In an effort to ensure that all families receive school communications, please visit this section. Email blasts and helpful resources will also be housed here.

May 17, 2023

Good evening Franklin families!
I wanted to provide a quick update regarding CAASPP state testing. For the last few weeks, our teachers and students in grades 3-5 have been hard at work administering and taking the CAASPP tests. We have kept the anxiety low and worked together to ensure our students felt comfortable and confident.  Our students remained positive and were encouraged to take the time they needed.

I am extremely happy to report that we are at the finish line. We have less than ten fifth graders who are finishing up the Science test this week and everyone has finished the ELA and Math portions. We truly appreciate any steps taken to avoid tardies and absences during this time.  We could not have done this without our family partnerships!

Test scores will be sent home in August depending on how quickly the state is able to score everything. We will know more about this in the next few months. If we receive any additional information, we will be sure to send a communication out to everyone.

Again, we are so proud of our students. Go Franklin Bolts!

With gratitude and appreciation,
Mrs. Hynding
Franklin Assistant Principal and Testing Coordinator

April 26, 2023

Hello Third-Fifth Grade Franklin families!

Our third, fourth, and fifth-grade students will engage in California state CAASPP testing beginning May 1st, 2023.  Students will be tested in Math and English Language Arts.  Fifth graders will also be assessed in Science.

Please view the attachments for additional information, including the testing timeline.  It is very important that outside appointments, absences, and tardies are avoided during the testing window. If you have specific questions regarding certain days/times your classroom is testing, please contact your teacher(s).

*Students are not permitted to have any cell phones, electronic watches, or any other electronic device in the classroom during testing.

In addition to CAASPP, the 3rd-5th graders will have the opportunity to participate in an Olweus Anti-Bullying survey in mid-May.  This anonymous survey allows the Franklin staff to take the feedback of our students to ensure that our Anti-Bullying practices are successful at Franklin. If you prefer to opt your child(ren) out of this survey, please contact the teacher(s).

File attachments:
2022-2023 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Parent Notification Letter .pdf
Olweus Parent letter.pdf

April 16, 2023

Hello Franklin families and welcome back!

Our third, fourth, and fifth-grade students will engage in California state CAASPP testing beginning May 1st, 2023.  Students will be tested in Math and English Language Arts.  Fifth graders will also be assessed in Science.

Please view the attachment for additional information including the testing timeline.  It is very important that outside appointments, absences, and tardies are avoided during the testing window.  If you have specific questions regarding certain days/times your classroom is testing, please contact your teacher(s).

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

2022-2023 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Parent Notification Letter .pdf

April 7, 2023

Hello Franklin families!

We hope that you are enjoying your first week of Spring Break! It is hard to believe that we only have eight weeks left of this school year. We are starting to prepare for the 2023-2024 academic year and would like your input.  The parent input form gives you the opportunity to give us some information about your child(ren) that you feel may be helpful in determining their class placement. Please read the information carefully, answer the questions thoughtfully, and submit the form no later than Friday, 5/5/2023 for each child.

As noted in the form, class formation is a complicated and thoughtful process. Our primary goal is to create academically and socially balanced classes that meet the requirements of gender equity, ethnic diversity, behavior needs, leadership, special needs, and parental support while providing a nurturing classroom community where your child can grow academically and socially.

Again, the deadline to submit the form is Friday, 5/5/2023. There is a submission button at the bottom of the form to complete for each child.

*As a reminder, this form is only for incoming K-5 students.

Please find the link here: https://forms.gle/dv8u2jnFxpTRhKeDA 

March 6, 2023

• This form is only applicable to students entering grades K-5.  We know our fifth graders are off to middle school.
• It is very important that the name of the new school is provided to our office if you are remaining in California but leaving Franklin.  The details are in the form.
• We need all families to complete this very short survey.
• We need this form to be completed no later than March 31st.

February 27, 2023

Happy Monday Franklin families!

