Parenting Workshop Announced

Emerson will be partnering with Dr. Abdulmunin from the Dubois Institute to offer a one day workshop entitled Effective Black Parenting. 

The class is designed for parents or guardians of students from the age of 2-18; especially for parents of students who are Black or African American; or who are the parents, grandparents or guardians of children of Black or African American heritage. 

The class makes use of 32 African proverbs as it teaches several major parenting strategies: the Pyramid of Success for Black Children, Modern Black Self-Discipline, the Thinking Parent's Approach, and Family Rule Guidelines.  It teaches a series of child management skills including effective praise, effective ignoring, verbal confrontation, time-out, and a point system method where children earn valued activities from a "Good Stuff" menu. 

If this class sounds interesting to you, please consider joining us on Monday, December 13, at 8:40 a.m.

Let's Get Real!

Because of new legislation, a new class of schools was inadvertently created: Distinguished, Low-Achieving Schools.  "How could a school be both distinguished and low-achieving at the same time?" you ask.  Such is the case with at least one local school under legislation supported by Brian Nestande, Riverside's Assemblyman.  The Press Enterprise reported that Nestande supported the creation of a list of the 1000 lowest performing schools. "This seemed like a reasonable approach to motivate them to improve their schools." he was quoted as saying.

Creating a list of the 1000 most low achieving schools was intended to "motivate"  low achieving schools to improve, however the legislation highlights the problematic nature of the State's current attempts to quantify the success (or failure) of schools.

Emerson is not on either list.  I do need to disclose, however, that a few years ago Emerson met the qualifications for California Distinguished School, but was not subsequently named as such. The 1000 lowest-achieving schools list identifies Real Elementary School in Perris is an example of one school that was named both as a California Distinguished School as well as a Low-Achieving by the State of California. 

While every school must take full responsibility to ensure that every child reaches his/her potential, at the same time, it's not a bad idea to point out that the system has flaws.  At a recent Riverside Board of Education meeting, President Lew Vanderzyl joked that it won't be long until all California Schools are in Program Improvement. 

As you probably recall, Emerson has experienced general academic growth for the past 3 years, but at the same time has landed the embarrassing label as a "Program Improvement" school.  We are carefully identifying reasons for not meeting our goals (i.e. not focusing on the rigor of the State Standards), designing programs (i.e. HEARTS, READ 180, and iScholars) and plans to improve (by carefully analyzing common assessments-quizzes, for example), using instructional strategies that improve learning, and intensely focusing on the rigor of the State Standards.  While we are taking the challenge very seriously to improve learning with every subgroup, I can't help but point out the problematic nature of the system.

The Emerson community is working strategically and diligently to meet the academic needs of each student and every sub-group, but at the same time we're experiencing the pain of our Program Improvement title. While we are not on the lowest 1000 list, I can't help but want to stand up for those who are, to say that punishing these schools with another sanction is not the right answer.  The two RUSD elementary schools who are on the 1000 most troubled schools list have been brilliantly implementing numerous school improvement strategies.  Assemblyman Nestande, haven't we had enough mud-slinging? Do you need to support another list intended to berate elementary schools by supporting this kind of legislation?

Emerson's achievement plight is not as extreme as Real's.  The State of California has a schizophrenic set of programs that reward achieving schools and call out low-achieving schools.  Real, we feel your pain.

Elementary Education in 2020

It's only 9 years away, but here are my predictions:

• Every child will have a hand-held computer all the time.
• Students will attend class between 10 and 16 days per month, based on need.
• Summer and winter vacations will become obsolete. Vacations and independent study can be scheduled.
• Individualized learning plans empower students to achieve their highest potential.
• Greater responsibility will be placed on parents for providing academic supervision on home-study days.
• Academic, on-line games will provide a large amount of customized and motivational instruction.
• Student will choose academic interests like home economics, robotics, engineering, drama, music, foreign/other languages, gardening, and more.
• Paper texts and books will become obsolete, students will read (and listen) using their computers.
• Students will become more involved in competitions, research projects, and group projects.
• Pre-school and kindergarten will become required, not optional.
• Teachers will have broad, easily accessible, real-time data on each child's current progress.
• 90% of all students will meet the core standards every year.
• Parent/teacher conferences will be scheduled at least 3 times per year.
• Tetherball and playing in the sand will still be favorite playground activities.
• Running in the hallways will still be our biggest safety concern.

What do you see as the future of elementary education?

