February 21, 2014

Dear SMASH Families,

A SMASH parent’s plea

“Please send out reminders that it is easier to drop-off correctly than to go to the hospital or the funeral parlor later.”

This is an excerpt from that parent’s email: 

“This morning after I dropped off my child...

I was driving south down 6th Street towards the stoplight. A child with an instrument walked out from behind a stopped car to cross the street to go to school. As he walked out from behind his parent's car Ihit him. My heart went down to my feet. The sun was streaming in my windshield and was blocking my vision. I was wearing sunglasses but the sun is low in the sky at that time & it is hard to see clearly…I didn't see the child I saw his instrument. I stopped suddenly & the child stopped…The crosswalk at 6th & Ocean Park was maybe 6 car lengths away.  What if? It is all too scary to me to think what if?”

School Traffic and Parking

       It is unsafe when parents double park, leave their cars in the middle of the street unattended, and park in restricted areas. 

      Before and after school child drop-off and pick-up is available by the small yard gate on 5th
      Street. These areas are for loading and unloading only. 

      Please do not drop off in the staff parking lot nor park in the staff  parking lot, as spaces are extremely limited. 

     Please use the crosswalks.

Be sure to read parking signs

These areas are patrolled and you will be ticketed.  Parking is available with signs posted.

       Ocean Park: No parking along Ocean Park

       5^th Street:  Loading zone 8-10am and 1-4pm on 5th Street closest to the school, 2 hour parking 9am-6pm along the rest of 5^th Street.  Street cleaning 3-5pm Tuesday on the east side of 5^th street and Mondays 9-11am on the west side of 5^th street.  

      Hollister:  No parking Mondays 3-5pm on the south side and 9-11am Tuesdsays on the north side. 

      6^th Street:  No parking Mondays 10-noon on the west side and Tuesdays noon to 2pm on the east side. 

      Volunteers are needed to help monitor the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.  Please call the               office if you are able to help Monday-Thursday from 8:15 to 8:30 or 3:00-3:15 and Friday from 8:15 to 8:30       or 1:30-1:45.

It is amazing how much we accomplish when we work together for every child’s safety! 

Truly Yours,

Jessica

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LAST CHANCE FOR ARTS & LETTERS TICKETS!!

At SmashArtSale2014.evenbrite.com

Saturday, February 22 at streetcraftLA  -   2912 Main Street

Viewing starts at 7pm and the sale begins at 8pm.  Enjoy drinks, small bites and music!

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PAJAMA DAY!!      FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28!

In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday.

Wear your cozy pjs and bring your fave Dr. Seuss book to share-read with friends!

No slippers, school shoes only.

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SMASH TALENT SHOW!

                                                            WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5   

6:00 - 7:30pm

                                                                       

                                              OPEN TO ALL SMASH STUDENTS

Limited to the first 20 acts to sign up in the SMASH office.   All acts must be 3 minutes or less. 

DON’T WAIT TO SIGN UP!  NO sign ups the night of the show.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

Sat, Feb. 22 - 7:00-10:00pm - Arts & Letters.  Buy tickets now at SMASHartsale2014.eventbrite.com

Mon, Feb 24 - 9:00-10:30am - SMASH school tour

Wed, Feb 26 - 6:00-8:00pm -  SMASH Multicultural Potluck - Bring your favorite salad, appetizer or main course  from your culture - We will provide dessert

Thur, Feb 27 - Elementary  Music Disney Trip

Fri, Feb 28 - SMASH Pajama Day - wear your pj’s and bring your favorite Dr. Seuss book.  No slippers

Wed, Mar 5 - SMASH Talent Show.  Sign up in the main office.  First 20 to sign up.  Three minute limit

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Tidbits From SMASH PTSA

Would you like to participate in choosing next year's PTSA Board? If you have someone you would like to nominate, please contact Jamee Tenzer by February 28th at jameetenzer@gmail.com.

As of today, the following people have been nominated for the positions listed below:

President: Marni Ayers Brady

Vice President: Sabine Werk

Treasurer: Rachel Ginnerty

Financial Secretary: Snow Lam-Hansen

Parliamentarian: Dan McGee

Legislative Representative: Jeff Jarow

We are also taking nominations for:

V.P. Fundraising (please talk to Marni Ayers if you are interested)

In addition, we are looking for Committee Chairs. Please contact Jamee Tenzer if you have questions about any of these positions at jameetenzer@gmail.com:

Jogathon (need 2 co-chairs)

Graduation Chair

Multi-Cultural Potluck

The election will take place at the PTSA Meeting on Wednesday, March 5th at 8:30am in the school library.

