A REPOST - An Important Announcement:

Dear Manlio Silva Families,

It is with great emotion that I write to inform you I will be leaving Manlio Silva Elementary School at the conclusion of this school year. I have been offered and accepted the principal position at Turner Academy. Silva is an amazing community to be a part of, which makes this decision so challenging. However, the opportunity to lead Turner Academy and work with special needs students is a privilege and an honor.

I am extremely grateful to all of our students, teachers and families. You are all what make Silva a real family. The wrap around support and love for one another is something I will always cherish. This announcement comes with time in our school year to complete all of the work that needs to be done. There will be time in the spring to reflect, celebrate and say goodbye. At this time, it is essential that our focus remains on making this year a meaningful experience for our students.

I plan to work closely with the staff to ensure a smooth transition as new leadership joins the Silva family. I am confident that a new leader will be selected who will partner with our community to continue to build upon the strong foundation that already exists at the school.

To close, I am grateful to have been a part of the Manlio Silva community over the last six years. It's been a privilege to share this time with all of you, and I cherish the memories we've created. I look forward to wrapping up this chapter alongside you, and I truly believe we’ll finish on a high note. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions—I’m here for you. Thank you for being such an important part of my experiences.

Sincerely,

Tim Shepherd, Principal

We do not assume that students inherently know how to create a positive school culture, nor do we leave this to chance. We believe it is essential to teach our children how to be good classmates and how to prevent acts of hate, including intimidation, cursing, name-calling, harassment, bullying, fighting, and offending others.

This year, teachers at Silva have been guiding our children in small-group social-emotional development using our district-adopted curriculum, Caring School Community. Some educators also incorporate Socratic Circles and direct instruction. In addition, our school counselor, Nicole Turner, and Community Outreach Coordinator, Kim Miller, have been providing individual and small-group support, while our administration offers assistance to both students and parents. This collective effort fosters a healthy foundation for friendships and creates a safer school environment where our children can thrive.

Together, our team of teachers, staff, and administration will host a symposium this month focused on "How to Be a Good Classmate" for K-3rd grade students and “Stopping the Hate" for grades 4-6. Students will learn how to build positive connections and how to speak out when they encounter situations that generate negative feelings or actions. Each symposium is designed to be age-appropriate, with some content possibly omitted based on developmental milestones and attention spans. We believe the most significant impact will occur when students have the opportunity to consider real-life scenarios and learn how to be "upstanders" rather than "bystanders."

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Purchase gear in youth and adult sizes by following the link to our student store. If you don't see your favorite item, please let us know and we will inquire about adding it to the store. Check back regularly as new gear will be added and/or removed often.

All orders are taken online and delivered to your home usually within six weeks. Gear is easy to replace if it is manufacturer's error. All returns, repairs and replacements are simple.

The Spirit Store can be accessed at any time by going to the Silva website and searching Spirit Store under the Student Life tab.

https://manlio-silva-elementary.checkoutstores.com/

Please, please, please, do not block the exit by stopping/parking in the left lane.

The left lane needs to keep moving so drivers can exit.

If you are not able to pull over to allow your child to enter the car, please just make another circle through the driveway and try a second time.

One parent voiced:

After break parents seemed to be blocking the school line for exiting. Please send out reminders to not park there it’s been an issue all week.

Thank you parents for helping us be happy and safe!

We invite you to join us on campus as a volunteer and an active member of the PTA. With just two months left in the school year, we are excitedly planning our final events and preparing for advancement festivities. I want to express a heartfelt thank you to all who served on the PTA and volunteered this past year! Your participation in our monthly meetings and your ongoing volunteer efforts are greatly appreciated.

If you haven't yet committed to helping out, please consider becoming involved with our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the upcoming school year and start volunteering on campus today. If you are interested in joining the PTA for next year, please contact Roxanne Mendoza at mendoza@lodiusd.net.

We are particularly seeking volunteers to supervise students before school, during recess, and after school. We offer both 30-minute and 60-minute volunteer opportunities each week. Parent volunteers are essential as they help strengthen the connection between the school and families, enhance educational experiences, and improve student outcomes by providing additional support, resources, and a positive school environment.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to get involved!

