Welcome from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?blogid=97 2012-05-19T22:56:29Z en-US 5/17/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1015&blogid=97 Every week our students experience the joy of new discoveries in our Science lab and the work they do with our amazing Science teacher, Polly Kim. Whether it is creating an electric current or making sure our silkworms are alive and well, Mrs. Kim imparts a love of learning for physical, earth and life science. This we

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Tami Weiser
]]> 5/10/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1013&blogid=97 This week was full of magical moments – Mother’s Day celebrations, Parent dinners, and of course, ERB testing. In the midst of all of this, our sixth grade students presented their graduation gift to the school. The picture above and the following article explain this special legacy that they have left our school. On b

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Each year, the 6th grade graduating class of Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School creates an artistic gift to leave to the school. Colorful murals, tile walls, and mosaics from past years adorn our campus and remind us of those who have left their mark on our school. Each year, I try to come up with a unique project for our 6th graders to make that will beautify the school surroundings. This summer, a storage shed was built on the Kindergarten roof yard to store play equipment. Painted white, it called out for decoration and an idea was born: Why not turn it into a Magical Castle? It could serve as a backdrop for Kindergarteners pretending to be princesses, princes, wizards and even fairies! When the Class of 2011-1012 heard about the project, they were thrilled. Having been raised on Harry Potter and Disney, they had wonderful ideas of how it should look, so the first art class of the year was spent coming up with sketches and suggestions. Why not add a giant dragon? It shouldn’t be too scary…kind of cute and mischievous…How about adding colorful flags? The ideas soon became reality, as students sponged paint to create the texture of stone, took turns filling in the details, and designed flags featuring cartoon characters and bright patterns. Each day, the Kindergarteners were more and more excited as they saw the extraordinary gift their 6th grade buddies were preparing for them. When the big day finally came for the dedication, the buddies stood together in awe as they admired their work. The Magical Castle will continue to bring joy to Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School students for years to come and the 6th grade Class of 2011-2012 will be able to fondly remember their time at our school whenever they visit. Thank you for sharing your hard work and artistic talents and good luck in the future!

Fondly,
Mrs. Jan Navah
K-6 Art Specialist 

]]> 5/3/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1012&blogid=97 This week our 2nd – 6th grade students are busy preparing for the upcoming ERB tests. I am visiting each classroom with the message of my confidence in their preparation and my encouragement to “Do their best on the test!” (Tomorrow ask them about the cool pencils and bookmarks). These tests are important in that they

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Tami Weiser
]]> 4/26/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1011&blogid=97 “The British are coming! The British are coming!” This was the cry before the battle that our fifth grade students participated in this week. We took a trip to Riley’s Farm for an interactive day of living life as colonists. Students learned about courts and trials of this time period, taxation issues, weaving, farming

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Tami Weiser
]]> 4/19/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1010&blogid=97 Stephen S. Wise Elementary students are in the spirit of celebration and reflection as we observe the many Jewish holidays in this Spring season. Today is Yom HaShoah, the remembrance of the Holocaust, and our 5th-6th grade students had a very powerful service yesterday in honor of this holiday. We gathered together in

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We quickly are moving from the somber feeling of Yom HaShoah to a feeling of hope and optimism as we prepare for Yom Ha’Atzmaut. From the ashes of the Holocaust we know that the State of Israel was born, and there is great excitement both at our School and in the Temple to celebrate Israel. Our fourth grade students will present their culmination of learning at an assembly for the whole school on Thursday, April 26 followed by dancing and Israeli snacks. On Sunday, April 29 our entire community comes together for a festival from 11:00 – 3:00 at the Temple. Our students can sign up for the basketball tournament, we will have dancing, an interactive kibbutz, gaga games, face painting, a petting zoo (with camel), and of course, great Israeli food. I hope you will join me at this wonderful day!

Tami Weiser
]]> 3/29/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1009&blogid=97 Passover is really in the air at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School as our students and staff prepare for this wonderful holiday! Last week our first graders experienced the Exodus from Egypt, and they followed Moses and Miriam to the promised land. Make sure you ask them about the Red Sea parting (at the swimming pool)

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Chag Sameach,

Tami Weiser
]]> 3/22/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=1008&blogid=97 Eureka! Our fourth grade students struck gold last Thursday with a wonderful field trip to Sacramento. We began our adventure in the State Capitol building, where we were announced in the State Assembly room to the entire Senate, and then our Senator, Fran Pavley, came out and spent time with our students explaining th

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The last two days we mined a different type of gold as I had the opportunity to attend many of your parent conferences. It was extremely gratifying to hear how our students are progressing, particularly in the areas of critical thinking and depth and complexity. I hope you found the time as informative and rewarding as I did, and I want to thank all of the teaching staff for their work and preparation for such excellent conferences.B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser
]]> 3/15/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=958&blogid=97 Don’t miss out on a good old fashioned Family Fun Day for all, featuring silly games, a DJ, arts & crafts, munchies, and so much more! An afternoon of excitement and laughs with tons of great activities for the whole family awaits!Buy your tickets at www.WiseElementary.org/FamilyFunDay . $45 for a family of 4; $1

]]> 2012-03-15T14:54:00Z Don’t miss out on a good old fashioned Family Fun Day for all, featuring silly games, a DJ, arts & crafts, munchies, and so much more! An afternoon of excitement and laughs with tons of great activities for the whole family awaits!Buy your tickets at www.WiseElementary.org/FamilyFunDay. $45 for a family of 4; $15 adult|$12 child; Children 2 years and younger are free. Enjoy!

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser
 

]]> 3/8/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=951&blogid=97 Chag Purim Sameach! This week has been a wonderful celebration of the joy of Adar at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School. Students have been exchanging beautiful Mishloach Manot baskets, they brought in SOVA items for those that are hungry, we danced and sang at the Dance Party Celebration last night at the Temple, and t

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 3/1/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=949&blogid=97 Roll out the red carpet, or the yellow brick road, because we are getting ready for our spring musical, “The Wizard of OZ”! Tickets are now on sale for the play, and this year we have four performances: Sunday, March 25 and Tue – Thursday, March 27 – 29. Get your tickets today:   click here . (WOW so far we sold 300

]]> 2012-03-06T14:54:00Z Roll out the red carpet, or the yellow brick road, because we are getting ready for our spring musical, “The Wizard of OZ”! Tickets are now on sale for the play, and this year we have four performances: Sunday, March 25 and Tue – Thursday, March 27 – 29. Get your tickets today:  click here. (WOW so far we sold 300 tickets) We are also selling Wizard of Oz t-shirts, gift bags and bookmarks. The actors and actresses are busy learning their lines, the stage crew is creating their props, and we even have a Toto to train. If you have ever attended one of our school plays you know the high level of our productions, and if you haven’t had the opportunity you are in for a real treat! I look forward to seeing you at each of the performances.

