El Semanario
October 31 - November 4
This Week at Edison
October 31 - Costume Parade 9:00-10:00 on the field
November 1 -- Pupil Free Day for Conferences
November 2-3-4 - Minimum Days for Conferences
From the Principal's Desk
We're finishing up a month of exploring Hispanic/Latinx heritage. We recently decorated the windows and hallways with the students work so we could have a learning walk and learn from each other. Please feel free to walk the hallways and see the exhibits while you're on campus for family conferences this week!
Make sure you have signed up for a parent-teacher (or family) conference. Teachers are offering in- person or virtual conference times during our pupil free day on Tuesday, November 1 or in the afternoons on November 2-3-4. Check with your child's teacher and find a time that works for you. Teachers are looking forward to sharing observations about the first 12 weeks of school and assessment results with you. They are also anxious to hear your observations about your child's strengths and needs. This is a great opportunity to make a plan to work together to help your child have a successful year of academic and social-emotional growth!
¡Muchísimas Gracias! -- Fall Festival / Día de los Muertos -- This weekend we hosted an observance of Día de los Muertos and a Saturday Fall Festival that was both beautiful and joyful! While there are MANY parents and staff to thank for bringing this event to our community, particular appreciation is expressed to PTA Special Events Chairperson Andrea Stella who has worked on this for many months! All the members of the PTA Board and all teachers were actively involved in different aspects of the festival and/or ofrendas. Judy Tobar Lerner and Heidi Vega Aimonetti created the brilliant sand carpet (alfombra) using a design from Martha Ramirez Oropeza. Garden teacher Lorissa Boxer helped students decorate macetas and pot over 100 marigolds for the ofrendas. Custodian Mark Aguilar worked ridiculously long hours -- all with a smile! Every classroom community (teachers, students, room parents and other parent volunteers) created a display-- a table of ofrendas featuring pictures of the dearly departed and student art work, and then decorated the displays with the flowers, food, candles, drink, papel picado and other objects found in ofrendas from different traditions. 3rd and 4th graders displayed something new for us this year, the Guatemalan-style barriletes (kites) we made together with Crossroads students. Music and dance performances included the Flamenco troupe of our own Assistant Principal Elizabeth Ipiña, Edison 5th graders re-creating Michael Jackson's Thriller, and Mayaztek band with Edison parent Moises Lovos. And we began with a Friday evening reception and advance tour of the Día de los Muertos exhibition -- an opportunity to continue sharing this aspect of Edison's focus on sociocultural competence with policy makers in the broader community. Many thanks to Cha-Cha Chicken (Santa Monica restaurant owned by Edison's own Prado family) for donating the food for the reception. Set up, and games and booths were made much easier with help of legions of parent and student volunteers -- including many Edison alumni.
It was wonderful to see former students and families and many other alums who came by to connect with old friends, former teachers and each other! .Alumni ranged from those who were promoted just last year to folks who attended Edison long before our immersion program was established 35 years ago! It was wonderful to see old friends greeting each other on a festive fall afternoon and to share so many hugs! We love the homecoming aspect of Fall Festival and the chance to hear about the wonderful things that past members of the Edison community are up to now. We appreciate the presence of Superintendent Ben Drati and members of the district administrative team, and Education Foundation, our SMMCTA President Claudia Bautista, administrators and teachers from other schools, and School Board Members Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Maria León Vásquez, Laurie Leiberman and Jennifer Smith. If I missed others in the crowd, please forgive me. If this was your first Fall Festival, we hope you and your children also found it fun and meaningful and look forward to your involvement next year. It takes a village!
November Calendar
November 7 - PTA Board Meeting 6:00-8:00 pm via zoom
November 8 - School Leadership Team subbed out for work with on School Improvement Plan
November 9 - 8:30 am ELAC Meeting Room 207; Make Up Picture Day; 6:00 pm THE BIG SHOW! Young Storytellers.