The Silva Elementary Choir, orchestrated by the amazing Kathy Evans, will led our students in a schoolwide traditional Flag Salute this past Friday. Parents were welcome to join the fun. It was a beautiful time for the whole Silva family to come together in song, dance and salute.

Here is what you might like to know about this day:

• If it rains, we will reschedule or cancel the salute.

• Music teachers will teach the songs in the time assigned to each class.

• Kinder teachers will teach songs in the classroom.

• The choir will lead each song. All students will sing from their morning lines on the playground.

• Please click the song link so you can learn to sing them with your class. Please practice singing the songs a few times before the salute.

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1F_vdfgL3jyrTY3rP-SibJs5fcI3sh66tfRsQ-yf4cVo/edit?usp=sharing

• We will start promptly at 8:20 AM after the second bell rings. Students should be in line by 8:15 AM to avoid disruption of the event.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Apr 25, 2025 Grand Old Flag

May, 23, 2025 Grand Old Flag

https://rcahousesystem.com/

Teaming Together!

Teaching children about responsibility is a team effort. Holding them responsible isn't exactly easy so, how can it be done well and why should it even be our endeavor at all?

If you have time to read, I found this counselor's blog is a powerful read. Silva teachers focus on academics all day long so when it comes to teaching life skills, there is more to it than accident. Here are some ways teachers and staff can team together.

https://theresponsivecounselor.com/2021/08/teaching-responsibility-to-students.html

....We see the importance of teaching kids responsibility skills in many different ways. It may look like frequently asking about due dates, struggling to complete homework, or lack of class participation, etc. It’s important to remember that kids don’t want a lecture. That’s why it’s crucial to incorporate student voices when we talk about responsibility. We also find ways for students to see how being responsible helps them (not just grownups). Students then see responsibility as a valuable skill that can help them be the best version of themselves.

One of my favorite PD books is Relationship, Responsibility, and Regulation by Kristin Van Marter Souers and Pete Hall. It helped me to reframe and redefine some of my ideas about responsibility. In this book, the authors believed that feeling capable was crucial to acting responsibly. They further defined responsibility as including positive self-concept, sense of efficacy (effort optimism – believing if they put forth the effort, they will have success), sense of capability and competence, belief in control over one’s success, self-reliance, ability to plan and problem solve and organize information, and ability to pause and think before responding.

Using this definition of responsibility we need to provide them with lots of opportunities to experience success. Only then can we begin to help our students become more responsible

We need to show them their strengths and point out when their actions lead to positive outcomes. And of course, we need to teach them explicitly about responsibility!

Emphasize WHY Responsibility is Important:

Students should walk away with a good understanding of what makes showing responsibility important and valuable to themselves and the community. If students can see the value here, they will be more likely to have the motivation necessary to show responsibility consistently. Below are a few reasons I like to provide:

1. Everyone doing their part is what a community is all about. For communities like the ones at school or home to thrive, each person is depended on to do their part to create a safe, welcoming, and thriving environment. Jobs according to each community members’ strengths are divided among all members so that all expectations and goals for the group are met. Generally, communities that have members who are responsible for the collective success rather than one or a few members who have the responsibilities are more enjoyable to participate in.
2. People are able to achieve more when they possess and practice strong responsibility skills. In order to meet goals, you must take aligned action. Without taking action you can’t make you. Responsibility comes in when you must make plans for and take the action steps necessary to meet those goals. If students can see the connection between practicing responsibility to take action and meeting their goals, then they will most likely see the benefits of being responsible.
3. We need to understand what is in our control and what is out of our control. It is important for students to see that sometimes, they do not have control over things that happen to them or around them. They need to be able to decipher between what they can make choices about and what is simply beyond their realm of control. In this previous post about problems inside or outside your control, I walk you through how I use the book Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day to discuss problems in and out of our control. Students see that some problems can be avoided or changed by making different choices. Other problems cannot be changed and we do not have control over them.

Show Students the Different Elements of Responsibility at School

1. Connect their choices with consequences.

This shows children how much power and control they have in a given situation and creates empowered students who know they are in control of how situations go many times. Since they are children, they will not always be in control, so when possible, it is important for teachers, parents, and other adults in the child’s life to allow freedom of choice when possible. This in turn will give the child a major confidence boost!