We hope you are staying dry on this very wet Monday.  Our students have been holding up quite well and we are doing our best to provide frequent breaks to keep them learning and comfortable. 

We are reaching out with two requests.

• Please send a few extra masks with your child(ren). Place them in their backpack or a place where the student can find them.  We do have positive COVID cases which generate many exposures.  While we do have a supply of masks in our Health Office, providing extras from home is greatly appreciated.
• We have noticed a large number of students going to the Health Office for snacks and a water bottle.  We have a very limited supply of these items for those that are sick and ask that all families provide their child(ren) with daily snacks and a reusable water bottle.

Thank you for any support that you can provide!

Februry 20, 2023

• Please remember to have your child(ren) take their weekly COVID test prior to entering school Tuesday.
• The weather forecast predicts colder temperatures this week along with rain. Please be sure to dress your child(ren) accordingly.

• The staff parking lot is for staff only.  Many cars have been pulling into the lot blocking spaces and we have seen cars pull in from the alley entering the lot backward. This must stop. The staff lot will be closed from 9-3:15 daily for all visitors.  
• We continue to see cars and students traveling through the alleys during the Idaho drop-offs/pick-ups. This must stop.
• Do not double/triple park, block residential driveways, or encourage students to run through alleys.  We have crosswalks along Montana and Idaho that need to be utilized as well as the valet system on Idaho for drop-offs.

February 16, 2023

Hello Franklin families!

Every year we are required to perform security drills including fire, earthquake, and lockdown preparation.  Our goal is to always 'prepare and not to scare.'  We make every effort to ensure that all of our students and staff feel safe at Franklin.  The staff has been trained for these emergencies that may occur.

On Tuesday, 2/21, Franklin will engage in a Security Lockdown Drill. This will be our second Lockdown Drill and we feel very confident that the students understand the protocols. 

Attached are some talking points to prepare the students accordingly.  They will also engage in class discussions that day. 

Thank you for your cooperation and have a wonderful long weekend!

Warmly,
Mrs. Hynding
File attachments:
parent lockdown talkingpoints.pdf

January 6, 2023

Class pictures are now available!

Dear Parents,  
Cornerstone photography has created a class group composite picture for each class.  Class composites are now available for viewing and ordering online. All orders must be placed online and will be mailed directly home with FREE shipping. Portrait pickup on campus or in the Cornerstone studio is not available. To view your class, click the link and enter the online code.  For additional questions, you may contact customercare@cornerstone.photo or (805) 529-1635.

CLICK HERE to View Class Group Pictures
Online Code: 2022FRNK

Estimados Padres, 
Cornerstone Photography ha creado una imagen compuesta de grupo de clase para cada clase. Los compuestos de clase ahora están disponibles para ver y ordenar en línea. Todos los pedidos deben realizarse en línea y se enviarán por correo directamente a casa con envío GRATIS. La recogida de retratos en el campus o en el estudio Cornerstone no está disponible. Para ver su clase, haga clic en el enlace e ingrese el código en línea. Si tiene preguntas adicionales, puede comunicarse con customercare@cornerstone.photo o (805) 529-1635. 

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ para ver las fotos del grupo de la clase 
Online Code: 2022FRNK

December 12, 2022

We are thrilled to celebrate our last week with a fabulous Spirit Week generated by Mrs. Robinson and her Student Committee.  We would love to see our students participate in the following daily themes below (see attachment as well): https://www.smmusd.org/cms/lib/CA50000164/Centricity/Domain/9/SpiritWeek121222.pdf

• Tuesday- Dress as Your Favorite Book or Movie Character
• Wednesday- Hobby Day!  Dress as your favorite hobby.
• Thursday- Cultural Celebration day
• Friday- Pajama Day! (No slippers please)

We are looking forward to a wonderful week at Franklin!

December 8, 2022

November 2, 2022
California School Parent Survey

The California School Parent Survey is a voluntary opportunity to provide feedback regarding Franklin safety, programs, and methods aimed to improve student achievement.  We would love to hear your thoughts so we can continue to make Franklin the fabulous place that it is!

