Pacific Pawprints - May 24, 2011

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Dear Pacific Parents and Guardians,
 
The past nine months have been an unbelievable demonstration of exceptional learning! I wish to recognize and thank the entire Pacific staff for all that they do for students each and every day. I am so proud of our students who work hard each day to develop their skills. This goal requires dedication and diligence beyond the school day. We have a winning combination of students, staff, and parents. The gift of a Pacific School education is truly priceless!
 
The Pacific staff looks forward to seeing you on Thursday for our annual Open House. Please note that Thursday is a minimum day in order to allow teachers to put the finishing touches on their student work displays and classrooms. Don’t miss this opportunity to cheer your child’s accomplishments and academic achievement. Celebrate each triumph, no matter how large or small, as each moment contributes to overall success in school and life. Please stop by the library for the Spring Book Fair and the cafeteria for the Young at Art student gallery.
 
After Open House and in the near future, grade level teams will begin the development of class lists for the 2011-2012 school year. The creation of class lists is a collaborative effort and multiple factors are considered during this process. Teams certainly understand that the development of learning groups set the stage for success all year long; therefore, student placement is taken very seriously.  
 
Each class will be balanced as much as possible with an equal number of boys and girls. We also consider unique learning styles and work habits of students. If you have more than one child, you are already aware that your children have different personalities and different learning styles. Therefore, if your older child had a particular teacher, please do not assume that your younger child will be placed with the same teacher.  In the placement process, each child is viewed as an individual.
 
The teams will consider the needs of individual students and the needs of the entire grade level. Your child’s current teacher has nearly ten months of educational insight concerning the conditions in which your child learns best. We understand that as supportive, invested parents you are interested in which teacher your child we have next year. However, despite acknowledgement of parental interests about class placement, we cannot accept teacher requests. Granting a placement request would compromise the goal of creating balanced classes that benefit all children.
 
The Student Information form (“purple form”) is not a request form for a specific teacher. This form is available for you to share information that is unique to your child, such as community, family, or social factors. In order for this information to be considered, the completed form must be returned to the office no later than Friday, May 27th. 
 
Thank you for your continued support of Pacific School. I look forward to sharing the magic of Open House with the Panther community on Thursday evening.
 
With Panther Pride,
 
Debbie Mabry
Principal
 
(*P.S. The delivery of emails and e-blasts continue to be inconsistent. Please do not hesitate to resend an email to any member of the Pacific staff if you do not receive a response in a timely manner. We are working with the District Office to resolve this problem. Thank you. *)
 
 
 
 
 
School Supplies
 
Please be sure to order your school supplies and help raise money for Pacific PTA. You will save yourself multiple shopping trips! By ordering on Innisbrook, your child's school supplies will be delivered directly to his/her classroom in time for the first day of school. At least $10.00 of your order will be donated to Pacific PTA. Order on-line now at www.Innisbrook.com. Click on Buy School Supplies and enter Pacific's school number: 120894. 
 
For more information, please contact Heidi Obermeyer.
 
 
 
 
Spring Pride Day Team
 
A huge Panther thanks to our Spring Beautification crew headed up by Mary Yollin, Christine Rawson, Mary Yang and Julie Johnson. The crew came together just about a week before and made it happen fast!! If you get a chance, check our the 4th and 5th grade hill and you'll see that weeds have been pulled, and mulching has occurred. Of course, once Mrs. Jackson informed us to stop mulching the weeds, we were on the path to success. Thank you to all the families who helped make Pacific a little greener and a little cleaner!
 
Sincerely,
Pacific PTA 
 

  
Thank you Spring Pride Day Volunteers
 
 
Thank you to all who came out to help garden and clean up Pacific campus on Saturday. Our school looks great and we couldn't have done it without you!
 
Thank you to Mrs. Mabry, the Benjamin Family, Ms. Jackson and Mrs. Liu (4th grade teachers), the Johnson Family, Kristi Knowles, Kay Sheth, the Kelsch Family, the Misley Family, the Chao Family, the Anderson Family, Ally Kennedy, Madeline Kelley, the Colvin Family, the Mahoney Family, the Meyer Family, the Eremita Family, the Mangan Family, the Westreich Family, Christian Weber, the Yollin Family, Christine Rawson (pre-planning), Tree Masters for donating all the mulch, Waste Management for the green bins and ALL the hard working Mira Costa students from Mr. Beaumont's health class...THANK YOU!!!
 
