Topanga Enrichment Programs
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 Did you know that thousands of kids are born every year with special hearts, hearts that do not work exactly right? By doing Jump Rope For Heart, your child can help other kids. Jump Rope For Heart is a fun experience where children have fun jumping rope, learning about their hearts and how to keep them healthy, all while raising life-saving donations for the American Heart Association. This past Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, our entire school participated in the Jump Rope for Heart Event. Students rotated through fun stations such as hoola hooping, hurdles, hopscotch, relays, limbo, and of course, jump roping!
Our students how have an opportunity to raise donations that will go to the American Heart Association. They will use the money we raise to help pay for new medicines for kids with special hearts and to help doctors discover new medicines and treatments. YOUR child can be a Heart Hero and help children with special hearts by participating. This is a great family activity to do together.
Every parent wants to be able to enjoy their children grow up and have children of their own. Unfortunately our nation is suffering from heart disease and type 2 diabetes at younger and younger ages. The good news is that heart disease is largely preventable by making healthy choices and adopting good habits. Did you know by examining as little as seven simple elements of your lifestyle, you can add quality years to your life?
One of the easiest ways to avoid having problems with heart disease in the future is by taking steps to improve your family’s health today. With childhood obesity being a serious threat to our children’s future, it is important for parents to act now to ensure our children live long, healthy lives.
More information and resources about Jump Rope for Hearth can be found at www.heart.org/jump.
  
I hope that everyone had an opportunity to see the amazing student art show at the Topanga Canyon Gallery, organized by our very own talented parent Rhonda Conry. The student pieces were so impressive. I even overheard someone say, “this is student work? It’s incredible!” It was so muf watching the kids watch themselves on the “Love Is…” video. This creation of all 320 students sharing what love means to them is available in the school office for $20.
Thank you to all of our talented students and the many parents who helped create such an extraordinary display of artistic ability!
 
 
You may have noticed a sign like this in our school office….
The purpose is to help raise awareness about daily absences, because as you know, student attendance remains the number one factor affecting the overall achievement of students.
Look how your child’s class did for the month of January…
Student absences also have a tremendous impact on revenue for our school!
With the current state of the budget and TEP not yet achieving their goals for the year, it is now more important that ever that your child be at school every day, unless of course he or she is sick. Then we want them to stay home and get better. We are in serious danger of losing personnel and programs next year that we have been so fortunate to have up until now. Not only will your child LEARN if they are at school, but it will help us to continue offer the wonderful opportunities to your children that we do now.
Please help us to achieve the District goal of:
Percentage of students with 96% or higher attendance = 66%
Plus….we miss your kids when they aren’t here 
The children in Room K had an active celebration welcoming in the Chinese New Year. Led by Miss Vee, the room was decorated, a dragon was designed and the children made lanterns and dragon masks. The day culminated with a dragon parade through the office and food festivities including noodles, fortune cookies and herbal tea. We appreciate Ms. Vee sharing her culture with our kindergarten students. 
Last Saturday, January 21, 2012, the Topanga Canyon community was beyond excited to see the doors of the brand new public library open. Los Angeles County funded the $19.6 million project, which was over 10 years in the making. A beautiful ceremony kicked off the event and 3 Topanga Elementary students were honored to be a part of it. Fourth graders Ava Dingley and Elizabeth Scott and fifth grader Liam Alford read essays in front of a crowd of more than 400 community members. The students entered a school writing contest and were prompted to write about what having a library in their community would mean to them. They read flawlessly in front of council members, state Senator Fran Pavley, the county board of supervisors, members of the press and anxious community guests. Following their speeches, the students were presented with beautiful certificates by LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. We are very excited about the opening of this library right down the street from Topanga Elementary and we look forward to the partnership that we can develop with them and for the students of our school.
  
