Marguerita Gazette
November’s Theme: National Career Development Month
Dear Marguerita Families and Staff,
As the year comes to a close and winter break approaches, I want to take a moment to thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to our school community. Together, we have created a nurturing, engaging, and inspiring environment for our students to learn, grow, and thrive. This season is a time for reflection and gratitude, and I am deeply grateful for the hard work and commitment of our families, staff, and students who embody the values of Respect, Ownership, Cooperation, and Kindness (R.O.C.K.) every day.
The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to connect with loved ones, create memories, and recharge for the year ahead. I encourage everyone to enjoy quality time with friends and family, embrace the joy and warmth of the season, and take care of yourselves and one another. While we celebrate and relax, let’s also remember to stay safe, so we can all return in January ready to continue our journey of learning and achievement.
On behalf of the entire Marguerita team, I wish you a joyful and restful winter break. May it be filled with laughter, love, and the magic of the season. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year, refreshed and excited for the great things to come in 2025!
Warm regards,
Mr. Kohout, Principal
Marguerita R.O.C.K.s!
Month of December message:
December Focus- Kindness!
Last month, we emphasized cooperation, and it was wonderful to see students sharing, taking turns, and helping one another. This month, we're encouraging conversations at home about kindness and how we can make it a daily habit. Here are some examples to discuss with your child:
Use kind words and gestures to brighten someone’s day.
Listen and show understanding when someone is upset.
Help without being asked to make things easier for others.
Show appreciation and gratitude for what others do for you.
Let’s work together to inspire our students to show kindness to themselves, their friends, and their community!
Marguerita Elementary School strives to:
LEARN, GROW, AND GIVE BACK!
Marguerita Voted Favorite Public Elementary School!
Congratulations once again to our Marguerita School Community! The Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News have once again awarded Marguerita Elementary School the Readers Choice Award as San Gabriel Valley’s FAVORITE public elementary school for 2024! I would like to congratulate our ENTIRE MARGUERITA TEAM… Thank you to our students, families, staff, & PTA for all that you do to make our school the absolute best that it can be for our kids. You R.O.C.K.!
Congratulations & keep up the great work!
Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports
(PBIS) is the implementation of practices that promotes specific positive outcomes in behavior, academics, social-emotional well being and mental health. At Marguerita, students are taught and expected to demonstrate the R.O.C.K. at all times– Respect, Ownership, Cooperation and Kindness. Students consistently practicing expected behaviors are rewarded with RockStars to use at PBIS events throughout the year!
Mr. John Chae, School Counselor, Gateway To Success - chae_john@ausd.us
December’s focus is Empathy. One way to think about empathy is “understanding and connecting with other people’s feelings.” Empathy is a practice that can help us grow strong relationships.
Empathy is a trait that helps students to be Kind. Throughout the school, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.
For more information on Gateway to Success and SEL learning, please visit the following link- Student Support
Help foster a positive attitude about school by having discussions about their day
1. Tell me about the best part of your day.
2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
3. Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
4. Tell me about what you read in class.
5. Play 2 truths and a lie. Parents model by sharing 2 truths and a lie while the child guesses. Then switch!
Be a Part of the Solution not the Pollution!
Ms. Woodin’s R.O.C.K. block class is trying to solve this community problem of littering. By reading this we hope you will help to stop littering too.
Fun facts–Did you know that:
200 million pounds of trash are in the ocean?
Litter can cause a fire hazard?
You can get fined for littering?
It attracts animals to dig through the trash?
Littering pieces of trash can stay in the environment for a very long time?
One of the biggest causes of littering is inconvenience?
People can get into accidents while trying to avoid litter on the road?
Litter can be a breeding ground for bacteria?
You can return drink containers for money?
Trash can be found everywhere. The website Our World in Data says: “ cumulative production reached 9.5 billion tonnes of plastic — more than one ton of plastic for every person alive today.” There is more plastic in the ocean than people on earth. According to Google, it states “ There is an estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in the ocean.” There is so much plastic waste in the oceans. Oil also has also been a big problem, as it is used to produce plastics and such. .U.S Energy Information Administration says “In 2023, the United States consumed an average of about 20.25 million barrels of petroleum per day, or a total of about 7.39 billion barrels of petroleum.” There are still 20 groups helping the ocean environment but the plastic waste keeps adding on, which can really harm sea animals.
If we continue to litter on the ground and throw trash in the water- sea life, and humans, and are going to get hurt in the water. A sea animal might even get caught in bottles, cans, and more. On land, there could be gas parts or oil that might set fire to trees or buildings around. So do you really want to hurt our city? We will ruin the earth if we continue to keep littering! So please help the animals and please, stop littering!
How to reduce littering
One way to reduce littering is to put your trash in a bin. There are different types of trash cans with different purposes in this city. The blue trash bin is for recycling, like bottles and cardboard. The green bin is for green waste, like leaves or branches. The black trash bin is for trash such as wrappers.
Another way to reduce littering is by keeping a bag in your car. It doesn't have to be a big bag, it can just be a little bag for you to throw your trash in. You can also take part in one of Alhambra’s programs such as: neighborhood clean up events, recycling events, and dump day events. You can also report people for illegal dumping or for littering in general. Much of these ideas are from the City of Alhambra Website.
Everyone can help and together, we can Be A Part Of the Solution, Not the Pollution!
Written by students in Mrs. Woodin's R.O.C.K. block class
Become a Marguerita Volunteer
Would you like to be a Marguerita School volunteer or chaperone for a field trip? Volunteer Forms
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OUR MARGUERITA FAMILIES
FROM YOUR MARGUERITA PTA
School safety is always our first priority! Our message to our students, staff and community is, “See Something, Hear Something, Say Something - Report it!” If there is a school safety concern or threat of violence, always report it to the school and police. Each one of us (students, parents, families, guardians, community members) play an important role in school and community safety. Never hesitate to report a safety concern.
Additionally, as part of Marguerita’s Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness Program we are requesting that each child be provided a Personal Survival Kit to be stored in the classroom. Should a disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, or flood occur, there is a possibility that your child/children would need to remain in school for up to 72 hours- especially if access to and from school is too dangerous or unavailable. It would therefore be necessary to have some food and drink to sustain your child during this time.
For more information on needed items, please visit [2024-2025] Survival Kit Letter and Content List
Through measures AE and HS Bond funds and the completion of our modernization project last school year we received a beautiful campus and a digital marquee! For our marquee, our goal is that it enhances our communication with you as parents and the greater community. In keeping up-to-date with our many campus activities throughout the school year, please access and use the following;
#1. Digital Marquee
#2. School Website Calendar- https://www.margueritaelementary.org/
#3. Monthly Gazettes (this family newsletter!)
#4. Emails- please be on the lookout for school messages from Blackboard Connect and school staff (classroom teachers, Mr. Kohout, etc.,)
