August 1, 2012

Dear Family and Friends of Point Dume Marine Science School,

We trust this letter finds you relaxed and ready to start a wonderful school year. July was an active month on our campus. The PTA Summer Adventure, Intervention Summer School, and the ESY Kindergarten all took place on our campus under the talented leadership of Chris Cullen. There is still work occurring on our campus. Our parking lot will be painted before the beginning of school and the district crew, under the leadership of our very own José, is busy cleaning the entire campus.

Students at PDMSS count on your generous donations for many of the programs they enjoy each year. Our wonderful science lab, technology, instructional assistants, primary music and art are all funded through parents' direct investment. For the next two school years all of the donations given to PDMSS stay at PDMSS. The preliminary implementation of the district's centralized fund raising model begins during the 2014/2015 school year. You will be receiving a letter from the PTA in the next few weeks regarding our fund raising efforts for this upcoming school year.

Beginning this school year our bell schedule will be as follows:

Playground Gates Open - 8:05 a.m.
Morning Assembly Bell - 8:15 a.m.
Classroom Bell - 8:20 a.m.
Kindergarten Dismissal - 1:45 p.m.
Grades 1-5 Dismissal - 2:45 p.m.

This new schedule will allow for a longer, uninterrupted morning instructional time and be in alignment with most schools in the Malibu Pathway. Please note the early dismissal time of 12:45 p.m. for Wednesday through Friday, August 22nd-24th.

Class assignments will be sent to you via email from your child's classroom teacher on Monday, August 20th, by 5:00 p.m. To be ready for the first day of school, please go to http://www.pointdume.smmusd.org and complete, print, and sign the Start of School forms found under the administration tab. Please bring your completed Start of School forms to our Welcome Back Coffee and Volunteer Fair.

We are so very excited to be led by our PDMSS student council: President Helena B., Vice President Russell K., Secretary Olivia J., Community Service Commissioner Ava N., and Environmental Commissioners Henry M. and Jonah F.. These dynamic leaders will kick off the school year with our New Student Welcome for Grades 1-5, in the library on Monday, August 20th, at 2:00 p.m. We hope to see all of our new families there. The Kindergarten Welcome is at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 21st, in the kindergarten yard.

On the first day of school, Wednesday, August 22nd, playground gates will open at 8:05 a.m. and supervision will be provided on our playground. The Morning Assembly bell rings at 8:15 a.m. Please feel free to join us for our morning assembly on the playground where the student council officers will lead us in the Flag Salute and PDMSS School Cheer. Following the assembly, on the first day of school only, you are welcome to walk with your child to their new classroom. Our goal is to help our students gain independence and responsibility; we therefore ask that, for the remainder of the year, once the assembly is over, please say goodbye on the playground so that teachers may begin instruction promptly at 8:20 a.m.

Be sure to bring your completed Start of School forms on the first day of school to our Welcome Back Coffee and Volunteer Fair on the playground from 8:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Bring 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 completed, signed forms and payment with your child to the classroom teacher.

Your support of our children's education and community through volunteerism is what makes 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 continued to log in an impressive 40,000 volunteer hours! Parent volunteers start in classrooms on Monday, September 24th. In the meantime, if you are eager to begin volunteering, we have many other areas in need of immediate parent volunteers: library, main office, health office, copy committee, and morning and afternoon greeters in carlines. Thank you for modeling active citizenship as a volunteer at PDMSS.

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). We know that you care about your child's safety; therefore, any student not picked up by 2:55 p.m. will be required to wait in the school office until a parent arrives. We are excited to offer Homework Club through the PTA and Big Kids Club through Creative Children's Workshop as after school options.

We hope to see you at the All School Family Picnic Wednesday, August 22nd at 11:45 a.m. on our playground. Bring a picnic lunch for your family and join in the celebration of an exciting new school year.

Sincerely,