STEM Expo and Invention Convention: Wednesday, January 25 in MPR

Dear Moms and Dads:

Thank you for encouraging your child to put together a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) project and/or create an invention for our STEM Expo and Invention Convention at Davis Magnet School on January 25 in the MPR in conjunction with Curriculum Day!

Our next STEM Expo and Invention Convention is Wednesday, June 6, 2012 in the MPR in conjunction with Open House. You and your child can start thinking about -- and start working on -- your child's next optional project.

This is an opportunity for your child to really explore something that they are personally very interested in. Please encourage your child to participate.

STEM Expo projects and Inventions are done completely outside of school -- plus it's A-OK for moms and dads or other experts to help your child. The bottom line is that it's all about the learning that goes on while doing a STEM Expo project or coming up with a new invention. Other students and parents will learn from the STEM Expo projects and Inventions, too!

This is a chance for your child to be super-creative and really dive into something he or she is personally very, very interested in.

I look forward to seeing all of the cool and creative STEM Expo projects and Inventions at our next STEM Expo and Invention Convention in the MPR on Wednesday, June 6, 2012.

Open House: Wednesday, June 6
STEM Expo and Invention Convention

Moms and Dads: Please make plans on both your work and family calendars to join us at Davis Magnet School for Open House -- Wednesday, June 6, 2012 -- a celebration of our learning science, math, and technology.

All of our Davis Magnet School grade 6 students participated in this phenomenal hands-on/minds-on learning about the history of the Ancient World -- a key part of the grade 6 social studies curriculum.

Our Grade 6 students will build a giant Great Pyramid and have it on display in the MPR this Wednesday for Curriculum Day along with all of our STEM Expo and Invention Convention projects.

You are invited to come visit our Davis Magnet School MPR between 8:15 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. this Wednesday, January 25, and marvel at the Great Pyramid plus all of our super-cool STEM Expo and Invention Convention projects on display!

Our Davis Magnet School students are amazing!

All of our Davis Magnet School grade 5 students participated in this phenomenal hands-on/minds-on learning about the American Revolution and the foundations of our great republic -- a key part of the grade 5 social studies curriculum.

Of all of the people who have ever lived on planet Earth -- throughout all of recorded history, past to present -- we are so fortunate to be living here today in the United States of America!

All of our Davis Magnet School grade 4 students participated in this phenomenal hands-on/minds-on learning about our great state of California -- a key part of the grade 4 social studies curriculum.

What a great time everyone had at our Davis Magnet School PTA Family Ice Skating Night at The Rinks -- Westminster ICE!

Our NEXT PTA Family Ice Skating Night is Friday, May 4, from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m.

Admission is $8.00 per person and that includes ice skate rental.

The Rinks -- Westminster ICE
13071 Springdale
Westminster, CA 92683

714.248.9611

We hope that you can join us for our NEXT PTA Family Ice Skating Night. It will be a ton of fun!

Hope to see you there!

On Sunday, January 8, six of our Davis Magnet School Choir Students, led by Music Specialist Mr. Shiskovsky, sang the National Anthem at the Anaheim Ducks hockey game in front of over 13,000 people! The NHL game was broadcast live on TV and radio, too.

Choir members singing the Star Spangled Banner, representing our Davis Magnet School:

• Kaiya Bertrand
• Kari Beth Bradford
• Jaycen Cash
• Alyssa Mathieson
• Brendan Picquelle
• Mikayla Schwalbe

If logistics had permitted, we would have invited the entire Davis Magnet School Choir to sing. However, the carpet they pull out onto the ice only fits a maximum of six students. Our six singers auditioned for their opportunity. Talk about an opportunity of a lifetime!

At the game, the Anaheim Ducks were recognizing and celebrating their grade 4 P.E. street hockey program with the various schools they are involved with, including Davis Magnet School.

In addition, Davis Magnet School grade 5 student and ice hockey player, Adam Campbell, suited-up and skated out and stood between Anaheim Ducks players Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan at the blue line for the National Anthem. Talk about an opportunity of a lifetime!

Yours truly was interviewed on TV at the second intermission (between the second and third period of the game) right outside of the Anaheim Ducks locker room regarding the grade 4 P.E. street hockey program that the Anaheim Ducks offer to schools.

Reminder: Our Davis Magnet School PTA Family Fun Night is Friday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. at Honda Center.
Tickets are $14.00 each (at cost, this is NOT a fundraiser). See Mary or Cathie in the front office to sign-up.
The Anaheim Ducks continue to do all sorts of great things for our wonderful school.
They will have some fun things lined-up especially for our school on February 3.
I hope you and your family and friends will make plans to join us on Friday, February 3 to see the Ducks game!
Anaheim Ducks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets.

Thanks, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School.
GO DUCKS!

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

Mr. S. and six members our of Davis Magnet School Choir on the ice singing the Star Spangled Banner at Honda Center before the Anaheim Ducks NHL hockey game.

Near the Zamboni entrance to the ice, getting ready to perform the National Anthem for over 13,000 people plus the TV and radio audience.

Moms and Dads,

I encourage you to log-on and have your child read every day on the Lexia reading web site available to you by way of Davis Magnet School and NMUSD.

Lexia is especially good for our younger students. It's fun. It's interactive. And -- best of all -- it helps your child to increase his/her reading ability and reading comprehension!

Go to: https://www.mylexia.com

When logging on, here is the customer code that is asked for: 5652-0884-1464-5064

A PDF with instructions on how to gain access to Lexia from home -- or anywhere in the world away from Davis Magnet School was sent home via SchoolLoop email and posted on our school news at the bottom of our Davis Magnet School homepage.

Thank you in advance for encouraging your child to use Lexia at home every day from now on!

Your child should "play" (learn) on Lexia for 15 minutes every day.

Your child's reading ability and reading comprehension will benefit as a result.

Increased reading ability is the best gift you -- and we -- can give to your child!

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

Moms and Dads,

You and your family are invited to join us for Davis Magnet School Night at the Anaheim Ducks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets NHL hockey game on Friday, February 3, 2012. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Honda Center in Anaheim.

Last year, over 200 students, friends, and family members attended our Davis Magnet School Night at an Anaheim Ducks hockey game!

Ice hockey is the world's fastest and most exciting team sport! If you have never seen an NHL game in person, I strongly encourage you to do so. For hockey fans like me, it's always fun watching the game with our school group!

Tickets are available at our group cost -- this is NOT a fundraiser -- this is an opportunity to have FUN at Davis Magnet School Night with the Anaheim Ducks at the lowest possible cost with all of our Davis Magnet School friends and families!

Tickets are $14.00 each and are available in the school office. Make your check payable to Davis PTA. Send your ticket order and check to your child's classroom teacher or see Cathie or Mary in the front office at school.

Hope to see you at the game!

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

Amuseum After School Academy Classes

Davis Magnet School

Classes began the week of January 9, 2012 and conclude by February 10

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Moms and Dads,

Our next session of Academic Chess began on Friday, January 6, 2012 for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. You may go online to register your child for this eight-week course at: www.academicchess.com

Academic Chess
Fridays, January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 17, and March 2
3:05 to 4:05 p.m.

Foreign language is the newest addition to our fee-based After School Academy classes at Davis Magnet School!

Sign-up forms went home in Thursday's folders with all students -- extra sign-up forms are available in the front office.

Get your forms turned in right away. These classes are sure to fill-up fast!

• Introduction to Mandarin, Kindergarten through Grade 2: Starts this Wednesday, January 25

• Introduction to Mandarin, Grades 3-4-5-6: Starts this Wednesday, January 25

• Introduction to Spanish, Kindergarten through Grade 2: Starts Tuesday, February 28

• Introduction to Spanish, Grade 3-4-5-6: Starts Thursday, March 1

Moms and Dads,

AFTER SCHOOL LEGO CLUB

Our After School LEGO Club will be coming to Davis Magnet School in late January 2012 and will run through June.

Fee-based after school LEGO Club is offered to students in Kindergarten through Grade 6.

LEGO Club is very popular at Davis Magnet School. Based on the number of students registered last year, LEGO Club was offered every-other-week to students: Kindergarten = Mondays; Grade 1 = Tuesdays; Grade 2 = Thursdays; Grade 3 = Fridays.

LEGO Club days -- for this school year -- will be determined later in January 2012, as application forms are received and numbers are finalized across the various grade levels.

Details will be posted here just as soon as arrangements are finalized.

AFTER SCHOOL LEGO ROBOTICS

Boys and girls -- currently in grades 4-5-6 -- who are interested in possibly being a member of our Davis Magnet School LEGO Robotics Teams are strongly encouraged to sign-up for After School LEGO Robotics. More details on LEGO Robotics coming soon.

