Dear Davis Ducks,

This month all parents/guardians will be invited to campus to meet with their child(ren)’s teacher(s) for the final formal parent/teacher/student conference of the year. The purpose of these individual meetings is to review the second trimester report card with an emphasis on the growth demonstrated by the student academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. Discussions will also focus on what the child has yet to master and the team’s plan to support the child in the final 60 days of the school year. The communication, participation, and multiple perspectives of teacher and parent(s) are an important component of supporting the growth of the whole child.

As a parent, I understand the wide range of emotions that can occur when sitting in a meeting talking about your child who you love so much. My hope is that as educators and parents we participate in each meeting with an open mind, asset lens, and collaborative approach. The teamwork, growth mindset, and follow through on action steps by all parties will support our students to continue to thrive.

As the Lead Learner who participates in many meetings discussing student progress, I want to share big ideas and questions that I focus on that will hopefully help you and your child’s team in your upcoming meeting.

• Academic progress is measured based on the child’s current grade level content standards.

• Data is collected through summative and formative assessments. Knowledge demonstrated through assignments and class participation are also considered data points.

• Student attendance is an important factor that impacts student learning. Tardies, early pick-ups for doctors appointments, long weekend ski trips all add up and impact student progress.

• Behavior affects student progress.

• Social and emotional needs and abilities are major factors that can influence student progress.

• Health and wellness both play a part in student progress.

The list goes on, but these are core components that our team focuses on in supporting our students. Parent/Teacher Conferences are a wonderful opportunity for the team to celebrate successes and to design a plan moving forward. Below are some suggestions to help keep the conference positive and productive.

• Plan ahead by confirming your conference time. Please do your best to be on time and then respect everyone’s time by keeping your conversation within the allotted conference. If there are any scheduling changes, please contact your child’s teacher ASAP and/or call our front office at 714-424-7930.

• Review goals from the October conference and focus on PROGRESS and EFFORT, not perfection.

• Apply the POWER of YET when reviewing progress and establishing new goals.

• The report card is based on the CA Content Standards. Focus on the appropriate grade level standards when reflecting on your child’s progress.

• Focus on the POSITIVE. CELEBRATE and tell your child, “I love you.”

This past week I have sat in multiple meetings reviewing student progress with our teams. I am ecstatic to see the growth our students have made since the beginning of the school year and am optimistic about what we have yet to accomplish with 60 days remaining to support our students striving towards their full potential. Our amazing Full-Time Support Teacher, Mrs. Smith assisted me by summarizing celebrations at each of our grade levels, specifically in English Language Arts.

Grade Level Reading “Glows!”

Data for grades Kindergarten through 5th grade is based on Acadience Reading Scores. 6th Grade data is based on the STAR IRL (Independent Reading Level).

Kindergarten: 86% of our students are fluent in their phoneme segmentation.

1st Grade: 98% of our students are at or above grade level in oral reading fluency.

2nd Grade: 90% of our students are at or above grade level in oral reading accuracy.

3rd Grade: 80% of our students are at or above grade level in oral reading comprehension. This is an impressive increase from the beginning of the year with only 68% of our students at or above grade level.

4th Grade: 87% of our students are at or above grade level in reading comprehension and vocabulary.

5th Grade: 84% of our students are at or above grade level in reading fluency. Incredible growth was demonstrated as only 50% of students were at grade level in September.

6th Grade: 76 % of our students are at or above grade level in reading comprehension, compared to 65% of our students who were reading at or above grade level in September.

I am incredibly proud of the growth that each of our students have demonstrated since August 22. Success is achieved by working together towards a common goal. Thank you for your continued support and active participation on our Davis team.

I look forward to seeing you around campus this month.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Flores,

Principal

#ThinkFeelThrive

#davisduckspride

Recently our PAL Student Leaders attended a leadership conference. They brought back amazing strategies that they wanted to share with their peers. I could not be any more proud of their efforts and the leadership capacity that they have developed and are spreading across our community. I hope your family will join in and participate in the many activities.

Friday, March 3: We will kick-off Kindness Week with a few special guests making an announcement about a new addition to our campus that will support inclusion, kindness, and friendship. Join us at 8:15 a.m. to learn more and be a part of the celebration.

March 6 - 10: Daily Schedule of Events including dress up themes, Home Connection PSA Videos, Read Aloud Schedules and Kindness Gram purchase opportunities. Hard copies will be sent home in the March 2nd Thursday Folders, but may also be accessed below.

