Dear Edison Families,

Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year!

I hope you are enjoying your final days of summer, and excitedly getting ready for the start of the new school year. My name is Elizabeth Ipiña, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new principal of Edison Language Academy. It is truly an honor to lead such a vibrant and unique community.

As we embark on this new school year, I’d like to share a little about my background. Although I am stepping into this role for the first time, I am no stranger to Edison. In fact, I am proud to be entering my 29th year as an Edison Language Academy staff member. My journey began many years ago when I joined Edison as a First and Second Grade Teacher. During that time, I developed my skills as a dual immersion educator alongside some of our esteemed veteran teachers.

After a brief sabbatical to start my family, I returned to Edison as an English Reading Specialist, where I honed my literacy skills and discovered my passion for helping striving students. This path led me to become an English Language Development Coach, focusing on teaching our English Learners and supporting fellow educators in best practices. During this time, I was fortunate to be recommended for a position with UCLA's Reading and Literature Project, where I traveled across the state, training teachers in effective strategies for English Learners.

As my skills in professional development blossomed, I took on the role of Professional Development Leader at Edison, providing training for both our district and our dedicated teachers. Eventually, I transitioned into a Language and Literacy Interventionist role, merging my literacy and language development expertise to support both striving students and English Learners in reaching their fullest potential.

My passion for education also led me to search out valuable experiences in administration. I served as the district's Summer School Administrative Intern for several years running programs in both Santa Monica and Malibu. Three years ago, I had the opportunity to become Edison’s first Assistant Principal. During this time, I had the privilege of working alongside two exceptional leaders at both Edison and Grant School, gaining invaluable insights into what it takes to run a successful school.

Beyond my professional journey, I am also a proud parent of two immersion graduates who attended the SMMUSD immersion pathway at Edison, JAMS, and SAMOHI. It has been an incredible joy to witness them flourish into intelligent, thoughtful, respectful, and reflective bilingual and bicultural individuals.

As we set forth on this journey together, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering commitment to our mission: to cultivate students who excel academically, possess rich bilingual skills, and develop reflective socio-cultural competence. These are the cornerstones of our dual immersion program and the aspirations we hold for your children's education.

I eagerly anticipate partnering with you to transform Edison into a microcosm of the world we envision for our children. Your involvement is an essential ingredient in the success of our school and in your child’s educational journey. As our motto says, I look forward to doing this work:

Juntos a Través de Dos Idiomas / Together Through Two Languages

Warmest regards,

Elizabeth Ipiña

Monday, August 19th

• No School
• Beautification Day on campus, 9am-12pm
• 5th grade Parent Meeting in Zoom, 6pm

Tuesday, August 20th

• No School
• New Family Tostada Potluck, 4pm - 6pm

Wednesday, August 21st

• No School
• Preschool Meet and Greet 9:30am
• Class assignments viewable on Aeries after 3pm

Thursday, August 22nd

• 1st Day of School
• Minimum Day

Friday, August 23rd

• 2nd Day of School
• Minimum Day

The first day of school is Thursday, August 22nd. It is a very exciting day for everyone, but it can also create some anxious feelings. To ensure a smooth start to the school year, follow these tips:

• Prepare the night before. Pack your child's backpack (water, food, jacket) and chose what your child will wear.
• Discuss the plan for the day. Talk about what will happen in the morning and what will happen after school.
• Find out who your child's teacher will be. You can see who your child's teacher is by logging into the parent portal for Aeries on August 21st after 3pm. We will also post class lists at both gates that morning.
• Make sure you know your child's gate assignment. If you have more than one child, both children can enter in the same gate. We recommend entering in the gate of the youngest child. See gate assignments below.
• Let your child know that you will not be entering campus. We are a closed campus, so parents do not enter with their child. Students say good bye at the gate and then walk inside the school to the cafeteria. Inside the cafeteria, they will sit at the lunch table with their teacher's name on it. On the first day of school we will have a table out front for TK/K and 1st grade where you can bring your child to pick up a sticker with their teacher's name. This will help staff direct your child to the right table in case they forget their teacher's name. Don't worry, we do this every year and it works out fine.
• Give yourself extra time. It's better to be early than late. We recommend parking at Virginia Avenue Park and then walking over to campus so you can take your 1st day pictures, give your child a hug, and help them start the day in a calm positive way.

We have assigned gates and arrival times depending on the grade level. We encourage parents to park at Virginia Park and walk to campus to reduce congestion. If you must drop off your child, please follow the traffic flow instructions here. We are a closed campus which means parents do not enter campus unless they have school business. Parents will drop their child off at the gate and their child will enter by themselves and go to the cafeteria to wait for their teacher.

