Building Starts with Demolition

Earthmoving equipment roared, crashing loads of asphalt and roots into idling dump trucks. Our construction project began with fencing off, tearing down, and pulling out the old, in preparation for what’s to come. It’s fitting that demolition began in December just before a big rain storm.
I’m thankful that we were able to hold a 6th grade promotion and a motivational assembly under the shade of the huge pine and pepper trees. All of the students said “good bye” to the soccer field and trees, knowing that progress would provide a much better learning environment than the portable classrooms currently in use.
More trees will be planted to replace the ones that had to be removed. Sixty five apple trees, each one a different variety, will form a new orchard in the middle of the buildings. Large shade trees will be planted on the south side of the buildings as well.
While we will miss the soccer field, we will still have a baseball-sized field in the corner, The existing “upper field” will be enlarged when the “bus turn-around” is eliminated. We are also going to change a portion of the fencing in the community garden to enlarge the shaded area of the playground.
The new buildings will be beautiful. They represent the trust that the community has in us as a school to educate and care for the children. Funded by Measure B, a voter-approved property tax, the building is paid for by all of us who live in the community. The funds cannot be diverted to pay for anything else other than construction. So, “Thanks!” to you, for helping us break ground on the Emerson addition!

Smoke, Evacuation, and Firetrucks...

This morning at about 8:15 a teacher reported smoke in room 2. After checking it out we decided to activate the emergency evacuation system.

Students reported to the field safely, lining up in the way that they have practiced many times before.

When the firetrucks arrived, the parking lot was at a standstill. Some parents dropping off their children were not quite sure what to do- drop them off, take them home or wait. (Waiting would be a good option, just as long as you are not blocking the emergency lanes. Instead, park across the street and wait at the park until you hear the "all-clear" bell.)

The emergency personnel did get in and checked for the origin of the smoke. They found that a heater motor had malfunctioned, causing the motor and insulation to over-heat. Our district HVAC crew took over making repairs. The fire department left by about 8:50.

Students' whose breakfast was interrupted were allowed to go back and eat. Everyone was back to class before 9 a.m. Thanks to all who helped us evacuate as we followed our Emergency Plan.

A few people have asked if the heater problem was related to the demolition work adjacent to the classroom, but it appears to be completely unrelated.

The construction (demolition) work is under way, but the heavy equipment had to take a break while the field dries out after the weekend storm. I'll share some photos of the demolition in my next post.

Parent Workshop a Magical Success

Over 185 Emerson parents and students joined together on December 10 for Emerson's first-ever Parent Language Arts Workshop. The students were mesmerized by The Great Raguzi; I was impressed by our PTA President, Sandy Ramirez, putting on a great spaghetti dinner; the parents were all thrilled with the new things they learned in the parent language arts workshops.

Teachers presented a variety of topics in language arts designed to support parents with difficult language issues. Some classes included make-and-take lessons with language learning games that could be played at home. Others included information on the Sound Spelling Cards and how parents can use spelling patterns as well as sounds to help their children become better readers. In fourth grade, Mr. Butler taught about such issues as how parents can help improve their child's reading fluency.

The children were enthralled with the magic show. As many of you know, The Great Raguzi has two children and two grandchildren at Emerson. It was exciting for his kids (as well as other Emerson students) to be called to the stage to help out with the illusions.

While there were many amazing things that occurred, perhaps the most miraculous was the selected recipient of the raffled computer. I went back to my office with a bowl filled with raffle tickets. I asked our night custodian, John Caballero, to help me draw a name, and he randomly drew the name of none other than Sandy Ramirez, our PTA President. I looked at him and he looked at me. We both shrugged our shoulders and realized that it really was a night of magic. I didn't feel quite as guilty loading up the dirty roasting pans in the back of her car...along with her new computer!

The Magic of Language

A magical evening is being planned for Thursday, December 10, 2009 at Emerson.

You may think that the 1$ per person meal (provided by the PTA) is magical. The magical instruction of our Emerson teachers will amaze the parents. Students will also enjoy a magical performance by none other than The Great Raguzzi!

The main purpose of the evening is for you, our Emerson parents, to learn the most important concepts that will help you to support your child in Language Arts. Teachers at every grade level will provide meaningful, relevant information that you can use to help your child advance even farther this year. A separate class will be taught in Spanish at each grade level.

Emerson Students will be treated to a magic show, free of charge, in the cafeteria.

The following post, copied from the Green Team blog, was written by our Emerson Green Team champion, Claire Carbonell.

Friday, 20 November 2009
Week #10: Today is a day of Parent/Teacher conferences at Emerson Elementary. It is the end of the school trimester and Emerson students are on Thanksgiving holiday. School resumes in 9 days, Monday, 30 November. The only image we share today is taken of our Emerson Redwigglers ~happy and healthy. The photo was taken immediately after lifting the many layers of moist newspaper that keep our wormbin dark and moist, the preferred environment for our worms! Our worms will spend next week with Kara Bolin, Parent, PTA Treasurer.
Beginning the second trimester, Green Team plans include getting a winter garden together! Some winter garden options: carrots, potatoes, onions, radishes, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach.
All are welcome to come join us at the Eastside Community Garden at Emerson Elementary. Emerson Green Team wishes everyone a happy, safe and healthy holiday with their family and friends.

