The Aerie

Please visit our school website and view our new literary magazine, The Aerie. This magazine was created by and for students! The Aerie features stories, poems, artwork, and other works of literature.

Visit our school website and download your copy today! www.bit.ly/VictoriaEagles - click on Quick Link "The Aerie"

Happy Reading!

READ! READ! READ!

March kicks off Victoria's Pleasure Reading month! Students are challenged to complete several tasks this month that are tied to reading. Students completing the challenges will earn prizes!

• Week 1: Students are challenged to read an additional 30 minutes at least 4 nights this week. All those successfully completing this task will earn an extra 10 minutes of recess

• Week 2: Students are challenged to write a creative story. By doing this, they can earn a "game day" during their lunch period.

• Week 3: This may prove to be the most difficult challenge for some! Student are challenged to turn off the T.V. and video games for at least 4 days this week. This will earn students a picnic lunch on the lawn and Popsicle.

• Successfully completing all 3 weeks' challenges will earn the student a free book!

• Also, if a student goes to the public library any time during Pleasure Reading Month and has their card stamped will receive a piece of candy.

Pictured above are 5 students who have read over 1 million words with our Accelerated Reader Program this year!

Gong Hey Fat Choy

Gong Hey Fat Choy or Happy Chinese New Year!!

As part of their social studies curriculum, our sixth grade students study Ancient China. They learn about Chinese dynasties, Confucius, the Great Wall, the Silk Road, and Emperor Qin's terracotta army. Additionally, the students learn about the daily lives and cultural of the Ancient Chinese - including celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Each year, Victoria's sixth grade students celebrate the Chinese New Year with a Chinese feast and a parade. They work in small groups to design brightly colored dragons for the Dragon Parade they put on for the rest of the student body. The students get very creative with materials and features - from fire-blowing dragons to those covered with paper plate scales and crepe paper streamers.

Students in other classes join in the celebration by making dragon masks or puppets of their own.

The dragon parade this year was absolutely fabulous!

Delightful Father/Daughter Dance

Last Friday night, Victoria's PTA sponsored a very special Father/Daughter Dance.

The girls wore pretty dresses and looked like little princesses, while their dads/escorts looked handsome to escort their special dates. With over 120 fathers and daughters in attendance, they "rocked the night away" at the Freddie Finn Dance Studio in Riverside.Daughters wrapped their dads around their cute little fingers as they learned a dance routine to the song "I Don't Need Anything But You" from Annie.

Other dances included the "Chicken Dance", "Macarana", "Conga Line", "YMCA", as well as popular current hits.
The dance studio was decorated beautifully for the ball with pink puffy bows, pink organza fabric drape all around, and white fairy lights everywhere. The PTA served fancy refreshments (all the girls' favorites, including rice crispy treats dipped in chocolate, goldfish, pretzels, and valentine candy) and pink lemonade and punch to whet their whistles - served in fancy champagne glasses.

Each couple left with a professional photograph (like that from a prom) in a hand-painted pink picture frame.

It was an enchantening evening and has left me smiling all weekend!

Victoria's 6th Graders Mummify Chickens!

The sixth grade curriculum includes the study of ancient civilizations. Victoria’s sixth grade teachers like to include projects/assignments that not only help students master learning objectives, but also make the content memorable. The following is one such example!

The Ancient Egyptians were famous for their embalming methods and mummification – that is, the treatment and preservation of bodies. Our sixth grade students worked in small groups to mummify chickens using similar methods of the Ancient Egyptians.

1. They bought fresh chickens from the grocery store and removed the innards. The chickens were then thoroughly washed and dried.
2. Next, students covered the chickens with a mixture of salt and baking soda and placed them in a large zip lock bag. This mixture was changed daily for the first few days, then every two or three days after that, and then weekly.
3. After about 45 days, the chickens can be removed from their bags. They will be washed and dried again, rubbed with oil and sprinkled with spices, such as rosemary. They will then be wrapped with strips of cloth and coated with lacquer.
4. To complete the process, students will decorate a 'sarcophagus' (or coffin) and a ‘cartouche’ (name plate) for their mummified chicken.

Thank you to our Victoria teachers for helping to make learning fun!

'Tis the Season for Giving

It's that time of year. The chill in the air brings out the carolers and mailboxes full of cards. It is during this time of year that many initiate acts of kindness towards others. The students at Victoria are no exception.

