Will Rogers Roundup

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It’s a fun-filled and festive week at Will Rogers Learning Community!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make our Fall Festival such a joyful celebration last Friday! Your support, creativity, and community spirit made it a truly special afternoon on our farm. The harvest celebration continues this week with more opportunities to learn, share, and connect.

Día de los Muertos Family Event – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m.
Join us for this beautiful celebration of love, memory, and culture. This event is a chance to learn about a cherished Latin tradition that honors the lives of our loved ones who have passed. We encourage all families to come and take part in this meaningful experience.
Students are invited to bring a photo for our ofrenda (please write their name on the back), and we are gratefully accepting marigold flower donations to adorn the altar.

Halloween Costume Parade – Friday @ 9:45 a.m.
Students are invited to wear costumes and join our school-wide parade! Families are welcome to dress-up and cheer as each grade level takes a turn around the track.

Halloween Costume Swap Rack
Our Costume Swap rack is still available before and after school! Families can drop off gently used costumes or find something new-to-them — a fun and sustainable way to celebrate the season!

Let’s keep the fall magic going with creativity, connection, and community spirit all week long!

Together for Will Rogers,

Principal Daruty

Mon. 10/27 2nd Grade Family History Presentations @ 9am classrooms and (Hill @farm)

Mondays: Art Cart at lunchtime we would love more volunteers! 11:30-1:15 p.m.

Mon- Thurs. 10/27 Dia De Los Muertos, Ofrenda Grade Level Viewing at lunchtime. Families are encouraged to send a photograph of a loved one to place on the Ofrenda. Be sure to write your child's name/teacher on the back. (Mon: TK/K, Tues: 1st and 2nd, Wed: 3rd and 4th and Thurs: 5th)

Thurs. 10/30 ELAC Meeting @ 8:30 am in the library

Thurs. 10/30 School Site Council Meeting @3:15- 5:30 p.m. via zoom

Thurs. 10/30 Dia De Los Muertos Family Event @5: 30 p.m. in the cafeteria

Fri. 10/31 School-wide: Halloween Costume Parade @ 9:45 a.m. Grown-ups Welcome!

Mon. 11/2-11/7 Scholastic Book Fair Open before and after school

Mondays: Art Cart at lunchtime we would love more volunteers! 11:30-1:15 p.m.

Mon. 11/3-11/7 Parent Teacher Conferences - Be sure to sign-up with your classroom teacher!

Tues. 11/4 Election Day- Pupil Free Day- NO SCHOOL

Wed. 11/5-11/7 Minimum Days (TK/K dismissal @12:10 p.m. 1st-5th @1:00 p.m.)

Fri. 11/7 NO LATE START and Minimum Day (TK/K dismissal @12:10 p.m. 1st-5th @1:00 p.m.)

Fri. 11/7 5th Grade Student Council elections Assembly @ 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria

Mondays: Art Cart at lunchtime we would love more volunteers! 11:30-1:15 p.m.

Tues. 11/11 NO SCHOOL- Veteran's Day

Thurs. 11/13 Let's meet up for community FUNdraising at CPK Santa Monica!

Sat. 11/15 Grown-Ups Night Out! More details to come...

Mon. 11/17 Volunteer Training @ 8:30, 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. in the library

Mondays: Art Cart at lunchtime we would love more volunteers! 11:30-1:15 p.m.

Wed. 11/19 Prospective Parent School Tour @9:00 a.m.

Thurs. 11/20 ELAC Mtg. @ 8:30 a.m. in the library

Thurs. 11/20 SSC Mtg. @ 3:15 p.m. Via zoom

Fri. 11/21 Kinder Classrooms Friendsgiving @10:15 a.m.

Mondays: Art Cart at lunchtime we would love more volunteers! 11:30-1:15 p.m.

Wed. 11/26- 11/27 NO SCHOOL -THANKSGIVING Break

SMMUSD Calendar 2025-26

WRLC PTA Calendar 2025-26

As a school, we read a total of 86,080 minutes — that’s more than 1,400 hours of reading!