Kindness Grams will be available for purchase on campus. This Pre-Order form will make it easier on your student and speed up the process for PAL students. Print the form or use the hard copy within the March 2nd Thursday folder.

The proceeds from the Kindness Gram sales will support an amazing organization called NEGU (Never Ever Give Up) that provides "Joy Jars" and ongoing encouragement for kids fighting cancer. Information about this amazing organization is available HERE.

Flyers are accessible above or by clicking on the pictures shown below.

Davis' Modified Schedule for Conference Week is:

1:20 p.m. Dismissal on March 13, 14, 16, and 17

NO school for students on Wednesday, March 15.

Please reference our school website for additional details.

It's that time of year again!!! Our Scholastic Book Fair will return to campus, thanks to the leadership of our PTA. We can't provide this wonderful opportunity for our students without the time and help of parent volunteers. Volunteering at the Book Fair is a fun and easy way to get involved and support our school.

Please review the hours and follow our district requirements to participate as a volunteer.

To volunteer, please sign up HERE

Book Fair Hours:
Monday, March 13: 8:30am – 4:00pm
Tuesday, March 14: 8:30am – 4:00pm & 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Wednesday, March 15: CLOSED
Thursday, March 16: 8:30am – 4:00pm
Friday, March 17: 7:30am – 3:00pm (Open before Flag Deck)

Additionally, we hope you will join us for Family Night at the Fair on Tuesday, March 14th from 5pm-7pm where a special Mystery Reader will be reading at 5:15pm. The PTA will also be selling Spirit Wear during this time.

Families are strongly encouraged to create eWallets for their scholars. Scholars are only able to spend the amount preloaded on their eWallet.

Save the hassle and headaches of dealing with cash and set up your child's eWallet HERE.

Finally, don't forget about the amazing teachers! Please consider purchasing a book from their wish list or designating money within the eWallet for the teacher to spend.

Sales from the Book Fair supports our Davis Library!! Thank you!!

Application Guidelines

• Current K-6 Davis Magnet School (DMS) students do NOT need to reapply.

• Current Davis PRESCHOOL students MUST apply.

• Students attending DMS must provide their own transportation to and from school.

• Acceptance into DMS is determined via lottery, not on a first-come, first-served basis. When the number of applicants at a particular grade level exceeds the number of seats available, a lottery process is used.

• Applications must be submitted between February 9 - March 15, 2023.

• Siblings of current and continuing DMS students receive priority but must apply.

• Applications are only for students attending K-6. Davis Magnet School does not offer TK. For TK information please contact our Early Learning Offices at 714-424-8978.

The Davis Magnet School website has a link on the right side outlining all application details. The online application requires a Parent SchoolMint account. Directions are posted on-line and the front office staff is available to answer questions or to provide assistance to parents/guardians.

All applications must be submitted within the application window between February 9, 2023 to March 15, 2023. There are NO exceptions.

On Friday, March 3 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Davis PTA is hosting a bootin' scootin' dance for all Davis families. Cowboys and Cowgirls should plan to join the fun at the lunch table canopy. The free event includes dancing, photo booths, and family fun. TK Burgers will be onsite selling burgers, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers and more. Cash & credit cards accepted.

Over the next few months we will share information that we receive from NMUSD middle schools to support our 6th grade families through the transition.

Costa Mesa MS/HS is hosting their Spring Spotlight on Thursday, March 16th at 6pm. All 6th grade students and parents are invited to attend. There is a 6th grade parent meeting starting at 6pm in the theater on March 16th. This is a great opportunities to learn about the many programs offered and to meet the staff.

All Davis Superstars are invited to participate in the upcoming Talent Show scheduled for March 29 and March 30. In order to participate, all performers must abide by the outlined requirements and timelines.

Please read through the information carefully and then register online at:

https://tinyurl.com/DavisTalentShow

March 29: Grades K-3 Talent Show

March 30: Grades 4-6 Talent Show

Talent Show Guidelines

Visit our website for complete schedules and details. Make it easy on yourself by clicking on the big grey button on the bottom of the website calendar to "Add this calendar to your phone or tablet." Don't forget to add the NMUSD calendar and activities are a part of your family calendar.

