Newsletter
SENDAK NEWSLETTER FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 20 - 24, 2025
“Classroom management is not just about preventing disruptions; it's about fostering engagement, curiosity, and a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.” - Author and educator Asuni Abiola
“Clear expectations set the stage for success in the classroom, providing students with a roadmap for behavior, participation, and academic achievement.” – Author and educator Asuni Abiola
Classroom Visitations
This week’s classroom visitation will focus classroom structure and management of routines and procedures during SGI (Small Group Instruction) in math and ELA.
Here are some of the look-fors in implementing systems and structures in SGI.:
- Visual aids and clear explanations introduce the purpose and structure of small groups.
- Group norms and expectations are posted and are evident in the classroom.
- Explicit modeling/review of activities, routines, and transitions.
- Visible and accessible schedule for small group sessions integrated within literacy and math.
- Time management that maximizes instructional efficiency.
- Clear transition cues and smooth operation of group transitions.
- Use of templates to organize objectives, instructional strategies, and assessments.
- Reflective sessions with students to reinforce routines and expectations.
(See complete Look-fors attached to this week’s newsletter.)
Tuesday Banked-Time PD and Staff Meeting
Tuesday PD: PDSA Cycle Meetings: Gr. Lvl. K-2 meet in the Rm. 121 and Gr. Lvl. 3-5 will meet in
Room 233. Teachers should bring samples of student work that is part of the PDSA focus
Next Week: Backwards Planning in Math and Staff Meeting (Substance Abuse Training)
After School Intervention and Robotics
When you receive any After School Intervention or Robotics (4th/5th) parent permission form, please send them to the office that day. Please check with students daily. The Programs will be starting the following week.
Student Success Awards
This Thursday is our Student of the Month recognition assembly, which will be held on the playground starting at 8:00 am. Please notify parents (through multiple means) and send all invitation letters (if you haven’t done so) by this Monday. Teachers are to be at the assembly area by the first bell at 7:55.
Weekly iReady Completion
KUDOS to the Sendak teachers for responding to the call of implementing iReady in Math and ELA completion rates with 83% and 80%, respectively, with 93% getting a passing score.
Thank you to the following teachers who ensured that 90-100% of their students completed their iReady for the week in either 1 or both*:
Orello*, Carrera, Smith*, Ruano, Jimenez*, Schumacher*, Sanchez*, Beery*, Backos*
Inner Explorer Usage
We implemented the Inner Explorer program this school year as an evidence-based, daily mindfulness program for our school to help students and teachers to reduce stress, improve attention, and increase self-control. It is designed to be easily integrated into the school day (10 minutes daily) and has been shown to improve academic performance and decrease behavioral problems. It is our school’s mandated SEL program…..In the last month, there are only 8 of our teachers using it regularly. Let’s please start implementing this program in your daily instruction.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
10/5 Alexa Smith
10/18 Itziar Carrera
10/26 Hilda Vicente
Monday, October 20
At Sendak: Rose Jauregui-Santillan (AP-EIS Alt. Tues), Nurse Patrick, Margaret Younan (LAS) Alexandra Calabria (Psych.)
7:55 First Bell and Morning Assembly
8:00-8:15 Breakfast in the Classroom
1:00 G.Khatchadourian @Principal Advisory Meeting
2:25 Dismissal
Tuesday, October 21
At Sendak: Rose Jauregui-Santillan (AP-EIS Alt. Tues), Nurse Patrick, Margaret Younan (LAS) Alexandra Calabria (Psych.)
7:55 First Bell
8:00-8:15 Breakfast in the Classroom
1:25 Dismissal
1:40 PD: PDSA Cycle 2
Wednesday, October 22
At Sendak: Nurse Patrick, Elizabeth Rebozo-Diaz (Music) Sergio Flores (PETIP), Alexandra Calabria (Psych.)
7:55 First Bell
8:00-8:15 Breakfast in the Classroom
2:25 Dismissal
Thursday, October 23
At Sendak: Rose Jauregui-Santillan (AP-EIS), Nurse Patrick, Cindy An (SSS), Northia Reyes (PSA), Margaret Younan (LAS)
7:55 First Bell
8:00 Student Success Awards Assembly
8:30 Breakfast in the Classroom
2:25 Dismissal
Friday, October 24
At Sendak: Rose Jauregui-Santillan (AP-EIS), Nurse Patrick, Cindy An (SSS), Northia Reyes (PSA), Margaret Younan (LAS)
7:55 First Bell
8:00-8:15 Breakfast in the Classroom
1:00 ILT Meeting in the Conference Room
2:25 Dismissal
Upcoming Important Dates:
Oct. 23 Student Success Awards
Oct. 31 Costume Parade and Fall Festival – Minimum Day
Nov. 7 Coffee w/ the Principal
Nov. 10-14 Parent Conferences
Nov. 11 Veterans’ Day
Nov. 12-14 Minimum Days
Nov. 20 Student Success Awards
Nov. 24-28 Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 4 Make-up Picture Day
Dec. 12 Coffee w/ the Principal
Dec. 17 Winter Program – Dress Rehearsal
Dec. 18 Winter Program – Parent Show
Dec. 22 – 1/9 Winter Break
Our 6 Instructional Priorities for the school year are:
- Literacy – reading, writing, and speaking across all subjects
- Numeracy – real world application of math concepts
- Science – Integrating Next Generation Science Standards
- Assessments informing instruction – DIBELs, DRDP, iReady, and SBA
- Professional and Leadership Development – ILTs
- Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycles
To ensure District-Wide coherence, the following 7 Teaching and Learning Framework elements will be the focus for professional development, PDSA, Instructional Rounds, and classroom observations.
1b1. Awareness of Students’ Skills, Knowledge, and Language Proficiency Uses information about students’ academic strengths and needs, language proficiency and social emotional wellness in planning.
2a3. Academic Climate The academic environment is safe and supportive; risk-taking is encouraged, students freely share their culture, language, and ideas, and student mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, never with ridicule.
3a4. Use of Academic Language Academic language is used to communicate and deepen understanding of the content and is inclusive of the culture and language of students.
3b2. Discussion Techniques and Student Participation Techniques are used to ensure that all students share their thinking around challenging questions including strategies that affirm students’ culture and language.
3c1. Standards-Based Projects, Activities and Assignments Standards-aligned learning activities cognitively engage students in the lesson.
3c2. Purposeful and Productive Instructional Groups Students are grouped in order to promote productive cognitive engagement in the lesson.
3d3. Feedback to Students Students receive specific, culturally sensitive and timely feedback that will move their learning forward.
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