Some of you were able to share Wed. 10/29 at El Carmelo as we posed for the annual Rainbow Picture. Thank you, Chris, our wonderful photographer who dared to be creative on a 10-foot ladder for the sake of a beautiful picture and a fun time.
Even more of you attended the Thu. 10/30 Pumpkin Project and shared in the enjoyment of several dozen finely carved pumpkins, many of which were donated later to elder-care facilities. Thank you to the kids that carved pumpkins and to the PTA volunteers that made that event as well as the coffee and chat table nearby possible.
And even MORE of you were able to take off some time this morning to attend the Halloween Parade. I hope you all had as much fun as I did. The costumes were great and the rain even provided a new way to hold the parade that seemed to be enjoyable for all. Thank you to everyone that helped our kids have a good time this morning.
One last thing. As I went in to classrooms this afternoon, intending to help teachers with whatever end-of-Halloween issues might have arisen, I discovered a calm, productive hum of activity everywhere I went. No drama. I have rarely felt so satisfied by being superfluous. All of which to say that we have here the most talented, skilled and generally fantastic teachers at El Carmelo. Thanks to you all for a wonderful week!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
On Ice
Another sign that El Carmelo is a wonderful place. What a fun time at the annual Ice Skating Party. I had a blast! Every age was represented on the ice (I noticed this principal guy with a white goatee; he looked a little shaky) as well as every experience level in ice skating. Several kids I skated with had never been on the ice before and ended the evening skating on their own. Thank you Linda and Yi-Mei for this wonderful Fall treat!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Techology Staff Development
Last Friday, the staff met at El Carmelo in the morning to learn a new information management application called Cruncher and collaborate on the new science curriculum. The group used their laptops (Thank you, PTA!) on the wireless network in the library. This time of large group and small group learning and planning was very useful.
At the end of the morning we carpooled up to Foothill College's Krause Center for Innovation (KCI) for lunch and a tour of this remarkable learning center. The KCI is a technology center that provides computing for Foothill students but, more relevantly (for us), provides opportunities for professional teachers to learn to use technology with their students. There are many courses offered there that focus on how to integrate technology into the various curricula of elementary education. We received presentations on online resources for math, language arts and other subjects, learned about various kinds of content management systems and discussed our future technology needs by grade level.
At the end of the morning we carpooled up to Foothill College's Krause Center for Innovation (KCI) for lunch and a tour of this remarkable learning center. The KCI is a technology center that provides computing for Foothill students but, more relevantly (for us), provides opportunities for professional teachers to learn to use technology with their students. There are many courses offered there that focus on how to integrate technology into the various curricula of elementary education. We received presentations on online resources for math, language arts and other subjects, learned about various kinds of content management systems and discussed our future technology needs by grade level.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Bike Safety, Part Two
I have to tell you about tonight's Parent Education event, "Bringing Up Bicyclists". 50 parents attended Richard Swent's talk about bicycle safety at El Carmelo. Richard's presentation has everything; videos, diagrams, demonstration (Richard said "I got to ride my bike on the stage!"). It was great. In addition to our own EC families, we had attendees from Escondido, Hoover, Ohlone, Duveneck, Walter Hayes, Barron Park, Stratford School and JL Stanford Middle School! Congratulations to Richard, Carrie Manley, PTA officers and the EC community: you're awesome! Don't forget to participate in Wednesday's Walk and Roll to School.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Bike Safety
Dear parents,
I have been spending a lot of time thinking about traffic, and particularly bicycle, safety this fall. Many of you have spoken to me out in front of the school both before and after class. We talk about the safety practices put into place in recent years; the red curbs for bus drop-off, the yellow curbs for parent drop off, the work of the city-staffed crossing guard position, bicycle parking, etc. All of these practices cumulatively provide a safe environment for our kids' getting to and from school. But if our children are not keeping themselves safe, these practices will not be enough.
This is why we as a school community are focusing this month on training our kids in bike safety. On October 6, El Carmelo's PTA is sponsoring "Bringing up Bicyclists" at 7pm in the MP room. A bicycle expert will explain to us how we as parents can help our students keep themselves safe. Also that week, Oct. 6-8, the Walk and Roll to School program will encourage walking and biking to school. On Oct. 16, the 3rd graders will receive bike safety input at the annual Bike Rodeo, with a word from the PD, FD on safety and practical training from volunteers with students' own bikes on the field at school.
Please support our bike and traffic safety program by talking to your child about safety and by supporting our various efforts this month and throughout the school year.
Chuck Merritt
I have been spending a lot of time thinking about traffic, and particularly bicycle, safety this fall. Many of you have spoken to me out in front of the school both before and after class. We talk about the safety practices put into place in recent years; the red curbs for bus drop-off, the yellow curbs for parent drop off, the work of the city-staffed crossing guard position, bicycle parking, etc. All of these practices cumulatively provide a safe environment for our kids' getting to and from school. But if our children are not keeping themselves safe, these practices will not be enough.
This is why we as a school community are focusing this month on training our kids in bike safety. On October 6, El Carmelo's PTA is sponsoring "Bringing up Bicyclists" at 7pm in the MP room. A bicycle expert will explain to us how we as parents can help our students keep themselves safe. Also that week, Oct. 6-8, the Walk and Roll to School program will encourage walking and biking to school. On Oct. 16, the 3rd graders will receive bike safety input at the annual Bike Rodeo, with a word from the PD, FD on safety and practical training from volunteers with students' own bikes on the field at school.
Please support our bike and traffic safety program by talking to your child about safety and by supporting our various efforts this month and throughout the school year.
Chuck Merritt
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