November 11 - Veterans Day No school
November 14 - 8:30 am Coffee with the Principal, Edison Library
November 15 - Field Trip to Acquarium Maestras Cachú and Mejia; 10:30 Fire Drill
November 17 - Shelter In Place Drill; 1st Grade Dental Presentation 2;15 pm
November 19 - TK-K Prospective Parent Orientation 9:00-10:30 am
November 21 - PTA Association Meeting 8:30 am Library
November 22 - Maestras Melendez and Jimenez field trip to Japanese Cultural Center
November 23-25 - Thanksgiving Holidays - No School
November 30 - School Site Council, 4:30 pm via Zoom. -- Vote on School Safety Plan
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Covid Health Precautions
Antigen Testing
Please continue to use an antigen test on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings to make sure your child is testing negative for Covid and ready to attend school on Monday. Keep students home if they have symptoms of Covid and if they test positive. Notify the office to report any illness-related absence (melinagarcia@smmusd.org) or (310) 828-0335, ext. 61-348. Antigen tests for students are sent home Fridays with students. Thank you to the wonderful parent volunteers who come in on Friday mornings to count out and deliver tests to the classrooms. We appreciate your attention when you receive a notice that there was a Covid exposure in your child's class and your diligence in sending your child masked to school for the 10 days following the exposure. Everyone is fatigued with masking, but the support of families in taking appropriate precautions in those situations has resulted in very low rates of transmission for exposures at school. Covid boosters for better protection against the omicron strain are available now for adults and most age groups of children. Flu shots are also highly recommended this year (before Halloween if possible!) as flu rates are already high.
Promoting Socio Cultural Competence
What do you know about Diwali and Guyana?
You might wonder how the Indian festival of Diwali and the South American nation of Guyana are linked. Keep reading to find out!
Recently, we've been exploring the observance of Día de los Muertos as it's celebrated in Mexico and Central America. But, there's another holiday at this time of the year that's also important in our hemisphere --- in the U.S., Guyana and many countries around the Caribbean. It's Diwali -- or the festival of light -- and was celebrated from October 22-26 this year. Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. The festival is celebrated by fireworks, good food, sweets, visiting family, colored sand and lamps. People also decorate their floors with rangoli, or intricate and colorful designs made from powder, rice, flower petals, or sand-- very similar to the alfombra that we made this year for fall festival! While the Diwali story is interpreted differently by different faiths, the central message is the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is not only celebrated in India, but also across the world wherever there is a significant South Asian diaspora. In Guyana, it's a public holiday called Deepavali.
How did there come to be a large Indian community in the Caribbean? In addition to voluntary immigration in modern decades, there is a large presence of Indo-Caribbeans because English, French, and Dutch colonial powers brought over half a million persons from India as indentured servants after the abolition of the African slave trade meant that there were not enough workers in Caribbean sugar plantations. Between 1838 and 1917, over half a million indentured Indians were brought to island and mainland nations around the Caribbean to work in brutal conditions that often resembled slavery on the sugar plantations. The planters also brought significant numbers of indentured people from China and Indonesia. Sometimes these were desperately poor people looking for a way to improve their lives; other times they were brought under false pretenses and bound to a plantation. Today Indo-Caribbeans are the largest population group in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago and there are significant populations in Jamaica and Beliz, Suriname, and French speaking former colonies. The nations in and around the Caribbean have a complex mixture of cultures and peoples due to the different effects of colonialism on indigenous populations, the various European powers that colonized the region (English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portugese) , the widespread presence of the slave trade, and the importation of indentured workers. The over 2 million persons of Indian descent and others in the nations in and around the Caribbean celebrate and share Diwali with their communities. Learn more about Diwali in the link to National Geographic shown below.
At Edison we have some families with diverse Caribbean origins and had the chance to learn more about their heritages during the virtual Recorrido a América Latina that we did during distance learning. You might enjoy listening to this story from Noelle Lewis and her son Erol Besincioglu (now a 5th grader) about Noelle's home country of Guyana. See the link below. Noelle remembers Diwali celebrations from her childhood in Guyana. She talks about the history and diversity of Guyana and what it was like to grow up in rural Guyana and Erol shares some of the parts of Guyanese cuisine that he appreciates and the history he has learned. Thank. you Noelle and Erol for letting us share your interview again!