Emerson Teams with Parkview

For the past few years Emerson has received support from Parkview Nursery as a school partner. They have supported the Eastside Community Garden with plants, assistance and advice. Partnerships are not supposed to be one way relationships. The Emerson community wants to support them as well.

During the holiday season, many families buy plants (as gifts), Christmas trees, and other holiday plants such as poinsettias. There are several reasons that you should buy these items from Parkview.
1.) They are locally owned and their employees live in our community.
2.) Tax dollars from sales in Riverside, stay in Riverside to support our City.
3.) They are conveniently located on the corner of Chicago and Enterprise.
4.) Their Christmas Trees are specially ordered from Washington State where the climate is wet and cold- which produces superior trees.
5.) The service at Parkview is outstanding! They are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about their products.
6.) They have excellent variety, and offer numerous choices.

Please let them know that you are from Emerson when you stop in to make your purchases at Parkiew Nursery.

Can Children be Allowed to Choose Failure?

Old school: If children choose to fail, then it's their fault.
Emerson today: If a child leaves Emerson without successfully meeting grade level standards (or his/her IEP goals), then we have failed him/her.

Who is "we?"
Parents may point to the teacher.
Teachers may blame the parents.
A Board of Education may lay liability on a principal.
Some may condemn the curriculum (the work is boring or too difficult).
Universities may indict the school system.
The wealthy may point the finger at poverty.
The poor may blame the greedy.
Descendants of immigrants may blame today's immigrants.
Business leaders may incriminate the State's school funding formulas.
Republicans may find fault with excessive government.
Democrats may decry the lack of programs.
Maybe everyone,in part, tacitly accuses the children themselves.

While everyone is playing a game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, we have real children who are really failing. They are failing in our beloved school. When even one child fails (consistently earning a Basic or Below Basic in either Math or Language Arts), we can't waste time looking for the guilty party. We must do everything in our power to help that child learn successfully, even if it seems as if they themselves don't care.

Children rely on us to engineer their success. We can inspire them if they are uninspired. Collectively, we have the experience, training, time and expertise. We can't allow even one child to fail. When a child fails, it means that all of us have defaulted.

Every person who has fingers to point also has a hand to help pull a child out of failure. Maybe the problem is too many fingers and not enough hands.

Student Achievement for All

A poem by Emma Lazarus is graven on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. "...Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."

Can anyone "breathe free" without academic success?

In Riverside, on the Main Street Pedestrian Mall is another inspiring statue. The words on the base of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Statue read "I have a dream."

Both of these statues, their stories and their corresponding statements inspire us. And while we openly accept immigrants and we encourage our children to play together with others, we still must recognize that, even in Riverside, inequities, differences, and deeply held beliefs can hold back the progress of those who have dreams and those who "...yearn to be free..."

Emerson is considered to be a beautiful melting pot, a mixed salad, or a stew (depending on your preferred culinary metaphor) where racial problems are a rarity. However even at Emerson,we have significant learning gaps that exist- it is not uncommon for there to be a 15% fewer English Learners who are Proficient or Advanced than the rest of our school population. Even at Emerson, there is a performance gap between our African American students and our overall population.

We have worked to close the learning gap by offering a variety of interventions, trainings and strategies. But despite the extra efforts, we are not moving all of our students up as quickly as we must. Should we be happy with 30%, 40% or 50% of our students meeting proficiency standards? Students who are "...yearning to be free..." cannot achieve this freedom, equality and opportunity unless they are achieving at grade level. Every year that passes for a student who is performing below grade level, is a year that an opportunity is lost to achieve the dream.

Just as Lady Liberty opens her arms to welcome needy travellers, can you volunteer your time to help read with students? Sheila Close and Ron Beasley can train you to be an Accelerated Reader volunteer. Would you please let us know that you want to help Emerson achieve our dream?

My Veterans Day Salute

Veterans Day (Wednesday, November, 11) is not just a day off of school. It is an opportunity for all of us to step back from political beliefs and to salute those who have served our country in the military.

We all probably know a few veterans. Some served in times of war and some in times of peace. Some paid for their loyalty to their country with their lives.

A few days ago a man came to my office asking, "Mr. McCombs, don't you remember me? It's me, Jacob, you were my assistant principal in middle school!" I definitely remembered him, but he didn't look like the same boy I knew 12 years ago. The most obvious change was a facial and neck twitch that seemed to grab him every few seconds. He explained to me that he was home for a few days from Afganistan where he had earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor.

He reminded me about all of the talks we had and he appologized for his misbehavior years ago. He reminded me of all the times I had to call his mom when he was in trouble. Jacob looked me up at Emerson to tell me that he appreciated our motivational talks.