• March 2 - Read Across America Day.
• March 2 - Lunch Art for students in 1st-6th grades.
• March 3 - Spring Dance - Country Western Theme. Yeehaw!!
• March 6-10 - Kindness Week led by the PAL Student Leaders with daily Dress-up themes shown above.
• March 6-10 - Art Masters Class Activities
• March 12 - NMUSD Spirit Run. Registration and Race Info available here.
• March 13 - 17 - Parent/Teacher/Student Conference Week with modified schedules.
• March 13 - 17 - PTA/Scholastic Book Fair in Room 3.
• March 13, 14, 16, and 17 - Early dismissal at 1:20 p.m.
• March 14 - Pi Day
• March 15 - NO School for students

• March 15 at 11:59 p.m.: Online Application for the 2023-24 year CLOSES.
• March 15 - NMUSD Virtual Parent Education: Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
• March 16 - CMMS/HS Spring Spotlight and Open House.
• March 18 - Gala Ticket Price Increases.
• March 22 - Grades K-3 Breakfast Club
• March 23 - Grades 4-6 Breakfast Club
• March 24 - Battery Recycling Deadline
• March 27 - SSC Meeting.
• March 29 - Thrivers Parent Book Club Meeting focusing on Curiosity. RSVP HERE.
• March 29 - Grades K-3 Talent Show
• March 30 - Grades 4-6 Talent Show
• March 31 - Shout Out Awards at Flag Deck.
• March 31 - General PTA Meeting in the MPR following Flag Deck.

You won't want to miss the boat for a fun night out that benefits Davis students! Davis parents and guardians are invited to join the Davis Magnet School Education Foundation for a Nautical Night.

Tickets are now available for purchase on the Davis Foundation Gala Website.

Thank you for your continued support!

We have begun planning for next school year and that includes the members of our PTA Board. This is an excellent opportunity to get involved, work with other Davis parents, and support your child's school. If you are interested, please complete this form

https://tinyurl.com/DavisPTABoard

Your involvement and support makes a difference! Thank you!

THINK

FEEL

Featured tools from our district adopted Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum, RULER, include the Mood Meter and the Meta Moment. As described by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, "The Meta-Moment is a tool for building the space between stimulus and response—from when we experience an emotion to how we respond to that emotion, so that we make better choices when we express and manage our emotions.”

Meta Moment Poster outlining the four steps.

RULER Overview for Families - November 29 PTA Presentation

THRIVE

Our students are thriving in many ways. As we move into the final stretch of the school year, it's important to continue to practice a growth mindset, by frequently using the word, "yet." "I can't do it yet." 'I don't know how to...yet."

Thanks to our amazing parent community, our Thrivers Book Club is Thriving! Each month I will include a summary of the topics discussed, along with an RSVP form for the upcoming meeting.

Discussion Guide for Thrivers Introduction

Discussion Guide for Thrivers Chapter 1: Self-Confidence

Discussion Guide for Thrivers Chapter 2: Empathy

Discussion Guide for Thrivers Chapter 3: Self-Control

Discussion Guide for Thrivers Chapter 4: Integrity

Our March 29th meeting will focus on Curiosity, the fifth of seven teachable character traits that Dr. Borba's research attributes to support Strivers transitioning to THRIVERS.

Thank you in advance for completing the RSVP form. Please don't let resources be an excuse not to attend. Books may be provided for anyone who needs assistance. Feel free to email me at cflores@nmusd.us with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your participation and support. I enjoy collaborating with our Thrivers Parents and am looking forward to our next meeting.

March 29 RSVP Form

Thanks to the teamwork between staff and families, our students are THRIVING. Pictures from February are featured throughout this month's newsletter. Enjoy!

Our Staff Shout Out form is back! The Davis Team is full of many amazing staff members who do a lot to help our students #ThinkFeelThrive. This quick and easy form is one way to express gratitude for Davis team members. Mrs. Flores will monitor the form and relay the message of appreciation via email. Thank you, in advance, for completing this form and showing your appreciation by giving a “Staff Shout Out.”

Safety is always our top priority at Davis Magnet School. Safety encompasses multiple components. This past month we have covered the following topics to teach and reinforce safe practices.

All teachers and staff participated in a districtwide safety training introducing Standard Response Protocols from an organization called iloveyouguys.org. This will be implemented across all NMUSD campuses. The common and direct language will be taught in an age-appropriate way to all students, along with new visible signage that will be posted in every classroom.

Changes to our facilities, including the entrance and access to our office are on the horizon. This is part of a master plan within NMUSD to modify the lobby access points and visibility. More details to follow in the coming months.

Davis will be one of two school campuses in NMUSD to pilot a crisis alerting system called Centegix. The study is scheduled to begin in March. Once staff are trained using this pilot emergency alerting system, more information will be shared with the community.

