Dear Tulita Families,

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!  We are fast approaching our new school year and I hope everyone is enjoying the last moments of summer.  We are excited for everyone to return to school, and if you are new to the Tulita community, we would like to welcome you to our family.

This will be my second year at Tulita and I quickly learned that our community, school, staff, and students are unparalleled. I am proud to represent this school, and thankful for the support from the Tidalwave community.  We had many things to celebrate in the 2021-2022 school year, including the formation of the English/Language Arts (ELA) Adoption Committee, which has produced the adoption of the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, which will begin to be implemented across all elementary schools this year.  We also had our first full year back in person in nearly three years, which allowed us to see the return of in-person Town Halls, Family Movie Night, Battle of the Books, Lego League/Robotics, Science Fair, 5^th grade Talent Show, and so much more!  We look forward to continuing to provide these opportunities for families to be on campus and, alongside their child(ren), feel connected to Tulita.

Our goal at Tulita is always to provide a high-quality education in an environment where students feel valued, challenged, connected, and can thrive.  This year, one way we will aim to reach those goals is through the implementation of our newly adopted ELA curriculum, Wit & Wisdom.  Our teachers have been hard at work this summer learning the new curriculum and lesson planning so that your child can reap the benefits of this highly rigorous curriculum.  The Tulita teachers will continue to refine their instructional practices throughout this school year to meet the needs of all students. Finally, our staff and school counselor will continue to focus on the social-emotional well-being of y(our) students, as the research clearly shows that students are more likely to perform better academically when they feel connected to their school and build relationships with their teachers.

Please consider becoming involved in the PTA, whether it is through membership or volunteering your time as we begin to bring back some of our PTA events this year.  Also, consider giving to the Redondo Beach Ed Foundation (RBEF), if possible.  Thanks to RBEF, we continue to offer PE and Music for our students as well as expanded outside counseling services.  Finally, please show your appreciation for our amazing teachers and staff, whenever you can, as you will not find a more dedicated staff than here at Tulita. Whether it is a simple note or email, these small gestures go a long way to show our gratitude to our teachers and staff.

I am incredibly fortunate to be at Tulita and I am looking forward to an amazing year with a focus on student learning, risk-taking, and strengthening our commitment to our community.  Please email/call if you have questions or concerns.  Thank you for your commitment to our learning community.

Sincerely,

Andrew Estrada, Principal