And together, we raised an incredible $28,306 for our school! Every single one of you helped make this happen, so let’s hear it for all our readers and families!

Golden Book Traveling Trophy

Ms. Gonzalez’s 5th Grade Class, with over 12,000 minutes read, wins a new Book Series for the classroom and takes home the Golden Book Traveling Trophy!

Top Readers:

TJ, Deven and Ella! These three read the most minutes in the entire school and will each be Guest Readers for a younger class! An extra congratulations to TJ, our overall top reader, who will also receive a special book-swag prize!

Top Fundraisers:
TJ, Luna and Diya! These students raised the most money in the whole school and will enjoy a book-themed lunch with Principal Daruty!

Top Fundraising Class:
Ms. Fujiwara’s 2nd Grade Class.Your entire class wins a Pizza Party and Storytime with Mr. Sea!

We partnered with OTIS College of Art and Design to create and install four interactive scarecrow projects in our school farm! The collaboration is part of the Creative Action course, where students combine art, design, and community engagement. Each scarecrow tells its own story and invites fun, creative interaction with students and visitors — all in a “not-so-scary” way! Come explore, learn, and enjoy these imaginative additions to our farm!

I’m excited to share that WRLC will be featured in an upcoming issue of CTA’s California Educator magazine! The magazine will highlight thriving public schools across the state as part of a story connected to the upcoming Proposition 55 Extension, which focuses on protecting vital funding for California schools.

Such a beautiful community event. So many pictures to capture the spirit of Fall Harvest. Thank you to everyone who made it possible, especially to The Cayton Children's Museum for our new partnership to help sustain and grow the Regenerative Farm at WRLC.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VduoUwkSCRehtETq8

As part of the tradition, you are welcome to bring flowers and photos of your loved ones who have passed away to honor their memory starting Monday 10/27. We are looking for donations for marigold flowers (cempasúchil) to adorn our community altar and donations for pan de muerto (traditional bread) to share during the celebration Thursday evening. We look forward to sharing this meaningful tradition together. For any questions, please contact Ana in the main office.

Our Halloween Costume Swap rack is still available! Encourage families to drop off gently used costumes or find something new-to-them. We ask that parents and guardians (not students) handle the exchanges. The rack will be out before and after school. 8-8:30 and 3:00-3:30 p.m. all week.

We are so excited to invite families to join us on Friday, October 31st at 9:45 a.m. for our special morning assembly and costume parade! This will be a joyful community event where students get to showcase their creativity and celebrate together.

Students should arrive at school already in costume and ready to parade for their classmates. We encourage costumes that are fun, imaginative, and festive while also being responsible, safe and respectful.

Here are our guidelines to help everyone enjoy the day:

• Costumes should be school-appropriate and not unduly revealing.
• Choose costumes that reflect fun and creativity while avoiding cultural appropriation. At Rogers, we celebrate and respect all cultures.
• Please avoid costumes that are overly scary or gory, as these may frighten our younger students.
• Masks/face coverings may be worn only during the parade, not during the school day.
• Face paint is welcome!
• No toy weapons or props that resemble weapons, please.
• Avoid oversized or inflatable costumes, as they can make moving around classrooms difficult.
• Students may bring a change of clothes, but they must be able to change on their own without adult assistance.

If a costume is not appropriate for school, students may be provided with loaner clothing, or families may be contacted to bring a change of clothes.

We can’t wait to see the wonderful costumes, share in the laughter, and make this Halloween a fun and memorable experience for our entire school community!

