N E W S L E T T E R - N O V- D E C 2 0 1 5
Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies inspiration
imagination
innovation
Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies • 5014 Serrania Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 • (818) 340-6700 • www.SerraniaCharter.org
PRINCIPAL CORNER
The Importance of Cultural Diversity at Serrania!
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t has already been a month since arriving to Serrania and every single one of those days has been full of great learning experiences as I interact with our diverse students. Many of those students have approached me inquiring if I speak Spanish or any other language other than English. The very moment I reply to them in Spanish, or in the few words I know in Armenian, their eyes light up, excited to know I speak a language they too speak. The demographics of our school represent a rich environment from which our children can learn so much from one another. Our school is culturally diverse and that is an important powerful advantage in learning to accept and celebrate diversity. According to recent research, students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop a deep understanding and respect for other cultural perspectives while learning to flourish in a multicultural, multiethnic environment. By students exploring another culture’s music, art, literature, design, food, and
language it allows for them to incorporate these “new” ideas into their own thought processes and expand their critical thinking skills. As a principal, and as a member of this rich culturally diverse community, I am fully vested in ensuring that Serrania Charter strives to continue to create a safe haven where all children feel proud and empowered by their cultural heritage and ethnic roots, regardless of background or religious beliefs, and share those experiences openly with one another in the classroom. As parents, we must also strive to teach our children about the great value we find in diversity. I hope I can count on your support to carry this vision from our school to your kitchen table. Once again, thank you for making Serrania the place to be! Sincerely,
Principal, Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies
THANK YOU for supporting our first campus beautification event of the 2015-2016 school year. Together, in only 3 hours, we accomplished a lot to make our campus shine. With about 20 adults and 10 kids participating, we were able to clean-up the unwanted grass and weed growth on our track in preparation for our upcoming Halloween parade, re-establish tree and plant surrounds (aka “berms”) to hold water in the planter beds, cut back lots of dead foliage (especially on our Hummingbird Sage and Lavender plants), pulled weeds, watered thirsty plants, and planted pretty new flowers around tree bases, both in decorative pots and in the kinder yard blue planters. We also swept away spider webs and picked-up trash. I am SO GRATEFUL for the love and positive energy each of you brought to campus that day. We really appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to being a part of our ongoing efforts to keep our campus looking beautiful! Gratefully Yours, Jennifer Termini Serrania Green Team Chair
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Pa r e n t i n g S e m i n a r S e r i e s
By Lauren D. Appelbaum, PhD, CPCC Perhaps this parent workshop should have been called, “Because I said so doesn’t work.” Parents who attended the workshop on October 6, came in knowing that just telling their children to do things because they said does not result in cooperative behavior, at least not without a struggle. Parents were looking for another way, a better way. When kids don’t listen, parents often respond with punishment. We yell, take things away, don’t let our kids see friends or have them sit in time out. While punishment can work, often it comes with a lot of distress to both the child and the parent. The effects of punishment are often temporary and, after a while, the undesired behavior reemerges. A more effective strategy is to reinforce the behavior we want to see. For instance, just as an adult may want to do a good job to get a bonus at work, a child will want to follow directions and behave well to get a reward. The beauty of a strategy involving reinforcement is that its effects are long lasting. Furthermore, when our kids are listening, doing their homework, getting dressed on their own in the morning, and turning off the tv or video games when asked, they are not ignoring us, procrastinating doing their homework, watching tv or playing video games. Parents often feel that a strategy involving
FREE Parenting Series Open to ALL Location: Science Lab, Room 29 8 am, Tues., Dec. 1 How to Help Your Child Handle Rejection/Building Resilience -Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., Jan. 12 Mapping the Playground -Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., Feb. 2 Tutors, Testing, and Homework: Balance with All Things Academia -Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., March 1 Boundaries with Other Parents/ Birthday Parties -Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., April 5 Social Media- Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., May 3 Self-Validation vs. The Need for Approval -Ryan Rosen, executive director of Camp Kinneret 8 am, Tue., June 7 Media Use/App Watch -Mr. Paquini
reinforcement for behaving well means that there are no consequences when kids don’t listen. We learned that a consequence is simply something that occurs as the result of a behavior. Consequences can be either positive or negative. So, rewarding a child for good behavior is a consequence. When children are receiving positive consequences for desired behavior, there will be a lot less need for negative consequences, like yelling or punishment. For positive reinforcement to work, the behavior has to be something the child is capable of doing and the reward has to be meaningful to the child. So, if your child is not making an effort to do the desired behavior, make sure that the behavior is not too difficult or complicated and that your child cares about the reward being offered. Using a behavior chart is a great tool for tracking desired behavior. A behavior chart shows how many stars, smiley faces or stickers a child earns each day by behaving well. Often these smaller reinforcements lead to a larger reward that the child is trying to earn. Even young children are able to follow along and see how they are doing when a behavior chart is used. Remember to be patient as behavior changes do not occur instantaneously.