Details will be posted here just as soon as arrangements are finalized.

For the second year in a row, two LEGO Robotics Teams from Davis Magnet School competed at LEGOLAND. Coached by 4th grade teacher, Miss Lopez and 5th grade teacher, Mr. Hurley, our LEGO Robotics Team members are in the photo above, they include: Matthew Ayuyao, Kathrine Fernandez, Corbin Fisher, Halyard Freyder, Matt Heeley, Holden Hodges, Makoto Kenney, JJ McIntyre, AJ McLean, Andy Myers, Alyssa Secrest, Seth Thomson, Tre Villalpando, and Alessia Vitiello.

First LEGO League

2011 Food Factor Challenge: Keeping Food Safe

CORE VALUES

The FLL Core Values are the fundamental elements that distinguish FLL from other programs of its kind. Participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.

ROBOT GAME

Teams build and program an autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS technology to score points in 2.5-minute matches on a themed playing field.

PROJECT

Teams explore an actual problem that today's scientists and engineers are trying to solve, develop an innovative solution to that problem, and share their findings.

PAST CHALLENGES

Previous LEGO challenges have been based on topics such as nanotechnology, climate, quality of life for the handicapped population, and transportation. By designing our Challenges around such topics, participants are exposed to potential career paths within a chosen Challenge topic, in addition to solidifying the STEM principles that naturally come from participating in a robotics program. Team members also learn valuable life and employment skills which will benefit them no matter which career path they choose.

Moms and Dads,

Please note on your family calendar: our Davis Magnet School Recycling Center is open on the first Wednesday of each month before school.

We recycle separately-bagged donations of plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper, and electronics.

Enter through the front parking lot gate and drive to the collection bin next to the YMCA and lunch area.

Thanks for your support of our Davis Magnet School recycling program AND for helping to model your care for our environment with your child.

Recycling Bin: Open from 7:45 to 8:10 a.m. on the following dates at Davis Magnet School:
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wednesday, February 1
Wednesday, March 7
Wednesday, April 4
Wednesday, May 2
Wednesday, June 6

Moms and Dads,

Please mark your family calendar and join us on Monday, February 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the MPR for presentations and Q & A with the Principals from Costa Mesa Middle School (Mr. Aaron Peralta) and Costa Mesa High School (Dr. Phil D'Agostino).

Each spring at Davis Magnet School, we host the CMMS and CMHS Principals for an evening meeting -- so that you -- the parents of our matriculating PreK-Grade 6 students -- have the opportunity to interact directly with the educational leaders at our secondary schools right next door...and to learn more about what great things CMMS and CMHS have to offer your child.

Our Davis Magnet School PTA Meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. in the MPR.

The CMMS and CMHS presentation plus Q & A is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in our MPR.

SCORE A GOAL Ice Hockey Program

Thanks to the Anaheim Ducks organization, all of our Davis Magnet School grade 4 students are learning how to play ice hockey. Our students make five trips to Westminster ICE, are loaned all the equipment from head-to-toe, and receive P.E. instruction from Anaheim Ducks personnel.

In the photo above, our students are getting instructions from the coaching staff. If you look closely in the background, you will see NHL players from the Philadelphia Flyers, who were going to practice at the rink right after our P.E. session. The Flyers were in town to play the Anaheim Ducks.

See our students and the progress they are making while they learn the great sport of ice hockey:
http://ducks.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=63984
 

SCORE Street Hockey Program

For the third year in a row, our grade 4 students are learning how to play street hockey thanks to the Anaheim Ducks organization. The Anaheim Ducks Street Team provides five one-hockey P.E. sessions to our grade 4 students.

Later this year, Davis Magnet School will compete in the Anaheim Ducks Street Hockey Tournament at Honda Center in Anaheim. Last year, our Davis Magnet School street hockey team earned third place trophies in the tournament which included grade 4 students from 24 public and private schools.

Adding the A -- Art -- to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) for STEAM...two of the top artists in all of NMUSD are Davis Magnet School students!

Earning Harbor Council PTA recognition for PTA Reflections Art for all K-12 students in our district are Davis Magnet School students Mikayla Schwalbe for music and Sofia Rice for photography.

Congratulations to both Mikayla and Sofia as they add the A to STEM and help Davis Magnet School to be recognized as a STEAM school!

Here are some of our many prize winners from our PTA Fall Fundraiser.

Thank you, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School!

Our newly-formed Davis Magnet School Student Council has designated this Friday -- November 18 -- as "Dress Like a Turkey" day!

Students, parents, teachers, and staff are encouraged -- but certainly not required -- to show your school spirit and dress like a turkey! Dress like your favorite feathered friend! Be as creative as you can!

So, gobble down to flag salute dressed like a turkey this Friday!

Costa Mesa Middle School and High School have started a great new tradition -- the Mustang Pride Award -- recognizing two sixth grade students from each of the CMHS Zone elementary schools (College Park, Killybrooke, Paularino, Sonora, and Davis Magnet School).

Mustang Pride Awards will be presented three times per school year.

Our first Davis Magnet School sixth grade students to receive the Mustang Pride Awards are pictured above. Congratulations to Jillian Hughes and Jacob Wrubel. Also in the photo from left to right are Dr. Phil D'Agostino, Principal at CMHS, Mr. Aaron Peralta, Principal at CMMS, and Dr. Rafferty.

Jillian and Jacob and all other Mustang Pride award winners were honored at a Kiwanis Club luncheon in Costa Mesa.

We are proud of Jillian and Jacob and all of our young scholars at Davis Magnet School for being great examples and role models of our five core values for all of our students, teachers, parents, and staff:

• Do your very best

• Do what is right

• Treat others the way you want to be treated

• Take personal responsibility for everything you say

• Take personal responsibility for everything you do

Our Davis Magnet School Eco Club meets every Wednesday before school in Room 2.

Mrs. Gordon and selected students share Eco Club tips with our entire school community at Wednesday morning flag salutes.
 

Please visit and bookmark our Davis Magnet School PTA webpage: Davis Magnet School PTA

To go further green, all flyers will be posted on the Davis Magnet School webpage. Your child's orange Thursday folder should contain LESS each week as we GO GREEN with our PTA. Great reading at our Davis Magnet School PTA webpage!

Attention all Davis Magnet School Science, Math, and Technology students and parents:

"STUFF KIDS LOVE TO LEARN"

Highlights from Orange Coast College's 12th Annual Community Science Night, held on October 21.
OCC Campus in Costa Mesa

Robots on Parade
Stargazing with High-Powered Telescopes
Crawly Creatures from the Sea
Bones and Skeletons
Airplanes and Helicopters
Volcanic Rocks
Dinosaur Skeletons

More details: orangecoastcollege.edu/sciencenight

OUR VERY OWN DAVIS MAGNET SCHOOL BAND PERFORMED AT OCC COMMUNITY SCIENCE NIGHT!

Thanks to everyone for making Red Ribbon Week at Davis Magnet School so awesome! Moms and dads, remember, you are your child's first and most important teacher. Your child is aware of what you do and how you conduct your life. Do everything you can to model being drug and alcohol-free with your child 24/7/365 -- forever!

Thanks to PTA mom Shalamar Do and all of her helpers with everything behind the scenes to help make Red Ribbon Week at Davis Magnet School such a big success!

Boys and girls, do your part: Stay away from drugs and alcohol and anything else that is unhealthy.

One School. One goal. Be Healthy!

Davis Magnet School -- and several other schools in N-MUSD -- were recognized and rewarded at the October 11, 2011 N-MUSD School Board Meeting for saving electrical energy over the past year.

Schools were allowed to keep half of the energy savings realized through this Green Schools Program. The Alliance to Save Energy's Green Schools Program has been in California since 1999, offering incentives to save energy through Southern California Edison.

50% of the energy savings went to the individual school site and 50% of the energy savings went to N-MUSD.

At Davis Magnet School, students, teachers, parents, and staff all learned the best method to save electrical energy -- TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU'RE NOT USING IT. Also, keep the doors and windows closed when the air conditioning is on.

We had a great Davis Magnet School Night at Chuck E Cheese Pizza!

Proceeds benefit Davis Magnet School PTA and your child's education.

The Chuck E Cheese mascot visited at dismissal time by the flag pole at the front of the school. As you can see, the students loved it!

Our first Davis Magnet School FREE Family Fun Night of the school year -- PTA Outdoor Movie Night -- "Tangled" -- was awesome!

Our Davis Magnet School PTA hosts many FREE Family Fun Nights every school year.

Thanks, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School!