He also came to tell me about his tour of service in Afganistan. "Should I tell my son what I do over there?" he asked. His son doesn't understand why his daddy wakes up screaming out orders in the middle of the night. We talked some more about his job and about how he got the Bronze Star.
While his twitches increased, he told me that "someone has to die" to earn this medal. He told me the bloody details, while humbly explaining how he saved the lives of two of his buddies during an ambush.

No doubt that Jacob has returned to the battlefield. I pray that he returns to his young family quickly, and that his nightmares and twitches will some day subside.

Jacob, Veterans Day is for you.

Optimist Club Inspires

Four years ago the Riverside Optimist Club called and said that they wanted to be partners with Emerson. I told them that we had a Saturday garden work day to clear out the overgrown summer weeds. While that was a terrible strategy to attract school partners, the Optimist Club showed up in force on that hot Saturday and helped us haul off a dozen truckloads of weeds.

Since then the optimists have supported Emerson in many ways. They sponsor the tri-star basketball tournament. They bring a bicycle safety assembly to the school every year. They have supported numerous child safety efforts such as the Take 25 campaign that helps parents with strategies to keep their children safe.

I was inspired by the Optimist Creed, especially by the line they quoted, saying, "To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others."

The Optimist Club is promoting an "iKeepSafe" campaign for internet safety. They are actively teaching about the dangers that our children face with the expanded use of the internet. The parent resource center provides numerous easy strategies and tips that can help even non-tech-savvy parents to keep their kids safe.

I spoke at their meeting yesterday for the fourth year and was humbled by their concern for children, their service to others and by their generosity. They sent me back to school with a check that we will be able to use to support student-focused projects.

"Thank you!" to our school partners, my friends, at the Riverside Optimist Club.

The ABC's of A and B (and P and BB...)

I earned my first (and only) D grades in Spanish and Math when I was in middle school. I remember enjoying learning both subjects, but there were just too many exciting things happening in my middle school life to keep focused on turning in every assignment. After racking up a few zeros in homework and a few failed quizzes, it was nearly impossible to average my way out of the D range. Both of those classes left me with little interest in really trying to raise my grade. Both of my parents were teachers and they were able to help me improve my performance in subsequent classes.

In a Standards-Based Grading (SBG) system a student's understanding and knowledge is evaluated more fairly than the quantity of homework or success on quizzes. Students are given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge.

When most of us were in school, an A was just an A and everyone knew what an A, an A+, or an A- meant. Earning a B grade, in a letter-based grading system was still above average.

The biggest confusion that I see is when a parent appears to celebrate a 'B' on their child's report card. While it makes me want to scream, I realize that many parents may not have been exposed to our grading system before. Scoring a B, which stands for Basic, is definitely not above average. This is made more confusing because the A (Advanced) in SBG and an A in a letter-based grading system appear to be similar. But after Advanced, this is where the comparison of the two grading systems really becomes impossible.

The California State Content Standards are the basis for our SBG. In order to be Advanced, a student must be able to demonstrate that they have advanced knowledge of the standard. Turning in extra assignments or earning more points can't make them Advanced, but being able to know and demonstrate their understanding can. A description of each performance level is usually measured by a description called a rubric. Teachers use the rubrics to compare the students' work to the standards that the assignment measures.

Our school district has been using SBG for about 10 years, but with every new parent who arrives, it is important to revisit why we use them and what they mean. Parents will be able to review and discuss the first trimester report cards during the Parent-Teacher conferences scheduled for November 19 and 20.

Make a point to always know if your child is Proficient (or above) in Math and Language Arts. If students don't meet the Proficiency bar every year, they are not on track for graduating from high school. For this reason, we must not be content until every child is Proficient or Advanced for their grade level.

Although I never was an outstanding Spanish student in high school, I found a purpose in studying Spanish in college; I lived in Honduras for two years, and I later became a Spanish teacher. How can we help every student find a purpose in their learning that will motivate them to become Proficient or Advanced?

New Math Units to Begin

The Elementary Education Department recently provided the following summary and links that I believe will be of assistance to you in discussing math with your children during the next few weeks:

