It has been a busy first two months to the year at La Mesa Dale Elementary School.

Among the highlights to date:

La Mesa Dale Lions Shooting for the Stars

Counting moon craters and spying Jupiter’s moons through telescopes provided by San Diego Astronomy association, LMD Lions and their families were able to reach for the stars at Family Math and Science Night on Jan. 27. Thanks to the La Mesa community, STEM activities included building circuits, air blasters and trebuchets. Students enjoyed testing their creations. Microscopes provided by Anna Kremen, environmental health specialist from the County of San Diego, allowed beginner scientists to study the life cycles of mosquitoes up close. Volunteers at the math tables involved families in games such as math bingo and number climb. It was a wonderful way to show school spirit.

La Mesa Dale’s Garden is Thriving

Ms. Aida has been busy cultivating LMD’s love for gardening. Thanks to the Sage Garden Project and our wonderful parent volunteers, students are able to visit the garden monthly and they really dig it. Spring is starting to bloom with fragrant purple sweet pea’s (Mrs. Babbitt’s favorite) and student involvement. Recent visitors to the La Mesa Dale garden have baked seed cookies to start their very own pollinator gardens at home, pressed their own tortillas from cornmeal and investigated plant parts during a Plant Part-y!. February is cause for Saladbration where students will examine seeds and sample new salads, growing healthy appetites.

LMD’s Family Reading Night-

Thursday, March 2, LMD will be holding a family literacy event with students and their families participating will play Sight Word HopScotch, Tongue Twister Challenge and participate in a twist on the traditional cake walk where books can be won instead. Thanks to La Mesa Community Welfare Association, $600 worth of new books will be given to families attending the event.

– Editor’s note: Tammie Babbitt is principal at La Mesa Dale Elementary School.