Congratulations to two classes -- one primary and one upper grade class -- for having the highest percentage of PTA Memberships in their classrooms this year! Mrs. Ferguson's first grade class and Miss Lopez's fourth grade class will enjoy popsicle parties at TeWinkle Park with Dr. Rafferty at a date and time to be determined.

100% of our Davis Magnet School classroom teachers are PTA members.

Davis Magnet School has involved the highest percentage of PTA membership of any school in NMUSD since we opened our doors two years ago.

If you would like to join our Davis Magnet School PTA, please do!

Thanks, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School and our fabulous PTA!

Our Davis Magnet School sixth grade students will build a great pyramid this January in the MPR as part of their hands-on, inquiry-based learning about life in the ancient world -- which included ...more

Anaheim Ducks mascot Wild Wing with the entire Davis Magnet School team of teachers on opening day 2011.

To honor America, Wild Wing marches with one of our birthday boys to lead our whole-school flag salute.

Wild Wing was kind enough to pose for opening day photos with every class at Davis Magnet School, including Mrs. Ferguson and her first grade students.

What a way to start the opening day of school! Wild Wing strikes a pose with Mrs. Shepler's second grade students.

Flag salute starts promptly at 8:15 a.m. with the bell. For your convenience, a five-minute warning bell rings every morning at 8:10 a.m. so that students and teachers can be sure to be sitting down in their lines by the bell at 8:15 a.m.

We look forward to a fantastic year number three -- with more great teaching and LEARNING -- at Davis Magnet School, established in September 2009.

Bell Schedule

Like our first two years, here is our bell schedule:

• M-T-Th-F: 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 8:15 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.

Moms and dads,

Knowing that most of our students are car riders, please take a moment to read and follow these basic driving/parking/drop-off/pick-up directions:

Morning Drop-Off:

Main School Parking Lot: Valet service for all students in grades K-6. Parents -- remain in your vehicle -- and keep moving forward as the cars ahead of you move up. The goal is always for the lead car to move all the way forward to the flag pole so that as many students as possible can exit their vehicles along the front curb.

Arriving at school, all students should report to the playground and sit down in their classroom line until the 8:15 bell rings.

After School Dismissal:

Kindergarten pick-up is done exclusively in the Bus Lane (older brothers and sisters should join their kindergarten sibling at the Bus Lane area for pick-up after school. Parents -- remain in your vehicle -- and keep moving forward as the cars ahead of you move up. The goal is always for the lead car to move all the way forward to the far end of the Bus Lane so that our valet service can load as many students as possible along the front curb in the Bus Lane.

Main School Parking Lot: Valet service for students in grades 1-6. Parents -- remain in your vehicle -- and keep moving forward as the cars ahead of you move up. The goal is always for the lead car to move all the way forward to the flag pole so that our valet service can load as many students as possible along the front curb.

Parking:

Park in legal parking places only. If our school parking lot is full, there is plenty of parking right next to the school at the TeWinkle Sports Complex.

Plenty of legal parking places are available along the street behind our school -- Presidio Square.

There are several potential advantages to parking off-campus. Exercise for you walking back and forth to pick up your child. On the way back to your vehicle, it gives you time to walk and talk with your child. This is a great time to ask your child about their day at school. Rather than asking your child, "What did you do at school today?" and then getting the standard response, "Nothing," I would suggest asking the open-ended questions I ask my three children each day:

• "What was your favorite part about school today -- and recess, lunch, and going home -- don't count?"
• "Tell me about something funny that happened at school today."
• "Tell me something new that you learned today."
• "Your chance to stump your dad, ask me any kind of question related to what you you learned today. Kind of like Jeopardy."

I would strongly suggest asking your child open-ended questions like these every single day. These lead to excellent conversations AND it builds your child's ability speak and listen, recall learning, and make real-world connections with their learning as you add your comments, perspectives, and life-experiences.

All of our students have demonstrated great learning, growth and improvement over two years together..

We plan on year number three at Davis Magnet School being MAGNIFICENT!

Thanks, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School!

Being sure that your child spends time reading every day at home is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do to help your child learn.
Parents, please be sure to READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD EVERY DAY, too.

At Davis Magnet School, our mission is learning.

Our goal is for each student to learn, grow, and improve -- and demonstrate proficiency and above on everything we expect students to know and be able to do.

Our vision is to work together to help Davis Magnet School come to be recognized as one of the finest elementary schools in the United States of America!

READ EVERY DAY -- 365 DAYS A YEAR -- INCLUDING WEEKENDS, VACATION BREAKS, AND SUMMERTIME!
Reading every single day makes a huge educational difference for your child!

Congratulations to our promoting grade 6 students! It has been a pleasure working with you at Davis Magnet School.

Sincere best wishes to each and every one of you from this day forward.

Continue to read every day. Think. Problem-solve.

As we learned with Rachel's Challenge this year, show kindness and compassion.

Here is my challenge to you, every day, from this day forward...

Live your life like a Champion:

• Do your very best
• Do what is right
• Treat others the way you want to be treated
• Take personal responsibility for everything you say
• Take personal responsibility for everything you do

You can do it!
It's a matter of deciding in your own mind that you will do it.
And -- in the process of doing this in your life -- you will be a shining example and inspiration to others.
The world will be a better place because of you and your positive influence.

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

At the invitation of CMHS and CMMS, our sixth grade students began a new Davis Magnet School end-of-year tradition with a fun-filled pool party at the new olympic-size swimming pool at CMHS.

Our students had a blast!

Special thanks to CMHS Principal Phil D'Agostino and CMMS Principal Aaron Peralta, their staff, and lifeguards for helping to make this happen for our Davis Magnet School sixth grade students.

Thank you from all of our future Mustangs!

As always, Go Mustangs!

Our 2nd Annual Davis Magnet School PTA Camp Out Night was really awesome!

Thanks to all who came to camp out night!

Great food. The kids had a blast playing all over the playground, grass fields, and big toy.

Lots of fun and games, crafts, and time to play.

The movie Megamind on the big outdoor screen was great!

Pitch a tent and camp out. (Drop off your gear, then park your vehicle outside of the gated playground area.)

Like last year, RV's were also welcome...no hookups.

Coffee and bagels in the morning.

Can't stay overnight -- no problem -- join us for the fun camp out night until you decide it's time to go home.

No fires of any kind.

No alcohol on school grounds at any time.

Davis Magnet School has talent!

Our students did a great job at all three performances yesterday! Two shows during the school day, for all students to see, plus one show in the evening.

Special thanks to Davis Magnet School teacher, Ms. D. Lopez, for putting together our Talent Showcase again this year!

Moms and dads,

Our Second Annual Hero Day at Davis Magnet School was -- like the first -- a truly heart-warming event.

As you see in the photo above, a wide range of real-life heroes -- current and former armed forces, law enforcement, fire, emergency personnel, doctors, nurses, airline pilots, lifeguards, UCI Professors, UCI Student Teachers, you name it -- joined us at flag salute on Friday, June 10. This invitation to real-life heroes is extended to you, your relatives, associates, and other friends of Davis Magnet School.

To show our school spirit, our students are encouraged -- but not required -- to dress up for the day like a real-life hero (please be sure that students leave any toy guns or other weapons at home).

Next year, we will also invite our boys and girls to dress up in red, white, and blue for hero day.

If you were part of Hero Day this year or last, you already know how great this is. Looking way ahead, please join us at flag salute on Friday, June 15, 2012, if you can, for our 3rd Annual Hero Day at Davis Magnet School.

Thanks for a GREAT Open House! What a fun celebration of phenomenal learning in science, math, technology and all the subjects!

Super STEM Expo projects and Inventions in the MPR. Our Invention Convention is designed to help students and their families -- to think outside of the box -- and come up with an invention. Who knows, some of the inventions created for our Invention Convention could have the potential to go big-time! Did you see the glow-in-the-dark bicycle?

Our award-winning Davis Magnet School Band and Choir were fantastic!

The In-N-Out Burgers were a real treat.

The classrooms were magnificent! What a GREAT job our students and teachers have done all year!

As always, thank you for your support of Davis Magnet School and thank you for being involved in your child's education -- it makes a huge difference.

The research very clearly shows that children whose parents who are involved in their education do better in school -- and in life -- than the children of those parents who do not get involved and show an interest in their child's education.

On behalf of your child -- and his/her future -- thank you very much!

Moms and dads -- with the phenomenal success of our first STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Expo -- our second STEM Expo AND Invention Convention was held in conjunction with Open House.

Participation was optional. We encouraged moms and dads and other family members to help their child with the project. Lots of great learning happens when you work together on projects like this.

All of the STEM Expo projects and Inventions projects were on display during the regular school day and throughout the evening during Open House!

Projects involved any aspects of science, technology, engineering, math and/or inventions!