Parents and guardians can visit WRLC's Book Fairwebsite to set up eWallets for student purchases and contribute to our Share the Fair fund to make literacy more equitable at WRLC: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/willrogerslearningcommunity

Volunteers are needed, especially before and after school, to help students find books and purchase at checkout. No prior Book Fair experience necessary! Visit our Signup Genius to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D4CA8A723A7F85-59371108-fall#/

BOOK FAIR SCHEDULE 11/3 through 11/10

• 11/3

• Open to families 8-8:30 am
• Open to classes during school hours
• Open to families 3-3:30 pm

• 11/4 (pupil-free day)

• Open 9 am to 3 pm for families

• 11/5-7 (minimum days)

• Open to families 8-8:30 am
• Open to classes during school hours
• Open to families 1-1:30 pm

• 11/10

• Open to families 8-8:30 am
• Open to classes during school hours
• Open to families 3-3:30 pm

Let's meet up for community FUNdraising at CPK Santa Monica Thursday, Nov 13th! Keep an eye out for a flyer to present when you dine in or take out all day, CPK will automatically give 20% back excluding tax and gratuity to Will Rogers PTA.

Let’s all do our part to stay safe out there! Silvia, our amazing crossing guard, works hard every morning to help families cross the street safely, so let’s make sure it’s safe for her too. Please keep an eye on her signals, cross carefully, and avoid blocking driveways.

Our Rogers kids love to express themselves creatively. Let's see what they can do! Students from all grades are encouraged to create and submit original works of art that interpret this year's theme "I Belong". Categories include visual arts, photography, literature, music composition, film production and dance choreography. Please visit the Will Rogers PTA page here for information on submitting works online. Paper submission forms will be available in the front office starting Monday 10/26. The deadline for Submissions has been extended to Monday, November 3.

For questions, please email reflections@willrogerspta.com

Immediately following the meeting, we’ll host a special community conversation focused on family and community solidarity. Our guest speaker, Claudia Bautista—SMMUSD Teachers' Union President, dedicated activist, and former high school immersion teacher—will lead a discussion on how families can stay informed and prepared in the event of unexpected separations or situations that could impact a parent’s ability to care for their child.

Claudia will explain how to complete an affidavit that allows parents to designate a trusted person to make temporary medical and educational decisions for their child if needed. She will guide you through the process, answer questions, and how to obtain free notarization.

This evening is an opportunity for our community to come together, learn, and strengthen the safety net that protects all of our children. Your participation, in any way, shows our shared commitment to caring for one another.

To make it easy for everyone to attend, free pizza will be provided, and childcare will be available so you can focus on the presentation.

We will provide Spanish translation support, in-person.

We look forward to seeing you there and continuing to build a community where every family feels supported and prepared.

Save the DATE! November 15 • To be announced Speakeasy Location. Dance, dine, and disco the night away —with a live auction to keep things spinning! Tickets on sale soon.

We’re excited to announce the return of ART CART at lunchtime! Starting this year, students can enjoy creative art projects and hands-on crafts every:

• Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. for grades 1st-5th

AND

• Fridays from 11:30 -12:45 p.m. for grades TK/K

ART CART offers students a chance to express their creativity, relax, and connect with others—all thanks to the support of our incredible WRLC Wellness Team of counselors. We need your help!

Many hands make light work, and we’re looking for parent volunteers to help supervise and support our young artists. If you’re interested in volunteering on Mondays or Fridays, please email Mariela at mmartinez@sewi.org.

Volunteer Requirements:

• Level 1 volunteer clearance

• Willingness to supervise students using art tools and materials safely

• Enthusiasm for working with children

• A love of crafts, creativity, and fun!

Let’s make lunchtimes a colorful, creative experience for all our students!

We thank the following parents who were voted to represent our parent community on the 2025-26 School Site Council:

Azucena “Susy” Hernandez

Jennifer Thornton

Jessica Gutierrez

Read more about them here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10f8vyx2PhysZIJ2XGs8AznYACCJOfQgzKcFIN_sIdmk/edit?usp=sharing

Students who are REFLECTIVE know what are their strengths and areas for growth. They try to think about these things, and they make changes where they can. They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and consider their personal strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner.

How can parents help to develop students who are reflective at home?

Have your child stop and think throughout the day about their behaviors. Assist him/her with focusing on the following prompts:

• Is what I'm doing appropriate? If so, explain why it is. If not, explain how it is not.
• How can I change my behavior? Have your child think of positive ways to make changes.
• Is the situation I am in a positive situation? If not, how can I make it a positive situation?
• Am I doing my best? Am I working my hardest?

