Dear Will Rogers Parents and Guardians,
As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. This is a time for reflection, a time to pause and appreciate the many blessings in our lives, and most importantly, a time to acknowledge the strength of the community we are building together.
Thanksgiving, as we know it today, has a long and complex history. While the holiday is often associated with the shared meal between early settlers and Native peoples, it’s essential to remember that its origins are deeply rooted in the resilience, wisdom, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. These original stewards of the land cared for it for thousands of years, and it is with great respect and gratitude that we honor their cultures and traditions. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, may you reflect on this history and the ongoing connection we share with the Indigenous peoples who continue to shape our understanding of community, land, and sustainability. We are so grateful for the WRLC Regenerative Farm that offers our students a place and space to do this daily.
At its core, Thanksgiving is about coming together in gratitude—reflecting on what we have, what we’ve overcome, and how we can move forward as a unified community. It’s an opportunity to embrace inclusivity, to celebrate diversity, and to honor the gifts we’ve received from those who have come before us. This time of year invites us to pause and give thanks for the many people and experiences that have shaped our lives, while also recognizing the responsibility we have to build a future that respects and honors all peoples.
As we reflect on what we’re grateful for, I can’t help but think of our wonderful WRLC school community. Each and every one of you plays an integral role in creating an environment where our students can thrive. Your involvement—whether it’s in the classroom, at school events, or through the everyday support you offer your children—makes all the difference. Your dedication and commitment to the well-being of our students and the nurturing of their growth is something we are deeply thankful for.
As a reminder, school will be held on only Monday and Tuesday of this week, so please mark your calendars for the shortened schedule. We want to make the most of our time together before the break!
Celebrations from the Week:
We are thrilled to share that our Fall Movie Night was a tremendous success! Thank you to our amazing PTA for organizing such a fun and engaging event. It was wonderful to see so many families come together, enjoying a night of entertainment, conversation, and community-building. These moments of connection are what make our school feel like a true family, and we look forward to many more opportunities for togetherness in the future.
As we enter this season of reflection and gratitude, I encourage each of you to take some time to rest and recharge. It’s so important that we care for ourselves in order to better care for others. Whether you’re spending the break with loved ones, resting at home, or simply taking a moment for quiet reflection, I hope you find peace and renewal in the days ahead.
I wish you all a peaceful, restful, and joyful Thanksgiving. With warm regards and heartfelt thanks,
Ms. Lila Daruty, Principal WRLC
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mon. 11/25 Coughlin/Eackelbary Field Trip - Santa Monica Bay Aquarium 9am-12:00pm
Wed. 11/27-29 Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
Mon. 12/2 Volunteer Training 8:30am (library), 3:00pm (library) and 6:00pm (cafeteria)
Tues. 12/3 Alexander Field trip to 826LA 8:45-1:45
Wed. 12/4 5th grade Field Trip to the to Nutcracker Performance at 12:15p.m.
Thurs. 12/5 4th grade music class canceled
Thurs. 12/5 5th grade music informance in auditorium. Concert time: 2:00-3:00pm
Sun. 12/8 Family Farming Day 10:00-1:00 in Regenerative Farm
Tues. 12/10 Hoffman-Ellis Field trip to 826LA 8:45-1:45
Thus. 12/12 School Tour 9:00-10:00am
Thurs. 12/12 5th grade music class canceled
Thurs. 12/12 4th grade music informance. Concert time: 1:40-2:30pm
Fri. 12/13 Peacemaker Monthly Mtg 9-9:45am
Thurs. 12/19 WRLC Winter Choral Concert
8:30 a.m. Kindergarten
9:00 a.m. 1st and 2nd Grades
9:45 a.m. 3rd and 4th Grades
10:35 a.m. 5th grade
1:00 p.m. TK
Fri. 12/20 PTA-Sponsored Staff Hot Chocolate Bar for WRLC staff 8-9:45 in 501
Fri. 12/20 NO LATE START; Minimum Day (TK/K 12:10; 1st-5th 1:00)
Fri. 12/20- Jan. 3rd WINTER BREAK
Mon. 1/6 First Day back after Winter Break
Mon. 1/6 Pupil Free Day for (secondary schools)
SMMUSD 2024-2025 Calendar
Wellness Room
We need your creativity, passion, and helping hands to design a space that will make a real difference for our WRLC community!
Thanks to a generous grant from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, we have the exciting opportunity to revamp and create "Well Spaces" around our campus for both students and staff. These rooms will be safe, calming, and dedicated to trauma healing, resilience building, and fostering emotional well-being.
Our goal is to create designated spaces where students can feel safe, calm, and supported in regulating their emotions. These rooms will provide a sanctuary for students to reset, engage in restorative justice (RJ) circles, attend counseling sessions, and participate in small group lessons designed to promote self-reflection and socio-emotional growth.
