DR. ROLANDO ESPINOSA K-8

11250 NW 86 Street

Doral, FL 33178

Phone

(305) 889-5757

Fax

(305) 889-5758

E-mail

rvangates@dadeschools.net

cjeffrey@dadeschools.net lilisuarez@dadeschools.net

November 2009

Volume 3, Issue4

Dear Parents of Dr. Rolando Espinosa K-8 Center: With the colors of fall, with the feast of Thanksgiving comes the time to say Thank you…

Thank you for our caring, dedicated, hard working staff members who provide our children with an outstanding education every day.

Thank you for the support of our community, and parents.

Thank you for eager students who want to learn and share new knowledge with one another.

I would like to wish all of our families a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Sincerely, Reva A. Vangates, Principal

Principal’s Message Reva A. Vangates, Pr incipal

Carol S. Jeffrey, Ass istant Principal

L i l iana Suarez, Ass istant Principal

The Espinosa Express The Espinosa ExpressThe

Espinosa Express he Espinosa Express

Calendar of Events

11/02 Beginning of Second Grading Period

11/03 Election Day

11/05 El Club de los Libros- Channel 23 visits Ms. Bosque’s Class

11/06 PTA Meeting at 8:45 am inside Cyber Café

Jeans Day - $1.00 (PTA Event)

11/09 Scoliosis Screening for Grade 6

11/10 Student Picture Day

11/11 Veteran’s Day- Holiday- No School

11/12 Science Fair Process Begins

Kindergarten and First Grade – Class Project

Grades 2 – 7 – Individual Projects

11/16 Report Card Distribution/Book Fair Begins

11/18 Last day of Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive

Inside this Issue

Principal’s Message 1

Book Fair 1

School Pictures 1

Ready Set Go! 1

Calendar of Events 1

Thanksgiving Canned

Food Drive 2

Parking Lot Safety 2

Adopt a Classroom 2

Formal Uniforms 2

Principal for a Day 2

Beyond the Bell 2

United Way 2

Teacher of the Year 3

Rookie Teacher of the Year 3

Office Employee of the Year 3

H1N1 4-6

School News Grades K-3 7

School News Grades 4-5 8

School News Grade 6 9

School News Grade 7 10

Traffic Reminder 11

Upcoming Events 12

Ready, Set, Go!

Please help your child to be ready and set to go each morning before leaving for school by making sure that homework and other school supplies are packed the night before. Also ensure that lunch, agendas, jackets, and book bags are near the door so they are not forgotten. We will no longer deliver any items to the students’ classrooms as this will interrupt their instructional time. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

The deadline to pay for school pictures is Friday, November 6th. No money will be collected the day pictures will be taken, which is Tuesday, November 10, 2009. Say Cheese!

11/20 Jeans Day - $1.00 (PTA Event)

11/23 Awards Assembly Week

11/24 Happy Birthday Eugenia B. Thomas

11/25 EESAC Meeting – 8:00 am in the Media Center

11/ 26 Thanksgiving Day - No school

11/27 Recess- No School

11/30 PTA Fundraiser Show for Selected Students

DRE’S 2ND ANNUAL BOOK FAIR

November 16-20, 2009

Monday, November 18, 2009, the Dr. Rolando Espinosa K-8 Center will collect canned goods to donate to the City of Doral Police Department. These can goods will help and assist needy families during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Students are encouraged to bring canned goods to donate to the needy families. We are accepting all canned goods that are unopened. We thank you in advance for your contributions to the community during this season of giving.

Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive

Thanks to all of our students and their families who made DRE’s United Way Campaign a huge success this year. The students participated in a variety of activities that raised money for those in need. We are very proud of your efforts! The total amount

raised was $3,867.60.

Student United Way

This program is a district initiative which provides online curriculum content supporting student learning and enrichment beyond the school day. This program targets students in grades three through eleven and provides enrichment activities in reading, mathematics and science. Access to Beyond the Bell is via the MDCPS Student Portal at http://myportal.dadeschools.net/student/. Once students are logged into the portal, grade specific links will be available by program title. All curriculum paths were designed to target instruction based on FCAT Performance and aligned to District Curriculum. We encourage you to spend time exploring this wonderful resource.

Beyond the Bell

Espinosa Express Page 2 of 12

Principal for a Day

Your child’s safety is our number one concern. Keeping that in mind, we would like to remind you that parking in the Faculty Parking Lot and passing lane are PROHIBITED. Parents are discouraged from parking on our neighbors’ grass, yards or driveways as this may result in fines or citations.

