DOLPHIN SPLASH
Volume 25: February 27 - March 3, 2023
El Marino Language School Recognized as California Distinguished School
CCUSD board members and administrators celebrated the naming of El Marino Language School as a 2023 California Distinguished School at the California School Recognition Program Ceremony on February 16 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
The 2023 California Distinguished School Program recognizes California elementary schools that have proven exceptional in implementing the academic content and performance standards adopted by the California State Board of Education for all students. California used a multiple measures accountability system to identify eligible schools based on their performance on the state indicators as specified on the California School Dashboard (Dashboard) – www.caschooldashboard.org.
Eligible schools in the elementary school cycle were selected based upon specific criteria within the following two categories: 1) Closing the Achievement Gap and 2) Exceptional Student Performance.
Congratulations to the entire El Marino team!
STAFF INTRODUCTIONS
HOLLY SONG, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
Dear Families…
My name is Holly Song. I sincerely consider myself very fortunate to be part of El Marino School as your School Psychologist. The families I’ve met so far have been incredibly warm, supportive and hospitable. What an amazing community!
A little about my background…
I have a BA in Psychology and teaching credential from UCLA. I received my MS from CSUN in
Counseling with School Psy. emphasis. Prior to becoming a school psychologist, I was a
teacher (preschool and elementary). This is my 20th year as a school psychologist!
Fun fact: I am a CCUSD alumni, I attended Farragut Elementary School before leaving for San
Fernando to become a valley girl!
About Me: I am married with two children. My son is in his final year of dental school at USC
and my daughter is completing her last year of undergrad at Claremont McKenna. After
supporting our children for all these years, my husband and I are looking forward to being empty nesters with two employed children! :) Our fur baby, a 5 lb. maltipoo, who acts more like a cat than a dog, completes our family.
Fun Facts:
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Flowers: Peonies, Tulips, and succulents
Favorite Foods: Pizza, Salads, Korean BBQ, Sushi, Chips & Salsa
Favorite Dessert: While I love all desserts, since being introduced to Coppenhagen pastries by EM PTA, I am obsessed!
Favorite Drinks: Coffee and Green Tea
Hobbies: Walking my dog, baking, reading, weight training, and organizing
Talents: I can play the piano, years of piano lessons have made me a speedy typist more than a gifted pianist.
I belong to a book club and we meet monthly.
I belong to a Bible study that meets weekly.
I love traveling. The furthest I have traveled is the Maldives. My most recent travel destination
was Kauai. Morocco, Croatia and Japan are on my next travel bucket list.
Contact Information
Please feel free to reach out to me via email (hollysong@ccusd.org). You may also contact me
at (310) 842-4241 X6249.
I believe parenting is the most rewarding and the most challenging, I am honored to be part of your support system in this most important endeavor.
AVIV LAVIAN, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
FRIENDLY REMINDER FOR LIBRARY BOOKS!
Please remember to place a zip lock bag/plastic bag in your child's backpack to protect their library books on rainy days. This also helps to protect books from a water bottle or lunchbox spill.
Thanks for your help!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1
- JAPANESE STORY TIME
5:00 - 5:20pm for longer picture books
5:30 - 5:50pm for shorter picture books
on ZOOM
- ALLEM BOARD MEETING
7:00pm on ZOOM
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77805072867?pwd=rbdyakH7b8yVu1RFwAz8mLSIPJcEMr.1
Meeting ID: 778 0507 2867
Passcode: ALLEM1
THURSDAY, MARCH 2
- CLUB de LECTURA
8:00 - 8:30am in the Auditorium
See flier below for more info
FRIDAY, MARCH 3
- 5th GRADE PANORAMIC PHOTO
WEAR YOUR NEW SHIRTS!
2022-23 YEARBOOK 5th GRADE DEDICATION
ATTN 5th Grade Parents!
Time to purchase your 5th grader's dedication ad. The deadline for the dedication ads is Friday, March 17th
Link to purchase is here
https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/elmarinolanguageschool/ads
Do it before it is too late! ;)
YEARBOOK CONTEST COVER WINNERS
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2022-23 5th-Grade Yearbook Cover Contest. We had more submissions this year than in past years.
Once again, we were thrilled to see so much artistic talent and individual expression in our students.
Winner: Koh Suzuki
2nd Place: Danilo Castro
3rd Place: Benjamin Aguillon
4th Place: Jerome Magee
5th Place: Lorenzo Stern
Thank you to all of the outstanding artists that entered!
Yearbook Committee
5th Grade PALI CAMP TRIP INFO
CampDocs profile: We sent Pali a list of names/grownup emails to help them prepare for your kids. Please be on the lookout for a CampDocs email from the Pali Institute soon that will be inviting you to complete your online Parent Pack. If you do not receive it, please let me know. This registration must be completed before your child can attend camp. If you need assistance in Spanish or Japanese, please let me know.
Covid testing: Although not required by Pali, out of an abundance of caution we will be requiring a negative Covid test prior to camp. Testing will take place at school on 3/7/2023 during school hours. Please stay tuned for more information.
