Peer Mediation & Structure to Reduce Playground Conflicts at LM

by Erica Williams, Principal

We have some exciting things happening on the playground this week!  Peer Mediators are on the playground at all of the K-3 recesses to help students in resolving issues on the playground.  The 4^th and 5^th grade Peer Mediators were chosen by their teachers and Mrs. Williams met with them once per week for the past six weeks.  In addition, thanks to our generous PTA and parent community, Campbells Soup Labels for Education points were used to add soccer balls, handballs, basketballs, volleyballs and hopscotch beanbags to the playground.  Game Rules from our PE curriculum are posted in each of the areas to help resolve any conflicts students may have about the game rules during recess.   In the coming weeks we will add a new volleyball net as that has become a popular new game on the playground.  As we are halfway through the school year, our PE Coach reviewed playground games with all students the past two weeks.  It has been an exciting week to watch students try some new playground games that they haven’t tried before!

Tigers Welcome Some New Faces On Campus

Mrs. Ruiz’s long term sub, Chloe Negrey

Have you noticed a few new faces around our campus?  We have three student teachers from National University working on our campus for the next few months. These teachers are observing our wonderful teaching staff, working with small groups of students and teaching whole group lessons under the supervision of their master teacher.   Wendy Lockridge is working with Mrs. Davis, Lara Landry with Mr. Blumfield and Andrea Vansameno with Ms. Wadley.  We also welcome Chloe Negrey who will be the long term sub in Mrs. Ruiz’s class through the end of the school year.  Please join me in welcoming these new teachers to La Mariposa.

Hover over the images below to match the faces with the names.

Lara Landry, Student Teacher with Mr. Blumfield

Wendy Lockridge , Student Teacher with Mrs. Davis

Andrea Vansameno, Student Teacher with Ms. Wadley

–Erica Williams, Principal

 

From The Principal: Winter Update

It is hard to believe that the students are already a third of the way through the year!  The teachers have worked hard to provide you with feedback about your child and report cards will go home this Thursday, December 19^th.

As I walk through the campus, it is so exciting to see Daily 5 implemented in each of our classrooms.  Students are building stamina in their reading, writing exceptional writing pieces and learning the love of reading.  It was exciting to see students so excited about the new books coming into their classroom through the book fair.  Thank you to the PTA and parents that donated books to our classrooms.  You are helping to foster a love of literature for our students!

We are excited that our school board approved the plan for the Common Core money that came from the state to assist in the implementation of Common Core for our students.  Our school will be receiving about 120 iPads this spring with the 1 to 5 ratio that was approved.  In addition, the board approved Discovery Video Streaming in each classroom, PebbleGo a computer based non-fiction reading program, an online reading library for our district, a typing program, National Geographic/Time for Kids and additional Common Core training for our teachers.  After the first of the year, we will have a parent information night to further explain Common Core and how it affects your child.

After much discussion, the staff and I have decided to change the students’ lunch schedule back to the eat first model.  After reviewing the research, we feel it will be more beneficial for our students to change back to the old model.  This will begin in January after Winter Break.

We are working with the PTA to write a grant for a Natural Garden Habitat.  We hope to hear if we have received the grant this spring and will continue to plan planting in January of the 14-15 school year.

Thank you to the staff and parent community for such a smooth transition as I entered my new position this school year.  I look forward to recharging over the break and coming back to work to provide an exceptional learning experience for your children.

Happy Holidays to and your children-

Erica Williams

Principal’s Update: STAR Testing & Common Core

In the past few weeks, you may have read about the governor signing assembly bill 484.  The main question you may be asking is, how does this affect my child?  So here are the bullet points:

• The governor signed this bill to allow school districts and teachers to begin working with the Common Core Standards as they come into effect in the 2014-2015 school year.
• Students in grades 2-5 will not be taking the STAR test this school year with the exception of 5^th grade students taking the science test.
• Students in 3-5 grade will take a field test of the new Smarter Balance test in either language arts or math.  At this point, we have not been told which students will be taking which field test
• The field test will be on the computer.  There is a 10 week window for testing, so unlike STAR testing, all students will not be testing at the same time.
• Because this is a field test, parents will not receive feedback on how their child did on the test
• The district and school will use the field test administration process to assess our logistical and technology needs to allow students to reach their fullest potential the following year when results will be tabulated and shared.
• Our school will not generate a new API score this school year.