Did you see the glow-in-the-bicycle?

Regarding the Invention Convention...think hard about it...you might come up with an idea that makes you and your child a multi-millionaire! The possibilities are endless. Across the USA, school Invention Conventions have resulted in the production of real products and services that have resulted in business opportunities. Talk about economic stimulus! This could ultimately benefit you, your child, and our world!

Think. Design. Create. Enjoy!

Thank you for volunteering at Davis Magnet School this year! Our teachers and staff expressed a big THANK YOU at the Volunteer Tea held in your honor on Monday, June 13 in the MPR.

Our combined efforts make Davis Magnet School the great place it is for children to learn.

THANK YOU!

As always, we appreciate your support of Davis Magnet School.

Our Davis Magnet School Marching Band, under the direction of Music Specialist, Mr. S. (Thomas Shiskovsky), performed brilliantly at the Balboa Parade over the weekend!

As an extra-added treat for all of the students at Davis Magnet School, the Marching Band performed at flag salute last Friday morning and then marched away as the rest of the students followed their teachers to class.

Congratulations to our Marching Band for an awesome job!

NEWS FLASH!

Our Davis Magnet School Marching Band was recognized as the "BEST TEAM" at the Balboa Island Parade on Sunday. Read the email message below from the Balboa Island Parade Committee to our Music Specialist, Mr. Thomas Shiskovsky:

June 7, 2011

Davis Magnet Band

Dear Thomas,

Congratulations, the Balboa Island Parade Committee wants to inform you that your entry, Davis Magnet Band is the recipient of the ‘Best Team’.

The time and effort you devoted to your entry was recognized by the Awards Committee.  The effort devoted to entries by parade participants is definitely appreciated.  The parade viewers commented this was the best parade yet … this is due in no small part to your efforts.  Thank you for helping us show ‘The Spirit of America’ on Balboa Island and begin a great summer.

We hope you can attend the ‘All Island Breakfast’ to receive your award in person.  It is  Saturday, July 9, 2011 from 8:00 – 10:00 AM at the Beek Center, Balboa Island.  The Beek Center is located on Agate Avenue near the Ferry.

The Balboa Island Improvement Association will treat award recipients to breakfast ‘free of charge’.  Please let me know if you and/or representative(s) of your group will be attending and how many.

Sincerely,

Larry Kallestad
Parade Committee Chairman
18^th Annual Balboa Island Parade

Our 2nd Annual PTA Carnival was fantastic!

Thanks to all who attended and all who volunteered to help make it so much fun for all of our children and families!

Next up: Open House this Wednesday!

Moms and dads,

The entire Davis Magnet School community is invited and encouraged to come out and cheer-on our four soccer teams competing in the annual Pilot Cup Soccer Tournament, Tuesday, May 31 through Sunday, June 5, right here in Costa Mesa. Some of the games will be played on our soccer fields at Davis. Other games will be played at CMHS and at the Farm.

Here is the opening round robin schedule for our four soccer teams:

Boys, Grades 3-4 (Gold Pool F opening round robin)
Thursday, June 2, 4:30 p.m. at Farm #3 vs. Wilson Elementary School, Lost 3-1
Friday, June 3, 5:30 p.m. at Farm #3 vs. Newport Elementary School, Lost 3-1

Boys, Grades 5-6 (Bronze Pool B opening round robin)
Tuesday, May 31, 7:30 p.m. at Farm #6 vs. St. Joachim, Won 4-1
Friday, June 3, 3:45 p.m. at CMHS Track vs. Victoria Elementary School, Lost 2-1

Girls, Grades 3-4 (Gold Pool F opening round robin)
Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 p.m. at Farm #5 vs. Newport Coast Elementary School, Lost 5-2
Friday, June 3, 3:30 p.m. at Farm #5 vs. Lincoln Elementary School, Lost 3-2

Girls, Grades 5-6 (Silver Pool D opening round robin)
Thursday, June 2, 5:45 p.m. at Davis #1 vs. Newport Elementary School, Lost 5-0
Friday, June 3, 3:45 p.m. at Davis #1 vs. Newport Coast Elementary School, Lost 5-0

Thanks to all of our soccer players, volunteer coaches, and great fan support at all of our games!

Davis Magnet School Science Specialist, Mrs. Brusic, son Mike, and Mr. Brusic, stand in front of Freeman Hall on the Fordham University campus.  This building houses the physics department and Mike spent many hours there in classes, labs, tutoring friends, and some evening poker games with the custodians.  Mike worked hard, carried 20 or 22 hours each semester, and on May 21, 2011 graduated Summa cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics.  In September, Mike will begin a two-year program for a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University.

Congratulations, graduate! Best wishes in grad school at Columbia!

Fordham University's Rose Hill campus in the Bronx has many beautiful buildings in the "University Gothic" style.  The commencement ceremony was held on the Edwards Parade Ground in the center of the campus.

Our fifth grade students and teachers enjoyed an awesome three fun-filled days of hands-on, inquiry-based science learning at AstroCamp in IdyllwIld.

The boys and girls returned to Davis Magnet School yesterday afternoon.

Check out the photos! Zip line, bottle rockets, astronomy, great food, great fun! Great LEARNING!

Next time you're on campus, take a few minutes to look closely at our brand new tile wall. It's on the outside wall of the library, facing our first grade classrooms, near the bicycle racks.

Thanks to all of our first-year parents, students, teachers, and staff who bought, designed, and painted tiles to commemorate our opening year as Davis Magnet School and our Science, Math, and Technology focus.

Special thanks to the Batlik family for installing our new tile wall for free! Saved a lot of money for PTA that we can use in other ways to help our students.

We are thankful that we have so many talented and supportive parents at Davis Magnet School.

Our new tile wall is awesome! Check it out.
 

Our students and teachers had a fabulous time at Outdoor Science School!

Thursday, May 19, 10:00 a.m.: Beautiful sunny day today! Everyone is having a great time. The students saw snowflakes falling yesterday. Snow flurries, but the snow did not stick. Astronomy night and a night hike last evening. Plans for today include: rock climbing, archery, and more hiking. A cookout, campfire, and skits are scheduled for tonight.

The food is great. The kids are eating very well and loving it.

The boys and girls will be back at school tomorrow afternoon.

May 17, 11:25 a.m.: Our sixth grade students and teachers have arrived at Outdoor Science School. Chilly and drizzling. Everyone is having fun!

May 17, 8:35 a.m.: Buses depart.

May 17, 6:30 a.m.: Our sixth grade students, teachers, and student teachers are departing this morning for four fun-filled days of hands-on, inquiry-based science learning at High Trails up in the mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest.

We will keep you posted right here on our website with their daily activities.

Parents of sixth grade students, I will give you a call-out message when they have arrived at camp today.

Everyone will have a great time!

Everyone had a great time! Thanks to all who participated in our first-ever ice skating event!

Our 2nd Annual Davis Magnet School Egg-Drop was simply awesome!

Students in preschool through grade 6 made some incredible designs to help protect a fresh egg in a fall from the roof.

Students and lots of parents enjoyed seeing the creations and the impact as each egg-drop design hit the ground.

Many eggs survived the fall... we also had lots of scrambled eggs!

Thanks to all who participated in our optional egg-drop.

Moms and dads, we have enhanced our campus security with access to and exit from school by way of the new front office location of our school. Notice from the photo above, that at 8:15 a.m. our front gate is locked and access to the school is through the courtyard and into the front office of our school.

Volunteers and other visitors to our school need to come through the front office to sign-in and obtain a visitor badge. Likewise, exit is through the front office.

The front gate is unlocked just before the end-of-day dismissal bell.

Moms and dads, as you enter the gates into the courtyard, the entrance to the front of our school is just around the corner of the brick wall on the left side in the photo above.

The Nurse's Office is also located in our new front office location.

Moms and dads, as you see in the photo above, all volunteers and visitors to our school need to go through the front office to sign-out to exit through the courtyard area.

I hope you appreciate this extra level of campus safety and security.

In case you're wondering, why wasn't the front office there all along... the answer is that we, as a school, did not have access to that building... it was being utilized by previously existing special education offices. When those offices moved just prior to spring break, we moved our school's office up to the front of the school over spring break.

Our Davis Magnet School front office staff, Mrs. Ropp and Mrs. Gray, are always happy to assist you in any way they can.

You can contact our front office by calling 714.424.7930.

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal
 

Grade 4 Davis Magnet School Street Hockey Team with their jerseys and 3rd place trophies from the Anaheim Ducks Street Hockey Tournament.
 

Our 4th grade Davis Magnet School Street Hockey Team took 3rd place in the Anaheim Ducks Street Hockey Tournament at Honda Center in Anaheim on May 7.

