March 12, 2010

Daylight Saving Time

Clock Forward 2-3Spring Forward

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 14th, 2010 at 2:00 a.m.

Remember to set your your clock one hour ahead before going to bed on March 13th, 2010.

Did you know?

  • The names in each time zone change along with Daylight Saving Time. For example, Pacific Standard Time (PST) becomes Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
  • When Daylight Saving Time is not observed it is called Standard Time. Standard Time begins November 7, 2010.
  • Arizona, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
  • It is Daylight Saving Time not Daylight Savings Time.

March 5, 2010

Upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences: March 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th & 15th, 2010

School will dismiss at 1:35 p.m.

parent teacher conferences

Meeting with your child’s teacher helps build strong partnerships that bridge the gap between home and school. Partnerships that are needed to reach the common goal of helping your child get the best education possible.

Parent-Teacher conferences provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to gain insight into their child’s performance at school. If you haven’t already done so, please contact your child’s teacher to schedule your conference today.

Próximas Juntas de Padres y Maestros:
8, 9 10, 12 y 15 de Marzo de 2010

Los alumnos saldrán de clases a las 1:35 p.m.

parent teacher conferences

Juntandose con la maestra/o de su hijo/a ayuda a construir sociedades fuertes que juntan el hueco entre casa y escuela. Sociedades que son necesarias para alcanzar el objetivo común de ayudar a su niño a conseguir la mejor educación posible.

Las conferencias de padres y maestros proporcionan una maravillosa oportunidad para los padres de comprender mejor el desempeño de su hijo/a en la escuela. Si usted no lo ha hecho todavia, por favor póngase en contacto con el profesor de su hijo/a para programar su conferencia hoy.

March 4, 2010

Proposed Budget Cuts

NSD Logo
An Important Message from National School District

March 4, 2010

Dear Parents and Community:

Earlier this month, Governor Schwarzenegger released his proposed California budget for 2010-11. The State continues to face significant budgetary challenges that are caused by the economic recession and has proposed the following cuts:

  1. To continue State funding for Public Education at a deficit of 18.355%
  2. To fund a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of -0.38%
  3. To have a permanent reduction to education of $191 per student

When you combine last year’s deficit ($1.6 million) with the additional cuts proposed for next year ($1.4 million), the total amount that we must cut from the District budget in 2010-11 is $3 million. Given the current condition of the State economy, there is a good chance that additional cuts will take place next year.

Over the next several months, the Legislature will argue about what to cut, what flexibility to give, and which taxes to increase. We are currently negotiating with District employee unions to attempt to solve the $3 million deficit at the bargaining table. Our proposal to the teachers included:

  • Decrease salary up to 3%;
  • Decrease the employee work year by six days. This may include fewer instructional days for students;
  • Not increase District’s contribution to employee health benefits;
  • Increase class size in kindergarten through third grade;
  • Adopt a National School District school calendar that is aligned with the calendar of Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) for beginning and ending dates and major breaks. This would provide a common calendar for all students and their families in National City.

We will be asking similar cuts for all employee groups including, classified, supervisory and administration. Our goal will be to use combinations of these options to get to the $3 million target. None of this will be pleasant, but there are not many other options that can get us to the targeted amount. The severity of the State budget crisis leaves us with very few alternatives. The District’s calendar proposal, if adopted, would mean that the elementary school year would be identical to the school year at
National City Middle School, Granger Junior High School and Sweetwater High School.

I recognize and regret the impact this has on staff and students. We are fortunate to have great employees who care about children and will do anything it takes to maintain the high standard that we have set in the National School District. Our commitment to excellence will never waiver even when we are seriously under-funded by the State. These are stressful times for everyone and uncertainty and rumors only make the situation more difficult. As a way to share up-to-date information about the State budget and to answer questions from
parents and community members, we have organized the following two Community Budget Forums:

Date: March 11, 2010
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Location: National City Public Library
1401 National City Blvd.
National City, CA 91950

Date: March 11, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Rancho de la Nación School Auditorium
1830 East Division Street
National City, CA 91950

Sincerely,

Christopher Oram, Ed.D.
District Superintendent


Sugerencias Para Recortar El Presupuesto

4 de marzo de 2010

Estimados padres de familia y gente de la comunidad:

A principios de este mes, el gobernador Arnold Schwarzenegger dio a conocer el presupuesto para California proyectado para el ciclo 2010-2011. En virtud de que el Estado sigue teniendo graves problemas presupuestarios causados por la recesión económica, propone lo siguiente:

  1. Que prosigan los fondos del Estado para la educación pública a un déficit de 18.355%.
  2. Que el ajuste al costo de vida (COLA, por sus siglas en inglés) sea de -0.38%.
  3. Que la reducción permanente a la educación pública sea de $191 por estudiante.

Al combinar el déficit del año pasado (1.6 millones de dólares) con los demás recortes propuestos para el siguiente año (1.4 millones de dólares), el importe total que tenemos que recortar del presupuesto del Distrito para el ciclo escolar 2010-2011 es de 3 millones de dólares. Dada la situación actual de la economía del Estado, es muy posible que el próximo año se hagan más recortes.

