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This is the time of year when many of you are considering

private high schools for next year and we receive many

requests for recommendations. In order for us to

complete the recommendations, we have some guidelines

available for students to follow in order to provide teachers

and administrators with information that will assist us in

completing the required paperwork. The information can

be found on the District Schools homepage. If you have

any questions or are having trouble finding it, please contact

the school at 484-1172. Most of the recommendations aren’t

due until January, so you still have plenty of time, but please

don’t wait until the last minute to turn them in as they take time

to complete.

San Benancio has had a very busy month! The last

week of October students celebrated spirit week.

Each day had a different theme which included pink

day, pajama day, unity day, crazy hat day, and school

spirit day. Congratulations to Mrs. Reineking’s class

who won the spirit week competition!

On Tuesday we celebrated Halloween! We saw

teachers dressed as doctors, chefs, penguins and we

also saw students dressed as zombies, athletes,

musicians, and movie stars! It was a fun day that was

capped off with ASB’s 1st ever “Zombie Apocalypse.”

On October 19th, San Benancio students participated

in “The Great Shakeout.”

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS

HIGH SCHOOL

The Great Shakeout is a statewide earthquake drill

that teaches students how to react and respond

during an earthquake. Not only was this good

practice for students, but it was also an ideal time to

learn about our Earth and one of the dangers of

where we live.

San Benancio students are having an amazing year and

we are all looking forward to the next couple

months. The next newsletter will not be published

until January 9th, so Happy Holidays from the San

Benancio staff!

Thank you,

Joe Carnazzo

Special Points of

Interest:

The San Benancio Oak Leaf is

published monthly. It is avail-

able on our website at:

http://

www.washingtonusd.org

Please call the attendance line at

484-0972 when your student is

absent.

Thank you!

In this issue:

Welcome Message 1

Student Council/Music/Sports 2

Art News 3

WUEF Update 4

Parent’s Club Update 5

Paint Night 6

Unity Day 7

Yearbook 8

Upcoming Dates 9

Pictures 10

Issue 3 November 1, 2017

San Benancio Middle School

The Oak Leaf

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SPORTS UPDATE

The Fall sports season is coming to a

close and I want to thank all my coach-

es for a successful season!! 7th Grade

Girls and Boys Volleyball are both in

1st place going into playoffs. The 8th

Grade Girls are in 3rd overall and are

in the playoffs as well! San Benancio

will be hosting the Volleyball Playoffs on

November 6th and Buena Vista will

host the finals on November 8th. Soc-

cer has been a great season! We have

seen great improvement in all sports

and I look forward to next season.

Look for Basketball Info coming soon!

Any questions please email

sbacon@washingtonusd.org

STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS

NEWS FROM THE MUSIC ROOM Hello Everybody!

Things are moving at a rapid pace in the music room. This month,

we combine the Beginning Band and the Concert Band to form one

big super band that will be getting ready for our Winter Concert

on Tuesday December 12. It is very impressive how much improve-

ment our beginner and sixth grade students have made so far this

year and it’s going to be very exciting for them to join the ranks of

our more advanced students. We are going to be performing some

tough music so make sure you are practicing (band students).

We begin our monthly Jazz clinics this month with the traveling Jazz

teachers from the Monterey Jazz Festival. They will be joining us

once a month during activity hour to coach our Jazz band and help us

improve our skills. Also, we had some very brave students audition

for the Monterey Jazz Festival Middle School Honor Band and they all

did a super awesome job. We will let you know the results of that

audition and the auditions for the CCS Honor Band and Honor Choir

next month.

The choir has been doing a great job and we are really starting to

come together as a group. We are finding our voices and what it

means to be part of a music ensemble. We have been experiencing a

lot of fun and enlightenment during our musical journey by singing

songs from different genres and different parts of the world. We are

really excited to share our music with everybody at the Winter Con-

cert.

The Winter Concert will be on Tuesday December 12 @ 6:30

pm in the San Benancio Multi Purpose Room. The fourth graders

will be our special guests this year and they will be doing a holiday

performance on the recorders. The concert will also feature our

Choir, Concert Band, and Jazz Band. It is free of charge so make sure

you bring out the whole family. See you all there!

