Principal’s MessageThe principalship is truly beyond description. Based on the research, the principal is the instructional leader, organizational manager and the steward of school culture and vision. Based on this year’s experience, the principal is also a coach, cheerleader, therapist, track star, nurse, marriage counselor, friend, mentor, mentee, good cop, bad cop, traffic cop, crisis negotiator, dogcatcher, tear-dryer, general contractor, leader and follower. The principalship is truly beyond description. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

This has been a year marked by countless successes. We have taught hundreds of children to read with intention; write with voice; engage mathematical problems with deep reasoning and understanding; create masterpieces; make friends; keep friends; show empathy; hypothesize, analyze and learn from mistakes; and, persist when obstacles inevitably stand in their way.

As we move forward to next year, we will continue to focus our work, address the needs of the whole child and meet every student where they are. We will do this through Reading Comprehension Time, continued work on conceptual based learning in math, writer’s workshop and inquiry based learning across the STEM disciplines. We will support the work our families do by developing the social emotional skills of our children. We will expect

CALENDAR

MAY

25 Minimum Day All Grades K-5

- Kindergarten-8:25 am-12:10 pm

- Grades 1-5 - 8:25 am-1:00 pm

25 Open House- 6:30 pm

27 Furlough Day – No School

30 Memorial Day – No School

JUNE

3 Talent Show:

4 Beautification Day

6-10 Staff Appreciation Week

7 Career Days

10 Movie Night

11 Barnes and Noble Book Fair

13 End of Year 4/5 Music Concert

15 Volunteer Tea

21 Fifth Grade Promotion  

22 Last Day of school

JULY

School’s out!

AUGUST

30 School Opens/1st Semester Begins

THE PONY EXPRESSWILL ROGERS LEARNING COMMUNITY MAY - JUNE 2011

a lot from our kids. We will also expect failure. Because, if they’re not failing, they’re not trying. And if they’re not trying, they’re not learning to their fullest potential.

This has been a remarkable year. I have been fortunate enough to arrive at a school where teachers and staff are innovative and deeply committed. Where parents truly value community and have welcomed me with caring and supportive hearts. Where I have such a talented office staff and trusted colleague like Mary Anna Noveck from whom I have learned a great deal. And, where the kids beam with brilliance and

curiosity. Will Rogers is a special place. I am humbled to be part of this work and to have followed such visionary leaders. I am home.

I wish each of you a safe and fun-filled summer.

Steve Richardson

Principal

“I am excited to begin my new adventure [in] Ethiopia’s Tigray Region”

From the Desk of Mrs. NoveckAssistant Principal

Dear Will Rogers Learning Community,

It seems like yesterday when former superintendent John Deasy walked into my 4th grade classroom at McKinley Elementary School to see if I would consider becoming the Assistant Principal at Will Rogers. A month later I vividly recall Irma Lyons handing me the keys to the school and showing me where the emergency gas shut off valve was located. Little did I know then what a great team we would make, and what amazing and purposeful work we would be able to impart to this amazing community.

And now at last, the storm has cleared, the sun is out, and our new principal, Steve Richardson is at the helm bringing his wonderful wisdom, vision, intellect, people skills, leadership talents, and warm and compassionate spirit to Will Rogers.

Finally, after six amazing years, the time is right for me to make a change. My son is going off to college, Will Rogers is running smoothly, and our incoming kindergarten families are excited about joining our school community next year. Our innovative S.T.E.M. program is thriving, a solid social curriculum is in place, the P.S. Arts visual arts is strong, WRLC weekly student council announcements are now broadcasted school-wide on our Smart Boards, and our 2010 Title 1 Achievement Award is a direct result of our continued gains on state test scores and student achievement.

Looking ahead, I am excited to begin my new adventure, which will include traveling to Ethiopia’s Tigray Region to open a new primary school in October. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, where nearly half the children do not attend school. I will be traveling with a team of 20, to work directly with local community members in all stages of implementation from construction to training the Parent Teacher Association. In addition, I will have an opportunity to learn how to create a self-sustainable community, which includes building a garden with a micro-irrigation system. The income generated from the sale of the fruits and vegetables are used to fund the maintenance of the school. For those of you interested in learning more about my project you may go to the following link:

http://www.imagine1day.org/ethiopia2011-participants.htm#Mary-Anna-Noveck

I will forever hold the Will Rogers Learning Community and all our children past and present, dear to my heart.