Our enVision math program is separated into segments we call benchmark windows. The timeline varies for each grade. Your child may not be on the exact schedule because teachers have flexibility to move topics within the window and to expand or compact topics. You can click on the links below and get a general idea of the math calendar by viewing documents on the RUSD math website.
Kindergarten (Oct 30 - Jan 20)Topic 5 - Comparing Numbers; Topic 6 - Addition; Topic 7 - Subtraction; Topic 8 - Numbers to 20
Grade 1 (Oct 15 - Dec 11)Topic 6 - Addition Facts to 12; Topic 7 - Subtraction Facts to 12; Topic 8 - Geometry; Topic 9 - Patterns; Topic 10 - Time to the Half Hour
Grade 2 (Oct 23 - Dec 17)Topic 6 - Mental Addition; Topic 7 - Mental Subtraction; Topic 8 - Estimating Sums and Differences; Topic 9 - Adding Two Digit Numbers; Topic 10 - Subtracting Two Digit Numbers
Grade 3 (Oct 29 - Jan 8)Topic 6 - Multiplication Concepts; Topic 7 - Multiplication Fact Patterns; Topic 8 - Multiplication - Use Known Facts; Topic 9 - Division Concepts; Topic 10 - Division Facts
Grade 4 (Oct 27 - Jan 25)Topic 6 - Multiplying by 2-Digit Numbers; Topic 7 - Dividing by 1-Digit Divisors; Topic 8 - Lines, Angles, Shapes and Solids; Topic 9 - Fraction Concepts; Topic 10 - Addition and Subtraction of Fractions
Grade 5 (Oct 27 - Jan 7)Topic 6 - Multiplying Decimals; Topic 7 - Dividing Decimals; Topic 8 - Shapes; Topic 9 - Factors and Multiples; Topic 10 - Fractions, Mixed Numbers, and Decimals
Grade 6 (Sep 26 - Jan 15)Topic 6 - Two-Dimensional Figures; Topic 7 - Fraction Concepts; Topic 8 - Decimals, Fractions, and Mixed Numbers; Topic 9 - Add and Subtract Fractions; Topic 10 - Multiply and Divide Fractions
WANT MORE INFO? See the textbook Click here and scroll all the way down to access the math texts online. Remember your teacher can arrange a personalized online account for your student and assign individualized assignments and games. Look at more math materials Click here Want to know how the lessons are presented? Click here.

Learning, Celebrating, and Remembering

Motivational Assembly

This first photo is from our Motivational Assembly that was held on October 14. Pictured is the Emerson Chorus singing "The Witch is Dead," with Jackie Hopper on the Piano, and Jade Beasley as the Witch. What you don't see is that Mrs. Cortes just emptied a bucket of magic feathers and sequins on the Witch's head.

Math Assessment

The math benchmark assessments may be just another test for the kids, but for us, it is a critical way to see if we are on target for making our growth. We desperately want more and more students to be Proficient or Advanced, so we look closely at the students' results, the classes' results as well as we look at each strand to determine what we did well and where we still need to focus more effort.

Remembering Mrs. Cole-Reagins
The next photo is a photo of Mrs. Cole Reagins, an Emerson teacher who passed away in 2007. She attended school at Emerson as a child and then returned to teach at Emerson for over 15 years. Mrs. Cole-Reagins was an inspiration to the Emerson staff. We learned to never give up on a child becuse of her professionalism and relentless love for learning. A reading grant has been established in her name through REEF in order to pass on Mrs. Cole-Reagins' love for reading.

The memorial garden in between room 2 and room 4 was dedicated after her passing, as a way to remember all of those who have tirelessly served the Emerson community.






Construction to Begin Soon!
This next photo is an artist's rendition of the new building. This picture is oriented as if you were standing in the lower field looking up towards the kindergarten playground. The grading equipment is set to arrive in a few short weeks. We will have 12 new permanent classrooms and a new library as a result of this project. A large portion of the lower field will be our new bus entry and staff parking. The front parking lot will be redesigned as a student drop-off point next year.


Red Ribbon Week
This week, the PTA is leading our participation in Red Ribbon Week. This is a week-long emphasis of fun activities reminds kids that having fun does not have to include dangerous or unhealthy activities. Please send canned food items to school with your child for our canned food drive this week. Also, on Friday we will hold our traditional costume parade that starts at 2 p.m.

Theme 2 Is About To Begin

The following post was written by Renee Hill and was posted on the RUSD Elementary Education Blog.

Our reading series is organized into sections called Themes. This week and next, grades 2 through 6 will begin the second of sixth themes for the year. Listed below are the stories in each theme. Click the links for suggested books that go along with the themes:
Grade 2: Nature Walk
1) Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night, 2) Exploring Parks with Ranger Dockett, and 3) Around the Pond - Who's Been There?
Grade 3: Celebrating Traditions
1) The Keeping Quilt, 2) Anthony Reynoso - Born To Rope, 3) The Talking Cloth, and 4) Dancing Rainbows
Grade 4: American Stories
1) Tomas and the Library Lady, 2) Tanya's Reunion, 3) Boss of the Plains, and 4) A Very Important Day
Grade 5: Give It All You've Got
1) Michelle Kwan - Heart of a Champion, 2) La Bamba, 3) The Fear Place, and 4) Mae Jemison - Space Scientist
Grade 6: What Really Happened?
1) Amelia Earhart - First Lady of Flight, 2) The Girl Who Married the Moon, and 3) Dinosaur Ghosts

McCombs' Top 10 List for Flu Season

Last year during the first week of October, Emerson recorded 81 absences. Last week, we recorded 236 absences.