Please join us!

The SMASH Alumni site is now up and running

Anyone that wants to stay connected to SMASH and upcoming events, including the 40th Anniversary Celebration

is encouraged to sign up so you can get the emails and updates! Hope to see you all in May for the family event at

SuperSMASH and then the adults only celebration on Main St! Please share with everyone that you are in touch with that are alumni! Cheers! www.smashalumni.com

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We have lots of great SMASH events coming up this year, but we need your help to pull them all off!

Whether you volunteer 2 hours or 100 hours - everything is appreciated. Click here to volunteer!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dFRJQU9sNTBEQ3poNnc0YTJlTXMtWVE6MA

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40th Anniversary of SMASH, SUPERSMASH and SILENT AUCTION

You may not believe it, but we are already working on putting together SuperSMASH and the SMASH Silent Auction - May is just around the corner!

            Plus, we are going to be inviting all SMASH Alumni to attend the event this year to celebrate our

40TH  Anniversary - which means lots of people and lots of fun.

            To pull it all off, we need you to help in any way you can. There are many small and large tasks that can be done off campus, leadership roles, and ways you can help during the actual event. Please contact the Chairs for these 3 events to see which jobs are available and if there is one that is a good fit for you.

Silent Auction Chair: The fabulous Sabine Werk visionwerk@mac.com

SuperSMASH Chair: The marvelous Naren Desai narendesai@icloud.com

40th Anniversary Co-Chairs: The awe-inspiring Summer Germann summergermann@aol.com

STORAGE SPACE NEEDED:

We are looking for some space close to school to use for Silent Auction Storage. If you have space available or know of someone who might, please contact me: jameetenzer@gmail.com. We might even be able to pay a small rental fee!

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Have you checked out the Common Core Webinar Series?

PTSA thought it would be a good idea to again direct our families to the Common Core Corner on our SMMUSD website and in particular to the Common Core Webinar Series. There are archived Common Core State Standards Webinars that were created in partnership with our PTA Council and our own SMMUSD Education Services.

Common Core State Standards represent an exciting real-world approach to teaching and learning that has been adopted by 47 states including California. Implementation will mean changes in curriculum, teaching and  assessments. The Common Core State Standards will prepare our children for college and career readiness in the 21st century; it's critical that we understand these significant shifts in education so that we can help all our students succeed!

Here is the direct link to our Common Core Webinar Series and the Common Core Corner:
http://www.smmusd.org/edservices/commoncore/webinars.html

The tab "Tips for Parents" in the Common Core Corner also has informative literature and "Road Maps" to CCSS.

In tandem with our own SMMUSD-centric webinars, our families may also wish to take part in the webinar outlined below, hosted by WestED for parents, teachers and administrators. "What can parents do to support their children at home and in their communities as teachers implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M)?

PTA is all about parents partnering with our schools to help our children thrive! When our families understand the new Common Core State Standards, we are better able to help our students feel successful as these shifts are implemented in the classroom.

Thanks for supporting your student and all our SMMUSD students!

 **SMASH Bash Sign-Ups for Remaining Spots! **

Spring SMASH Bash was a huge success -- thanks to all of our wonderful SMASH Bash hosts, parent volunteers, and SMASH families who signed up last Friday. We raised about $4000 for our school (and raised about the same last fall as well).

If you missed the SMASH Bash Sign-Up day last Friday, you're in luck -- there are 6 BASHES with remaining spots. Act quickly though, as some have few open spots remaining. The remaining bashes with available spots are:

* Hands-Only CPR and AED Training

* Afternoon Card Bash

* Cocktails and Kvetching with Local Officials

* Recycled Racecar races

* Art Party for Grown Ups

* Core 2 and 3 Obstacle Course Mystery Adventure

To sign up to attend a SMASH Bash, please do the following:

1) Look through the SMASH Bash folder in the office and pick the events you want to attend (that still have space)

2) To claim your spot, write your name on the page of the event(s) you will attend.