Students will exit through the same gates they entered (except for Kindergarten and TK, who will exit at the Preschool Gate). We have different dismissal times depending on the day. Please note that the first two days of school, August 22nd & 23rd, are minimum days. Please pick up your child on time!

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

Parents will be able to view their child's class assignment in Aeries on Wednesday, August 21st after 3pm. You must complete the DATA CONFIRMATION process to be able to see this information. We will also post class lists in front of the school on the first day.

When viewing your child's class assignment, keep in mind that we spent many hours balancing classes for the best teaching and learning experience. If your child did not get the teacher they wanted or is not with their best friend, maintain an open mind. This may be an opportunity for them to learn and grow in a way they weren't expecting.

DATA CONFIRMATION

Everyone should complete the data confirmation process before school starts so we know your contact information is correct and you have updated your child's emergency contacts. Please provide at least two emergency contacts in case we cannot reach the first one. You can access your Aeries parent portal account by clicking on the following link: https://santamonicamalibu.aeries.net/Student/LoginParent.aspx.

Ensure you log in using your parent account (parent email address) and not your child’s account. If you have never accessed the Aeries Parent Portal or forgot your password, click “forgot password,” enter the parent email address on file, and follow the instructions to reset your password.

Since last school year, we've experienced numerous changes, including the retirement of our wise leader of over 20 years, Lori Orum. We are deeply grateful for the strong foundation she established, which will support our continued growth. We are also excited for the beginning of this new chapter with new staff and fresh ideas.

New Staff - Welcome!

• Esther Vences (K Teacher) is a transfer from McKinley Elementary who is excited to use her excellent teaching skills in Spanish. She has experience with all grade levels as she also used to be the Science teacher for students in Malibu TK-5.

• Martha Vásquez (2nd Teacher) is a veteran teacher in the district who is transferring from Rogers Elementary. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience and knows our district well. I have worked alongside her in summer school several years and have always admired her dedication for serving our at promise population.

• Rachel Mauck (Instructional Coach) will be split between McKinley and Edison. Rachel was one of the original district coaches and then returned to the classroom, teaching both primary and upper grades at Grant School. While I worked at Grant, I was impressed with her ability to provide an inclusive classroom environment and incorporate Project Based Learning into her teaching.

• Azita Banu (Garden Teacher) is an urban farmer and educator who is also a semillista, artist, and community leader. She is trilingual (English, Spanish, Farsi) and has many wonderful ideas for getting our students involved in the garden. She inherited NGSS-aligned garden lessons from Lorissa Boxer (former 3rd-grade teacher), so she is well-positioned to work alongside our students to make our garden bloom.

• Jessica "Jess" Pannu (Day Custodian) was hired to replace our beloved Mark. She came highly recommended from the high school night position and is excited to work a day shift that aligns with her school-age son’s schedule. Mark has been showing her the ropes to ensure Jess knows how everything works at Edison.

• Jesica Ixtlahuac (Family Services Clinician/Coordinator) will replace our counselor Katie Cruz, who left us last year. We are thrilled to have her available every day except Wednesday to coordinate services, provide counseling, and support our mental health program at Edison. She will have two counseling interns working with her: Laura Geronimo and Esmeralda Villagomez.

• Tiara Hernández (School Psych Intern) will work alongside our school psychologist, Yesenia Arriaran. We are lucky to have Tiara for three full days (Wed-Fri).

Familiar Staff with a different role!

• Aída Díaz will be our Interim Assistant Principal

• Aileen Salmaggi will be our Spanish Reading Teacher/EL TOSA

• Susana Ortega-Castellanos will be a full-time SAI teacher at Edison only

• Maribel Cachú-Ríos will be our ¾ Split Grade Teacher

• Abraham Badillo will be our PE Teacher

• Fabian León Reyes will be a Para 3 (instructional aide in special education)

• Martha Rámirez Oropeza will be a Visual Arts Teacher 2nd semester

It may come as no surprise that students with regular attendance have higher achievement than those who miss school. This is especially important in a dual immersion program where students are not only learning content, but also developing language skills in two languages, while growing their socio-cultural competence.

We ask that students attend school everyday that they are not ill and that you plan vacations and doctor's appointments outside of school time. The Los Angeles County Dept of Public Health has these recommendations for parents when deciding whether or not to send their child who is showing signs of illness: English / Spanish.

If your child is going to be absent, please notify Melina Garcia either by calling the office 310-828-0335 ext 61-348 or emailing her at melinagarcia@smmusd.org. Provide your child's name, grade, teacher, and reason for the absence. For more information about attendance click here.

