The Galarza & Hammer Newsletter

October 30, 2008

Principal’s Message
Happy Fall! The staffs have been working attentively to provide an excellent academic program for both sites. The Galarza staff has been focusing on the Learning Environment, Universal Access, ELD and building Fluency in Reading. The Montessori staff continues to practice their best teaching strategies and implement pieces of the accreditation process. Recently, we submitted an application for a School Garden grant. We are also looking into the Art Vistas Program to both sites. As you can see we have been busy, and are proud of the work we do on a daily basis.

Before School Procedures
For the safety of all students, please do not drop off your child at school before 8:10 am As noted on page 11 on the SJUSD Parent Handbook, ”It is unsafe for students to be left at school during unsupervised times and it is unfair to expect school office staff to supervise students on a regular basis.”
Breakfast:The cafeteria opens for breakfast at 8:10 am daily. Please make sure your child arrives to school on time if they plan to eat breakfast. One of our district initiatives is “Bell to Bell Instruction” which means the students will begin instruction by the second bell and work thoroughly until the end of the school day.
Appointments/Sign-out: To avoid interruptions during classroom instruction, please make every effort to schedule doctor or dental appointments after school is dismissed. However, if you do need to sign your child out, make sure who ever signs them out is properly noted on the emergency form and prepared to show proper identification.

GATE:
Welcome back fellow GATE parents. There are many ways in which our teachers meet the needs of our GATE population. One way is through Differentiation.  Our teachers work with our students in a small group setting in the areas of English Language Arts and in Math.  They specifically design lessons that are geared to meet the needs of our diverse student population. Our first GATE night will be December 16, 2008. We will have GATE activities and more information about GATE as well.

Halloween Tips
We want all of our students to safely enjoy Halloween. Here are some important tips:
• Use facial makeup - masks obstruction a child’s vision.
• Do not allow children to carry sharp objects as costume accessories.
• Do not go into anyone’s house when trick or treating.
• Make sure to check all candy before allowing your children to eat it.
Please join me for the monthly Principal’s Coffee on November 7th. We will be discussing the upcoming parent teacher conferences, and provide questions to ask your classroom teacher during the conference. Day light savings time ends this weekend. Do not forget to set your clock back one hour on Saturday evening. Have a nice week.

-Susana

Attendance Flags
An attendance door flag is flown each day every student is present in class. We are very proud to see so many flags flying as we walk down the hallways. 

PEACEBUILDERS
PeaceBuilders teaches children, teens and adults to be empathetic to the feelings and the suffering of others.  We know that the simple act of Noticing Hurts and Righting Wrongs builds community and increases peace.  For more information, visit the PeaceBuilders website, http://www.peacebuilders.com.

WRITERS OF THE WEEK
Every Thursday afternoon, you will find a group of students in the cafeteria sharing their writing with the principal and other students.  This is not a competition; it is a recognition of student writing meant to encourage writing in the classroom and to develop oral fluency.  It is also an opportunity to promote friendships within the grade levels.  These student interactions help to develop positive identities, social competencies and a commitment to learning.