Safety
We continue to recruit parent volunteers to help at the Kansas and Virginia Gates at morning drop off. Can you contribute some time one day a week, or even a couple days a month from 8:00 am to 8:30 am to help us keep kids safer on the way to school. We'll train you and provide a safety vest. Either email Jessica Hernández to sign up (jessicahernandez@smmusd.org) or just show up and let us know you're there to help! Finally, we're making another plea that parents not try to use the staff parking lot as a place to drop off children in the morning! It's not safe for kids and if you are coming in and out of the driveway you are backing up traffic up and down Kansas Avenue and making it difficult for staff to get to school. Especially for parents with oversized vans and SUVs, the parking lot is no place to try to make a three point turn!
Anti-Bullying Work -- Recently teachers Maribel Cachú-Rios and Michael Pérez, Physical Activities Specialist Fabian León Reyes and Principal Orum attended a training on the Olweus AntiBullying Program that our district uses as part of our social emotional education program. The Olweus approach focuses on helping by-standers become up-standers, breaking the circle of bullying that can occur when students either support peers engaging in bullying or lend their tacit support by not speaking and standing up. We also use the Olweus recommendations for investigating and intervening with all affected children. We understand that bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional -- all of which are harmful to the child being bullied and the child or children engaging in bullying behaviors. The Olweus program is taught during class meetings and students role play to practice up-stander behaviors. As part of this program, all Edison students are asked to make the following pledge:
We will not bully others.
We will try to help students who are bullied.
We will try to include students who are left out.
If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.”
If you suspect bullying behavior, please start by talking with your child and then by sharing concerns with the classroom teacher or child care teacher. Please don’t assume that staff are already aware of an incident or pattern your child reports to you; children rarely use bullying behaviors in full view of adults and the behavior may be subtle. Also, often children who experience bullying behaviors are embarrassed to tell or fear that the situation may become worse. Edison staff will investigate and follow up on all reported or witnessed incidents of bullying at school or school-related activities, and any reports of cyberbullying (via electronic devices). Reports of bullying are investigated to understand all parts of the bullying cycle and to determine who is engaging in the behaviors, where, and when, so that we can design an appropriate safety plan for the child experiencing bullying, and an intervention plan for children who are experimenting with bullying behaviors. We also take measures to stop enablers and help bystanders become up-standers. As needed, we may offer support for children who have experienced peer aggression through our school counselor. Staff will also monitor the situation after the intervention to make sure that the behavior has stopped, so they may be checking in with you and/or your child. For a further discussion of behavior policies, discipline and anti-bullying measures, please see the Edison Family Handbook on the Edison web site (see link below). The Handbook is posted in both English and Spanish.
Announcements
Parent Singing Circle
Reminder -- Edison offers a Singing Circle for parents/family members on Friday mornings with Maestra Jacqueline Fuentes in Room 109. No prior experience necessary -- just the desire to learn and experience some good fellowship on Friday morning!
Halloween Parade
Because we serve young children and this is intended as a fun and not scary event, we ask that costumes not be gruesome and we do not allow any representation of weapons to be carried in the parade. Please leave any such props at home. For safety sake, please leave the masks at home too. Children should either wear their regular school clothes under their costumes or bring a change of clothes as we will be getting back to "school as usual" immediately after the parade. There is limited private changing space at school, so layers are a good idea. Finally, the costume parade is our only nod to Halloween -- we do not "celebrate" the holiday and there are no class parties and no candy at school. If, for any reason, you do not want your child to participate in the parade, we will have an alternate activity in the library during this time.
Siblings Ready for Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten in 2023-2024?
If you have a younger child who will be of age for Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten next fall (2023-2024 school year), and you're interested in having them attend Edison, it's time to let us know!
Please email Jessica Hernandez (jessicahernandez@smmusd.org) or call her at (310) 828-0335 ext. 61-306 and she will send you an application. Younger siblings of immersion program students do have a preference for enrollment as long as we have space in an appropriate program to meet their needs. In order to take advantage of this preference, you must submit a complete application before the deadline -- February 10, 2023. We cannot assure sibling preference for late applicants. If you have an older child who is still at Edison, you do not need to attend an orientation. However, if your older child is in middle or high school, it's time for you to come to another orientation. Policies and programs can change! We will have three orientations this year -- two on Saturday mornings and in the evening and all in person.