Parking Lot Safety

Principal for a Day allows businesses and organizations representatives the opportunity to visit a school and shadow the principal to increase public awareness of the accomplishments and challenges of our school district. The Honorable Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez, City of Doral and Ms. Maria Eugenia Pardo, Strategic Planner Senior VP spent an exciting day at DRE. They participated in numerous activities such as morning announcements, Hispanic Heritage Program, and classroom visitations. Thank you both for a

wonderful experience!

Adopt-A-Classroom Program

Adopt –A-Classroom Program enables individuals and businesses like you to help teachers succeed in the classroom. Teachers receive 100% of the donation through an online account. No donation is too small. Any amount helps. You can learn more about the Adopt-A-Classroom program by visiting the following website at www.adoptaclassroom.org.

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Please remember that all students must wear their formal uniforms on Mondays. The formal uniform includes a neck tie (boys) and an Oxford shirt or an X-tie (girls) and a Peter Pan shirt at the elementary level. The formal uniform at the middle school level is a neck tie (boys) and an Oxford Shirt or an X-tie (girls) and an Oxford shirt.

Thank you for your assistance.

Formal Mondays!

Espinosa Express Page 3 of 12

Ms. Melissa Figueredo

2011 Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Ms. Figueredo, Dr. Rolando Espinosa K-8 Center’s Teacher of the Year! In 2004, Ms. Figueredo was selected by FIU and MDCPS to take part in a program called Project READS. This program allowed her to obtain her Masters in Reading Education with a full scholarship. She dedicated 7 years to that school before spreading her wings and joining the amazing faculty at DRE. This year she dazzled everyone by making the vast jump from Kindergarten to 6

th grade. In addition, she was

also bestowed the title of grade level chair. Ms. Figueredo, we are proud of your accomplishments and the many lives you have enriched, and we offer you our sincere congratulations.

Congratulations to Mrs. Kelly, Dr. Rolando Espinosa K-8 Center’s Rookie Teacher of the Year! In December 2007, Mrs. Kelly graduated Summa Cum Laude from FIU. She began teaching soon after, and has been very dedicated to her profession and her students. She believes that the goal of education is not only to prepare our students academically, but also to prepare them to become productive citizens with strong morals and exceptional values. Mrs. Kelly, congratulations on the Rookie Teacher of the Year award. It speaks to your passion and professionalism.

Mrs. Denise Kelly

2009-2010 Rookie Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Ms. Roberts, Dr. Rolando Espinosa K-8 Center’s Office Employee of the Year! Ms. Roberts goes above and beyond the call of duty. She is endeared by the entire staff for her ability to successfully organize, coordinate and motivate others. She extends herself to our school community with warmth and compassion

that is noticed by everyone.

Ms. Lula Roberts

Office Employee of the Year!

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Espinosa Express Page 4 of 12

Espinosa Express Page 5 of 12

Espinosa Express Page 6 of 12

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Espinosa Express Page 7 of 12

Kindergarten

First Grade

“Let the rumpus begin!” The first grade students, along with their teachers, are embarking on an imaginary journey to a land where the wild things are. Teachers are reading the Caldecott award winning book “Where the Wild Things Are”, by Maurice Sendak, and are engaging their students in many fun-filled activities. There is no need to worry about the “wild rumpus” going on in each classroom; no one will be sent to bed without supper!

The month of October was full of exciting activities for our kindergarten students. They learned about letters and numbers and read animal stories galore. They have also used their senses to investigate and apply the steps of the scientific method in preparation for our Science Fair. In Social Science, our students are learning about our country’s flag and our country’s symbols, including the Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem. Additionally, our students were introduced to Fire Prevention. They were amazed and excited to learn about fire safety tips and how they were able to share these tips with their families. They learned the proper rules to follow in case of a real fire. They also learned about smoke detectors, electric plugs, the stop-drop-and-roll technique, and the importance of learning how to dial 911 for ALL emergencies. They learned how to SAY NO TO DRUGS during our RED RIBBON WEEK. Hispanic Heritage was a big success as we received Mayor J. C. Bermudez (City of Doral) in our school for “Principal for a Day”. We look forward to the

month of November and all that it may bring!

