New Cabrillo Elementary School mural has a Navy touch

A new mural on the campus of Cabrillo Elementary School in Pt. Loma is the work of students and a Navy volunteer, Petty Officer John Willman.

The mural of iconic San Diego Bay sites -- sailboats, the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge, and downtown -- close by the campus. Students worked on the mural with Willman.

"Petty officer Willman is an exceptional volunteer who has been with Cabrillo for the last two years. Since his arrival at Cabrillo he has demonstrated a high degree of commitment and professionalism towards community service," said Principal Nestor Suarez. "As a muralist he has taken on the challenge of working with students to create artwork that was used to beautify the library wall with a mural depicting the life, nature, and culture on the bay of San Diego."

Suarez said Willman also works as a volunteer noon duty, math tutor and other duties around the campus. He is one of hundreds of Navy and Marine Corps personnel who volunteer time in San Diego schools.

Volunteer service is a big part of Vision 2020, San Diego Unified School District's roadmap to the future. According to the vision, "community involvement with active school volunteers and business partnerships adds to the success of students.

"Petty Officer Willman is an invaluable and respected member of our learning community and we are honored that he chose Cabrillo to further his community service," said Suarez.

Find out more about Cabrillo Elementary by calling Principal Suarez for a tour at (619) 223-7154.

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Vote through Friday for your school's volunteer

Voting has been extended to through this Friday, May 24, in a contest that many San Diego Unified schools, and other schools across the county, are participating in, the Donornation.org/Sprouts Farmers Market School Volunteer of the Year award.

To vote for your favorite school's favorite volunteer, go to schoolvolunteeraward.org and vote for two candidates. Among the San Diego Unified schools participating are: Alcott, Angier, Carver, Cherokee Point, Chollas-Mead, Curie, EB Scripps, Franklin, Gage, Dewey and Kimbrough elementary schools. Bell, Challenger, Dana, Mann and Standley are among the middle schools participating. The high school list includes University City, Madison and Morse.


The Grand Prize Winner’s school will receive a $5,000 donation in the winner’s name from DonorNation. In addition, the winner will also receive $100 in groceries per week for 52 weeks from Sprouts Farmers Market. The First Runner-up’s school will receive, in the winner’s name, a $2,500 donation from DonorNation. Additionally, the winner will receive $100 per week for 26 weeks from Sprouts Farmers Market. The Second Runner-up’s school will receive, in the winner’s name, a $1,500 donation from DonorNation. Additionally, the winner will receive from $100 per week in groceries for 13 weeks Sprouts Farmers Market.

After the public voting phase ends, a Selection Committee consisting of prominent San Diego residents, will review the field of submissions and identify a Grand Prize Winner, First Runner-up and Second Runner-up. We will be announcing the names of the Selection Committee later this month.

Good luck to all the volunteers and schools!

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Juarez Elementary parent shares fingerpainting techniques

Juarez parent Dr. Pinkie Feinstein brought his "intuitive painting" process to school, helping kids work through issues with artistic expression.

New to San Diego, Dr. Feinstein, father of three Juarez students, demonstrated the process that, while fun and relaxing, helps relieve stress and helps kids focus.

"Putting pastels to paper and listening to upbeat music, participants create beautiful and colorful renderings," said Principal Marceline Marques. "Intuitive painting is widely utilized in schools in Israel, where the family is from."

The activity is helpful to all students, especially those with ADHD and emotional challenges. Participants are given paper and pastels and only instructed to "cover the entire paper with color."

"It fits in with both behavior support/emotional regulation and the school wide art program," she said.

A grade 5 teacher, Michael Wilson, invited Dr. Feinstein to run a workshop in his classroom.

"The students thoroughly enjoyed the art aspect while processing emotions and developing right brain function," said Marques.

Dr. Feinstein is a psychiatrist with his degree from the University of Tel Aviv. He has authored several books on topics such as child rearing, dealing with anxiety, ADHD, and his IP methods. For more information contact Principal Marceline Marques at mmarques@sandi.net, or (858) 496-8145.

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A man of many words teaches more than just vocabulary at Ocean Beach Elementary

IN THE NEWS: Each month, Ocean Beach Elementary School students in Cyndie Volpone’s combined third- and fourth-grade class look forward to a visit by the “The Word Man,” Jim Crakes, who livens up the classroom with his fun word games and puzzles, enlightening youngsters with educational tidbits about cultures around the globe and tales about his own fascinating personal history as an avid traveler, Olympic athlete and lifelong educator.  Read more.

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‘Read Across America’ continues tradition of honoring Dr. Seuss

Supt. Bill Kowba with Chief of Staff Bernie Rhinerson
at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary.

Elementary and K-8 schools across San Diego Unified School District celebrated Read Across America Day last week, honoring the birthday of San Diegan Theodore Geisel – better known as Dr. Seuss – by inviting volunteers, neighbors and local celebrities to read The Cat in the Hat and other Seuss classics to elementary children.

Readers ranged from San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, Board of Education members and district senior staff to members of Engine 18 at the San Diego Fire Department.

At Carver Elementary School in City Heights, Mayor Filner joined the firefighters. Filner, a former San Diego Unified Board of Education member, read his favorite Dr. Seuss book, Thidwick The Big Hearted Moose.

Carver’s student celebrated the week by studying words to describe character’s emotions. In addition they acted out two Seuss classics, The Sneetches and Hooray for Diffendoofer Day, followed by a schoolwide parade where students marched as storybook characters.

Bayview Terrace, Carson, Encanto Academy, Garfield, Hardy, Kimbrough, and Lindbergh Schweitzer were among the other schools with Read Across America celebrations.

At Lindbergh Schweitzer, Supt. Bill Kowba and Chief of Staff Bernie Rhinerson were guest readers. The students presented Kowba with a retirement cake (Kowba retires June 30).

Encanto Elementary School welcomed its community partner, the US Navy Meteorological Command, and other friends of the school for a day of reading.

In its 16th year, Read Across America Day is the nation’s largest reading celebration. More than 45 million people around the country participate annually to highlight the importance of developing a love for reading at an early age. The event is sponsored by the National Education Association with support from more than 50 national nonprofit and association partners. Locally, everyone-from schools to libraries to community centers to churches to hospitals to bookstores-is invited to host local events to celebrate and promote children's reading. 

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Lindbergh Schweitzer Parent Honored by Islamic Center

Lallia Allai

Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School parent and family advocate Lallia Allali has been honored for her "interfaith leadership in the community" and "her efforts to be the voice of working families in supporting and improving public education in San Diego" by The Islamic Center of San Diego 2012 Voices for Justice Celebration.

Also serving the community as a member of the ELAC Advisory Committee and District ELAC Advisory Committee member, this tireless mom of four also helped establish the Girl Scouts of Islamic Faith in San Diego in 2004, whose troop has been very active in organizing religious, cultural, and interfaith events to celebrate diversity.

The San Diego Unified School District formally recognized by proclamation the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego County (ICWJ) and its ninth Annual Voices for Justice Breakfast on December 4.

"On behalf of the staff and the PTA at Lindbergh Schweitzer, we sincerely thank Lallia for all her efforts on behalf of our students and families, and congratulate her on this most deserved honor," said Principal Deanne Rohde.


For additional information contact Media Production Assistant Julie Harris at jharris2@sandi.net or 858-496-8400.

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Correia Middle 'Artist in Residency' Makes Sweet Music

Trumpeter Derek Cannon works
with the Correia students
in the school's auditorium.

Students in Correia Middle School's Jazz Band were fortunate to benefit from the "Artist in Residency" program which brought professional trumpeter and educator Derek Cannon to the school in November.

The Correia students, in grades 8 and 9, worked with Cannon before performing for Correia students and parents. The highlight was a public performance at Sufi restaurant in Clairemont where Cannon, Glen Fisher and other professional musicians joined the young players.

"They are sponges, just absorbing everything," said Cannon, who is on the faculty of both San Diego State University and Grossmont College. “Having a music program like this is invaluable for the students and rare for a middle school. (These students are) getting a strong foundation in music early on that college students often lack and find themselves working to catch up later."

 

The Correia Instrumental Music Association and Glen Fisher's First Friday Music Club partner to raise funds to bring professional local musicians to the Point Loma school. Correia's band director, Marc Dwyer, collaborates with Fisher collaborate to choose musicians and organize the workshops and performances. Delfeayo Marsalis, Bill Watrous and the Dallas Brass are among the list of musicians the “Artist in Residency” program has brought to Correia in recent years.

At San Diego State and Grossmont College, Cannon teaches Music Theory, Jazz Improvisation, Elements of Jazz, and he is the founder/director of the Afro-Cuban Ensemble at Grossmont College. He has performed with musical greats including Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, Clark Terry and The Temptations and at The Montreaux Jazz Festival in the Switzerland, The Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, and the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada.

"We learned to listen to each other better when we play," said Andrew Johnson, grade 7, in what they felt was a pretty cool experience.

For more information on the program, contact Christina Gilmore of the Correia Instrumental Music Association at christina92107@gmail.com.

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