Near the top right of the newsletter click "translate." Use this feature to translate the newsletter to your desired language. Cerca de la parte superior derecha del boletín, haga clic en "traducir". Utilice esta función para traducir el boletín a su idioma deseado.

Dear Will Rogers Parents and Guardians,

We had another great week and our students are settling into their classroom routines and communities!

Our school thrives thanks to the active involvement of parents through the PTA, Education Foundation, and various committees. We encourage you to visit the Will Rogers PTA website to join and explore volunteer opportunities. Donations to the Santa Monica Education Foundation support vital programs, like our Regenerative Farm and composting initiative. Your contributions make a significant difference, so please consider donating to both the Ed Foundation and PTA.

Please read the Will Rogers Roundup each Sunday for important updates. You can find it on our website, along with information on upcoming events.

Don’t forget to complete the data confirmation through the Aeries Parent Portal by Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Contact our office if you have any questions.

We look forward to seeing our 3rd- 5th grade parents at Back to School Night this Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the cafetorium. Childcare for school-aged children will be provided in the library.

Reminder: Tuesday, Sept. 3rd is a minimum day! Please make arrangements to have your children picked-up on time. Dismissal fro TK/K @12:10 p.m. 1st -5th @1:00 p.m. There are 10 minimum days in the year: 8/22, 8/23 no late start, 8/27, 9/3, 11/6, 11/7, 11/8 no late start, 12/20 no late start, 4/3, and 6/12.

In partnership,

Ms. Lila Daruty
Principal, Will Rogers Learning Community
ldaruty@smmusd.org

Mon. 9/2 NO SCHOOL- Labor Day

Tues. 9/3 Picture Day! Grades TK- 5th

Tues. 9/3 Minimum Day: Arrival at 8:25 a.m. Minimum Day: TK/K dismissal @12:10 1st-5th @1:00 p.m.

Tues. 9/3 Volunteer Training @5:00-5:30 p.m. in the library.

Tues. 9/3 Back to School Night Grades 3rd- 5th @ 5:30 p.m. CHILDCARE WILL BE PROVIDED

Tues. 9/3 Deadline to complete Aeries Parent Portal Confirmation

Fri. 9/6 Room Parent Orientation @9:45 am in room 306.

Fri. 9/6 Late start school begins @9:45 a.m.

Fri. 9/6 Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY at WRLC. Encourage your children to wear their WRLC t-shirts!

Fri. 9/6 School-wide Assembly on the track and field @ 9:45 a.m. Parents are welcome to join!

Tues. 9/10 Coffee with the Principal @8:30 a.m. in the library

Tues. 9/11 3rd gr music class begins

Thurs. 9/12 4th and 5th gr. music class 1x per week

Fri. 9/13 Star Testing Window closes

Fri. 9/13 Late start school begins @9:45 a.m.

Fri. 9/13 Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY at WRLC. Encourage your children to wear their WRLC t-shirts!

Fri. 9/13 School-wide Assembly on the track and field @ 9:45 a.m. Parents are welcome to join!

Mon. 9/16 PS Arts Visual Arts Classes w Ms. Heather begin for Grades TK-5th

Mon. 9/16 Spanish class with Dr. Amy Teplin begin for grades 2nd-5th

Mon. 9/16-27 PTA Read-a-Thon Fundraiser

Tues. 9/17 First day of 4th and 5th gr. music class 2x per week

Thurs. 9/19 ELAC meeting @8: 30 a.m. in the library

Thurs. 9/19 SSC meeting @ 3:15 p.m. in the library

Thurs. 9/19 SMMUSD Board Mtg. @ 5:30 p.m. Rogers presents!

Fri. 9/20 Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY at WRLC. Encourage your children to wear their WRLC t-shirts!

Fri. 9/20 School-wide Assembly on the track and field @ 9:45 a.m. Parents are welcome to join!

Fri. 9/20 Fall Rodeo Dance 5-8pm in auditorium

Sat. 9/28 Family Farming Day and Beautification Day 10:00 -2:00 p.m.

SMMUSD 2024-2025 Calendar

Thank you to our amazing PTA for hosting our breakfast last Friday. We enjoyed the special treats very much. WE LOVE OUR PTA!

Every donation was greatly appreciated AND eaten!

Students will take individual photographs as well as a group classroom photographs. Pricing and package options and information will be available online. You can view your photographs before you decide to purchase!