The attachment outlines specific details of the survey along with a link which can also be accessed HERE.
Thank you for your continued support!
Your Franklin Admin Team

File attachments:
Franklin Parent Letter English.pdf
Franklin Parent Survey Spanish.pdf

Note: The attachment link will expire in three years. Download and save the content if required.

October 18, 2022
Great Shake-out Thursday

• Drop, Cover, and Hold On
• Evacuate students/staff to evacuation areas
• Activate incident command centers
• Activate campus sweep teams
• Activate the reunion and request gates
• Activate first aid station
• Account for students and staff 
• Contact the District Office and provide a status update

October 10, 2022
October is here!
We have so many exciting events coming up at Franklin!  Franklin Picture Day, PTA Reflections, Bike It Walk It, and more!

NATIONAL PTA REFLECTIONS! Do you enjoy art, music, and dance, or have an interest in writing, producing films, and taking photos? Then join us and have fun unleashing your inner artist with PTA Reflections! This year’s theme, “Show Your Voice!” calls for your own unique interpretation through the arts. Submissions are due OCTOBER 14th! 
All students are invited to participate and submit original artwork in one of six areas:
Grade Divisions: Primary (Preschool -2nd); Intermediate (Grades 3-5); Special Artists (all grades).

• Dance/choreography
• Literature
• Photography
• Film production
• Music Composition
• Visual arts

Picture Day will be TOMORROW! (10/11)  This will be an in-person opportunity and all orders are taken online. The teachers have selected a time for their class and only individual pictures will be taken.  Class pictures are provided in the composite form by the company. In a few weeks, you will receive a link and code to access pictures if you'd like to purchase them. There will be a make-up day on November 4th.

Bike It Walk It Week begins on 10/17 with a special emphasis on Friday 10/21.  Let's encourage our community to walk/bike/scooter to school next week (as well as a good daily practice). We will tabulate all students who use these means on Friday 10/21.  The SMMUSD school with the highest percentage of participants receives the prestigious Golder Sneaker award. Let's try to bring the sneaker to Franklin and be environmentally conscious! 

On October 28th there will be a Franklin Halloween Parade.  Families are invited and more information is forthcoming.

October looks fabulous indeed! We are ready to watch our students smile from ear to ear on Picture Day tomorrow.

Please continue to stay healthy and safe.
Your Franklin Admin Team

October 7, 2022
Today, our school practiced its first Lockdown Security Drill. Throughout the year, we will practice many different drills, such as in the event of fire, earthquake, and lockdown. The drill was completed in under ten minutes with all students in grades Preschool-5th grade safely secured within their rooms. The staff facilitated excellent conversations prior to this drill, which contributed to a culture of information and collaboration rather than fear.

If any adult is volunteering on our campus, it is imperative that they follow the directions of staff when a drill occurs. We believe in safety for all! We will be sure to set up additional Volunteer Training opportunities very soon.  Please continue to read the weekly Franklin FLASH for updates on safety and training.

As a reminder, please have your child(ren) take their weekly antigen test prior to beginning the school week on Monday. Let's continue to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,
Mrs. Hynding

Happy Friday Franklin families!

October is now upon us as we welcome Autumn. We hope that cooler temperatures are ahead! Here are a few reminders regarding Volunteer training and upcoming events.

• SMMUSD schools are closed Wednesday 10/5.  To all of our families who recognize the Yom Kippur holiday, L'Shanah Tova!
• Please remember to have your student(s) take their weekly antigen test prior to attending school every Monday. 
• We are eager to welcome volunteers back into our community! With this said, EVERY adult that wishes to volunteer at Franklin must attend Volunteer training led by Mrs. Hynding.  Virtual opportunities are coming up Monday and Tuesday at 10 AM.  There are additional requirements that are new to Franklin volunteers, so everyone must attend this refresher if you haven't already done so. Recorded sessions are not available. The Zoom link will be sent to all adults who sign up prior to the training.
  • Please sign up to attend a Volunteer Training session on the Franklin School PTA website at this link: 
    • https://www.franklinschoolpta.org/events#virtualsignup