B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser

]]> 2/23/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=948&blogid=97 Wow – it is already the 100th day of school and we are 100 days smarter! Students in kindergarten and first grade celebrated this milestone with many learning activities. The kids made 100 day hats and crowns with 100 tallies, participated in 10 sets of 10 exercises for physical education, in math they brought in objec

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 2/16/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=947&blogid=97 Patriotism is alive and well at Stephen S. Wise Elementary with our students decked out in red, white and blue and proudly singing classic American songs. Yesterday at our Patriotic Assembly we talked about why we celebrate President’s Day, and we discussed two quotes from Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The stu

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 2/9/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=946&blogid=97 Coming to school at Stephen S. Wise Elementary really is a family affair, and we often include all members of our family in the educational process. The first grade has been studying community workers, and each class has had the privilege of visiting guest speakers to teach us about their job. Students really light up

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 2/2/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=945&blogid=97 Our grade level Chesed projects are in full swing, and each grade is actively involved in learning about social action. Our fourth grade has selected Sova as their project, and throughout the year they work on collecting Sova, gathering Passover items and visiting the Sova pantry. Last week the fourth grade students,

]]> 2012-03-06T14:54:00Z Our grade level Chesed projects are in full swing, and each grade is actively involved in learning about social action. Our fourth grade has selected Sova as their project, and throughout the year they work on collecting Sova, gathering Passover items and visiting the Sova pantry. Last week the fourth grade students, with the help of our art teacher Jan Navah, repainted the old wooden Sova box in the lobby of the Sanctuary and brought it to life with their positive energy. As students from all grades dropped off their cans of food I overheard their comments about how beautiful this box now looks; I invite you to stop by the Sanctuary and see it for yourself. Other recent field trips around Chesed projects were our third grade trip to Tree People and their dedication of an amazing mural, and our fantastic kindergarten trip to the zoo this week to see their adopted animals. This is another example of taking curriculm and Judaic values and bringing them to life with meaningful experiences, and I am so proud of all of our students!

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser
 

]]> 1/26/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=944&blogid=97 “We’ve got spirit - yes we do! We’ve got spirit – how about you?” Today was a super student council spirit day as we celebrated “Jersey Thursday” with cheers, games, sports videos of our Wildcats teams and, of course, great game-day snacks. I am always impressed with the leadership of our students who plan and implemen

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 1/19/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=943&blogid=97 One of the things I truly look forward to each month is the first Friday night for our Stephen S. Wise Family Shabbat. Together with the clergy we have created a meaningful service for all Elementary students to participate with the visual T’fillah, M’Shoririm singers and added comments from our own kids. While each Fr

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 1/12/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=905&blogid=97 SAVE THE DATE! We are excited to present our parent night with Dr. Sandra Kaplan from the USC Rossier School of Education on Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00 p.m. As you see in the picture above, all of our students in 2nd – 6th grade are busy working on depth and complexity, thinking like a disciplinarian, and different ty

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 1/5/2012 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=904&blogid=97 Throughout the school day our students are engaged in high level learning in a variety of settings. Through their differentiated classes in reading, math and Hebrew they are working together on specific academic projects. In their integrated studies they are focusing on writing, vocabulary and Social Studies. Another i

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 12/15/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=903&blogid=97 “Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah come light the menorah….” The hallways of Stephen S. Wise Elementary are filled with the sounds of students preparing for the holiday of Hanukhah. Last night we were treated with the joyful singing of the first and second grade choir and Mrs. Jeser’s fun-filled concert. In addition, our studen

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As we prepare for a well-deserved vacation I want to wish everyone a wonderful Hanukkah holiday and a happy and healthy New Year!

B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 12/8/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=867&blogid=97 Literacy abounds at Stephen S. Wise Elementary school this week. We all had the pleasure of hearing from our guest author, Erica Silverman, who shared with us the writing process. The students found it very interesting how she selects a topic to write about, researches that topic, works with an editor and illustrator,

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]]> 12/1/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=861&blogid=97 As I walk through classrooms every day I am amazed at the high level of work the students and teachers are doing with literacy. It is so exciting to engage in conversations about comprehension strategies, story elements, depth and complexity and big ideas, and differentiated work with vocabulary. The students are readi

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B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 11/23/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=858&blogid=97 This week we are focusing in all grade levels on the Thanksgiving holiday. Students are writing poetry and essays about thanks, solving math problems and Venn Diagrams comparing and contrasting holiday information, discussing the explorers and geography of the first settlers, singing special tunes, and of course, eatin

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I want to wish all of you the blessings of a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I hope you have a magical weekend!

B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser 
]]> 11/17/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=850&blogid=97 Dear Parents, In addition to the rigorous learning that is happening daily in classrooms, today we had a chance to enhance our school community with our first Spirit Day. The “fashion disasters” were all around, as students demonstrated their creativity in clothing, hair and accessories. The teachers, coaches and ad

]]> 2011-11-21T14:54:00Z Dear Parents,

In addition to the rigorous learning that is happening daily in classrooms, today we had a chance to enhance our school community with our first Spirit Day. The “fashion disasters” were all around, as students demonstrated their creativity in clothing, hair and accessories. The teachers, coaches and administrators were also quite unique with their outfits! We all enjoyed our Menchies yogurt treat at lunch, and the fun and spirited day was truly a success. I want to acknowledge the hard work of our student council leadership and class representatives as well as their amazing sponsor, Allison Bere.

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser

 

]]> 11/10/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=847&blogid=97 Dear Parents, We are nearing the end of our first sports season and things are very exciting on the courts and fields for all of our athletic teams! Coach Danny Herrold and his Championship 5th Grade Girls Basketball Team, won an exciting game at Curtis this Tuesday night. I just left another nail-biting game at Curt

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We are nearing the end of our first sports season and things are very exciting on the courts and fields for all of our athletic teams! Coach Danny Herrold and his Championship 5th Grade Girls Basketball Team, won an exciting game at Curtis this Tuesday night. I just left another nail-biting game at Curtis where our 6th Grade Girls Basketball Team won, placing them in the playoffs next week. The boys are still in the race for flag football and we are waiting to hear about our final games next week. The entire season has been filled with examples of great teamwork, sportsmanship and lots of fun. I am proud of all of our athletes who represent our school, and want to thank Jason Kelly and his entire staff for their hard work with our students, as well as the supportive parents who are cheering in the stands with me every afternoon!

It was wonderful seeing so many of you last Sunday at our Mitzvah Day event, and all of the students really connected to their grade level Hesed projects and the idea that they are taking time to repair the world. The work continued this week as our second grade classes delivered their Thanksgiving baskets to the Ocean Park Community Center, and the other grade levels are planning their field trips connected to their Tikkun Olam projects.

To support all of our outstanding programs, our Annual Giving Campaign Committee is actively working to get 100% participation from all staff and parents. We are almost there, and this week we continue our work with our Annual Giving phone calls on Wednesday night. I truly appreciate everyone who has already made their donations, and encourage each family to answer the call this week and help us to reach our goal.

