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Dear Will Rogers Learning Community Parents and Guardians,

Reminder: there is no school tomorrow, 11/6. It is a Pupil Free Day for parent conferences. If you are scheduled to be on campus tomorrow, please check-in at the front office. We do not have childcare available, please make sure you supervise your children if they need to accompany you. The playground is not open for play, our staff is not able to supervise.

This week begins parent conferences. Teachers have scheduled times to meet with parents/guardians to discuss the progress of your children this academic year. We ask that ALL parents arrange for a conference. Teachers will prepare for these meetings by providing assessment data and progress on the state standards. Please keep your appointments and communicate if you need to re-schedule. We ask that if you are from a two-household family you schedule one conference. This will ensure that the same information is shared to both households to work as a team to support your child.

Why are Parent-Teacher Conferences important?

Parent-Teacher Conferences help promote a positive working relationship between parents and teachers. It is your opportunity to ask questions and hear how your child is progressing thus far. Conferences typically last 15-30 minutes and your child's teacher will share information on their academic performance.

What if my child's teacher expresses concerns?

Ask questions to help you understand the concern. Teachers will always share areas of growth as well as areas of strength. This is your chance to ask for resources, ideas for support at home and how to speak to your child about any concerns. Teachers (just like parents) want to support the student to be successful at school and beyond.

Don't forget to stop by the library this week, to shop at the Scholastic Book Fair!

Together for Will Rogers,

Ms. Lila Daruty, Principal WRLC

This week:

• Scholastic Book Fair is open this week!
• NO SCHOOL on Monday, 11/6 for Parent teacher conferences
• Minimum days Tuesday- Thursday.
• NO SCHOOL on Friday 11/10 for Veteran's Day

Fri. 11/3-11/9 Fall Scholastic Bookfair. Visit our fair homepage:

www.scholastic.com/bf/wrlc to view the bookfair schedule and set up an ewallet for your student!

Mon. 11/6 Pupil Free Day: NO SCHOOL

Tues. 11/7-11/9: Minimum Days. TK/K 8:25-12:10 p.m. and 1st-5th 8:25-1:00 p.m.

Thurs. 11/8 Parent workshop @10 a.m. at Lincoln Middle School. The topic is Special Education 101: Digging deeper into the IEP pages and acronyms. Here is a flier to share with parents.

Fri. 11/10 No School (Veteran's Day)

Tues. 11/14 WRLC Parent Support group session @ 7:00 p.m. via zoom

Thurs. 11/16 Second Grade Friendship Feast 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

Thurs. 11/16 WRLC Presentation at the SMMUSD board meeting @ 5:30 p.m.

Fri. 11/17 TK Friendsgiving 10:30-11:45 am

Fri. 11/17 PTA Fall Family RODEO Dance 6:00-8:00p.m. in the auditorium

11/22-11/24 Thanksgiving Break: No School

Thurs. 11/30 ELAC meeting @8:30 a.m.

Thurs. 11/30 School Site Council Meeting @ 3:10 p.m

SMMUSD 2023-2024 Calendar

Maria Nielson is joining our front office team as our Senior Office Specialist (SOS). Let's give her a warm Rogers welcome!

Maria comes with 18+ years in supporting students, families, teachers and administrators in SMMUSD and Santa Barbara Unified School District. In addition, she worked and volunteered at the Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara (non-profit organization with lifespan services for families, children, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities).

Maria is a native of Santa Monica and attended Edison, John Adams, SAMOHI, and the Adult Education Center and is excited to be back in Santa Monica to be closer to family.

PHASE 1 construction area: In preparation for Phase 1 of construction, which is set to begin during winter break, (2) trailers will be delivered afterschool on Nov. 7th Their location (on the current grassy field) will be the headquarters for the construction crew. Temporary fencing will be installed around the trailers to indicate the area is off limits. Students will be directed to play away from this area.

Shade structure update: This Friday, more holes will be drilled on the 1st grade yard. On Saturday, poles will be installed and by Monday one portion of the shade shelter will be completed. In two weeks, the second shade structure will be installed. This project was delayed due to a mistake in the number of poles delivered.

Portable restroom installation: TBD. Sometime between now and winter break, I will keep you updated.

Thank you to everyone who helped with our Dia De Los Muertos Family Engagement Event. It was a success. We appreciate our partnership with ELAC in hosting such a well attended event. It is events such as this that make our community so special. Parent volunteers made this all possible and we hope you know how very appreciative we are of you!

Thank you to all the volunteers that attending our family Farming + Beautification Day yesterday! We did it again! A lot of work, fun and community building!vBesides working the farm, starting to organize the new tool shed and plant succulents in the 100 corridor, we installed [on our farm's gatel the medallions that were decorated by the students during the Fall Festival and during class with our Art Teacher Heather J. McAdams in collaboration with Art Cart (@Kellie Kay)

Keep collaboration projects coming!

Thanks to every classroom family that was able to donate to the Ed Foundation so far this year! Last week, the Ed Foundation ran a contest sponsored by Handel’s that helped us jump from 12% of family participation to 23%. 1st grade families driving the highest participation, with TK/K and 2nd close behind, defined as families who have donated at any dollar amount.

And, ALL families will benefit from an ice cream on November 7, as Handels’ will be donating 10% of sales back to our PTA, funding the things our students use every day in class, and 10% back to SM Ed Foundation, funding staff and programs our students rely on.