Please join us for our annual Serrania Charter Winter Performance and enjoy watching our students sing songs of the season at one of our most popular celebrations! The multi-day performance schedule ensures that everyone can attend and that none of the performances are over-crowded. All of the grades and classes perform the same songs at each performance. Performances will take place in the Serrania CES Auditorium from 8:30–9:30am Please attend according the first letter in your last name: Tuesday, Dec. 15th Wednesday, Dec. 16th Thursday, Dec. 17th
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A – I J – P Q – Z
The children are working hard on perfecting their songs! We hope to see you all there!
Friday, October 30th Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies was transformed into a spooktacular world of Halloween Fun. The doors opened at 5:30, as guests entered to find a Pumpkin Patch, Wicked Woodlands, Sweet Treat Bake Sale, DJ KeithAllen, Chili Cook-Off, BBQ and of course, Trunk or Treating! With over 15 cars, the Trunk or Treat line up was stellar. Cars and trucks alike were all decked out in Halloween garb with volunteers manning their stations ready to hand out lots of candy to our boys and girls! We had special performances by our very own Cheer Squad and Ciara Dance, whose moves really stole the Halloween Show. The Wicked Woodlands proved to be just that, wicked! Wicked scary and wicked fun! Jennifer Termini and her team of volunteers put together one awesomely themed haunted room. Kids and adults alike lined up outside the doors for their chance at a good scare. We had ten chili cook-off participants submit their special recipes in this year’s contest. By the end of the night, a winner had emerged and chili had been sold and eaten! Jodye Alcon took first prize in this year’s contest with her Veggie Chili. It really was to die for! The BBQ was a popular stop this Hallow Eve’s Night. Gillian and Ricky were slinging delicious
hotdogs, hamburgers and pizza –all night long, feeding groups of hungry super heroes, goblins, princesses and monsters. The food and fun didn’t stop there! Sweet Treats were flying off the shelves over at Rabihah’s Halloween Bake Sale – beautifully decorated and packaged sweet treats sold like hot cakes. Everything from candy apples to cupcakes could be found.
Photos provided by Jodye Alcon Photography, Jennifer Termini and Amy Klosterman
Written by Amy Feder - Chair of Halloween Festival
As the night went on, the boys and girls danced to Halloween favorites like Thriller, did the Nae Nae and had a costume contest. Children were locked up by friends and family in the Serrania County Jail and as the event came to a close, the book fair was open and full, pumpkins were on the move and the happy children full of candy and holding light up toys left through the arches of the Serrania Halloween Festival. We’re already looking forward to an even bigger and better Halloween Celebration Next year. A special thank you to the Halloween Committee who spent countless hours putting the event together. Yevette Peterson, Alan de la Rosa, Jeff Sturges, Lisa Nakamura, Sadye Davenport, Lacey Donahue, Bill Chen, Jennifer Termini, Heather Coopersmith, Rabihah Abu Bakir and Gillian & Ricky Mammones.