Barry Capiaux

****Reminder****

The Parents’ Club Speaker Series

Presents

HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS:

WHAT’S AFTER 8TH

GRADE? SAN BENANCIO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Multipurpose Room

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2017

6:30 – 8:30 PM

Parents’ Club will be selling tri-tip sandwich dinners at 5:30 p.m. For just $8, you will receive a mouth-watering tri-tip sandwich, chips, and

a bottle of water!

ASB sure has been busy this month!

We raised over $900 for Juvenile Diabetes. Mrs. Yee and Mrs.

Reineking’s classes brought in the most donations and they

received a pizza party.

We had a terrific Spirit Week with the students participating

in all sorts of fun activities like Pink Day, PJ Day, Unity Day,

Crazy Hat Day and Green/Gold Day. Students donated socks

for the firefighters. We ended our week with the first school

dance that was attended by 7th and 8th graders.

Thank you to all those students who brought in their

$20 donations for student activities this year. We are still

counting all the twenties and will get back to you with the final

total.

Halloween this year came with a twist. Instead of our annual

Halloween Fashion Show – we had an invasion of Zombies

attack our school during activities. Check out the facebook

page for a look at the fun!

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Art News for November/December

Art News for November

We had a great start in October. The quality of the students’ artwork was incredible. The picture of the month docents had great discussions

with their students. Thank you docents for all your hard work.

The Art Docent Board and I would like to thank the Parents Club and all the families that supported our Harvest hand painted pumpkin fund-

raiser. We raised over $9,000. All proceeds go directly to our art supplies for this year’s art docent lessons. Thank you again for your gener-

osity!

November is Drawing Month The Art Docent projects for November feature drawing for all grades. Drawing comes naturally to a child.

Once children discover simple forms can symbolize objects, they begin to build a vocabulary in which shapes and lines are combined to stand for

whatever they wish. Young children prefer to draw pictures using these preconceived symbols, rather than what they actually observe. Starting

around fourth grade, the student’s observation of the world becomes more acute. At this point children want to draw realistically, and this is an

excellent time to introduce the skill of contour drawing. Contour drawing involves perceiving the edges of shapes and drawing them from close

observation with a continuous line. Students learn how to draw what they really see, and to draw only what they observe.

District Visual Art Standards call for every child to learn contour drawing and develop appropriate observational drawing skills by the time

they reach sixth grade. The Art Docent Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking projects in grades five through eight give students a chance to prac-

tice their drawing skills and build upon the contour drawing techniques introduced in fourth grade.

GRADE 6 Drawing Figures in Motion: Students learn a new drawing skill: gestured drawing with circular lines. Students take turns arranging

wooden mannequins and make several quick drawings to show the body position and movement. Students then apply the technique by drawing

athletes and dancers from photographs, capturing a true feeling action.

GRADE 7 Students just completed their “Better Posters” art docent 4 day lessons based on the short stories they are writing in their grammar

classes.

Grade 8 classes will apply the drawing and observational skills they have learned to a drawing project featuring a Western Theme Still Life based

on the pioneer and Western literature in the eighth grade Language Arts

Picture of the Month

In November, Picture of the Month docents will be discussing 19th Century Art. During this time, Italian painters were engaged in the major

artistic movements of the time. Neoclassicism dominated the early 1800s and gradually gave way to romanticism, realism and experiments with

impressionism. For much of the 19th century, Italy was also embroiled in a political movement to regain local control from French and Austrian

regimes and unite the peninsula into one nation. Italian painters reflected that political ideal -- and the nationalism that fueled it -- in their work.

American art changed dramatically in the early 19th century. The formations of galleries and major art academies in major cities began to appear.

European artworks on loan hung side by side with American ones compelled the American artists to show their best work – fully exploring land-

scapes, history, still life and narrative.