B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 11/4/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=841&blogid=97 Dear Parents, What a busy week we have had at school this week! I truly enjoy seeing all of the parents at the parent-teacher conferences, and it especially rewarding to hear about the progress our students are making across the grade levels and curricular areas. Teachers were really able to paint an accurate picture

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What a busy week we have had at school this week! I truly enjoy seeing all of the parents at the parent-teacher conferences, and it especially rewarding to hear about the progress our students are making across the grade levels and curricular areas. Teachers were really able to paint an accurate picture of how each student learns, and through work samples and anecdotes, we all engaged in rich conversations about individual student goals for growth this year.

While parents did hear about language arts, math and Hebrew/Judaic studies, they don’t always get the information regarding our outstanding specialist programs. The picture above illustrates the exciting work being done in our Science lab, with our wonderful Science teacher, Polly Kim. Students in 1st – 5th grade have all learned about metric measurement and the tools scientists use including graduated cylinders, beakers, flasks, thermometers, and balances. First graders are learning about solids, liquids, and gasses, and have started planting and tending the Peah Community Garden. Second graders are experimenting with sound and hearing. Third graders are experimenting with light and vision. Fourth graders are learning about magnets and made pins into magnets and used them to make compasses. Fifth graders are learning about the states of matter at the molecular level and chemistry. And at any given recess or lunch, it is always exciting to see Mrs. Kim on the yard with a new discovery of a praying mantis or some other interesting insect. Our students really enjoy their connection with Science, and I encourage you to ask them what they are doing in the lab this week.

Tonight we have our first Family Shabbat at 6:15 p.m. and I am looking forward to praying with our school community. Following the service, our kindergarten families will continue our celebration with a Shabbat dinner, singing and dancing. Then on Sunday we will all be here for Mitzvah Day. Each grade level will be participating in their own special project, and all of the teachers will be here to share this with their students. Don’t forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night, and then I will see you here at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

B’Shalom,
Tami Weiser
]]> 10/27/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=825&blogid=97 Dear Parents, This has been an exciting year of partnerships for Stephen S. Wise Elementary and today I am thrilled to announce a new recognition our school has received. Judy Hoffman, our IT Coordinator, is outstanding at teaching our students and staff how to integrate technology into our instructional program. As

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This has been an exciting year of partnerships for Stephen S. Wise Elementary and today I am thrilled to announce a new recognition our school has received. Judy Hoffman, our IT Coordinator, is outstanding at teaching our students and staff how to integrate technology into our instructional program. As an addition to the tech lab, Ms. Hoffman started a program last year on writing software, called Scratch, and we had our first Scratch Day. This week we found out that Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is one of ten schools in the United States chosen to pilot the Creative Computing Curriculum (Scratch) for the MIT Media Lab. Creative computing draws upon a student’s creativity, imagination and interests. As we pilot this curriculum we will be exploring computation thinking concepts, such as sequence, loops, events, parallelism, conditionals and operators, computational practices such as working iteratively and incrementally, testing, debugging, reusing, remixing, abstracting and modularizing and perspectives such as expressing, connecting and questioning. Design thinking involves creating projects that are personally meaningful, collaborating with others and reflecting on one’s creative practices in order to develop innovative thinking. As part of the piloting process we will be reflecting on our lessons and sharing the results with researchers at MIT that are examining ways to help children develop computational thinking skills that can be applied across disciplines and contexts. I will keep you posted as we move forward on this exciting path, and invite you to stop by our computer lab and see the new programs as they are developed.

Warmly,

Tami Weiser
]]> 10/21/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=822&blogid=97 Dear Parents, This week I had the pleasure of spending two days with our sixth grade students at their retreat at Camp Hess Kramer. The students were truly challenged to excel both individually and as a team and they conquered the ropes course, led the Shacharit service, wrote reflections on how they contribute their

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This week I had the pleasure of spending two days with our sixth grade students at their retreat at Camp Hess Kramer. The students were truly challenged to excel both individually and as a team and they conquered the ropes course, led the Shacharit service, wrote reflections on how they contribute their unique talents to our community, hiked to the beach, and had a ton of fun dancing, talking in the cabins and getting to know one another. I am constantly amazed by what our kids can do, and watching them in action reaffirmed the leaders that they are becoming as they enter young adulthood.

While we were at camp the students here were busy celebrating Sukkoth and sharing their favorite literary characters. Our third grade students created excellent models of different sukkahs, and then wrote in Hebrew about the holiday. It was great for all of our classes to do a gallery walk and appreciate their hard work. And in first grade the students participated in their Literary Tea, enjoying the opportunity to dress up and live as a character from a book. Today we are getting ready to celebrate Simchat Torah, and our own students are reading from the Torah as we all dance to the music of a Klezmer band. Another exciting and busy week at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School!

To support all of our amazing programs, we have officially launched our 2011/12 Annual Giving campaign. Thank you to all those families who have already made their commitments. Annual Giving is essential to the continued growth of our initiatives, educational excellence, professional development of our teachers, advancement of our technology and training, and the fulfillment of our vision for every student in our School. The initial Honor Roll of Annual Givers will be published the first week of November, as I am asking every School family to participate in a meaningful way.

Warmly,

Tami Weiser
]]> 10/6/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=821&blogid=97 Dear Parents, As we are celebrating the high holidays, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School had a wonderful day last Sunday at our Tashlich event. Over 100 people came to the beach to sing, listen to the shofar and throw their bread into the water. I overheard many valuable conversations such as one parent saying

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As we are celebrating the high holidays, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School had a wonderful day last Sunday at our Tashlich event. Over 100 people came to the beach to sing, listen to the shofar and throw their bread into the water. I overheard many valuable conversations such as one parent saying to their child, “I’m sorry I yelled at you to practice the violin,” and the child responding, “I’m sorry I wasn’t practicing my violin when I was supposed to,” and then they both threw their “sins” into the water. The meaning of these days of awe was truly apparent to both children and adults and we were so fortunate to share this time together. The picture above was taken by one of our students in the photography club who truly captured the moment when Malka Clement was praying with a Tashlich book from her father that came from India. Together we all had a magical day.

We continue our celebrations with a service for Yom Kippur this Friday at 11:30 a.m., and all parents are invited to join us. The students, staff and clergy will wear white on Friday to bring in the spirituality of this special day. I want to wish everyone an easy fast and a G’mar Hatima Tova!

Warmly,

Tami Weiser
]]> 9/22/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=787&blogid=97 Dear Parents, This month at Stephen S. Wise Elementary we are learning about the importance of peace. Our students have discussed the implications of the 10th anniversary of September 11, we have prayed for peace in Israel (particularly with the significance of the U.N. vote this Friday), and we have had lessons on p

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This month at Stephen S. Wise Elementary we are learning about the importance of peace. Our students have discussed the implications of the 10th anniversary of September 11, we have prayed for peace in Israel (particularly with the significance of the U.N. vote this Friday), and we have had lessons on peace throughout the world. These lessons culminated on Wednesday with the celebration of International Peace Day and our Pinwheels for Peace project. Each student made a pinwheel with their individual message for peace and the classes placed their pinwheels throughout the campus. I invite you to look for them this week as you drive up the driveway.