With love and sincere gratitude,

Mary Anna Noveck

KINDERGARTENKindergarten classes have just finished the year-end assessments in reading and math. The children have made amazing progress and you will see the results of these assessments on your child’s progress report. In language arts our theme is ‘Spring Is Here’. One of the skills emphasized in this unit is phoneme segmentation (separating words into their individual sounds). In math we have completed addition and subtraction units as well as calendar, time and measurement. Our social studies trip to the Leonis Adobe was a huge success. It vividly taught the students the comparison and contrast between life today with life as it was in the 1890’s. In science we have studied living and non-living things, and we are now learning about landforms. If you have received notices from the school nurse regarding first-grade physicals or from the office about address verification, please take care of these as soon as possible. As we approach the final days of school please keep track of the remaining cafeteria lunches your child has and return any library books to Mr. Sea.

FIRST GRADEThis month we dive into Life Science and examine how plants and animals meet their needs. We are in the middle of lots of plant experiments including looking at how sun, water, soil, and air impact a plant's growth. We're growing radishes and beans, dissecting flowers, and making lots of observations. We even made animal teeth in the STEM lab! We are reading and writing nonfiction books. Students are writing "All About My House" books and "All

About Me" books. They are learning all about the features of nonfiction texts by reading "all about" books during Readers Workshop. We have painted whole-body self-portraits in art class. In pairs, children have taken each other's body measurements with tape measures. We have also been working hard on telling time and counting money. We love math! We are studying the needs and wants of our community. Stop by during Open House and visit our student built communities, sidewalks and all!

SECOND GRADESecond Grade students just finished their first year of state testing.  They spent time learning how to take tests and reviewing skills.  They were very serious and hard working during the test.  We are now full swing into our science unit on Life Sciences.  Students are learning about the life cycles of animals and plants.   They have dissected flowers to learn about the parts of a flower and their functions.   Students are excited about our gardens and bean plants.   We continue to watch for growth of our plants as well as changes in our caterpillars.  

In math, we are learning about multiplication and division.  Students need to learn their multiplication facts of 2, 5, and 10.  Students are also working on research projects, learning how to use the Internet and textbooks to gather information.  They are writing All About Books or Keynote Presentations on their topics.  We will be going on two field trips, one to LACMA, May 31st for a docent led tour of the art and the other to the Natural History Museum, June 8th.  We look forward to sharing our work during Open House.

THIRD GRADE

We are glad to be finished with state testing.  We have begun a new science unit on plant and animal adaptations. We will be writing animal reports as part of this unit. 

Our students are delighted to find that they are poets and are enthusiastically looking forward to our poetry performances. They are

writing a variety of poetry styles, with our Poet, Shelley Berger.  In math we are designing dream houses to help us delve into area and perimeter. As part of our PE program, we are starting Music 'N Motion.  We are looking forward to our field trip to Santa Monica Playhouse to see "And Away We Go".

FOURTH GRADEFourth graders are finished with CST testing and are now busily working on culminating projects for the school year.  We are preparing for Gold Rush Day, which will take place June 10th.  We are just a few weeks from summer vacation and here are some tips that will help you keep your skills sharp for next school year.

Over the summer, please continue to read, read and read! Students can access “Achieve 3000” at www.Kidbiz.com to read non-fiction articles and do related activities throughout the summer.

2. For math, students can access www.aaamath.com to review division, fractions, and multiplication. For math games, students can go to www.funbrain.com and practice their math skills in the math arcade section. Keep on top of those skills we learned this year and have a great summer!!!

