All-Star News

• August 27 - BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - 👉EARLY DISMISSAL, 1:30pm 👈
• August 27 - General PTA Meeting & Back to School Night, 5-7pm
• September 7 - No School, Labor Day Observed
• September 1 - Bubble fun Run Kickoff (see flyer below)
• September 11- ELAC (English Learners Advisory Committee) Meeting
• September 16 - Literacy Lunch on the Lawn (More information coming soon)
• September 25 - Bubble Fun Run Event

On Tuesday, Dr. Erven led a schoolwide behavior assembly for all Adams Elementary students. The focus of the assembly was on the importance of making good choices, following our school rules, and building strong character in everything we do. Together, students reviewed what it means to be an Adams All-Star by learning and practicing our All-Star Chant:

S is for Safety First
T is for There and Ready
A is for Act Responsibly
R is for Respect Everyone

To kick off the assembly, Dr. Erven read the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, which teaches the value of kindness and how our words and actions can positively impact others. Students were challenged to think of specific ways they could “fill someone’s bucket” this year—whether through acts of kindness, respect, or responsibility.

It was a wonderful opportunity to remind our students that being an Adams All-Star goes beyond academics—it’s about building a community where everyone feels safe, respected, and supported. We are excited to see how our students will put these lessons into action throughout the school year!

Our amazing All-Star Cheerleaders brought the energy and excitement as they welcomed our students on the first Friday of the school year! 📣✨ Thank you to our incredible cheerleaders for helping make the morning so special—and a HUGE thank you to Mrs. Rossmann for making this wonderful welcome happen! 🥰👏 Here’s to an amazing school year filled with school spirit, smiles, and SO much fun! 🎓

We look forward to seeing you for Back to School Night on Thursday, August 27th.

• School is dismissed at 1:30 for all students

Teachers Machado, Gomez, Nunez, Ball, and Howell will hold a brief Back to School session in their classrooms from 8:00–8:30 AM.

Student supervision will be provided during this time.

Students in these classes who participate in general education classrooms are also encouraged to attend the evening Back to School Night session with their general education teacher. This is a great opportunity for families to learn more about the general education classroom, including routines and expectations.

At Adams Elementary, our teachers are creating welcoming classroom communities through something we call community circles. These special circle moments help us work toward a goal we care deeply about—making sure every student feels safe, seen, and like they truly belong.

In our TK–2nd grade classrooms, students gather in a circle and take turns sharing their thoughts and feelings, using a “talking piece” that gets passed around. It’s a simple but powerful way for our young All-Stars to connect, listen, and be heard.

Community circles help build trust, respect, and understanding. Along with giving our students a chance to relate to one another and express themselves in a supportive space, we teach children how to understand and manage their emotions. Through these circles, our teachers are nurturing strong relationships and a sense of connectedness—and teaching our students emotional regulation strategies which lay the foundation for a positive classroom climate where every child feels valued and appreciated. If you have any questions regarding your child’s social, emotional and behavioral concerns please reach out to School Counselor, Dr. Sandy Kochan at: skochan@nmusd.us

At Adams Elementary, we are committed to giving our students the tools they need to think critically, stay organized, and express their ideas clearly. One of the ways we are doing this is through the use of Thinking Maps. These visual learning tools help students organize their thoughts, deepen their understanding, and build strong connections between ideas. Each week, our teachers will be introducing and practicing a new type of Thinking Map with students. Last week, students learned how to use the Circle Map (also called the Brainstorming Map) to generate ideas and share what they already know about a topic. This was a powerful first step in helping students learn how to collect and organize their thinking before diving into a new concept. We’ve included a few photos of the Circle Maps that our students created so you can see their great work in action! Next week, our teachers will be teaching students the Bubble Map. The Bubble Map is designed to help students describe a person, place, object, or idea using vivid details and descriptive words. This map is especially useful as a pre-writing tool, since it allows students to expand their vocabulary, brainstorm meaningful details, and better prepare for writing assignments. We’ve attached some helpful information so you can see how the Bubble Map works and even practice it at home with your child. Encouraging your child to use a Bubble Map when describing their favorite animal, a family member, or even a special memory is a great way to reinforce what they’re learning in class. We are excited to see how Thinking Maps will continue to strengthen our students’ skills as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Thank you for supporting this important learning strategy at home!

Please remember our parking lot is closed to non-school traffic. Parents will be allowed on campus the first day of school and then on Fridays for Flag Deck.

