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SENDAK NEWSLETTER FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15 - 19, 2025

 

"Differentiation is simply a teacher attending to the learning needs of a particular student or small groups of students, rather that teaching a class as though all individuals in it were basically alike” – Carol Ann Tomlinson

 

Start of WIN Academies and SGI

This week, all grade levels will start WIN Academies, which will occur daily Monday – Friday during their scheduled block of WIN time. This is a dedicated (uninterrupted) time to address the needs of all our students. The instruction with the adult or the independent learning is to be purposeful, targeted, and challenging.

 

The first day is to address the routines and procedures for WIN academies. They are to be consistent within the grade level, so that the rules and guidelines are similar from one class to the next.

 

Kindergarten teachers will be meeting all day on Monday to review their students iReady Data and to continue planning for small group instruction. Implementation will start the following day.

 

Instructional Leadership Team classroom visits

This Tuesday, the ILT will be visiting classes from 9:00-10:00 to learn about small group instruction, student engagement and discussion, and teacher feedback (our school’s area of focus.)

 

Mr. Rome is scheduled to visit Sendak classes on Thursday morning.

 

Tuesday Banked-Time PD and Staff Meeting

1:40 – 3:00 pm: Creating the Problem of Practice to drive and improve instruction.

3:00 – 3:30 pm: Bloodborne Pathogens

Next week’s agenda: School is closed on Tuesday

 

Student Success Awards

This Thursday morning, we are scheduled to have the first Student Success Awards assembly on the yard at 8:00 am. All parents should have been notified last week. Please utilize more than one form of communication (other than the letter sent home) to inform parents that their child is receiving an award.

 

This year, we are trying to expedite these assemblies. So, we are holding them on the playground immediately at 8:00 am. We will start with our TK class and progress to the upper. Also, to expedite the process, please bring up all your student recipients with you so that they can receive their awards. You will not read the Teacher Letter to the Student, but they will receive one from you.

 

After the students receive their awards, please take them to the 1st handball court so that they can get their group picture. They can move to the 2nd handball court for their parents to take more pictures.

 

If it is raining, then the assembly will be moved to the MPR, and at the designated times that are listed in the SSA handout.

 

Ukulele classes are scheduled to start Friday (9/19) for the 3rd grade classes. The instruments are due to arrive also this week.

 

Perfect Attendance recognition for the 25th day of school will be held next Monday during the morning assembly.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

9/4       Mary Backos

9/5       Gina Debuque

9/6       Klara Shahnazarian

9/7       Xiadani Matadamas

9/12     Dorothy O’Connor

9/14     Abbie Khalili

9/30     Alicia Pizzi

 

 

Monday, September 15

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

2:25                 Dismissal

 

Tuesday, September 16

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

9:00-10:00       ILT classroom visits

1:25                 Dismissal

1:40-3:30         PD: Problem of Practice – PDSA

3:30                 Initial Plannning Sheet Meeting – Ruano/Khatchadourian

 

Wednesday, September 17

At Sendak: Nurse Patrick, Elizabeth Rebozo-Diaz (Music) Sergio Flores (PETIP), Alexandra Calabria (Psych.)

Off Campus: G.Khatchadourian to Principals’ Meeting

 

7:55                 First Bell

8:00-8:15         Breakfast in the Classroom

2:25                 Dismissal

 

Thursday, September 18

At Sendak: Nurse Patrick, Cindy An (SSS), Northia Reyes (PSA) Cintia De Laura (Visual Art) Margaret Younan (LAS)

 

7:55                 First Bell

8:00                 Student Success Awards Assembly on the playground

8:30                 Breakfast in the Classroom

8:30                 Mr. Rome visits Sendak classrooms

2:25                 Dismissal

2:30                 Initial Planning Sheet Meeting – Roque/Khatchadourian

 

Friday, September 19

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 

2:25                      Dismissal 

 

Upcoming Important Dates:

Sept. 18           Student Success Awards

Sept. 22           Chuck E. Cheese Night

Sept. 23           Unassigned Day – School is closed

Sept. 26           Student Progress Reports (1st Period)

Sept. 29-10/3   Scholastic Book Fair

 

Oct. 1               Literacy Night

Oct. 2               Unassigned Day – School is Closed

Oct. 10             Coffee w/ the Principal

Oct. 14             School Picture Day

Oct. 16             CA Great Shake Out

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.