A message from FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY

On Thursday 9/15, via electronic ballot, Franklin will hold its School Site Council Election for four parent member positions. All parents and caregivers of Franklin students will receive an electronic ballot at your email address on Thursday 9/15. We strongly encourage you to participate. The eligible candidates for the open positions will be listed on the ballot and are identified below:

Lisa Demsky: I’m a mom to two boys, Colson (a 4^th grader at Franklin) and Jaxton (a 6^th grader who graduated Franklin last year), and also a practicing lawyer.  I’ve been very involved in Franklin over the past 7 years, including as a PTA Executive Board member, as a Room Parent volunteer, and on the School Site Council. I have served and actively participated on the School Site Council for the past four years, including as the Vice Chair, Secretary, and on Budget and Personalized Learning committees. I worked closely with Mrs. McGregory and would be excited to serve one final 2-year term, working with Mr. Zeevi and the rest of the Council to help provide continuity on the work we’ve started on a number of important issues.  My goal is to think proactively and creatively about Franklin’s governance and site plan going forward, in order to ensure that the plan adequately addresses all students’ needs, that important issues like safety are thought through and addressed, that Franklin receives and is able to maximize and utilize the funding to which it has access and is entitled, and that Franklin parents’ voices are heard.  I believe strongly that the school’s plan should provide the necessary support for, and enhance the growth of, every child, ensuring that the students who are struggling receive the additional resources and support they need, but also that students who are performing at or above grade level receive appropriate instruction and resources that will help them grow and achieve their potential as well.

Cliff Segil: I am interested in serving on the Franklin Site Governance Council this year. My son Teddy is in 1st grade and my older kids, Sara and Alex, both graduated from Franklin. I have been a parent at Franklin for 11 years and love Franklin! As a graduate myself of Franklin, Lincoln, and Samo, I am excited to collaborate with teachers, administrators, PTA, and other parents to develop a plan to best meet the needs of our students, teachers, and community. I have been a member of the Franklin PTA and welcome the opportunity to serve on the council. As a parent, neighbor, and local physician, I bring a unique perspective. I look forward to working as part of a team to continue to help Franklin thrive now and in the long term.

Mimi Sroka: Have you ever been somewhere for so long that it starts to feel like home? As I enter my 6^th year at Franklin, that's how it feels! My introduction to the PTA was becoming a room parent for my daughter's Kinder, 1^st, and 2nd-grade classrooms and since then I've joined countless committees, like Health and Safety, participated in beautification days, and joined district-wide committees like PAHF and others. I also served as PTA EVP for two years - during distance learning, and then back in-person. During these fantastic, yet turbulent times, I built relationships with parents, faculty, staff, and admin while better understanding all the various duties and responsibilities that make the school hum. As EVP, my understanding and collaboration with more committees continued to expand. I had the fortunate role of being part of the school site council, although I wasn't a voting member. I learned about the SPSA process, how funding works (stretch grants, discretionary funds, district funds), and how the impact this little group of dedicated stakeholders has on shaping the school. Joining the SSC as a parent rep would allow me to utilize the information I have gained from all the other roles and channel it into productive work that would continue to strengthen the learning and physical space that is Franklin.

Wai Mei Lee: Hi, Franklin Families. I am a full-time working mom of three. My son Hunter is a 3^rd grader in Ms. Brossoit’s class and my twin girls, Isabelle and Elodie, are in TK with Ms. Hodges. For the last four years, I have been a Room Parent for my son’s K and 1st-grade classrooms, and I’m currently the Room Parent for my daughters’ TK class. I’ve also been the Chairperson for the School Site Council for the last two years, working on initiatives that include personalized learning, financial budgeting, and health & safety planning. After working closely with Mrs. McGregory and Mrs. Hynding for the last two years, I’m excited about the opportunity to continue this work with Mr. Zeevi to provide all our children with the necessary resources to thrive and succeed. I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of parent involvement, and I think it is important for parent representatives to have a voice in planning and developing programs at our school that support the growth of every child. Working closely with other parents, teachers, and administrators, I will advocate for our children and work productively to best address their needs and the entire Franklin community.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Your Franklin Admin team