Second Grade

The month of October was spooooktacular for our 2nd grade students. They have been tricked into a world of prediction and inferring and they have learned how to add and subtract candy with and without sharing and regrouping. They have also learned about the use of their muscles and their skeletal system. They have traveled to the ends of the earth with Christopher Columbus aboard the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. The 2nd graders also participated in the Fall Harvest Parade and the Harvest dance and they enjoyed dancing their skeletons off.

Third Grade

Our 3rd graders had a “Spook”tacular October month. They enjoyed all the great and fun fall festivities at DRE. We continued to celebrate our Hispanic culture through special presentations and school wide programs. During this month we also proudly said, “No to Drugs.” Students got to participate in many class discussions about the importance of leading a drug free lifestyle. In math, students learned all about graphs, customary and metric units of measurement while continuing to focus on multiplication and problem solving. In Reading and Language Arts, students continue to focus on key skills such as author’s purpose, context clues, sequence of events, compare/contrast, and main idea. Soon our students will become true scientists as they work on their very own Science Fair projects. We are looking forward to all the many discoveries we will reveal! On behalf of the 3rd Grade Team, we would like to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Fifth Grade

The 5th graders created very impressive disaster projects. They made volcanoes explode, showed the effects of tsunamis, and taught us about the strength and destruction of tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. We will be wrapping up our geometry unit with a culminating activity that involves looking for various geometric concepts in the world around us. In science, we will be focusing on the Scientific Method. It is that time of the year again to begin thinking about a scientific problem you would like to investigate.

October was a fantastic month for fourth grade. We were able to celebrate those Hispanic influences that touch our lives on a daily basis. A major Hispanic role model in our community, Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez (City of Doral) visited our school as “Principal for a Day.” We were also able to enjoy watching a beautiful Hispanic performance organized by the Bilingual Department. Also, one of our very own fabulous fourth grade teachers, Mrs. Lazzereschi, put on a wonderful show with her fourth grade class. Another event that took place in October was our drug-free week. We learned all about the negative effects of drugs and were able to display beautiful posters we made to announce our pledge to a drug-free life style. Finally, we ended October with our annual Harvest Day Celebration. We dressed in all sorts of beautiful disguises. We celebrated fall by decorating pumpkins and leaves. Our pumpkin parade was a success as we displayed and shared our gorgeous pumpkins for the whole school to see. Time is flying by as we work hard at all of the concepts being taught in fourth grade. We are really focusing on writing and making sure we master all the tips and tools taught by the fourth grade writing teachers. Fractions have been fun as we've seen them in pizzas, pies, charts, changed into decimals and even in "improper" forms. We've had a productive and busy October, and are looking forward to sailing "write" through the sea of knowledge into the month of November.

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Fourth Grade

Espinosa Express Page 8 of 12

http://dr http://drek8. http://drek8.dadeschools.net ols.net

World Geography: Mr. Rodriguez’ students have been discussing issues related to the human population and its growth. Along with human population, we have been discussing how people throughout the rest of our planet live, as well as how technology has changed the world. Dr. Clarke’s World Geography classes discussed the diversity of American citizenship. Math: Students in Mrs. Lopez’ math classes have been learning how to solve real life problems using all four mathematical operations, as well as learning how to plot ordered pairs on a coordinate system, and evaluate mathematical expressions. We have all been enjoying our weekly icebreaker activities. Science: In Mrs. Eva’s sixth grade classes we are exploring the process of weathering. The students are learning about the difference between chemical and mechanical weathering and observing labs that include this process. The students have begun to work on their Science Fair Projects and should be completing these the first week of December. We are excited to find out what our future scientists can discover. Language Arts: Ms. Figueredo’s Language Arts class is completing their very first 6th grade novel, “Esperanza Rising.” So far, we have really enjoyed experiencing the struggles and triumphs of an immigrant family in the United States through Esperanza’s eyes. Our English Language Learners (ELL) students in Mr. Caserta's class are showing progress in communicating, using the English language. They have presented a project about their countries and now they are working on a second one. They are preparing their first “Personality Book” where they are going to demonstrate how much they have improved in language acquisition. Pretty soon they will be participating actively in DRE activities. Keep up the great work!