While I'm no Johnny Carson, here are my top 10 recommendations:

10. Make up an absence (or 3!) in Saturday School: October 24, 31, or November 7.
9. Email or call (memorize their extension!) your child's teacher to get make up work.
8. Instead of watching TV while recuperating, have your child read or watch the math videos (See the link on the right).
7. Consider getting a flu shot...we will be offering them to families later in the month.
6. Dress your child in layers for cold mornings and warm afternoons.
5. Teach your child to cough (or sneeze) into their arm. Hands can pass germs.
4. Discuss with them how touching their noses, eyes and mouths can get them sick.
3. Keep your children hydrated and ensure healthy meals (I recommend hot soup).
2. Stress the importance of frequent hand-washing (soap and warm water) with your child.
1. Keep children home (for at least 24 hours)when they have had a fever or have been vomiting.

Let's work together to prevent student illnesses!

Why Recommend a Computer?

First of all, we won't make a dime off of it.

"So, why is the Principal recommending that we buy a computer?" Well the answer is really nothing new:

• It is a great learning tool
• Kids will spend more time learning
• Instruction can be focused better for kids' needs

Here is the new part: the price is so cheap and what it can do is amazing! With the cost of home computing and an internet connection so low, shouldn't every student have one?

So far this year we have had 323 Emerson students (out of 505 students in 2nd -6th grade) pass an AR test. Many of these have been taken at home. Most classes are using and accessing the math website for both classroom instruction and homework.

For years, I've heard kids return back from Winter Recess talking about the gaming systems they received. Most of those systems are built for one thing- gaming. A computer can play games too, but when it is time to learn, homework is at their fingertips.

These little HP 1101 Mini-Notebooks are small, but they can make a huge difference in how enthusiastically your child approaches homework. Here is the link: http://campushp.com/store/index.asp or call 1-800-638-0286 ext. 689. We will have one on the counter at Emerson for you to try out in a few days. Emerson is also purchasing 20 computers for check out from the libray to qualifying families.

Emerson is preparing to announce a series of technology workshops for parents. Watch for more details!

Supporting Learning Is Parent Involvement

“Parent involvement” means different things to parents in different circumstances. Schools tend to think that if a parent is “involved” that they show up for every function, they support every fundraiser, they serve on the PTA, and they help make copies for their teacher every week. This definition is too narrow.

The 23rd District PTA recently quoted Ken Young, the Riverside County Superintendent, as saying that an even deeper problem than the economy is the “growing lack of parental involvement in and support of the education of their children. That is our real number one problem.”

I'm not sure that I agree with this (even though he signs my paycheck), but at the same time I know that increasing involvement is a big part of the answer. How can a parent in each of these situations be actively involved at Emerson?
A single parent who works two jobs
Grandparents who thought they were finished raising kids
Spanish (or other language)-speaking parents who may not fully understand our school system
Divorced parents who are struggling with custody issues
Two-parent household, who commute and arrive home late every night

After talking with Sandy Ramirez, Emerson’s PTA President, I began to think about how even small, daily and seemingly insignificant actions can add up. She stated, “It is easy to be involved. It does not have to be over-taxing. It can be fun, easy and rewarding.” Take small steps every day to support learning.

If all a parent can do is to make sure that their child has eaten breakfast and arrives to school on time, then that may really be all that the parent can do that day. Emerson accepts and appreciates all levels of involvement. But oftentimes more can be added. Scheduling a routine time and place to review homework with your child is a rewarding way to connect with both your child and with the school. If your child knows how important school is to you it is much more important than how many school activities you attend.

What can be done to support (and increase) parent involvement? Please share your ideas by clicking on the word "comment" below.

Parents Multiply Effort!

"How can I help my child with math homework?" This is a common question, even from parents who have a math background.

Today at Emerson, over 140 parents from several schools attended a specialized training designed to help them understand elementary school mathematics, how we teach it, how students learn it and how parents can best assist their children. Fourteen sessions were held in Spanish and fourteen sessions held in English; one for every grade level from kindergarten through sixth grade.

As I walked through the rooms I heard several facts about EnVision math:

• Every 5-7 days there is a new Topic.
  
• Each grade level has four Benchmark tests every year.


• The daily Visual Learning Bridge video can be viewed at home.


• If a child forgets their homework, a parent can access it and print it out at home.


• Teachers can assign homework (games, practice or review) on the pearsonsuccessnet.com website. When students log in at home they can see their assignments.


• The Home-School Connection page for every Topic (5-7 days) helps parents support classroom instruction at home.


• The entire program is available on-line in a variety of languages including Spanish.


• After a Topic Assessment, the teachers carefully analyze data about student performance that they use to adjust their instruction.


• Children are assigned homework that is leveled to their needs (Reteaching, Practice, or Enrichment) by teachers who use "quick checks" to decide which students need which homework.

Many thanks to the all of the RUSD staff (especially Jodi, Louie and Dawn) who made this event a success! For additional information visit the RUSD Math Website.

"Good!" Isn't Good Enough!

"How are you today?" This simple question is a common way to greet someone, even if you really don't have time to listen to their response.

At Emerson, this question is more than just a greeting. "How," you may ask, "is such a simple question, such a big deal?" Why should we elevate the most simple question in human interaction to be a school-wide focus?