Art News for December

GRADE 7: Flowers O’Keefe: This mix media unit is a favorite with students. They will be taking a section of a flower and enlarge it. They will

then use tempera paints and pastels to create an interpretation of one of America’s most famous woman artists.

Picture of the Month

Picture of the Month continues with students studying Impressionism. Impressionism was a movement in painting that originated in France in

the late 19th century. Impressionist painters were considered radical in their time because they broke many of the rules of picture-making set by

earlier generations. Thee artists found many of their subjects in life around them rather than in history. They began to paint outside the art

studio, so they could observe nature more directly and set down its most fleeting aspects-especially the changing light of the sun. They were

aided by t he new invention of paint in tubes which made their work more portable. Impressionist works had a sense of immediacy and fresh-

ness about them, and soon they had captured the attention of the world.

This month with the winter holiday coming up, we would like to encourage you to take your children on a different adventure. Try visiting a

museum! The De Young and Legion of Honor museums in San Francisco all have wonderful exhibits going on presently. Locally, we have the

Monterey Museum of Art where they are presently showing their annual “Miniatures” show. This favorite annual Holiday tradition showcases a

diverse collection of 300 small-scale paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures that were created and generously donated by local artists.

Linda Jang

Art Docent Coordinator

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WUEF UPDATE

Wow! It’s tough to believe that the holidays are right around the corner! It’s time to hang on for the ride!

WUEF is delighted to report that the second annual Taco ‘Bout A Party was a success! A sincere thanks to

all who came out to celebrate and support Art & Music in WUSD. It was a fun-filled evening at the beautiful

Andrus Barn in Salinas. Guests enjoyed delicious tacos made on the spot by the Rivera Rojo Family, award-

winning tequila generously provided by Alderete Tequila, nachos and drinks, tasty treats and dancing. Old

friends chatted, and new friends were made. A great time was had by all! And best of all, nearly $10,000

was raised for the Art & Music programs!

Upcoming Events:

See’s Candies & Yankee Candle Fundraiser – Every student in WUSD is encouraged to participate.

The funds raised from these sales go directly to support the Art & Music programs in all three of our dis-

trict schools. This fundraiser is an excellent option for holiday gift-giving. Both See’s Candies and Yan-

kee Candles make great hostess gifts, and are wonderful ways to say “thank you” to those special people

who help us throughout the year. Corporate orders welcome, as well.

Important dates to remember:

Monday, October 23 – See’s Candies & Yankee Candle sales begin

Thursday, November 9 – See’s Candies & Yankee Candle orders due

Wednesday, November 29 – See’s Candies pick up @ SBMS MPR

Friday, December 15 – Yankee Candle pick up @ SBMS MPR

If you have any questions, please contact

Allie Szaszy (831) 269-9630 alllie.keeley222@gmail.com

Julie Williams (831) 444-2348 pedriniwilliams@gmail.com

Fill the Dish – There’s still time to make your contribution! Do your part to keep Art & Music in our

district! Visit wuef.ejoinme.org/donate to participate today!

34th Annual Dinner Dance Fundraiser – Please save the date!

March 3, 2018 at the Embassy Suites (newly remodeled!) Looking forward to seeing you there!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or ideas you may have, or if you would like to volunteer!

cchasen@sbcglobal.net

Be sure to like & follow WUEF on Facebook (search for Washington Union Educational Foundation) to stay

up on all the latest information!

The next WUEF Board Meeting will be held November 14 @ 6:00p.m. in the Toro Park School MPR. You

are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Sincerely,

Carli Chasen

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PARENTS CLUB UPDATE

Parents Club News

Hello San Benancio families! We are still accepting your Annual Membership Drive paperwork. Your $40.00 contribution to Parents’ Club makes a huge difference for our children! Membership dues can also be paid online via the PC page on the district website.

https://www.washingtonusd.org/Page/99

Our annual Harvest Carnival was a success! A huge THANK YOU goes out to all who participat-ed! From the volunteers, to the vendors, to people who donated items, and those who attended with their families, this is truly a community event, and it took all of us to make it happen!