FIFTH GRADE

Fifth Graders are busy wrapping up the year and getting ready for

Grade Level Updates

Middle School!  We are culminating our units of study by infusing the skills we've learned in Writing, Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies through some amazing projects.  We are looking forward to our end of the year dance, picnic, and swim party.  Most of all, we are looking forward to our 5th Grade Promotion ceremony!  Families, please remember that the 5th Grade Open House will take place Wednesday, June 1 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM in your child's homeroom. Students, here are some tips to help you prepare for 6th grade:

·      Read books from the Summer Reading List.  You will be required to complete a project when you return next year.  Look at the John Adams website to find out more information.

·      Watch for sales at office supply stores, so you can catch the deals on school supplies.

·      You will need frequent access to a computer as a middle school student.  Be sure you can obtain access to a computer either at home or at the public library.

·      Keep up on your math skills by using sites such as http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/math6shell.html

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/Math5.html

·      Keep your body active by setting a limit on television and video games.  Spend most of your time outside playing and spending time with family and friends.  Remember to wear sun block and wear a helmet when biking and skating.

At Will Rogers, our teachers, staff and PTA recognize the importance of providing a rigorous academic experience as well as one enriched in the arts. We know that “involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking and verbal skills.” Throughout this year, our Will Rogers

students have been exposed to a variety of enrichment opportunities. Unless otherwise mentioned below, all of these activities are funded by the Will Rogers PTA. This is why the PTA fundraising activities, and your donations, are so crucial every year.

Field Trips – Field Trips are designed to augment the learning in the classroom. This year, our kindergarteners were able to experience life in early California during their visit to the Leonis Adobe Farm; third graders

learned about species survival, habitats and African animals while watching a screening of the movie “African Cats”; after studying the California Missions, our fourth graders loved touring the San Gabriel Mission; fifth graders got a taste of “college life” on their tour of UCLA which included viewing a rat dissection and eating in the dorms. Fifth graders also attended the biggest field trip of them all – a week away at Outdoor Science School!

Art – All of our students participate in a weekly art program. Through this program students are exposed to a variety of techniques and mediums, art styles and artists. Additional funding has been provided by PS Arts.

Music – All of our students receive music education. Students in grades

K-1-2 attend a ten week music program by PS Arts. This wonderful program is based upon the Orff Schulwerk method which incorporates speech, singing, movement and instrument playing. Our third graders participate in a year- long music program provided by the District which focuses on music instruction, vocal music and learning to play a recorder. Students in fourth and fifth grade take either instrumental or vocal music classes weekly. This program is also funded by SMMUSD.

Other Enrichment Programs – Additional specialized programs have been provided to support specific grade level academic or social growth goals. These include:

Third grade – Third graders participated in a 6-week “Shakespeare’s Mirror” program as well as an eight- week “Poetry-in-Action” program. In the poetry program, students will write their own original poems as well as be exposed to the works of famous poets and the history of poetry.

Fourth Grade – Fourth graders participated in a district-sponsored ten-week “Contra Tiempo” dance program that fuses Salsa, Afro-Cuban, West African and Hip-Hop styles. In addition, they are taking theatre skills classes provided by PS Arts. These classes will reinforce social studies lessons as well as public speaking skills, team-building and self-confidence.

Fifth Grade – The hugely successful and very popular “Ballroom Madness” program for the fifth grade helps students gain self-confidence and poise. They learn about respect, trust and teamwork, while mastering the foxtrot, meringue, rumba, tango, waltz and swing,

By: By Joan Krenik, Vice President of Enrichment, PTA

Grade Level Updates (continued) Enrichment at Will Rogers

MARY ANNA NOVECK AWARDED GOLDEN OAK The Golden Oak is the highest honor given by the PTA. This

award is only given to individuals who have provided extraordinary service and dedication to our community

and students. The Will Rogers PTA is honored to present this award to our very own Mary Anna Noveck.

