September 2011

Parents and Community,

WELCOME TO TORREY PINES ELEMENTARY!
As I begin my ninth year as principal I have been reflecting on all the great things we have accomplished together. Our collaborative spirit is evident on many fronts. We have achieved the highest academic honor in San Diego County, our Foundation continues to exceed their financial goals (even in the worst of economic times) and we continue to provide multiple opportunities for students to learn while also enjoying school. As we look forward to this school year I remind myself that the work is never done.

2011-12 SCHOOL YEAR
So, what do we have in store for your students this year? On the academic front we will continue as a staff to employ our math consultant. While our students are high achievers in the area of math we know they can be shown more ways to problem solve and more ways to think about math beyond computation. The math consultant will continue to work with teachers through December. We will also continue some of our literacy work with Michelle Montali and Michelle Nieto. Our great work in this area has been recognized by San Diego Unified so the Michelles’ support will be limited on site. The good news is the teachers have learned the critical thinking curriculum and writing curriculum through our professional development sessions and are now able to move forward with the work.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS
We must continue to focus on attendance. For every day a child is absent, the district loses approximately $28.00 in state funding. While this does not seem like a lot of money, when all the missed school days are tallied and multiplied by $28.00, the total dollars are huge. Last year alone at Torrey Pines we cost the district over $66,000 in missed revenue due to absences. So, similar to last year, if your child is not ill please have them in school. The San Diego Unified School District academic calendar outlines the school days for the year, as well as identifies the numerous holidays your child will receive. In addition, please visit our online school calendar for information regarding school holidays and events.  I encourage you to only take your child on vacations when school is not in session.

TORREY PINES 10 
The Torrey Pines 10 is a collection of life lessons. Lessons we hope will begin at Torrey Pines, be fostered at home, and stay with your child through their adult life. The Torrey Pines 10 will be prominently placed in each classroom, as well as various other spots on campus.  All staff members will work with students daily to understand the lessons and the expectations of our Torrey Pines community.

Please take time to review the Torrey Pines 10. It is suggested that you discuss these with your child throughout the year, as once does not usually transfer the new learning into action. The more your child understands about the school environment the better year he/she will have both academically and socially.  Again, welcome to Torrey Pines Elementary!

-Jim Solo, Principal