Our annual High School Options Night will be Wednesday, November 15th. Parents’ Club will be selling Tri tip dinners that night, so take the night off from cooking, and support your child’s school! Be on the look out for the Kona Ice Truck! He is scheduled to come 11/7, 11/28 & 12/12 at lunch time. Kona cups range from $3-$6 and 20% of proceeds come back to our schools. They are also smart snack approved!

*** NEW !!! Family Paint Night at SBMS! Parents’ Club and Progress not Perfection are teaming up for a WUSD Fundraiser on November 30th, 5-8pm! This fun, family event will be held at San Benancio Middle School. Dinner is included from 5-6pm, and Castle Rock Coffee will be there with coffee and dessert treats available for purchase. The Paint Party is from 6-8pm and appropriate for all ages and skill levels. 50% of ALL ticket sales will benefit the schools in the dis-trict. Discounts will be given for multiple tickets purchase.

The Holiday Gift Shop will be open for business the week of December 18-22nd in the Toro Park MPR. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to practice thinking of others and feel the joy of giving. Stay tuned for more information to follow!

We would like to invite you to our next Parents’ Club Meetings on November 9th and December 14th at 6pm in Room 10 at San Benancio Middle School. There should be a Parents’ Club Repre-sentative from each class present at the meeting. Please check out Parents’ Club on the district website for more info, and make sure to like us on Facebook for updates, reminders, information, and more!

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PARENTS CLUB PAINT NIGHT

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Thank you to our amazing Anti-Bullying Crew for their work to organize Unity

Day on October 25th!

This October was National Bullying Prevention Month, and the ABCs planned several events

to raise awareness and encourage others to take a stand against bullying. Shout out to Lili

Chasen, Audra Herrin, Gretchen Stoffel, Bella Borman, Cameryn Hoeft, and Madison Tyson

who were very busy! They organized poster-making, made classroom presentations, hosted an

anti-bullying assembly for the 4th and 5th graders at Washington Union, created a Unity Day

Banner, and challenged their peers to take a pledge to stand up against bullying. Students and

staff were invited to wear orange in support of Unity Day and they signed a banner created

by the girls. Many students are carrying orange ribbons on their bags and backpacks to show

their participation and support. It was a terrific day and their efforts were much appreciated!

We will continue to wear orange on the second Wednesday of each month to keep the mo-

mentum going. Please mark your calendars for 11/8, 12/13, 1/10, 2/14, 3/14, 4/11 and 5/9. I

hope that you will join us in sending a unified message of support that this community is to-

gether against bullying -- united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.

Great job San Benancio! Let’s keep up the good work!!

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YEARBOOK UPDATE

8th

Grade recognition ads are now on sale

Create Your San Benancio Middle School Ad online at

JostensAdService.com

BUY YOUR AD BY NOVEMBER 18TH

PRICES WILL GO UP AFTER NOV. 18TH

AND WILL BE BASED ON AVAILABLITY

We sell out every year!

Attention All SBMS Parents

You Can Put Your Student in the Yearbook!

Yearbook is still looking for summer photos. If your SBMS students who went somewhere exciting this summer, played a sport or just did

something fun, send in their photos.

You can email sanbenancioyearbook@gmail.com, bring in your pho-tos or simply download your photos to the ReplayIt app on your

phone or computer.

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER IMPORTANT DATES

November

6-Collaboration Day

12-Winter Concert

14-Parent Club Meeting

19-WUEF Meeting

20-Collaboration Day

22-8th Grade Speaker Series

Dec 25-Jan 8-NO SCHOOL (Winter

Break)

Jan 9-Return to School

December

1-Collaboration Day

1-Help-a-Thon

8-Board Meeting

9-End of Trimester

9-8th Grade Constitution Project

9-Parents Club Meeting

10-NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day Observed)

11-Veterans Day

14-WUEF Meeting

15– High School Options Night @ SBMS

15– Minimum Day

17 –Report Card sent Home

20-NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

21-NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

22-NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

23-NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

24-NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

30-School Site Council Meeting

30-Family Paint Night @ SBMS

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PICTURES