Celebrating the 75th Day of School!
Wednesday, December 10, 2025, marks an exciting milestone in our school year. We are 75 days smarter, stronger, and more connected as a community. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for your continued commitment and positivity. Here’s to many more days of learning and growing together!
Happy Sunday, Community Families,
I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating our Above & Beyond students on Thursday! Each teacher selected two students who truly went “above and beyond” over the past few weeks. Students shared that they were recognized for achievements such as exceptional STEAM projects, showing remarkable kindness and inclusivity, demonstrating strong effort as they mastered new math concepts, and showcasing creativity in their writing.
Take a look at the photos below of these incredible Above & Beyond club members!
I was also very impressed by the students in Room 17 and their culminating projects. Over the past few weeks, I visited the class as they learned to classify animals based on their characteristic traits. Students worked in groups to sort animals, and it was remarkable to hear them use academic language so confidently in their discussions. Each student also researched and wrote a report, then created a diorama or informational poster showcasing a specific animal. A few students visited my office to present their projects, and I learned a great deal from their fact-filled presentations!
Aldar G. presented his informational poster on the strong anaconda. I was shocked to learn that anacondas have a “death grip”—they squeeze their prey so tightly that it can’t breathe. Yikes!
Booker Z. shared his life-like diorama of the powerful polar bear. I learned that climate change has affected how polar bears mate. As grizzly bears move farther north into the Arctic, they sometimes mate with polar bears, creating hybrids known as “pizzlies.” Climate change is real!
Beckett K. researched the fierce lion. I was saddened to learn how much their population has declined due to habitat loss. A century ago, more than 200,000 lions roamed the Earth; today, that number has dropped dramatically to about 23,000–39,000.
Fiona P. presented amazing facts about the cuddly koala bear. I learned that koalas survive on very little water because their eucalyptus diet keeps them hydrated.
Lilou L. researched the playful beluga whale. This incredible mammal has a rounded “melon” on its head that helps it navigate and find food.
And Milo G. reported on the clever gorilla. I learned that gorillas make and use tools, are six times stronger than humans, and are very shy, peaceful, and intelligent primates. Like lions, gorillas are also critically endangered.
A big thank you to Jennifer for making learning both fun and engaging, and to the wonderful students in Room 17 for sharing their learning with me. I truly enjoyed seeing your hard work and creativity!
Best,
Toni
ROOM 17 3RD GRADE PRESENTATIONS
ABOVE & BEYOND
TINY SPOTLIGHT NEWS!
Dear Community Families,
Thank you for your generous support of the CMCS Pledge Drive!
Together, we are making great progress toward our 2025-2026 Annual Giving Pledge goal of $280,000, plus corporate matching goal of $20,000. Currently, we are at $263,000 of $300,000 total!!
Haven’t Pledged Yet? We aim for 100% participation and encourage every family to contribute. If you haven't participated, you can make your pledge in FreshSchools!
- Morning Assembly: Fridays
- Tuesday Enrichment: Tuesdays
- Tiny Spotlight Musical Theater: Tuesday & Thursday casts
- Student Nest Tutoring Services: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
- After-School Intervention: Wednesdays & Thursdays
- Math Kangaroo: Mondays
Save the Dates . . .
- December 15-19
- Holiday Bazaar
- December 16
- Community Council Meeting
- 2nd Grade field trip to Tree People
- December 18
- Winter Program, 8:30 and 1:00
- Safety Drills
- December 19
- Last Day of Fall Semester
- Minimum Day, 12:50 dismissal
- December 22-January 9
- WINTER BREAK
- January 12
- Second Semester begins
- January 15
- Safety Drills
- January 16
- Pajama Day & Read-a-Thon Kickoff
- January 19
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- NO SCHOOL
- January 23
- TeaTime with Toni
- January 26
- Math Kangaroo resumes
- January 27
- Community Council Meeting
- January 29
- Above & Beyond Club
IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT CHANGES TO YOUR DAILY TRANSPORTATION PLAN
As you know, we have several after-school activities at Community. There's Kids 4 College camp, musical theater, math kangaroo, Tuesday enrichment, intervention, and tutoring. Later in the year, we'll also have late field trips. Getting students to their buses after dismissal has become a challenge. Late notifications of last minute changes in transportation plans exacerbate the problem. In order to help us get your students off smoothly at the end of the day, we ask that you please call the main office before 12:00 pm to notify us of any changes to your transportation plans. Since Kathryn does not always get to her email in time, I encourage you not to email her with these changes. In order to get the message into the bus book and out to classes before dismissal, it is very important that you notify the office in a timely manner. Every day, buses sit and wait as we try to get last minute messages to students. Too many times, we've had to stop the bus and get a child off or have the bus return to school to pick up a child because of late communication. The students have a long enough ride and the late notifications add more time to the commute.
Please always call before 12pm.
- Arrive at CMCS between 7:30 and 8:00
- Enter through the gate on the EAST side of the school.
- Drive along the left curb. The right curb is a bus lane whether or not the buses have arrived.
- Wait patiently in a single file line along the left curb of the driveway.
- When a valet volunteer or LAUSD staff directs you, turn right at the parking lot and pull up to the Valet Curb. There can be a maximum of 3 cars at the Valet Curb.
- Under no circumstances can you park with your child and walk them through the parking lot. If, especially during these first weeks of school, you want to walk your child to the front gate, you MUST drop your child at the Valet Curb and then park your car. Your child can wait for you near the valet volunteers on the bench by the Valet Curb.
- When you arrive at the Valet Curb, your child should be ready to exit the car from the passenger side of the vehicle. IF a passenger side exit from your vehicle is unavailable, your child must wait until a valet volunteer opens the driver side door and escorts them in front of your car onto the curb.
- Under no circumstances should the driver exit the vehicle.
- Do not pull around cars in the valet line including at the Valet Curb. The line is single file from the east gate entrance through to the west gate exit. Please wait your turn to drop off your child and to exit campus.
- FINALLY, be patient and kind. The valet volunteers and LAUSD staff are there for the safety of your children. Please treat them, the children, and the other drivers with respect.
REGISTER FOR KIDS 4 COLLEGE FREE AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE
SCHOOL IS COMPULSORY!
Students need to come to school every day. When possible, please schedule your child’s medical appointments outside of school hours. (See the bell schedule for our school hours.) If you must schedule an appointment during school hours, please check in at the main office to pick up/drop off your child.
The following types of absences are excused: illness, doctor’s appointments, funerals, family emergencies, court dates, religious observances, etc. Examples of unexcused absences include: vacations, “we slept in,” “we took a family day,” “we went to Disneyland for her birthday,” "we visited relatives out of state/country," etc. Even if you send in a note to explain the absence, those examples would be designated as unexcused. For more information, please refer to LAUSD’s Attendance Guide.
You may know that LAUSD has an Independent Study program. This program is intended to provide make-up classwork for students who must miss school for legitimate long-term absences (for example, needing to go out of town for a death in the family, quarantine/lengthy stay at home for serious illness, or needing to make a visa appointment in a home country). Independent Study is NOT for “we are taking 2 weeks off and going abroad,” or “we are starting our Winter Break 10 days early.” For Independent Study in excess of 15 days, you must enroll in the online City of Angels program.
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