Speaking of the driving up the driveway, I want to share with you a couple of changes we are making with our carpool procedures. It is very important that our afternoon carpool runs smoothly, safely and quickly. We have started to bring up cars at 3:20 to clear Casiano Drive, and once you come up to the plaza we need you to remain in your car. When your child arrives, please do not let them leave your car for any reason (e.g. run to class for something they forgot, go to the gift shop for a snack). If they want to get out of the car we need you to park in the lot and then have them leave. Thank you for your cooperation and support with these new processes.

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser
]]> 9/15/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=786&blogid=97 Dear Parents,       Our wonderful school library is off and running with students going in to check out the newest books, does classroom research, or just relax with a favorite story. On our web-site under the academic section you can explore the library information to learn more about this outstanding reso

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Our wonderful school library is off and running with students going in to check out the newest books, does classroom research, or just relax with a favorite story. On our web-site under the academic section you can explore the library information to learn more about this outstanding resource. In the next couple of weeks your students will find out about the book clubs they can participate - the Newbery, Caldecott and Sydney Taylor Clubs. Every student who reads from these great works of literature is recognized in June at a library awards assembly where they are recognized for their achievements. Another great asset on our library tab is the link to two web-sites that are a treasure trove of information on recent books and DVDs for children and teens, and a booklist of recent books for adults. The research consistently shows that one of the primary means of increasing a child’s vocabulary and comprehension is consistent reading, and we are asking every student to read (or be read to) at least 15 minutes every night. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing our library, I highly encourage you to stop by, introduce yourself to Roberta Lloyd, and sit down with a great book – you won’t be disappointed.

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser
]]> 9/10/2011 Message fromPrincipal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=755&blogid=97 Dear Parents, Part of the magic of working in an Elementary School is seeing the relationships that develop between students and their teachers. Last week our classes began, and I can’t tell you how many parents and students came to tell me how perfect the match is with their teacher, how exciting and interesting the

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Part of the magic of working in an Elementary School is seeing the relationships that develop between students and their teachers. Last week our classes began, and I can’t tell you how many parents and students came to tell me how perfect the match is with their teacher, how exciting and interesting their teacher is, and how much they are already learning. I am blessed to have a staff of outstanding teachers in general education, Hebrew/Judaic, specialists and coaches, and we all are lucky to receive the individual gifts they each bring to the classroom.

Next week at our Back to School Nights you will have an opportunity to meet these teachers and learn more specific information about your child’s classroom curriculum. This year we are trying a couple of new things for these evenings. First of all, we have divided them into three separate nights. Sixth grade will meet on Tuesday, grades 3 – 5 will meet on Wednesday, and Kdg – grade 2 will meet on Thursday. The second change is that we are not having an overall school presentation, but rather you will go directly to the classroom. The teachers will start promptly at 7:00 p.m. and we will end promptly at 8:00 p.m. Please remember these evenings are for parents only, and make sure you are in the room on time as there is a great deal of information to share in only one hour. I know you will come away from this night as impressed as I am with your child’s class and I look forward to sharing this special evening with you.

B’Shalom,

Tami Weiser

]]> 8/22/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=734&blogid=97 “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder Dear Parents, Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! As the above quote me

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Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! As the above quote mentions, we as adults have the privilege and responsibility of opening up the awesome world to our children. You’ve now had them for the past two months, and we are excited to take that baton from you and carry it forward into an amazing year of learning and growth.

The month of August and beginning of a school year has a great energy to it, and I can’t wait to see you and your children in a few short weeks. We are busy in the office preparing for a successful start, our maintenance crew is cleaning and painting the campus, and our administrative team is putting together class lists, working on our curriculum and planning an inspirational week of professional development for our teachers. You will be receiving further information from me in the next two weeks via email, and your class placement will be mailed the week of August 22.

I have some very exciting news to share with you: Stephen S. Wise Elementary School has been approved to enter into a partnership with the USC Rossier School of Education as a model school for gifted education! This means that we will be working with Dr. Sandra Kaplan and her outstanding team of doctoral candidates as they provide us with an academically rigorous, research-based curriculum for all students at all grade levels. We have also hired a gifted coordinator, Susan Bagdasarian, who will interface with the USC team and our staff and parents. Dr. Kaplan will be coming to meet all parents on the first day of school, August 29th, at our Parent Education Conference at 8:00 a.m. and I highly encourage you to join us to hear about our vision for the upcoming school year.

In addition to Dr. Sandra Kaplan, I am so pleased to have Dr. Daniel Siegel as the key-note speaker at our Parent Education Conference. Dr. Siegel has written many books in the area of child development and personal growth, including Parenting from the Inside Out, Mindsight, and his upcoming release in October of The Whole-Brain Child. The Parent Conference this year will truly be an opportunity for you to add to your adult learning on the first day that your children begin their learning journey, and I hope you will be at this important event.

I will see all of you on Sunday, August 28th at 3:00 p.m. on Faber Field for our Back to Wise Event where you will reconnect with old friends and meet new families, get to introduce yourself to your teachers, and celebrate the kick-off of a great new year!


Warmly,

Tami Weiser

Elementary School Principal

]]> 6/9/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=726&blogid=97 At Stephen S. Wise we are in a season of celebration, most notably with our Academic Awards Assembly last Friday, our Wildcats Sports Banquet this past Monday, and our Library Awards this Tuesday. It was wonderful to recognize student achievement in so many different areas of our curriculum. One of the highlights of ou

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Tami Weiser
]]> 6/2/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=721&blogid=97 This week we are so excited to welcome all of our families to our Open House evenings. The energy in the classrooms and hallways was palpable as students shared with their parents the work and projects they have been completing. It was great to hear kids read an essay, show off a poem, and demonstrate their Hebrew prof

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Tami Weiser]]> 5/26/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=717&blogid=97 Today is was wonderful to be a part of our second grade students sharing their global knowledge at the Multicultural Celebration. Students have spent the past few months learning about the culture, history, geography, food, currency and much more from China, Kenya and Brazil. Through their work in Project Studio, the

]]> 2011-06-01T14:54:00Z Today is was wonderful to be a part of our second grade students sharing their global knowledge at the Multicultural Celebration. Students have spent the past few months learning about the culture, history, geography, food, currency and much more from China, Kenya and Brazil. Through their work in Project Studio, the classrooms, and the music room they have enriched their knowledge with high level thinking, writing, technology, singing and dance. The culmination of this work was amazing to see as they performed songs in many languages, and expertly played the recorder, danced the Samba, and moved to the beat of African drums. Our Social Studies curriculum builds on the idea of what it means to be part of a community and community workers in first grade, learning about the larger world community in second grade, and then focusing specifically on Los Angeles for third grade. Students learn through text study, research skills, field trips and culminating performances how important community is, and ultimately how they add to our Stephen S. Wise community. I want to congratulate the second graders, and all the teachers and students, for a job well done in making this learning come alive this year. 