Davis Magnet School was one of 20 teams of 4th grade students from public and private schools from all over Orange County participating in the 4th Annual Anaheim Ducks S.C.O.R.E. Shootout.

Our Davis Magnet School Ducks lost to the eventual tournament champions, Friends Christian School (Yorba Linda), in the semi-finals.

Opening round of three games: 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 tie

Tie 2-2: Davis Magnet School vs. St. Mary and All Angels School
Win 7-0: Davis Magnet School vs. St. Irenaeus Parish School
Win 13-0: Davis Magnet School vs. Crystal Cathedral Academy

Based on the opening round of three games, Davis Magnet School was seeded #4 of the 20 schools competing in the tournament.

In the quarter-finals, Davis Magnet School played #5 seed Andersen Elementary School from Newport-Mesa Unified.
Win 3-0: Davis Magnet School vs. Andersen Elementary School

In semi-finals, Davis Magnet School played #1 seed Friends Christian School.
Lost: 8-2: Davis Magnet School vs. Friends Christian School.

Friends Christian School defeated Chaparral Elementary School (Ladera Ranch), Dr. Rafferty's former school, 11-1 to win their fourth straight Anaheim Ducks Street Hockey Tournament Championship.

Congratulations to our Davis Magnet School Street Hockey Team!

Moms and dads,

All students at Davis Magnet School attended Rachel's Challenge assemblies this week. Costa Mesa Middle School and Costa Mesa High School accepted Rachel's Challenge earlier this school year.

Davis Magnet School is committed to promoting kindness and compassion as part of our character education and community service program.

Rachel's Challenge is designed to promote kindness and compassion. Rachel Scott was the first victim in the Columbine High School shooting. Her father and over twenty other certified presenters travel all over the nation delivering the message of kindness and compassion, two traits that characterized Rachel Scott.

Rachel's Challenge is demonstrating positive influences at CMMS and CMHS. We are implementing the elementary school version of Rachel's Challenge at Davis Magnet School to promote kindness and compassion. We do NOT focus or discuss the nature of Rachel Scott's death. Instead, we focus on how she lived her life and the challenges she set forth to us all in her personal journal:

• Choose positive influences
• Goal setting -- dream big
• Journaling
• Small acts of kindness reap huge results
• Start a chain reaction of kindness

One act of kindness leads to another. We believe in the positive influence of acts of kindness and compassion. Our goal with Rachel's Challenge is to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

It is our hope and wish that Rachel's Challenge and the chain reaction of kindness and compassion will spark a positive change in how students treat each other at the elementary school level as they prepare for middle school and high school. Please encourage your child to show kindness and compassion toward others -- including their own brothers and sisters at home!

For more information, go to: www.rachelschallenge.org

Thank you, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School.

We had a tremendous Earth Week at Davis Magnet School. Thanks to our special guest speakers each morning at flag salute:

Monday: OCC Recycling Center. Topic: Recycling plastic bags. What does 500 plastic bags look like?

Tuesday: Surfrider NB. Topic: Keeping beaches clean. Beach clean-up on May 7

Wednesday: CM Sanitary District. Topic: What does a waste-free lunch look like?

Thursday: Mesa Consolidated Water. WaterWise Kids -- water conservation -- 10 easy ways to reduce water usage

Friday: City of Costa Mesa. Topic: Green Design Award presentation.

Special thanks to PTA mom and Green Team booster, Mrs. Manfredi for helping to make this happen! And special thanks to all of you for doing your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle each and every day.

Davis Magnet School students had the opportunity to participate in an excellent community service and character education effort...

Collectively, we helped to reforest the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with well over 500 trees!!!

One dollar gets one tree planted. Stencil tree cut-outs are posted on the glass windows of the MPR for everyone to see who has donated for trees to be planted. It is quite impressive to see how many trees will be planted thanks to our support here at Davis Magnet School!

Special thanks to Davis Magnet School teachers, Mrs. Gordon and Mrs. Brusic to help make this happen!

Moms and dads,

Please take a look around your house for books that your child(ren) have outgrown. Our PTA is sponsoring a book recycling program each Friday morning before flag salute.

Please bring your outgrown childrens' books to school and donate them to the PTA. PTA mom, Mrs. Secrest is coordinating this project and will be at flag salute each Friday morning.

Our goal is to build up a great collection of used childrens' books which can then be borrowed and traded for other books here at school.

Thank you for your support of reading and for your support of our PTA childrens' book recycling drive!

Our school community has already donated over 500 pairs of shoes! They have already been shipped to people in need in the tornado disaster areas of Alabama.

Davis Magnet School is sponsoring a FREE community service and character education drive to recycle old shoes for people in Alabama, Japan, and Haiti. There is still a BIG NEED FOR SHOES of all sizes for people in all three areas.

• We're talking about recycling old shoes
• Shoes you don't wear anymore
• Shoes that you have outgrown
• Nothing to buy
• No need to spend any money
• Please take a look around your house
• Perhaps inquire with friends and neighbors

We have a drop-off box for SHOES at the flag salute each morning. We also have a SHOE drop-off box in the front office. We will collect shoes until the end of the school year.

Thank you for modeling this character education and community service effort with your child(ren). This is one way that WE CAN DO SOMETHING to help the people in Alabama, Japan, and Haiti.

Thank you, in advance, for your assistance in this most worthy effort.

Special thanks to the nearly sixty moms and dads who joined us for our Parent Education Night: "How to best help your child at home with mathematics." Two professors from our educational partners at U.C. Irvine -- Dr. Valerie Henry and Jeanne Stone -- shared all sorts of fun math games, learning tips, and advice specifically geared to the parents of students in Preschool through Grade 2 and to the parents of students in Grades 3-6.

If you could not be here that night, here are a few key points:

Have/help your child practice basic math facts for 5-10 minutes every day at home.

Over time, help to ensure that your child has total mastery of all of the basic math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Play math games with your child. Chutes and Ladders is an excellent game to play for building mathematical mastery.

Our goal is for every student to know his/her math facts with automaticity (in three seconds or less) without the need to count on their fingers or in their head...they just know it because they have it memorized...that is automaticity. (The math facts your child should know increase by grade level from preschool through grade 6.)

The teachers and principals at Costa Mesa Middle School and Costa Mesa High School tell us that -- in the ideal world, here are the three things they're looking for from our elementary school students as they matriculate to middle school:

1. Absolute mastery of all of the basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). Mastery of the basic math facts is a foundational skill necessary for success in math at the middle school and high school levels.

2. The ability to read. Reading and comprehending what you child reads is essential to access and learn in all academic content areas and for life.

3. Being decent human beings. Being good to each other. Being good citizens. Showing kindness and compassion to others.

Moms and dads, you can help with all three of these at home every day.

Our daily required homework for all students at Davis Magnet School is to read for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per day AND to practice math facts for 5-10 minutes per day. Beyond that, moms and dads, you are your child's first and most important teacher when it comes to modeling how to help your child be a decent human being...being good to each other...being good citizens...showing kindness and compassion...treating others the way you want to be treated.

Thanks, as always, for your support of Davis Magnet School.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal
 

Moms and dads,

I strongly encourage you to join the principals of Costa Mesa Middle School and Costa Mesa High School on one of their monthly tours of the campus located right next door to Davis Magnet School.

Our Davis Magnet School science, math, and technology students have the wonderful educational opportunity to continue higher levels of learning in these important focus areas as part of the CMMS and CMHS Delta Program in science, math, and technology.

CMHS principal, Phil D'Agostino, and CMMS principal, Aaron Peralta host monthly school tours. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know the principals, see the campus for yourself, learn more about their instructional programs, and have plenty of time for Q and A.

CMMS and CMHS tour dates with the principals:
All tours begin at 9:00 a.m. at CMMS/HS

Friday, November 19, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011

Again, please do your best to participate in one or more of these school tours at CMMS/HS.

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty

Welcome back to the 2011 portion of our school year! We are truly blessed to live in beautiful southern California and to be part of our magnificent Science, Math, and Technology Magnet School!!! Our teachers and staff are dedicated to doing our very best each day so that each individual child will learn, grow, and improve. As always, I thank our tremendous PTA and our active and involved parent community for your support of Davis Magnet School. This teamwork on behalf of our children is critical for the constant improvement of student learning.

The fact that Davis Magnet School showed the greatest Academic Performance Index (API) growth -- of any of the 551 schools in Orange County last year -- shows what happens when everyone works together to improve student learning. I look forward to even bigger and better things in the future as we strive to be recognized as one of the finest elementary schools in the United States of America!

