PRINCIPAL MESSAGE

Today, I write to you wearing a split hat - principal and parent.  Actually, I think I always do that because it’s very hard for me to shed my parent lens.  I am the mother of two children; an 11 year old sixth grader named Samantha and a 9 year old fourth grader named Alex.  They have changed my perspective as an educator.  

My husband and I share pick up, drop off, dinner prep, etc…  However, over the years I have become the nightly reader, cuddler, and tucker-inner.  I LOVE this role because it affords me the opportunity to hear all about the day’s joys and travails.  I hear about “the worst substitute in the entire world,” crushes stealing the hearts of my own children and their friends, the fun game that was played in PE, the fact that football was banned at recess, and so much more.  They seldom share about the math equation they solved with success, or the grammatical structure they incorporated into their writing.  It’s always about how they are feeling.  And truth be told, that’s what matters most to me.

Over the last few weeks, a half dozen Almond parents have reached out to me with in the following ways:

• My son (4th grader) shared he’s not in the advanced math level anymore.  I want to make sure he’s challenged.  Who do I talk to?

• Can you please give me ideas for how to explain to my 2nd grader why he’s going to a 1st grade classroom for reading?

• I want my 5th grade daughter to have a 6th grade teacher for language arts.  How can you help us with that?

• Una de mis amigas que tiene un niño en el grado uno me dijo que su niño está volviendo al grado kinder.  Ella quiere saber si su hijo fue retenido. [Translation:  One of my friends with a 1st grader told me that her child is going back to kinder.  She wants to know if he has been retained.]

These questions have not fallen on deaf ears, nor insensitive ones.  In fact, they’ve deeply touched my parent and educator heart.  My take aways have been that the reason you’re reaching out to me is because your little ones are expressing feelings to you when you debrief the day.

While we believe we have been mindful about preparing our students for cross grade level regrouping and for a growth mindset about their learning, it is clear we have much more work to do.  It matters to us how our students are feeling.  If their hearts are hurting, their minds cannot be ready for learning.

The Almond Leadership Team met before school on Tuesday to address this concern.  At our Thursday Collaborative Meeting the entire staff worked in grade level spans to discuss how to address how students might be feeling.

We believe it is critical to provide students with both heterogeneous (diverse groupings that include mixed ability levels - potentially at the same homeroom grade levels) learning opportunities, and homogeneous (alike grouping based on similar learning needs - potentially across grade levels) ones.  The driving force behind which model to use when, involves how to best meet the needs of students.

We will be incorporating additional team building activities into learning to give students the opportunity to get to know peers they do not typically spend time with outside of their homerooms.  We have agreed to even more clear common messages to ensure grade level designations are shed during regrouping time.  We will provide safe opportunities for students to share how they might be feeling so that we can address those feelings.  We will increase our focus on the value of each learner’s unique brain design and that each one grows differently.

We have reflected on when it is most appropriate to team across grade levels and for what purpose it makes sense to regroup.  We will incorporate adjustments in upcoming units of instruction.

Know that this spectacular Almond staff wants nothing more than to “empower our students to own their learning in a collaborative community.”  Number two on our collective commitments is to “make students feel safe and welcome so they may thrive.”  We will not stop our efforts in serving ALL students until we are honoring these promises to the best of our abilities.

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW

LAEF:  It’s the LAEF Phonathon! Join the fun and help LAEF raise $500,000

Our annual phonathon is coming up on Tuesday-Wednesday, October 4-5. It’s a fantastic opportunity to thank parents for all they do for our kids, to build community spirit and to educate our new families about the enrichment programs we fund. Last year, our group of volunteers and LASD staff helped to raise $478,850 by personally calling 700 families. Sign up today at LAEFonline.org

Wizbots After School Robotics Lab

• Open to students in grades 3-6

• Wizbots is THE best place for kids to learn the art and science of building robots. With no prerequisites, Wizbots is the perfect place for novices to first learn about robotics. Equally, students can spend years with us and reach such advanced challenges as robot navigation and proportional–integral–derivative control. BUILD with LEGO® MINDSTORMS® and lots of advanced robotics equipment, CODE your robots in Java, and PLAY our “Path to Mastery” game. You’ll journey from Novice towards Master, tackling new project challenges with each move and earning bands of recognition with each promotion. You'll learn engineering, programming, math & physics in a completely hands-on way. The journey is deep, so you can join us season after season and always try something new. And, parents get to experience all the fun too as their child's project videos are posted online to see and share!