On Friday, January 20, 2012, Senator Fran Pavley paid a visit to Topanga Elementary Charter School. Senator Pavley grew up in the San Fernando Valley and enjoys spending time in Topanga, due to her love of nature. She was a former middle school history teacher with the Moorpark School District and is very passionate about education. Pavley began her visit by being introduced to the students during an assembly by 5th grader, Lila Levy. She then shared with the student body what her job entails and how she wants to help achieve the best possible education for all students. She acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the teachers and all of their hard work.  
Following the assembly, Senator Pavely was invited to a “Coffee & Chat” with Mrs. Nicole Sheard, the school principal. Close to 50 people attended this meeting in the school’s faculty lounge, where there was standing room only. She spent 15 minutes discussing the current state education budget as well as where it is heading. Many of the challenges surrounding the funding of public education were addressed, including the crisis of a decrease of approximately $30 billion dollars per year going in to education directly from the state. Governor Jerry Brown’s strategies to increase revenue were touched upon. Brown is hoping to focus on education and exactly where the money will be allocated. She believes that in the future there will be an increased emphasis on local control to schools and businesses.
Parents were given time to address the Senator with any questions. Many inquired about the initiative regarding an increase in sales and personal tax. There were questions about health care costs as well as the cost of prisoners. Pavley shared her knowledge on the various subjects and the consistent message was that “we have a lot of work to do.” Her strongest encouragement was for individuals to engage in political debate and discussions. Become knowledgeable about the initiatives so that you can make an informed decision and be talking to one another, especially to people who do not have school age children and may not understand the impact that cuts to education may have.
Senator Pavley stated that she is “concerned about the future of education, especially surrounding the costs of California State Universities.” She will be working hard to hold discussions in Sacramento about the importance of education and the significance in investing in education. She strongly believes that improving California’s schools, colleges and universities is an investment in our state’s economy. In November 2012, the State election will most likely include one or more initiatives to raise funds for public education. It’s crucial for people to become educated about these initiatives so that they can make decisions that will have a direct, and hopefully positive, impact on the future of public education.
The 3rd grade students of Mrs. Fulton were asked to put on their creative mathematical thinking caps to create 3-dimensional geometric figures. The criteria for the solid figures stated that each object included more than 3 solid figures and that the original shapes of the solid figures not be changed. Students were required to select at least 3 different figures and to combine them to one another. The finished object needed to be decorated and students were asked to include a neat, correct and complete answer key. It was clear that the students had a great time completing their projects and that this fun assignment really got their creative juices flowing!
This week Chef Sheard (yes, Mrs. Sheard’s husband and head chef at Taste in Pacific Palisades) made a special guest visit in Ms. Batz’ elective class titled “Future Problem Solving”. The Future Problem Solving Elective is based on the idea of giving provocations to inspire learning. For example, the students studied Rube Goldberg Machines. The children were then given the Provocation: Deliver a key lime to a stuffed animal by creating a Rube Goldberg Machine with at least 5 steps. They then were given 3 days, some old appliances to take apart (for parts), some CD jewel cases, string and aluminum foil and set forth like TV Show’s Macgyver to create their own Rube Goldberg machine. This made the students ‘a creator of learning.
At the Cook Off Elective Finale, the students were given the provocation: “You have 25 minutes to plan a healthy main dish, no bigger than your fist, using less than 5 ingredients.” They talked about what foods are healthy which will also later tie in with their Health Curriculum. Chef Sheard was invited to judge the student creations on presentation, taste and following directions. His favorite was the prosciutto panini.
Other provocations they have explored are: bridge building, creating structures from Popsicle sticks, truth in advertising/writing creating their own commercials and many more to come! To read more about Provocations please visit: http://ideasfactory.me/inspiring-pupils-using-learning-provocations/.
Chef was impressed with the kids’ enthusiasm and creativity when it came to preparing healthy snacks. He definitely left with a full belly!
  
Last week, the 1st, 3rd and 4th grade students traveled to North Hollywood to experience “A Snow White Christmas” at the El Portal Theather. The show, put on by Lythgoe Family Productions and Magic Pictures Entertainment, was an amazing traditional British Panto in which the audience participated. The students enjoyed cheering, booing (for the evil queen) and singing along to modern music including Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” and The Village People’s “YMCA” as well as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.
Marina Sirtis (Star Trek) co-stars as The Wicked Queen and How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris played a special onscreen guest role as The Magic Mirror in the updated version of this classic Disney fairy tale. We were also excited to attend a show in which one of our very own 5th grade Topanga students, Augie, played one of the Seven Dwarfs (Sneezy-the one with brown pants and a green jacket in the picture below). It was great to be a part of his theatrical debut!
At the end of the show, 4 of our students (and one parent) revealed that they were “golden ticket” holders and they were invited onto the stage just before the Royal Wedding took place. It was tons of fun for everyone and a performance that many of our students won’t forget!
 
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