Arrival

• Please do not drop off student before 7:45 as there is no supervision before that time
• Students may enter through our main entrance at 7:45 AM and our side entrance by the park starting at 8:00 AM.
• When students arrive, they may walk to their line, put their backpack down, and when the bell rings at 8:00 AM, play.
• The warning bell will sound at 8:13 AM, and students are to walk to their line for the start of school at 8:15 AM.
• Students who enter after 8:15 AM are tardy, and parents will need to bring them to the office to sign them in for the day.
• Students riding bikes must walk their bikes onto campus and store them in the locked fence on campus.

Dismissal

• Students must be picked up from Adams Elementary by 3:05 pm.
• Students will be able to exit any gate at the end of the day. If students are taking the bus, they will meet on the blacktop and be escorted to the buses. If you have an older student, please ensure they pick up their younger siblings (TK-K) before meeting you at your pick-up location.

Classes are offered by grade level for students in TK–6th grade.

The Registration/Interest Form opens Tuesday, August 25 at 3:30 PM. Space is limited, so families interested in participating are encouraged to complete the form once it opens.

Please see the flyer for class days, times, registration information, and additional details. We’re excited to offer our All-Stars another fun way to learn, grow, and stay active after school! ⚽

2026-2027 WAITLIST Interest Form Information

Adams C.A.R.E. Club After School Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELO) is a FREE program provided through NMUSD’s Engagement, Partnership, and Expanded Learning Department. The program is open to students in TK-6th grade and runs 5 days a week from the end of the school day with two pick-up windows from 4:15-4:30 and 5:15-5:30 pm*. Students must be registered and accepted into the program to attend and participate in any programs after school.

If you are interested in this FREE After School Program, please visit here to access and complete a Google Interest Form. Submitting this form will place your child(ren) on a waitlist for the After School Program at Adams Elementary School. Our Program Admin or Bilingual Office Assistant will reach out to you with more information if space is available for your child(ren) in this program.

*Families who completed the early interest form in June DO NOT need to complete this WAITLIST Interest Form as we already have your request on file and will be reaching out to you by August 12th with more information regarding your child(ren)’s placement in our afterschool program.

The CARE Club program prioritizes enrollment for Foster Youth, McKinney-Vento, and English Learners. The program also considers students as a priority who remained on the waitlist through the end of the previous school year. Acceptance into the program is based on need and availability.

Program requirements include mandatory after school attendance when students are in school during the day. Students with absences in excess of 10% of the of the school year are subject to program placement review. Students may be excused for participation in extracurricular activities after school with accepted documentation.

Recommended pick-up times are between 4:15 and 4:30 pm or 5:15 and 5:30 pm. An evening bus arrives at Adams around 5:10 pm to pick-up students with an approved district bus pass. For more information on the evening bus, please contact the district transportation department at 714-424-5080. Emergency contacts will be called for any students not picked up by 5:45 pm. Students picked up at or after 6:00 pm are subject to program placement review. If parents/emergency contacts cannot be reached authorities will be contacted to pick up students remaining on campus at 6:00 pm.

If you have any questions about Expanded Learning Opportunities at Adams Elementary School, please contact Taylor Bullington, ELOP Admin Intern Adams tbullington@nmusd.us

We are looking forward to having a great year!

Taylor Bullington

Recreation on Campus for Kids (R.O.C.K.S) afterschool program is a fee-based program at the following NMUSD sites: Adams, California, College Park, Davis Magnet, Killybrooke, Paularino, Sonora, Victoria, and Whittier. The R.O.C.K.S Program provides supervision by City of Costa Mesa Parks & Community Services staff on the school’s playground Monday through Friday from the time school is dismissed until 6:00 p.m. for children in grades kindergarten through 6. The program is open during the school year and is closed during all school holidays, in-service days, and vacation breaks. This program focuses on four areas: educational activities, youth sports, recreation, and arts & crafts. Staff encourages personal growth, academic enrichment, and group cooperation in a structured environment.

For more information, contact the R.O.C.K.S staff at (714) 754-5013.

2026-2027 R.O.C.K.S Program Registration Dates

July 21, 2026: Online enrollment

• Online: www.cmclassesonline.com
• Go to: Activities, then ROCKS, then Adams Elementary

July 21, 2026: In person enrollment

• City Hall - 3rd Floor (77 Fair Drive) or Downtown Recreation Center (1860 Anaheim Avenue)

Attendance is very important to a child’s success in school. Students are expected to be here each day on time and ready to learn. However, we understand that there are occasions where an absence may occur. Please be sure to contact the absence hotline to report all absences at (714) 424-7935 and press 2.

Did you know? Research shows that chronically absent students (students with 10% absences over the school year = 18 absences) are less likely to read on grade level by 3rd grade, are more likely to score lower on standardized tests, get suspended in middle school, and are at least four times more likely to not complete high school.

The following list are general standards for appropriate and safe dress for school:

• Clothing must be clean.
• All attire must be modest. Undergarments must be covered.