Pride Day Committee Chairs,

Mary Yollin, Christine Rawson, Mary Yang & Julie Johnson

 
 
 
MBEF Funraisers
 
Grandview Gator Run - join us on June 4th for the 16th Annual Grandview Gator 5K. Click here for information and registration.
 
Rocketry Competition - the sky's the limit!!! Join us on June 10th for the 1st Annual Rocketry Competition for all 4th and 5th graders from 4:30 to 7:30pm at Waller Stadium. Registration forms are in the office and due by June 3rd. Click here for more information.
 
Wine Auction - we hope you got your tickets for another great night. This years Manhattan Beach Wine Auction will be held on June 11th.
 
 
 
We Need Your Help!!!
 
Are you interested in helping MBEF and our efforts to provide all that we can for our kids? If so, please contact Dawn Bush for available positions on the district MBEF team.
  
 
 

 

 

Interview with Fabulous 5th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Susan Stelter
by Olivia T., Sarah T. and Claire D., 4th Grade
 
On a warm, sunny afternoon, we had the pleasure of interviewing an amazing 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Stelter. This is what we learned about her and 5th grade:
 
Olivia: What is your favorite teaching memory?
Mrs. Stelter: I don’t have one favorite teaching memory, but I love when I see all of the hard work coming together, the children having fun, and getting ready for middle school.
 
Sarah: Did you have a job before teaching and what was it?
Mrs. Stelter: Yes, I had many jobs before teaching. I was a cardiothoracic nurse which concerns issues with the heart and lungs, a lawyer- I was a litigator, a mom, a mediator, and a 5th grade teacher.
 
Claire: How long have you been teaching at Pacific?
Mrs. Stelter: This is my ninth year and I've always taught 5th grade.
 
Olivia: When did you know you wanted to become a 5th grade teacher?
Mrs. Stelter: I knew I wanted to become a 5th grade teacher when I was in middle school. In 1st grade I wanted to teach 1st grade, I wanted to teach 2nd grade while in 2nd grade and so on. During high school, I decided I wouldn’t teach a grade, but later when my kids were in middle school, I decided that I would go back to school so I could teach.
 
Sarah: Are you excited about next year’s 5th grade class?
Mrs. Stelter: Yes, I am very excited about next years 5th grade class!
 
Claire: Do students ever come back to visit you?
Mrs. Stelter: All the time!  They come by my room and tell me about middle school.
 
Olivia: What is the strangest report you’ve ever had your students do?
Mrs. Stelter: No reports are strange although the Independent Research Projects are interesting. Many students choose unusual topics, such as the Jelly Bean Factory, black holes and many others.
 
Sarah: What was your favorite subject in school?
Mrs. Stelter: My favorite subject in school was reading. I didn’t like history back then but now I love it! I love to make it come alive!
 
Claire: What is your favorite 5th grade activity?
Mrs. Stelter: My favorite 5th grade activities are “Walk Through the American Revolution” and the promotion ceremony.
 
Olivia: If you had to do a California VIP Report, who would it be about?
Mrs. Stelter: My California report would be about a woman entrepreneur who started a business during the Gold Rush because that is what California was about.
 
Sarah: What kind of advice would you give to incoming 5th graders?
Mrs. Stelter: My advice to next year’s 5th graders is to be an active learner. Be ready to learn and participate.
 
Claire: Is seeing the promotion ceremony at the end of the year sad for you?
Mrs. Stelter: Yes, a little bit...it's bitter sweet.  I've gotten to know all of my students and I'm so proud of them.
 
Olivia: Counting desserts, what is your favorite food?
Mrs. Stelter: My favorite dessert would be coffee ice cream. I also am a vegetable person, so I love asparagus and olives. A big, juicy steak also makes me satisfied.
 
Sarah: What is your favorite movie?
Mrs. Stelter: My favorite funny movie is Father of the Bride. My favorite serious movie is Gladiator.
 
Claire: Have you taught any other grade?  If not, have you ever wanted to teach any other grade?
Mrs. Stelter: Aside from 5th grade, I've only taught 3rd and Kindergarten.  I only want to teach 5th grade though.
 
That was our awesome afternoon with Mrs. Stelter. We really look forward to next year!
 
