Cerrito Creek

I spent a lot of time hanging out with these two this summer – Ruby turned 2 and Milo turned 4. 

Greetings Cerrito Creek Families!

I hope this letter finds you well, enjoying summer’s lemonade from a sunny nook somewhere. The new school year is not quite upon us, but this correspondence will provide you with some important dates, a short back-to-school shopping list, and a few other morsels for the year to come.

First of all, for those of you who are new to the Cerrito Creek community, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Mike Sinclaire, and this will be my sixth year at The Berkeley School as lead teacher of Cerrito. I ride my bike to school every day, have two young children (Milo and Ruby), and play in a band. Two highlights of my summer were a week-long silent meditation retreat and a rock climbing excursion to Tuolumne Meadows. I love teaching every subject, but I have a special passion for Cultural Studies – I think studying people and history helps us understand ourselves better and shines a light on the way forward.

I am excited to work with an assistant teacher this year named Nieema. Nieema writes,

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mike and this year's group of students, while studying for my teaching credential. This summer I have been preparing for the BATTI Teacher Training Program, and I cannot wait to delve into the process of teaching and learning. I have also spent time reconnecting with friends and researching my family's genealogical history. I have made quite a few meaningful discoveries while digging through my family tree, and I hope to make many more breakthroughs in uncovering my ancestral past. I also caught up on summer reading, in which I explored the life and times of African-American dancer, anthropologist and social activist, Katherine Dunham. Although I am not a dancer, I have become deeply inspired by Ms. Dunham's knowledge-based approach to  dance technique and artistry. The writings of Ms. Dunham have eloquently impressed upon me the importance of sufficient knowledge of a subject and effective communication in delivering instruction as a part of my teaching practice. I hope that you all had a fun and productive summer as well.

Following is a short list of school supplies students should purchase and bring the first day of school:

1. One 2-inch 3-ring binder with zipper closure. Mead makes a good one. If you bought one last year that is still in good shape, please reuse it. They range from 8 to 20 dollars. The zipper is important so papers do not fall out.

2. Five folders that come 3-hole punched and snap into the binder. 1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 orange, and 1 green. These can be tricky to find but will help your binder stay organized. Students: if you can’t find all the colors, don’t sweat it, just have five folders that clip into your binder and we will label them.  Make sure you have a backpack big enough for the binder.

Some important upcoming dates:

Sunday, August 25, 12-2 pm Cerrito/Strawberry joint potluck in Codornices Park, Berkeley. If you are a room parent and/or are able to help coordinate this event, please let me know.

Friday, August 30,12:30-3 pm “Sneak peek” for parents and students to drop by the classroom, meet the teachers, and drop off supplies.

Tuesday, September 3 , 8:30-3:10 The first day of school!

Friday, September 6, 10am-2pm Class field trip to Lake Anza. A Berkeley School tradition, we will hit the sandy shores to celebrate our first week together. Permission forms will come home the first day of school.

Thursday, September 19, 6-8pm Back to School Night. In depth presentation on curriculum, traditions, etc.

The door to the classroom will open each morning at 8:30 sharp. Students should hang their backpacks on their assigned hooks and line up outside the door, at which point teachers will greet them with a handshake and direct them to a morning message. They should pack a healthy snack for themselves each day, and either sign up for hot lunch or bring their own. They should also come to school each morning with a sense of their after-school plans.

We celebrate birthdays in Cerrito Creek by sharing memories, showing photographs, giving appreciations, and eating yummy treats. We will give more details on the classroom blog in the first weeks of school, but please do let us know if you have a birthday in early September so we can prepare you.

Nieema and I are genuinely excited about the year. Look forward to studying the history of California, from the indigenous peoples all the way to Hollywood, surf culture, and the multicultural present. We will spend the month of January preparing for an epic overnight at Fort Ross State Historic Park, as we simulate early 19th century life at the scenic Russian outpost. We will make a number of trips to the seaside as we study marine biology and learn to care for our precious oceans. We will write research papers, practice typing and cursive, publish all kinds of writing, read more books than you ever imagined possible, and do hard math problems together. Rest up and rev up for a great year.

Your Teachers,

Mike and Nieema

msinclaire@theberkeleyschool.org

ngalloway@theberkeleyschool.org

Classroom phone: 510-665-8800 x 132