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Espinosa Express Page 9 of 12

Sixth Grade

http://drek http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Mr. Black’s Computer students will learn how to create an e-mail account using Microsoft Outlook 2007. Also, students will learn that by writing professional e-mails and using Microsoft Outlook, they can keep the lines of communication flowing smoothly. In addition, students will learn system settings and the control panel which is part of the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Students will learn how to change the date and time, modify the display screen, adjust audio, customize the mouse, add a printer, and internet options. Ms. Cambeyro’s Art classes were given the opportunity to review the Egyptians’ beliefs, their way of living, and philosophy about death. The students will bring a box to construct a tomb. They will have to make a wrap using plaster for a mummy whose belongings will be put inside the tomb. Belongings include the four canopic jars. Also, students will investigate more about the process of mummification specifically about the organs in canopic jars. Mr. Caserta’s ESOL/ELL students are showing progress in communicating, using the English language. They have presented a project about their countries and now they are working on a second one. They are preparing their first “Personality Book” where they are going to demonstrate how much they have improved in language acquisition. Pretty soon they will be participating actively in DRE activities. Keep up the great work! Ms. Davis’ Language Arts classes will be analyzing plot and character, and exploring the ways in which the author demonstrates both in his/her writing. The students will also be finding their own voices by writing personal essays. Ms. Davis' Reading classes are all following their district-mandated programs while receiving enrichment activities on specific comprehension skills, such as making inferences. Additionally, the students have begun another Reader's Theater script to improve fluency. Mr. Deliz’s and Mr. Bustillo’s Science students will be studying forces and changes in motion as they relate to physics. Students contrast distance versus displacement, and study the differences between speed, velocity, and acceleration. They are also calculating average speeds. Ms. Graham’s Civics classes have just finished their studies on the history of how this country came to declare its independence from Great Britain. Students are now covering the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution, along with its structure and principles. They will be able to explain the checks and balances of our government through the use of our separation of powers. Mr. Mateu’s Math students are studying integers, absolute value, comparing and ordering integers, adding and subtracting integers, multiplying and dividing integers, and being introduced to the coordinate pane. Ms. Milyanovich’s Math classes will learn how to factor and represent numbers. In Algebra students will review properties of real numbers and solve linear equations. Ms. Shepard’s creative writers are completing their fifth selection in their narrative portfolio for the first semester. Ms. Shepard’s Language Arts students have begun reading the novel “Where the Red Fern Grows”, written by Wilson Rawls, which will be followed by reading their personal copy of “Treasure Island”, written by Robert Louis Stevenson. So far, this quarter, all language arts students have taken three pre-tests: a baseline benchmark FCAT multiple choice test, the FCAT Persuasive Writing Prompt (both in September), and just recently, the FCAT Expository Writing Prompt. We look forward to seeing our growth when the students administered the post-test in the spring.

Espinosa Express Page 10 of 12

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

Seventh Grade

Urgent!

You play an important role in helping to protect our students from traffic dangers.

Printed Name of Parent/Guardian Parent/Guardian Signature Date

___/______/_____

Print Child’s Name

I have read and understand the above request.

Student’s Name Teacher’s Name Printed Name of Parent/Guardian Parent/Guardian Signature Date

PLEASE RETURN THIS PAGE TO YOUR CHILD’S HOMEROOM TEACHER.

http://drek8.dadeschools.net

To ensure the safety of all our students, we are asking that you please not drop your child off from any location other than from the Parent Drop-Off Lane during morning arrival. Walkers must use the crosswalks located on 86th street and 112th avenue with the assistance of the crossing guards. It is extremely dangerous for students to cross 86th street at any location other than at the crosswalks. We ask that you do not stop in the middle of the street and tell your child to run across 86th street into oncoming traffic. We are desperately trying to prevent any accidents, serious injuries, and/or fatalities. We applaud all of the parents who are abiding by the rules and regulations that the school is trying to enforce. Parents are highly discouraged from parking on our neighbors’ grass, yards, or driveways as this may result in fines, citations, and/or having your vehicle towed.

Please help keep our children safe!

Espinosa Express Page 11 of 12

UPCOMING IN DECEMBER 2009

December 1 Parent Newsletter for December E-mailed December 2- February 4 Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) All Kindergarten – Third Grade and Selected Students in Fourth – Twelfth Grade December 3 Interim Progress Reports Go Home with Students December 4 PTA Meeting at 8:45 am inside the Cyber Café PTA Jeans Day ($1.00) December 16 EESAC Meeting at 8:00 am inside the Media Center December 18 PTA Jeans Day with a Red Shirt ($1.00) December 21- January 1 Winter Recess January 4 Students Return to School January 4-15 Interim Assessment Tests – Reading, Mathematics and Science (Grades 3-11)

Espinosa Express Page 12 of 12

http://drek8.dadeschools.net