Helpful Links:
Preparing for Pali Camp: https://www.paliinstitute.com/parents/
Packing List: https://www.paliinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/student-packing-list.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): https://docs.google.com/document/d/10E40_CFamMoKgsy39_AF4dqncZK6Z1foIH-i80yFerg/edit
Responses to additional questions that were received from grownups:
Cabin assignments - Will be selected by Teachers and Admin. Students will have an opportunity (if it hasn’t happened already) to request during class.
List of items to pack - see link above
What time is departure? Students need to arrive 8:00am and buses will leave at 8:30am. We will need help getting luggage into buses, please let me know if you can help.
How long is the drive to camp? About 2 hours long.
Parent Volunteers - No, parents and grownups cannot volunteer at Pali Camp. Chaperones are attending and will consist of teachers and administrators.
Communication with students: please see FAQ above.
We appreciate your assistance in creating a great experience for our students. Should you have any further questions please feel free to reach out.
Sincerely,
Alex Cobian Alvarado
El Marino PTA Volunteer - Pali Camp Coordinator
MORE INFO
Pali Camp Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex0BQ5gugbQ
Parent Information Night Zoom Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HzP9cZGLepVB55jt0I3gShb8MfvwqB80/view?usp=drivesdk
Preparing for Pali Camp: https://www.paliinstitute.com/parents/
Frequently Asked Questions:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10E40_CFamMoKgsy39_AF4dqncZK6Z1foIH-i80yFerg/edit
JAPANESE STORY TIME
GLITTER BALL IS BACK!
VOLUNTEERS & FOOD ARE NEEDED!
The Glitter Ball is scheduled for Friday, March 17th.
Volunteer Clearance isn't needed as these opportunities are not during formal school hours or not directly on campus.
Glitter Ball is one of El Marino's most popular and widely attended events. It takes an amazing number of people to make this event happen. Please sign up!
Presale ticket Volunteer Signup:
https://app.planhero.com/gatherings/17973-glitterball-ticket-presale-volunteers
Food and General Volunteer Signup:
https://app.planhero.com/gatherings/17977-copy-of-glitter-ball-2023
Questions? Email Michelle Zappas at zappas@usc.edu or Sehnita Mattison at sehnita@allelmarino.org
SAVE THE DATE
Food is available for pre-sale by Savage Tacos Food Truck (vegan options available).
Purchase here for day-of-pick-up:
https://www.bestfoodtrucks.com/shifts/101653-los-angeles-11450-port-road-on-2023-03-22
You must order by March 20th!!
Questions about Open House? Email school office staff directly at mariavasquez@elmarinopta.org & mikayanase@elmarinopta.org
ATTENTION FUTURE CCMS STUDENTS!
Hello Future Panther Families,
Today CCMS school counselors, principals, and WEB leaders visited your 5th grader and went over exciting information regarding CCMS and electives.
Please find attached the 6th Grade Packet with instructions for you and your student to complete important Google Forms by March 1st.
6th Grade Electives Preferences Sign Up Instructions- Complete by March 1st
6th Grade Math Preference Sign Up Instructions- Complete by March 1st
6th Grade Pantherpalooza fieldtrip Information
6th Grade SIP JIP Intent Instructions- Complete by March 1st
-----------------------------
¡Saludos familias de futuras panteras!
Hoy, los consejeros de Culver City Middle School, directores, y líderes de WEB visitaron a sus estudiantes de quinto grado y cubrimos información importante sobre las clases electivas de CCMS.
Por favor encuentre la información en el paquete de 6to grado con instrucciones para usted y su estudiante para completar la forma de Google que se tiene que entregar marzo 1.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR 5th GRADE VIDEO PRODUCTION COMMITTEE
UCLA GYMNASTICS TICKETS AVAILABLE
Dear El Marino Parents,
I have 30 tickets for the UCLA Gymnastics vs. Stanford meet at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Sunday, March 5th @ 12pm for our I’m Going to College event!
If you are interested in going to the game, please directly email me with your child's name, room number and how many ticketsVyou would like to have at saorisekiguchi@ccusd.org. First comes, first serve, and I will get back to you ONLY if you get tickets.
Thank you,
Saori Sekiguchi
3rd Grade Teacher
FAMILY BLACK HISTORY MONTH ACTIVITIES WITH PRIZES
We are providing at-home activities for El Marino students to learn about black history in a fun way. You can either print the attached worksheets or pick up copies from the front office.
Students that complete and turn in any of the activities will be entered into prize drawings. Two students from TK-2 and two students from 3-5th will be randomly selected for prizes from their submissions.
The due date for submissions is Friday, March 3rd. Please make sure to put your child's First Name and Last Name Initial, Grade, and Teacher's Name on their completed submission. Please turn it in at the school's front office there will be a designated folder in one of the cubbies to place your submission. Prizes will be distributed sometime in March.
Any questions, please contact dei@elmarinopta.org.
TK / K / 1st / 2nd GRADE VOCAL MUSIC UPDATE ~ JANUARY & FEBRUARY
Happy Winter! In music class during the month of February we have been honoring Black History month by learning about influential black musicians as well as learning songs highlighting Black History. Be sure to look for "Ask Me" sheets for the songs below in the coming weeks, and ask your student to sing or dance the songs linked below!