  • Located on the Almond campus

  • Held Fridays: 3:00 to 4:30PM

  • 10 sessions: 9/16 - 11/18

  • Cost: $280

  • Class size limited to 12 students

  • Register online now at www.wizbots.com

FROM LASD NURSES - VISION SCREENING

The District Nurses will be doing vision screening, both near and far, at Almond for all Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grade students on Wednesday, 9/28/16. If your child has glasses or contacts, please make sure that they wear them to school on the day of the screening. The nurse will mail a referral form to the parents of students who do not pass the vision screening.

ALMOND COMMUNITY SERVICES - STUFFED ANIMAL COLLECTION DRIVE BENEFITING "GOOD NEWS BEARS"!

• Too Many Stuffed Animals, Kids Outgrowing those Stuffed Animals, Stuffed Animals Just Gathering Dust? Or Does Your Child Want to Donate a Stuffed Animal to help another Child in Need?

• Please consider donating your gently used/new stuffed animals and teddy bears to Almond Community Service's collection drive benefiting Good News Bears http://goodnewsbears.org/  Good News Bears' mission is to provide teddy bears to hurt, traumatized, or abused children as well as adults. Almond Community Services is conducting a Gently Used and New Stuffed Animal Collection Drive from September 21st through October 15th. We will have a collection box in the office marked with "Good News Bears." So please consider donating 1, 2 or 3 or more stuffed animals to a worthwhile cause and give some comfort to a child in need (while cleaning out your closets!).

• We will be collecting stuffed animal (any type of stuffed animal is fine!) from small “mini beanie baby” up to about 24” sized stuffed animals. Think of what you would give your child – if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for Good News Bears!  Couple of requests: Please Plush Only (no battery operated animals, dolls, or hard toys); Ensure the stuffed animals are in good shape; Come from a non-smoking home; and if you have the inclination a tumble through the washer, or even just the dryer with a dryer sheet helps out lot!

• If you have any questions, please contact Seema Chavan (bhimsee@yahoo.com) or Polly Liu (polly@beau-coup.com).

Community Service Event - Ecumenical Hunger Program Food Pantry Volunteer Event! FEW MORE SPOTS AVAILABLE

Join us to help fill Emergency Food boxes, sort cans, and stock shelves in the food Pantry at the Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP). EHP is an independent, non-profit organization that provides food, clothing, household essentials, support and advocacy to the needy in their local community.  Limited spots available - First come, first served.

• When:  Thursday, October 6, 3:30-4:30pm

• Where:  Ecumenical Hunger Program, 2411 Pulgas Avenue, East Palo Alto

• RSVP:  Email Seema (bhimsee@yahoo.com) with # of people attending

• Deadline to RSVP:  Thursday, September 29th

• NOTE:  Adult Supervision required - this is NOT a drop-off event.

Jamba Juice Sales are Back!

Almond's 6th Graders are going to be selling Jamba Juice next Wednesday (September 21st after school at pickup) to raise funds for their class gift.  Please come over to the table in front of the multi and purchase a Jamba Juice or two for your kids (all the while supporting the 6th grade class).  There will be two flavors (Mango-a-Gigo and Strawberries Wild). Purchase a 16 ounce juice for $5.  Any questions please contact Jeanine Stiff or Seema Chavan.

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED

[None at this time.]

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

[None at this time.]

WANT TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE THURSDAY WORD?

Send announcements to us at AlmondThursdayWord@lasdschools.org by 12:00pm Monday, for that week's Word. Keep your announcements brief and, if applicable, send a PDF version of any flyer or additional information to be posted on the website.

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