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Ever wonder what goes on ‘Behind the Scenes’ of our exceptional school? Well you’re not alone… so we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight some of Serrania’s New staff – the people who work so hard every day to make sure SCES remains the wonderful place we all love. In this issue, we’re going to visit with Mr. Steve Allen our new Assistant Principal and Mimi Vallone, Assistant Principal, Elementry Instructional Specialist. We are so happy to have you in our Serrania Community. Greetings and salutations,
Preparing for Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences Written by Aidé Lara
Happy Fall Serrania Parents Teacher conferences are coming up! It’s a wonderful opportunity to really meet with your child’s teacher. Most of us have lots of questions but time might feel a little limiting. It’s a good starting point to know that most conferences are scheduled for about 20 minutes in length. The more prepared you can be going in, the more likely you are to get the most out of it for yourself and your child while respecting other scheduled parents’ time. Here are a few suggestions to make the most of your teacher conference:
My name is Steve Allen and I am the new Assistant Principal. I could tell from the moment that I stepped on campus that I will be working in a great educational environment. I am honored to be a part of the Serrania family. I have been in education as a teacher, math coach, coordinator and common core expert for almost 20 years. I look forward to sharing my experience and learning from the staff, students and parents here at Serrania. I am usually on campus Wednesdays, Thursdays, and some Tuesdays. In my spare time, I like to play with my son and daughter. I also enjoy music and playing guitar (when my 3 year old isn’t trying to take it away from me). Let’s have a great year together and please don’t hesitate to come by and say hello! My door is always open. Ta ta for now!
Hi, my name is Mimi Vallone and I am Serrania’s Assistant Principal, Elementary Instructional Specialist. I collaborate with Principal Alvarado and Asst. Principal Mr. Allen to develop our general and special education instructional programs. I also work closely with Parents, Teachers and various Specialists to create Individualized Education Plans (IEP). My goal is to make sure that each and every student has an optimal opportunity to learn and grow. I have been with LAUSD for over 20 years. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family. We like to go to the beach, go surfing and paddle boarding. I look forward to a wonderful year with the great students, families, and staff here at Serrania! Ms. Vallone
Assistant Principal
Mr. Allen
Assistant Principal
BEFOREHAND • Ask your child how things are going at school, and what he/she would like you to ask the teacher. What does your child like best about school? Are there any subjects he/she is having trouble with? • Write down your questions and take a notepad and pen with you to jot down any notes in case you may forget something.
DURING • Provide pertinent background: Inform the teacher of any relevant changes at home that you feel may play into your child’s school experience. Sometimes a new baby, divorce, etc. can affect
the way your child feels/behaves in the classroom and working together with the teacher can provide for smoother transitions. • Find out how your child feels socializing: Your child’s sociability can sometimes affect how well he learns. Ask the teacher how he gets along with other students. Does he hang out at recess with the same kids? Is anyone picking on him? Who are your child’s friends? • Make plans to follow up with your child’s teacher: Ask what the best way to get in touch is and when would
be appropriate to check back. • Ask questions: What grade level is your child performing? Is he turning in homework? Is the teacher concerned about your child’s class participation? How is your child doing relative to the class? What special help can be offered your child to keep him on track?
AFTERWARDS • Follow-up: Review any decisions you’ve made together see how things are working. Check if there’s any reason to request another meeting, and when.
• Your child might be curious as to the discussion: Decide in advance how you will convey which information. Some will be beneficial to him in knowing so that he may perform better. Finally, remember going in that many teachers have done this for years and may have a streamlined style of doing their conferences that they find works! It might be perfectly OK to let teacher take the lead and see if they hit all the points on your list. They might have the same topics of concern as you.
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With the holiday season fast approaching, we’re happy to announce that our annual Serrania Kid’s Holiday Gift Shop will be opening December 4th! Offering loads of great items ranging in price $1-$10, we’re sure you’ll find great gifts for friends and family (and even a treat or two for yourselves)! As always, this is a wonderful opportunity to not only support our school, but to empower our kids to make decisions, think about their friends and family, and learn about the value of money. The Serrania Kid’s Holiday Gift Shop will be open every day at Recess, Lunch and After School. As always, we’re looking for people to lend a hand, so if you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Christine Guerra at cepollick@yahoo.com to sign up... it’s an easy and fun way to help our students find that special gift.
Serrania Elves are Coming! The Elves are coming to Serrania to help collect toys for the
Spark of Love Toy Drive
Beginning Tuesday, December 1st through the morning of Friday, December 11th. Students should bring their new, unwrapped toy donations to their classrooms. The Elves will stop by each class to gather the toys and spread some holiday cheer by presenting a special edition “Elf Button” to each child who donates a toy. When shopping for your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and any other special children in your life, we hope you will consider buying extra toys to brighten the holidays of another child. Thank you for your generosity and support this holiday season.