Note the only current masking requirement is to mask for 10 days following a positive case of Covid-19. The most up to date COVID instructions are also on our website located here: https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4059.

We’re excited to announce two fantastic opportunities to join our school community and help keep our kids safe and happy.

First, we are looking for friendly individuals to join our staff as campus monitors to provide daily supervision from 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM during lunch. Your day will start in the cafeteria with our adorable TK and K students and then move to the playground to ensure all grades have a fun and safe recess. If you or someone you know is interested in this job, please fill out an application here.

Additionally, we're thrilled to introduce our new “PARENT EYES” program. This is a program for parent volunteers to take an active role in school life and provide extra supervision during lunch. Volunteers will receive a brief training session from our Assistant Principal, don a stylish orange vest, and help supervise from 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM whenever they are available. This is a wonderful opportunity to be on campus, see your child in their school environment, and make a positive impact. Interested? Click here to express your interest. Not yet a trained volunteer? No problem! We’ll be offering training sessions soon, so let us know if you’d like to get involved.

ATTENTION ALL FAMILIES! We’re excited to invite you to our School Beautification Day on Monday, August 19th from 9 AM to 12 PM! Help us get our school ready for the first day by lending a hand in cleaning and organizing key areas, including the library, learning garden, and snack area. Your support makes a big difference, and we’d love to see our community come together for this important event. Bring your family, friends, and students who are old enough to lend a hand. If you can, bring a broom and dust pan. Volunteers can park in the back lot and enter through the parking lot gate. Let’s make our school shine! We can’t wait to see you there!

ATTENTION NEW FAMILIES! Join us on Tuesday, August 20 at 4pm, for a fun-filled afternoon designed especially for new families! This is a fantastic opportunity for your family to socialize with others, tour the campus, and let your child get familiar with their classroom before the first day of school.

All TK/K students will have a special chance to meet their teacher, who will show them where to enter the school and how to find their classroom. Plus, it’s a great way to kick off the school year with friends!

Each family is asked to bring one ingredient for a tostada feast (like tostada shells, beans, meat, cheese, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, or sour cream) to serve about 10 people.

Here’s the schedule for the event:

4:00-4:45 PM Tostada Potluck

4:45-5:15 PM Principal Presentation

5:15-6:00 PM. School Tour

We can’t wait to welcome you and your family to our school community! Let’s make some delicious tostadas and great memories together!

The Seaside Preschool staff cordially invites all preschool parents and their children to a Parent Orientation on Wednesday, August 21st from 9:30 am – 10:30 am. The purpose of this event is to give you and your child the opportunity to meet the teachers and get familiar with the classroom, so that your child can have a smoother transition into the first day of school. Light refreshments will be provided. Looking forward to beginning this journey together!

ATTENTION 5TH GRADE FAMILIES! Join us for an important planning meeting on Monday, August 19th at 6pm in Zoom. You will hear about the special events our 5th grade students will participate in this school year as well as how the parent group will raise money to pay for it. The first 5th grade fundraiser will be food sales during Back-to-School Night on August 27th, so it is important that we are prepared.

Zoom Link: https://smmk12.zoom.us/j/94163407262

ATTENTION ALL FAMILIES! Get ready for a fantastic evening where you can connect with your child’s teacher, explore their classroom, and meet other parents in the class! Back to School Night is your chance to learn about the exciting curriculum ahead and discover how you can support your child throughout the year.

We have two Back to School Nights scheduled:

• PreK-2nd Grade: August 27th

• 3rd-5th Grade: September 3rd

Both nights will feature delicious food, opportunities to socialize, volunteer training, and ways to get involved in our school community. Here’s the schedule for the evening:

5:00-5:45 PM. Volunteer Training in the Cafetorium

5:30-6:30 PM Food Sales in the Courtyard

6:00-6:30 PM. Principal Presentation in the Cafetorium

6:30-7:30 PM. Classroom Visits

Please note that this event is designed for parents only. We understand some parents may have childcare challenges, and we are looking into options for supervision. We’ll keep you updated, but we highly encourage you to attend without your children if possible.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to kick off the school year! We can’t wait to see you there!

A heartfelt thank you to all the students, staff, and parents who came to Edison over the summer to prepare it for the new school year! Your efforts were incredible—we pruned trees, weeded the garden, organized the bookroom, hired new staff, reorganized the PTA storage, moved classrooms, cleaned windows, power-washed the concrete, and updated our supplies and furniture. If you weren't able to join us this summer, don’t worry! There will be plenty of opportunities throughout the year to help Edison continue to shine brightly. We look forward to collaborating with you this school year!