September 6, 2022
This is Franklin's proud principal, Mr. Zeevi, with a very important update. This Friday, Franklin had planned a special Back to School Picnic and DJ/Dance Party for our students and families. Due to predicted inclement weather for Friday, we have decided to postpone this event to the following Friday, on September 16th, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

We would like to make this an event to remember for our families, so I encourage you all to attend. In addition, we had campus beautification set up for this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We will be postponing this event to the following Saturday the 17th.

We are still looking for parent volunteers to help beautify the Franklin campus. I look forward to meeting all those that can attend either or both events.

I also want to inform you about Coffee with the Principal on September 13th, at 8:45 a.m. in the cafetorium. I want to thank you for listening, and hope to see you soon.

Please read the information from Interim Principal Ms. Wax.

1. Administration: Thank you for welcoming me back to the Franklin Community.   I am finishing up my interim role this Wednesday. Barry Yates is finishing his time here on Thursday.   Our new Principal, Eran Zeevi, will officially begin Friday, September 2. He will also be here on Back-to-School Night with Mrs. Hynding.
2. PTA Membership: We had 100% of our teachers/admins join PTA this year.  It has been a long while since this happened.  Please do your part by joining the PTA and donating to the PTA Annual Fund and making a donation to help support the ‘stuff” we need at school and donating to SMEF, the  Santa Monica Education Foundation, to help fund the staff.  We all want great schools and your donations of time and resources help to make that happen at Franklin.
3. Antigen Tests: We have free antigen tests for all of our Franklin families.   Please stop in at the main office if you need them for your recommended weekly testing. If your child tests positive, please keep him/her home and let Varso know in the office and let our health office know.
4. Minimum Day: Add 3/31/22 as a minimum day for grades 1-5.   This was chosen as our discretionary day right before Spring Break. Kinder is out at 1:30 on this day, along with everyone else.
5. Morning Valet: We know that our parents and staff care deeply about the safety of our students, families, and community. The valet area was chaotic on Friday and I know we can do better. The valet begins at 8:15 every morning when the school gates open.  The first bell rings at 8:27 am and the final bell rings at 8:30 am.

   We ask the following:
   • Do not park in front of the Idaho gates during drop-off to allow for the Valet Line to work for all families.
   • Please pull your vehicle forward to the front of the valet line as parents wave you through.
   • Have your child ready to get out of the car with all of their belongings (keep their items on the passenger side of the car for safety and ease).
   • Drivers should remain in their vehicles at all times.  Valet will assist your children.
   

   Additionally, we have a great number of pedestrians in the morning at drop off, so keep in mind the following - no illegal U-Turns, No 3-Point Turns into the alley on Idaho, and do not drop off with your car on the wrong side of the road and no parking in the alley.
   We also ask all of the folks walking to please use the crosswalks so there are no jaywalking or safety issues.

6. Breakfast: We open up the front West gate from 8-8:20 for those who want to eat FREE breakfast.   This may help with the crowd at the morning drop-off. Students can go to the yard at 8:15. We have helpers to escort the younger ones to their yards to make sure they know where they are going to line up.
7. Playground Club: As you may be aware, Santa Monica Boys & Girls Club (SMBGC) had a strong response to the on-site
   Playground Club (formerly Playground Access through the City) for on-site supervision after school M-F until 4:30 pm.  There was a waitlist earlier due to staffing ratios, but with new staff, we are now able to open that enrollment up to a total of 50 students per site.  We still have a few students on the waitlist.
   The Playground Club supervision program will operate at a 25:1 ratio (Anything above 50 will be temporarily waitlisted until we can meet the needs safely with staff, but we have also hired a recruitment firm to expedite this process. The maximum potential enrollment per site will eventually be 75 students.
   Enrollment is first come first served; scholarships are available for qualified members, so don’t hesitate to register now: https://www.smbgc.org/memberships/become-a-member/
   More comprehensive, structured programming is available, with transportation, at our Main Branch on Lincoln Blvd.
   We appreciate your support and feel free to reach out with any questions.
   Nina Kiefer, the program lead, will respond to families on and beyond August 31st. nkeifer@smbgc.org 
   **Elementary sports, Flag Football and Volleyball, are also still available for grades 2-5 enrollment this Fall starting Sept 12th. For more information, please visit https://www.smbgc.org/sports/
   