 

Tami Weiser

]]> 5/19/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=714&blogid=97 This week our Techno Monday Digital Photography class took their work to a whole new level – under the water! The group has spent the year learning about many different aspects of photography, including nature photos, photos of fine art, macro photography, and how to take photographs at special events. They were intere

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Tami Weiser]]> 5/12/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=696&blogid=97 As an adult when we are asked to remember our elementary school experience, consistently people mention a vivid memory rather than a lesson that involved reading a chapter in a book and answering the questions at the bottom of the page. Today, we gave our Stephen S. Wise fifth grade students one of those indel

]]> 2011-05-13T14:54:00Z As an adult when we are asked to remember our elementary school experience, consistently people mention a vivid memory rather than a lesson that involved reading a chapter in a book and answering the questions at the bottom of the page. Today, we gave our Stephen S. Wise fifth grade students one of those indelible memories. Our fifth graders participated in their immigration simulation and it was amazing to watch. Students got out of their cars dressed as immigrants from different countries, and they gathered with their family members. Their first task was to board a train from Russia to France, which was challenging as some families were separated, some lost tickets, and some had to really negotiate to get their passports accepted. Then, each family had to get on a “ship” led by Captain Hosler, where they had the treacherous journey across the ocean. Families lost precious items on the journey, and even worse a few family members. One early lesson was that a generous bribe to the captain often got them a better place on the ship. Once they arrived to Ellis Island they had a grueling process to go through. They had to wait in line at passport control, and many found out that their original names were changed to more “American” names without any discussion. On to the luggage station, where many items were confiscated if the inspector liked them (I saw Mrs. Baker with quite a few new necklaces!). The next challenge was the medical inspection done by “Dr. Kim” who checked hair, teeth and eyes to see if the immigrant was healthy enough to enter the country. There were some braces that caused quite a stir. And the final station was intelligence where students had to do learning activities and then within their families answer 100 naturalization questions – the actual questions currently asked to enter the U.S. At each step of the way students were faced with scares such as deportation, and triumphs as they moved through the process. The final ceremony was having the entire class stand to take the naturalization oath, and it was really a meaningful time for all. I shared with the fifth grade after the simulation that when they are adults and someone asks them about their elementary school they will be able to say, “I remember being in the school play, I remember winning a championship game, and I remember our immigration simulation.” I am so blessed to be part of an educational team that creates and provides these opportunities for kids every day!

 

 Tami Weiser

]]> 5/5/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=695&blogid=97 One of the unique aspects of Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is our Project Studio classroom, which is always alive and buzzing with inquiry-based learning that ties into our social studies curriculum. Students are eager to get to Mr. Meth and his room so that they can dive into new experiences every week. Our

]]> 2011-05-13T14:54:00Z One of the unique aspects of Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is our Project Studio classroom, which is always alive and buzzing with inquiry-based learning that ties into our social studies curriculum. Students are eager to get to Mr. Meth and his room so that they can dive into new experiences every week. Our first grade is learning about communities, and a part of this study is an examination of community workers. They have learned about postal workers, firemen, and construction workers and the picture above is our first grade construction workers learning how to make a suspension bridge. An interesting connection that the students made was the work that is currently happening on the Mulholland Bridge, and they have a new sense of appreciation for this engineering.

Second grade is studying multicultural lessons with a focus on Kenya, Brazil and China. Each class is taking a virtual “trip” to their country, and so far they have exchanged their currency, learned the language, checked into the hotel, and have tasted the foods. They are learning about what defines a culture, and their work will culminate in a travel scrapbook with photos and mementos from each activity.

Third grade studies Los Angeles and they have learned about Native Americans, African Americans, Jewish Americans, and Asian Americans that are all Angelenos. They met an herbalist, looked at artifacts on loan from the Autry Museum, and are leaving today for a field trip to Chinatown where they will participate in a walking tour, eat a dim sum lunch and do Tai Chi in the Plaza.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit our Project Studio I invite you to stop by and see the magic for yourself – you will be amazed at what our students are experiencing every day.

 

 Tami Weiser

]]> 4/14/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=677&blogid=97 This week our school was visited by the magic of a Fairy Godmother who reminded us that “anything is possible” and it truly was! We had an amazing performance of our musical, Cinderella, and I want to acknowledge the hard work of our Director, Mary Itri, the many supporting adults from our faculty and parents

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This week our school was visited by the magic of a Fairy Godmother who reminded us that “anything is possible” and it truly was! We had an amazing performance of our musical, Cinderella, and I want to acknowledge the hard work of our Director, Mary Itri, the many supporting adults from our faculty and parents, and of course, the talented and enthusiastic students who really brought the story to life. When watching the show I was reminded that with high expectations in all areas – academics, sports, performing arts – our students will consistently rise to top levels and bring us their very best!

While in the midst of the musical we had many other experiences on campus, including our first grade Exodus from Egypt and grade level Seders. It was so rewarding to hear the students demonstrate their knowledge about the Passover holiday, sing the familiar songs, and chant the blessings. I am excited for all of you to have your family Seders on Monday night so that the kids can share with you their breadth and depth of understanding on this special holiday.

After many busy weeks we are all ready for a relaxing and rejuvenating spring vacation. I wish for all of you a holiday filled with moments of family celebration, and time to play and reconnect with your children.

Chag Sameach,

 

 Tami Weiser

]]> 4/7/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=664&blogid=97 One of the pillars of Stephen S. Wise Temple is to be active participants in social justice and to increase members’ awareness of our global society. We have a vibrant Social Action committee that plans our successful Mitzvah Day, works with each grade level on their Hesed project, integrates Tikkun Olam at ou

]]> 2011-04-08T14:54:00Z One of the pillars of Stephen S. Wise Temple is to be active participants in social justice and to increase members’ awareness of our global society. We have a vibrant Social Action committee that plans our successful Mitzvah Day, works with each grade level on their Hesed project, integrates Tikkun Olam at our Purim Carnival, and is currently in the process of planning donations for Mother’s Day for women and children who are in shelters. Working closely with this adult committee is a student group of mitzvah representatives that bring the work of mitzvot into our classrooms. The students are constantly coming up with creative fundraising ideas for important causes, and right now they are in the midst of our Sova drive for Passover foods. Today was a special day for a few of these representatives who went to Children’s Hospital to deliver toys we collected at the Purim Carnival. Students and parents worked together to advertise this toy drive, gather the toys, and then bring them to children who needed a lift in their day. It is one piece of a larger education, and it is very rewarding to see our kids actively experience the joy of repairing the world.

Tami Weiser

]]> 3/31/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=657&blogid=97 Aloha! Today was another wonderful day at Stephen S. Wise Elementary as we celebrated what’s right with our student council spirit day. The campus was awash in color as the students wore their Hawaiian shirts, danced the hula, and enjoyed their refreshing Jamba Juice on a very hot afternoon. While the atmosphe

]]> 2011-04-01T14:54:00Z Aloha! Today was another wonderful day at Stephen S. Wise Elementary as we celebrated what’s right with our student council spirit day. The campus was awash in color as the students wore their Hawaiian shirts, danced the hula, and enjoyed their refreshing Jamba Juice on a very hot afternoon. While the atmosphere was festive and fun, we also had a social action component to our day with students bringing in Tzedakah for victims of the recent tragedy in Japan, and Jamba Juice contributing a portion of their sales to this important cause. The fundraiser, as well as spirit day, all came from student ideas and leadership, and this is a key part of our elementary school. While we are teaching every academic subject with high rigor, we are also instilling a sense of global awareness and empowerment to all of our students to make a difference in the world. I am proud to be a part of this daily work with our kids, and know that when they culminate and leave our school we will follow their leadership stories at middle/high school and as young adults in our Jewish community.