 
Interview with Mr. John Jackson, Principal at Manhattan Beach Middle School
by Joseph C., Jack W., Lauren M. and Bella N., 5th Grade
 
Walking up to the middle school gates, we dodged left and right around our soon-to-be classmates. We entered the office conference room, a place covered with several Hamlet posters on the walls when he strode in, our future principal, Mr. John Jackson. Eagerly, we sat down, anxious to uncover the answers to our questions about both Mr. Jackson and our future school - MBMS!
 
Joseph: What is the most recent program to have been added to MBMS?
Mr. Jackson: Well, the most recent one for this school year is when we added an all girls science elective for seventh and eighth graders, and next year, we're going to start an all boys science elective to go along with the girls' and we're hoping to add Chinese.
 
Jack: Is there a specific motivation or reason for you becoming a middle school principal?
Mr. Jackson: I've been a middle school principal for 18 years, so I guess it's about the age elementary schoolers are too young to do anything and high schoolers are too old to want to do anything.  Middle school is right in between, so it's perfect.
 
Lauren: Where are you from?
Mr. Jackson: I am from Manhattan Beach.  I went to Robinson, then to Center, the old middle school, and I graduated from Mira Costa. 
 
Bella: How long have you been the principal at MBMS?
Mr. Jackson: 6 years.
 
Joseph: Should incoming sixth graders feel nervous about transitioning to middle school? Is there any advice you may want to give them?
Mr. Jackson: Yes. Run 'em high! Just kidding! No, there's no reason to be nervous. You'll have friends from your school, and you'll probably have friends from sports like soccer or baseball. Get involved as much as you can. It'll make life easier for you!
 
Jack: Before becoming a principal, were you involved in any other education related jobs?
Mr. Jackson: Well, I was a teacher before I was a principal and then I coached at Torrance High, and before that I was in commercial advertising for 13 years.
 
Lauren: What is your educational background?
Mr. Jackson: I was a teacher. I coached girls soccer and softball at Torrance High, but I was originally in commercial advertising for 13 years.
 
Bella: Why are periods “44” minutes long- instead of 43 or 45 minutes long?
Mr. Jackson: It happens in all the schools. You have a start time and end time and you have to divide up your time evenly.
 
Joseph: What behavior by students gets on your nerves more than anything else?
Mr. Jackson: Really, the one we have here that is most irritating is that students leave trash on their table during Nutrition.
 
Jack: If you could write a novel about your experiences as a principal, what would the title be and why?
Mr. Jackson: My Life As a Dog.  And the reason for that is that school administrators seem to age quickly so one year is like 7 years.  
 
Lauren: Did you always want to be a principal?
Mr. Jackson: No, before this I was in advertising.  But when I started teaching, I liked to boss people around so I decided to become a principal!
 
Bella: What makes MBMS better than other middle schools?
Mr. Jackson: We start with a great set of kids, great teachers, and supportive parents. And the best principal and assistant principal!
 
Joseph: Are there any programs, classes, or electives that incoming students can look forward too?
Mr. Jackson: If you're in any of the music things like band, strings, or chorus, there are a lot of opportunities, and for the exploratory wheel, there's art, drama, music, computers, and tech lab.
 
Jack:  As a principal, how to you interact with the students and relate to them?
Mr. Jackson: I'm out there everyday before and after school, at lunch and nutrition and I wander between the classrooms.
 
Lauren: Where do you see yourself professionally 10 years from now?
Mr. Jackson: Right here at MBMS!  I don't have any desire to go anywhere else or even to retire.  Wait - I think you just called me old!
 
Bella: How do the budget cuts specifically affect MBMS?
Mr. Jackson: Not very much at all. We were already the “leanest” school in the district. There was nothing to cut. The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation helps!
 
Joseph: I f you could describe MBMS with one word, what would it be?
Mr. Jackson:  AWESOME!!!
 
Jack: If you could choose another career besides being a principal, what would it be and why?
Mr. Jackson: If I weren't here, I'd like to be coaching at a college somewhere, because I enjoy interacting with kids.
 
Lauren: What do you like about your job?
Mr. Jackson: I like that every day is different - I never know what to expect.
 
Bella: Aside from getting taller, what is the biggest change you see in your students between 6th and 8th grade?
Mr. Jackson: Social maturity.
 
