Nov 15, 2013

       SMASH COMEDY NIGHT - November 17

                 Tickets are still available on Eventbrite until noon Sunday,

remaining seats sold at the door. (ages 21 and older)

SHOW TIME is 7pm at Magicopolis, 1418 4th St.  DOORS OPEN 6:15

       TICKETS & DETAILS at www.smashcomedynight.eventbrite.com - $40

RESTAURANT “GIVE BACK” - OPEN TO ALL

These restaurants will be giving 20% back to SMASH 

on Sunday evening, Nov. 17.

West 4th & Jane -  Border Grill - Pizza Antica - The Lobster

Open to all, even if you aren't attending comedy night. 

Flyer attached to Friday Letter.

Thanks for supporting SMASH!

Nina Furukawa and Jake Johannsen  -  SMASH Comedy Night Event Co-Chairs

nina@smdp.com   310-922-2060

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SMASH Family Dance

Friday, November 22

6:00-7:30pm

$5.00 per person, suggested donation

Superhero Theme!

Come dressed as your favorite

superhero character!

   Come listen to live music, dance, and enjoy friends!

SNACKS:

Core 1 and Core 2 please bring veggies and fruit, crackers, dips, cheeses

Core 3 and Core 4 please bring chips and salsa, small, bite-sized desserts

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SMASH RESTURANT NIGHT at EL CHOLO!  At 1025 Wilshire Blvd.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20  -  5:00 to 8:00pm

                           BRING THE FLYER IN TODAY’S FRIDAY LETTER

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DATES TO REMEMBER

November:

Sun, Nov 17 - 7:00pm - Comedy Night at Magicopolis   -  1418 4th Street, downtown Santa Monica.  Tickets are available at www.smashcomedynight.eventbrite.com

Mon, Nov 18 - 9:00am - SMASH School Tour

Wed, Nov 20 - SMASH restaurant fundraiser night at El Cholo’s Restaurant –See Flyer

Fri, Nov 22 - 6:00 - 7:30pm - Family Dance.  This year’s theme is SUPERHEROS!

Wed, Nov 27 - 1:30pm - EARLY DISMISSAL

Thurs, Fri, Nov 28 & 29 - Thanksgiving Holiday - SCHOOL CLOSED

December:

WINTER BREAK - December 23 - January 6.  School resumes on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. 

                                 Monday, January 6 is a pupil free day for SMASH

SAVE THE DATE

Arts &; Letters Sale is on Saturday, February 22.   -  We Need Art !      Questions?: info@smashartsale.com

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SMASH COMEDY NIGHT and RESTAURANT “GIVE BACK" YO!!

SMASH COMEDY NIGHT is a PTSA "Adults Only" Fundraiser on

Sunday, November 17 at 7pm at Magicopolis, 1418 4th St. (21 and older please)

TICKETS & DETAILS at www.smashcomedynight.eventbrite.com - $40

Thank you for almost selling out SMASH COMEDY NIGHT!!! 

There are less than 40 tickets remaining and I challenge you to buy some if you haven’t already, 

and if you have, please invite friends or family to buy tickets and come with you.

SMASH Dad Jake Johannsen is hosting this night of laughs - 

he has appeared on the David Letterman Show 43 times (more than any other comedian!) 

and has done specials for Showtime and HBO. Jake has put together a talented group of comedians and magicians including Greg Behrendt, Laurie Kilmartin, Owen Smith and Derek Hughes.

RAFFLE

We have some great prizes - all valued over $100!! Restaurant Gift Cards, Dogeared Jewelry,

Groundlings Tickets and more.  Raffle tickets available at the event only.

RESTAURANT “GIVE BACK” - OPEN TO ALL

These restaurants will be giving 20% Back to SMASH the night of the show.

Open to all, even if you aren't attending comedy night.

West 4th & Jane and Border Grill on 4th St.; 

Pizza Antica - 3rd floor SM Place; The Lobster - Colorado & Ocean

Bring the flyer attached to the Friday letter the next couple of weeks or available for pick-up in the office.

Thanks for supporting SMASH!

