The Lion's Roar

Dear McKinley Families,

I hope you all had a Valentine’s Day filled with love! Friday was a sweet day at McKinley as students exchanged cards and celebrated with their classmates. We also sent home progress reports, an important check-in on your child’s academic growth. Please see below for more information on how to interpret your child’s progress report, and if you have additional questions, I invite you to join me for Coffee with the Principal on Wednesday, where we’ll discuss academic progress in more detail and answer any questions you may have.

Jog-A-Thon Kickoff: Off to a Running Start! Friday,

This week, we had our Kick Off Assemblies that officially launched our Jog-A-Thon, McKinley’s biggest PTA fundraiser of the year! A huge thank you to our energetic MCs, Adam Fenderson and Marshall McCabe, for getting the students hyped up to run on Friday, March 14, 2025.. Special appreciation goes to Anastasia Yum for working with Student Council to paint signs, our mystery Mac Lion mascot (your identity is safe with us!), and the many parent volunteers who made this event so much fun, including Lauren Dombrova, Samuel Belhu, Erin Howard, and PTA President Sibyl Fenwick. Thank you to Sirinya Matute for organizing the Jog-a-thon T-shirt contest (and much more) and Carrie Kowalski for designing a beautiful jog-a-thon bulletin board.

The Jog-A-Thon isn’t just about fundraising—it’s one of the most fun days of the year, where students come together to run, cheer each other on, and raise money for programs they love, like science materials, assemblies, field trips, and classroom supplies. PTA funding makes all of these possible! This year, our goal is to raise $40,000 to continue supporting these important programs. Check out our promo video here: Watch the video. Learn more and create a fundraising page here: Jog-A-Thon Fundraising Page.

Teacher Experience Raffle Winners!

A big thank you to Julie Williams for organizing our Teacher Experience Raffle. Winners were announced on Friday, and I’m especially excited to hand over the reins to the student who won Principal for the Day! Thank you to all who purchased tickets and continue to support our PTA!

February is a short month, but it sure is packed with a lot of fun. I hope you and your family have time to rest from all the excitement, and enjoy each other during this 3-day weekend.

In partnership,

Principal DW

Beginning March 3rd, the pathway to the front office will be rerouted due to the next phase of construction. The corridor from the parking lot to the front office will be closed off, and all visitors will need to enter through the Chelsea Gate instead.

🔹 New Procedure:

• Visitors will enter through the Chelsea Gate.
• A security escort will guide individuals to the front office for check-in using the Raptor system.
• This change will remain in place through the end of the school year.
• Access via the parking lot gate will be reinstated at the beginning of the next school year.

Please use the link below to view images of the new pathway. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work to improve our campus!

Progress Reports went home on Friday. These progress reports are not like what many of us experienced as children. Students do not get grades using the A-F system in elementary school. Instead, teachers are reporting on progress towards end of year standards.

English Language Arts, Math, Social Science, Science and Music are graded on a 4 point scale.

4 - Masters Standards

3 - Approaching Mastery

2 - Making Some Progress Toward Standards

1 - Making Little Progress Toward Standards

The goal is for students to get a 4 by the end of the year. Students who are on target to meeting standards by the end of the year will get a 3 at this point in the year. Students who get a 4 now have already met the end of year grade level standard, which means they are advanced. Students getting a 2 are slightly below grade level expectations and will need an extra push to meet grade level standards by the end of the year. Students getting a 1 are far below the target at this point in the year and need substantial support. If your child gets a 1, reach out to the teacher to find out their plan and how you can support.

Other subjects are reported on using a frequency scale (how often they perform the standard or expectation):

C = Consistently

U = Usually

O = Occasionally

R = Rarely

When speaking to your child about the progress report, start with the positive, and if there are areas of improvement, choose one to focus on. Remember, all students progress at their own pace, and we want to continue to encourage students to do their best and feel good about school and learning.

Join us for this month’s Coffee with the Principal, where we’ll dive into understanding academic progress at McKinley—what the marks on your child’s report card mean, how we support students at school, and what you can do at home to help.

We’ll discuss:
✅ How to interpret grades and progress indicators
✅ The support systems in place at McKinley to help students succeed
✅ Practical ways families can reinforce learning at home

This is a great opportunity to ask questions, gain insights, and connect with other families as we work together to support student growth.

Come help out with Snack Sales! It's fun! Your child can help sell too! Arrive by 1:00 PM and meet up outside the parent room, located to the left of the 1st-grade classrooms. We’ll set up a table with delicious snacks, including popcorn and drinks. The sale ends promptly at 2:00 PM, and we’ll clean up quickly after. Click here to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4FADAF28AAFE3-54688158-join#/

Join us for our general PTA meeting. This meeting includes the slate for next year's Executive Board.

• Key updates and shifts in immigration law
• How current political changes could impact client cases and family situations
• Strategies for supporting clients during these times of uncertainty

The presenter is a lawyer who is an SMMUSD graduate and has a wealth of experience in immigration law, making this session all the more valuable.

Zoom link here

Meeting ID: 844 5861 8814

Passcode: 605040

McKinley’s African-American Family Association (AAFA) is a vital school-family-community partnership dedicated to supporting our African American students and families. At AAFA meetings, parents and guardians come together with school administration to discuss ways to get involved, support student learning, and enhance the school experience for all.

🔗 Zoom Link: Join Here

Hosted by our PTA, this event will focus on cleaning, fixing, and beautifying our campus. Students are encouraged to participate, and we will also include an activity to support fire relief efforts and discuss fire safety. It’s a wonderful opportunity to show your child the power of giving back and making a difference. Mark your calendars and join us for this special day of service—more details to come!

In March, our 5th graders will be heading to Pali Camp for an unforgettable outdoor education experience. While the mountains are beautiful, they can also be quite cold! We want to make sure every student is warm and comfortable, and we need your help.

We are looking for donations of warm clothing and gear for students who may not have everything they need. Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Base Layer: Long-sleeve shirts and leggings/thermal pants to help keep body heat in.
• Middle Layer: Hoodies, fleece jackets, and sweatpants for insulation.
• Shell Layer: Waterproof jackets, raincoats, and athletic or waterproof pants to stay dry.
• Footwear: Waterproof boots (rain boots or snow boots)
• Accessories: Mittens or gloves can make a big difference in keeping students warm and comfortable.

If your child has outgrown any of these items, we would greatly appreciate your donation. All sizes are welcome, and we will ensure they get to students who need them.

Lets' have a big turnout (and wear our spirit wear!) so the City and our neighbors know that McKinley Elementary is serious about improving traffic safety along Santa Monica Blvd. Register here.

SMMUSD's Black/African-American Parent Advisory Committee is hosting a Black/African History Month event on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 6pm-8pm in the Santa Monica High School Student Cafeteria.

This Week

• February 17: No School, President's Day

• February 19: Black History Assembly - Chic Street Man

• February 19: Coffee with the Principal, 8:30-9:30 AM, Library

• February 19: PTA Meeting, 6:00-7:30 PM, Zoom (Board Slate)

• February 20: McKinley Board Presentation, 5:30 PM

• February 21: AAFA Meeting, 9:00-10:00 AM, Zoom

• February 23: Beautification Day, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Garden

• February 24: Lockdown Drill, 2 PM

• February 26: PS Arts Family Art Night, 6:00-7:00 PM, Auditorium

• February 28: Climate Survey Closes

• February 28: Schoolwide Assembly (1st/Fairness)

• February 28: School Tour, 9:00-10:00 AM, Library

• February 28: Black History Gallery, 9:00-10:00 AM, Auditorium