Regarding possible New Year's Resolutions: Please take the time each day to read aloud to your child -- and take the time to have your child read aloud to you. Also, take time to relax and enjoy each and every day with your family and friends. Encourage your child to play and explore areas of personal interest...perhaps a new hobby, do some Internet searches together, or perhaps work on your various science, technology, engineering, and math projects with your.

Curriculum Day: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us for all or part of Curriculum Day! The opposite of "Take your child to work day," Curriculum Day offered you a fantastic opportunity to "See your child at work" in a very authentic way. Our classroom teachers conducted a normal day in terms of lessons and routines. Based on your child's Wednesday schedule, you may have spent time in music class with Mr. Shiskovsky, or at P.E. with Ms. O'Shea, or maybe spend tijme in our hands-on Science Lab with Mrs. Brusic. You may have joined your child for recess, lunch, and perhaps spent time in your child's classroom for the various curriculum content areas. If you were not able to be here yesterday, please plan on being here for Curriculum Day next year. Be prepared to pitch-in and help. Come by and visit for 10 minutes or stay all day. Do whatever works best for your personal schedule. One important thing we do require: NO YOUNGER SIBLINGS ARE ALLOWED. For insurance reasons, you do need to make any necessary child care arrangements so that younger children are not on campus.

STEM Expo: Thank you to all of the boys and girls and moms and dads and other family members that pitched-in to help create and display the fabulous science, math, engineering, and technology projects that were on display in the MPR at our 1st Annual STEM Expo in conjunction with Curriculum Day. There were so many great projects!!! We will be doing more and more of these kind of family learning projects this year and in the years to come at Davis Magnet School!!!

Best wishes to you and your family for an outstanding year!!!

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

STEM Expo: Thank you to all of the boys and girls and moms and dads and other family members that pitched-in to help create and display the fabulous science, math, engineering, and technology projects that were on display in the MPR at our 1st Annual STEM Expo in conjunction with Curriculum Day on January 19. There were so many great projects!!! We will be doing more and more of these kind of family learning projects this year and in the years to come at Davis Magnet School!!!

Our next STEM Expo and Invention Convention will be held on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 in conjunction with Open House.

Just like our first event, moms and dads and other family members are invited and encouraged to help put together your child's STEM project. Help a lot...do it all...help a little...have it 100% child created...it's up to you and your family. The bottom line: Lots of great learning goes on when various family members are involved in the creation of these projects.

STEM projects and the Invention Convention are designed to be done as "at home" projects and brought to the MPR to display on Wednesday, June 8, so that all of the other students can learn from them.

Invention Convention: An outgrowth of STEM Expo, Invention Convention is designed to encourage boys and girls and moms and dads to "think outside the box" and come up with new inventions. Who knows, what you invent might become a new product, business, or service for you and your family! One of my former students invented a product that is now sold commercially!

STEM concepts are often important parts of new inventions.

I would love it if one or more of our Davis Magnet School students/families were to come up with new inventions or discoveries. Here are just a few examples:
     * Cure for cancer
     * Affordable form of alternative energy for automobiles, etc.
     * How to keep clothes hangers from getting tangled up
     * Talking picture frame (invented by one of my former students)
     * Robot to do homework for you
     * Invent ways to help children learn more and learn faster
     * Invent ways to help children memorize and remember things even better

If you and your family think about it, you can probably come up with all sorts of Invention Convention ideas. If you do, choose one and work on it together and share it with all of us!

Creating a project or two for our STEM Expo and Invention Convention is completely up to you and your child -- totally optional. All projects should be done at home. Projects should be brought to the MPR to display before the school day begins on Wednesday, June 8, 2011.

Happy thinking, innovating, designing, and creating!!!

STEM Expo and Invention Convention
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Davis Magnet School, MPR
8:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with Open House

According to a popular song in the 1980s, some people walk like an Egyptian: On Tuesday, approximately sixty grade six students at Davis Magnet School (Science, Math, and Technology) in Costa Mesa built like an Egyptian -- building a great pyramid -- that is!!!

“Students in the sixth grade, under the guidance of classroom teachers, Lisa Holman and Allison Fletcher, have been studying Ancient Egypt for several weeks,” observed Davis Magnet School principal, Dr. Kevin Rafferty. They have prepared a mummy of a chicken, unwrapped a realistic replica of an Egyptian mummy, and have been learning about the daily lives of people in this ancient civilization. The building of the pyramid, estimated to be 12-13 feet tall when completed, will be the climax of their Egyptian study experience. We are particularly excited to have the expert leadership of Newport Beach resident, Dr. Craig Smith, author of How the Great Pyramid was Built, originally published by the Smithsonian Institution Press, he commented.

According to Smith, Egyptians themselves, not slaves, labored for nearly 20 years to complete the most massive pyramid ever built. Under Smith’s direction, students will roughly simulate the construction process. Each will be issued a two-foot cubic cardboard box “block,” which they will identify as theirs by writing their names in hieroglyphics. The students will work in teams such as foremen, masons, and others, and use ramps as they lay on course after course of blocks until the optimum height is reached. There will even be a burial chamber into which a mummy will be placed.

“This is a perfect fit for our Davis Magnet School community, which will be staging its first-ever Curriculum Day on Wednesday, January 19,” Rafferty continued. “With the STEM Expo, students in all grades will be showcasing their own science, math and technology projects for parents. The great pyramid will be the centerpiece of the STEM Expo showcase in the multipurpose room from 8:15 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.,” he concluded. (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.)

Davis Magnet School, established in September 2009 with a focus on science, math, and technology, is the first and only magnet school in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

The online version of the story -- with lots of photos -- is online now at:
http://www.ocregister.com/news/schools-284228-school-elementary.html

Look for the Orange County Register's Sunday, January 16 edition of the newspaper. Davis Magnet School is one of the top ten school's in all of Orange County according to their annual criteria and ranking system. The Orange County Register also recognizes Davis Magnet School as a gold medal school.

This is fantastic news for our second-year magnet school, available to students from all across the Newport-Mesa Unified School District!

Orange County Register reporter, Fermin Leal, spent time on our campus a week ago, along with a photographer.
The online version of the story is available now with lots more photos than the hard copy version of the newspaper:
http://www.ocregister.com/news/schools-284228-school-elementary.html

Davis Magnet School is one of the best for many reasons, including but not limited to:

• Our NMUSD Magnet School focus on Science, Math, and Technology.
• Our mission is learning. We maintain a laser-like focus on student learning.
• Our goal is for each individual student to demonstrate proficiency and above in all learning.
• Our vision is to be recognized as one of the finest schools in the United States of America.
• The quality of each and every one of our classroom teachers.
• Our teachers' commitment to our professional learning community (PLC) where our focus is on student learning, teamwork, and professional collaboration for the educational benefit of our students.
• Our super-supportive and involved parent community and our PTA.
• Our incredible students, who love to come to school every day to learn, grow, and improve.
• The support and encouragement of NMUSD and our School Board for the opportunity to serve the children of NMUSD.

As always, on behalf of your children and our teachers, thank you for your involvement and support of Davis Magnet School!

Sincerely,
Dr. Rafferty
Principal

On Sunday, December 5^th, the Davis Magnet School Robotics teams competed in the First LEGO League (FLL) Cup at Legoland in Carlsbad. There were a total of 60 teams at the competition representing different schools, clubs, and groups from all over Southern California.

Coached by classroom teachers, Kelly Lopez and Mike Hurley, our two rookie teams, the Robo Ducks and Davis Ducks consisted of ten students each with ages ranging from fourth to sixth grade (with one seventh grade Davis alumni student returning from CMMS).

The FLL tournament is centered around a theme and comprised of two parts, the robot game and the presentation. The theme of the 2010 FLL tournament was “Body Forward,” which challenged each team to research and explore the cutting-edge world of Biomedical Engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries; overcome illnesses and disabilities; and build healthier, stronger bodies.

Each team chose one problem associated with a body part, function or system to research and suggest an innovative solution -- a new idea or an improvement on something already being done -- to present to the judges on competition day. We are proud to announce that the Robo Ducks won first place for the “Most Innovative Solution” for their research on blindness and retinal implants.

The teams also were required to program an autonomous robot to complete a variety of “Body Forward” robotics missions with each varying greatly in the level of difficulty and point value.

Over 200 families and friends had a great time at our Davis Magnet School Family Fun Night at the Anaheim Ducks hockey game -- a 6-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild! Ducks left wing Corey Perry had a hat trick -- three goals -- in the game. Our school was recognized on the P.A. system and the cameras showed our group waving on the jumbotron!

At the first intermission, the Anaheim Ducks debuted the "Ducks Dedication" commercial that they taped here at Davis Magnet School. If you want to see it for yourself, go to the Anaheim Ducks website: www.AnaheimDucks.com

At the second intermission, one of our 4th grade students was chosen to represent our school and ride on the Zamboni!