In an academic setting (even in an elementary school) we should expect students to be able to respond to questions using more sophisticated, precise and descriptive language. If we only expect complete and correct responses to questions in the classroom, we deprive students of the opportunity to develop their verbal communication skills.

At Emerson, we don't want our children to respond using single-word (or inaccurate) responses. We want to start over, from the beginning, teaching students that replying "Good!" is not acceptable for a student. Aside from being an inaccurate response to the question ("good" would answer more about your actions than your temporary condition), "Good!" just isn't good enough.

When I greet students, parents and staff in the halls, I will be asking "How are you today?" I hope to hear responses in complete sentences. An example would be, "I'm fine!" An even better response would be "I'm well today, Mr. McCombs. How are you?" This level of response includes a name, a reply that actually answers the question about your well-being, as well as a polite inquiry about my well-being.

Greeting each other used to be easy. "Good!" was good enough. But if we fail to use sophisticated and accurate language in the most common greetings with our students, we will deprive them of the opportunity to becoming more advanced in their communication skills.

So, here's my next question, "How's it going?"

How I Got a Mohawk

Once I kissed a pig, but it went downhill from there. Last year during an assembly I told the Emerson students, "If seventy five percent of you can meet your learning goals, I will do practically anything!" I soon regretted those words. After taking suggestions, the cafeteria was soon reverberating with the chant "Mohawk, Mohawk, Mohawk!!!"

The Emerson teachers and students had been working on goal-setting last year. We believed that if students set goals and work hard to meet them, that we could really empower them to make growth academically. Our school desperately wants more students to become Proficient or Advanced every year, and we work towards this by offering special interventions, staff trainings and more. Last year we made some of our greatest academic gains, however I lost more hair than ever!!!

For about ten weeks every teacher worked with each student to set individualized goals to make growth on a quiz. The first week only about fifty five percent of the kids met their goals. Every week there was some growth but never reaching the level of seventy five percent. But on the last week the students made outstanding growth and I proudly announced that seventy four percent of them had met their goals. I called a school-wide assembly to break the news to them that they had made excellent progress, but that I would not have to endure the embarrassment of getting a crazy haircut. Just after the announcement, a couple of teachers indicated that they had some students who had been absent, but upon return to school had met their goals. In front of the entire student body I had to face the terrible reality that I I would actually have to get a Mohawk, right there on the spot!

Unfortunately for me, Mrs. Jade just happened to have some clippers and gel at the ready. If this sounds like a set up to you, you are not alone! I'm trying to block out of my mind that I had to wear a pink dress as well. My hair is still growing out from that event, but for some reason, I have more grey hair now. The good news from all of this is that Emerson students made some excellent academic gains last year. And in reality this has more to do with outstanding classroom instruction than my Mohawk. As a school, we still have a long way to go, because we have a lot of students who are not Proficient in Math or Language Arts.
Without having to "top" last year's Mohawk, what would motivate Emerson students this year? Please share your ideas by clicking on the comment tab below.

"Daddy, Can I Watch TV?"

"Daddy, can I watch TV?" Rarely does a day go by when I don't hear this question a dozen times. Despite established routines, almost every evening, a war is waged for the mind of my eight year old son.

“I’m done playing outside.” He tells me. “Oh, really, your scooter is still out,” I boldly assert even though I have not checked. He swivels around quickly and plays for another 15 minutes outside. The early dusk of fall arrives and he comes back inside. “Wash your hands!” I call out just as the door closes.

The sound of the bathroom fan turning off signals my next strategic move. I ask, "Have you finished putting away your Legos in your room?" "It wasn't me who took them out!" he replies. I remind him, "They are your Legos and they are in the middle of the floor." And then after a few minutes, "Daddy, I picked them up, can we watch TV now?”

I ask, "How long have you read today?" After a squirm and a twist, he replies that he doesn’t know. “Go get your book and bring it here,” I tell him. “Which book?” he asks. “If you don’t know which book you are reading, then that’s a problem!” He returns with a Rescue Heroes hard board book that was his favorite a few years ago. “Is this really what you are reading now?” I question. “No, but I want to read it!” he giggles. He reads it to me, and we both laugh at the plastic mechanical arm scooper that saves the life of a buried bear. He cuddles up with me on the couch and he reads to me a book that I used to read to him. We move on to a book that is in his reading range. After a while, he asks “Daddy, can we watch Renovation Nation now?”

My reply, as you can imagine, is a continuation of the stall tactic. “Have you brushed your teeth?” He groans and knows that I will smell his breath if he says “Yes.” After brushing, he asks again. I reply, “Benjamin, we haven’t practiced your math facts today.” “Okay, ask me anything!” he says confidently, hoping that I’ll start with the facts that I know he has memorized. “Six times eleven?” “HA! That’s so easy! 66!” he responds enthusiastically. “This one is really tough, are you ready? (and of course, I still want to build some success, so I’m not giving him the ones I know that he doesn’t know) “Five times seven.” He starts to use his fingers….and half-guesses “Thirty five?” He tentatively answers.