 

 Tami Weiser

]]> 3/24/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=650&blogid=97 Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is busily observing the Jewish holidays. Last week we celebrated Purim, and it is hard to describe the joy we felt as students and teachers were dressed in costumes proudly listening to our amazing 6th grade students read the Megillah. We carried all of this positive energy in

]]> 2011-03-31T14:54:00Z Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is busily observing the Jewish holidays. Last week we celebrated Purim, and it is hard to describe the joy we felt as students and teachers were dressed in costumes proudly listening to our amazing 6th grade students read the Megillah. We carried all of this positive energy into the weekend with us as we braved the wind and rain to enjoy the Purim carnival. I want to thank all of the dedicated parents and staff who put together such a fantastic carnival, and all of us went home with smiles and goldfish (mine is still alive and swimming in my kitchen)!

As soon as the graggers and hamentashen were put away, we started preparing for the holiday of Passover, such is the cycle of the Jewish calendar. Our Judaic studies teachers are already busy diving into the haggadah to plan new and exciting lessons for all of our classes. Soon we will be learning the blessings, retelling the Exodus story, and modeling the Seder, and I am looking forward to sharing this special time with our community..

 

Tami Weiser

]]> 3/17/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=649&blogid=97 Every afternoon our campus is buzzing with activities from our clubs and athletics. Right now the Odyssey of the Mind teams are busy preparing for their state competition next weekend, and I am excited to join them in Northern California to cheer as they share their knowledge and talent! Our athletic program is in high

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Tami Weiser

]]> 3/11/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=619&blogid=97 This week we engaged in our parent teacher conferences, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I heard from many parents that they appreciated the specific information they received about their child’s academic and social progress, and I also heard from the teachers how much they valued the time getting to conn

]]> 2011-03-11T14:54:00Z This week we engaged in our parent teacher conferences, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I heard from many parents that they appreciated the specific information they received about their child’s academic and social progress, and I also heard from the teachers how much they valued the time getting to connect with the parents. I also enjoyed stopping in and getting a “snapshot” of individual kids, and I want to thank everyone for their active participation in the process.

One recurring comment I heard during the two days was a concern about bullying, both active bullying on the yard or sports field, and the quiet bullying that is not so evident. I find it very interesting that while I am hearing discussion about this on campus, yesterday in Washington D.C. national leadership was having a summit on this very topic. The president and first lady Michelle Obama convened a conference on preventing bullying, seeking to shine a spotlight on an issue that affects millions of young people each year. More than 150 students, parents and educators gathered at the White House to discuss with the Obamas and administration advisers ways they can work together to make schools and communities safer.

 

 Speaking as both a parent and the president, Barack Obama told young people that they shouldn't have to accept bullying as an inevitable part of growing up. "If there's one goal, it's to dispel the myth that bullying is just a harmless rite of passage," Obama said.
"As adults, we can lose sight of how hard it can be sometimes to be a kid," Obama said. "It's easy for us to forget what it's like to be teased or bullied, but it's also easy to forget the natural compassion and the sense of decency that our children display each and every day when they're given a chance."

 

 The White House says one-third of the nation's students, or 13 million children, have been bullied. The issue has gained increased attention in recent years in part because of the impact of new technologies like Facebook and Twitter, and because of high-profile coverage of young people who have committed suicide after being bullied. While our national leadership is focused on this important issue, I want you to know that our administrative team at Stephen S. Wise is also looking into this, and we are committed to making sure that all of our students learn and grow in a safe environment. We are fortunate to have two school counselors, Norma Freeman and Jana Zawatsky, who are key players in the process of developing our school culture. In addition, our teachers and staff are aware of this important issue, and we will continue to work with individual students, groups of kids and our overall community to make sure we take care of one another and always focus on celebrating what’s right.

Tami Weiser
 

]]> 3/3/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=613&blogid=97 Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is able to provide the outstanding educational program we do because of the involvement of our supportive parent community. You give both your time and money to make sure we have all the necessary resources, and the funds provided through our annual giving campaign truly make a differe

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Tami Weiser

]]> 2/24/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=612&blogid=97 Today (Wednesday, February 23)I am writing this as I prepare to leave for Camp Hess Kramer and our grade 6 retreat. I am excited to spend the evening and day tomorrow with our students as we continue to develop our sense of community and start preparing for their culmination. The process of planning this retreat is ind

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Tami Weiser
]]> 2/17/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=611&blogid=97 The past two days have been an amazing experience of patriotic learning and celebration at Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School. Yesterday we had our 6th grade Oratorical Contest. Every 6th grade student wrote and delivered a speech on the theme “A Call to Action.” The students selected a speech from an American le

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Today our excitement and celebration continued with our Patriotic Music Assembly for kindergarten – 4th grade. The students came in with flags, song books, hats and streamers to proudly wave their red, white and blue spirit. Faye Jeser and Randy Weinstein led a rousing song session, and interspersed were visuals and quotes projected on the screen by Judy Hoffman. The children had a lot of fun, woven together with a great deal of learning, and now they truly understand why we have Monday off to honor our current government and past presidents.

Tami Weiser
]]> 2/10/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=591&blogid=97 One of our goals this year is to continue to build our wonderful sense of community at Stephen S. Wise Elementary. This goal is achieved through our special Shabbat and holiday services, Monday morning assemblies, school celebrations, and of course, our Spirit Days. The Student Council representatives truly serve their

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Tami Weiser]]> 2/3/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=588&blogid=97 One of the things I truly love about our school is that important learning happens throughout the day and throughout our campus. Many of our lessons take place in the classrooms, but often I witness academic exploration and discovery in different and innovate places. This week our students took their Science lesson out

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Tami Weiser

]]> 1/27/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=584&blogid=97 One of the things I truly love about our school is that important learning happens throughout the day and throughout our campus. Many of our lessons take place in the classrooms, but often I witness academic exploration and discovery in different and innovate places. This week our students took their Science lesson out

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Tami Weiser]]> 1/20/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=569&blogid=97 “Education to be successful must not only inform but inspire.” T. Sharper Knowlson This week Stephen S. Wise Elementary School put into action our belief that education needs to have deep meaning, be tied to real experiences, and be inspirational. Rather than teaching about the holiday of Tu B’shvat through books and

