Estrada's E-Notes
April 2022 Edition
Principal's Post
Dear Newport El Families,
What a wonderful, busy time of year! It is great seeing so many of you at events and volunteering in classrooms. I am looking forward to seeing you for Open House on April 21st. I know that our students have a lot to be proud of and can't wait to show it off!
April 17th - 23rd is National Volunteer Appreciation week. Our school community is fortunate to have such amazing volunteers who give of their time and talents. Whether it's volunteering in the classroom, making copies or doing prep work, hosting school-wide events, or fundraising, every volunteer has an impact on students and helps our school to be the best on the beach. I want to thank all of the many volunteers who put together NESF's Great Gatsby Gala which raises money to provide for small group reading teachers, Art Masters, technology, and more. I also want to thank our PTA for recently funding a 2-day visit from Brent Poppen. Brent is an amazing guest speaker who shares his story of perseverance, growth-mindset, and empathy during his assemblies and classroom visits. Make sure to check out the video about his visit to Newport El below.
On April 22nd, we will be hosting a volunteer appreciation breakfast after flag deck for all of our volunteers. The staff and I are incredibly grateful for the ways in which volunteers add to our school community and make a difference for our students.
Keep being awesome!
Principal Estrada
#thrivingtogether
Summer Program
The program runs from July 6 - August 2nd. There are half-day and full day options available. You can learn more and sign up by visiting the Summer Programs website.
The deadline to sign up is April 8th.
Thriving Together
To recap, the 7 character strengths are:
Self- Confidence - Thrivers focus on "who", not "what."
Empathy - Thrivers think "we," not "me."
Self-Control - Thrivers can think straight and put the brakes on impulses.
Integrity - Thrivers have a strong moral code and stick to it.
Curiosity - Thrivers are out-of-the-box thinkers.
Perseverance - Thrivers finish what they start and don't need gold stars.
Optimism - Thrivers find the silver lining.
Dr Borba has this to say about the power of combining character strengths,
"Each Character Strength improves a child's thriving potential as well as academic performance, but is always more powerful when combined with another strength because they create a Multiplier Effect. In fact, one reason Thrivers are more adept at navigating life is because they use several strengths together."
Brent Poppen's Visit
April Read Aloud
This month I am reading The Smart Cookie by Jory John. This cookie has never felt like a smart cookie no matter how hard she tries, especially in comparison to all the clever cupcakes and brilliant rolls in the bakery. Will a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of confidence be enough to help her learn that perfect scores and having all the answers aren’t the only ingredients for intelligence? The story makes several connections to our theme of Thriving Together
April Dates
April 4-8 - Book Fair in Room 1
April 11-15 - Spring Break - No School
April 20 - School Site Council Meeting
April 21 - 1:00 Dismissal
April 21 - Open House
April 22 - Flag Deck
April 22 - Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
April 22 - PTA General Meeting
April 29 - Spring Fling - PTA sponsored dance party
Volunteers on Campus
All interested volunteers are asked to complete these 3 steps:
- Read through the Newport El Volunteer Orientation slide deck.
- Complete the Newport El Volunteer Agreement.
- Complete the district's volunteer approval process.
As always, every teacher utilizes volunteers in different ways. Teachers will be communicating with the approved volunteers from their class about their need for volunteers and scheduling.
Our Office Staff is Here to Help
Main Line: 949-515-6965
Absence Line: 949-515-6832
Attendance questions:
Vicky Mahtesian - vmahtesian@nmusd.us
Health, medications, and immunizations questions:
Dana Hansen - dhansen@nmusd.us and
Nurse Sarah Hacker - shacker@nmusd.us
All Other Inquiries:
Debbie Kandel is back supporting in the front office. You can email her at dkandel@nmusd.us