Parent Resources: April 27, 2023

Congratulations to New Lexington School teacher Jaime Reyes on being named our 2023 Teacher of the Year!

Mr. Reyes, like many members of our EMCSD staff, is a former student of our district. He attended both Shirpser and Gidley when he was a student. Mr. Reyes started his career at EMCSD as an after-school leader at Columbia and eventually became a teacher here in the district. "We are so proud of all the amazing work Jaime has done for New Lexington, especially this year. He has been instrumental in bringing together New Lexington’s small but mighty school community, working closely with his colleagues, students, and families to give New Lexington the shine they deserve!" said Mr. Steve Sallenbach, Deputy Superintendent of Personnel and Administrative Services, who oversees EMCSD's Teacher of the Year program.

New Lexington School surprised Mr. Reyes in the cafeteria today with his students and family. He is our 2nd official Teacher of the Year (TOY). We began participating in the TOY program last year. Please join us in congratulating Mr. Jaime Reyes as our 2023 Teacher of the Year!

Cortada joins a growing list of EMCSD schools that have earned Lighthouse Status for their Leader In Me program! Students, staff, and families have worked tirelessly over the last couple of years to reach their Lighthouse goal. All of their hard work has paid off and Cortada will hold Lighthouse Status for the next two years!

What are Lighthouse and the Leader in Me program?

The program is an evidence-based, comprehensive improvement model that was developed in partnership with educators to empower students with leadership and life skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. Schools participating in the program dedicate themselves to living out the 7 Habits of Happy Kids that are used to help students address challenges they may face during their formative years. These habits are: (1) Be Proactive, (2) Begin With the End in Mind, (3) Put First Things First; (4) Think Win-Win, (5) Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, (6) Synergize, and (7) Sharpen the Saw.

Congratulations to the entire Cortada community on this outstanding achievement!

Do you have an incoming TK or Kinder student who will be starting school next Fall? Then be sure to register for our TK & Kinder Readiness Academy so they're ready to start 2023-2024 school year.

What is TK & Kinder Readiness Academy?

It is a self-paced online platform that teaches students:

• Alphabet knowledge
• Nursery Rhymes & early reading skills
• Print concepts
• Numbers & mathematics
• Science concepts
• Creativity
• Cognitive development
• Social & Emotional Wellbeing

The Academy takes place during the summer. All participating EMCSD students will be loaned an iPad & receive a school uniform!

Student must be enrolled in EMCSD as a TK or Kindergarten student for the 2023-2024 school year. To enroll in school, visit www.emcsd.org/enrollment23-24/

To register for the academy, click button below. For questions or assistance, please call (626) 453-3700 ext. 3651

We will be hosting a Virtual Parent Informational Meeting on Monday, May 8 at 9am and 5pm (Virtual Link: bit.ly/EMCSD-Readiness)

Guess who just received their 2nd straight Best Communities for Music Award? WE DID 🙌

We want to thank the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) for this honor. Major congratulations to all of our students and staff that have elevated our music program to national recognition levels 🎉

On Wednesday, EMCSD Choir students from all 14 schools held a Choir Festival for their families. The event featured performances from elementary students from all schools, along with separate performances from EMCSD Middle Schools.

You can view more photos from our Choir Festival here.

El Monte City School District requests your feedback and direction on the update on our District's Wellness Policy. The District's Wellness Policy helps create a healthy school environment by providing guidelines on:

• Health Services & Health Education
• Nutrition Education & Physical Activity
• Food & Beverages Available on Campus
• Classroom Parties, Fundraisers, and Student Incentives

When you think of "Wellness", what else comes to mind? We would love to hear your thoughts and priorities! Please complete this quick survey by Monday May 8:

Complete our brief survey and help shape our vision and goals for your students!

We request your feedback and direction on the development of the third year of our three-year Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The LCAP is a plan that describes EMCSD’s overall vision for students, annual goals, and investment actions we will take to achieve our vision and goals. Click here to view a short presentation on the LCAP.

Your feedback is critical in the development of our 2023-2024 LCAP. Please complete this brief survey by May 12, 2023 to help us continue to best serve our students. The survey should take about 10-15 minutes to complete, and your responses are confidential. Thank you in advance for your feedback and direction!

The city of El Monte is hosting family fun nights at the El Monte Aquatic Center. Dates are below.

Join the city for fun activities that include: games, recreational swimming, and crafts. Event is open to the public from 6pm - 9pm on:

• Friday, April 28, 2023
• Friday, June 30, 2023
• Friday, August 18, 2023