Will Rogers Roundup

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Dear Will Rogers Parents and Guardians,

September is Attendance Awareness Month!

We are excited to celebrate the importance of being at school, being on time, and being present for learning! This year, we are especially focused on reducing our chronic absenteeism rate. Last year, nearly 20% of our students were considered chronically absent. We know that when a child misses more than 10% of the school year, they miss valuable learning, routines, relationships, and opportunities to grow.

Every school day matters. Each day your child is here is an opportunity to learn something new, build friendships, develop confidence, and feel connected to our school community. We also understand that children do get sick. If your child is ill, please keep them home, allow them to rest and recover, and help protect the health of our school community.

At the same time, we ask families to:

• Plan vacations and family trips during scheduled school breaks whenever possible.

• Schedule routine doctor and other appointments after school whenever possible.

• Make every effort to arrive at school on time. A late arrival can mean missing important morning routines, directions, and learning.

• Call or email the school office whenever your child is absent to verify the reason for the absence. Unverified absences can add up quickly, and we want to make sure our attendance records accurately reflect your child's circumstances.

Most importantly, please let us know how we can help. If your family is experiencing challenges that make getting to school on time or attending regularly difficult, we want to partner with you. Our goal is not simply to track attendance—it is to support every student in being here, learning, growing, and belonging.

Thank you for partnering with us to make every school day count!

In partnership,

Lila Daruty
Principal, Will Rogers Learning Community
ldaruty@smmusd.org

Last week, our teachers had the opportunity to participate in a collaborative study session with our IB trainer, Trevor Mackenzie. Our teachers had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas, share perspectives, design a unit lesson, and co-teach the lesson with students.

This kind of collaboration is at the heart of what we are working to build as an IB school. Our teachers are continually asking important questions: How can we make learning more meaningful? How can we put students at the center of their learning? How can we create authentic connections across subjects and disciplines?

Through experiences like this, our teachers are putting those ideas into practice. We are seeing our commitment to student-centered learning, purposeful inquiry, collaboration, and transdisciplinary learning come alive in our classrooms.

Most importantly, our teachers are learning with and from one another. The willingness to open our classrooms, share ideas, take risks, and learn together is an important part of our growth as a school.

We are proud of the work our teachers are doing and grateful for their dedication to creating rich learning experiences for our students. This is what our journey toward becoming an IB School of Excellence looks like.

Mon. 9/7 No school - Labor Day

Wed. 9/9 3rd grade music begins

Thurs. 9/10 4th/5th grade music Thursday only

Thurs. 9/10 (New) Peacemaker Student Training 9:00-1:00 p.m. in room 508

Fri. 9/11 Peacemaker (returning) Student Training 2-3 pm in cafeteria

Mon. 9/14 PS Arts begins TK-5th grade

Tues. 9/15 4th/5th grade music begins on Tuesday and Thursday

Tues. 9/15 ( NEW DATE) Back-to-School Music Night (Zoom), 6 pm -8 pm

Thurs. 9/17 ELAC Training in library 8:30am

Thurs. 9/17 School Site Council Meeting 3:15-5:00pm on Zoom

Fri. 9/18 Picture Day

Mon. 9/21 No school - Local Holiday

Tues. 9/22 School Tour 9:00-10:15am

Fri. 9/25 School-wide Assembly/IB Awards (Principled) at 8:30am on track/field Parents are welcome to join!

Fri. 9/25 Fall Rodeo Dance in auditorium 6-8pm

Mon. 9/28 Parent Monday “Meet up” with the Principal 8:10-9:00 a.m. in front of school

Mon. 9/28 New Peacemakers begin their service

Mon. 9/28 Spanish Class begins grades 1st- 5th

SMMUSD Calendar 2026-2027

WRLC PTA Calendar

Arrival to school: Gates open at 8:10 a.m.