If your student is in TK or Kindergarten, both Ms. Koplinka-Loehr and Mrs. Gallagher's classes have been learning about Trombone Shorty and his song, "Hurricane Season." We have also been reading a book about Trombone Shorty, which is linked here, read aloud by Angela Basset. In Ms. Koplinka-Loehr's classes in January we learned about Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute," and we performed the "Queen of the Night Aria," which has become many students' favorite dance!
In Ms. Koplinka-Loehr's classes January, TK and Kindergarten students also learned the song "Oh Ricka Bamboo." In February, we learned "Kye Kye Kule," a song from Ghana. Finally, we have been having fun pretending to be horses with our song "High Stepping Horses." Look for a song map of "High Stepping Horses" coming home in the coming weeks!
If your student is in 1st grade, in February both Ms. Koplinka-Loehr and Mrs. Gallagher's classes have been learning about Stevie Wonder and dancing to his song "Uptight."Ms. Koplinka-Loehr's classes have also been discussing songs that would have been sung during Civil Rights marches and protests, and we learned the song "I'm on my way...to the Freedom Land." To learn more about the history of "I'm On My Way...", click here. Mrs. Gallagher's students have been learning the song "A Ram Sam Sam," which is a round from Morocco.
In 2nd grade, both Mrs. Gallagher and Ms. Koplinka-Loehr's students have been learning about Stevie Wonder and dancing to his song "Uptight." Mrs. Gallagher's students have been practicing singing their "Hello/Frere Jacques" song as a round.
If you have any questions about the vocal music program, feel free to reach out directly to the vocal music teachers at:
Danielle Koplinka-Loehr: daniellekoplinkaloehr@ccusd.org
Kimberly Gallagher: kimberlygallagher@ccusd.org
We hope you are having fun listening to your students' wonderful singing voices!
VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE PROTOCOL
If you are already a cleared volunteer, please make sure that your TB is current. If you don't know, please check with the front office staff first.
If you think you are not current with your TB, please make sure to provide your TB survey to the school nurse. The office staff will provide you with the contact information for the nurse and the next steps.
Questions about your current volunteer clearance? Contact mariavasquez@elmarinopta.org.
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION MEETINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT FALL
The Principal has provided 6 Volunteer Orientations this school year and no more orientations will be provided until the 2023-24 school year.
ASSEMBLIES
Parent Education Night: Supporting Our Gender-Expansive Community
FROM THE CCEF AMBASSADORS
"TASTE OF CULVER CITY" VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
CCEF is seeking committee members for their BIGGEST fundraiser to date – A Taste of Culver City!
Be a part of this culinary event hosted on the Amazon Studios lot on Sunday, May 7th, where the entire community will come together to celebrate Culver City’s diverse food scene while raising vital resources for CCEF-funded programs.
Roles are available to support event planning, marketing, sponsorship coordination, silent auction, entertainment, and volunteer coordination.
Can’t help with the event preparation? Sign up to volunteer on the day of the event, or engage your workplace/community organizations to volunteer as a group.
Join the party and email our team at ccef@ccusd.org for more information on how you can get involved.
MONTHLY SCHOOL TOURS ARE FOR NEW FAMILIES TO CCUSD AND INCOMING 6th GRADE FAMILIES
Please sign up on the Google Form to reserve your spot.
Tours are on the 3rd Friday of the month from 9:00- 10:00 am.
- Friday, March 17th
- Friday, April 21st
- Friday, May 19th
The 1 hour will include a presentation overview of CCMS followed by a walking school tour.
All tours are capped at 100 people. Every individual attending MUST sign up.
These tours are designed specifically for parents and incoming NEW students to the district, but no student will be turned away should parent choose to bring them. If you do bring your child, when they return to El Marino to finish their school day, their tardy will be excused.
Please meet at the front blue gate by the CCMS main office.
Parking is limited, please be aware of street parking restrictions.
A reminder email will be sent the day before the tour.
Questions? Email Ms. Flores at leonorflores@ccusd.org.
SIGN UP HERE: https://forms.gle/79XWy5pAmaGYGjrY8
USE YOUR PTA MEMBERSHIP TO GET DISCOUNTS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES!
it with the front office of your school.
- MARCH 8 -10
5th Grade Pali Camp Trip - MARCH 9
PTA Association Meeting
7:00 pm on ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85145429507?pwd=dFU3dnpMN2Fwdk51MHE4dy9ZUEhXZz09
Meeting ID: 851 4542 9507
Passcode: 809602 - MARCH 15
BollyPop LA Assembly
Parent Education Night
- MARCH 16
School Site Council Meeting
- MARCH 17
Glitter Ball
- MARCH 18
LGBTQIA Playdate at Scooter's Jungle
See fliers for more info
- MARCH 22
El Marino Open House
2022-2023 CCUSD SCHOOL CALENDAR
El Marino School Community (Official Group) - PRIVATE
El Marino Language School
Website: elmarino.ccusd.org
Location: 11450 Port Rd, Culver City, CA 90230, USA
Phone: 310-842-4241
Copyright © 2023 El Marino Language School. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a member of the El Marino Language School community.