Mary Anna has been working in the SMMUSD district since 1989 and has served as our Assistant Principal since 2006. I have had the privilege of working with her for the last five years and marvel at her dedication and commitment to our school. She and Irma Lyons were focused on making Will Rogers the very best school it could be and never wavered in their quest. Through very difficult and stressful times, Mary Anna remained committed to this quest and provided invaluable support. Mary Anna, always committed to helping children, is leaving us in June to open a school in Ethiopia, Africa. We will miss her terribly and cannot thank her enough for her tremendous service to our community. - Joan Krenik

THE BEGINNINGWow!! Six years just flew by. For those of you who don’t know, I actually began my teaching career back at Will Rogers in 1989 in room 501 with a 4th and 5th grade class. Following the birth of my son Jake,

I taught at McKinley Elementary School for over 14 years, before returning to Rogers as Assistant Principal in 2006. Little did I know that I would have such an amazing gift as working for 3 ½ of those years with Principal Irma Lyons. Our work was focused, intense and invigorating.

SUCCESSI like to say the glass is only half full – we can do it!! Every school-wide decision we made was focused on what is best for our kids and our school community. We worked hard to build capacity and move Rogers forward both in

achievement and compassion. We now have a full time Art Program, a STEM Lab and dedicated Science Teacher, music in grades K-5, an annual

yearbook, an active and vibrant Student Council, a Halloween celebration, Ballroom Dancing, working gardens and a brightly painted school; active participation in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Program and access to the latest and best technology. We brought in Megan Franke and started the district’s first cognitively guided instruction program in math (this approach to teaching math was so successful, it has now been adopted district-wide!). These are only a few examples!

WISDOM1. Irma always said, “When life gives you lemons, it is time to make some lemon-aide!”

2. Schools should always be about “joy” and “rigor”.

IMAGINEAs many of you know, my son Jake is graduating from Santa Monica High School in June and I am eager to pursue some of my own personal hopes and dreams.  With this new opportunity, I have committed to

joining the Imagine1day organization to raise funds and participate in building a new primary school in Ethiopia, Africa.    

I believe taking next year off will enable me to further develop my leadership skills in working with a cross-cultural team environment while making a meaningful environmental and social impact.  It also will give me time to reflect and determine my next career path.

GO CONFIDENTLYWhile I am greatly looking forward to these new opportunities and adventures, it is with tremendous

sadness that I leave behind the students, families, colleagues and friends that I have worked with so

closely over the past six years.  Being a member of the Will Rogers Family has been an amazing learning experience.  I have truly appreciated this leadership opportunity, and look forward to hearing all of the wonderful work that will continue at Will Rogers in the years to come. I am confident with Steve Richardson at the helm and our wonderful staff, Will Rogers will continue to move forward and Irma is smiling.

By: Joan Krenik

Interview with Mrs. Noveck

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

- Henry David Thoreau

IF THE WORLD WAS CRAZY(after Shel Silverstein)

by Aydin

If the world was crazy,

I’d play with a daisy, and slide down its stem.

I’d turn the American flag into a giant piece of cake.

If the world was crazy, thunder storms

would sound like peaceful music flowing through the air.

If the world was crazy, umbrellas would be boats out in the sea,

and boats would be used for rainy days.

If the world was crazy, paintings would talk to us.

If the world was crazy, the grass would be red licorice

instead of green grass.

I’d eat it whenever I had a chance to.

If the world was crazy, snow would fall in the summer.

I’d keep the snow in my freezer for next winter.

If the world was crazy.

POETRY-IN-ACTION AT WILL ROGERS

THE POEMS I HAVE NOT WRITTEN by Janet

They’re inside of my dog.

They’re hiding in my pencils.

They’re floating in the air, wherever I go.

I see them playing with the wildflowers.

They’re snowing, hailing and raining.

They’re here, and there, waiting for me.

They’re all in my heart, my big heart,

full of words and poems.

SWEET by Maya

Sweet waterfall that trickles down the ledge.

Sweet wildflowers that dream of bees.

Sweet music, and the snow that covers the earth.

Sweet taste of strawberries dancing on my taste buds.

Sweet, the smell of bacon sizzling on the stove.

Sweet sound of wind, dancing around the earth.

Sweet, the way birds fly.

Sweet, how God watches over us.

Sweet, the way mom drives me to school, …

the way my dad makes apple pie …

the way my cat purrs in her sleep. …

Sweet rays of the sun, touching my shoulder.