Anaheim Ducks hockey games are lots of fun! Thanks for joining us!

Go Ducks!

Thanks to all who were able to join us for our second annual Davis Magnet School Astronomy Night!

The views from the five telescopes up into our universe were awesome!

Jupiter and four of its moons were visible at one point -- 398 million miles away!

Special thanks to Davis Magnet School Science Specialist, Mrs. Brusic, and the the O.C. Astronomers for making this opportunity available to our young scholars and our school community!

Moms and dads, your child's teachers and I have a special request: If you would like to volunteer your time to help at school on a regular basis at Davis Magnet School this year, we want to build and expand our P.E. program.

Here's what we need: Parents to be here at school any/every day of the week (except Wednesday) to help our teachers with P.E.

Mondays: 1:45 to 3:00 p.m.

Tuesdays: 1:45 to 3:00 p.m.

Thursdays: 1:45 to 3:00 p.m.

Fridays: 1:45 to 3:00 p.m.

Do you like working with children? Do you like physical fitness and exercise? Do you like sports? Do you like being outdoors?

Dress comfortably, including tennis shoes. Wear sun protection. Bring a smile and your positive attitude!

Volunteering at P.E. is good for your child. It's good for you. It's good for all of our students. It's good for everyone!

Please email your interest to: krafferty@nmusd.us

Thank you!

Given the great interest in Davis Magnet School, Principal, Dr. Rafferty conducts a school tour on the first Friday of every month starting at 9:00 a.m. Visitors for the tour should sign-in at the front office, put on a visitor's badge, and wait in the front office area for the tour to begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Please wear comfortable shoes. We will walk the entire campus.

Davis Magnet School Tour Schedule for 2011-12

Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday, October 7
Friday, November 4
Friday, December 2
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday, February 3
Friday, March 2
Friday, April 6
Friday, May 4
Friday, June 1

With our Science, Math, and Technology focus at Davis Magnet School, we are helping to educate the students, parents, staff, and community through our Green Team and Green School initiatives.

Our Green Team initiative helps us to reuse and recycle.

Our Green School initiative helps us to reduce energy use and utilize rebated dollars from our energy-saving-efforts for teachers to purchase additional teaching supplies and materials for your boys and girls in their classrooms.

Special thanks to Davis Magnet School parent, Mr. Ben Brough, for painting the awesome mural (photo above) in our lunch area. It's a great reminder to our students every day to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Tennis Shoes Every Day of the Year: Moms and dads, remember to send your child to school every day wearing tennis shoes. We emphasize daily physical fitness and exercise. All children have at least two recess periods per day. We encourage children to run around and be active. Plus, tennis shoes are needed for P.E.  A healthier, active body helps students learn.

Beyond tennis shoes every day, as you do your back-to-school shopping, students and teachers are encouraged -- but certainly not required -- to dress according to the following themes based on the day-of-the-week:

Mondays: Sports wear day. Every Monday, wear your favorite sports jersey, t-shirt, etc. Hockey, football, baseball, basketball, soccer, you name it. College, pro, youth league, etc.

Tuesdays: College spirit wear day. Every Tuesday, wear the spirit wear of the college or university adopted by your child's classroom teacher.

Wednesdays: Waste-Free Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, wear your favorite Green Team or other green shirts to promote going green and helping our environment. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Thursdays: Costa Mesa High School and Costa Mesa Middle School spirit wear day. Every Thursday, wear your favorite CMHS or CMMS spirit wear, or dress in the Mesa school colors of green and black and white.

Fridays: Davis Magnet School Ducks spirit wear day. Every Friday, wear your favorite Davis Magnet School spirit wear, Anaheim Ducks wear, or dress in our school colors of orange and black and white.

We will share more information right here on our website on how to purchase Davis Magnet School spirit wear, Costa Mesa High School spirit wear, and the college or university spirit wear of your child's classroom.

We hope this information is helpful as you plan your back-to-school shopping for tennis shoes and clothes.

Moms and dads, would you be interested in teaming up with other Davis Magnet School parents from your area to form carpools for your kids to and from school?

This is a grass-roots, parent-organized carpool option for parents who are comfortable setting up carpools with each other.

For friends and neighbors, this optional carpool could be a real time and energy-saver.

Save money, save time, save gas!

Email your carpool interest to: daviscarpool@gmail.com

The City of Costa Mesa's fee-based after school ROCKS Program is available at Davis Magnet School.

For information, call: 714.754.5128 or 714.754.5300.

As you may or may not know, Davis Magnet School is Newport-Mesa’s first-ever magnet school. We opened in September 2009 with our special magnet school focus on science, math, and technology. Although the physical building was already here, Davis Magnet School re-opened as a brand new K-6 school, attracting students from all over our Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Never before have K-1-2-3 students attended school at Davis. Starting this September, we added a fee-based NMUSD preschool program for potty-trained three and four year-old children – also with a focus on science, math, and technology. If you would like to enroll your preschool child, call 949.515.6793.

We look forward to super year number two as a Preschool through Grade 6 Davis Magnet School in 2010-11!!!

Enrollment for the fee-based preschool program at Davis Magnet School is conducted on a first-come, first served basis. Applications are now being accepted until all available seats are filled. Don't delay. Enroll your three or four year old preschooler now! Read all the details at: http://nmusd.ca.schoolloop.com/davismagnetpreschool

Three teams, comprised of twenty-six students are representing Davis Magnet School this fall as part of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and Junior FIRST LEGO League (Jr.FLL) under the direction of Davis Magnet School teachers Miss Lopez and Mr. Hurley.

Our Davis Magnet School FLL Teams will explore the cutting-edge world of Biomedical Engineering to discover innovative ways to repair injuries, overcome genetic predispositions, and maximize the body's potential, with the intended purpose of leading happier and healthier lives.

Details on qualifying tournaments and the championship tournament will be posted here as the information becomes available.

Good luck to our Davis Magnet School FLL and Jr.FLL Teams! Go Ducks!

Special thanks to Harrison and his dad and mom for constructing a custom LEGO table perfect for our students on our robotics teams to practice for the upcoming team competitions.

Fourth grade teacher Miss Lopez and fifth grade teacher Mr. Mr. Hurley are serving as our Davis Magnet School coaches for our students on our LEGO teams. Our LEGO teams are comprised of students in grades one through six at Davis Magnet School plus a former Davis Magnet School student now in grade seven at Costa Mesa Middle School -- another great example of how we are offering lots of opportunities for students and teachers at both Davis Magnet School and Costa Mesa Middle School and Costa Mesa High School.

Just months after the opening of our Davis Magnet School Learning Garden, green onions grown at our school were awarded a BLUE RIBBON at the Orange County Fair!

All students in preschool through grade 6 -- along with any and all interested parents -- will have the opportunity to learn with our garden beginning September 7 and all year long! We have garden beds designated for each grade level preschool through grade 6. Teachers are tying the theme of what is planted and grown at each grade level in our Learning Garden to our standards-based curriculum.

FYI, all students will have the opportunity to taste fantastic fruits and vegetables again this year through the Harvest of the Month program in conjunction with our NMUSD Food Services department.

Moms and dads, a friendly reminder to be sure that your child(ren) are reading 365 days a year.  They should be reading independently -- books and magazines that they can and will read.   You should also spend time each and every day reading aloud to your child(ren).

As the result of a unique educational partnership with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, Davis Magnet School has a new mascot -- the Ducks!!!

Some background on the Davis Magnet School Ducks: When I was hired as principal in the spring of 2009, I immediately began working with our National Hockey League franchise right here in Orange County -- the Anaheim Ducks! To really do the Davis Magnet School Ducks mascot right, I am happy to announce that Davis Magnet School and the National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks have entered into a unique educational partnership. Our partnership became official just in time for our Open House in June 2010.

Back in the summer of 2009 -- before our fabulous Davis Magnet School ever opened -- I was searching for a great, brand new, school mascot. We are now the Davis Magnet School Ducks!!! No disrespect to the most recent school mascot, the Stars. In previous years, the school was known as the Davis Colts (with the Costa Mesa High School Mustangs across the way).

The Anaheim Ducks mascot, Wild Wing, made a special appearance at Open House to celebrate our partnership with you and your children!!!

We will begin producing our school spirit wear and other items with our new Davis Magnet School Ducks logo. Thanks to our unique educational partnership, we will look almost just like the Anaheim Ducks. I can envision future spirit wear t-shirts and sweatshirts being made available in black, white, and orange.

Our original Davis Magnet School spirit wear, in red and black, with the stylized letters to spell Davis will still be fine to wear. Moving forward as the Davis Magnet School Ducks, we will feature our new logo and our new educational partnership.