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This week Stephen S. Wise Elementary School put into action our belief that education needs to have deep meaning, be tied to real experiences, and be inspirational. Rather than teaching about the holiday of Tu B’shvat through books and lectures, we took our students to Camp Alonim for a day of Tu B’shvat activities. The energy was palpable early in the morning as we boarded over 400 students on school buses. When we arrived in camp and sat together in the campfire circle, we truly added to our sense of being one community. The students were amazed that they were sitting in one of the largest Jewish-owned properties outside of the State of Israel, and we strengthened their connection to Eretz Yisrael. Following our opening circle the classes went to rotations of nature scavenger hikes, Tu B’shvat cooking, art projects, drama, yoga, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock wall climbing, gardening, and Israeli dancing. We picked the ideal setting, and had the ideal weather, to learn about the importance of trees, plants and the environment. At 11:30 the entire school gathered on the dance pavilion with David Dassa, and we joyously celebrated by dancing together. Then we were in the dining hall for a loud and delicious lunch, followed by a wonderful presentation from our third grade of Tu B’shvat songs and blessings. The final part of our day was time for the kids to be on the field playing sports, singing with a guitar, lifting a parachute, or drawing a picture. Giving students the time to be free with nature was really magical, and I have a mental picture of a few young boys walking through the trees, picking up twigs and just talking. I know we ended the day with some very tired, and very happy children. Today I walked into my office and there was a stack of thank-you notes from a fourth grade class. Candice wrote, “Thank you so much for the amazing field trip. It was so fun! I will never forget the field trip all because of the fun rock climbing and activities.” And Megan wrote, “Thank you sooo much for the field trip to Camp Alonim. That was the best field trip ever! It was so good that I want to go next year.” With feedback like this I know we are doing something right, and I am encouraged to continue planning innovative experiential programs that take our students’ learning to deeper levels.

Tami Weiser]]> 1/13/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=568&blogid=97 One of the things I enjoy greatly at Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School is sitting in our weekly Shabbat service and listening to the children talk about their learning of the weekly Parsha. The students are able to tell the name of the Parsha and what book of the Torah it comes from. But on a much deeper level

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Tomorrow we will learn about this week’s parsha “B’Shallah” and have a discussion on the Israelite’s continuing exodus from Egypt. We will read a highlight story in our history of the parting of the Red Sea. There will be lots of conversation on the scientific explanation for this, as well as the idea of miracles in our lives. In this spirit, I want to share my thoughts on this week’s reading.

There is a midrash, or story, that the sea would not part until the Israelites showed enough faith to march into the waters. They were waiting for God to perform a great miracle first. It took one man, Nahshon, to be bold enough to step into the sea, and at that point the sea responded to his act of faith. Today I talked to parents about their taking an act of faith by dropping off their children to our school and trusting that we would do the important work of educating them. I don’t promise to do miracles, but I do promise each of you that we will reward your trust and faith by producing students at the end of their journey who are well-educated and well-rounded young adults. I am honored to lead this “exodus journey” and look forward to sharing with you the daily miracles we experience together.

Tami Weiser

]]> 1/6/2011 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=558&blogid=97 I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I look forward to sharing 2011 with all of you. As I walked through classrooms this week it was exciting to observe rigorous reading and math lessons, boys’ basketball and girls’ soccer practices, spring musical rehearsals, and rich discussions on Tu b’Shvat and the parsh

]]> 2011-01-11T14:54:00Z I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I look forward to sharing 2011 with all of you. As I walked through classrooms this week it was exciting to observe rigorous reading and math lessons, boys’ basketball and girls’ soccer practices, spring musical rehearsals, and rich discussions on Tu b’Shvat and the parsha of the week. It is amazing to see how quickly we get back to action in all areas of our campus.

With all of this forward movement it is important to reflect on where we are going. The Stephen S. Wise Schools, from the elementary to the Milken campus, are engaging in conversations on how we prepare our students for the future. As part of this conversation we are pleased to present you with an amazing opportunity to share with us the film “Race to Nowhere.” On our professional development day on January 18th , all Kindergarten – 12th grade teachers will watch the movie together and discuss how we are impacted as an institution. We are then presenting two evenings for our parents to see this outstanding movie and share their thoughts with a panel of experts. I highly encourage you to find the night that works for your schedule and make plans to attend this event. We are anticipating a sell out crowd and hope that you will sign up as soon as possible.

I thank you in advance for participating in the valuable opportunity and know we will all gain a great deal as a community from this.

Tami Weiser 

 

 

]]> 12/16/2010 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=554&blogid=97 Last week the sense of school spirit was alive and well at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School! We started the week with a pep rally for all of our 4th – 6th grade students at Milken Community High School. The kids arrived at the school and had their faces painted, hair sprayed, and were ready to cheer for the JV Basketb

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Two days later we had our first Student Council Spirit Day when we celebrated Twin Day on campus. The students came dressed up with their groups of friends, and we had a wonderful morning assembly to recognize their creativity. Young and old, including the staff, were excited to show their school spirit with creative outfits that were matching from hair to jerseys. Again we strengthened our community with a wonderful day, and we are all looking forward to our next student council event.

This week we have been busy with lots of learning activities, assessments, basketball team workouts, play practices, and much more. It is hard to see that our vacation is soon here, but I am confident we are all eager for a well-deserved break. I hope you all have time to relax, reconnect as families, celebrate the New Year, and then come back ready to get back into action.

Happy New Year!

Tami Weiser]]> 12/9/2010 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=509&blogid=97 This week in addition to all of the learning going on within our classrooms, many of our students are extending their learning on field trips throughout the city. Each grade level has a Hesed project that they are focusing on this year, and as a part of their project students are visiting organizations that make their

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Tami Weiser]]> 12/2/2010 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=495&blogid=97 It is hard to believe that just last week we were preparing for our Thanksgiving feasts and our wonderful M’dor L’dor event, and tonight we are already lighting Hanukkah candles! I guess this really goes with our theme of celebrating what’s right, because we are certainly celebrating at Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementa

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Last week was truly magical as our students shared their learning and love with their special guests. By walking through the classrooms and listening to the exciting activities, meaningful stories, and songs and presentations I got a picture of why we do this important day. As I shared with the grandparents and guests last week, we teach all of the content at school, and the families and generations give that content meaning. I want to thank all of the parent volunteers, teachers and staff for providing us with this outstanding experience.

Today I had the pleasure of singing the blessings over the candles in many of our classrooms and with the Temple staff. Each room had its own magical light, and together they filled our school with a great feeling. I know that you will now have that light in your homes, and I want to wish you a happy holiday with time to express your gratitude to one another.

Chag Sameach,

Tami Weiser
]]> 11/18/2010 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=485&blogid=97 This week was the “Wide World of Sports” at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School. We had a few exciting days filled with basketball and football playoff games. Our sixth grade boys’ blue football team played an intense elimination game on Monday as a playoff qualifying round. The boys were strong both on offense and defen

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Beyond the trophies that we brought home yesterday, the feeling of accomplishment, teamwork, and athleticism were true gifts to our students. The kids showed good character and sportsmanship, as well as perseverance as they pushed through some great challenges. We continue to be proud of how well our students represent our school both on and off the field – our values in action as we “Celebrate what’s right!”

