The Lincoln Lowdown- 5/13/2024

Lincoln Families,

This month, I am delighted to recognize and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with our school community. This month provides us with a wonderful opportunity to honor the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to our nation and our world.

Throughout history, Asian Pacific Americans have played a significant role in shaping the cultural, social, and economic fabric of our society. From pioneering advancements in science, technology, and the arts to advocating for social justice and equality, Asian Pacific Americans have made enduring contributions that have enriched our lives and inspired us all.

At Lincoln Middle School, we are committed to celebrating diversity and promoting cultural understanding and appreciation among our students, staff, and families. This month, we encourage you to join us in exploring the rich tapestry of Asian Pacific American cultures through various educational activities, discussions, and events.

Let us take this opportunity to learn from one another, to celebrate our differences, and to foster a greater sense of unity and inclusion within our school community. Together, we can create a more equitable and inclusive world where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.

Thank you for your continued support and participation in celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Lincoln Middle School.

This Week's Events

Place of Birth: Oaxaca, Mexico

Years at Lincoln: 5

Favorite Educator: My high school math teacher Mr. Ramos was the best! He was really good at explaining math, and it was pretty easy to follow his lessons. Surprisingly, I still love math to this day thanks to him, however I took a different path, but eventually ended up at a school site. It may have been for medical circumstances, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After complications from a foot surgery, I was placed on a medical restriction not to be on my feet more than 4 hours a day. This led to my dismissal from my previous job (since it took two years before I could walk without a cane), and I started volunteering at Grant Elementary. One of the staff members there suggested I tried applying for something at school. I loved being part of my kids' journey, so I figured, why not? I followed my two children in elementary and middle school always taking 3 hour shifts. Fortunately, my foot did eventually get better, and when a position opened here at Lincoln, I was encouraged to try it out. Can hardly believe it has been five years since I first came at LMS. Love being part of the LMS family.

Fun Fact: I'm trilingual. My primary language is Zapotec (indigenous language from the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca). I used to be a runner and the LA marathon was an every year event for me (until my foot injury). Also, I love our district music program, so you will probably see me whenever there is a concert at LMS or Samo.

I wanted to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible PTSA for their generous support and appreciation during Staff Appreciation Week. Your thoughtful gestures, kind words, and acts of kindness made our week truly special and memorable.

The dedication and commitment of our PTSA members to supporting our staff do not go unnoticed, and we are deeply grateful for all that you do to enhance the experiences of our students and staff alike. Your contributions help create a positive and supportive school environment where everyone can thrive.

Thank you once again for your unwavering support and for making Staff Appreciation Week a wonderful celebration of our hardworking and dedicated staff.

I want to thank our wonderful families for attending this past week's Open House event. Your presence and support made the evening truly special, and it was a joy to see so many of you exploring our school, meeting with teachers, and engaging with our community.

Your involvement in your child's education is invaluable, and we are grateful for your continued partnership in creating a positive and supportive learning environment for our students. Together, we can achieve great things!

Thank you once again for your participation and for being an essential part of the Lincoln Middle School family.

You are all invited to our upcoming Choir Concert, where our talented students will showcase their musical talents and spread joy through song.

Come and enjoy an evening filled with beautiful melodies and harmonies as our choir performs a variety of musical pieces that will uplift your spirits and touch your hearts.

We look forward to seeing you there to support our talented students!

Our spring sports season is winding down but our boys and girls 7/8 teams have clinched playoff births and will compete next week. Times and dates are to be determined.

I am also thrilled to announce and celebrate the continued success of our track team! Their dedication, hard work, and perseverance have led to remarkable achievements, and we couldn't be prouder of their accomplishments.

Parents, we are looking for volunteers to help run our Student Store. If interested please click on the link to sign up. Thank you!

Students will continue taking the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress). All grades take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English and Math with a Computer Adaptive portion and a Performance Task portion. Eighth graders also take the California Science Test.

Lincoln’s CAASPP testing schedule is as follows:

• ELA Computer Adaptive Test, 4/29 or 4/30, during English class

• ELA Performance Task Part 1, 5/1 or 5/2, during English class

• ELA Performance Task Part 2 (and/or finish ELA CAT), 5/6 or 5/7, during English class

• Math Computer Adaptive Test, 5/8 or 5/9, during Math class

• Math Performance Task, 5/13 or 5/14 during Math class

• California Science Test Segments 1-3 (8th grade), 5/15 or 5/16, during Science class

• California Science Test Segments 4-6 (8th grade), 5/20 or 5/21, during Science class

*Make-up testing will be available Friday late start mornings, 8-9:30AM, in Room 104, and/or through pull-out during the school day, 5/15-5/24, as needed.

Please be mindful of the testing schedule as you arrange your child's appointments or family obligations so students do not have to be pulled out for make-ups. More information about the tests are available on this Parents Guide to Understanding. If you have any questions or would like to opt your child out of testing, please contact Assistant Principal Vy Andrew at vandrew@smmusd.org by April 26th before testing begins.

As we approach testing week, here are some tips to help support your child's success:

1. Encourage a good night's sleep: Ensure your child gets plenty of rest leading up to each test day to help them feel refreshed and focused.

2. Provide a healthy breakfast: Start the day off right with a nutritious breakfast to fuel your child's brain for optimal performance.

3. Practice relaxation techniques: Teach your child relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or visualization to help reduce test anxiety.

4. Emphasize the importance of breaks: Encourage your child to take short breaks during study sessions to rest and recharge.

5. Offer words of encouragement: Provide words of encouragement and remind your child that you are proud of their hard work and effort, regardless of the outcome.

Together, we can help our students approach testing week with confidence and success.

We're excited to announce our upcoming Mental Health Awareness Fair! This event is dedicated to promoting mental wellness and providing valuable resources and support to our school community.

The Mental Health Awareness Fair will feature:

• Information booths from local mental health organizations
• Interactive workshops and presentations
• Resources for students, families, and staff
• Activities promoting self-care and stress relief

We invite you to join us for this important event as we come together to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support mental wellness in our school community.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and families.

The Santa Monica High School Athletic Department and the Viking Football Team are inviting 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to participate in the 2nd Annual Middle School Football Classic.

The SAMO High Viking Football team will be hosting a Flag Football classic on Monday May 20th from 4:30-6:30 PM.

Please see the flyer posted around campus for more details and use the QR Code to sign up to participate.

See Ms. Preuss if you have any questions.

Six of our Lincoln students will be participating in the Kiwanis music competition finals at JAMS on Tuesday. Let's congratulate and wish the following students the best of luck!

Bryce McArn, Alex Dimitrov, Caspian Tidmore, Grant Jensen, and Oriane Chapelle

NJHS service hours are due no later than Friday, May 17th. Please make sure to drop your forms off in the main office. Thank you.

Happy AANHPI month!

Lincoln will celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander heritage month

on Thursday, May 23rd, with origami and Boba snacks, organized by AAPI Alliance and the Lincoln PTSA.

Come to the library classroom at lunch to learn the art of origami, then try a bit of boba.

Directions for origami folding will be available for students.

Examples of different animals and shapes, and even real life uses for origami will be displayed!

Thank you to all who helped support the Scholastic Book Fair at Lincoln this week. The generosity of our community helped raise enough money to purchase $1000 in new books for our library and classroom teachers! Our online fair extends through May 19th if you would like to shop online and have books shipped directly to your home. https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/lincolnmiddleschool

Did you know we have a fun field trip, beach day and much more planned for our 8th graders? Every Breakfast Club raises about $100 towards our planned events. Click here to donate donuts or your time today!