Principal’s Message
Dear Friends and Families of Los Ranchos,
I hope you had a wonderful spring break. Students returned super energized. It is hard to believe we only have nine weeks left of the 2015 - 2016 school year. It is especially difficult to imagine because we have so many upcoming events.
The Los Ranchos Celebration of Science and Inventions is coming up on April 21. All students are invited to participate. You can find guidelines posted on our Los Ranchos Website under Announcements (see Celebration of Science and Inventions). Parents are welcomed to enjoy the Celebration between 1:30pm-2:50pm on the 21st.
We are anticipating a Science Celebration bursting with projects this year. Over the next couple of weeks all of Los Ranchos students will be involved in STEAM lessons. A few classes will research, design and build an earthquake safe structure, some will focus in bridge building, others will design a windmill. Some of these projects will be on display on April 21. In addition, students who have been enjoying the Tinker Room, will be displaying two of their creations. I want to thank Erin Linvall for her leadership and commitment to the Tinker Room. It has provided new opportunities for innovation for our students.
Speaking of Science, many of our fourth, fifth and sixth graders have enjoyed some additional time digging into different scientific topics with the Cal Poly Science Club. Activities have included investigations into chemistry and tectonic plates. They have observed chemical reactions in lava lamps and created structures to withstand an earthquake. This next week they will examine the cell structures of different fruits. I want to thank these Cal Poly students for sharing their time, passion and expertise with our students.
Before I sign off, I want to make sure you know about a Parent Coffee I am hosting on Thursday, April 28th. Neil Eckardt will be our guest speaker. He will share valuable information with parents about the the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System. All 3rd - 6th graders will take the CAASPP in May. Students continue to take this test in Junior High and High School. All parents are welcomed, even if your children are not old enough to take the tests yet. The coffee and presentation will be in the library at 8:30 a.m. I hope you can join us.
Sincerely,
Marlie Schmidt
 |  |  |
Remember to vist our website for up to date information at http://lr.slcusd.org/
Upcoming Dates
- Science and Invention Celebration -Thursday, April 21st
- SBAC Parent Presentation by Neil Eckardt - Friday, April 28, 8:30am
- Los Ranchos Bike Parade, Friday, April 29th
- Battle of the Books, Friday, May 13
- Kindergarten Round-Up, May 16-17th
- Last Day of School, June 9th
- First day of 2016-2017 School Year, August 22nd
Book Recommendation
Book recommendations from friends are always my favorite books. We would like to recommend Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. Carol Dweck explores the importance of nurturing perseverance and resilience in our children. Most of the teachers and staff at Los Ranchos will be reading and discussing this book through the end of the year. We think you may enjoy it too!
Bike Parade
This year’s Paul Reinhardt Bike Parade is scheduled for April 29, 2016.
Please have students ride or bring their bikes to school for the parade which begins at 8:40am. Kinder/1st graders ride at 8:40am and 2nd - 6th will ride at 9:00am
Reminders:
- All riders must wear helmets
- Bikes only- no scooters, tricycles, etc.
- Training wheels are fine
- Decorate your bike to add to the fun
- Wear a bike jersey or create your own biking outfit
- Decorate your helmet
- Create a theme and do a coordinated look for your bike, helmet and outfit
- Bikes may be parked in the quad in front of your classroom
- Make arrangements to have your bike picked up at the end of the day
- Non-riders will be spectators
- Scott Smith of Art’s Cyclery will be set up at 8:15am in the quad are to assist children with minor mechanical issues
Battle of the Books
What is the Battle?
The Battle is a full-day tournament on Friday, May 13, 2016, in which student teams earn points by answering questions about the books and the authors on the book list. Students meet in the multi-purpose room where they are randomly assigned a team and a mascot. The teams play several rounds against different teams. At the end of the morning, points are tallied, and the two teams with the most points compete in a Grand Battle after lunch. All other teams join in the audience where parents are encouraged to join in the fun.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