   
8. Music in TK-2: Thanks to the donations from you to the Ed Foundation and your donations to the PTA,  we are able to offer 10 weeks of music classes to our younger students.   THANK YOU!!!!!   Check out Music Rhapsody online.
9. Banked Time Wednesdays: Just a reminder that every Wednesday, we have an early out for children and work time for Teachers. We do staff collaborative planning, professional development, grade level meetings, data preparation, and many other things during this time. All students are dismissed at 1:30 on Wednesdays.
10. I will miss you all and promise to come back to visit!
    We look forward to a wonderful week ahead!

August 19, 2022
Dear Parents and Guardians,

Franklin Elementary School invites you to our annual Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, for grades TK/Kindergarten through 2nd grade and on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, for grades 3-5.  Back to School Night is a parent/guardian only night where we provide an opportunity for our teachers to share their expectations of your child/you and to know what to expect from us as partners in your student’s learning.

We are proud of the work we do here at Franklin and look forward to sharing our enthusiasm for the new school year with you.  The evening will start at 6:00pm with a volunteer orientation in our Cafetorium led by our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Hynding. This is a requirement for all volunteers.  We will do this orientation before both Back to School nights and throughout the school year.

Our formal presentation will start at 6:30pm, with a welcome meeting also in the Cafetorium. Following the welcome meeting, you will go to your child’s classroom from 7:00-8:00pm. We want you to leave with a solid understanding of what your child will be learning in his/her classroom.

Thank you for making the time to come to this very important evening that lays the foundation for the year.  We want you to be prepared to guide your child at home regarding school expectations. Research clearly shows that the more parents are involved in school, the more successful the child is in school.

We also invite you to view the Franklin Flash at THIS LINK.  This weekly newsletter is chock full of important information.

See you on Tuesday, the 23rd for TK/K-2 and on Tuesday, the 30th of August, for 3-5th.  Please recall TK/K-2 has a minimum day on August 23.  All Tk/K students are out at 11:30, Grades 1-5 are out at 1:30. On August 30, only grades 1-5 have a minimum day and end at 1:30.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Respectfully,
Your Franklin Admin Team

8/17/22
Happy Wednesday!
We can hardly wait to see everyone tomorrow, Thursday, at 8:15, for our first day of school. We hope to see you after you have tested negative with the free Covid antigen tests you picked up at school this week or had at home. Teachers are excited and have been working hard to get their rooms set up after we moved many classrooms this summer.

ALL GRADES:
We were just informed that we are able to serve breakfast this year before school. Breakfast will be free, like our lunch meal.  This is going to start Monday, August 22. Please come to the front west gate near the cafetorium only if your child is eating breakfast.  The gate will open at 8:00 am.  Children will be expected to stay at the breakfast tables until 8:15, when the varying yards will be open to our students.

ALL GRADES:
Monthly Assemblies
We are moving our first assembly to August 26 at 8:30 am.  We are not including parents at this time.
 
GRADES: 3-5:
Mariachi and Folklorico classes:  Registration deadline is Sept. 6, 2022:

• Mariachi - grades 5-12
• Folklorico - grades 3-8
   

Grades TK/K:
It has been past practice at Franklin School that on minimum days only, the students who stay after school for childcare will be served lunch.   Everyone else leaves at 11:30 and has lunch at home. We will continue this practice at this time. Please edit your calendars as we erroneously included August 30 as a minimum day for TK and K.  It is only a minimum day for Grades 1-5.