Sweet moon gliding in the night.

Sweet dreams swirling in my head.

Sweet, so sweet.

BASKETBALL by Natalie

So much depends upon my basketball,

How it looks at me when it bounces up and down.

It sounds like your heart beating fast.

It feels like bumpy hills.

It’s the color of hot fire,

Dancing in the fireplace in the living room.

It’s the shape of the world.

It sits on the floor gazing at me.

I like the way the writing on it

smiles at me: “NBA!”

So much depends upon a basketball.

POETRY-IN-ACTION AT WILL ROGERS LEARNING COMMUNITY 2011Selected Poems Written by 3rd Grade

Will Rogers Students during Poetry-in-

Action Writing Workshops led by

Shelley Berger, Poet-in-Residence and

Director of Poetry-in-Action

“a writing and literacy program for

young people”

MOM by Eternity

So much depends upon

my mom gliding on the stars,

my mom dreaming thousands of dreams of feathers,

my mom painting and dancing on the wings of the clouds,

my mom breathing in the moon, and mountains,

my mom tasting the sweet taste of snow,

my mom smiling with light, flowing in the water,

in the deep blue sea of the world, calling her name.

MUSIC by Daniela

So much depends upon music,

How music makes me feel when I need to rest,

The way music brings me good dreams as I sleep.

When music plays, it is like everything is dancing,

The music moving like fog in the sky …

Music is a song that I dare to dream.

BackgroundScience, technology, engineering

and mathematics (STEM)

employment opportunities are

predicted to grow faster than the

average of all other jobs, but the

number of U.S. college graduates

prepared for STEM careers will not

meet the demand. This shortfall is

aggravated by two factors: U.S.

students, on average, are scoring

below many developed nations in

scientific knowledge and literacy;

and women and certain minorities

are underrepresented in STEM

education. The California Task

Force on Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics

Education has created a framework

for policy and support of California’s

schools to enhance California’s

competitiveness in the global

economy. Further, in 2010, the

National Science Board identified

major areas of need: policies that

support rigorous STEM preparation

for teachers; the nurture of STEM

potential in all demographics of

students, especially in economically

disadvantaged urban and rural

areas; and a supportive culture of

parents, educators and students

that celebrates innovative thinking

and academic excellence.

Resolution B: Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics

(STEM) Education

This resolution was adopted with an

amendment -

1 RESOLVED, That the California

State PTA, its units, councils and

districts work with policymakers,

business and educators to support

efforts to improve STEM education,

enabling more students to acquire

skills for access to higher education

and employment in the 21st

century workforce; and be it further

2 RESOLVED (as amended), That

the California State PTA, its units,

councils and districts support

efforts to identify and eliminate

barriers to access to and

participation in quality STEM

education so that every child,

without regard to disability, gender,

ethnicity or socioeconomic status,

can succeed, and no subgroup is

under represented in our state's and

nation's STEM workforce, and be it

further

3 RESOLVED, That the California

State PTA, its units, councils and

districts support legislation for

recruitment, innovative training,

and professional development for

STEM educators; and be it further

4 RESOLVED, That the California

State PTA, its units, councils and

districts encourage the integration

of science, technology, engineering

and mathematics into everyday

activities; and be it further

5 RESOLVED, That the California

State PTA, its units, councils and

districts increase awareness of

opportunities available to students

educated in STEM careers; and be it

further

6 RESOLVED, That the California

State PTA submit this resolution to

the National PTA for consideration

at the National PTA convention.

PTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEThis year the California State PTA Convention was the last weekend of April in Long Beach. Erin Inatsugu and I were pleased to participate in some

training and information sessions there. Milling through the convention halls, it was truly inspiring to see how big PTA really is. It’s so much more than just a parent group at our school. PTA’s motto is

“Every Child. One Voice.” Think about that. PTA members fight for high quality public education for

every child in our school, district, state and nation.

I know Will Rogers is a special place for learning and my time at convention reinforced that belief. Our STEM program is visionary and PTA thinks so too. In fact, PTA thinks STEM education is so important that they passed a resolution

supporting it! That’s right, we’re trailblazers. Read the resolution below.