Here are a few more activities that my wife and I may include in an evening:
On a grocery run, we compare the weight/cost value of two items.
Harvest a few peppers or tomatoes from our little garden.
They each read a daily “devotion” from a children’s book.
Discuss measurements and nutrition while preparing dinner with the kids.
We are restoring an old lawn tractor, discussing facts like rust, combustion and the next wrench size needed.
They each practice the piano every night.

In our house this is how the classic struggle of good verses evil is played out. If we let our kids just sit and watch TV or play games on the computer, the evening is wasted. There is no more positive interaction. Toys are left in a mess, time vanishes, their minds are wasted, and for me an opportunity would have been missed to be a daddy. The teenage years are just around the corner- I’m already tired- but I must battle on!

School's Summer Harvest Benefits Seniors

The following article was published on the RUSD website this summer. Here it is, just in case you missed it.

Riverside senior citizens are benefiting from the hard work of Emerson Elementary School's young "farmers" this summer as they enjoy a harvest of fresh tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and more...all free of charge. School children planted the produce in the spring in the large Eastside Community Garden, located on the Emerson campus. During the school year, teachers incorporate the garden into standards-based instruction. Fruits and vegetables from the garden are included in school lunches.
This summer, volunteers working with the Riverside Parks and Recreation Department have been harvesting produce that might otherwise have been wasted to share with the nearby Stratton Senior Center.Seniors are welcome to take their pick from the bounty. Some days, volunteers have delivered as much as 35 pounds of vegetables to the senior center. The donations have become so popular that seniors have been asking for more. "They love getting the vegetables," noted Harold Ross, Recreation Services Coordinator for the Stratton Center. Occasionally, there's even a bouquet of fresh roses or gladiolas grown in the garden for ladies who spend time at the Senior Center.
Principal John McCombs said the summer harvest is a great way to share the garden with the community."When we first started the Community Garden seven years ago, that was an important part of the vision...to help those in need."The partnership with the city is beneficial to the school as well, McCombs noted. The volunteers -- assigned to the garden as part of a senior work training program -- weed and water plants, helping the garden to thrive in summer months when most staff and students are away from campus on vacation.
Eleven-year-old James Jimenez is attending summer school at Emerson and during the year is active with the Emerson "Green Team." He said he enjoys working in the Emerson garden. He spent a recent July morning filling his arms with fresh vegetables."It gets you out of the classroom; gets you some fresh air," James said. It's even better to get to share the harvest, he said."We like the seniors a lot," James said. "We are friends with them and we like to be generous."

My Fatherhood and Principalship Symbiosis

I really enjoy being both a dad and a Principal. I often learn things (mostly from my incredible wife) by experience at home as a dad that I can apply at school and the reverse is true as well. My wife and I have four children, three of them in elementary school. Children at Emerson, as well as my own kids, have their own agendas about how they want to fill their time, with whom they want to associate and with what type of attitude they want to approach the world on any given day.
As a parent and an educator I must be relentless about shaping children's interest in learning and developing their character. They need constant reinforcement about how they respond to their teacher (or to their mom), how they spend their time (when a child takes 30 minutes to get started on a 2 minute task!), how they respond to others (As a dad, I don't know what I would do without the Super 8 rules!!!), how and when to take responsibility for daily routines (my 4 kids love to point at each other when it is time to clean up toys), and about the importance of their classwork.

As a dad, I feel the daily effect that children can't just be told to clean their room. They need a parent to sit with them and learn to clean together. I call this "hand-over-hand" assistance because of something that I have learned at Emerson in the severely handicapped class. The teachers in this class often hold and move the kids' hands to show them how to do something. While parents don't want to have to use this method for room cleaning, independent reading, and sorting dirty clothes for very long, we as parents may need to employ a strategy of heavy support when children are not successful completing the task independently. When I want to make sure my 3 year old has really clean hands, we wash our hands together. When I want to make sure that my 8 year old son is reading, we sit together so he can read out loud to me.

Engagement strategies also rise to the top on my home/school symbiosis list. Engagement strategies at home often sound like this: "Please put your socks in the laundry. Where are you going to put them?" In the classroom, a typical engagement strategy occurs after a teacher asks a question. For example, "What do you predict will happen....?" and then the teacher asks the students to do a Think, Pair, Share activity in which they think about their prediction, they pair up with another child and then a few students are called to share out their responses. These strategies are not optional, they are required if we want to make sure students understand what we want them to do. For my younger kids, I like to have them repeat after me when I give them multi-step directions. "I want you to do three things, repeat after me: 1)wash my hands..."

Enforcing rules at school has helped me to be a better dad at home. It takes constant reminders to keep kids from running in the hallways at school. Even better than a reminder is when we send the child back, and make them return back walking. At home, constant reminders seem necessary for picking up toys, so we'll often use the same strategy- put the toys in a "time-out" if they have been left out.

