similarly
with multiplication/division.
6G Math with Erin: Students worked this week refining their
survey questions for our school wide data project. Students are working in
small groups to collect data that can be beneficial to Jessica and the entire
school. Groups will be asking their school mates about
cafeteria food, learning differences, and gender separated classrooms, amongst other
things.
5G Math with Genie: We are really looking at decimals and how
to multiply and divide them! One way we are looking at decimals and the powers
of 10 is to look at the metric system and converting numbers from kilometers to
meters or centimeters or meters. We are also reviewing 2D geometry: sides,
angles and vocabulary.
Science with Mimi: This week, students were introduced to our
Food & Nutrition research project. After an overview of the project
guidelines and a brainstorm of topics, students each chose two topics they
would like to research as well as their preference of working independently or
in a group. On Thursday, we completed a brief, whole-group activity about
citing sources and writing a bibliography. Students will get their topics and
group assignments next week.
Social Studies with Erin: Our Ancient Rome research is finally
getting underway! This week students choose their topics from amongst many we had looked at:
daily life of women/girls in Rome, weaponry and war, Roman leisure activities, the fall of Rome, ancient art
and architecture, and many other choices. Please ask your child what topic
group they chose to be involved in. We will be doing much of our research this
time using good old fashioned books! Students had a chance to visit the school
library today, and if you have a chance it would be great if you could
accompany your child to your local public library to pick up some books for
their project.
Reading and Writing Workshop with Genie: We are doing our final edits to our
professional SMASH brochures that will be shared later this month with families
while we also work on our independent writing projects! Students should be
drafting their independent writing projects by now. Ask your child where they
are in their writing process. There is plenty of time in class to work on these
writing projects and we are working on making sure we use class time wisely. Our
Read Aloud Wonder has brought up interesting friendship dynamics that
always exist and brought up questions like how important is it to be honest
with friends? How important is it to be true and honest to yourself in order to
be true and honest with your friends? Being kind is important but over being
honest?
Homework:
5G math: Packet #32 Due 5/10/13
Read and Write every day! This never stops
being 'homework'!
Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org
Erin: ehaendel@smmusd.org
Mimi: mimilichterman@yahoo.com
*********************
ATTENTION ALL 6th GRADERS!
You need proof of a Tdap shot before you enter 7th grade in
August.
Forms will be sent home - please return them ASAP to the
nurse.
For vaccine information: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/VIS/downloads/vis-td-tdap.pdf
****************
SMASH
PTSA PRESENTS
PARENT
ED NIGHT
FROM
SMASH TO SAMOHI
After Core
4...what's next?
For
parents from all cores
and
students from cores 3 & 4
Every
wonder about
your
child's transition to high school?
Here's
your chance to get answers
directly
from the source.
Join us
for a panel discussion featuring:
-Samohi
teachers, an advisor
-Smash
Alumni
WEDNESDAY
May
8th, 6:30-8 PM - Media Center
Childcare
will be provided.
$5
suggested donation supports 8th grade trip fund.
E*********************SENTS