Safety Drills

Our school joined other schools across the State of California on October 20 for the Great Shakeout. This designated time allowed for staff to discuss and review emergency preparedness roles and responsibilities.

During this drill, students were assigned the following "homework:"

1. Memorize your parent(s) cell phone numbers.
2. Memorize your home address.
3. Memorize the grade level and/or teacher name of any sibling.

These basic facts can help during any kind of emergency.

Internet Safety

As a reminder, the following internet safety tips were shared and discussed with students in September.

1. Morning chromebook use on the blacktop is limited to educational games. No youtube. No cell phones.

2. T.H.I.N.K. Before You Post

3. Never share your password or personal information.

4. Do not download anything without permission.

5. If you get an odd message/picture from someone, report it right away to your teacher or parent.

Digital Citizenship Parenting Resources from Commonsensemedia.org may be accessed here.

We are proud of our students and the work they do in developing as positive contributing citizens to our community. Congratulations to our most recent recipients of 'Shout Out' Awards!

Welcome to all things 4th grade! California History is so much fun! The PTA provided our amazing Walk Through California assembly to really kick things off for us. We got to dress up and “time travel” through the early days of colonization of Alta California up through modern day geography. We are currently learning about the Mission Era and preparing to research and write a report about one of the twenty-one missions founded by the Catholic missionaries during Spain’s reign over this part of the country using our Thinking Maps. We will be visiting Mission San Juan Capistrano at the end of the month and getting our hands dirty by making adobe bricks. We will be learning about the Rancho Era, the Gold Rush, and the eventual statehood of our great state. Did you know that California was once its own country? Of course, that only lasted three weeks. In math, we have been having fun exploring the world of fractions and geometry. Students have enjoyed weekly rotations between classes exploring and engaging in Science, Engineering, and Social Studies hands-on projects.

Thank you to the coaches who continue to dedicate their time and efforts to support our student-athletes. We have two fun races coming up this spring including the Newport-Mesa Spirit Run that financially supports schools in our district, including Davis. The final race of the school year is the Kids Run the OC on May 6.

Race details and registration links for the Spirit Run may be found here.

Save the dates for Spring:

• March 12, 2023 - NMUSD Spirit Run
• May 6, 2023 - Kids Run the OC

For more information, please follow @davisrunclub on Instagram and check the Davis Parents Facebook page.

For any questions regarding the Davis Music Program, please visit the music website that houses the details for our band, choir, and instructional music program at Davis. Band and Choir families should reference this site for schedule information and updates.

GoGuardian is a tool used within classrooms across NMUSD to monitor students' online activity during class when using their district-issued chromebook. This tool is very helpful to teachers during the school day and for the first time this feature will be offered to parents.

Davis Magnet School is the first school in NMUSD to pilot the GoGuardian Parent app. We are thrilled at the opportunity to offer this to our parent community and appreciate your feedback over the next couple of months.

GoGuardian Parent is a mobile app designed to provide parents/guardians insight and control over their student's online activity when on school-managed devices and accounts.

The GoGuardian Parent app provides an overview of your children's online activity on NMUSD Chromebooks - including apps, extensions, docs, and sites your student visited. It also provides you with an additional set of internet controls that you can set for out-of-school hours.

There is a lot of information to ensure proper set-up. Please spend time reading through this document to access this app on your child's school-issued chromebook.

December 12th – GoGuardian Parent App will be enabled for Davis parents.

December 12-23 – NMUSD Ed Tech supports parents to ensure they have successfully logged into the App

December 23rd – January 8 – disable in school hours for GoGuardian so parents have control over Chromebooks

January – Ed Tech and Davis Staff monitors the pilot.

GoGuardian Parent App Directions in English and Spanish

We greatly depend on our volunteers and hope that you will consider volunteering on our campus. There are multiple opportunities to get involved and make a difference.

All volunteers must do the following:

1. Read the Davis Magnet School Volunteer Orientation slide deck.

2. Complete Davis Volunteer Agreement Form.

3. Complete NMUSD’s Volunteer Approval Process

All details involved in NMUSD’s volunteer process may be found on the District’s website.

We are grateful for the strong, positive support from our parent community. If you are not already involved, I encourage you to find a way that meets your availability to connect with one, or all, of our parent organizations. Thank you SO much to the parent leaders who are already involved and contributing to our community.

