PTA President - Newport Mesa Unified School District

Volume 7, Issue 1
Harbor Council PTA
October 2006
4th District PTA
CCPTS, Inc.
National PTA
NEWPORT COAST
ELEMENTARY
From Mr. Rodriguez
Dear Newport Coast Families,
Welcome Back! It is wonderful to begin
another exciting year at NCE. Our staff is ready
and full of energy. The month of September will
begin our focus on Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of
Success. The premise of the pyramid is to use
character building blocks to teach children that
success is achieved by doing your personal best.
This month we are focusing on hard work and
Continued on page 3
PTA President
Dear Parents,
We have a super group of parents on our
PTA Executive Board this year. PTA has some
fabulous activities in store for you and your
student this year and we hope that you will join
all of the wonderful PTA Directors and
Volunteers to be a part of it!
Prior to the beginning of school, the wellattended uniform sale was held and we set up
Meet and Greet to welcome everyone to NCE.
We were thrilled with the turn out at Meet and
Greet and that so many students had a chance to
Continued on page 3
INSIDE TH IS ISSUE
2
3
4
5-6
7
8
Thank You
Principal’s Letter, PTA President’s Letter
New Teacher Bios
Grade Level Reports, Reflections Program
NCE School Foundation, Traffic
Calendar
Meet and Greet 2006!
1
Thank You!
BIG THANKS GO OUT TO:
Mary Lund for working so hard with Dennis Uniforms getting everything set for the 2006-2007
school year.
Cindy Jackson & Panera Bread for donating the delicious cookies for Meet & Greet!
Dominique Jacobson for assuming morning Crossing Guard duties at our school’s main entrance.
Wave hello to her in the mornings!
Last year's 6th grade class for their donation for the Blinds in the MPR ! Thank you!
Everyone who brought in the items to be recycled at the end of last year. We earned $271.00
and donated this money to the Red Cross. Way to go Newport Coast!
Cezie Jolas and Pam Fortmuller for organizing the Flag Deck prizes.
Audrey Ivey and Debbie Johnston for kicking off our Room Parent Committees.
Marjan Rohani and Cindy Freyman for overseeing our new salad/fruit bar cart. Yum!
Leora Fogel and Marjan Rohani for heading up our new Reflections Program - see page 6 for
more details about how your child can enter!
Heather Kline for preparing all of our Art Master program materials. Many thanks!

The Ways and Means Committee would like to thank the following Fundraising Volunteers for
their hard work during the start of the new school year:
Stacy Mamatas and Wendy Lang for the Gift Wrap – Kids are First Program, a fun and
exciting fundraiser for the kids. You are STARS!
Rani Gokhale and Nicki Davis for continuing Escrip sign ups and renewals; we hope to have our
best year ever.
Teresa Hartsell for the Tile Painting Sales – Great Job!
2
Continued from page 1
enthusiasm. Just in our first two weeks back to
school, our staff has passed out over 700 Catch a
Coyote Awards. They are earned by our students
for positive behavior.
Thank you for all your help regarding a
successful beginning of the year. We look forward
to a productive and memorable 2006-2007 school
year.
Sincerely,
SAVE THE DATE!
The 5TH Annual
LITERACY LUNCHEON
Thursday, October 26TH
Rich Rodriguez, Principal
Continued from page 1
meet their new teachers. Parents could also sign
up for E-scrip, tile painting, volunteer, or write the
Foundation a check.
As the first weeks of school fell upon us, the
PTA Executive Board was front-and-center
coordinating traffic control and helping the office
send home emergency card packets. We began the
"Kids are First" fundraiser, held the K-6th grade
Literacy Luncheon Art Contest, worked in the
library, prepared PTA packets to go home, and set
up a display in the office that will include every
child and every grade level before the end of the
year. Behind the scenes, we have been working on
the Haute Holiday Boutique, Literacy Luncheon,
and the Reflections program. Our treasurer,
Barbara Fitch, has been feverishly writing checks
to support classrooms and pay for the curricular
supplies that PTA funds. All classrooms should be
well stocked!
This fall we are looking forward to a
salad/fruit bar one day a week for the entire year,
the school-wide directory, and Red Ribbon Week.
Our two marquee events, Literacy Luncheon and
the Haute Holiday Boutique are currently in the
planning stages. Also in the fall, we will be
working on a school wide video, highlighting all
students and the wonderful educational programs
that they participate in at NCE!