Lauren: If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
Mr. Jackson: I would make middle school more project based and work to make the middle school experience more about social adjustment.
 
And now that you know a little more about our hilarious, caring, awesome, selfless middle school principal, Mr. Jackson, we incoming 6th graders are signing off for the year! See ya!

 

 

 

 

Looking Back
by Kelli S., 5th Grade, Mrs. Stelter 
 
As I am heading towards sixth grade, I am looking back on all of my memories and all of the special times I have had with my friends and teachers throughout the years. When I first came to Pacific school, in kindergarten, I was very small. Seeing all of those fifth graders walk the halls made me so excited to be there some day. Now that I am going to be able to experience this day of joy, I wish to thank all of my teachers –-because of you, I am here. I am also very thankful for my parents. If they did not push me to do my homework and get good grades, I would not have survived this tough, but thrilling year in fifth grade. There are so many teachers who have helped me to get to this point, but my homeroom teachers deserve to be acknowledged, including Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. Cooley, Mrs. Buckner/ Mrs. Glassman, Ms. Sayre, Mrs. Fulton, the many science teachers, Dr. Norvell, Princi-PAL Mabry, the great office staff, and the wonderful Mrs. Stelter. I say hello MBMS, as I wave goodbye to the school that has been a part of me at for half of my life, Pacific. I have many fond memories of my friends, teachers, and of course… Pacific School. THANK YOU.
 
 
Ups and Downs
by Pacific Parent, Janet Anderson
 
We’re all familiar with the concept of recycling, but did you know that recycled materials are either upcycled or downcycled? You can use the materials to make something of better quality or greater environmental value when you upcycle it. When you downcycle, you use the recycled material to create something of lesser quality or value. As the school year draws to a close, you may want to consider an end-of-the-year gift for your teacher that has been upcycled. She’ll be impressed by your thoughtfulness and environmental awareness! Check out the colorful totes, pouches and lunch bags at Sara Bella Upcycled http://www.sarabella.com/, or accessories like recycled glass barrettes, reclaimed T-shirt scarves or bike chain picture frames from Uncommon Goods http://www.uncommongoods.com/.  
 
   
 

 

Paw Poll:
 
Hey 3rd Graders and 4th Graders! Have you thought about joining our Pawprints staff next year? This time, our staffers were polled about what they liked best about working on Pawprints and this is what some of them had to say:
 
Lauren M.- That my amazing works of art have been shared and enjoyed.
Brendan R. - I liked how we would get to hang out and take polls.
Joseph C.- I liked that I got to do what no Panthers had done before.
Jack W. - I liked the fact that I could hang around with my friends at Pawprints.
Olivia W. - I liked interviewing so many people with different personalities and getting to know them.
Molly G. - I liked asking people the poll for each issue and coming up and voting for polls.
Vicky M. - Going on interviews with friends.
Natalia U.-T. - I liked meeting new people.
Alexandra S. - My favorite part of Pawprints was the interviews.
Claire D. - I loved that I got to be part of the very first school newspaper!
London F. - Interviewing and writing articles and doing polls.
Sofie K. - Interviewing. I love having the responsibility of asking questions and creating headlines.
Bella N. - I liked being a part of the first ever Pacific School newspaper.
Sabrina S. - I liked writing articles best.
Sarah T. - I loved interviewing and our assignments.
Anna M. - I liked writing for the paper and letting everyone learn about Pacific and Pawprints. I also like the interviews!
Trever V. - I loved doing interviews and seeing and knowing about the teachers and what they like to do.
Ava V. - I loved going to the meetings after school and doing interviews.
 
 
As we get ready to say farewell to Pacific’s FABULOUS fifth graders, we wondered what they would miss the most about the school that has been their home away from home for so many years. This is what many of them had to say:
 