• No clothing with offensive or distasteful words, promotes alcohol, tobacco or drugs, or has pictures, or slogans. Offensive would be defined as anything that is obscene, contains racial or ethnic slurs, or propagates violence, gangs or products which are illegal.

• No spaghetti straps, crop top shirts, halter tops or bare midriffs. Shoulder straps must be at least one (1) inch wide.

• Shoes must be practical so that students can run, jump, and kick while involved in physical activities on the playground. This means that tennis shoes or other closed-toe and closed-heel shoes are appropriate.

• Inappropriate shoes: open-toed shoes, Crocs, flip flops, slippers, heels, and platform shoes.

• Shorts, skirts and dresses are appropriate if they are the type designed for play and the highest point of the hemline reaches the student’s thumb when their arm is at their side.
• Makeup is not to be worn by elementary age students.
• Jewelry, if worn, should be small and non-distracting.
• Hats (particularly baseball caps) must be worn forward-facing and are not permitted to be worn indoors at any time unless with permission by teacher. Hoods and beanies are not to be worn indoors.

Newport Mesa’s transportation department is located at 2985-D Bear Street and can be reached via telephone at 714-424-5084. Transportation can provide you with information regarding applications and schedules. Bus riders enter campus via the sidewalk leading to our front gate.

We are happy to welcome volunteers to our campus. Volunteering is a perfect opportunity to become more familiar with our school and support your child’s teacher. Volunteer applications for the 2026-27 school year are now available.

What’s new?

Senate Bill 848 expands Mandated Reporter obligations to include volunteers. (This includes field trip chaperones.)

What does this mean?

The Mandated Reporter training will be issued to returning and new volunteers this year and on an annual basis.

What to expect?

For returning volunteers:

Notifications will be sent by our District Volunteer Coordinator, Sydney Stravolo, to eligible volunteers with instructions on completing their clearance requirements for the upcoming school year. These instructions will include guidance on how to complete the new Mandated Reporter training.

For new volunteers:

Instructions on completing their clearance requirements can be found on our Volunteer Information webpage: https://web.nmusd.us/volunteers.

Adams volunteers are required to complete a volunteer application through the NMUSD website and check in at the office each time through our Raptor System. Please see the link: NMUSD Volunteers.

Once your application is approved, you will receive a notification. All cleared volunteers will then complete an orientation at Adams. Please note that field trip volunteers need to go through the volunteer/visitor system before attending a field trip.

All teachers and Adams staff have been trained on the Standard Response Protocol. This protocol allows everyone on site to use clear and common language during emergency responses. Whenever emergency drills are held at Adams Elementary (dates are all posted on the Adams Elementary website), we will inform our parent community through our weekly newsletter

Join us for our first annual General PTA Meeting at 5pm on Back to School Night! Enjoy some pizza, snacks and water (while supplies last) and hear all about what we have planned for 2026/27.

Also stop by the PTA table to shop our awesome spirit wear, meet your PTA board members, and get the scoop on all the fun events planned for the year. Ready to get involved? You can join the PTA right on the spot! We can’t wait to see you!

Our PTA group page is your go-to spot for everything Adams PTA — membership, spirit wear, event sign-ups, and more, all in one place.

Bookmark my.cheddarup.com/me/adamsptacostamesa for anytime you need to join, pay, sign up, or check what's coming up.

Our full 2026-27 PTA calendar of events is here, plus a closer look at what's happening this August! CLICK HERE TO VIEW — and keep the yearly calendar handy so you never miss what's coming next. Please note all dates are subject to change.

Membership Drive – Now through Saturday, October 31, 2026 Join Online Anytime The Adams PTA Membership Drive is officially underway! Every membership helps fund the programs that benefit our students, our school, and our community — from PBIS initiatives and classroom enrichment to after-school programs and community events.
Email adamspta.memberships@gmail.com for more info.

Our All-Stars Bubble Run kicks off this Monday, August 24! Starting Monday, you'll be able to register your student and create their personal fundraising page to collect donations from family and friends. Run day is Friday, September 25.

This year we're raising $30,000! And here's what makes this year extra special: the PTA is running and operating the Bubble Run ourselves, so every dollar raised goes to the Adams Elementary PTA to support student enrichment, classroom needs, campus enhancements, and other programs and priorities that benefit our school community. Your donation gives the PTA the flexibility to direct funds where they can make the greatest impact for Adams students.

Watch for our Information Packet coming home in your student's classroom folder early next week. It has everything you need to get started, including how to register (each student separately, so they can earn prizes!) and share your page.

We can't wait to run, play, and pop some bubbles with our All-Stars! 🫧⭐