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James Madison Elementary School

James Madison Elementary School

Attitude, Skills, Knowledge
January 16, 2024 Madison School Community Bulletin
64 RSVPs
9/96 Items
8/41 Sign Ups
Paulette Smith Monday, Jan 15 at 10:33 AM James Madison Elementary School

James Madison Community Communications

Greetings Madison Families,

While January is a shortened month, we have many great things happening at Madison! Parents are invited and urged to attend multiple events to share your feedback, add your input, and solve school wide issues to ensure Madison is on track to meet the needs of our students!  

This month our school has been invited to apply for the California Community Schools Partnership Program Grant, this grant would allocate over a million dollars to our school over a 5 year period. In 2021, the California legislature passed the California Community Schools Partnership Act. The legislature expanded the program by adding funds and extending program to 2031.  We are excited to be able to apply for this opportunity to bring more community based partnerships, programs, and services to Madison.  

We need your help! Your voice and partnership is critical to ensuring our site is granted with the funding.  

Please save the date and plan to attend either virtually or in person on one or more of the following dates: 
  • Jan 23 Important Madison Annual LCAP/Community Schools Input Meeting 6:00 PM Virtual and In person
  • Jan 24 Madison Community School Listening Session 3:30 PM in person and virtual
Additionally, Measure J is a School Improvement Bond coming up on the San Leandro March 05 ballot! Highlights: New playground and matting, renovate our turf field, roof replacement, school security, and updated technology!

PeaceMakers is a Soul Shoppe program promoting excellent and high standards for how students navigate conflict, disagreements, friendships, and sense of belonging!  We have 35 PeaceMakers in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades who are training with Principal Smith and VP Hill to go out and promote a pathway to peace at recess and in class.  My favorite quote, "Madison is a "chill" school." Many students in the program commented that they feel included, cared for, and valued at school. With that being said, our students named concerns with navigating students who become frustrated, angry or sad sometimes.  They really want to help their peers!
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Upcoming Events and Special Program Dates for January 2024:
Jan 15 MLK Jr. Day No School, a day of service
Jan 16 ELAC 4:30 PM; SSC 5:30 PM
Jan 17 TK/K School Tour for prospective families 8:30 AM
Jan 17 DELAC 6:00 PM BLC for DELAC Parent Representatives
Jan 19 TK/K School Tour for prospective families 8:30 AM
Jan 23 Important Madison Annual LCAP/Community Schools Input Meeting 6:00 PM Virtual and In person
Jan 24 TK/K School Tour 8:30 AM
Jan 24 Madison Community School Listening Session 3:30 PM in person and virtual
Jan 24 Students promoting to Middle School or high School Parent Night Event
Jan 24 Cub Scouts at Madison 6:30 PM
Jan 26 Madison's Annual Lunar New Year Performance/Dinner 6:00 PM
Jan 30 Bike Mobile Bike Repair (No Cost) Bring in your bikes for repair 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Jan 30 SLUSD Celebrating Schools Board Meeting at SLHS Performance Arts: Madison is presenting!


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Free Bike Repair Day
 Jan. 30th 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM 
Space is limited. First come, first serve.
Bike repair and education!
We can fix most broken parts: flat tires, brakes, shifters!  (Bring your bikes to school and head over to the clinic after school.)

Lunar New Year Festival 2024 Year of the Dragon

We are kicking off the Lunar New Year a couple of weeks early to ensure that we have access to the Lion Dancers and Dance performers!  We are thrilled to welcome back Katherine's Dance Troop, Cyrus' Family's Lion Dancers, Ms. Wei's Dance Troop, and Norman's Lion Dance ME!

We need our community to assist us with pulling this amazing tradition off!  
  • Class Baskets are launching this week.  Check with your teacher to learn what the theme is going to be and how you can help with the basket.  We are selling raffle tickets in the front office!
  • We are asking for donations to help pay for decorations, the Lion Dancers, and some of the food.  Tickets are sliding scale $5.00 - 20.00.  Pay what you can. It helps us to know how many guests will attend, if you purchase your tickets in advance.  See Ms. Dennesie for your tickets.
  • We will have stations again for students to learn more about the cultures and traditions of the Lunar New Year Community.  If you can assist with a station, please let Bernice or Alejandra know.  Last year we had calligraphy, green tea, arts and crafts, Chinese lanterns, and we would love to do more! 



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Who doesn't love a warm vibrant school blankey?

Our order came in last week and we have blankets for all who want one.  Stop by the office and buy yours this week.  Cash or check only.  The blankets come in two sizes small $25.00 or large $35.00.  Everyone who pre-purchased theirs in December should have received theirs on Friday!  I love my blanket and I know this will become your favorite blanket too!  

Thanks for supporting our 5th graders!
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TK harvested their first ever Romanesco veggie!
The Romanesco cauliflower, one of the strangest looking vegetables because of its fractal florets, owes its unique shape to the fact that it forms from failed flowers.
Like regular cauliflowers, Romanescos are a product of selective breeding of the plant Brassica oleracea, from which several other common vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and kale also originate.
François Parcy at the French National Centre for Scientific Research and his colleagues have figured out that cauliflowers, including Romanesco, gain their shape because they start off as flower buds that fail to become flowers. These buds become shoots that make new flowers which also fail – and the process is repeated again and again in a sort of chain reaction.
We are asking for families to help with some food donations, decorations, and student stations! Drop food off the day of the event around in the office.
Friday, Jan 26
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Lunar New Year Event Volunteers Needed
Friday, Jan 26
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