Sometimes when a child is in trouble, he/she needs a "lifeline." I see this in class when teachers move their students up on the behavior chart. They notice that the child is working hard to get out of trouble, and they reward their efforts by moving their clip back up. My own kids have been known to get all of their privileges taken away (their favorite toy, video game, or television for example) and then they feel like their world is crumbling down. We will sometimes offer to return a privilege early if they make efforts to change their behavior.

I've learned some of my best parenting strategies from watching teachers (including my wife), and I've learned some of my best Principal strategies from being a dad. I hope that you'll share some of your parenting strategies by clicking on the Comment tab below.

Patriot Day Assembly to Feature President Obama's Address to Children

President Obama is scheduled to address the children of the Nation on Tuesday, September 8. Emerson will hold a school-wide assembly to listen to the President's speech on Patriot Day, September 11, 2009, at the following times:
9:15 – 3rd and 4th grade
10:40 – a.m. Kindergarten and 2nd grade
1:05 – 5th and -6th grade and p.m. Kindergarten
For more information, call the school at 788-7462. If you would like for your child to not attend the assembly just let us know either by email (see the link on this page) or by the form that we are sending home on Tuesday.

The following is part of a White House press release:
President Barack Obama to Make Historic Speech to America’s Students

The U.S. Department of Education encourages students of all ages, teachers, and administrators to participate in this historic moment by watching the president deliver the address, which will be broadcast live on the White House Web site (http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/) and on C-SPAN at 12:00 p.m., ET. We also encourage educators to use this moment to help students get focused and inspired to begin the new academic year. The Department of Education offers educators a menu of classroom activities to help engage students in the address and stimulate classroom discussions about the importance of education.
To learn more, please see the following:
Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html#faqs)
Classroom Activities (Pre-K – 6) (http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf)

We Embrace Diversity!

What a great country we live in to have the freedom to make political, religious or other personal choices! If you watched the evening news, you may have heard that President Obama is scheduled to address the children of the nation. The news reported that there are people who oppose the policies of the current President and therfore do not want their children to hear the presidential address. What appeared to us as a reasonable request from the President, has turned into a political hot potato.
As a school we are enthusiastic to broadcast the President's message, however we would be irresponsible to not realize that some families may have political or religious diffences with the presdent's politics.
In my years at Emerson, we have made accomodations for special dietary needs of Muslim students. We have adjusted the dates of Back to School nights to make sure that they did not interfere with Roshhashana. We fly the flags of the many nations in our hallway representing the countries of origin of many of our families. We will,of course, allow families to opt out of what may be considered to be a political speech. We embrace the diversity of opinions, cultures, and religions that make our country and our school great places.

Garden to Salad Bar

I was proud to see Rodney Taylor, RUSD's Nutrition Services Director, on the front cover of California Country magazine. He has been such a relentless advocate to provide healthy meals to our students. Rodney has also been a great supporter of our garden project at Emerson.

Some of the most meaningful moments occur in our garden to cafeteria project when students make the connection between science, a little hard work, and the sweet taste of a strawberry, still warm from the sun. In the photo, our cafeteria manager is writing an invoice for the strawberries she is receiving from the students. The money that we earn by selling fruits and vegetables pays for much of the garden's cost.

The students' teacher, Mrs. Folger, guided the students in a wonderful math lesson, adding up the value of their harvest. Rodney then presented the kids with a "huge check" for their contribution of fresh strawberries (and some vegetables as well) to our salad bar.

Sheila Close, Emerson's Volunteer of the Year, who is pictured on the left, has poured hundreds of hours into the garden during the past 6 years.

Emerson is Growing!

Emerson has been growing significantly during the past few years. There have been 3 boundary changes that have increased our population from about 600 to 775.
We are not only growing in the number of students, but the school facility is expanding too. As you may know, we are in the beginning stages of construction on a series of 3 buildings that include classrooms and a new library. I have the plans in my office, if you would like to look at them, please stop in.
Emerson not only is getting larger, we are getting better. We have made significant academic gains over the past few years. By concentrating on good first instruction, academic coaching, training for teachers as well as a concerted effort to target our interventions, we have helped more students reach the State Standards. I'll share more information about our CST Results in a few weeks when they become official.

Great Start!

Emerson is off to a great start this year. Our classes are full, but that just means more friends for all of the kids! :)

Today we held our discipline assemblies and talked with all of the students about the school rules including everything from walking in the hallways, the dress code and bullying.

Tonight was Back to School Night and we had a great turnout. There are many new faces at Emerson; both students and staff as well.

Tonight we announced our plan to "Go Digital" and virtually eliminate paper-based homework. If you are reading this, you may be find this to be a great idea. My own children love to "play" on the computer and even many academic websites are quite entertaining to them. During this year, the Emerson staff is going to start introducing web-based homework and then in January we will expect that most families can access a computer.

The smartriverside program is working hard to help make sure that every family who needs a computer can get one. The ATT metrowifi provides internet access free of charge throughout the city. There are also 4 different free computer labs in the Emerson neighborhood.

Thanks for checking out my blog, stop back in soon!