Gingerlily's Blog

There are a lot of wonderful programs available this summer to help encourage our students to read.

Since our upper grade is working on their PLPs they also can take advantage of these program offerings as a positive reinforcement for their work.

San Diego County Fair Reading Certificate:
Students aged 12 and younger who read 10 books and have that accomplishment verified with their teacher or librarian can bring the certificate to the Fair and receive free admission on any day of the Fair.
Download Reading Certificate in English

San Diego Library Summer Reading(Click to go to Library link)
Some of our students already participating have been raving about this program! I hear that there are great prizes and activities.

Set sail for the library where all you have to do is read 10 books and the prizes will be yours. But the fun doesn’t stop there…Dive into the action and participate in programs at your local branch library. With amazing shows- Magic! Music! and more!- it’s going to be an exciting summer.
click for the PDF

Barnes and Nobel Summer Reading Program (click the link)
When students have read 8 book, Barnes and Nobel will give them a free book. Go to the site to download a passport.

It is fast approaching our “Out in the City Fieldtrip Week”.
On May 10th through the 14th our Museum School 6th graders will go to 6th grade camp, and our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will be taking our own excursions. We are asking each parent to please send $10.00 to help cover our activity costs. We will be using public transportation and walking a lot this week, so students will need to wear good walking shoes, sunscreen (maybe a hat), and bring a healthy sack lunch each day during this week.

Itinerary:
Mon, May 10th–Bus/Trolley/Ferry ride to Coronado Ferry Landing. Bus to Coronado beach/tidepools. Bring a kite. You can dress to get wet, but make sure you wear good walking, close-toed shoes.
Tues, May 11th–Walk to Balboa Park Museums: Botanical Garden, MOPA, SD Historical Society, Veteran’s Museum, Timkin, Pepper Grove Playground…
Weds, May 12th–Bus/Trolley to Old Town. Visit the various interpretive centers there: Mason Street Schoolhouse, Seeley Stables, blacksmith, printing press, McCoy House, Colorado House…
Thurs, May 13th–Bus/Trolley to Chicano Park to see the murals
Fri, May 14th–Zoo Day

We are also looking for parent volunteers to help chaperone on our Zoo Day. Please let Jane know if you are available to take a small group.

March 2nd is Teodore Seuss Geisel’s birthday and we will be celebrating through our annual “Read Across America” event with a Green Eggs and Ham Pajama Party.

Students can wear their pajamas to school and bring their favorite books to read. (Make sure that your name is on everything!) Students may need to pack a change of clothing for the afternoon classes as we will still have departments and regular rotations.

We will also need our parents to come help and make lovely green eggs and ham breakfast in the morning. Jane says if you can get here around 8:00 that would be wonderful. We also hope parents will come into our classrooms to read with the children.

Please send some healthy breakfast food (green eggs-they can be cooked and we will put them in the oven to keep warm, ham, bacon and sausage, veggie bacon and sausage, fruit, vegetables, muffins or bagels, juice, etc) or paper products (plates, napkins, forks, cups) on Tuesday morning (March 2nd).

This is always such a fun day for us. Thank you in advance for making it so fabulous!

Dear Parents,

I feel so fortunate to work at a school that values real education, not just the kind that the politicians talk about in shallow sound-bites, but one whose purpose is to educate the “whole” child. I am proud as a teacher and also as a mother (whose own daughter is a Museum School alum) to be a part of our own unique Museum School program. We have high academic expectations and a mission to provide a broad range of learning experiences in different educational settings. And by working as a team of teacher in educating all our students, we have a unique situation at our school to have educational interactions with our students over several years. I can’t express how special that is, and ultimately important in your child’s school career. We believe that the program we offer at the Museum School is “transformational”. Not only for your child, but also as all our children go out into the world and become part of the greater society, we hope these Museum School experiences help them to become “transformational” people, citizens who will make a difference in the world.

Our first year’s alumni are in college now. They have been finding each other and telling us how connected they still feel to the school and our goals. They tell us how much they value their experiences at the Museum School. It is wonderful!

It also costs more than the State currently provides. Over the years I have watched the State allocations dwindle as the costs in providing the most basic services continue to rise. This unfortunately is happening all across the state. And yet, I have great faith in our school community. Our parent support has always been vital to the school. We appreciate all the many ways our parents participate, the volunteers who come in, who help us with work and take things home to cut out, and send in supplies and many, many more contributions that keep our program great.

This Sunday we have an important event which is both to celebrate the community that we have built together, and (of course) our ongoing efforts to support this program. I hope you will try to attend or sell “opportunity tickets” to help ensure the continuing success of your children and our school.

Thank you so much for making this very special school possible.

Sincerely,
Gingerlily