August 24, 2009

Dear Family and Friends of Point Dume Marine Science School,

Welcome to the 2009-10 school year! Our PDMSS Staff and the PTA Executive Board are hard at work on behalf of our students and families. Here at PDMSS we know that parent and community involvement at school as well as steady, consistent attendance, improves student achievement, as well as allows our students to emerge as responsible human beings and compassionate citizens.

PDMSS is ranked in the top 5% of schools in the state of California. Our highly qualified and professional staff of teachers, aides, and specialists work collaboratively to ensure that each child is afforded the highest quality, well rounded academic program to bridge learning with real world applications. Our goal is to model sustainability, for our planet and our community. PDMSS students have enriched the lives of hundreds of people around the globe through student-driven community service projects: installing solar panels to power up PDMSS, advocating for environmental actions to save our planet via beach clean up, waste-free lunches, reducing, reusing, and recycling, building a school in Afghanistan via Pennies for Peace, sending an Ark to remote villages via Heifer International, and beginning our organic edible garden. When we instill a passion for service that will carry on throughout your child’s life, the world can only get better.

PDMSS students are action oriented. We will continue to be a Roots N Shoots school with three community service projects that exemplify a commitment to people, animals, and the environment. The first community service project will be the Annual Heal the Bay Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 19, from 9:00AM – 12:00PM at Westward Beach. We look forward to exceeding last year’s participation rate of over 300 participants offering service to the community. As a welcome gift from PDMSS PTA, your child will receive a reusable water bottle and reusable grocery bag to help preserve our planet and reduce waste. In addition, each student will also receive a brand new field trip t-shirt designed by Ella M. & Mary Jo C. as a way to promote school spirit. Our student council officers Donovan G., Emma P., Tanner A., Farah S. & Leila A., have already planned exciting spirit day events in addition to a New Student Welcome Tour, Chili Cook-off Lemonade Stand, and other activities to build upon our community service goals.

With the state’s budget crisis, SMMUSD will have to make further reductions projected to be $8-12 million over the next three years. The Superintendent’s Budget and district’s Fiscal Oversight Committees have been given the charge to recommend future budget reductions. The committees will be considering class size staffing ratios, employee salary and benefits, all programs and support services, and school configurations. It is critical that PDMSS parents stay informed, get involved and be a part of the solution. Now more than ever, your Direct Investment contribution will ensure that your child’s education at PDMSS is comparable to local private schools.

The first action that parents can take is to participate in the Direct Investment Campaign – please see the enclosed letter. Another action is to have two adults join the PTA for each student. For only $10 per person, you can be an active, voting member of PTA, the largest advocacy group in the nation. We know that you will find many volunteer opportunities, and we look forward to working with you. Your support of our children’s education and community by volunteering in the classroom, the library, the school office, the nurse’s office, the copy room, and as morning and afternoon greeters all make PDMSS a caring community. There is a volunteer opportunity for everyone, whether you work full-time, part-time or at home all the time! Last year, our volunteers logged in an impressive 28,000 volunteer hours!

Parent volunteers start in classrooms on Tuesday, September 29. It is a policy of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District that parent volunteers have a Mantoux TB skin test that is clear (valid for 4 years). Nurse Anne

Ernst will be available to provide TB skin tests in the nurse’s office every Tuesday during September and October. You may also obtain a TB skin test and clearance note from a private physician. In addition to the TB skin test, SMMUSD Board policy now requires every volunteer to submit a volunteer application (included in the packet) and be checked for clearance under Megan’s Law. PDMSS requires all parents to attend a volunteer training and sign a confidentiality agreement (included in the packet) prior to working in the classroom. The safety of all of our students is paramount. Therefore, all parent volunteers and visitors are required to sign in and out of the school office and wear photo I.D. or Visitors Badges while on campus during the school day (SMMUSD Board policy).

Parent volunteers may obtain a photo ID on the first day of school during our Parent Coffee and Volunteer Fair, scheduled on Wednesday, September 9 at 8:30AM. After you say good-bye to your child in the classroom on the first day of school, all new and kindergarten parents please join the principal in the cafetorium. All returning families please head to the playground. Bring all of your completed forms from this packet and a checkbook to take care of all of your beginning-of-school-year needs as well as sign up for various PTA-sponsored events. (If you cannot join us, please send in the forms with your child to the classroom teacher on the first day of school).

As you complete your summer homework in this packet, please read Superintendent Tim Cuneo’s message regarding attendance and state funding. We need you to ensure timely and regular attendance for your child. Please schedule appointments after lunch and plan family vacations during our school holidays. If your child is absent due to illness, you MUST call the office (310) 457-9370 to report it, on the day of the absence. You can also email Nidra Winger nwinger@smmusd.org or me ckim@smmusd.org on the day of the absence if that is more convenient. Let us work together to make every minute count!

Gates will be open at 8:10 AM and supervision will be provided on our playground. The line up / morning assembly bell rings at 8:25AM. On the first day of school please feel free to walk your child to his/her classroom. Beginning the second day of school, and continuing for the rest of the school year, we will have morning assembly on the playground with the student council officers leading us in the Flag Salute and PDMSS School Cheer. We are looking forward to bringing all kindergarten – fifth grade students and families together for this daily morning assembly. Our goal is to help our students gain independence and responsibility, we therefore ask that once the assembly is over, please say goodbye on the playground so that teachers may begin instruction promptly at 8:30AM. Gates will close at that time. Please plan ahead with your child where you will pick them up after school (in front of the flagpole, parking lot pick up line or Grayfox pick up line. Teachers will be walking all students, grades 1-5 to the playground for dismissal. We know that you care about your child’s safety; therefore, any student not picked up by 3:10 will be required to wait in the office until a parent arrives. There is no supervision after school hours unless you have specified childcare through the YMCA. All YMCA after school program participants will check in directly to the YMCA classroom.

With the exception of this welcome back packet, we will only send home email / electronic newsletters to all families. Our Friday packet flyers and announcements will be in electronic form, via email or website, so that you may get and stay informed in a timely and environmentally- friendly manner. All classroom news from teachers will be sent home via email as well. Let’s all work together and continue to make every effort to reduce our consumption of precious resources.

Finally, please take the time to review the student and parent Otter Oaths in this year’s packet. Our children can only thrive when each of us bring our very best selves to PDMSS each day. Collectively, we ensure each and every student receives the best possible well-rounded education and becomes a capable, confident, lifelong learner respectful and appreciative of the responsibilities to the community, the environment and society.

We are looking forward to an outstanding school year!
Warmest regards,