Principal's Pen
Dear Will Rogers Parents and Guardians,
It is hard to believe that the end of school year is nearing. There is still so much to celebrate as we close out the year! We hope that you will join us for the many concerts, field trips, community events and activities we have planned throughout May and June!
Warm regards,
Ms. Lila Daruty
Principal, Will Rogers Learning Community
CAASPP Testing for 3rd-5th Graders
Testing continues this week for some 3rd- 5th graders needing make-ups of the ELA or math test. Additionally, our 5th graders will take the Science Assessment this week.
We want our students to feel and do their best as they demonstrate their knowledge. Please partner with WRLC to ensure that:
1. Your child gets enough sleep (9-12 hours) each night.
2. Your child eats a healthy breakfast at home or arrives at school early enough (8:00-8:20 a.m.) to get breakfast from the cafeteria.
3. Your child arrives on time to school every day. Students who arrive after a testing session has begun, will not be permitted to join the session late and must wait in the office or alternate location on campus.
4. If you normally volunteer in a 3rd- 5th grade classroom in the mornings, please coordinate with your teacher to volunteer at a different time. Only SMMUSD employees serving as proctors can be in classrooms during testing.
5. Most of all, encourage your child to do their best!. We want our students to feel confident in themselves, do their best and don’t want them to feel too much pressure.
Thank you for supporting your child!
IB Learner Profile of the Month: COMMUNICATOR
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program of Inquiry Units of Study
All grade levels are working on either their 6th unit. Here's what each grade level worked on this past week.
Kindergarten - The students did an inquiry at the farm to learn about what can be done to increase the number of caterpillars.
First Grade - The students learned about what is a community.
Second Grade - The students learned about what is a consumer. They also learned about what are consumer needs, wants, and choices?
Third Grade - The students started their final unit - How we express ourselves. The students engaged in a provocation activity where they read Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude and also talked about fairytales.
Fourth Grade - The students learned about energy transfer and how does energy get to all the devices in Santa Monica? The students in Ms. Jaeger and Ms. Hill's classes did a STEM Lab in their classroom where they optimized building circuits with solar panels.
Fifth Grade - The students learned about why the Bill of Rights was added.
WRLC CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
Will Rogers Learning Community Early Education Building Project
Phase 1 of the Campus Plan
(May 17, 2024 Update)
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is excited to share that construction at Will Rogers Learning Community is underway. The initiative will introduce seven state-of-the-art transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, alongside a brand-new artificial turf multi-sports field. Additionally, the project encompasses the creation of outdoor natural learning areas adjacent to the new classrooms, as well as the installation of new basketball courts, handball walls and various other amenities.
Update:
Construction commenced in late December 2023, and currently, access to the eastern section of the outdoor play areas is restricted. The construction team is diligently working towards the completion of a new multi-sports turf playing field, scheduled for delivery later this year for school activities. Additionally, the kindergarten building is set to be completed in the 2024-2025 school year.
Noise and Dust Control:
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the noise and dust. We understand that demolition and construction activities generate both, and they take place during the daytime hours, on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We acknowledge that this time frame coincides with school hours, and construction crews are mindful of this.
To address concerns about dust and noise, contractors are working diligently to implement control measures. Crews are pleased to report that assessments have shown that noise levels remain within safe limits, not exceeding the 90 decibel safety standards.
Environmental Safety Note:
Most school construction projects, both in the state and nationwide, incorporate an asbestos abatement phase. We adhere strictly to environmental regulations, which mandate testing prior to commencement of construction. In a recent case, asbestos was detected within the tar content, sandwiched between layers of asphalt. Similar to older homes or buildings where asbestos remains inert and occupants live without health risks, the asbestos found in this instance posed no threat as there was no potential pathway for exposure. The asbestos content originated from adhesive used to bind a layer of asphalt to another during a maintenance endeavor conducted decades ago. Proper removal procedures necessitate that workers adhere to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, donning protective suits and masks. Importantly, students and staff are not exposed to this material as it is encapsulated within the tar of the asphalt. Site monitors diligently record air samples and dust content, and work halts whenever wind speeds exceed 15 mph.
