From Dr. Witherspoon, Principal

May 1, 2013 Dear Families, On behalf of the entire staff, thank you for a spectacular school year! This month in history, we pause to honor Cinco de Mayo. The American Cinco de Mayo celebration originated in the Mexican-American communities of the American West, Southwest, and Northwest in the 1860s. It grew in popularity and evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, first in areas with large Mexican-American populations, like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston, and then it eventually expanded across the United States. On June 7, 2005, the U.S. Congress issued a Concurrent Resolution calling on the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities. In a 1998 study in the Journal of American Culture it was reported that there were more than 120 official U.S. celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, and they could be found in 21 different states. An update in 2006, found that the number of official Cinco de Mayo events was 150 or more, according to José Alamillo, professor of ethnic studies at Washington State University in Pullman, who has studied the cultural impact of Cinco de Mayo north of the border. Please join us for the following school-wide May activities: ELAC/2nd Cup of Coffee Meeting – May 15, 2013 – 9:00 a.m. – Room F-2, Third Trimester Awards Assemblies – Week of May 20 – 9:00 a.m. – Cafeteria, SSC Meeting – May 23, 2013 – 2:50 p.m. – Room F-2, Kindergarten Promotion – Thursday, May 30, 2013 – 9:00 a.m. (Mrs. Coates’ Class) and 9:45 a.m. (Mrs. Valdovinos’ and Mrs. Garnica’s classes) - Cafeteria, and May 31, 2013 – 5th Grade Promotion – 9:00 a.m. – Cafeteria. Please note that Monday, May 6 and Friday, May 31 are minimum days. Also, school will not be in session on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. Congratulations on the outstanding success achieved this school year. Our scholars, parents, and staff are the absolute best! Best regards, Dr. Witherspoon.