Throughout the year, you will be sent more information about the Common Core Standards from our district.  There will also be a parent education night about Common Core after the first of the year.  If you would like more information about Common Core, please visit:

• California Department of Education
• Smarter Balance

Erica Williams

Principal, La Mariposa Elementary School

Principal Williams, A Chat, & A Cup O’ Joe

Got Questions?  Want to learn more about La Mariposa?  Got Ideas?

Each month the Principal hosts an informal discussion meeting with parents and community members.  This is an open meeting where the principal shares information on topical issues.  Parents and community members are invited to provide positive feedback and to express questions and/or concerns.  The Principal’s Coffees are held in the La Mariposa Library at 8:15.

 The 2013 Schedule*

• September 27^th
• October  18^th
• November 15^th
• December 13^th
• January 24^th
• February 28^th
• March 28^th
• April 25^th
• May 23rd

*Subject to change.

New Rules & Behavioral Assembly

By Erica Williams, Principal

UPDATE:  Thank you for your feedback. Beginning Tuesday, instead of sitting as had been past practice last school year, students will stand at their lines. I welcome anyone with feedback to come in and meet with me.

Did your child come home from school yesterday talking about “new rules”?

The BEHAVIORAL Assembly

I met with each grade level for a behavior assembly. At the assembly we reviewed the compact that you signed with your children on Wednesday night, the “ROAR” posters that you see on campus and a few new procedures in their daily routine.

You can ask your child about the following procedures:

Before School/Drop Off

Our gates open at 7:55.  Students are able to go to the lunch benches or the blacktop.  Students are able to play on the blacktop.  We ask that parents and younger siblings stay in the lunch bench area.     As a staff, we are asking that 1^st-5^th grade students do not wait at their classroom doors.  When the 8:05 bell rings, students are to walk to their classroom.  The gates will be closed at 8:10 and any student arriving after gates have been closed will need to come through the office for a tardy slip.

Lunchtime

We will continue with the play first policy at lunch.  When the warning bell rings, students are asked to put the equipment away, use the restroom, wash hands and line up.  When the classes are lined up, the students are excused to the lunch area.  A big change for the students is the fact that we are now asking them to remain seated at the table and raise their hand if they need to get up to use the restroom, get a spork or visit the salad bar.  At the end of the lunch period the students get up to throw away trash and line up.  This is a new routine for the students and they are doing a great job.  This will help to ensure student safety with the large number of students we have eating lunch at one time.

From the Principal: New Year, New Tools For Success

Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year!  I am excited to be part of the La Mariposa School Community.    The teachers have been busy preparing for the students to arrive.  Over the summer our teachers received new laptops, the computer lab was updated and each classroom now has six computers!  All teachers received iPads at the end of last school year and have had the summer to “play” with them and discover new ways to use them with students.  They will start the year with an all-day training on how to implement them within the classroom.

In many classes last year you may have heard your child coming home talking about Daily 5.  This year, you will see that in more of our classrooms.  This is a way of structuring the language arts block during the school day that allows students to work at their own level, while challenging them and providing structure within the classroom.  Students will learn to develop independent literacy habits.  This structure allows for differentiation.  Teachers meet individually with students to set goals and identify strategies to focus on.    These goals are addressed through whole class and small group instruction.  The new structure fosters a love of reading and writing that is quite impressive.

Common Core Standards were introduced to our teachers last school year.  This school year, teachers will begin implementing some of the new concepts.  Teachers will meet monthly with Grade Level teams throughout the district to further prepare for implementation of these standards within the classroom.