Hope to see you there!

Nina Furukawa and Jake Johannsen

SMASH Comedy Night Event Co-Chairs

nina@smdp.com

310-922-2060

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A Letter From Coach Tony

Hello P.E. Classes,

           I will be gone for the next couple of weeks (I will be back for Mon., Tues., Wed., -Thanksgiving Week).     I am doing jury duty which means I am judging whether or not somebody has done something wrong. It is a very demanding and important job. I am required by law to do this…in fact every adult has to do this at some time. I expect (know) that you will be excellent students for the sub(s) while I am gone.

 I miss you and can’t wait to get back!

       - Coach Tony

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We Need Art!

Arts & Letters Sale is on Saturday, February 22

Create an original 4x6 piece. If you have something to express, this is your chance!

Ask all of the artistic people you know to contribute too. The more art, the better.

Art card packets are available in the SMASH office – pick up one today!

Early submissions requested by the end of December.

Questions?: info@smashartsale.com

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Tidbits From SMASH PTSA

Are you up to the Challenge?  Take the D&B Matching Gift Challenge!

Now through December 20, Dun & Bradstreet will match, dollar for dollar up to $150,000, your donation to the Education Foundation in support of the SMMUSD Vision for Student Success.  Every gift, no matter the size, will double the impact at your Child’s school and every school in our district, $50 becomes $100, $500 becomes $1,000!

Make your gift online at www.smmef.org/donate

Or mail your donation to: Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation; 1645 16th St; Santa Monica, CA 90404

TREATS Frozen Yogurt and Ice Bar

will host a fundraiser benefiting SANTA MONICA- MALIBU EDUCATION FOUNDATION Vision for Student  Success and will be donating 20% of all sales for the weekend of November 16 and 17. TREATS was recently voted BEST FROZEN YOGURT in Los Angeles by LA Hot List and were voted 1 of the top 10 Frozen Yogurts in Los Angeles by the Gayot Guide. They serve artisan frozen yogurt Free of Hormones and Antibiotics. TREATS - 1700 Ocean Park Blvd. - 310-310-3328

Still wondering what the Vision for Student Success is?

Here is a great explanation by a Fifth Grader:  http://youtu.be/KtsKNSZoUlQ or http://vimeo.com/78746901

The PTSA wants to hear from you!

Please feel free to email questions, thoughts and ideas: Jamee Tenzer, Co-President jameetenzer@gmail.com,

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Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr.             

Santa Monica Morgan-Wixson Theatre

November 9 - December 14     -  Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm

    Adults $20  Children 12 and under $15         310-828-7519  -  www.morgan-wixson.org

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SMASH FUNDRAISER at EL CHOLO

Wednesday, November 20

Between 5:00 and 8:00pm

Come have Mexican food and drinks

To celebrate the holidays with your SMASH family.

Just bring in this flyer on Wednesday, November 20

And present it to your server when ordering and

30% of your food bill will be donated to SMASH PTSA

Valid for dine in and take out!

El Cholo Restaurant

1025 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica           

310-899-1106

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SMASH RESTAURANT

“GIVE BACK”

SUNDAY * NOV 17

Enjoy dinner and drinks at one of these restaurants

on Sunday, November 17 and they will

“Give Back” 20% to SMASH.

West 4^th & Jane – 1432 4^th St., 310-395-6765

Border Grill – 1445 4^th St., 310-451-1655

Pizza Antica – 3^rd Fl, SM Place, 310-394-4080

The Lobster – 1602 Ocean Ave.,

310-458-9294, reservations suggested

Open to all, even if you aren’t attending Comedy Night.

Please bring this flyer with you!!

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       SMASH 8TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE SELLING $20 ICE TICKETS

FRIDAYS, BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL

AT THE MAIN GATE AND IN THE SMALL YARD

                Dear SMASH Families,

Every year we eagerly await the return of the Downtown Santa Monica ICE skating rink.

This year, the season runs November 1 through January 20, and we have an amazing

opportunity to have fun and raise funds for SMASH trips scholarships.

ICE will create a SMASH punch card that you can purchase for $20.