Allowing children the freedom to make their own choices also helps kids see that our actions can have positive or negative consequences. Many students need help to see that the choices they make are connected to consequences, so I created a lesson that shows students various situations where they would need to make choices.

2. Whose job is it?

Students are in the unique position of being only partially responsible (and having only partial control) over many things in their lives. They share responsibilities with parents, teachers, and other adults in their lives. We need to be explicit with them about which bits and pieces are their responsibility.

Many times students will say, “My mom forgot to sign that!” or “You didn’t tell me to do that!” Teachers frequently find themselves giving constant reminders and repeating themselves in an effort to get students to remember to even take responsibility.

In this previous blog post, I explain my lesson “Whose Job Is It?” which teaches how students can decipher whose jobs are whose. Students were given important school tasks like learning reading skills, being on time and present at school, and completing homework. Then students must decide what jobs are the teachers, parents, or students for each school task. Students were able to see that much of the responsibility fell to them, but other jobs were up to the adults. It helped them see that there are many jobs that a student should have when completing those school tasks. They were made aware of the things that they could have control over when it comes to school and places where they may have been relying too much on the adults.

3. Take responsibility for your actions.

We need to understand that everyone makes mistakes. But the important thing is that we acknowledge them and learn from them. When you know better, then you can do better. This is such a good skill to model for students. Even as teachers and counselors we make mistakes. Next time you make one, talk to students about how you learned from it! They love hearing real-world examples from grown-ups!

Help students to identify what to say to take responsibility for their actions. Students need a clear understanding of how to take responsibility for a mistake. Model good apologies when mistakes involve others. Apologies should have 3 parts: the “I’m sorry,” the reason why you are sorry, and a resolution like “I won’t make that mistake again.”

Students should also understand what NOT to say in these situations. They should not blame others for their own mistakes or completely ignore that a mistake has been made.

Help students practice figuring out what to do after they’ve made a mistake to make it better. Teachers and counselors can guide students to the right words to use when taking ownership and responsibility by asking questions like:

• What happened?
• How did that make you feel?
• What was your brain saying?
• What was the hardest part for you?
• Who else was affected?
• What do you think you can do to make this better?

Now, not everything can be made 100% better, especially if there was an injury or unkind words used, but you should always try your best.

4. Be a problem solver.

Children need guidance on how to solve problems independently. Discuss different possible solutions to common problems with students. If they don’t have a pencil, they can go to the jar of new pencils in the classroom. Lost homework? Ask for a new copy to do over. If they want to use the swing at recess? They could ask whoever is on it that they get a chance to swing.

Many times children just need some general ideas of how to solve problems. An easy class activity is to have students generate common problems and write on notecards and discuss solutions as a class. You could also create cards with given solutions to common problems that students can then match to the problem.

Here is a previous blog post and lesson on teaching problem solving and taking responsibility. Students already learned about problems inside and outside of their control. So, next, we read the book But It’s Not My Fault! and discussed taking ownership of their own problems. We had a “snowball” fight where students wrote common problems on sheets of scrap paper and threw them(safely) across the room. After all the “snowballs” were thrown, students opened one that landed near them, read the problem, and wrote a good solution to their problem. I only recommend the snowball fight if students have had some practice generating solutions to problems. Otherwise, a matching activity works best here.

This month, Silva focuses on the "R" in SHARKS.

According to research...

Children need to be responsible because it teaches them crucial life skills like self-reliance, accountability, and the ability to manage their actions and decisions, which are essential for success in school, relationships, and future careers; essentially preparing them to be capable adults by learning to handle responsibilities and consequences early on.

Key points about teaching children responsibility:

• Develops self-esteem:
  Completing tasks and managing responsibilities builds confidence in a child's abilities.

• Improves decision-making:
  Understanding cause and effect helps children make better choices and consider the impact of their actions.

• Builds character:
  Responsibility fosters important traits like reliability, trustworthiness, and commitment.

• Promotes independence:
  Learning to take ownership of tasks allows children to become more self-sufficient.

• Age-appropriate chores:
  Assign tasks that are suitable for a child's age and abilities, gradually increasing responsibility as they mature.