Luke B. ~ “My 5th Grade teachers!”
Lauren M. ~ “Everything! Pacific is my home! I’ve grown up here. It’s like family.”
Jack W. ~ “I will miss the great learning atmosphere at Pacific.”
Joseph C. ~ “What I’ll miss most about Pacific is how exciting and fun everything was.”
Brendan R. ~ “I’ll miss the longer recesses over the testing break and all of the teachers.”
Bella N. ~ “I will really miss Mrs. Stelter and how she makes social studies come alive!”
Zachary H. ~ “The nice teachers and seeing my brother Alex everyday.”
Vashon H.-C. ~ "I will miss the staff that is always willing to help."
Jack S. ~ "I will miss the kind and understanding teachers."
Chandler C. ~ “The teachers.”
Seth S. ~ “I will always remember being a late bird because I liked not having to wake up early in the morning.” 
Mitch P. ~ "I will miss being able to skateboard to school and I will also miss sitting in the 5th grade patio with all my friends during lunch."
Chase T. ~ “I will miss Movie Night at Pacific!”
Ally K. ~ “What  I love about Pacific is that all the teachers are so sweet and kind.”
Luisa D. ~ "Not the food!  But I will miss the unique ways the teachers teach hard things."
Jeremy J. ~ “I will miss dunking on the ‘mini-hoops’ on the upper playground.”
Adam K. ~ "I will miss the school that I have been to for 6 years. I will also miss the wonderful teachers that set great examples for kids like me, and that the teachers don't pile up our homework too much."
Maya S. ~ “I will miss the fabulous teachers, the plays and Science Lab.”
Kevin C. ~ “I will miss the great teachers!” 
Alex d. S. ~ "The thing I will miss most about Pacific will be the teachers and staff that I have grown with through the years.”
Ryan U. ~ “I will miss the great teachers at Pacific!!!”
Peter L. ~ “What I miss most about Pacific are all the wonderful teachers and the fun memories with friends.”
Elise S. ~ "I will miss everything about Pacific! The Pacific Choir, the school plays, the field trips, Movie Night, so many things that made the last 5 years great!"
Sami J. ~ “The thing I will miss most about Pacific is going down to my mom's classroom to see her every day.”
Katherine E. ~ "I will miss Mrs. Stelter's social studies class and raising the ducklings in first grade."
Natalie B. ~ “I will miss my good friends that give me support when I need it.”
Skylar S. ~ “I'll miss my teachers because they taught me to always push myself to be the best that I could be!”
Kaden L. ~ “I will miss walking to and from school every day!!!”
Ella P. ~ "I will miss all the nice teachers and Mrs. Mabry."
Michael E. - "I will miss the Smartboards at Pacific School!"
Arielle D. ~ “There are many things I will miss about Pacific. What I will miss most, are the wonderful teachers I've had throughout my six years here.”
Nick L.-H. ~ "The teachers that I have known for a long time. They make the school feel so familiar."
Tyler B. ~ "What I will miss most about Pacific -Science night  & being a docent."
Joshua J. ~ "I'll miss the fun teachers and interesting lunches!"
Chayne C. ~ "I will miss all the great teachers including Ms. Ly and Mrs. Hoestery.”
Natalia U.-T. ~ “I will miss all of the friends I have in other grades.  When my other friends aren't around, I play with them.”
Sarah C. ~ “I'm going to miss everything!"        
Katie P. ~ “I’ll miss the teachers because they work so hard; they help us learn to work hard too.”
Noor K. ~ "I am going to miss all the great teachers at Pacific school, my friends, and all the great activities. The Polar Express in KG, Geology Rocks, and the Walk Through California."
Christina L. ~ “I will miss being around the same kids all the time.”
Alyssa C. ~ “I’ll miss the amazing Halloween parade and party out on the upper field. And of course the teachers costumes."        
Zachary K. ~ “I will miss all of the nice teachers that are at Pacific and the adventures I have had with my friends.”
Michelle C. ~ "What I will miss most about Pacific is Ms. Atia and the playground."
Caroline Z. ~ “I will miss the Pacific Panther song. "We're Pacific, We're the Best ..."
Kelli S. ~ “I will miss my incredible teachers as well as the science lab and growing great garden.”
Tommy E. ~ “What I'll miss most about Pacific is the teachers and how much they care about their students. I'll also miss the cafeteria because I get to see all of the college football teams!”
Carlos R. ~ “I will miss everything, especially social studies and math.”
Max W. ~ “The things I’ll miss the most are the great teachers and hanging out with my friends.”
Nicholas L. ~ “What I will miss about Pacific is the 5th grade patio and that it was reserved for the 5th graders.”
 
And fifth graders, Pacific will miss all of you! Now go off and swing your arms like you are in charge of the world...... Because YOU ARE!
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Comic by: Sofie K. and Lauren D., 4th grade