It can be used like cash for Admission, Skate Rental and/or Concessions.

Admission and skate rental at ICE is $12, and the additional $8 left over can be used

at the concession/food stand or 'saved' for the next trip to ice where it can again

 be used toward admission or for food and beverage.

The cards can be used all season long (except New Year’s Eve) so stock up!

For every $20 card sold, the SMASH Trips Scholarship fund will earn $8.      

             ICE cards can also be purchased in the SMASH office (check or exact cash amount only).

Questions?  Contact Lori Nafshun at gettalife1@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting our students!

            ICE:  November 1- January 20

                       Mon-Thurs  2:00-10:00pm

                       Fri  2:00-Midnight

                      Sat  10am - Midnight

                      Sun  10am - 10pm

               

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CORE 1 NEWS

In Core 1 we believe that it is important that children eat food that is nutritious and substantial during the school day.  We want to support your efforts to provide well-balanced and adequate lunchtime meals.  Whether your child is eating a school lunch or a lunch from home, let’s work together to make sure that your child gets enough healthy food. 

We suggest that you communicate with your child about lunch at home before lunches get packed. Try to pack a lunch that is both nutritious and that your child will eat. We will help your child communicate with you if they express a lack of interest in his or her food.  If you get a note in their lunchbox, it will indicate to you might want to include your child in planning meals that he or she will eat or make other adjustments.  You may want to make a list of foods that you approve of and that you know they will eat to help create lunches and snacks. 

Try to be clear with your child about when they will eat a school lunch and when they will not.  We suggest making a clear plan with them about how their lunch at school will go.  If you do not plan on your child ever eating in the   cafeteria, please let us know so we can hold on to their lunch cards.  If your child will sometimes eat in the cafeteria, be sure there is credit on the card.  Please have a plan with your child about what to do if they eat all their food but are still hungry.  Wende or Janice, in the school office, can add value to your child’s lunch card. Make a check payable to SMMUSD. To add value or to keep track of when your child uses his or her lunch card, you can visit www.mylunchmoney.com.  Call the office at 310-396-2640 to request your child’s student identification number. If there is an accounting error, you can talk to Connie in the cafeteria.  Helping your child understand how their lunch routine will go can avoid the unnecessary stress that arises for children, parents, and school staff when that communication breaks down.            

Here’s a list of entrees and sides that children brought one day that you might try:

Entrees:  salami sandwich, taquitos, pizza, Nutella on bread, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Nutella sandwich,  peanut butter and honey, pesto-tortilla sandwich, hot dog, chicken nuggets

Sides:  crackers, carrots, apple and carrot sauce, snap peas, strawberries, oranges, yogurt cup, flour tortilla, diced  apples, chopped tomatoes, cheese, banana, peas, carrot chips, sunbutter bar, granola bar, almonds, blueberries

Locating Items at the Lost and Found

We have accumulated a number of jackets, bottles, and other items in classrooms and on the yard. Items without names of students are located in our lost in found, outside of Chrysta’s room. Please stop by and check for missing items at your earliest convenience.

Contributing to Core 1 Projects

We want to thank all families for contributing to our projects with various supplies. Thus far, we are well-stocked with large boxes but are still in need of smaller ones and paper towel and toilet paper rolls. If you are able to contribute, please drop supplies off to the studio between the Core 1 rooms.

Have a great weekend!

Graciela (gbarba-castro@smmusd.org                                                          Chrysta (cpowell@smmusd.org)                                                           Christian (ccarter@smmusd.org)  & Nadja

SMASH FAMILY DANCE - Friday, November 22 - Theme:  Dress like a Superhero!

                             Core 1 families - please bring veggies & fruit, crackers, dips, cheeses

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CORE 2 NEWS

The SMASH staff engaged in a Math Learning Walk this week, looking at math across the K-8 Community. We observed math instruction in each classroom to examine the link between the teacher’s role as instructor and the student math behaviors as the learners.  Then, as a staff, we shared our notes and created personal, core-level, and school-wide math goals that will lead us deeper into our inquiry about how children learn math at SMASH.  Specifically, we are researching how students demonstrate conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application of math learning.