Reasons to be Thankful at Emerson

As your principal, I am thankful for so many things- I couldn't narrow it down to just 10!
13.  I'm thankful for community partnerships such as those with Parkview Nursery, the Optimist Club, The Kiwanis Club, The City of Riverside Parks and Recreation, Altura Credit Union, The East Hills Chamber of Commerce, Chik-fil-a , and more!
12.  Our new PE program, Game Day, is high-energy, skills-based, and lots of fun!
11.  We have talented and welcoming classified employees who work in the cafeteria, in the front office, in classrooms, as custodians, on the playground and in the health office.
10.  Volunteers who "find a need and fill it!"
9.    We have four new staff members- Joseph Denham (Instructional Assistant, room 3), Leslie Stewart (Instructional Assistant, room 16), Annie Miecosz (HEARTS Coordinator), and Delmi Lara (Intervention and HEARTS)
8.   The New Buildings are almost ready for us to move into (really,this time!) 
7.   The PTA is doing a lot of great things to support learning.  A month-long family focus on the four domains of language arts is in the planning stages for the month of March.
6.  Mrs. Folger's Class Thanksgiving play from A-Z helped to help us feel a spirit of Thanksgiving!
5.  Emerson students are enthusiastic about school, strive to always answer in complete sentences, and are so excited to learn.
4.  Emerson teachers are working so hard to try to conference with as many parents as possible!
3.  Eight Americorps Members who are working in the classrooms provide tutoring and other support.
2.  Almost all of the teachers and staff who were laid off last year have been brought back to work.
1.  We have a one week vacation to think about everything for which we are thankful.  See you back at school on November 29!

Parent Teacher Conferences, Math Update

I hope that you all had a great 4 day weekend!  This week the students will only have a 4 day week; there are no classes on Friday.  Teachers have been communicating with parents to discuss parent teacher conferences.  Report cards are scheduled to be sent home on Thursday, November 18, or given during a scheduled conference. 

We are one third of the way through the school year and half-way through the instructional year prior to State Testing.  Unfortunately, our benchmark mathematics scores for the year appear to not be increasing.  As a school, we are working to address this through a variety of strategies, efforts and measures.  We ask for you, as well, to double up your efforts and support for your students' success in math.  Using SuccessNet at home has the potential to really help.  Ask your teacher for more information.

History Day Project Ideas

HISTORY DAY 2010-2011

4TH GRADE

SUGGESTED TOPICS

DEBATE AND DIPLOMACY

FAILURES, SUCCESSES & CONSEQUENCES

Early European Explorers
Diplomacy on el Camino Real
Junipero Serra’s Diplomacy in building the Missions
Diplomacy within the Missions
Mexico Gets the Missions, How did it Happen?
Debate and History of Rebuilding the Missions
Revolt and Death at Mission San Diego
Decision to move Mission San Carlos Borromeo inland
Father Francisco de Lasuen’s Defense of the Mission system
Lorenzo Asisara’s Defense of the Mission Indians
Cry of Dolores
Pablo Vicente de Sola’s Negotiations
Secularization of the Missions, Winners and Losers
Mexican War for Independence, Effect on the Missions
Statehood vs Fugitive Slave Act
John Bidwell’s Role in the Bear Flag Revolt
Bernarda Ruiz’s diplomacy with John c. Fremont
Gold Rush Diplomacy, How to get a Claim
Juana Briones de Miranda, Working with the Indians
Toypurina’s Planned Revolt
Bear Flag Revolt, Debate and Diplomacy
California Ranchos’ Rise to Power
Gold Rush: Miners vs Chinese Immigrants
California Statehood: The Monterrey Convention
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
California’s First Constitution
Land Act of 1851
Freedom for Biddy Mason
Theodore Judah’s Plan for the First Transcontinental Railroad
Modoc War (1872-1873)
Willliam Mulholland and the Los Angeles Aqueduct
John Muir

Luigi or Farmer John?

On a whim last Friday, I decided to put on my "Farmer John" overalls and boots so that I wouldn't have to endure the annual Halloween deadpan joke- "I know, you're dressed up as a principal!" This year, they interrupted their own question, "Mr. McCombs, what are you dressed up...." when they started reading. "Farmer J...Who is that?"  But then, almost every child exclaimed, "You look like Luigi!" 

A few times during the costume parade, I wished I could have traded in my John Deere cap for a bright green beret emblazoned with an "L."  But I was Farmer John.  I knew that I looked pretty corny, but I did learn a lesson.  Our kids generally know more about Luigi, than about an archetypical farmer. 

A little disappointed, especially because Emerson has a farm fresh salad bar with locally grown produce, and a two-acre community garden, I wondered if our kids were learning enough history, fairy tales and other essentials described in E. D. Hirsch's Core Knowledge.   Don't our kids need to know a farmer when they see one? 

Yesterday a teacher shared with me that as she was reading a story to her class, there was a picture of a farmer, dressed in overalls.  Almost in unison, the students asked "oh, is that what Mr. McCombs was trying to dress up like?"  A read aloud made me, Farmer John, almost relevant!

While I think it's fine to play a game of Mario Party once in a while, I am thankful for everyone who reads to children, helping them build core knowledge.  I wonder if someday, when our kids are adults, they will dress up as Luigi and their kids will ask them "Who are you supposed to be?"

Helmet and iPod Winners

Here are the winning ticket numbers for the PTA Walk to School drawing:
1218,  1220, 1239, 1243, 1307, 3095, 3103, 3104, 3105,
Please comment below or come in to see Mr. McCombs if you have a winning ticket!