Bold, audacious, risky…and soooooo worth it!

In August, our Superintendent planted a seed by asking this question, “What if LASD were to submit a record to recordsetter.com?  What would it be?”

It took many months for this idea to grow into one that was actionable.  Here’s some of the thinking that went into it.

We want to revolutionize the learning experiences for our students by way of our LASD Learning Principles.  If we want our students to develop a growth mindset, we must be leaders in demonstrating this ourselves. If we want to balance process & outcome, we must balance the two ourselves.  If we want to make learning relevant by connecting experiences, we must see those links and incorporate them ourselves.  To do all of these things, we need to ACT NOW.  We need to take risks, build relationships, and support each other as we disrupt what was, in an effort to forge a future in learning that illuminates the greatness in each and every child.

Our community believes that in addition to academic mastery, our students also need to be nurtured in their social-emotional growth.  This takes place on our campuses through Project Cornerstone, the inclusion of the arts, music, physical education, and most importantly - through an emphasis on caring relationships.  This is part of our learning culture because it is also part of our professional culture.  Mr. Baier has cultivated an environment where grown ups know each other and invest in each other through purposeful and sometimes playful opportunities.

This past Tuesday, amidst a day of professional growth where we delved into specifics in regards to supporting ALL children in mastering learning standards, we took a moment to connect with each other, engage in fun, and to set a record.  Two hundred elementary educators lit up 200 Energy Sticks by creating a closed circuit.  Why Energy Sticks?  This was a tribute to our value of STEM education.  Why connect?  When we all focus our energies towards a common purpose, our efforts are maximized and our students benefit.  As a grande finale, we functioned as a human light switch and lit up LASD!

HERE is a video of this event.

This endeavor crystallized why I feel so incredibly blessed to be part of the Los Altos School District.  When volunteering to support this record setting attempt, I took on this challenge as a result of the mindset LASD has perpetuated within me.  Fear of failure?  No way!  On my own?  Definitely not; look around and tap into the genius of others.  Difficult?  Probably; that’s what makes the end result ever so sweet.  Bring it on!!!

Here’s the story behind our record setting accomplishment on 1/19/2016.

In December, while deputized as an elf on behalf of Santa and charged with filling up stockings, I came across an Energy Stick at Cost Plus World Market.  Before even leaving the store, I knew how LASD was going to set a record.  We were going to become a human circuit that would light up a sign that displayed our district’s initials.  

• First hurdle:  I didn’t know diddly squat about electricity, light bulbs, wiring, and circuitry.
  • Jump Technique:  I reached out to an inventor (and Almond parent, David Watson) who I knew had knowledge, skillz, and determination.  David reached out to a whole group of folks, shared the vision, and ultimately identified another parent, Louie Dalchev, who partnered with us in bringing this idea to life.  I painted the sign and they outfitted it with lights and an optically isolated relay switch to ensure the spec of “no one gets electrocuted” could be upheld.
• Second hurdle:  Have a Plan B.  Why?  Because I always have a back up, it’s hardwired into who I am.
  • Jump Technique:  Acquire 200 Energy Sticks.  While it would have been so very wise to directly reach out to the manufacturer, Plan B didn’t come to mind soon enough.  Therefore, “Operation Get Energy Sticks” was launched.  I tortured both of my children with sight seeing trips to 9 stores that took us as far north at San Rafael, east to Pleasanton, and to the southern end of San Jose.  Jane Sanders partook in the mission by stopping in Daly City and San Francisco, and Amy Romem (principal at Oak) stopped into the Walnut Creek store.  I’m certain that I’m now on some government watch list ;-) having completely depleted the Bay Area stock of Energy Sticks.
• Third Hurdle:  Secure a filming team to record the event for submission to recordsetter.com.
  • Jump Technique:  Samantha Nguyen and the Almond film team took the job and delivered beautifully!
• Fourth hurdle:  How does one synchronize 200 humans, 200 Energy Sticks, and an LASD Light Sign to connect in a singular closed circuit in a space that won’t allow for a huge circle?
  • Jump Technique:  To attempt this with 200 people without testing it in a more controlled environment would be...well...just plain nonsensical.  Laura Ohlund and her class of students served as the testing tank.  In this process we learned that there was a positive end and negative end to the sticks.  To create a closed circuit where each and every Energy Stick lit up, the stick had to have the +/- oriented in the same direction around the circuit.  Out of 200 Energy Sticks, 45 were flipped in their orientation.  These needed to be labeled and identified.  How to line up 200 people in a space that wouldn’t permit a huge circle?  Why 10 rows of 20 of course.  How to connect the rows to create one continuous line that did close at some point?  Connect the end of line 1 with line 2, the front of line 2 with line 3, etc…and then wrap around line 10 and 1.  How to distribute the energy sticks?  In bags with their protective plastic sheath.  How to transition from Energy Sticks to the grande finale?  That was the easy part.  Put down the sticks and hold hands.

Okay, all set.  Let’s do this!!!

Wait...

• Final hurdle:  Plan for Murphy’s Law.
  • Jump Technique:  Be ready.  Stay open minded.  Remain determined.  Persevere.  Rely on the assumption that others will want to accomplish this with you and make it happen.  Have fun!

From the video, you will see that it took a few attempts to ultimately get all Energy Sticks glowing.  And, that we had to problem solve to get the sign to shine.  Having watched the footage many times in the editing process, it all boiled down to the need for more clear directions in exactly how to hold the sticks.  Hold it in your right hand was not specific enough.  If I ever attempted this same feat ever again (which I can’t imagine would happen), I would change two things.  I would have placed two stickers on every stick, one that had a RH (for right hand) and one that had a L (for left hand).  I would have asked everyone to take their right hand and to grip the end of the stick that had the RH sticker and to extend to the person to their right so that they could grip the other end with their left hand (LH).  And...I would have pressed that darn button on the backside of the LASD sign BEFORE having everyone connect.

As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.

Cheers to every single member of the Los Altos community who stares into the eyes of failure and says, “Hey you...I’m not afraid of you...because if at first I don’t succeed, I will try and try until I do!”

In case you’re wondering what will be done with the 200 Energy Sticks...each STEM program at each school will get a class set.