• TK/Kinder use the designated TK/K gate off of 14th street. Students and families may play, and wait for pick-up from their teachers on the (old) TK/K yard. @ 8:25 teachers will meet and walk students and accompanying grown-ups to the new early learning building.
• 1st - 5th may use either the front gate on 14th street or the pedestrian gate on 16th street. Students and families should proceed to their classrooms.
• There is drop-off valet available on 14th street

Dismissal from school: (All teachers will escort students to these areas)

• TK/Kinder meet your children at the designated TK/K gate (adjacent to the old TK/ K yard) on 14th street.
  
• 1st - 2nd meet your children the TK/K gate (adjacent to the old TK/ K yard) on 14th street
• 3rd should be picked-up from the front gate on 14th street.
• 4th and 5th should be picked up from gate on 16th street or the front gate

GOOD NEIGHBOR REMINDER:

• Parent parking can be found within our neighborhood streets. Be sure to read the street signs!
• Please do not park in the staff parking lots or block driveways of our neighbors.
• We will continue to offer a valet on 14th street in front of the school.
• Please be courteous and kind to our amazing crossing guards who help our students arrive safely at school each day!

Hello! My name is Coach Niko, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Physical Education teacher at Will Rogers Learning Community. I’m looking forward to getting to know your children and helping them build confidence, teamwork, healthy habits, and a love for being active.

What We’ll Be Working On

During the first few weeks of school, we will focus on:

• Learning PE rules, routines, and safety expectations
• Following directions and responding to signals
• Moving safely and respecting personal space
• Teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship
• Practicing fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing
• Having fun while staying active

My goal is to create a PE environment where every student feels safe, included, successful, and excited to participate.

PE Day Reminders

Proper Footwear: Students should wear athletic/tennis shoes that are safe for running and physical activity. Please avoid Crocs, sandals, flip-flops, or other footwear that may make participating safely difficult.

Water Bottles: Please have your child bring a labeled water bottle to school so they can stay hydrated, especially during outdoor activities.

Thank you for your support! I am excited to be part of the Will Rogers community and look forward to a fun, active, and successful school year!

Coach Niko

Stay connected and informed by reading our weekly PTA Wednesday newsletter, filled with information about upcoming school-wide events and fundraisers, important opportunities, advocacy alerts, PTA meeting announcements, and more. To sign up for email updates, contact communications@willrogerspta.com.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is excited to launch free Folklórico dance classes for the 2026–27 school year! Students will meet twice a week after school to learn traditional Mexican folk dance — building skills, confidence, and cultural connection along the way. Class start dates are being finalized (details coming soon), and sessions will be offered at the following school sites:

Elementary Sites and Schedules

Edison Language Academy Cafeteria

2402 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Wednesday and Friday 3:30-5:00 P.M.

Will Rogers Learning Community Cafeteria

2401 14th St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Tuesday and Thursday 3:15–4:45 P.M.

Middle School Site and Schedule

John Adams Middle School Room 111

2425 16th St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Tuesday and Thursday 5:00--7:00 P.M.

If your student is interested in taking the class at any of these locations, please complete the registration form. Folklorico Registration Form

Will Rogers has earned the 2025–2027 National PTA School of Excellence designation, as well as being one of only three PTAs nationwide to earn the additional Hearst Award for family engagement innovations. These honors recognize our commitment to making a difference for students and families and reflect what we can accomplish together to strengthen our school community, support our children, and create meaningful opportunities for every family.

We’re proud to help build strong community that makes Will Rogers special. Through PTA events and programs that bring families and educators together, we create connections that help our students thrive. These shared experiences strengthen relationships, support our teachers, and make Will Rogers a welcoming place for every family.

Fostering a vibrant, supportive learning environment helps make learning more enjoyable and meaningful for your child.PTA efforts support student well-being, improve academic outcomes, strengthen school-family partnerships, and help every child thrive.

As a PTA School of Excellence, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where every family feels heard. Through family events, PTA meetings, and community initiatives, we elevate your voices by listening to your ideas, concerns, and priorities. Your input helps shape our community, strengthen family engagement, and guide the work we do together. Add your voice to the conversation by joining the PTA, volunteering, or supporting our initiatives.

