Winter 2015

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The Lincoln Log A Lincoln Elementary School Newsletter

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Winter 2015

6th Grade Walk through The Ancient World

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Lincoln

Kids

at play at play

Winter 2015

Dear Lincoln Families,

As we begin the New Year, I want to let you know how much I appreciate your support. Lincoln’s mission is to inspire students to envision and achieve their futures. We couldn’t do this without you - our supportive, involved community. Our accomplishments together have been tremendous. Lincoln has so much to be proud of!

Lincoln Elementary is committed to the Arts. Lincoln is one of a few select demonstration sites for integrating the arts into core subject areas to enhance learning and nurture creativity. In fact, Lincoln was one of only 30 schools in the state of California to receive the Exemplary Arts Award in 2014. Lincoln believes in the importance of social-emotional development for all children. Alongside our academic curriculum, we prepare our students for a lifetime of social responsibility. Our social curriculum emphasizes important life skills and principles where students learn how to resolve conflicts, share and negotiate. Students are learning pro-social skills related to John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. Lincoln has established strong partnerships with the University of California, Irvine and other universities in the area. Because of these relationships, many Lincoln classrooms host student teachers for most of the academic year, adding more opportunities for team teaching and small group instruction.

Lincoln’s school programs have been recognized by the state as a California Distinguished School and a nationally acclaimed Blue Ribbon School. Our test scores rank in the top three percent of the nation with a statewide rank of 10 (10 being the highest), and our students continue to show solid growth each year on multiple assessments.

Lincoln has a diverse, welcoming student population. We have students from different backgrounds and cultures, and our students learn how to appreciate diversity. We are indeed blessed with amazing children!

Lincoln is home to a highly talented team of teachers, masterful at adapting lessons to meet all students’ needs. We pride ourselves in providing small, flexible grouping so that we can make sure all students are learning skills based on their needs.

Lincoln has involved, committed parents and neighbors, who invest their time, talent, and resources to enhance our students’ learning experiences. An average of 45 parents per day volunteer their time, giving a total of 14,000 hours last year. The PTA raises funds to support our art and technology teachers, instructional aides, reading specialist, and additional PE specialist. This directly impacts the quality of education our students receive at Lincoln.

Lincoln teachers are leaders in using technology as a tool to help students to meet and exceed grade-level standards. Lincoln was established in 1992 with the expressed purpose of being a technology center. For more than 20 years, our school has been using technology to deepen students’ core knowledge and to continue our reputation for academic excellence. Students continue to practice twenty-first century skills by using technology to gather, organize, manage, synthesize, and communicate information.

Lincoln’s focus on the interconnected concepts between the core curriculum and the fine arts enables real-world connections to teaching and learning. Highly skilled music, technology, physical education, art, and science credentialed specialists work with students and grade-level teachers to enrich and reinforce standards-based concepts at each grade level. Differentiated, small-group, targeted instruction is commonplace in all classroom programs.

Lincoln offers academically rigorous curriculum in all grades. It is our goal to provide unique learning opportunities for the gifted learner, providing opportunities to develop individual potential, higher level thinking skills, and depth of understanding.

We have so much to celebrate this year, including many more exciting events in the coming months.

In partnership, Carrie Gammel Principal

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Principal’s Message

Winter 2015

Greetings Lincoln Families

I hope you enjoyed the winter break with your families and are feeling ready to charge into 2015. Have you made your New Year’s resolution yet? I hope part of that resolution included doing what you can to stay more connected to your children and their school. My resolution is to do what I can to help you do that!

Lincoln PTA Elections will be here before you know it in April. We are already working on the process of getting our Nominating Committee in place and notifying you of the opportunity to explore the various volunteer opportunities for 2015/2016.

Check this out and let us know where you would like to serve and help not just your student, but all the Lincoln students. Our volunteers never cease to amaze me. From our board to our committees we have great parents (many of whom work full to part time jobs in addition to their PTA time) making a positive impact on our students’ academic life at Lincoln. It has been inspiring to meet new Lincoln parents who have actively sought out ways to get involved and make a positive impact on those around them. Whether you have 15 minutes or 15 hours a week it makes a difference!

Your membership at work: Each PTA member has a part in shaping who we are as a PTA. When you become a PTA member and pay your dues, part of that membership fee goes to CAPTA (California Parent Teacher Assoc.) to help fund their ability to advocate for your child at the state level in Sacramento. Next, you have the opportunity to personally advocate for your child by attending our PTA General Meetings and voting on the initiatives and people that will direct how our PTA spends its time and resources. One of the most important things you can do with your membership besides volunteering your time is be present to express your opinion and exercise your vote. Likewise, our new student PTA members will have opportunities in the near future to shape our PTA with both voting and volunteering opportunities. If the meeting time doesn’t work for you but you want us to know what you think, please send me and e-mail, call me or wave me down when you see me at school! I want to know both what’s working and what can be improved. The good news is Lincoln’s PTA membership experienced a 148% increase this year (480 members) compared to last year (193 members)! That translates to a stronger community in touch with and working on behalf of their students.

As much as volunteering in PTA will impact your own life, remember that the greatest impact is on our kids. Lead by example and have a great year!

Sincerely,

Karen Thurston

Lincoln Elementary PTA President

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PTA President’s Message

Winter 2015

6th Grade Outdoor Science Camp at Lake Arrowhead On December 9, 2014, our adventurous 6th Graders embarked on a 3 hour bus ride to Arrowhead Ranch where they spent 4 days learning about nature and about the earth. The kids

hiked up Strawberry Peak, played basketball and even had a skit night. This is definitely an experience they will remember always!

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Winter 2015

A big thank you to all student PTA members who helped out at the book fair!

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Lincoln celebrates Reading

Winter 2015

Lincoln Holiday Fun

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Winter 2015

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!

Feb 16-20 No school. President’s

Recess

Feb 25 Dine out

Day - Z Pizza

Feb 27 Spring Ben

efit

Underwriting Deadline

Mar 8 Daylight Savings Be

gins

Mar 9-13 Conference

Week

Mar 11 No School. Conference

Day

Mar 13 2015 Sprin

g Benefit

Mar 18 PTA Meeting & Student Vote

Mar 31 Coffee with the Pr

incipal

December Flag Deck Winners January Flag Deck Winners