After the holidays, get ready for: the Spirit
Run, Authors Festival, Read Across America, and
the Spring Benefit. A note of clarification: the
Spring Benefit is run by PTA. However, the funds
generated from the event are written to the NCE
Foundation in order to properly manage an evening
that includes adult beverages. It is the practice that
our science, technology and reading teacher's
salaries are paid through the Foundation. The
Spring Benefit is a huge undertaking. Outlining all
that it entails would take up this entire newsletter!
PTA funds also support: DARE, NCE
academic competitions, and parent education
speakers that will be scheduled throughout the
year, as well as the 6th grade play and 6th grade
graduation. As part of our Community Out Reach
at NCE, students at Whittier Elementary will be
treated to a school wide play presentation. PTA
will continue to support AR Math and Reading, the
curriculum lab, and my personal favorite, our new
"Developmental Assets"- Character Education
program. We are currently purchasing incentives
for this program to be distributed at Flag Decks
throughout the year.
So that’s a brief overview of what PTA has
in store for our kids and families! For more
information, please check out our new NCE PTA
web site: www.NCECoyotes.com.. If you have
any questions, please feel free to e-mail me:
[email protected] Please also attend our PTA
meetings! We really welcome your input.
Lastly, an enormous thank you to everyone
who volunteers at NCE. The opportunities to be
involved in your child's education are abundant
and the tasks and time commitments are varied. I
truly hope you'll join us!
Sincerely,
LT (Lisa Thompson)
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PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW TEACHERS
New to First Grade: Bonnie Bachelor and Jennifer Bisbocci
I graduated and recieved my Bachelor of Arts from Point Loma University in San Diego. I received my Teaching
Credential from the University of California, Irvine. For the past two years I have taught the University Writing Project at
U.C.I and I also have experience teaching grades 1-3. I am delighted to be teaching a First Grade Class at Newport
Coast Elementary School. I love the students and the fantastic parent support. Our administation has done a wonderful
job getting our school year off to a very successful beginning. – Bonnie Bachelor
I am very happy to be a new teacher to Newport Coast this year! I graduated from Fresno State with a BS in
Business Administration, and completed the teacher credential program from National University in 1997. I have taught
fourth grade in Kingsburg Elementary Charter District and Palos Verdes Unified. I have spent the last five years
teaching first grade in Redondo Beach Unified. I am very excited to be able to continue teaching first grade here at
Newport Coast. – Jennifer Bisbocci
New to Second Grade: Julie Cunningham, & Shelly Tetreault
This will be my fourteenth year as an educator. I am coming back from a two-year leave of absence. I stayed at
home with my two boys, Colin and William. Prior to my leave I was at Adams school in Mesa Verde. I graduated from
CSULB with my teaching credential. My interest in administration led me to Pepperdine University, where I earned my
Masters. I really love being in the classroom and at such a wonderful school. I appreciate all the support from PTA and
the NCESF for making a direct impact on the teachers and students with all their financial support. – Julie Cunningham
I grew up in Huntington Beach, and now live in Costa Mesa with my husband and our two children, Natalie (age
9) and Brian (age 7). I earned my B.A. and teaching credential in 1995 from CSULB, and then taught third grade in the
Anaheim City School District for four years. I have also been working toward a Masters in Reading from CSUF, which I
will complete this spring! I will also earn a Reading Specialist Credential in the fall of ’07. I’m looking forward to a
fabulous year! – Shelly Tetreault
New to Fifth Grade: Kelli Davison & Lisa Scott
I grew up here, attended Eastbluff, Lincoln and CdM, then went on to USC. I have also lived in Spain. I have a
daughter that is a freshman at CdM. We love to travel and to go to the beach. I have been teaching for 19 years in
Anaheim, Danville, CA, and Capistrano, at every grade level, but 6th. I love teaching! I love to see when kids "get it", and
to hear their thoughts. I am so excited to be at NCE!! – Kelli Davison
My name is Lisa Scott and I was raised in Cape Cod, MA. After graduating from St. Bonaventure University with
a B.S. in Elementary Education, I moved to Annapolis, Maryland. There I taught for 11 years in grades 3 and 5. I
received my Masters from McDaniel College and was also the 2005-2006 Teacher of the year for Queen Anne’s County.
Due to my husband’s job, we have relocated to Orange County and absolutely love it here. I have been amazed at the
generosity and dedication of the NCE community and am proud and honored to now be a part of it.
Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA): Allison Fletcher, Liz Sawyer & Jane Slaughter
Miss Fletcher will be focusing on technology this year, working with each class to integrate computer
applications across the curriculum. Ms. Sawyer is the new science teacher. She is working with each grade level to
plan hands-on experiments to enrich the learning going on in the classroom. All Newport Coast students, K-6th, will be
working with Miss Fletcher or Ms. Sawyer every week.