Your Franklin Admin Team

August 9, 2022

Dear Franklin Families:

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year. My name is Wendy Wax and I am a retired SMMUSD administrator with 46 years of experience, 27 of which have been in SMMUSD! Needless to say, I started quite young! I am thrilled to be able to return to Franklin as your Interim Principal while the search for your permanent leader continues. In that I agreed to work four (4) days a week, (I am the nanny for my first grandson on Thursdays), I am excited to let you know that Barry Yates, a colleague and retired principal from our District, has agreed to fill in on Thursdays and any other time we need him. (I also have a short vacation planned and paid for). I highly respect Barry and know we will be a reliable team. Some of you may know him from Summer Adventure or when he worked at Franklin as an administrator in years past. Together, we will work with Sheri Hynding, our hard-working Assistant Principal, to assure your children get the stellar education you have come to know at Franklin.

Change is hard for most of us and these times can be unsettling. We can assure you that we will work hard to transition from the lovely Mrs. McGregory and then get our newly selected leader up to speed. Please be patient with all of us.

Our PTA leaders and members have been working hard on behalf of our students, families and staff. We know that parent and community involvement along with engagement and consistent attendance will prepare our young people to be responsible, successful and caring citizens.

We would like to welcome a few other people to our Franklin Staff. Breahna Lowe and Krikor (Koko) Mesrobian will be teaching 4th grade. Jamie McClung will join the third grade team and our new TK teacher will be Holly Hodges, who was our former Instructional Coach. We are in the midst of interviewing an Office Specialist and will announce the person once selected.

The drop-off and pick-up procedures at Franklin will mirror our last few years. Our TK and Kindergartners will drop off from the gate off of Montana and 25th street and our 1st-5th graders will drop off at the Idaho East gate. Drop-off will begin at 8:15 AM. We are a closed campus and have a wonderful valet system where cars can pull up along Idaho, receive adult help out of the car, and be directed towards the Idaho East gate.

When picking up children, teachers will walk the students to their gates.

• The TK/K will be picked up in their classrooms. The gates off Montana will be opened.
• Grades one and two will be dismissed from the Idaho East gate at 2:45 p.m.
• Third grade will be dismissed from the Idaho East gate at 3:00 p.m.
• The fourth and fifth graders will be dismissed from the Idaho West gate at 3:00 p.m.

As we open school, you will receive many emails, digital information and an opening packet sent home with your child(ren) which requires completion with a return date by August 29th. These communications contain important information and we hope you will seriously consider investing what is comfortable for you in your child’s education. Your commitment makes a huge difference in the quality of our school’s programs. The PTA donations support the “stuff we need” and the SMEF (Santa Monica Education Foundation) donations support staff. Additionally, we stay committed to providing many opportunities for parents to be involved in the Franklin Community. Please be generous with your time as well, if you are able.

We look forward to an exciting year knowing together we will ensure each and every student receives the best well-rounded education in order to become a capable, confident lifelong learner.

Let’s go Franklin Bolts!

Warmly, Wendy Wax, Barry Yates and Sheri Hynding, Administrative Team 

Upcoming Dates to Remember:
Minimum Days for TK/K: The following are days that will begin at 8:30am and end at 11:30am: August 18, 19, 22, 23, 30, November 2, 3, 4, December 16, March 30 and June 12.
There will be one more minimum day to be determined.
Minimum Days for grades 1-5: The following are days that will begin at 8:30am and end at 1:30pm: August 18, 23, 30, November 2, 3, 4, December 16, March 30 and June 12. There will be one more minimum day to be determined.
Back to School Night TK-2nd: Tuesday, August 23rd 6:30-8:00 p.m. Begin in the cafetorium.
Back to School Night 3-5th: Tuesday, August 30th 6:30-8:00 p.m. Begin in the cafetorium.