Tami Weiser]]> 11/10/2010 Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=478&blogid=97 Our students love singing the song “Mitzvah Goreret Mitzvah” which means one mitzvah leads to another. We are making the concept of doing good deeds a part of who we are as a school community, and that value becomes engrained in who they are as people of the world. It was inspirational on Sunday to see our kids making

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This Thursday we will not have school as we take time to think about and share gratitude for the Veterans in our country. On Friday, our teachers become students as they attend an amazing day of professional development. We will have sessions on Cool Websites, Meeting the Needs of All Students, Student Talk, and Data Analysis. I look forward to sharing with you the professional growth that all of us as educators have to help enrich the daily experience for your children.

Tami Weiser]]> 11/4/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=461&blogid=97 On Tuesday, November 2, major decisions were made in Los Angeles, California, the United States and at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School. All across the country people were exercising their democratic rights as they went to the polls to select new leaders and laws. By participating in a similar process we are prepari

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While the election itself was a wonderful learning experience, what makes it unique at Stephen S. Wise is the opportunity it provided for integration with our Judaic values. We began the assembly with the “Shehehiyanu” thanking God for allowing us to reach this special day. We talked about how this was a “Kodesh Moment” and that we were elevating ourselves and our community by participating in the process. And finally, at the end of the day when we announced the winners, each candidate was gracious in both winning and losing, and made sure that all of the students felt good about their participation. I finished the day by thinking that our country could learn some life lessons by hanging out at our playground, because we are truly teaching our kids how to do things the right way.

Tami Weiser]]> 10/28/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=447&blogid=97 This week at Stephen S. Wise we are all about literacy and the love of a good book.  Yesterday our first grade students had their Literary Tea, and it was a very special morning.  Every child dressed up as a character from their book and then came to school to share their story.  We had Jack and Annie from The Magic T

]]> 2010-10-28T14:54:00Z This week at Stephen S. Wise we are all about literacy and the love of a good book.  Yesterday our first grade students had their Literary Tea, and it was a very special morning.  Every child dressed up as a character from their book and then came to school to share their story.  We had Jack and Annie from The Magic Tree House, Fancy Nancy, Purplicious and Pinkalicious, lady bugs, and many other creative costumes – they were priceless.  Following the literary parade, the students wrote about their book and then ended the celebration with a festive tea party.  I know it is something that they will always remember!

Our excitement around great stories is also palpable at our wonderful book fair in Hershenson Hall.  Each class is visiting the fair, and the students are buzzing about the chapter books, the nonfiction selections, the Judaic books and the wonderful displays.  Adults too are enjoying the fair as they purchase new best sellers, cook books, and amazing parenting guides.  I want to thank the committee – parents and staff – for all of their dedication to bring us this outstanding fair.  Our theme for this year is “The Magic of Reading” and I truly feel that our Stephen Wise community experienced this magical feeling.

]]> 10/21/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=443&blogid=97 This week I had a wonderful meeting with a group of sixth grade students. We sat in my office and talked about what they love at Stephen S. Wise, why they are glad to be here, and what they hope their legacy will be. It was an extremely informative conversation, and one which I will not soon forget. During the discu

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Tami Weiser]]> 10/13/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=407&blogid=97 One of the amazing things about Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is that we are always striving to improve.   Our newest exciting change is the refurbished art room.   Jan Navah, our outstanding art specialist, works with our students on developing their creative, expressive visual art talents.   I always enjoy

]]> 2010-10-13T14:54:00Z One of the amazing things about Stephen S. Wise Elementary School is that we are always striving to improve.  Our newest exciting change is the refurbished art room.  Jan Navah, our outstanding art specialist, works with our students on developing their creative, expressive visual art talents.  I always enjoy walking into her studio to feel the excitement as kids come up with new ideas, have the opportunity to try a new media, or can’t wait to show me their finished project.  The culmination of this work is our Art Gallery, which will be displayed at Open House on June 1-2.  On these nights you will see first hand the work that your students have been doing in art throughout the year. 

 

I want to share with you some words that are on a poster in the art room that really express it best: 

 

Everything I Needed to Know I learned in the Art Room 

 

Never say anything unkind about something a classmate has created. 

 

Don’t hog all the colors. 

 

A picture is more interesting with contrast, movement and different points of view – so is life. 

 

Be kind to yourself if all your pictures don’t turn out, it happens to all artists. 

 

Making something for someone else can be a holy act, do it often. 

 

Keep an open mind about different kinds of art… something unforeseen may be come part of your expression some day. 

 

Purple houses, pink grass…. There’s no right or wrong way to color your picture – honor your creative voice – it’s what makes you unique. 

 

Paint from the heart, it will show – others will sense it.

  

I hope your child gets these powerful messages throughout their year of art instruction.  While public schools are cutting the arts, we continue to invest in our program and I look forward to seeing our students’ skills and enthusiasm continue to grow in this vital creative area. 

 

Tami Weiser

]]> 10/07/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=394&blogid=97 While we certainly enjoyed celebrating all of the wonderful holidays over the past few weeks, it is great to finally have a week of uninterrupted instructional time! The classes are all in full swing, having completed their initial assessments, and students are learning a great deal. I have had the opportunity to obs

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I look forward to sharing specific information on your student’s progress at their parent conferences next month. I’ll keep you posted on all of the wonderful instructional progress we make throughout the year.

Tami Weiser]]> 9/30/2010 - Message from Principal, Tami Weiser http://www.wiseelementary.org/blogpage.aspx?id=340&blogid=97 There is a great deal of learning going on all day at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School, and beyond the important instruction in the classrooms there are valuable lessons being learned on our playground. It is so interesting to watch the kids playing basketball, handball, football, foursquare, tetherball, and

]]> 2010-09-16T14:54:00Z There is a great deal of learning going on all day at Stephen S. Wise Elementary School, and beyond the important instruction in the classrooms there are valuable lessons being learned on our playground. It is so interesting to watch the kids playing basketball, handball, football, foursquare, tetherball, and all of their own imaginative and creative games. I am amazed at the way they learn to problem solve, encourage one another, compete, and have fun. While they are working on gross motor skills and eye-hand coordination, they are also working on how to get along and be a part of a team. Many of these lessons are directly taught by our fantastic PE staff and coaches. Some of these lessons come from general ed teachers, and sometimes the message is imparted through a Judaic lens. In the crazy business of my day I always take at least 20 minutes to be outside with the students, get some fresh air, and watch them play. I am guaranteed to end this time walking a little taller and wearing a smile.

One specific story I want to share is an observation I had on the handball court today. Two students couldn't agree on whether one was "Out" and there wasn't an adult who saw the play to make the call. Rather than arguing, walking away, or getting physical, they simply went to "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and resolved their issue.

I thought this was a perfect segue as we prepare for Yom Kippur. Our students get the message of forgiveness, redemption and "T'Shuva" by living it through many small moments. My prayer for all of us as adults is to know when it is time to forgive, move on and just go with "Rock,Paper, Scissors" as a ruling. I wish for all of us a G'mar Hatima Tovah, and may we all be sealed in the Book of Life!

Warmly,

 

 Tami Weiser

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