Sincerely, SallyPTA Co-President

PTA ADOPTS RESOLUTION TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND EDUCATION

DOING WHAT MATTERS

Congratulations to our Kindergarten teacher Ms. Cedillo who has received the prestigious Rising Star Alumni Award from UC Davis School of Education “in recognition of doing what matters in education”.

Her nomination for this award stated that “In addition to holding the California BCLAD Multiple Subject Credential, Sofia Cedillo also holds a prestigious National Board Certificate for Teachers after only five years of teaching. This is a remarkable achievement, which reflects her commitment to the profession as well as her leadership in the field.”

Ms. Cedillo completed her undergraduate work at UC Santa Barbara in 2003, received her teaching credential in 2005 and completed her MA in '06 at the UC Davis School of Education. She started working at Will Rogers in the Fall of 2005 and has been with us ever since. During her six years at Will Rogers, she has taught 1st grade and is currently teaching Kindergarten.

Ms. Cedillo serves as the SMMUSD professional development liaison for Will Rogers and assists other teachers with developing expertise in the use of assessment data to guide instruction. She is also a member of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Task Force in which she collaborates with colleagues on the planning and implementation of STEM curriculum at her school site. Over the years, she has organized bilingual parent-teacher nights focusing on science, math and literacy, and has taught a similar curriculum with a social-emotional learning component during

the summer to provide uninterrupted learning opportunities for all students.

NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATIONWhat Is National Board Certification?National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential. It complements, but does not replace, a state’s teacher license. It is valid for 10 years. National Board Certification is achieved upon successful completion of a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do. National Board Certification is available nationwide for most preK–12 teachers. As part of the certification process, candidates complete 10 assessments that are reviewed by trained teachers in their certificate areas. The assessments include four portfolio entries that feature teaching practice and six constructed response exercises that assess content knowledge.

Why Standards for Accomplished Teaching?Every child deserves an accomplished teacher — one who is qualified to equip students with the skills to succeed in the 21st century global community. NBPTS Standards and National Board Certification give teachers and schools the tools to define and measure teaching excellence. NBPTS Standards are based on the Five Core Propositions that form the foundation for what all accomplished teachers should know and be able to do and provide a reference that helps educators link

teaching standards to teaching practice.

Five Core Propositions1. Teachers are committed to

students and their learning.2. Teachers know the subjects they

teach and how to teach those subjects to students.

3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.

4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.

5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

At Will Rogers Learning Community, we are fortunate to have four such National Board Certified Teachers: Sofia Cedillo (Kindergarten), Sitara Contreras (5th Grade), Katherine Demopolous (1st Grade) and Cindy Thatcher (Kindergarten).

SILENT AUCTION SPRING FLINGThe Will Rogers Silent Auction Spring Fling on Saturday May 14th at St. Augustine by the Sea Church was a great community event.  Will Rogers parents, teachers and staff got together to have fun and help raise funds for the school by bidding on some great items.  We had fabulous food provided by Carl Coulam and Avalon Hollywood.  The wonderful entertainment included Grammy Winner Rick Holmstrom and his band playing the Blues as well as Janine Hayes performing stand-up comedy.  Thank you so much to Carl, Rick and Janine as well as Punch Hyde White our MC!  Many thanks also to all the members of the Silent Auction Committee.  We make a great team!By: Shireen Rafat

Updates from around the school

CINCO DE MAYOCinco on the Seis was a success! Once again an amazingly talented group of volunteers worked tirelessly to provide a fun-filled experience for all of our families. The music from our own Will Rogers Strings was extraordinary! The dancers from two of our community dance troupes brought us to our feet. Many prizes were won. Krizna sold those adorable outfits and the funny mustaches. Cascarones were flying so fast through the air that all were sold out by 430. The food provided by Benny's Tacos on Lincoln and watermelons donated by Albertsons was so delicious that most everything sold out by 530! A special thank you

goes out to those 5 angels that stayed until 8pm to put everything away! Just wait, only two more years until the 40th anniversary of the fiesta.