Foundation:

The Davis Magnet School Education Foundation provides important financial support for our students and staff. We are grateful for all of our donations as they have made a significant difference across our campus. Donations directly impacted our students with the following:

• Hourly Support Teacher
• Instructional Assistant
• Software utilized by all students in grades K-6
• New stage microphones in our MPR
• Murals across our campus
• STEM Bins
• STEAM Lab materials
• Assemblies
• Field Trips
• Robotics equipment
• Guest Speakers such as University Professors who lead our 4th & 6th grade students in eyeball and heart dissections
• Science materials
• Art supplies for classroom projects
• Create-A-Skate Project Materials
• Book sets for novel studies and book clubs
• Library books
• Gardening supplies
• Playground games and equipment

PTA:

Davis PTA is run by volunteering parents and grandparents. We organize and host fundraiser events throughout the school year to raise monies for Davis Magnet School. Davis PTA uses those monies to help support, fund and host many programs & events like:

• Field Trips for all grade levels
• Classroom Supplies for all classes
• Art Masters for all grade levels
• Assemblies for all grade levels
• Band/Choir/Music Supports for all grades
• Walk-throughs - 4th, 5th & 6th Grade
• Library Needs & Support
• Campus Beautification
• Reflections Art Program
• Eco/Recycling Team
• School Garden
• Science Needs & support
• Technology support
• Enrichment programs
• Book Fairs (Fall & Spring)
• Halloween Trunk or Treat
• Roller Skating Nights
• Staff Appreciation Week
• Family Craft Night
• Family Movie Nights
• Family Spring Dance
• Family Dine-Outs
• 6th Grade Promotion
• Red Ribbon Week
• School Musical
• Talent Show
• And so much more!

If you’re interested in joining our PTA Board, or helping at events or programs next year, let us know! Flyers with volunteer opportunities and info will also be sent home the first week of school.

PTA’s Website: www.DavisMagnetPTA.com

PTA’s Email: DavisMagnetSchoolPTA@gmail.com

PTA’s Instagram: DavisMagnetPTA

The generous donations help to enrich and support the education of all of our students. Thank you for your continued support. You make a difference by supporting both our Foundation and PTA.

School Site Council

School Site Council (SSC) is an important committee required of every public school. The committees' two priorities are reviewing and providing feedback on our School Plan Student Achievement and the Comprehensive Safety Plan. The committee consists of five parents, four teachers, one Classified Staff Member and the principal. The SSC meets five times throughout the school year to review data and provide feedback. Our SSC consists of Davis parents, Christine Reynolds Diaz, Despina Cressa, Iris Berkeley, Jeannie Kim, and Sara Mooney. The teacher representatives are Mrs. Steiner, Ms. Lemoine, and Mrs. Ivey. Yvette Miranda serves as the Classified Staff Member Representative.

When our campus was built, it was not designed to be a commuter school. Bussing was the primary mode of transportation. Fast forward to today where bussing is only available for the 38 students in our ABA preschool program, leaving 572 PreK to 6th grade students to their own transportation. We have a lot of students to keep safe and every adult who enters our parking lots contributes to the safety of our students. Thank you for your cooperation, mindfulness, patience, and modeling of responsible and respectful behavior in all three of our parking lots. We want everyone to arrive and leave safely. You can help us by cooperating with the follow guidelines.

1. Do not call your child across the street/lot. Meet your child on the sidewalk of the school building and cross together using the crosswalk at Gates 1, 2, and 3.

2. Names should be placed on the placards within the windshields of cars at Gates 1, 2, and 3.

3. Continue to pull forward so that we may load as many children into their cars as quickly as possible. Students at Gate 3, should enter their cars once car is within the yellow painted curb. Stopping in the middle only slows the entire process for everyone else.

4. During dismissal, enter Gate 2 from the middle turn lane on Arlington.

5. When exiting Gate 1 at dismissal, turn right.

6. Dogs are not allowed on all public school campuses. Please leave your furry family member home when picking up your Davis Duck.

Below are the slides that were sent to all parents/guardians in August.

2022-23 Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

At Davis Magnet School, we have Five Core Values while also expecting our students to demonstrate integrity, leadership, and responsibility. Every day students will be provided opportunities to learn and model these values. As adults, we frequently have conversations about modeling, teaching, and supporting the Core Values. Consistent and clear communication is important. Every classroom contains a Behavior Matrix that is regularly referenced. Set your child up for success by reviewing the matrix and brainstorm what these expectations look like and sound like on our campus.