At WRLC, we make every effort to avoid interrupting instructional time and therefore do not allow cellphones and other electronics to be used during the instructional day. Students are not permitted to wear smartwatches or Gizmos in the classrooms. If your child wears a smartwatch, or has a smartphone, please remind them they are to be kept in their backpack turned off or on school-mode during the school day. We encourage parents to support us by leaving these items at home.

Students are never permitted to use cell phones on campus. In the event of an emergency administration carry radios, teachers have cellphones and there is a school phone in every learning space. Under the advisement of our SMPD school resource officers, individual student cellphone use can actually hinder the delivery of important messaging necessary in a true emergency.

Other personal electronics from home such as Nintendo Switches, iPads, Kindles etc. are not permitted on campus. If a student uses their cell phone during school hours, it will be confiscated and held until the end of the school day and must be picked up by a parent. In no event or circumstance, will the district or its staff be held responsible or liable for the loss, theft, or damage to any such device.

Please help us ensure that our students have an electronics free learning zone at school.

• School materials including books, homework, projects, etc.
• Re-fillable water bottle ( We have several refilling stations on campus)
• A morning snack
• Lunch is available to all students free of charge for the 2024-25 school year. You may also pack a lunch form home.
• Sunscreen (put on prior to arriving at school)
• Hat
• Layers of clothing (sweatshirt, windbreaker, etc.) Keep an eye on the weather.
• A growth mindset for a successful day!

Will Rogers Learning Community

Morning Procedures

Monday-Thursday Arrival

8:10 Breakfast in cafeteria. Yards open.
8:20 First bell rings. Students line up for class.
8:25 All students TK to 5th grade in classrooms.

Late Start Friday Arrival

9:20 Breakfast on yard. Yards open.

9:40 First bell rings. Students line up for class.

9:45 All students TK to 5th grade in classrooms.

Recess

PreK/TK/K Kindergarten Yard

9:55-10:25 Kinder
10:10-10:40 Kinder

10:25-10:55 TK

10:25-11:25 PreK

*No morning recess on Fridays, if late start (except PreK).

Grades 1-5
9:50-10:10 1st and 2nd
10:15-10:35 3rd and 4th

10:40-11:00 5th

*No morning recess on Fridays, if late start

Lunch

Grades TK/K Eat & Play: Kindergarten Yard

11:30-12:15 Kinder #1 and #2

12:00-12:45 Kinder #3 and #4

12:30-1:15 TK

Grades 1-5

11:30-12:15 1st Grade and 2nd Grade

12:00-12:45 3rd Grade and 4th Grade

12:30-1:15 5th Grade

Dismissal

1:45 TK/Kindergarten

2:55 1st to 3rd Grades

3:00 4th and 5th Grades

Aftercare

1:45 Kindergarten Dismissal - CDS School Age Program (SAP) staff meets students on K yard

Beginning, Monday, Aug. 26th, we ask that you say your goodbyes at the gates!

Arrival to school:

• TK/Kinder use the designated TK/K gate off of 14th street.
• 1st - 5th may use either the front gate on 14th street or the pedestrian gate on 16th street.

Dismissal from school:

• TK/Kinder use the designated TK/K gate.
  
• 1st - 2nd (NEW) should be picked-up form the TK/K gate.
• 3rd should be picked-up from the front gate on 14th street.
• 4th and 5th should be picked up from gate on 16th street.

Rainy Day Dismissal Procedures:

• TK- 3rd students will wait under the TK/K patio. Parents should pick-up by the TK/K gate.
• 4th and 5th will wait by the front office and can be picked-up from the front gate on 14th street.

REMINDER: Parent parking can be found on the neighborhood streets. Be sure to read the street signs! Please do not park in the staff parking lots. We will continue to offer a valet on 14th street in front of the school.

CREST ( 4th and 5th Grade) 310-458-8540

SM BOYS & GIRLS CLUB Playground Club (1st -5th) 310-496-8800 Register here

YMCA 310-393-2721

I am excited to share that Will Rogers Learning Community is the recipient a 2024-2025 Sprouts Community Foundation Community Grant ($10K) to support the instruction in our Regenerative Farm!