Parents can model the above thinking process by talking aloud to themselves, ask and answer yourself these questions about things you are doing throughout your day. This way your child sees you working through the Reflection process, and can use your examples as their models to learn from.

* Model how to make mistakes, how to fail. And then, how to pick yourself up and dust yourself off. It's okay to make mistakes, making mistakes is part of learning. Being Reflective teaches us how to grow and learn from both mistakes and from positive experiences.

Below please find a list of links to local, seasonal happenings, including special events featuring technology, arts/culture, civics, and literacy, application support for social services and government benefits, and free ESL and citizenship classes via SMMUSD Adult Education.

• Santa Monica Events/Activities/Opportunities 2025-26 Running List

Have you done your AERIES student data validation this year? If no, log in now to complete.

https://santamonicamalibu.aeries.net/Student/LoginParent.aspx

Data Validation Flyer - English

Data Validation - Spanish

• Score reports for CAASPP, ELPAC and Star Renaissance are available to parents in the Aeries Parent Portal. Hard copy score reports are no longer mailed home. These videos help explain to students & parents/ guardians on how to access their portals. Student Portal and Parent Portal.

• This guide with help parents ocate their Test Scores and State Test Scores Reports: Parent Portal: Test Scores [Aeries]-attachment.

• 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.

https://www.smmusd.org/domain/476

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.

JOIN the Parents/Guardians Regenerative Farm Committee that we are forming for the 2025-26 school year. The Committee's tasks are to:

• Support the stewardship of the Regenerative Farm.
• Help organize the Regenerative Farm Events ready in the school calendar (monthly Family Farming Days, Earth Week Farming Day), in addition to organizing harvests and other school community engagement activities.

For any questions, contact:

Paola Vezzulli, Program Director - Regenerative Initiatives [Cayton Children's Museum] email: pvezzulli@caytonmuseum.org

Join the Will Rogers PTA for $10 to support activities and events that enrich your student's education and strengthen our school community.

https://jointotem.com/ca/santa-monica/will-rogers-elementary-pta

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.

We know the current federal government shutdown is creating uncertainty and real financial strain for many in our community, especially families with federal employees who may miss a paycheck, and families who rely on programs like CalFresh/EBT that could experience delays or disruptions. WRLC is here to help.

How we’re supporting students and families

• The Weekend Bag Program will continue each Friday for students who need extra food to take home.
• FREE Breakfast before school - Arrive at 8:00 a.m. for free breakfast for all students.
• FREE Lunch for all students.

Links to Local Food Pantries and Community Food Resources

• Santa Monica Food Pantry
• Free Food Resource List
• Venice Family Clinic – Food & Housing
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Pantry Locator
• Feeding America – Find Your Local Food Bank
• Westside Food Bank

Need support?

If your family could use assistance, whether short-term or ongoing, please reach out confidentially to Principal Daruty. We are committed to responding quickly and with care.If you or your child is experiencing feelings of anxiety or needs emotional support during these challenging times, please know that we are here to help. Reach out to your classroom teacher, so we can work to provide counseling services.

As a school community, we remain committed to caring for one another. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if your family needs assistance or connection to resources. We are stronger when we support each other.

We encourage all families to submit the Free and Reduced Meals application by Friday, October 4. Although California provides free meals for all students, this application is crucial for determining eligibility for additional programs and resources, including Title 1 school designations for the 2026-27 school year. The state uses this form to assess which families qualify for benefits beyond free meals, so widespread participation is essential. To support this effort, please share the application link with your families and distribute the flier through your school's communication channels.

Application Link: https://bit.ly/MealApplications-SMMUSD

You can view and download the flier here.

Principal, Ms. Lila Daruty M.Ed

Email: ldaruty@smmusd.org
Website: https://www.smmusd.org/rogers
Location: 2401 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90406
Phone: 310-452-2364