Hello! My name is Jane Slaughter and I am the new Reading Specialist at N.C.E. I live in Irvine and have two
grown daughters, Megan and Laura, and a beagle named Rosie. I worked for the Irvine Unified School District for 18
years where I served most of that time as a librarian and then a kindergarten teacher. I enjoy working with children and
teaching reading is something I love to do. I am very excited about being at Newport Coast Elementary and look
forward to sharing my experience in education with everyone here.
Without your generous contributions to the Newport Coast Foundation these enrichment programs would not be
possible. We thank you for your support and look forward to working with your children this year.
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Kindergarten Team: Mrs. Biggs, Ms. Butler, Mrs. Montandon, Mrs.
Partin, & Ms. Whitehill.
Continued from page 1
We had a wonderful first month of school. All of our new Kindergarteners have been working
on all of the various routines. They have been very successful. We had a great educational trip to the
Newport Coast Fire Station at the end of the month. The kids got to climb through the fire truck, visit the
living quarters and left with an "official" fire hat. Our local Fire Station always does a fabulous job with
the kids! We are really proud of how our students are gaining
Independence, and confidence. Keep up the good work!
First Grade Team: Miss Bachelor, Mrs. Bisbocci, Ms. Matson, Mrs.
Prough, & Mrs. Stokes.
Wow, First Graders are working really hard! During September we have been studying
Oceans and learning about sea life. We are beginning our reading groups and have started addition in
math. We are all looking forward to a fantastic year. We also want to welcome our new teachers to NCE
as well as new students.
Second Grade Team: Ms. Cunningham, Mrs. Eadie, Mrs. Mink, Mrs.
Sanders, Mrs. Stearns, & Mrs. Tetreault.
We are looking forward to a great year! Our reading time every morning has become a time
that all students enjoy. We have their previous teachers and you, at home, to thank for
fostering a true love of reading in them. We will also start writing in our Reading Response Journals
soon; it allows the students to respond to the guided reading text and focus on different story elements.
The students are also starting to get the hang of Writer's Workshop, a time when students are able to
publish stories that they have written about in their writing journals. In October, we will wrap up our
chapters on the addition and subtraction facts to 20 and begin the chapter on place value. Thanks to all
our wonderful volunteers!
Third Grade Team: Mrs. Bex, Mrs. Davidson, Ms. Hayner, Miss
Johnson, & Mrs. Montejano.
October is an exciting time for third graders! We will be sending our “Flat Friends”
off on a month-long adventure. We can’t wait to find out about their travels! Students will
become little scientists as they dissect owl pellets to learn more about food chains. We are also
looking forward to our unit on Physical Science and doing some fun, hands-on experiments in
the science lab! We hope third graders will remember the importance of making connections as
they read! Start focusing on goals and doing your personal best to achieve success!
Fourth Grade Team: Mr. Gibbs, Ms. Forrester & Miss Sommer.
Welcome back everyone! 4th grade is off to a running start! The children seem excited and ready
to go. Please help focus on multiplication tables, our GOAL is October 4th right about the time this
newsletter comes out. We will work this year on fostering independence, responsibility, character and
success, and most importantly organization. We have some great things in store. We are excited to see
you at GOAL Setting and look forward to a great year.
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Fifth Grade Team: Ms. Davison, Ms. Scott, & Mr. Urone.
My First Day At School by Jared Eckeweiler
I woke up in a cold sweat. I had a nightmare! Then I remembered my 4th grade year and how
good 5th grade was going to be. My heart felt I was going to get a good teacher, though my stomach was
queasy. I was happy the school year was starting. So, I hopped out of bed and tip-toed downstairs.
Soon I was off to school. I had a great day reuniting with friends and meeting my teacher, Ms.
Davison. My friends and I told people why you should watch pro football. Also, I did writing about the
theme of 5th grade-Change. That first day, I'll remember forever. Wow! I've never thought my first day
would be so incredible. After my nightmare everything went right. Never could I have had such a great
day in any other place!
Sixth Grade Team: Ms. Andrew, Mrs. Ohanian & Mr. Urone
Well, the 6th graders of 2006-2007 are off to a busy start! The 6th grade team is working
hard at instilling those beginning of the year procedures and expectations to ensure that
our students will be prepared for CDM next year. With Outdoor Science School approaching in
mid-November, questions are already flying left and right in the classroom with anticipation. We are also
very excited about our focus on positive behavior and skill building, using John Wooden’s Pyramid of
Success, which we are motivating our students with this year. The 6th Graders will be playing an
important part in this as they will be serving as role models for our younger students. Along with this
skill building, we are also looking forward to DARE this fall and winter, which will help our students
become more aware of the social challenges they will be facing in the coming years, and how to make
smart decisions. So far we are all excited about our students this year, and we are looking forward to a
fun and positive year of learning.
