Chinese New Year

Newson March 11th, 2013No Comments

snake and students

For the sixth year, Jose Ortega participated in the Chinese New Year Parade. A new character mask was created in honor of the Year of the Snake. Students decorated umbrellas and created snake inspired artwork for the standards.

umbrella routine

Thanks to the energetic parents who organized the parade, created and wore the amazing masks, helped with the characters and images on the umbrellas, and carried the standards and banners. Thanks to the Dim Sum Dancers for being line leaders, to the students who did artwork for the umbrellas and posters, and most of all thanks to our great kids for learning their part and for representing our school.

news-video

In addition to the parade, the school celebrated with a Lunar New Year Fair hosted by the fourth and fifth grade Mandarin immersion classes.

cny-fair

Every classroom was able to attend the fair and have some fun with a shuttlecock game (jianzi), chopsticks, tangrams, and washable Chinese character tattoos. Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Lunar New Year!

tattoos

Family Health Night

Newson March 9th, 2013No Comments

The Jose Ortega Family Health Night had many fun activities to encourage thinking about healthy choices. Everyone was able to sample tomato-mozzarella salad and kale and brown rice asian salad, trace the path of a pea from seed to table in a live display, fold an origami seed packet to take home peas, compete in a compost and recycling race, make a veggie face snack, practice yoga for kids, play the build-a-plate food sorting game, start a fruit and veggie diary, and more. The next family night will be held in April and the theme will be science.

food sorting game

build-a-plate food sorting game

seed to table display for peas

seed to table living display

food tasting

salad tasting table

compost and recycling race

compost and recycling race

yoga practice

kids' yoga practice

Artist-in-Residence, Chelle

Newson November 26th, 2012No Comments

Chelle Music

Ms. Michelle, our artist-in-residence this school year, has begun cycling through the grades teaching singing. The kindergarteners and 1st graders have been learning an African song among other songs, and they will be performing them at the Winter Program. Here is a preview of Funga Alafia, a West African greeting song:

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The 2nd and 3rd graders will learn from Ms. Michelle after the new year, and will be performing their songs at the spring Umoja assembly. The 4th and 5th graders will have a turn with her in April and May, and perform for graduation. You can read more about Ms. Michelle at: www.chellemusic.com

Music in Schools Today

Newson November 14th, 2012No Comments

MuST 3rd Grade Singers

For the last six weeks, the second and third grade classes have been participating in Music in Schools Today’s Orff-Schulwerk program. They learned ethnic songs from all over the world, and the music program culminated with a performance for the whole school on Friday, Nov 2. To hear a sample, click below.

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Yonder Come Day
Traditional Georgia Sea Islands Spiritual
Yonder come day, day is a breakin’,
Yonder come day, oh my soul.
Yonder come day, day is a breakin’,
Sun is a risin’ in my soul.
Sun, rise, sun, rise oh yonder.
Sun, rise, sun is a risin’ in my soul.

Merced Heights: The Book

Newson October 25th, 2012No Comments

MERCED_HEIGHTS_Leaves

In the spring of 2012 our whole school participated in a bookmaking project led by artist in residence, Aiko Cuneo. The kindergarten through third grade classes made individual handmade books.

The 4th and 5th grade classes worked together on a book to learn more about people who are involved with the Oceanview, Ingleside, and Merced Heights (OMI) communities. These people included District 11 Supervisor John Avalos, Parents for Public Schools Community Outreach Coordinator Cindy Choy, and Peter Vaernet, a resident of Merced Heights and founder of Brooks Park. JoLynn Washington is the principal of Jose Ortega Elementary School (JOES). Mr. Edwards is a longtime resident of OMI and worked for many years as the custodian at JOES. Jonathan Silverman is the gardening coordinator at JOES. Maria Elena Jeremias is a grandmother of two students at JOES and is a gardener in the Brooks Park community gardens. Minnie and Lovie Ward were OMI community activists.

Cover

Click the image to download the book

Students in 4th and 5th grade interviewed the community members, wrote in groups, and made drawings to illustrate the book. The project was made possible by a Target Arts and Culture in Schools Grant obtained by the PTA.