Regarding our unique educational partnership with the Anaheim Ducks, lots more news and information to come. As you may or may not know, the Anaheim Ducks Street Team came to Davis Magnet School this year to teach the sport of street hockey during P.E. to our fourth grade students. The Anaheim Ducks have provided our school with street hockey sticks, goals, goalie equipment, and quality P.E. instruction.

To learn more about the Anaheim Ducks S.C.O.R.E. program (Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation Education) go to: http://www.ducksscore.com/

FREE table hockey game play is hosted by Davis Magnet School principal one Saturday per month during the regular school year. 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. -- in Room 27. Room 27 is located on the playground on the back side of the school.

You're invited and welcome to join us. It's all absolutely free!

All games are five-minutes, audio-timed.

Play one game or stay and play for all three hours...whatever fits your schedule.

Open to all ages and ability levels. Older brothers and sisters, moms and dads, friends and relatives, are welcome to play.

Doors open at 1:45 p.m.

Tournament starts at 2:00 p.m. for all who wish to play. If you wish to play in the tournament, be sure to be present by 2:00 p.m.

If you prefer not to play in the Stiga table hockey tournament, you are welcome to stay and play five-minute games while the tournament is in progress.

Championship trophy awarded to the top player in the table hockey tournament.

Doors close no later than 4:00 p.m.

We play once per month on Saturday afternoons. A championship trophy is awarded to the tournament winner.

2011-12 Table Hockey Tournament Calendar at Davis Magnet School:

September 2011: "NHL Training Camp Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion: Dylan Oliver

October 2011: "World Series of Table Hockey"
Champion: Makoto Kenney

November 2011: "Thank God for Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion: Dylan Oliver

December 10, 2011: "Winter Classic Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion: Makoto Kenney

January 28, 2012: "Super Bowl of Table Hockey"
Champion:

February 18, 2012: "Winter Olympics Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion:

March 10, 2012: "March Madness Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion:

April 21, 2012: "Stanley Cup Playoffs Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion:

May 19, 2012: "Quest for the Cup Table Hockey Tournament"
Champion:

June 16, 2012: "Southern California Stiga Stanley Cup of Table Hockey"
Champion:
 

The table hockey calendar for the 2012-13 school year will begin in September 2012.

For more information, go to: www.tablehockeyrocks.com

Make it four championships in a row for Reggie Stefaniszyn!

The 6th Annual UNITED STATES STIGA SHOOTOUT Table Hockey Tournament was held on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Davis Magnet School.

Fifty-one (51) table hockey players participated in this year's event. Trophies were awarded to all players. Thanks to everyone who played!

Hoisting the Stanley Cup of Table Hockey in 2012 is Edmonton's Reggie Stefaniszyn.

With four consecutive Stanley Cup of Table Hockey Championships, Reggie is now right up there with such NHL dynasties as: Montreal Canadiens, 5 consecutive championships, 1956-1960; Montreal Canadiens, 4 consecutive championships, 1976-1979; New York Islanders, 4 consecutive championships, 1980-1983; and the Edmonton Oilers, who won 5 championships in 7 years, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990.

United States Stiga Shootout Table Hockey Championship Tournament

Stanley Cup of Table Hockey Champions:

2012: Reggie Stefaniszyn (Canada)
(2011: Annual December tournament date was moved to January 14, 2012)
2010: Reggie Stefaniszyn (Canada)
2009: Reggie Stefaniszyn (Canada)
2008: Reggie Stefaniszyn (Canada)
2007: Ron Marsik (USA)
2006: Espen Moe (Norway)

UNITED STATES STIGA SHOOTOUT
January 14, 2012

RESULTS

A POOL

Champion: Reggie Stefaniszyn, (Canada) Edmonton, Alberta
2nd Place: Kevin Rafferty, (USA) Laguna Hills, CA
3rd Place: Jay Patrick, (USA) Las Vegas, NV
4th: John Labianca, (USA) Las Vegas, NV
5th: Sean Rafferty, (USA) Arizona State University (ASU)
6th: Brian Rafferty, (USA) Laguna Hills, CA
7th: Jeff Johnston, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
8th: Michael Hernandez, (USA) University of California, Irvine (UCI)

B POOL

Champion: Elliot Kadota, (USA) Orange Coast College (OCC)
2nd Place: Cameron Candalla, (USA) San Diego State University (SDSU)
3rd Place:Makoto Kenney, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA

C POOL

Champion: Dylan Hernandez-Ramirez, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
2nd Place: Fletcher Welling, (USA), Costa Mesa, CA
3rd Place: Nathan Hayes, (USA), Costa Mesa, CA

D POOL

Champion: Elijah Elliott, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
2nd Place: Benjamin Sendrey, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
3rd Place Tie:Zach Weir, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
3rd Place Tie: Jacob Wrubel, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA

Other Participants (complete order of finish will be posted soon)

Molly Rafferty, (USA) Laguna Hills, CA
Sarah Arrosagaray, (USA) Corona Del Mar, CA
Emma Arrosagaray, (USA) Corona Del Mar, CA
Adam Campbell, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Gael Hernandez-Ramirez, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Sinai Romero, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Hritik Ronvelia, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Rohan Ronvelia, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Alessia Vitiello, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Joaquin Andrade, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Anthony Shin, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
John Drake, (USA), Costa Mesa, CA
Nathan Hayes, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Kailey Weir, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Anthony Farley, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Kevin Novokhatsky, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Jayson Boyce, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Destiny McAleer-Brown, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Lukas Batlik, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Asaph Sendrey, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Damien Ramos, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Kamakana DiGiovanni, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Osman Hefner, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Matthew Ayuyao, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Jackson Wrubel, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Steven Manfredi, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Shane Johnston, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Dylan Oliver, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Tre’ Villalpando, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Jack Bourbeau, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Zach Fletcher, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Terry Cowley, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Ethan Elliott, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA
Danny Todd, (USA) Costa Mesa, CA

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses they provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

Moms and dads, please do your very best NOT to schedule any family vacation during the regular school year. A missed day of school is a day of learning lost forever. There are 180 school days and 185 non-school days each year. Vacations and other special days should be taken on the 185 non-school days each year.

Important dates to mark on your family calendar:

Friday, September 2: Meet and Greet your child's classroom teacher, 8-9 a.m. on the playground.

Tuesday, September 6: First day of school.

Wednesday, October 12: No school for students. Full day of parent-teacher conferences.

October 10, 11, 13, 14: Dismissal at 1:20 p.m. for parent-teacher conferences.

Tuesday, November 1: No school for students. Professional Development Day for all teachers in NMUSD.

Friday, November 11: No school. Veteran's Day holiday

Thanksgiving break: W-TH-F, November 23-24-25, 2011

Winter break: Saturday, December 17, 2011 through Sunday, January 1, 2012

Monday, January 16, 2012: No school. MLK Jr. Holiday

Presidents Week break: Week of February 20-24, 2012

Wednesday, March 14: No school for students. Full day of parent-teacher conferences.

March 12, 13, 15, 16: Dismissal at 1:20 p.m. for parent-teacher conferences.

We are here to help:

Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

714-424-7930

Cathie Ropp:
cropp@nmusd.us

Mary Gray:
mgray@nmusd.us

We would not dream of interrupting a doctor during the middle of surgery, or a courtroom during the middle of a trial. Likewise, we will not allow the teaching and learning process to be interrupted.

Please coordinate with the folks in our front office for whatever you need.

• Do your very best

• Do what is right

• Treat others the way you want to be treated

• Take personal responsibility for everything you say

• Take personal responsibility for everything you do

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Random Acts of Kindness

• Take a minute

• Look at your goals

• Look at your performance

• See if your behavior matches your performance

At Davis Magnet School, our mission is learning.

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

The main thing is student learning.

The best way to get ahead is to get started.

At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box.

Live each day with all of eternity in mind because tomorrow is promised to no man.

You will miss 100% of the shots you never take.

We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.

Work hard. Be nice.

Think of an idea to change our world...then put it into action.

Sow a thought; reap an act. Sow an act; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny. (It starts with a thought. Take time to think.)

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right.

A problem is not a problem until it is your problem.

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.

Children don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Have a favorite quote that you would like to share? Email me: krafferty@nmusd.us

The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Education, Section 852, states, “A parent or guardian may submit to the school a written request to excuse his or her child from any or all parts of any test provided pursuant to Education Code Section 60640. A school district and its employees may discuss the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program with parents and may inform parents of the availability of exemptions under Education Code Section 60615. However, the school district and its employees shall not solicit or encourage any written exemption request on behalf of any child or group of children.”