Shutterfly & Tinyprints Fundraiser Hey Serrania families! Now you can order photo prints, holiday cards, photobooks, invitations and personalized holiday gifts AND help make money for our school! Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies has teamed up with Shutterfly and Tinyprints! When ordering holiday cards, photo books, prints, invitations and more, simply go to http://serrania.shutterflystorefront.com/ and Serrania will earn 13% commission on every order!
Early Bird Special
$23 soft cover
$28
hard cover
SERRANIA CHARTER 6 YEARBOOK 2015-201 Orders must be received by Dec.14th to receive this special pricing. Regular yearbook price is $27 soft cover & $32 hard cover
Don’t miss out, order your yearbook today! Cash or checks payable to Serrania Charter
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This program, event or activity is not presented, endorsed, recommended, supervised, approved or sponsored by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The district assumes no liability or responsibility for any loss or injury arising out of participation and is merely permitting this material to be disseminated at this facility because of the possible interest of students / faculty.
Shine on Serrania Annual Giving Campaign
A HUGE Thank You to the Serrania families
who have made their annual Shine on Serrania contribution this year: Alcon-Kirshman, Aldershoff, Alfares, Anonymous, Altonian, Armenta, Anonymous, Avedissian, Ayala, Banks, Anonymous, Berenbaum, Berg, Bolotnick, Bonver, Cabezas, Campbell, Carew, Carrascoza, Celestino, Chen, Cohen, Cole, Cook, Crowther, Davenport, De La Rosa, Dellinger, Doty, Doustkam, Durest, Estrada, Evanson, Falco, Fauber, Feist, Fromin, Garcia, Garcia, Golestani, Golla, Gonzalez, Grant, Gunderson, Habeeb, Hager, Harbour, Hemmati, Hill, Hochbert, Hornstein, Howard, Hubbard, Hyman, Jacobson, Jubrail, Kamins, Katz, Kavoss, Kim, Klosterman, Knopf, Konstantini, Kotthru, Kravchenko, Larassani, Latchinian, Lee, Lippman, Lopez, Madjeski, Mahgrefteh, Malta, Mammone, Mashaih, McKean,Mitev, Mohammadkhanili, Mirlis, Moghadassi, Molina, Najafi, Nakamura, Nalls, Natarajan, Novitz, Ocon, Orozco, Pananyan, Parthipan, Pasternak, Pellegrini, Peterson, Pollack, Pruitt, Qin, Rachmadi, Rabani, Ramadan, Ramakrishnaw, Rapacon, Reyes, Richards, Rizzo, Sah, Salazar, Santos, Santos, Saunders, Scott, Sebastian, Serban, Shaolian, Shojae Ghisar, Smith, Smith, Solorzano, Spencer, Anonymous, Stadlinger, Sturges, Teele, Termini, Tran, Valentine, Velasco-Atilano, Vishenker, Volodchenkov, Waser, Watson, Weingarten, Welcome, Williamson, Wilson, Wu, Zbrojik, Calloway, Difilippo, Dy, Feder, Henderson, Khehra, Maloney, Robbins, Shetty, Stillwell, and Anonymous.
HELP US REACH 100% PARTICIPATION!
It’s not too late to give. With your help, we can fund the programs that help make our school great. But we need every family’s name on this list – including YOURS!! We ask each family to contribute $250 per child per year. If you can’t give the suggested amount, please give whatever you can to our GREAT public school. Make the payment all at once or pay by the month. Please donate online at www.serraniacharter.org. This program, event or activity is not presented, endorsed, recommended, supervised, approved or sponsored by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The district assumes no liability or responsibility for any loss or injury arising out of participation and is merely permitting this material to be disseminated at this facility because of the possible interest of students / faculty.
November 9–20 Please join Friends of Serrania as we help those who are less fortunate by giving to Serrania Charter’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Collected foods will be donated to West Valley Food Pantry, which distributes food to over 1,400 West Valley families in need. Help us stock their shelves for the holidays! Students can bring food donations to their classrooms. There will be food donation collection areas in the school auditorium and in the kindergarten yard. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need! Sponsored by Friends of Serrania
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