- Saturday, November 19 - 9:00-10:30 am
- Saturday, December 10 - 9:00-10:30 am
- Thursday, January 26 -- 6:00-7:30 pm
You must sign up in advance to assure that we have room. Please spread the word to interested friends and neighbors, have them sign up on line, and help us recruit the next Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten Edison students!
Student Leadership Teams
Golden tickets are back! Students are aiming for a Crazy Hat and Hair Day -- and hoping to fill the box with Golden Tickets (recognizing helpful, kind, and pro-social behavior) before the end of the year?
We've also been doing some rules clarification and problem solving with our 4th and 5th grade classes and leadership team about the kind of calm and kind lunch period they feels is safe, kind and respectful. All agree that it's reasonable to expect 4th and 5th graders to pick up after themselves and to spend their 20 minute lunch period eating and having calm conversation with peers.. Children can get so anxious to get to the playground that they do not spend enough time eating and drinking their milk/water/juice at lunch time. They need the nourishment and hydration! For safety's sake and to provide a peaceful environment for others -- we also expect them to stay seated while they eat. Our 4th and 5th graders are an intelligent and sensitive group of students and we have every confidence in their ability to make good decisions during the lunch period.
Young Storytellers The Big Show!
Edison is fortunate to once again be working with the Young Storyteller's Foundation. A group of six Edison 5th graders are working with volunteer writing mentors and learning to write their own screenplays. Under the leadership of Head Mentor Damon Lira, the writing mentors work with students on campus on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 pm. At the end of the program, Young Storytellers recruits a troupe of volunteer actors to come and perform the screenplays at a Big Show! All Edison families are invited and encouraged to attend to enjoy the show and applaud the work of these young writers on Wednesday, November 9. Students cast the actors beginning at 5:00 pm and the show begins at 6:00 pm in the Edison Cafeteria. We are grateful to the Young Storytellers Foundation for partnering with us for nearly two decades and enriching the writing lives of Edison students.
Attention 5th Graders: Join the Edison Mathletes!
For 5th graders who love math, Maestra Constanza Murcia will be leading a Mathletes club at Edison. Mathletes will meet on Tuesdays at lunch and lunch recess time (bring your lunch). Participation is entirely voluntary and any student who enjoys a good challenge and loves math is welcome to attend. You do not need a teacher recommendation but you should make your parents aware of the expectations and that you will be giving up lunch recess one day a week. In the spring, Mathletes will participate in a Math Olympiad at Edison. For more information, see the attached flyer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FO7Y35VzIGEVoR0d-Z9DNENdF1ErFTqK92Oi-1dC2rM/edit?usp=sharing and fill out the form at: https://forms.gle/TfUP8fD5zDYX5tHU6
Announcing: 4th and 5th Grade Chess Club
Do you like playing chess? Would you like to learn or just practice your skills? Maestro Carlos Morales will be sponsoring a Chess Club for interested Edison 4th and 5th Graders on Thursdays during 4th/5th grade lunch and recess time. Bring your lunch and come learn this 1,500 year old game of strategy and logic. Chess is not only fun, it also improves visual memory, attention span, and spatial-reasoning ability and builds concentration. If you're interested, register at the following link: https://forms.gle/Zetb8LYWgRnYrvne7
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About Us
El Semanario is the weekly family newsletter from Edison Language Academy in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. Edison is a school of choice and offers a 90-10 Spanish-English dual immersion program for all students. Edison's PreK-5th grade program is the first of three schools hosting SMMUSD's PreK-12 grade Language Academy. Students promoting from Edison can continue the dual immersion program at John Adams Middle School (JAMS) and Santa Monica High School (Samohi).
Edison is a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, twice named as a California Distinguished School, a multi-year recipient of the State of California's Title I Academic Achievement Award, holder of a Seal of Excellence from the California Association for Bilingual Education, and a multi-year Honor Roll designee from the Education Results Partnership. This is Edison's 35th year as a dual immersion academy.
Email: lorum@smmusd.org
Website: www.edison.smmusd.org
Location: 2402 Virginia Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA
Phone: (310) 828-0335