This grant along with our SMEF stretch funding, have afforded us the opportunity to create a collaborative Farm Teaching Team! This new approach will incorporate a team of Regenerative Farming enthusiasts who will help advance the mission of our farm. Our team will include a Farm Committee and Chair, Strategy Team Lead, Teaching partnerships, Composting Curriculum and teaching, Master Gardeners and much more!

Classrooms have begun to visit the farm already, but our formal Regenerative Farm classes will start at the end of September!

We look forward to this new approach that will allow us to integrate Regenerative Farming into the IB curriculum through the support of community partners!

Breakfast and lunch are free for all students! Make a plan with your child each week about the days they will be eating food prepared at school or bringing lunch from home.

https://www.smmusd.org/domain/476

We encourage you to pack a snack for your children for morning recess.

Please send your child to school with a re-fillable water bottle! We have water stations located throughout campus.

Mornings are busy and sometimes students leave for school without their water bottle, instrument or homework. In an an effort to reduce classroom interruptions and to support students with developing responsibility, please use our "Oops, I forgot" table. Make a plan with your child that if they leave something at home, a parent can drop it off in the office. We will place their item on a table outside the office. During their recess or on their way to lunch, they may check the table for their forgotten item.

Please communicate this plan with your child, so they know there is place for parents to drop-off items they may have left at home!

Join us for our free PTA Fall Rodeo Dance on September 20th, open to all our families! Help make it a success by signing up to bring baked goods by September 19th and volunteering for the event.

Please remember, dinner won’t be served. Families are encouraged to eat beforehand, bring refillable water bottles, and enjoy complimentary desserts, fruit, and water.

Sign up to donate or volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4FAEAF29A6FD0-50948989-fall

We are currently looking for a Legislative Chair to join our PTA team! This important role involves staying informed on key legislative issues that impact our students and school, and helping to keep our community updated.

If you’re interested in supporting our school by tracking important education-related developments and sharing relevant information, we’d love to have you on board!

We're also in need of a Student Store Chair to help manage and run our student store on Fridays and during special events. The store is an important part of our school community, offering families and our community a chance to purchase school spirit wear and other fun items. We're planning to bring the store out this Friday, but we need help throughout the entire year to make this successful. If you're interested in helping out, please reach out to us!

Please email president@willrogerspta.com

Join the Will Rogers PTA for $10 to support activities and events that enrich your student's education and strengthen our school community.

https://jointotem.com/ca/santa-monica/will-rogers-elementary-pta

SEEKING TWO NEW PARENT MEMBERS!

The School Site Council (Site Governance Committee) meets at least 8 times a year (meetings are Thursdays 3:30-5:00 p.m. (calendar) to:

• To develop, approve, and annually review a school plan, to be known as the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).

• To plan, monitor and evaluate the school-based activities and expenditures for Consolidated Application Programs, including Federal, State and local funds.

• To follow the requirements of the Greene Act.

• To carry out all the other duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Educational Code of the State of California.

The SSC is composed of elected members: staff (principal, teachers, classified staff) and parents/legal guardians, PTA board member of children currently enrolled at Rogers who are not employed by the school district. All members are elected for a two year term.

If you would be interested in joining our SSC, please download and email this form to Lila Daruty@ldaruty@smmusd.org by the nomination deadline September 8th.Please reach out if you have any questions. You will be notified when your nomination has been received.

TIMELINE:

Self-nomination deadline is Sept. 8th.

Candidates will be announced by Sunday, Sept.10th.

If there are multiple candidates there will be an election.

Election results will be published on Sunday, Sept. 15th.

As an International Baccalaureate Programme School, we believe there is a broad range of capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. We make a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them. We do this through the development of students according to the IB learner profile. The profile aims to develop learners who are:

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-minded

Caring

Risk-takers

Balanced

Reflective

The IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

We encourage all families to submit the Free and Reduced Meals application by Friday, October 4. Although California provides free meals for all students, this application is crucial for determining eligibility for additional programs and resources, including Title 1 school designations for the 2025-26 school year. The state uses this form to assess which families qualify for benefits beyond free meals, so widespread participation is essential. To support this effort, please share the application link with your families and distribute the flier through your school's communication channels.

Application Link: https://bit.ly/MealApplications-SMMUSD

Email: ldaruty@smmusd.org
Website: https://www.smmusd.org/rogers
Location: 2401 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90406
Phone: 310-452-2364
Twitter: @WillRogersSTEM