Current Construction:
Underground, jackhammers are still at work demolishing concrete footings, while removing them. Additionally, 341 truckloads of subpar soil have been extracted from the former grass field to clear space for the foundations of the upcoming building. These initial steps are crucial in laying the groundwork for both the new artificial turf field and the foundations of the early elementary building.
Excavation and recompacting efforts are underway beneath the artificial field, drainage basin, and the new building's foundation. Clean material is being brought in to fill low areas within the work zone. The contractor is presently engaged in recompacting and distributing soil, blending it with freshly imported soil to fortify the sub-base for both the building and the turf field. A Geotech engineering technician is diligently monitoring soil moisture and compaction levels, ensuring they meet the required standards. Following this assessment, a report will confirm the soil's readiness for building foundations. Final certification of the field is slated for the week's end. Meanwhile, a survey team is pinpointing the precise location of the new building on the site. As part of the preparations, old underground utilities are being relocated and sealed off within the work zone, while new sewer, drainage lines, and buried electrical conduits are being installed for the forthcoming building.
Continued Work:
A. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Ramp and Access: A fresh pathway for teachers, staff, and students is being introduced, linking the 16th Street parking lot directly to the classrooms. Situated adjacent to the garden fence line, the new entrance gate provides convenient access to the site along the south side of Buildings U and Q. Currently, the contractor is in the process of crafting a brand-new entry gate along with an ADA-compliant access ramp from the staff parking lot. This will serve as the primary entry point for teachers, staff, and students accessing the garden area. Equipped with a Salto card reader and buzzer, the gate installation is scheduled for completion this week, with the Salto system set to become operational by next week.
B. Temporary Restrooms: On March 23, 2024, a semi-permanent restroom building was delivered to the school site to cater to the needs of children and parents during after-school activities. This new facility comprises four separate restrooms: boys, girls, staff and adults, as well as an all-gender option. It serves as a replacement for the restroom previously situated near the basketball courts and ball-wall areas. The contractor has undertaken the necessary connections for water, power, fire alarms, sewer, and ramps for the new restroom building. Fire alarms have been integrated with the school's existing fire alarm system and thoroughly tested for functionality. The final touches, including the completion of the asphalt landing at the ramp and installation of a light pole, are pending. Once these tasks are finalized, the restroom will be fully operational and ready for use by August 2024.
C. Site Demolition: As of April 20, 2024, the asphalt removal process has been successfully finalized. Soil excavation and removal commenced last week and has since been completed. The contractor is actively managing dust levels to ensure minimal disruption. Additionally, certain concrete footings are currently undergoing jackhammering to separate the concrete from the rebar.
D. Site Dirt Import: A total of 140 truckloads of dirt and gravel are being imported to replace the insufficient soil that was excavated from the site earmarked for the new building.
E. Site Utilities: The contractor is building pathways for the electrical feed to the new elementary building and exterior light poles. Water meters and sewer lines are being connected from the street to the site. Underground water and sewer are being installed.
F. City Utilities Service: During spring break, the construction team collaborated with the City of Santa Monica to relocate pedestrian crosswalks, driveways, and site utility connections along the 16th Street roadway. Completion of sidewalks and installation of new street markings will be scheduled for a later date in the summer, in alignment with the City of Santa Monica's plans.
We value your patience and understanding as we progress through the construction phase.
For more information on Rogers campus projects, please contact Simpson & Simpson Consultant Senior Construction Operations Liaison Chris Emmett at cemmett@smmusd.org.
Will Rogers Family Talent Show is May 31 at 6:00pm!
Students who wish to participate in this year's show may send a video of their act (2 minutes or less) no later than Friday, May 10th.
FIRST, please SIGN UP let us know that your child will be participating! Please use this form to provide details about your student's Family Talent Show act, and we will send a follow up email with the upload link and instructions.
All kinds of talents are welcome! Singing, dancing, comedy, juggling, magic...we've seen so many amazing talents grace the stage at WRLC over the years.
Tips for helping your kids develop their Talent Show ideas:
- We really do love family acts. Moms, dads, siblings, cousins, come on down! This element of our show is a special tradition, and a unique opportunity to share the stage with your kiddo. Don't be shy!