STEMIt's coming. Are you ready? Will Rogers: Building a Better Tomorrow is just around the corner. This exciting engineering design project will take place at the beginning of June. For two weeks, all of our students will be getting problems, brainstorming solutions, then building and testing their ideas. Come watch our amazing engineers in

action! Contact your child's teacher for more details on projects testing dates.By: Carl Witt III, STEM Coordinator

STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK - WE NEED YOUR HELPStaff Appreciation week will be held June 6 -10. During this week we will formally honor all teachers and staff for their dedication to the service of Will Rogers families. We hope that all families participate to make all the events possible. We need cash and food donations and many volunteers. Contact Johanna Rydman at 310-729-5131

Johanna8888@mac.com or Shoshannah Strauss at

213-840-3454 or showday@yahoo.com for

questions and/or suggestions.

Mr. Sea

celebrated his birthday in the library with a cake on May 9.

INTRODUCING ERIN INATSUGU, 2011-2012 PTA CO-PRESIDENTI wanted to take a minute and introduce myself to the school community. Many of you may already know me; our family has been at Will Rogers for quite awhile now! My husband Narumi graduated from Will Rogers many years ago (he and I are both JAMS alumni), and his mother Barbara is still very involved with the local schools and site

governance. I have two sons at John Adams (6th & 7th graders) who are WRLC alumni, and two 2nd graders, Colin and Sadie, currently at WRLC. And in a few years…I've got one more ready to begin his grade school career at Will Rogers! This school has been a big part of our family's day-to-day life, and I am happy to have a chance to

give back in a tangible manner.

When my oldest boys were younger, I took on the role of Membership at WRLC, and I've served in other leadership positions on the board of directors for a couple of other non-profit community organizations, so my hope is that my background and a fresh set of eyes will be of value and service to our incredibly dedicated PTA at Will Rogers. Currently I work from home as a part-time web designer, in addition to staying home with my kids and an occasional singing gig in Beverly Hills. I look forward to using my experience as needed and where it's helpful.

As you all know by now, Will Rogers is a special place, and I'm so grateful to be part of such a strong school community. I am looking forward to being a support to Co-President Sally Miller and the PTA, and to seeing you all at the school and PTA events that enrich our kids' lives!

- Erin Inatsugu

Updates from around the school (cont’d)

Library - Room 302STAFF PROFILE

Elementary Library Coordinator: Mr. Sea

Room: 302 - Library

Grades: All Grades K-5, teachers, staff, parents. All are welcomed!

Before Will Rogers: McKinley ==> Lincoln Middle School ==> SAMOHI ==> SMC ==> UCLA (BA in Graphic Design) ==> About 10 years working in the graphic design field ==> Will Rogers (Back-to-School).

Favorite iPad Apps: Penultimate, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, iBooks, Netflix, Facebook, Dropbox, Pandora, Overdrive (just to name a few); lots of music.

This I Believe: "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." - John Wooden

4 years! Time flies when you are having fun reading. As I come to the end of another wonderful school year, I cannot believe that four years have passed. However, all of this has been possible only through the tremendous help from parents, staff, and many of the students, especially during the Save-Our-Schools fund raising campaign. Thank you! Thank you!

Besides the many events that have taken place in the library, one in particular this past year was with Ms. Braff’s 3rd grade class (see above photo). The project was entitled “Overcoming Obstacles” and students were required to read a biography about someone who had overcome an obstacle in their life such as Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson and many others. Then students dressed and pretended to be the person they studied and narrated their stories to teachers, parents, and family members. I look forward to next year’s batch of presentations, thank you Ms. Braff!

Other library highlights include: Scholastic Bookfair, iPad 2’s for school (thanks Mando!), movie night with Mr. Sea, poetry night with Kleiser/Klein room 404, pajama party for

Read-A-Thon, the opening of Mr.

Sea’s Mini-Coffee Shop, homework club, and lots of reading with Mr. Sea!

-Mr. Sea

NUMBERSBooks in the Library

9,700+Books Checked-Out per

Week

982+Cups of Coffee Served per

Day

336+(well, that’s the ambition any way)