3) Take a "Registration Form and Receipt" from the front of the SMASH Bash folder, mark the events you will attend and and total your payment.

4) Leave payment (check or cash) with Janice.

5) Take the yellow copy and leave the while one in the folder-- along with the necessary signed waivers

QUESTIONS? Please email SMASH Bash Co-Chair Marni Ayers Brady (marniayers@gmail.com)

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CORE 1 NEWS

ATTENTION STUDENT TINKERERS, MAKERS, ARTISTS & ENGINEERS!

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! We want to give you plenty of time to design, plan and create your       Leprechaun trap for this year.  Use whatever materials you like.  Let your imagination soar!  Bring your trap to school on March 14 (and not before), so we can set up our traps the night before St. Patrick’s Day! 

How to make a leprechaun trap:

Gather together all kinds of scrap materials:

Small boxes             Yarn               Plastic spoons                    Spools                        Straw                                        Anything shiny                  

String                                           Paper cups                   Felt                         Paint                                        Pieces of wood....

Design a trap: Sketch out your plans.  Decide how to attract a leprechaun and eventually catch one!  Be clever and tricky!  Leprechauns are tricky, themselves.  They like shiny things, and things that glitter.  They are also naughty and often disobey signs. To build a trap, use nails, glue and/or string to make your trap “Leprechaun tight!” Don’t

make it too big.  Remember:  You are catching a leprechaun, not a giant! (Google “Leprechaun Traps” with a grown-up if you need some ideas.  There is a lot of information on the Internet on how to build a trap.)

Save These Exciting Dates to Your Calendar

March 7: SMASH Jogathon

March 14: Leprechaun Traps DUE in Core 1

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day

March 21: March Babies’ Birthday Bash

March 23:  SMASHing Grown-up Spa Party Fundraiser @ Candis’ House, 1-4pm (Sunday)

March 26:  Core 1 Parent Workshop on Play Part 1, 6pm-7:30

April 1: LACMA Fieldtrip (tentative date)

April 25: April Babies’ Birthday Bash

May 2: May Babies’ Birthday Bash

May 9: June Babies’ Birthday Bash

May 14: 1^st Graders to Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)

May 16: July Babies’ Birthday Bash

May 28: 2^nd Graders to Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)

May 28: Core 1 Parent Workshop on Play Part 2, 6pm-7:30

June 4: Ks to Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Leaving after Morning Meeting)

Core 1 Wish List

Core 1 is still looking for tape for students to use during projects: Masking, Scotch, Masking, White, Colorful, Duct, Packaging, Electrical…Any kind of tape. If you have tape, of any type, please drop it off with any of your child’s  teachers.  We would also love different types of WIRE. Thank you so much!!!

 

Have a great weekend!

Graciela (gbarba-castro@smmusd.org)                                    Chrysta (cpowell@smmusd.org)         

Christian (ccarter@smmus.org), Nadja & Kevin

           

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CORE 2 NEWS

Literacy and Learning: Mimi and Tamara have been looking closely at how our students are reading and writing – with an eye on the important spelling and word work that makes for a well-rounded literacy program. We’ve added specific reading strategy lessons to our grade-level literacy time, beefed up our word work time, and used assessments to differentiate work for small groups of students.  The fourth graders will be starting writing homework!  Please look for more information in your Friday Packets in the weeks to come.

Building Writing Stamina: The importance of writing workshops from trevorcairney.blogspot.com

There are many good reasons to implement daily writing workshops in any classroom. Probably most important amongst these is that they offer the opportunity for children to experience writing as process. That is, to understand that writing is something that has to be worked on if it is to communicate with and engage readers. Young writers need to experience writing as craft, something that requires hard work, revision, research, planning, careful use of language and a sense of purpose and audience. But Katie Wood Ray reminds us that there is something even more basic that writing workshops offer - the chance to develop stamina: 1) Writing workshop can encourage children to learn about the craft of writing.  2) It offers opportunities for young writers to write for 'real' audiences.  3) The sharing of writing can inspire other young writers.  4) Books are an important source of inspiration for young writers.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.~Anton Chekhov

Invented Spelling and Spelling Development by Elaine Lutz

Children progress through certain stages of spelling development. Knowing this progression allows teachers to compel development through their instruction. In the past, spelling was usually taught as a separate subject; memorization was thought to be the key to its mastery. Even now, most elementary schools use spelling series and treat spelling as a    subject separate from the other language arts.  However, during the past

decade, language researchers have shed new light on the spelling process. The acquisition of spelling rules is now viewed as a complex developmental process. Once the stages of this process are identified, elementary teachers can help students develop strategies for learning standard English spelling, and they can assess students' progress more accurately. This article defines invented spelling, describes the developmental stages, and considers implications for classroom instruction.    

