Journeys / Kindergarten Team

Maestra Poretz

Journeys

I look forward to starting my third year of teaching here at Sumac and my first year in Journeys. I recently completed my early childhood certification to add onto my credentials and am so excited to start this learning journey with our most tender aged students in our dual language program.

I was born and raised in Argentina until the age of 10, when my family moved to California. Spending my summers in Argentina while growing up, gave me the opportunity to continue my formal and informal education in both Spanish and English, ending in the wonderful gift that is being bilingual.

I found my love for teaching early on and have worked both in private and public schools, before becoming a mom to our daughter Kailey.

Mrs. Stein

Traditional Kindergarten

Teaching young people to love learning has been a rewarding experience here at Sumac for 30 years!

My wonderful husband, Gary, and I live in Westlake Village with our two pups, Buddy and Lukas. Our son Jeremy attended Sumac K-5 and after graduating from Agoura High School attended Colorado University in Boulder. He has made Colorado his home and we enjoy visiting him often.

​I am proud to say our school has evolved into a dynamic place where students share ideas and work together; questioning, investigating, and growing each day.

Mrs. Burns

Dual Kindergarten (english)

I have been an educator for over 25 years. I have experience in all grades preschool through sixth. My present love is Kindergarten and I feel honored to be a part of the first experience families have with Sumac L-STEM’s Dual Immersion program.

My husband and I are proud parents to two sons, Garrett a sophomore at UCSB and Connor, a senior at AHS. We also have a dog, Embyr, a cat, Shadow, a hermit crab, Hermie, and the two red eared slider turtles and fish in the classrooms courtesy of a previous Kinder family. This is our tenth year in the Agoura Hills community..

Maestra Díaz

Dual Kindergarten (Spanish)

I was born and raised in Lima, Perú and moved to California in 1983. 

I graduated from CSU San Marcos and earned a Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) certificate upon graduation.  I’ve taught K-5 for years...but I love and miss teaching the little guys so that’s why I ultimately decided to go back to Kindergarten.  I love finding new and interesting ways to keep my students motivated and actively engaged.

I have a 28 year old daughter and a 29 year old son.  I am also a proud grandma of 3 grandchildren aged 8, 6, and 3.  I love to run and I’m very happy whenever I’m outdoors whether is hiking, walking, gardening, or just walking along the beach.​

Beginning of the year Kindergarten Procedures
Snacks ●  One healthy item that is labeled with student name ●  Snacks will be placed in a designated class snack box ○  ie. Cheese stick, popcorn, fruit, granola bar, or trail mix ●  Reusable water bottles / containers	Lunch ●  Reusable lunch bags/boxes suggested ●  Please label with student name ●  Healthy items that can be eaten in 15 minutes preferred ●  Reusable water bottles / container ●  Students will play first and eat after
Drop-off ●  For the first 7 days of school, we ask that all Journeys/Kindergarten families walk their students into school ●  Please park on the street, and arrive by 8am to avoid traffic ●  For the first 3 days, students will meet in their classrooms ●  Beginning August 29th, students will meet on the blacktop, waiting for their teacher to pick-up at 8:15am ●  Teachers will designate where backpacks/snacks/folders should be placed at the beginning of the school day	Pick-up ●  Students will be dismissed at 1:15pm on M, T, Th, F ●  Wednesday dismissal is at 11:45am (no lunch) ●  Students will be dismissed directly from their classrooms to their designated caretaker ●  Please fill out the attached dismissal form for our records ●  Sumac has two after school care options available to our families: YMCA & Cool Kids Club ●  After-school care picks up J/K students directly from their classroom doors ●  Carpooling is encouraged
Miscellaneous ●  Please see attached classroom supply list for desired items ●  Toys should be left at home to avoid distractions ●  LABEL ALL CLOTHES & items with student’s name ●  A spare change of clothes can be kept in a bag, at the bottom of the student’s backpack, in case of accidents ●  We encourage reusable containers, utensils, and bottles - LABELED

 

 

Daily Schedule

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday			Wednesday
7:45-8:15 am	Yard Open / Breakfast Available		7:45-8:15 am	Yard Open / Breakfast Available
8:15 am	School starts		8:15 am	School starts
9:30-9:50 am	Morning recess		9:30-9:50 am	Morning recess
11-11:45 am	Lunch		9:50-11:45 am	Classroom Instruction
1:15 pm	Dismissal		11:45 am	Dismissal

 

First Week of School

Wednesday, August 24th	Classrooms open at 8:00 am ●  Students are walked in by parents to their specific classrooms with a labeled snack ●  Students arrive between 8:00 am and 8:15 am ●  Parent activity in the classroom 8:15-8:45 am ●  Parent mix and mingle 8:45 - 9:15 am ●  Students are dismissed at 11:45 am ○  Parents pick-up from classrooms ○  After school care picks up students from classrooms
Thursday, August 25th	Classroom opens at 8:00 am ●  Students are walked in by parents to their specific classrooms with a labeled separate snack & lunch ●  Students arrive between 8:00 and 8:15 am ●  Students are dismissed at 1:15 pm ○  Parents pick-up from classrooms ○  After school care picks up students from classrooms
Friday, August 26th	Classroom opens at 8:00 am ●  Students are walked in by parents to their specific classrooms with a labeled separate snack & lunch ●  Students arrive between 8:00 and 8:15 am ●  Students and parents are lead out to the blacktop for Morning Assembly at 8:15 am ●   Students dismissed at 1:15pm ○  Parents pick-up from classrooms ○  After school care picks up students from classrooms
Parents survived their first week of Journeys and Kindergarten!
Monday, August 29th Daily Practice	Yard & cafeteria opens at 7:45 am, with supervision ●  Students line up on the yard by 8:12 am ●  School bell rings at 8:15 am ●  Teachers lead students to the classroom at 8:15 am
Wednesday, August 31st 6 - 7:15 pm	Back to School Night 6-6:45 pm - Classroom Meeting 6:45-7:15 pm - School Presentation