Welcome Back Staff

Victoria Staff returned to work on Thursday, August 20th. The teachers attended meetings on Thursday. As a staff, we adopted the theme of BELIEVE for the 2009-10 school year (see posting below). We BELIEVE that by working together we will increase student achievement.

Our FABULOUS PTA prepared a luncheon for the entire staff on Friday. They joined in our theme, asking us: "Do you BELIEVE in magic? Do you BELIEVE in miracles? If so, join your fellow Victoria Staff Members for a magical, miraculous luncheon buffet."

The yummy menu included a variety of salads, sandwiches, chips, fruit and vegetable trays, and of course wonderful desserts!

Mrs. Racobs organized this enjoyable event. For our entertainment, she led the staff in a musical contest. She played various songs that contained the word "believe" in it.

Staff members had to guess the title of the song and the artist of the song. Prizes were awarded to winners.

Thank you to Victoria's 2009-10 PTA Board and Committee Members for giving us, not only a wonderful lunch, but also a heartfelt welcome back!

PTA - We BELIEVE in you, too!

Victoria Staff BELIEVES

Victoria Staff BELIEVES...

in our students...in our colleagues...in ourselves

We BELIEVE every child has value. All students have strengths.

We BELIEVE every student can rise to teachers' expectations. Setting high expectations provides students opportunities for growth and achievement.

We BELIEVE children need to have self esteem. We can influence that.

We BELIEVE we are a collaborative team. Our learning community is responsible for everyone.

WE BELIEVE children deserve a safe, caring, positive, enriching learning environment. Everyone should be treated with respect.

ELD Summer Academy - Session 2

Mr. Kaufhold and sixteen EL students met each day last week at the Casa Blanca Branch Library for our second session of our Summer ELD Academy.

I am very proud of these students for coming everyday to learn with Mr. Kaufhold!

Thanks again to Mr. Kaufhold and all the students who participated in either session. I can tell that you are serious about learning!

Summer ELD Academy

Mr. Kaufhold worked with eleven fifth and sixth grader this week for our first session of Victoria's ELD Academy. Students attended school each morning for a week to brush up on their English skills. They participated in activities to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English. These students also completed the California English Language Development Test (CELDT).

The CELDT is given to newly enrolled students whose primary language is not English and to English learners as an annual assessment. The CELDT has three purposes: (1) to identify students who are limited English proficient; (2) to determine the level of English language proficiency of students who are limited English proficient; and (3) to assess the progress of limited English proficient students in acquiring the skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing in English.

To learn more about the CELDT program, please see the CDE's Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/el/.

Victoria's second session will be held next week at Casa Blanc Library. Sixteen students are registered to attend.

Thank you to Mr. Kaufhold, Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Gonzales, and all the students for participating in our Summer ELD Academy.