                                                                             

What is invented spelling?  Invented spelling refers to young children's attempts to use their best judgments about spelling. In one of the first major studies of children's beginning attempts at learning to spell, linguist Charles Read (1975) examined the writing of thirty preschoolers who were able to identify and name the letters of the alphabet and to relate the letter names to the sounds of words. The students had "invented" spellings for words by arranging letters.

Read writes, "One sees clearly that different children chose the same phonetically motivated spellings to a degree that can hardly be explained as resulting from random choice or the influence of adults." In other words, even at an early age, the children were able to detect phonetic characteristics of words that English spelling represents.  Read concluded that, by and large, "learning to spell is not a matter of memorizing words, but a developmental process that culminates in a much greater understanding of English spelling than simple relationships between speech sounds and their graphic representations."

What are the stages of spelling development?  As preschool and early elementary school children discover the intricacies of printed English, they go through several stages of spelling development. Gentry (1982), building on Read's research, describes five stages: pre-communicative, semi-phonetic, phonetic, transitional, and correct.

Enjoy the weekend

Tamara, Mimi and Malaika

Tamara: tmugalian@smmusd.org                                                          Mimi: mimilichterman@yahoo.com

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CORE 3 NEWS

Greeting families of Astrocampers!

Day One
The 5th graders arrived safely to Astrocamp in good time so we enjoyed out packed lunches on the meadow and checked into our dorms.

The two groups have named themselves Knock-offs and Neptunes and had our orientation class and games and sky coaster class.

We had dinner and then our night class that's an outdoor night scavenger hunt.

Thanks for preparing your kids so they can have a great time!

Day Two

We looked at magnets and electricity, lights and lasers, and the most fun on the zip line! We had 100%  participation on the zip line and many who faced their fears.

We enjoyed setting for breakfast and learning the dining guidelines and the food. The food has been an     experience as we have all kinds of eaters and many with accommodating parents who are also good and healthy cooks! Like some boys who are salad without dressing because they like balsamic dressings.

They had fun in the camp store and now getting ready for our night hike and a look through telescopes cloudy skies permitting.

Friday

It only took us 2 1/2 hours to get here so we hope to get back by 3:30.  Genie will email blast with the ETA when we depart and as we get closer.

Thanks for allowing us to enjoy this fantastic experience!

Genie: ghwang@smmusd.org                                                                        Erin: ehaendel@smmusd.org

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CORE 4 NEWS

Humanities

·         Reading - We are starting our new books for book club next week. 8th graders are reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. This will be part of an Interdisciplinary Project Based Unit on Bees in collaboration with a couple of teachers from John Adams. The 7th Graders will be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry

·         Social Studies - The groups presented their comparative world religions project. Videos were both informative and entertaining. Activities were a great extension in learning more about each religion.

·         Writing - Students have a writing assignment due next week related to the work they have been doing with Juliana in art and our study of birds in ecology.

Science

We are wrapping up our unit on genetics and moving on to evolution on Friday. The emphasis of this unit will be on biological evolution and biodiversity.

7th Grade Math - We are working the Foundations of Geometry. It includes:

·         Points, Lines, Planes, and Angles,

·         Geometric Relationships

·         Angle Relationships

·         Triangles

·         Coordinate Geometry

·         Congruent Polygons

·         Transformations

8th Grade Math - We are continuing our work on the following:

·         Systems

·         Exponential Functions

Combining, multiplying, and factoring Polynomials.

We will also use the foundations of geometry such as the Pythagorean theorem, perimeter, area, volume, surface area, and polygons as a context for learning about polynomials and quadratics. This unit is part of the Interdisciplinary Project Based Unit on Bees.

Important Dates

March 7th - Jog-a-thon

March 24, 26, 31 - Aquarium Field Trip for 7th grade

Darwin Mendinueto - dmendinueto@smmusd.org                                 Pam Dresher - pdresher@smmusd.org

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