• Positive reinforcement:
  Praise children for completing their responsibilities and acknowledge their efforts.

https://www.google.com/search?q=children+need+to+be+resonsible&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1131US1131&oq=children+need+to+be+resonsible&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRhAMgYIAhBFGEAyBggDEEUYQNIBCTEwMjM1ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on

April:

2 Staff Meeting

4 Shark Store/ Purple Passion Day!

5 Math Olympiad Tournament

7 BMX Motivational Assembly (9-9:40 am; blacktop)

9 Minimum Day

10 3rd Grade-Wow Museum in Campus (Clanton & Gamma)

11 3rd Grade- Wow Museum in Campus ( Jones, Ortega & Wallis)

11 Purple Passion Day!

15 Open House (5:30-6:30 pm)

15 Book Fair (5:00-7:00 pm)

17 MIOS Concert (Bear Creek 6:00 pm)

18 Book Fair Ends (9 am)

18 Distribute CAASPP snacks

18 Shark Store / Purple Passion Day!

23 Preschool Storytime (8:15-9:00 am in the library)

24 CAASPP testing starts through May 2nd

25 Valley Days (9-1:00 pm; Mrs. Wallis class)

25 Silva Flag Salute & Purple Passion Day!

28 Book Exchange Collection; Starts on May 9th

28 AAA Period 8 April 28-May 23

29 Children’s Museum (9-12:30 pm Kindergarten class)

May:

2 Valley Days (9-1:00 pm Mrs. Won-Jones class)

2 CAASPP window closes (popsicles)

2 Shark Store/ Purple Passion Day!

5 Staff Appreciation Week

7 Minimum Day

7 Staff Appreciation Luncheon (minimum day) – 1:00

9 Installation Dinner 5:30 pm

9 Purple Passion Day!

14 Staff Meeting

15 Book Exchange 2:30-4:00 pm

15 Kona Ice Truck 2:00-4:00 pm

16 Shark Store/ Purple Passion Day!

20 Choir Spring Concert: Assemblies at (K-3rd grade 8:45-9:30), (4th-6th Grade 9:45-10:30 AM), 20 Choir Spring Concert: Family Performance 6 PM, Silva Cafeteria.

21 Minimum Day

21 Preschool Storytime (8:15-9:00 am in the library)

22 Senior Walk (9:30-10:30 am)

23 Silva Flag Salute & Purple Passion Day!

23 Honor Roll Trip (9:00-2:00 pm)

23 Million Word Donut Party 8:00 am

26 No School- Memorial Day

28 6th grade dance (4:30-6:30 pm)

29 6th grade promotion (2 ceremonies)

30 Kindergarten promotion (2 ceremonies in the morning)

30 Minimum Day- Last day of the school year 24-25 :)

Lodi USD invites you to share your thoughts on the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)! Your input is essential in shaping our priorities and ensuring our students receive the support they need.

Please take a moment to participate in our Thought Exchange by clicking the link below:

🔗 https://tejoin.com/scroll/308859188

Your feedback will help guide the development of our LCAP moving forward. Thank you for being a valued part of our community!

Use the link below or QR code to access Thought Exchange survey.

Please see the flyers below for our Summer Programs.

Student Registration Link: HTTPS://WWW.EZCHILDTRACK.COM/LODI/PARENT

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MAY 19, 2025

For more information, see program flyer below:

English Flyer: Elementary Summer School 2025

Spanish Flyer: Escuela de Verano - 2025

The School Accountability Report Card (SARC) provides parents and the community with important information about each public school. Lodi Unified School District’s SARCs are available on the District’s webpage at https://www.lodiusd.net/about/sarcs. If you have questions regarding Lodi Unified’s SARCs or would like to receive a printed copy of a particular school, please contact Accounting at (209) 331-7141. For further information on School Accountability Report Cards, please visit the

Click on the link below for the flyer:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fJGPMS8kXzzJjghVrMVDuaO93FVNXmKr/view?usp=sharing

Commit today by emailing vsutter@lodiusd.net

Please join PTA today. Volunteer time to help us in the classroom or the playground. Assist with fundraising. Help with campus care. We want your partnership! Please commit today.