En los siguientes meses, la Asamblea Legislativa determinará qué recortes hacer, la flexibilidad que se dará y qué impuestos se aumentarán. Al presente, estamos negociando con los sindicatos de empleados del Distrito para tratar de resolver el déficit de 3 millones de dólares en la mesa de negociación. Nuestra
propuesta a los maestros incluye las siguientes opciones:

  • Disminuir el salario de cada empleado en un 3%.
  • Quitarle seis días al año laboral de cada empleado (lo cual podría restar días de clases a los estudiantes);
  • Que nuestro Distrito Escolar no aumente su contribución a las prestaciones de salud de sus empleados;
  • Aumentar la cantidad de alumnos en los grupos de jardín de niños hasta el tercer grado.
  • Que nuestro Distrito Escolar adopte un calendario escolar idéntico al calendario escolar del distrito de escuelas secundarias y preparatorias Sweetwater Union High School District en las fechas de inicio y final de clases y durante las vacaciones escolares principales. Así habría un calendario común para los estudiantes y sus familias en esta ciudad.

Pediremos recortes parecidos para todos los grupos de empleados, incluidos clasificados, administrativos y de supervisión. Queremos combinar dichas opciones para alcanzar la meta del recorte de 3 millones de dólares al presupuesto del Distrito. La situación no es nada agradable, y con la gravedad de la crisis del presupuesto estatal tenemos muy pocas opciones para lograr la meta. Si se adopta la propuesta para el calendario del Distrito, el año escolar de nuestros planteles sería igual al de las escuelas National City Middle School, Granger Junior High School y Sweetwater High School.

Reconozco y lamento el efecto que lo anterior produce en nuestros empleados y estudiantes; pero por fortuna, tenemos empleados estupendos, que se preocupan por los niños y que harán todo lo necesario para mantener el alto estándar que nos hemos fijado en este Distrito Escolar. Insistimos en nuestro compromiso con la excelencia, aunque no recibamos los fondos necesarios por parte del Estado.

Vivimos tiempos difíciles y la incertidumbre y los rumores empeoran la situación. Con el fin de compartir con la comunidad la información más reciente sobre el presupuesto estatal y contestar las preguntas de los padres, realizaremos dos foros como sigue:

Fecha: 11 de marzo de 2010
Horario: 9:30 a.m. a 10:30 a.m.
Lugar: Biblioteca Pública de National City
1401 National City Blvd.
National City, CA 91950

Fecha: 11 de marzo de 2010
Horario: 6:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.
Lugar: Escuela Rancho de la Nación Auditorio
1830 East Division Street
National City, CA 91950

Atentamente,

Christopher Oram, Ed.D.
Superintendente del Distrito Escolar

February 25, 2010

All You Can Read! at the Book Fair

Mark Your Calendar!

March
1st – 5th,
2010

 

Palmer Way will host a Scholastic Book Fair on Monday, March 1st through Friday, March 5th, 2010. Families, teachers, and the community are invited to attend the Book Fair, featuring a fun “All You Can Read!” theme.

REGULAR HOURS

The Book Fair will be open daily before school, during lunch recess, & after school. This year the Book Fair will be located in Room B7.

SPECIAL FAMILY EVENT

Special hours will be scheduled for Family Literacy Night on Thursday, March 4th, 2010. Please come to the Book Fair located in Room B7 anytime between 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.

PAYMENT POLICY

We accept cash, checks, money orders, and major credit cards. An additional 9.75% will be added to your total purchase price for sales tax. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Palmer Way PTSO”. There will be a $30.00 charge for returned checks.

VOLUNTEER

We need volunteers! If you would like to share your time and talent to make our Book Fair Diner our greatest reading adventure yet, please contact Sheryll Colmenares at (619) 248-8617. We appreciate your support in whatever form it takes.

VISIT OUR SCHOOL’S BOOK FAIR HOMEPAGE AT:

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/palmerway

February 11, 2010

No School February 12th & 15th, 2010 President’s Day Holiday

ATTENTION PARENTS!

President’s Day Holiday

February 12th & 15th, 2010

School will resume on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

The National School District works very hard to ensure that your child receives the very best education. Please make sure that your child attends every school day before and after the coming holiday.

¡ATENCIÓN PADRES!

Días Festivos en Conmemoración de los Presidentes

12 y 15 de febrero de 2010

Regresamos a clases el martes 16 de febrero de 2010

En el Distrito Escolar National nos esforzamos por asegurar que su niño(a) reciba la mejor educación. Por favor, asegúrese que su niño(a) asista a la escuela todos los días de clases antes y después de los próximos días festivos.

February 8, 2010

DAC Meeting on Thursday, February 11th

The District Advisory Council (DAC) is a monthly gathering of parents and community members from all ten schools of National School District.

Here you will find special presentations, as well as information about what is happening at your neighborhood schools.

Come join us this Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the National City Public Library, 1401 National City Boulevard.

February 5, 2010

Friendship Store


February 8th, 9th, 10th

Send a Valentine-Gram to your friend, teacher, or favorite staff member!

Items start at $1.00 and will be sold during recess and after school in front of Room B-7.


Tienda de la Amistad


Febrero 8, 9 y 10

¡Envíe un mensaje de Valentin a una amistad, maestro o un miembro del personal favorito por $1.00!

Los artículos se van a vender durante los recreos y después de clases en frente del salon B-7.