The weeks between Thanksgiving and winter breaks students joined the A.O.K. Club (Acts of Kindness) by contributing to our Annual Coin Harvest. The A.O.K. Club collected approximately $550 that was cashed in for gift cards to Stater Bros. Supermarket and Target Department Stores. These gift cards were distributed amongst six Victoria families.

Victoria School was also the recipient of a very generous donation from the grandparents of one of our students. The school leadership team (made up of staff) will assist me in determining how best to use this donation. We are very fortunate to have such tremendous support from our Victoria Family.

Fa La La La La

I just love this time of year... the sounds of laughter, the smell of homemade goodies, the sight of excited little kids!

Today, Victoria's S.O.A.R. Glee and Drama Clubs performed their programs in front of the student body and will put on an additional show tonight for their parents, family members, and friends.

The Glee Club performed "Crazy Carols" - songs and poetry about school children getting ready for the holidays (above).

The Drama Club performed the show "The Holiday Show" about animals who are learning about various holidays that occur this time of year (see photo below).Thank you to Mrs. Read, Mr. and Mrs. Russell, and Liz Russell (and friends) for offering your time and talents to provide these enriching experiences for the students at Victoria!

Victoria BELIEVES in Reading!

This year the Victoria Elementary School and PTA has joined with the Riverside County Regional Medical Center in participating in the “Festival of Trees...for the love of a child!”

We are excited to join other schools, groups, and companies in donating a decorated tree to this wonderful community event! The Festival of Trees has become a special Inland Empire holiday tradition and is scheduled over five days during the Thanksgiving week - November 24-28 at the Riverside Convention Center. Proceeds from the event enable the Foundation of Riverside County Regional Medical Center to purchase equipment, especially for the units that serve children.

Bring your family to come see our tree at this free community event. You will find Victoria’s tree in the Elves Forest. The theme of our tree is “Victoria School BELIEVES in Reading!” Dr. Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is favorite children's book this time of year. Do you see the Grinch trying to steal our tree? Students added handmade ornaments resembling “mini-book” versions of their other favorite stories. This was not only a wonderful opportunity for our students to contribute to the Riverside Community and help others, but also emphasizes that we know reading is important.

The Press Enterprise states:

The festival also will offer live entertainment, crafts and games for children, baked items and crafts for sale, and visits with Santa Claus.

This is a great place to have your picture taken with Santa ... no lines," Vaughan said.

There also will be special events like a story time with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday and a scavenger hunt during Family Day on Nov. 27.

"It is a great family event. There is always something to see," said Jeri Vaughan, foundation executive director.

Festival of Trees

What: Tree display and fundraiser for Riverside County Regional Medical Center children's units

When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 24, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 28

Where: Riverside Convention Center, 3443 Orange St., Riverside

Admission: Free

Information: 951-486-5520 or rcrmcfoundation.org

Victoria Honors RPD Officers

Last week students were off school in honor of Veterans' Day. We explained to students that Veterans' Day is not just a holiday when we don't have school, but is rather a day when we honor the men and women who have served to protect our country.

Today, students had the opportunity to honor Officer Bonaminio, who was not only a veteran, but also worked to serve our community. The procession of officers escorting the body of slain Riverside Police Officer Ryan Bonaminio passed by our school this morning. Students lined our fence on Arlington Ave. to show their respects to him and to the other men and women who work to keep our city safe. Many students put their hands over their hearts or saluted the officers as they drove past Victoria on their way to the funeral ceremony. Other students held a brightly-colored banner, decorated with handprints and hearts, stating, "Thank you RPD for keeping our city safe."

We hope that Officer Bonaminio's family, friends, and colleagues may find comfort at this time and know that they have tremendous adoration and support from their community - including the children at Victoria School.

It's Halloween Time!

Today was our annual Halloween Parade. Students look forward to this event the whole month of October. It is so much fun to see the kids' customes and feel the excitement of the students in the air.

This year our kindergarteners were able to join the rest of the student body, as they are now attending school for the full day. It was great for them to interact with all of the BIG kids.

We saw some very creative costumes!

And what would a parade be without a band? Thank you to Mr. Calavan and our Advanced Band students for the music!

Following our parade, many classes had a party... with lots of candy, cupcakes, and other treats... and then the school staff played a little trick and sent the students home to their poor parents!

Happy Halloween to all! Have fun and be safe!