I would like to invite all parents to Back to School Night.  This is an opportunity for parents to learn about classroom procedures, homework policies, and grade level standards.  Please join us on Wednesday, September 18th from 6:00-7:30p.m.  We will have a short meeting in our MPR from 6:00-6:30p.m.  Classroom visitations are from 6:30-7:30 p.m.  To accommodate those of you with more than one child at our school, the teachers will give two presentations.  One presentation will be from 6:30-7:00 p.m. and one will be from 7:00-7:30 p.m.  These presentations will be the same, so feel free to attend either one.

The mission of La Mariposa is to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment in which all students participate in an engaging standards based curriculum.  As we work together sharing our strengths and talents, I know we can achieve this goal.

–Erica Williams, Principal

Tiger Teachers Recognized For Innovation

Celebrating Innovation

by Jay Greenlinger, Principal via Jay Greenlinger: Teaching. Learning. Leadership.

Last night, two teams of La Mariposa teachers were awarded monetary grants from the IMPACT II Award program, sponsored by Amgen and the Ventura County Office of Education. The IMPACT II program website states this as their purpose: “The purpose of IMPACT II is to spread excellent teaching ideas throughout our county. Recognizing innovative teachers at the awards dinner is an opportunity to celebrate the true heroes and heroines in our communities.”

The 1st grade team, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Armas, Ms. Miller, Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Elliott, and Mrs. Jaquez receive their grant award from the Amgen Foundation.

The 1st grade team (Tiffany Armas, Karen Davis, Chris Elliott, Angela Jaquez, and Hope Richards) received their award for the unit titled “Emperors, Macaronis and Faries, Oh My” focuses on non-fiction reading, writing, and science. Students immersed themselves in the world’s penguins. This type of learning ‘across the content areas’ allows for higher order thinking and deeper understanding.

2nd grade teachers, Mrs. Quiles and Mrs. Kyriacou, receive their grant award from the Amgen Foundation.

 

 

 

La Mariposa 2nd grade teachers, Christie Kyriacou and Stacey Quiles, embarked on a service learning project titled “Project Possible.” This unit, as well, evoked meaningful learning by giving students the opportunity to use their math and writing skills, while they built on their understanding of science and social studies concepts. As students learned how to count and sort money, they did so in the context of helping others. They created stores, assuming the roles of producers and consumers. In the end, the money the students collected and counted was turned into a sizable donation of new clothing for children living at Casa Pacifica. The 7 and 8 year old students in Room C-2 learned how they can make a difference for local children.

La Mariposa is proud of the meaningful and innovative work our teachers and students do. These two units of study exemplify the La Mariposa goal of “Educating and Inspiring Every Child.”

Check out Mr. Greenlinger’s new education blog here.

LM Gets Technology Boost from PVSD

Kindergarten team received training on heir new SMART boards! Leading the training were LMS’ own Mrs. Alvarez and Mrs. Armas. K students can look forward to some great SMART lessons soon!

Thanks to valiant fundraising effort over the last few years, La Mariposa has equipped teachers and students with technologies such as SMART classrooms, laptops, tablets, and desktop computers. In addition, LMS has received donations from local organizations, such as CLU and Naval Base Ventura County.  We have worked hard to leverage our resources in order to make classroom technology a significant part of teaching and learning at La Mariposa. But, did you know that the Pleasant Valley School District recently decided to help improve the classroom technology available to students and teachers?

The Board of Trustees and our Superintendent, Ms. RaeAnne Michael, allocated $61 per student for the purchase of classroom devices! With our current enrollment, La Mariposa will have approximately $42,000 to spend on devices for students and teachers.  Since our school’s goal is to provide students with a connected learning experience, we are basing our improvements on our desire to give students and teachers broad access to online content while also providing the tools to collaborate and create together. 

What’s Up Doc?

A huge tiger congratulations to Mr., correction, Dr. Greenlinger for earning his Ed.D (Doctor of Education) Degree in Educational Leadership from CSUN.

We sat down with Dr. Greenlinger recently to ask a few questions about what it was like to earn his degree.

The Pawprint:  We’ve heard it takes forever to become a doctor, how long did it take you?