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Dear Ocean Shore Families, Happy Friday! It was another full week at Ocean Shore! What a great turnout last night for the Parent Drag Bingo Fundraiser at Longboard’s and also for our 6th graders in Katy’s class! Our 4th and 5th graders from Virginia’s class also had a great time this week on their Point Reyes field trip. Just another awesome week at our sweet little school! Morning recess on Fridays at Ocean Shore is pretty fun! Our middle school sound crew play music for the school, and a large dance party takes place! It is pretty great to watch our kids jump and bounce to the music. Here is a look from last Friday from a parent volunteer!  Reflections from my Office: I find myself smiling when I read articles on the latest and greatest trends in education. Educational experts are raving about the benefits of such things as “project-based learning”. There is not an easy explanation of what exactly is project-based learning. However, I found a great article on the “elevator speech” to explain project-based learning on Edutopia. It is posted HERE if you are interested. Essentially, project-based learning are experiences designed for students to demonstrate their learning through the entire unit or project – not just at the end. They seek to solve a real-world problem and develop a solution using evidence to support their claim. They present their solution in multiple formats and multimedia. I smile when I read about the “newness” of this idea, which I agree with the research that it is incredibly impactful for students to “own” their ideas and the learning process. While this idea is new to others, this is just the ways things have always been at Ocean Shore. Our school started with project-based learning in mind, and is why we celebrate such traditions like Oceans Week. We explore topics deeply and place the student in the center of the learning process. They drive their learning. They seek solutions to real-world problems with their class projects and then demonstrate how their solutions. One such example of project-based learning was Katy’s 6th grade social studies project. This is a tradition that has been going on for years at Ocean Shore, and last night the 6th graders demonstrated their learning by presenting in multimedia forms what they learned about early civilizations. They wrote plays and performed them for their parents the school today. It was truly an event as the students not only performed the play but they educated each other with posters, created board games and facilitated booths representing different civilizations such as the Incas. Katy has been doing this activity for years, long before the research was out and has seen the benefits from her students. When I was talking with the 6th graders today they shared their feedback about the experience. Here is what they said: “The project was really fun. We actually were doing like hands-on-learning because we made everything. I think I will remember this more instead of just reading a book.” “Kids should do this every year! It was hard because we did every part of writing, drawing and performing but I feel good knowing I did it.” “I am so nervous to do the play in front of the whole school! But I think I learned a lot – way more than if I had to just take a test.” “It was a lot of work but worth it. And we get to have a pajama party to celebrate finishing it!” “You learn better when you actually do something instead of just sitting and listening. We got to do a lot, and it was more interesting. We even did the sound and curtains!” Students Makin’ Waves: Congratulations to Darya Sanai! She is 1 of only 4 7th grade girls selected from Pacifica School District to attend Tech Trek this summer at Stanford University. This is a significant honor! Darya will spend one week this summer attending the STEM camp (science, technology, engineering and math) designed to develop interest, excitement, and self-confidence for young women. We look forward to cheering her on and hearing about the experiences when she returns as an 8th grader in the fall! From the Front Office: A word about HEAD LICE: When your child has head lice, it is no picnic. This is one of the most unpleasant - and difficult – experiences! It is also very, very common. Some estimate 20 million children a year host lice. Children often feel embarrassed about having lice, and wish to keep it private. While this is understandable, it is also imperative that you communicate with the school if your child has been impacted. This helps us follow up accordingly. Take a look HERE for more information related to head lice. Furthermore, there are great resources for parents to help our children understand why they get lice and hopefully ease their feelings about getting it. One such example is the book, Bugs in My Hair by David Shannon, which can be found in our school library. Join the Conversation about the Future of Housing in Pacifica on Saturday, April 13th 9:30 am – 12:00 pm! Click HERE for more information about an upcoming invitation to gather as a community to engage in this important conversation at the Pacifica Community Center. Breakfast and childcare services will be provided. We are looking for gently used t-shirts for an art project on POD day next Wednesday! We gladly accept any t-shirts for an art project. Drop them off at the office for our teacher Natalie to facilitate the activity. Thank you! FROM THE PEF CORNER: The Pacifica Education Foundation (PEF) is taking education to new heights. They completely fund educational programs which exceed California’s core school standards; which our district budget cannot accommodate. Simply, PEF funds, advances, and protects a higher quality education for OUR students. Learn more at http://www.pacificaef.org/about-us. PEF SPONSORED PROGRAMS: - Elementary School Music Program - Middle School Band Program (Music Matters in Pacifica - MMIP) - Middle School Computer Science Program - Elementary School Slam Poetry Program (SPARC - Stage Performance + Rhythmic Culture - Poetry) - Professional Science Curriculum Development & Training For Teachers (Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)) Learn more at http://www.pacificaef.org/programs-c1ylq. GIVE BACK! PEF gives our children an enriched educational experience. Give back to PEF and don’t forget your employer sponsored donation matching too! Donate at http://www.pacificaef.org/how-to-give. UPCOMING PEF EVENTS: - DONATION WEEK: Mark Your Calendars - April 29th - May 3rd! Support our school by volunteering with PEF during the “School Competition” day, on May 2nd. - NEW MEMBERSHIP PLANS: Membership provides you tickets and/or discounted access to fun annual family events, supporter decals, and much, much more: https://www.pacificaef.org/membership - LISTEN & LEARN: PEF Ambassadors will be onsite at PTO events. HOW CAN I HELP? - Volunteers needed, sign up here: http://www.pacificaef.org/volunteer - Like & Follow PEF on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PacificaEducationFoundation/ - Reach Out to our PEF Ambassadors, below:
FROM THE PTO CORNER: Silent Auction Bid Winners! Please stop by the office to pick up your auction items and submit your payment. If you have questions to email Jenny Abellana at ossfundraisingmgr@gmail.com THE TALENT SHOW IS COMING! Can you sing, dance or do a skit? Tell a joke, juggle or do the splits? Spit some sick rhymes, play an instrument, or mime, join in on the fun for it’s sure to be a great time! The OSS talent show is an annual favorite tradition for our school community! Please read the following important dates and info on how to sign up. When: Wednesday, May 29th 9am-11am & Thursday, May 30th 6pm-8pm (2 performances) Call Times: 8:30am & 5:00pm Deadline to sign up and submit music: April 24th Email MP3 File of music selection to osstalentshow@gmail.com Auditions date: Wednesday, April 24th 1:30-3:00 Weekly rehearsal either Wednesday or Thursday the entire month of May. Contact Talent Show directors Cristin Fong, Ana Brenner & Sara Kuenstler at osstalentshow@gmail.com for any questions! Hard Copy participation document will be available at the parent hallway starting next week NEXT WEEK HAPPENINGS! Garden Clean-Up Day on Sunday, April 7th (10 am – 1 pm): Bring the family for a fun morning of helping to maintain our beautiful garden. This is a treasured place on our campus that does not exist without the care from our valuable volunteers! The rain has produced some wonderful growth that needs our attention. Hope you can join! Monday 3/8: Livescan at OSS! Click here for the sign up! Wednesday 3/10: POD Day for Earth Week ! 10:30 - 11:30 am MINIMUM DAY on FRIDAY 4/12! Spring Break: 4/15 - 4/22. School Resumes TUESDAY 4/23! Weekly Flyers: Comments are closed.
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Jeanne BellingerPrincipal of Ocean Shore. Check back here for weekly updates and messages from the principal. Archives
June 2022
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