Principal's Messages

POINSETTIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

“A California Distinguished School”

“A National Blue Ribbon School”

From the Principal

Poinsettia Elementary

350 N. Victoria Avenue

 

Parents and Staff,

Poinsettia has had another great beginning to a new school year.  Once again we are full with 500 students, with our only major change being that we have reduced the number of Kindergarten classes to three due to the class size increase and the budget cuts.  Our class sizes this year are generally 21-22 for primary grades and 28-31 for fourth and fifth grade.  Even with the changes and increased class sizes, the opening of school went very smoothly.  Thank you for your efforts and patience to make this so.

Teachers are doing exceptional things with the students, and there are many instructional and fun things for the students to benefit from this year.  One in particular is our new Everyday Math curriculum.  This is a fabulous program with research-proven academic achievement results.  However, as many of you “homework helpers” have seen, there is a completely different way of delivering the math material.  Please be patient as we develop this understanding with the children and work through this transition.

In other areas, there are so many things going on at Poinsettia.  We have already had two PTO meetings, a School Site Council meeting, an assembly about respect and bullying in schools, Back to School Night, the Family Picnic, and many other daily events.  Student council is much more active this year due to the leadership of a fabulous teacher/parent team that is getting kids involved and letting them make decisions about their school.  As you read this, the Student Council is helping me run an intramural sports tournament.  This first tournament is with soccer, but we will also have kickball, basketball, and other sports, in which students get to form organized teams and compete in a supervised tournament.  This will be fun for all involved.  Also, we just began our jump rope club on Thursdays at lunch, under the direction of another fabulous parent volunteer, and kids are having a great time.

With all this going on, there are still many more things to look forward to.  We have the Fall Carnival fast approaching on November 8^th.  The Carnival will be an all-day event that will include fun for the whole family.  There will be games, food, auctions and many other ways you can have fun with your family while supporting a great school.  This will be a great opportunity for the school and community to come together.  There are also many other assemblies and fieldtrips lined up, as well as the Book Fair, Art Night, the Science Fair and 5^th Grade Outdoor Education – we have a busy winter ahead of us.  If you want to get involved in any of these activities, please let me know personally.  We need all the help we can get, and the kids love their parents being the ones involved in the fun events.

I have really enjoyed getting to know many new families this year.  If we have not had a chance to meet, please take time to introduce yourself.  If you can, join me for coffee at the next monthly Coffee with the Principal gathering (tentatively scheduled for 11/6).  This is just a time to get together informally and share ideas.

Two areas where Poinsettia REALLY needs volunteer help for a few weeks is with making a poster with pictures and memorabilia that will be displayed in the district office, and with the laminating and  creating manipulatives for the math lessons that the teachers will use.  If you are interested, please let me know about the poster, or ask your child’s teacher how they can use help with the math items.

Just a reminder about attendance:  At Poinsettia we are trying to have the highest rate of attendance in the district.  In order to do this, we need each child to miss three days of school or less for the whole year.  Absences can be made up by attending Saturday academies.  The first Saturday academy will take place on November 14^th.  Please try to take vacations and family fun days during the designated school holidays.

Again, I really enjoy being the principal at Poinsettia.  I can’t imagine a better staff or group of families to work with.  I really appreciate your involvement, support and concern for your children’s education.  If you have anything you need to share with me, please do not hesitate to contact me via phone or email (wes.wade@venturausd.org).

Mr. Wade