Additionally, Core 2 teachers have done professional development in TERC Investigations over the years. We continue to explore the ways that we, as parents and adults, can keep them excited about math at home, practice the skills being introduced in class, and help them develop computational fluency. 

Games are a great way to flex our mathematical muscles while also having fun.  They support conversations around math strategies and promote flexibility in approaching problems and working with different kinds of numbers and math situations.  The importance of the games, as stated by the TERC curriculum is, “The more students play, the more practice they get, the more math they do.”  For this reason, we make time for games during math time at school and we encourage you to play any of the math games that come home.

We’ve compiled a list of resources for other fun ways to engage in math practice and mathematical thinking outside of school.  To find out more about the curriculum that we are using at SMASH, please check out investigations.terc.edu and look for the “Family” links.  This will give you an overview of the learning that we are nurturing at school and how you can do that at home.  TERC also provides a list of math website recommendations for math practice:

http://investigations.terc.edu/library/Games_23.cfm?utm_source=TERC+Investigations+Newsletter+_September+2013&utm_ campaign=Newsletter+Sept+2013&utm_medium=email

Some other great websites to visit:

A Math Dictionary for Kids 2012 by Jenny Eather at www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/
An interactive, animated math dictionary with over 600 common math terms and math words explained in simple language. Try to find some of the terms that we use in Core 2 math!

Create A Graph at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
Explains and illustrates the different types of graphs, and provides a step-by-step guide to creating examples for downloading and printing.Since both 3^rd and 4^th grade have worked with data, why not develop a survey question and create a graph to show your results?!

Important Dates:

Monday, November 18 ~ Trip to Natural History Museum – We still need chaperones!!!

Have a lovely weekend!

Jayme: jwoldflorian@smmusd.org        Tamara, Jayme, & Malaika         Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org

SMASH FAMILY DANCE - Friday, November 22 - Theme:  Dress like a Superhero!

                                              Core 2 families - please bring veggies & fruit, crackers, dips, cheeses

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CORE 3 NEWS

Not too late to register and sign up to walk with Team SMASH Saturday, November 16 or donate to the Collective Voices Foundation who is providing SMASH with a grant! We want to keep our connections alive and show our support to organizations that provide so much to our education.  Please visit: http://walkforeducation.collectivevoices.org/teamsmash

New Trio of Field Trips! The off-campus learning continues! Today your child should have brought home 3 new permission slips, Gene Autry Museum Tues 11/26, Huntington Gardens Mon 12/2, and The Broad Theater National    Geographic filmmaker talk Fri 12/6.  Please fill out the slips and we appreciate the trip donations so we don't have to eat into our PTSA funds.  We of course need chaperones! Please email Genie (ghwang@smmusd.org) if you are able to chaperone one or all of the trips!

~Astrocamp is Feb 19-21, 2014 for 5^th graders. If you have a balance on your payment it will be due in January. If you are unsure about what is left on your balance, please email Genie (ghwang@smmusd.org).

6th gr Math with Erin: This week in math we continued our study of fractions. The students were asked to think about marking a licorice rope to divide into equal sections for four people. From there they were asked to divide the rope into equal sections for six people, eight people, etc. without getting rid of the previous markings. Some students called on their previous knowledge of least common multiples to find the answers to the problem. On Thursday and Friday we delved more deeply into the different names for the same fractions (ex: 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, etc.)

5^th gr Math with Genie: Check out this great article from The Atlantic: “The Myth of I'm Bad at Math" by Miles Kimball & Noah Smith.   http://www.theatlantic.com/education/print/2013/10/the-myth-of-im-bad-at-math/280914/

Social Studies/Science with Erin: This week brought news of two different current events that we discussed in class. Students were eager to share their knowledge and concern for Filipinos affected by the terrible destruction of Typhoon Haiyan. Many students had heard about the typhoon and were especially interested both because we have groups in both classes studying the Philippines and because of our recent visit to the UCLA weather station where we learned that hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all the same weather phenomenon just in different locations in the world. One of our Philippines study groups took the time to read through the Red Cross website to let the class know how they could donate/help and where their money would be going.

