The Star
Ruby Bridges - where the STARS come to shine!
Translation available!
Hello from the principal's desk!
April 25,
Hello all, happy Wednesday! A couple of important things to mention, please read for school updates.
A 12-member team of families and staff were assembled to look at two different after school programs for next year. LEAPS and Camp EdMo both applied, and after watching the presentations and going back and forth about the merits of both companies, our team selected Camp EdMo to run the after school program for next year. Camp EdMo runs summer camps and after school programs all over the Bay Area. They teach STEAM and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) components in their programs, and have won numerous awards for their program over the 15 years that they have been providing services to kids. You can visit their website here - www.campedmo.org to learn more about them. You can also read the FAQ posted right below this article that the school put together to explain more about why the change took place. We are grateful for the work that LEAPS has done over the years of providing education and love to our kids, and thank them for all they have done! Preference will be given to current LEAPS families to continue in our aftercare program for next year. There will be no additional costs for the program beyond what is currently asked, and scholarships will be available. The coverage will remain the same. Applications for new enrollments will be given out in May. Stay tuned for more information.
Last Friday was the STEAM fair and auction. We had STEAM inspired booths from LEAPS, Galileo, Girls' Inc, Google X's Makani, and our own RBE STEAM program. We had a huge auction too, with tons of goodies from companies all over the island. Our PTA made almost $7,000! Special thanks to Mandie Cline, Cindy Wu, Glenda Machrus, Kate Ortiz, Tamara Centeno and MANY more for all their hard work putting the show together. It was a blast!
We are going to be walking and wheeling to school on Wednesdays. Can you try and commit to doing this AT LEAST once a week, on Wednesdays? We started today with a Walking School Bus from Coast Guard housing at 8:00. It was fun!
Lastly, we start our SBAC testing next month! Please check with your child's teacher about when they are taking their test. Please also talk with your child about how important these opportunities are to demonstrate their learning! Students will be asked to take tests like these their entire academic careers - from the end of year assessments to AP tests and the EAP. Set goals for your kids to show off their learning! We are considering doing some silly stuff if we can get 100% of our kids to give their best effort. Maybe Mr. Woodward will have to shave his head like Mr. Lundholm?
Lastly lastly, I put in a last little tidbit at the bottom of this newsletter... I called it the Ruby Wrap. There are great little treats down there if you can make it that far. Please check today's, which is a repeat from my last newsletter. You and your kids will love it on your next long drive!
With love and gratitude,
Jesse Woodward
Upcoming events at Ruby Bridges
April 25 - First Walk and Wheel Wednesday! Students are encouraged to Walk and Wheel to school on Wednesdays. We also have a Walking School Bus from Mosley and Stargell ave. See map below.
April 25 - Ruby Bridges ALCANCE, Spanish speaking parent meeting 1:20pm
April 27 - Alameda Ed Foundation event, "Salute to Education" We will be honoring Karen Bane, PTA president and SSC member, as our volunteer of the year, along with Kristin Furuichi-Fong and her team of educators from the Title 1 Reading Star Lab! Please join us! Buy tickets here - https://alamedaeducationfoundation.org/programs/salute-to-ed/
May 3 - ELAC (English Language Advisory Committee) / Title 1 family event - Special presentation by JCL (Jewish Coalition for Literacy) on preventing the summer slide for learners. Open to ALL families. 8:30am
May 4 - Spirit Day, Career Day
May 5 - PTA planning session - Dreamers and Doers, 9:00-12:00
May 10 - Bike to School Day!
May 10 - Open House, 6:15 - 7:45
May 12 - Bike Rodeo at RBE, 12:00 - 4:00pm
Free swimming lessons for Kinders?
Parent information event
Thursday, May 3rd 8:30 AM- 9:30 AM in Room 403
Joint ELAC Meeting and Title 1-sponsored Literacy Workshop – ALL Families Welcome and Encouraged to Attend!
Presented by the Jewish Coalition on Literacy and the Alameda Free Library
The topic is "Stride Ahead: Avoid the Summer Reading Slide". This topic will focus on summer activities and reading to maintain interest in language and reading in order to provide stimulation and avoid potential reading loss over the summer.
Check out our weekly video from last week...
Walking School Bus
City-Wide Alameda Bike Festival & Rodeo
Saturday, May 12, 12-4pm
351 Jack London Avenue
Hosted at Ruby Bridges Elementary
Festival Website: www.AlamedaBikes.com
Pre-Festival Free Bicycle Education Classes
Family Cycling Workshop 9:30am-12:00pm
Learn to Ride Class 10:00am-12:00pm
Pre-Registration links on Festival website
Festival activities include:
· free bicycle tune-ups with the BikeMobile
· a bike rodeo to practice skills and drills
· a helmet and bicycle decoration station
· helmet fittings and giveaways
· safety equipment giveaways (bells, lights, reflectors)
· a chance to learn how to use the AC Transit bus racks
· bike-blended smoothies
· a bicycle Trivia Wheel
· taco truck
· free raffle prizes
· and a whole lot more to inspire, educate and encourage bicycle riding in Alameda
This festival is a project of Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools, the Alameda Safe Routes to School Task Force in partnership with Alameda Unified School District, Alameda Recreation and Parks, the City of Alameda, Kiwanis Club of Alameda and the Alameda Elks Lodge.
Trait of the month
Summer Learning Websites and Programs
(Note: AUSD recommends the free versions of programs. Use at your discretion.)
Also look at your school’s Library/Media Center webpage for recommended learning sites.
Math
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/
http://webmath.com/index3.html
Reading
https://www.funbrain.com/books
Science
http://www.scaleofuniverse.com/
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/
Typing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Multiple Subjects
https://www.learninggamesforkids.com/
Alameda Library Summer Reading Challenge (All ages) June 1 – July 31
A variety of great prizes can be earned. Family Fun day is June 2 at the Main Branch.
https://alamedaca.gov/library/events/5155
AUSD Math Tournament with Prodigygame (Gr. 1-8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Oa4h-sug8&
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF_mwqmYPJc&
Earn A’s Tickets in their Mathletics program (Gr. 1-8)
https://www.mlb.com/athletics/community/education/mathletics-form
Earn tickets to Cal games
Add yourself to my Remind text group
SBAC testing opt-out
The California Education Code Section 60615 states that parents/guardians may annually submit a written request to the principal of their student’s school if they do not wish to have their student take any or all of the tests. If a parent or guardian submits an exemption request after testing has begun, any test(s) completed before the request is submitted will be scored and the results reported to the parent or guardian and included in the pupil’s records. AUSD teachers and school's support students to do well on the tests and help them learn test-taking skills that will enable them to be successful throughout their school career and beyond. We encourage parents to contact their child’s teacher or principal with any concerns they may have about the test before they request that their student be excluded from taking the test(s).
Ruby Wrap
I just started listening to the BEST kid podcast! It is a story, probably most appropriate for middle school kids, but my third grader listened to it and loved it. Check it out, it is the Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel, and you can find it here www.marspatel.com. It's free!
Social Media presence
Email: jwoodward@alameda.k12.ca.us
Website: https://rubybridges-alamedausd-ca.schoolloop.com/
Location: 351 Jack London Avenue, Alameda, CA, United States
Phone: (510) 748-4006
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RubyBridgesElementary/
Twitter: @RB_Stars