- Small group acts are audience favorites! Working on an act with a friend or two (or more!) is a great way to ensure a crowd-pleaser. Solos are ok, but we especially love to see students collaborating and sharing the stage.
- When an act involves music (especially singing), upbeat songs are encouraged. Everyone loves a good ballad, but not everyone loves 20 ballads in one show. Just something to keep in mind when steering your little one toward a song choice.
- We usually have a lot of participants, so please be sure to manage expectations. Most acts will be asked to cut their time to 2 minutes or less.
- Everyone is asked to have a second choice ready if they're singing a song. Sometimes it happens that multiple acts will want to do the same song and we do our best not to have repeats, so our singers may be asked to perform their second choice.
- Students are limited to participating in one or two acts.
We look forward to supporting our talented Will Rogers students in this wonderful annual showcase!
Please email wrlctalentshow@gmail.com with questions.
FIFTH GRADE UPDATES and INFORMATION
Join the 5th grade Parent Planning Committee. We need your voice and volunteerism. Sign-up here
Here is a snapshot of 5th grade events. Please save the dates.
FIELD DAY: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5TH
• Location: Pacific Park at Santa Monica Pier
• Time: 10am-2:30pm
• (6-8) Volunteers/Chaperones (will reach out once we decide how many are needed)
• Sack lunch/snacks
DANCE: FRIDAY, JUNE 7TH
• Location: WRLC Auditorium
• Time: 1pm-3pm
• (5-10) Volunteers/Chaperones: (6 for games, 2 for doors, 2 for food/snacks) - will reach out once we get final numbers and info)
• Theme (Glow party)
• Décor
• Admit One ticket (keepsake)
• Setup
• Dj
• Photo booth
• Game stations
• Prizes
• Snacks/Pizza
PROMOTION FOLLOWED BY RECEPTION: MONDAY, JUNE 10TH
• Location: WRLC Auditorium
• Time: 9:15am-11am
• Reception to follow
- Parking restrictions will be lifted in the area
JAMS 2024 Summer Science Camp is held in person at JAMS.
Incoming students may attend 6th Grade Camp (2 days): Monday and Tuesday, August 12-13, 2024. All registered JAMS students are eligible, but must sign up to attend!
6TH GRADE CAMP (2 DAYS): MONDAY AND TUESDAY, AUGUST 12-13, 2024.
7TH AND 8TH GRADE CAMP (3 DAYS): WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY, AUGUST 14-16, 2024.
https://jamssciencemagnet.org/summer-science-camp
Camps are open to ALL incoming JAMS 6-8th graders as long as space is available. Please contact your current science teacher for more information. Incoming 6th grade parents can email tlevin@smmusd.org with questions.
We're also looking for parent volunteers to help with lunch.
"Oops, I forgot!" table - PLEASE SHARE AND USE
We have had an increase in requests from parents asking us to call classrooms to relay messages or have their child pick-up an item they left at home. Each time we call, we interrupt instruction which is disruptive to the students. Help us reduce these interruptions.
Please communicate the "Oops, I forgot table" plan with your child, so they know there is place for parents to drop-off items they may have left at home!
Mornings are busy and sometimes students leave for school without their water bottle, instrument or homework. In an effort to reduce classroom interruptions and to support students with developing responsibility, please use our "Oops, I forgot" table. It is located outside the main office.
Make a plan with your child that if they leave something at home, a parent may drop it off in the office. We will place their labeled item on the "Oops, I forgot table." During their recess or on their way to lunch, they may check the table for a forgotten item.
Please do not forget to send with your child every day:
- School materials including books, homework, projects, etc.
- Water bottle
- Snack and/or lunch (lunch available to all students free of charge for the 2023-24 school year.)
- 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!
Counseling Services at WRLC
We have several community partnerships affording us the opportunity to provide school-based therapy services to the students at Rogers. If you are interested in this service, please reach out to your classroom teacher. We are fortunate to expand our services by offering free, tele-health counseling service through Hazel. Read more about this service below.
Contact Us
Email: ldaruty@smmusd.org
Website: https://www.smmusd.org/rogers
Location: 2401 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90406
Phone: 310-452-2364
Twitter: @WillRogersSTEM