IB Unit Planning

Most grade levels are working on either their 2nd or 3rd unit. Here's what each grade level worked on this past week.

Kindergarten - The students began their weather unit with a discussion about what is weather. They also did a types of weather activity.

First Grade - The students came to the STEM Lab to do a pinhole lab, where they learned that light helps you to see (see pictures below).

Second Grade - The students continuing to learn about Stellaluna.

Third Grade - The students went to City Hall for a field trip. They also did a local government scavenger hunt.

Fourth Grade - The students started their second unit - How the World Works. They learned about different rocks and fossils and did a STEM Lab activity on the rock cycle (see pictures below).

Fifth Grade - The students learned about properties of matter. The students came to the STEM Lab to do a matter lab where they did property tests to determine a mystery powder (see pictures below).

Congratulations to our 2023-2024 STUDENT COUNCIL cabinet. We are so proud of each and every fifth grader who ran for a seat on the council. Last week our capable candidates gave speeches to ALL 4th and 5th graders, staff, teachers and parents/guardians. They were phenomenal! Such creative ideas, speeches and campaigns!

We look forward to all the ways our leaders will make Will Rogers even better!

Friends of the community: Olive Allen

Spirit Advisor: Shanti Haarten-Marchevsky

Eco Champion: Goldie Gordon

Co-Captain: Ross Sullivan

Captain: Charley McCain

Will Rogers Learning Community is dedicated to creating a cooperative community where students can learn the value of conflict, strategies for managing conflict, and problem solving skills for win-win solutions to conflict. Near the close of last school year students in 3rd and 4th grades, nominated peers to be trained as a Peacemaker. We encouraged students to apply based on their desire to help others and their school. Peacemakers are current 4th and 5th grade peer mediators who are trained in mediation and negotiation skills in order to assist other students in resolving conflicts peacefully.

Beginning LAST WEEK our student leaders will be available at recess lunchtime to support their peers with playground and friendship conflict.

We are very proud of our Peacemakers for their dedication and support of the community at Will Rogers. They are easy to spot on the yard proudly wearing their Peacemaker jackets ready for service!

If you have any questions about this valuable program you can reach out to our school counselor Khatija Dadabhoy kdadabhoy@smmk12.org who helps facilitate this NEW program!

We could use your support at recess lunchtime! If you would like to volunteer your time to support our students during recess or lunch, please complete this Google Form. We can really use your help and it can be a lot of fun! You can facilitate an organized game and just be there to support students as they play with each other. If you have already been cleared as a volunteer, you’ll meet with our assistant principal, Ms. González, to review yard expectations before starting. If you have not been cleared, you’ll need to complete the process to be a volunteer. Yard expectations will now be included as part of the volunteer training. Our volunteer training dates are listed on our school calendar.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Gabriela González, M. Ed, NBCT

Assistant Principal

ggonzalez@smmusd.org

Please label your child's water bottle, lunchbox, and clothing! The racks are already getting full. All teachers have a designated wagon/lunch cart/bucket they take outside at lunchtime. After eating lunch your children should place their items in their classroom's designated cart, BEFORE they go play! Help us remind children to follow this procedure. It will help keep the yard clean and their items returned home each day!

Mornings are busy and sometimes students leave for school without their water bottle, instrument or homework. In an effort to reduce classroom interruptions and to support students with developing responsibility, please use our "Oops, I forgot" table. It is located outside the main office.

Make a plan with your child that if they leave something at home, a parent may drop it off in the office. We will place their labeled item on the "Oops, I forgot table." During their recess or on their way to lunch, they may check the table for a 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!

If you would like to help us with art cart during Tuesday lunchtime, please volunteer using the link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040848ADA72EA0FF2-44895972-wrlc

For our upcoming Rodeo Dance on 11/17, please sign up to help donate items for the event.

Please note that dinner will not be sold or served at the dance. Please eat beforehand, bring your refillable water bottle, and enjoy complimentary desserts, fruit and water!
Help make this event a success!

• Sign up to bring baked goods to the front office by Thursday Nov 16.

Tenga en cuenta que no habrá comida tipo cena y no se venderá comida en el baile. ¡Coma con anticipación, traiga su botella de agua reusable y disfrute de postres, frutas y agua de cortesía!
¡Ayuda a que este evento sea un éxito!
Regístrese para llevar productos horneados a la oficina principal antes del Jueves 16 de Noviembre.

We need your help to reach our school wide $20,000 goal! If every Will Rogers family contributes $40 to our fund we can reach our goal! So please donate today and help us reach our goal - if we meet our goal, the whole school will earn a dance party at recess!

Please remember to join or renew your annual PTA membership! Membership gives you a voice in planning for the success of every student at Rogers.

If you are looking for a way to volunteer or want more information please fill out our volunteer form. If you have any questions please email our Volunteer VP Jessica Lew at

volunteers@willrogerspta.com. https://forms.gle/CRHSPjfZymg2c846A

Don't miss out on your chance to save 10% on the Will Rogers Community Yearbook! Order yours before October 31st to save! You'll get two free custom pages to customize by April 15th. Any questions, please reach out to wrlcyearbook@gmail.com

https://web.treering.com/create-account/1013782539131906?PassCode=1013782539131906

The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. Once a child or senior adult has been registered and accepted as an Angel their Christmas wish list is shared with donors in your community who purchase gifts of new clothing and toys. The gifts are distributed to the family to place under their family Christmas tree. Sign-up here information below.

Principal, Ms. Lila Daruty M.Ed

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