El Semanario

ALL WEEK: STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK!

Monday, May 5

• CAASPP Testing - ELA

• SSC Meeting, 4:30-6:30, Zoom

• 5th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 pm, Zoom

Tuesday, May 6

• CAASPP Testing - ELA

• Garden Classes for Kinder/Garden Club 3rd-5th

• SMMPTA Honorary Service Awards, 4:30-6:30 pm, JAMS

Wednesday, May 7

• CAASPP Testing - ELA

• ELAC Meeting, 8:30-10:00, Library (date change)

• Young Storytellers, 12:30, MPR

• Staff Appreciation Luncheon, Cafeteria, 2:00-3:30 pm

• PTA Executive Board Meeting, 6:00-7:30 pm, Zoom

Thursday, May 8

• No special events

Friday, May 9

• Edison Spirit Day - Wear your Edison Clothing!

• CAASPP Testing - ELA

• District Window for STAR Testing closes

• Spanish Music Informance (Romo 11 am, Newman 12:10 am, Vences 12:45 am)

Dear Edison Families,

This week is Staff Appreciation Week. It is a wonderful time to recognize and celebrate the incredible team that makes Edison such a special place for our children to learn and grow. Every member of our staff plays an essential role in creating a warm, safe, and enriching environment for our students.

This week, we honor not only our amazing teachers, but also the many staff members who work tirelessly behind the scenes and in every corner of our school: our cafeteria workers who nourish our students each day, our custodians who keep our campus clean and welcoming, our instructional assistants who provide extra care and support, our dedicated counselors, the friendly and efficient office staff, and our talented specialists who inspire creativity and curiosity. Each person brings something unique to Edison, and together we are united by our commitment to dual language education and to nurturing future citizens who are proud of their identity, respectful of others, and ready to engage with the world as bilingual, compassionate global citizens.

We’re grateful to our amazing PTA for helping us celebrate our staff this week. Thanks to their support, staff will be treated to thoughtful surprises and special treats, including an all-staff luncheon on Wednesday. In addition, our room representatives will be coordinating classroom gifts for teachers.

While gifts are appreciated, heartfelt notes from students often mean the most. A few kind words or a drawing can go a long way in making someone feel seen and valued. We encourage you and your child to take a moment to thank any staff member who has made a difference in their day—no gesture is too small.

Please join me in showing your appreciation for our incredible Edison staff. Their dedication and heart are at the core of everything we do.

With gratitude,

Directora Ipiña

We will begin CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) this week with our 3rd-5th graders. These are important assessments because they help us measure student progress from one year to the next, as well as school progress. These measures are used to determine areas of strength and areas of growth for our school. It was because of these scores last year that we were named a California Distinguished School.

How can parents support during testing? The main thing is to ensure that your child eats and sleeps well, comes to school on time, and maintains regular routines. We will take care of the rest. Students should be encouraged to try their best, but nothing bad will happen if they don't perform well. It just lets us know what they need to work on.

See the schedule below for more details about which tests we will give and when. If your child is absent, they will take the test on a make up day. Please try to avoid absences because students perform better when they test with their class and their teacher.

Congratulations to Otto Scheuren, Melanie Overby, and Stephanie Rosas for being elected as parent representatives to our Edison School Site Council for 2025-26 school year! School Site Council (SSC) is a group of 10 people (5 parents and 5 staff) who create and monitor our school plan to ensure that we are meeting our students' and communities' needs. They will also approve our Safety Plan, Family Engagement Policy, and School Parent Compact. We appreciate everyone who participated in the process and welcome them to the team.

Each Wednesday, from 8:30-10:00 am, we have parent meetings in the Library. All parents are invited. Meetings are bilingual and there is a Zoom option at this link (except for Parent Cafecito which is a social event).

This week we will be hosting an ELAC Meeting. We had to move this meeting up so ELAC can provide input on our Site Plan before it is due to the district.

Get ready for a vibrant journey around the world—right here on campus! We’re just two weeks away from our first-ever Multicultural Festival, happening on Friday, May 16, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM—and you won’t want to miss it!

Families representing 24 cultures will transform our field space into a global celebration, each with a table full of cultural treasures and delicious food samples from their heritage. Students will receive a Multicultural Passport to “travel the world,” collecting stickers as they visit each country’s display. Throughout the event, enjoy live music and dance performances showcasing traditions from across the globe. We’ll kick things off with a joyful Holi celebration, where colorful powder fills the air in honor of this spring festival from India and Nepal!

We still have a few slots open for performers. If you have a performer in mind who could share their culture on stage? We'd love to hear from you! Contact Directora Ipiña at eipina@smmusd.org.

In just one week, our library will burst into a vibrant wonderland of stories, imagination, and adventure! Step into a world of colorful, captivating books in both English and Spanish — perfect for sparking your child’s love of reading and stocking up on summer favorites.

The Book Fair is powered by our amazing parent volunteers and will be open before and after school — as long as we have helpers signed up! Click the link below to sign up to help and don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to share the magical world of reading with your child!

Book Fair Sign Up/Feria del Libro Ayuda

We’re excited to welcome you to Open House, a meaningful evening where students take pride in sharing the work they’ve done throughout the school year. It’s a chance to celebrate their growth, accomplishments, and the learning that has taken place in every classroom.

Please note: This year, Open House will be held over two evenings due to a scheduling conflict with the SAMOHI Senior Awards on May 22, which involves some of our staff. Thank you for your understanding as we ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Open House Schedule:

📅 Wednesday, May 21

• 2nd Grade: 5:30–6:30 PM

• 5th Grade: 6:00–7:00 PM

📅 Thursday, May 22

• PreK–1st Grade: 6:00–7:00 PM

• 3rd–4th Grade: 7:00–8:00 PM

We look forward to seeing you as we celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students.

At SMMUSD, we want to reassure our families that our schools are—and will always be—safe, supportive, and welcoming spaces for every student, regardless of immigration status. Every child has the right to a quality education, and we are committed to protecting that right by ensuring that all students can learn without fear or discrimination. We do not collect or share information about immigration status, and we prioritize your family’s privacy and confidentiality. Our safety plans and resources are here to support you, and we encourage families to keep emergency contacts and pickup information current so we can stay connected and responsive to your needs.

Please click here to read about the upcoming family engagement events for families whose students attend school in Santa Monica, and for all other interested families.

• May 12: Spanish Music Informance (Banks 10:20 am, Zermeño 12:15 am)

• May 12-16 Book Fair (8:00-8:30 am, 3:00-6:00 pm, M-F)

• May 12: Site Council Meeting, 4:30-6:30, Zoom

• May 16: Multicultural Festival, 3:30-5:30 pm

• May 19: Music Concert for 4th (6 pm) and 5th (7:15 pm)

• May 21: PTA Meeting, 8:30 am, library

• May 21: Open House for 2nd (5:30 pm) and 5th grade (6:00 pm)

• May 22: Open House (minimum day), TK-1 (6:00-7:00), 3rd-4th (7:00-8:00)

• May 26: Memorial Day (no school)

• May 27: Fire Drill, 10 am

• May 28: Young Storytellers BIG SHOW, 5-6:30 pm, Cafeteria

• May 30: California Distinguished Schools Awards Banquet, 2 pm

• June 2: Fire Drill, 10:30 am

• June 7: Immersion Seniors Promotion Ceremony, 11 am, Cafeteria

• June 10: 5th grade Promotion Ceremony, 9:15-10:45 am, Reception 11:00-12:00

• June 12: Last day of school (minimum day)