We need your help!
On Wednesday, November 27th, we're seeking volunteers who have some free time, creativity, and an eye for design to help us organize and set up these spaces. If you're passionate about creating an environment that supports well-being, we'd love for you to join us!
How you can help:
- Organizing and arranging furniture
- Designing calming elements (colors, textures, decor)
- Bringing ideas to life that promote emotional safety and healing
If you're available to lend a hand, on this day or another, please contact our school psychologist, Ms. Shannon Brinkworth, at sbrinkworth@smmusd.org.
Together, we can create a space that fosters healing, connection, and resilience for everyone at WRLC. Thank you for considering being a part of this important project!
WILL ROGERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Early Elementary Building Project
Nov. 11 through Nov. 15, 2024
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is progressing with the construction at Will Rogers' Learning Community. The project includes a new pre-K and kindergarten classroom building, along with a multi-sport artificial turf field. Additionally, there will be outdoor natural learning spaces adjacent to the seven-classroom building, new basketball courts, handball walls, and other recreational amenities.
For more information on Rogers’ campus projects, please contact Simpson & Simpson Consultant Senior Construction Operations Liaison Chris Emmett at cemmett@smmusd.org.
The Salvation Army Angel Tree Application for Christmas Assistance
Every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas morning. 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.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS
Oakwood Roots Venice Farmers’ and Wellness Market: Seasonal Produce, Local Foods, Wellness Classes, Holistic Healing. Westminster Avenue, November 21, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
City of Santa Monica Annual Christmas Tree Lighting: Local choirs, ballet dancers of Westside Ballet performing excerpts from “The Nutcracker”, snow play, arts and crafts, hot chocolate and refreshments. 1300 Block, Third St. Promenade, Nov. 21, 6-8 p.m.
L.A. Law Library Office Hours: Legal research specialists help patrons find answers to legal questions. Santa Monica Main Library, November 21, 2-6 p.m.
Tech & Tasks: Volunteer tutors offer free help reading documents, writing letters and resumes, completing forms, navigating government websites, using mobile devices, email and more. Thursdays, Santa Monica Main Library, 2-4 p.m.
Teen Literary Lounge: Join a reading party just for teens aged 12-18. Pick up a free copy of “Braiding Sweetgrass” or bring a book of choice to discuss. Bond over books, snacks and music. Santa Monica Main Library Teen Activity Room, Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m.
“Tuesday Tales: A Traveling Storytime:” A fun and engaging weekly series of stories, songs and rhymes for ages 2-5. At 4 Santa Monica Library Branches. 10:30-11 a.m.
Holiday Book Fair: Kids and teens are invited to “shop” for and gift wrap free books for parents, siblings or someone special. SM Fairview Library Branch, Dec. 3, 4-5 p.m.
Literary Lounge: Bond over books, snacks and music. Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30 p.m.
Teen Arts/Crafts Workshop: Personalize a compact, trinket box, or barrette in Decoden, a Japanese style of decorating, with faux frosting and kawaii charms. All materials will be provided. For ages 12-18. Santa Monica Main Library, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 4-5 p.m.
Walk-In Legal Clinic : Meet 1-on-1 with Legal Aid Foundation lawyers for help with housing and other issues. Ongoing Wednesdays, 4:30-7 p.m.
Free US Citizenship Classes: Study the 100 Civics questions, review citizenship applications, practice dictations and prepare for the interview. Ongoing.
Free ESL Conversation Classes: Group classes and 1-on-1 tutoring.
Social Service Assistance: Family Nutrition & Health Care Access: Meet with community health workers to sign up for benefits. Virginia Park, SM, Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.- 7 p.m.
ART CART at lunchtime!
Tuesday is our lunchtime ART CART day. Students are invited to participate in creative art projects and handicrafts during lunchtime. This is possible through the support of our parent volunteers. If you would like to volunteer for lunchtime on Tuesdays, please sign up using the link below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050445AFAF28A2FB6-51251277-artcart
We would also love donations here is our wishlist for the art cart here. We'd also love some brown paper bags if parents can bring them in for us.
The school provides the supplies, your support requires:
You are a level 1 cleared volunteer
You are willing to safely supervise students with proper use of art tools and materials
Enthusiasm for working with children
Enjoyment with crafts and art
Oops, I Forgot!
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!
Please do not forget to send with your child every day:
- 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!
WRLC Cell Phone and Electronics Policy
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.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
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
WRLC is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years School (PYP)
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.
LUNCH MENU
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.
Contact Us
Email: ldaruty@smmusd.org
Website: https://www.smmusd.org/rogers
Location: 2401 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90406
Phone: 310-452-2364
Twitter: @WillRogersSTEM