     Another current event article that sparked a lively discussion appeared in the LA Times on Monday:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-mpaa-gun-violence-pg-13-films-20131112,0,651146.story#axzz2kakd9H00. This article shared about a study by just published in the Journal"Pediatrics" regarding the increased levels of violence in PG-13 films. The study concluded there is actually much MORE violence, and especially gun violence in PG -13 movies than in R movies these days! Students were eager to share their views around the subject. Please read and discuss the article as a family if you have the chance.

Reading and Writing Workshop with Genie: We are using our writing time in class to revise our personal essay drafts.  Drafts should be complete whether on colored paper or typed in My Big Campus.  If your child's draft is not finished, they are behind. Check in with them and ask where they are in their writing process. In revising, we are looking at the thesaurus but also metaphors and similes that help readers further understand a point because they are giving their reader another way to think about their reason. They are also required to use transitional words, which they know help the reader transition from one reason or example to the next. They have a suggested list that they have access to on My Big Campus. They also need to make decisions on what person they want their essay in, 1^st (I, me, mine), 2^nd (you, yours, us, ours) or 3^rd person (people, one, their).  All of these revision suggestions are on their Personal Essay Rubric.  Final Debate Performances will take place on Tues 11/19 from 1:10-3:00 for Green and Fri 11/22 from 8:40-10:30 for Pink.  Please plan on coming to observe some debates and if there is time, participate in an impromptu parent debate!

Homework:

5G math: packet #12. Due 11/22/13

RW: read every day for 30-40 minutes (around 100 pages a week)

Nonfiction reading sheet—complete front and back by Wednesday (11/20)

WW: collect 3 entries (full pages) in writing notebook each week. Will be checked on Wednesdays. Entries can be    writing about anything—fiction, reflections, book reviews, memoirs, articles, debates, essays, etc.

SMASH FAMILY DANCE -Friday, November 22 - Theme:  Dress like a Superhero!

                                             Core 3 families - please bring chips & salsa and small bite-size desserts            

Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org                   Genie, Erin & Laura                         Erin: ehaendel@smmusd.org

                                                                        

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CORE 4 NEWS

Thank you everyone who joined us for the Yosemite meeting.  We are very excited and I hope you are as well.  An idea was brought up about sharing clothing.  Your child is growing and will probably only get to wear their costly Yosemite clothes for a year.  Talk to other parent who had other kids who went to Yosemite.  Borrowing clothes is a wonderful idea.  Also, go on hikes (with elevation) with your family.  Invite other families to join yours.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Humanities (Reading, Writing, and Social Studies) - Comparative world religion: We are starting our study about religions around the world.  We are also stating our new book clubs.  We are reading books to compliment this unit.

Social Studies - Geography: Students have one more week to work on their world region project in preparation for our travel fair to be held on November 22 at 10:30. Parents are invited to join us.  The students are currently working on designing their individual service learning abroad trip. 

Science: Students have been learning about balancing equations.

7th Grade Math: The majority of the students are still working on completing chapter 4. 

8th Grade Math

• Group Fire - They are still working on Chapter 4 and the benchmark assessment for chapter 4 is on November 20th.  The Chapter 3 Assessment results will be available next week.
• Group Ice - They are still working on Chapter 5 and the benchmark assessment for chapter 5 is on November 20th.  Please check in with your child about the Chapter 4 Assessment.

Important Dates

Fridays until Winter Break - ICE ticket sales before and after school

Friday, November 22,  - Geography Travel Fair (No Swimming)

Thursday & Friday, November 28 & 29 - No School (Thanksgiving Holiday)

Friday, December 6 - Last day of swimming

Friday, December 20 - Last day before winter break

SMASH FAMILY DANCE - Friday, November 22 - Theme:  Dress like a Superhero!

                                              Core 4 families - please bring chips & salsa and small bite-size desserts

Darwin Mendinueto - dmendinueto@smmusd.org

Pam Dresher - pdresher@smmusd.org

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