Celebrate
your talents
Does your child express creativity through dance, music, story or poetry?
Do they dream of having their drawings displayed in a special exhibit?
Do they enjoy taking photographs or videotaping their friends?
Then they should
Participate in PTA’s
Reflections Program
Join thousands of other students as they create entries based on the
2006-2007 theme
“My Favorite Place”
Have them think about the theme. Then select a category:
Film/Video Production
Dance Choreography Musical Compositions
Literature Photography Visual Arts
Have them put on their dancing shoes, grab a camera,
or pick up a pen or paintbrush and create.
More info to follow. The deadline for entries is November 3rd.
You can check out what other kids did last year by visiting
The Reflections Program gallery online at www.pta.org/reflections06
Questions, email Leora Fogel at [email protected]
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PTA Welcomes The NCE School Foundation
Dear Parents,
The Foundation Board would like to extend many thanks to all of you who participated in Back to
School Night and provided your contributions. Your contributions, in total, exceed $80,000 so far! This
is a good start, but we are a little behind where we were a year ago. I know many of you are planning to
contribute, so consider this a “gentle” reminder to please make your donations. Although we recommend
$500 per child, a donation of any amount is truly appreciated. We are excited about the prospects of the
best fund raising year we have ever had: $450,000!!!!
Keep in mind that our fundraising efforts are essential to providing the type of educational tools
most of us believe are required to allow our children to receive the best education possible. Programs such
as the following are not “perks”, but part of a required educational experience:
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–
–
–
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Reading Enrichment and Full Time Teacher
Science Instruction, Materials and Full Time Teacher
Information Technology and Equipment (including “Smart Boards”) and Full Time
Teacher
Art Lectures and Materials
Teacher Aides (In addition to Kindergarten; Also Primary and Upper Grade)
Kindergarten Music Teacher
Physical Education Aides
For those of you who have provided your contribution…thank you! For those of you who haven’t yet
contributed, it is NOT too late! Please provide your contribution today. Also, please ask your employer
about donation matching programs. If you have any questions, please contact any Foundation Board
Member. Let’s make 2006 – 2007 a great year for the entire Newport Coast Elementary community!
Jeff Garrell
President, Newport Coast Elementary School Foundation
Traffic Update
LOOP ROAD DRIVING YOU LOOPY?
Take the Bus! Applications Available:
1. In the NCE Office
2. Online: http://nmusd.us
3. District Office: 714-424-5080
TRAFFIC REMINDERS:
✔ Loading and Unloading Zone is from the MPR to the Kinder Gate. PLEASE PULL
ALL THE WAY FORWARD before dropping off or picking up your child!
✔ Loop Road is SINGLE STACK - RIGHT LANE ONLY. The Left Lane is only for
emergency vehicles, staff, and early sign outs!
Thank you!
Shannon Strohson, Traffic & Safety
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Phone Numbers/Websites
Haute Holiday Boutique
Newport Coast Elementary (949)515-6975
Office Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:00PM
Attendance
(949)515-6882
Dennis Uniforms
(800)473-8130
dennisuniform.com
Saturday, November 11, 2006
School Code: AN00GL (2 zero's)
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Newsletter Inquiries
Julie Williford
[email protected]
TWO CROSSING GUARDS NEEDED
Meet the NCESF Board
Jeff Garrell, President/Chairman
Chuck Cargile, Treasurer/CFO
Christy Godber, Secretary
Chris Luebke
Dan Mickelsen
Rich Thies
Carla Hummell
Mark Hartsell
Julie Vassalli, PTA Liaison
 At the corner of Ridge Park & Newport Coast
 At NCE entrance on Ridge Park (PM only)
Contact:
Don Peterson, All City Management Service
800-540-9290
Cell: 949-290-4910
OCTOBER 2006
Sunday
1
Monday
2
Tuesday
3
Wednesday
4
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
5
6
7
14
Early Out
8
15
9
10
11
12
13
Goal Setting
Early Out
Goal Setting
Early Out
Goal Setting
NO SCHOOL
Goal Setting
Early Out
Goal Setting
Early Out
16
17
18
19
20
21
26
27
28
Early Out
22
23
24
25
Early Out
29
Daylight
Savings
Ends
8
30
31
Halloween
Boo Blast Parade
1
NO SCHOOL
Literacy
Luncheon
Early Out
& Free
Dress