Reader’s Workshop and Raising a Reader programs

Newson November 14th, 2011No Comments
Mrs. Washington has introduced the Reader’s Workshop model for teaching how to read this year, after traveling to Columbia University’s Teachers College with four JOES teachers to receive training in this program. An additional two teachers were trained through “Homegrown Training,” where Columbia University representatives come to SF to provide training. This way of teaching combines explicit instruction in reading strategies with opportunities for students to practice each reading strategy independently, with a peer, and in small groups. Teachers read-alouds, guided reading, and independent reading times are structured into the daily schedule.
Our principal reports that the students are learning to read comprehensively as well as just loving reading!  She also states, “I am planning to bring a Homegrown Training to our school in the summer. I am meeting with four other principals and we are hoping to train up to 50 teachers. This means that all Jose Ortega teachers will receive training in Readers Workshop before the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.  I am very excited about this!”
On October 17, JOES welcomed representatives from Raising a Reader and the Masons to an assembly launching the Raising a Reader program for Jose Ortega’s kindergarteners. Students got to participate in story time, and parents were educated in the benefits of reading with their children at home.
Raising a Reader is a nationally known program that has until now been geared to 0-5 year olds and their families. Students bring home a sturdy red bag of books each week to read with their families, and exchange their book bags for new ones each week. With the launch of this program at Jose Ortega, Raising a Reader is moving toward implementing their program in Kindergartens throughout the United States. The Masons organization is partnering with Raising a Reader to fund on a national level. Since Jose Ortega School has an existing partnership with Masons Lodge No. 1, we are the fortunate recipients of the very first Kindergarten Raising a Reader program! Thank you Masons for funding this program for our students!
Mrs. Washington has introduced the Reader’s Workshop model for teaching how to read this year, after traveling to Columbia University’s Teachers College with four JOES teachers to receive training in this program. An additional two teachers were trained through “Homegrown Training,” where Columbia University representatives come to SF to provide training. This way of teaching combines explicit instruction in reading strategies with opportunities for students to practice each reading strategy independently, with a peer, and in small groups. Teachers read-alouds, guided reading, and independent reading times are structured into the daily schedule.
Our principal reports that the students are learning to read comprehensively as well as just loving reading!  She also states, “I am planning to bring a Homegrown Training to our school in the summer. I am meeting with four other principals and we are hoping to train up to 50 teachers. This means that all Jose Ortega teachers will receive training in Readers Workshop before the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.  I am very excited about this!”
On October 17, JOES welcomed representatives from Raising a Reader and the Masons to an assembly launching the Raising a Reader program for Jose Ortega’s kindergarteners. Students got to participate in story time, and parents were educated in the benefits of reading with their children at home.
Raising a Reader is a nationally known program that has until now been geared to 0-5 year olds and their families. Students bring home a sturdy red bag of books each week to read with their families, and exchange their book bags for new ones each week. With the launch of this program at Jose Ortega, Raising a Reader is moving toward implementing their program in Kindergartens throughout the United States. The Masons organization is partnering with Raising a Reader to fund on a national level. Since Jose Ortega School has an existing partnership with Masons Lodge No. 1, we are the fortunate recipients of the very first Kindergarten Raising a Reader program! Thank you Masons for funding this program for our students!
RaisingaReader

Principal of the Year

Newson May 26th, 2011No Comments

Principal of the Year
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee named Ms. Washington a recipient of the “2011 Mayor’s Principal of the Year Award”! This recognition is a collaborative effort with the Mayor’s Office, SFUSD, & the United Administrators of San Francisco. She was selected for her dedication and the work she has done on behalf of The City’s youth.

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flowers
The students got a chance to honor Ms. Washington by presenting her with flowers and PAWS awards, which are usually given out to helpful students. Congratulations to OUR hero, JoLynn Washington!

More Room to Play

Newson May 2nd, 2011No Comments

The Jose Ortega Greening Committee has a vision for our school.  One part of this vision is to transform some of the uninviting and unused spaces into places that children can play and learn.  For our latest effort, parent Tharon Kelly organized an all-volunteer group of parents, friends, and relatives to reclaim an empty patch in the corner of the play yard, known mainly for collecting trash and weeds…

Before

They terraced it, brought in retaining wall blocks, built a deck, and installed a fence.
Construction

The project required many truckloads of gravel.

Shoveling Gravel

At the ribbon cutting, Tharon and principal JoLynn Washington presented the finished result to the school.

Ribbon Cutting

The children put it to great use, starting on the very first day.

Kindergarten Recess

And it’s good for more than just play.  Here are the fifth graders having a science class in the fresh air!

Science Lesson

Chinese New Year Parade

Newson February 21st, 2011No Comments

Chinese New Year Parade

For the fourth time Jose Ortega participated in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade. The students performed a dance with umbrellas that they had decorated with Chinese characters representing the attributes traditionally associated with the year of the hare (明 – bright, 柔 – gentle, 慈 – kind, 静 – quiet, 善 – charitable, 精 – soul, 文 – culture).

Chinese New Year Parade

Marchers carried rabbit banners created by each classroom. We added a new mascot to our Chinese zodiac collection, the golden rabbit. Our blue fuzzy JOES bear mascot also made a parade debut.
The Golden Hare

Principal Washington Named Local Hero

Newson January 24th, 2011No Comments

Our principal, JoLynn Washington, has received the honor of being named a Local Hero for Black History Month by KQED and Union Bank. A KQED broadcast will feature each of the recipients of the award.

Sun Feb 20 at 6:00pm KQED 9 | Black History Month Celebration
KQED proudly celebrates individuals whose work has helped to create a better Bay Area for all. Nominated by the community, these local heroes’ accomplishments are the centerpiece of our annual Black History Month Celebration.

Ms. Washington’s video feature:

To listen to Ms. Washington’s acceptance speech, fast-forward to 20:00 on the video below: