Dear Parents,
Welcome and welcome back to Central School! I hope all of you have had a happy, healthy and restful summer break. Getting ready for the first day of school is an exciting time. Although we’ve been busy preparing, the school does not live and breathe until your bright eyed students step on site to join us. We are all looking forward to the start of another successful school year.
You will find Central to be a warm, child-centered school focusing on academic excellence and a strong sense of community. We promote a safe and welcoming environment in which each person is valued, cared for and respected. There are many opportunities for parents to be involved, and we hope that you will join us as partners in ensuring that each child reaches his/her full potential.
Staff News:
We are delighted to introduce six new teachers to our staff for the 08-09 school year and several exciting changes in classroom assignments of our current staff.
Genevieve Trudell will join our first grade team. Ms. Trudell has 14 years of teaching experience in California and has just completed an international teaching assignment at the Department of Defense School at NATO Headquarters in Belgium. She is assuming Janet Young’s position. Ms. Young will be moving back to fifth grade at Central, the grade she formerly taught. Kerry Schroeder will also be moving grade levels. She will teach first grade this year, as last year’s large kindergarten class moves on.
Elaine Wibby will be job sharing in second grade with Lisa Azzopardi. Ms. Wibby has 15 years teaching experience and comes to us from southern California. She will assume Laura Seawell’s position. Mrs. Seawell will move to a full time second grade class at Central this fall.
Claire Brown will be teaching a new fourth grade, as our population continues to expand. Mrs. Brown is a former student teacher at Central and comes to us from Fox Elementary School, where she has taught for the past five years.
Janet Mastalir will teach our 4/5 Science program. Janet is known throughout our school community as a dedicated parent volunteer. She also has taught thirteen years in Burlingame School District before starting her family. While in Burlingame, Janet helped write and refine the Science Standards for their district.
Patricia Gomez is our new Speech teacher. She recently received her M.S. in Speech and Language from San Francisco State University and highest academic honors in her Masters.
Alice Gruber is our temporary music teacher, while Owen Bruce is on leave for medical reasons. Ms. Gruber has taught music in the Los Altos School District and Milpitas Unified for more than 12 years.
Please join me in welcoming all of the wonderful new staff members to our Central family!
Site Improvements:
Over the summer, our school has undergone some terrific new improvements.
Our school exterior repainted.
Benches in the amphitheatre replaced and/or repainted.
New paper towel dispensers installed throughout the school.
Lunch tables repainted.
New bushes and flowers planted in the large concrete pots in Dolphin Park and the front of the school, courtesy of PTA.
A water system for potted plants installed, courtesy of PTA.
National Blue Ribbon mural painted on the front of the school, courtesy of PTA.
In Other News:
The STAR (SAT 9) test scores for Belmont-Redwood Shores school district arrived over the summer. We are proud of our continued improvement. If you wish to see Central’s overall test scores, you can go to the following: star.cde.ca.gov/star2008/viewreport.asp.
Please plan to join us at Back to School Night on Thursday, September 25 at 7:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher and hear how you can provide ongoing support with the learning process. We look forward to seeing you at the all-important initial meeting in the Multi-Use room at 7:00, followed by the classroom meeting with your child’s teacher.
I am anxious to catch up with all returning parents and to meet all new members of our Central family. Please drop in when you can, if only to say hello. On behalf of the Central staff we welcome you back and anticipate a terrific year ahead.
Warmest regards,
Cori McKenzie
Central Students Help Set New World Record
(Dec. 2006) Do you ever look at your toenails and wonder how much longer you'd have to put off clipping them before you'd be a world record holder? Fortunately, for a group of Central students, there was a better way to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Read the article from the Daily Journal to see how they did it.
Central School One of 35 California School Nominees for National Honor
State Superintendent Jack O'Connell,
Central Principal Cori McKenzie,
District Superintendent Dr. Emerita Orta-Camilleri
(Dec. 2006) The most important thing is that your kids know that they are going to a great school. But it sure is nice when others take notice as well. On Friday, December 1st, California State Superintendent of Public Schools Jack O'Connell was on hand to congratulate Central on its latest accolade that came in the form of a nomination for the Blue Ribbon School award. The Blue Ribbon School award is a national honor that "celebrates many of America's most successful schools. Its goal is to promote and support the improvement of education in America."
To find out more about this award, visit the California Department of Education website.
Central School Makes the 2006 Honor Roll of the California Business for Education Excellence and Just for the Kids-California (CBEE/JFTK-CA) foundation.
(Oct. 2006) Congratulations Central School! On October 11th we received notice that Central School was one of 304 California schools that were named to the 2006 Honor Roll (and one of 204 schools listed as a Scholar School) by the CBEE/JTKA-CA foundation. The Honor Roll award is given by the business community to the highest performing public schools that are consistently raising academic achievement and closing achievement gaps for all students. The Scholar School designation further distinguishes Honor Roll schools that are consistent high academic achievers and are on track to have all of their students reach 100% grade level proficiency in just a few short years.
To find out more about this award, visit the CBEE Foundation website.
We're Feeling Mighty Distinguished Around Here
(Apr. 2006) On April 24th we received a call from State Superintendent of Schools, Jack O'Connell announcing that Central Elementary School has been selected as a California Distinguished School for 2006!
(May 16, 2005) From the website of VeAhavta, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for those in need...
Central Elementary School, Belmont California, Raises $1,993.46 for Tsunami Relief
Once again, the faith of children inspires hope...
We are pleased to announce that Central Elementary School, of Belmont California, has raised and donated $1,993.46 for VeAhavta's tsunami relief programs.
Our special thanks to the students, teachers and staff of Central Elementary School for their kindness and generosity toward our neighbors in Sri Lanka! Great job everyone!
(May 2004) From the U.S. EPA website...
Bay Area elementary school gets EPA award for environmental innovation
Release date: 5/10/2004
Contact Information: Laura Gentile, 415/947-4227 (desk), 415/760-9161 (cell), gentile.laura@epa.gov, Principal Cori McKenzie, Central Elementary School, 650/637-4820
Belmont School is one of ten winners nationwide to receive prestigious award
SAN FRANCISCO -- Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented one of ten national President's Environmental Youth awards to the Central Elementary School in Belmont, CA for its extensive recycling and environmental education campaign that led to the first playground made completely from recycled materials.
"This is an opportunity to celebrate the collective efforts of our parents, staff and students," said Cori McKenzie, the principal of Central Elementary School. "Through this effort, our students have gained a true appreciation for the importance of our precious land, water and air resources. The wise use of our earth is a good value for children to learn."
"These students are to be applauded for their commitment to making the environment in their communities better," said EPA Acting Deputy Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, who, along with President Bush, acknowledged the students. "Due to their creative work, the environment and communities across the country will benefit for years to come."
Last year, the school started a program called "Getting Green and Central," which was an outgrowth of the school's lunchtime recycling program. The students collected more than one ton of aluminum cans, which helped fund the building of the new playground.
Last month, the school was honored along with the other nine award winners from across the country at a White House ceremony. Each student or school receiving an award developed an innovative project that promotes awareness and encourages people of all ages to protect their environment to community involvement.
The PEYA awards have been presented annually since 1971 to honor K-12 schools, as well as individual students in kindergarten through 12th grade who develop projects that help protect local environments and promote local and environmental awareness in their communities.
More information on the PEYA program, as well as a listing of the 2003 award winners and their project descriptions, is available at: http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/awards.html
