Kester ENRICHMENT

Michelle Schnider, 

Integrative Health Coach and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher

Students and teachers are learning mindfulness skills and practices that can be applied to situations in the classroom, at home and in the community. Teaching mindfulness and supporting the social-emotional development of our students can have positive effects on attention, social skills and even academic performance.  It can also help reduce stress, test anxiety and impulsive behavior.  The mindfulness classes at Kester teach our students about gratitude, generosity, mindful speaking and movement, relaxation breathing and so much more! We believe that our schools provide an essential opportunity for the youngest members of our community, when nurtured and supported, will grow to become positive, caring and contributing members of society.  

This program is funded in partnership with the Kester PTA and a grant from the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council.  

Computerwise Kids 

Computerwise Kids follows the ISTE standards of Technology Education and 2018 CA Computer Science Standards. The lab is managed by a team of professionals for instruction, software and hardware help.  We teach kids the basic skills needed to interact with a computer, iPad, Chrome books.  The lesson plans and software emphasizes the individual child's initiative and independence, allowing them to progress through an orderly series of structured learning activities at their own pace.  Coding, robotics, typing and digital citizenship are all part of our curriculum. 

Each week our students benefit from psychomotor instruction from coaches from our neighborhood YMCA. P.E. lessons include team building, agility, coordination, and endurance-as well as being just plain FUN for students of all ages, TK though grade 5. Students learn to play organized sports, take turns, and the rules of good sportsmanship. We love our YMCA partnership!

Art encourages fine motor skills, neural development, and problem-solving abilities that can be used effectively to teach and understand other key subjects such as reading, writing, math, and science. Art is valuable because it allows children to process their world and gives them critical sensory input. 

Art is important for its own sake—as a source of beauty and expression, as well as simply for the process of creating. 

Kester students are introduced to a variety of artists from the masters to modern day creators.  They learn about movements in art, artists’ styles and genres, color theory and techniques in creating art.   Following LAUSD Visual Art Standards, we discuss principles of design and art vocabulary.  Students then communicate these meanings into their own works of art, using mediums like water colors, tempera paints, oil pastels, colored pencils, markers and chalk.