Students are never permitted to use cell phones on campus. In the event of an emergency, the administration carry radios, teachers have cellphones and there is a school phone in every learning space. Under the advisement of our SMPD school resource officers, individual student cellphone use can actually hinder the delivery of important messaging necessary in a true emergency.

Other personal electronics from home, such as Nintendo Switches, iPads, Kindles etc. are not permitted on campus. If a student uses their cell phone during school hours, it will be confiscated and held until the end of the school day and must be picked up by a parent. In no event or circumstance, will the district or its staff be held responsible or liable for the loss, theft, or damage to any such device.

Please help us ensure that our students have an electronics free learning zone at school.

• School materials including books, homework, projects, etc.
• Re-fillable water bottle ( We have several refilling stations on campus)
• A morning snack
• Lunch is available to all students free of charge. You may also pack a lunch from home.
• Sunscreen (put on prior to arriving at school)
• Hat
• Layers of clothing (sweatshirt, windbreaker, etc.) Keep an eye on the weather.
• A growth mindset for a successful day!

Breakfast and lunch are free for all students! Make a plan with your child each week about the days they will be eating food prepared at school or bringing lunch from home.

MENU HERE

We encourage you to pack a snack for your children for morning recess.

Please send your child to school with a re-fillable water bottle! We have water stations located throughout campus.

The Weekend Bag Program (WeB) provides SMMUSD students with nutritious, easy-to- prepare bags of food containing 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 snacks for the weekends. The Weekend Bag Program is available to serve to all SMMUSD students. Student names are not identified to Weekend Bag Program volunteers to ensure participant privacy. Weekend Bags are packed by volunteers with enough shelf-stable food (including UHT milk) for breakfast, lunch and snacks for two days. Participating students pick up the opaque nondescript bags, usually from the school office after school on Fridays, and stick them in their backpacks. The menus have been evaluated by a dietitian to meet federal school nutrition standards and provide a balance of healthy, nutritious non-perishable foods. Families wishing to enroll their students should contact our school’s Bilingual Community Liaison, Nallely Gutierrez, n.gutierrez@smmusd.org or 310 828-0335 X61311 and fill out a Program opt-in form.

El Programa de Bolsas de Fin de Semana (WeB, por sus siglas en inglés) proporcionará a los estudiantes de SMMUSD bolsas de alimentos nutritivos y fáciles de preparar para los fines de semana. Los estudiantes participantes de WeB se identifican a través de un formulario de registro de interés o de Enlaces Comunitarios Bilingües (BCL, por sus siglas en inglés). Los nombres de los estudiantes no se compartirán con los voluntarios de WeB para garantizar la privacidad de los participantes. Los voluntarios llenan bolsas de plástico reutilizables con alimentos no perecederos (incluida la leche UHT) que contienen dos días de desayunos, almuerzos y refrigerios, y luego las llevan a la oficina de la escuela o al espacio de distribución designado. Los estudiantes participantes recogen las bolsas de alimentos y las colocan en sus mochilas. Un dietista ha evaluado los menús para garantizar que cumplan con los estándares federales de nutrición escolar y brinden un equilibrio adecuado de alimentos no perecederos, nutritivos y saludables. Las familias que deseen inscribir a sus estudiantes en el Programa de Bolsas de Fin de Semana deben comunicarse con Nallely Gutierrez, n.gutierrez@smmusd.org o al 310-828-0335, extensión 61311, y completar un formulario para inscribirse en el programa.

As an International Baccalaureate Programme School, we believe there is a broad range of capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. We make a commitment to help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them. We do this through the development of students according to the IB learner profile. The profile aims to develop learners who are:

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-minded

Caring

Risk-takers

Balanced

Reflective

The IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Email: ldaruty@smmusd.org
Website: https://rogers.smmusd.org/

Location: 2401 14th street Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310-452-2364