Mariner Update Family Edition

Mariner brothers and sisters, our gifts are meant to be shared and used to benefit others; essentially, the purpose of receiving a gift is to give it away to others in service and love.

I love our school. Do you love your school?!

Mariner Focus: School-Wide Reading Challenge: Belong, Lead, and Succeed Through Reading!

Mariner Family,

We are excited to share that our school is preparing to launch a school-wide Reading Challenge designed to lift literacy for every student and strengthen our shared commitment to learning together.

This initiative is rooted in a simple truth: reading at grade level is the foundation of all learning. Reading opens doors, fuels curiosity, builds confidence, and helps students turn their dreams into reality. For that reason, we are committed to building a strong and lasting culture of reading that extends beyond a single school year.

This Reading Challenge is intentionally connected to our schoolwide and districtwide theme of Belonging, Leading, and Succeeding. Reading builds belonging as students, staff, and families read together and see themselves reflected in meaningful stories. It develops leadership as students take ownership of their reading goals, staff model a love of learning, and families model a love of reading and learning at home. It supports success by strengthening the literacy skills students need to thrive across all subjects and in life.

As we roll this out, students can expect incentives to celebrate reading, 24/7 access to digital books, additional opportunities to check out books from our school library/media center, and access to books in both English and Spanish to support English learners and Spanish-speaking families. We will also provide support and resources for parents to help make reading at home a positive and successful experience. Access to books will continue through the summer and into the 2026–2027 school year because learning doesn’t stop when school is out—and neither does our commitment to your children.

This Reading Challenge is a work in progress, and we believe the strongest programs are built together. In the coming weeks, we will be seeking input from staff, students, and parents to help shape this initiative and ensure it meets the needs of our entire community.

Why are we doing this? Because literacy is the root of learning, and learning at high levels is how students build confidence, opportunity, and a future full of possibility. We will always work to grow our programs and bring you every opportunity to belong, lead, and succeed.

More details coming soon—we can’t wait to build this together.

With gratitude and excitement,
On behalf of the Dedicated Admin Team
Mrs. Barry, Assistant Principal
Mr. Castro, Assistant Principal &

Mr. Andrew Candelaria, Principal

Pictured below working alongside our parent volunteers is our Substitute COFA, Mrs. Maria Mojica (from left to right: Parent Mrs. Rodriguez, Mrs. Mojica, and Parent Mrs. Martinez).

Mrs. Mojica will be supporting IHCS as our COFA while our permanent COFA is away. She joins us from Railway Elementary, where she previously served as Railway’s COFA. Many of our parents have already had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Mojica and have shared how welcomed and supported they feel through her work with our families.

Families are always welcome to contact the front office and ask to connect with our COFA for additional support.

Mrs. Mojica also attended our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Black History Month planning session at Clearwater Elementary last week. As we prepare for a meaningful, month-long Black History Month celebration filled with activities, events, and guest speakers, we invite families to share community contacts who may be interested in volunteering or participating. Please reach out to Mrs. Mojica, who is helping coordinate and organize our celebrations.

We are grateful for Mrs. Mojica’s support and leadership in strengthening our school & family partnerships.

Also pictured are staff and parents engaging in an SEL Superpower focus on Relationship Building, our districtwide emphasis from January 26 through March 6. During this activity, parents and staff shared written words of appreciation, highlighting what they value and admire about one another. Each participant was able to keep these affirmations as a reminder of the kindness, respect, and connection that exists within our community.

Moments like these strengthen relationships and deepen our shared sense of belonging. You belong here. We all belong to each other.

Our Winter Family Dance was a wonderful success, with over 120 parents and students joining us for an evening of fun, music, and community. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the night so special. We extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Llausas, Mrs. Espinoza, and Mrs. Santiago for their time, support, and dedication in helping make this event possible.

This week, our WICOR review will focus on I – Inquiry. I will explain what students will be doing in their classrooms related to this component and share ways families can support inquiry-based learning at home.

I-inquiry

Asking critical questions to deepen understanding, moving beyond surface-level information.

What does Inquiry look like:

Uncovering one's understanding
Asking critical questions
Engaging in thinking, learning. and discussion

Analyze and synthesize materials or ideas
Clarify their own thinking
Probe others' thinking
Work through ambiguity

Classroom Activities

TRF Think Aloud
Tutorials/ Collaborative Study Groups
Student Presenter Instructions
Group Member instructions
Tutorial Reflection Prompts
Socratic Seminar
Philosophical Chairs
Costa’s Levels of Thinking and Questioning

How you can help with Inquiry at home:

Ask "What if" and "How" questions: Instead of telling them the answer, ask questions like, "How do you think that works?" or "What do you notice about that?".
Share your own wonderings: Say out loud what you're curious about, such as, "I wonder why the leaves change color?".
Follow their lead: When they're interested in something (like bugs or planets), find ways to explore that topic together.
Be a role model: Show your own passion for learning new things.
Listen actively: Pay attention to their ideas and respond thoughtfully, encouraging collaboration.
Offer support, not answers: When they're stuck, guide them with questions or perspectives rather than solving the problem for them.