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The Los Altos School District Showcases its STEM program
during the First Inaugural Science on the Green
On August 17, The Los Altos School District--along with several community agencies--led activities for little Los Altos scientists to immerse themselves in a variety of science 
concepts during an afternoon “Science on the Green” event in downtown Los Altos. The first annual event was well attended with participation from Los Altos residents, the Los Altos School District (LASD), the Los Altos Library and the Los Altos Police Department.
LASD’s STEM, Living Classroom and Art Docents led interactive activities that allowed students and parents to get a taste of the concepts and teaching methods that comprise the LASD science curriculum. Children programmed small robots called “Bee-bots,” which teach sequencing, estimation and problem-solving through basic algorithms as children create simple programs. The Little Scientists also designed flowers and planted seeds to learn about pollination through activities that integrate art, engineering and biology.
The Little Scientists also explored science topics with the community, presenting their topic and discussing it with other event participants. “I had a fun time talking about earthquakes and how they happen,” said Logan Mouli, a first grader at Covington Elementary.
“I and many members of the LASD team were thrilled to interact with the Los Altos Community in this fun afternoon on the Los Altos Downtown Green. We were excited to help our little scientists learn new concepts,” said Jeff Baier, Superintendent of Los Altos School District.
Other activities at the event included a Los Altos Police Department activity where children created their own DNA fingerprint to learn about DNA and fingerprint technology in law enforcement. The Los Altos Library rolled in with the Gogobiblio truck loaded with science books for kids to check out on site.
“It was really exciting to see many organizations within the community come together in the name of educating our youth in science on such a fantastic venue in the heart of our community,” said lead organizer, Sandesh Mouli. “I think the community really enjoyed the event and I would like to thank all those who participated and contributed to making this a successful community event.”
Los Altos’ first Science on the Green inspired many of our community youth to learn more about science and its impact. With the start of school just around the corner, it was a great “welcome back” from summer break. Mouli hopes to make “Science on the Green” an annual event for the community.
With more teachers than ever before signing up for our fun and engaging lessons, we are struggling to meet our lesson demand. Come to our Informational Meeting and Garden Tour to learn how you can help! Feel free to invite a friend, neighbor or grandparent to attend with you! Also, please mark your calendar for our upcoming Fall Docent Training on Monday mornings from 9-Noon September 9th through October 14th at the Los Altos School District iLearn Studio.
Living Classroom Info Meeting & Garden Tour
Monday, August 26th, 2019 10-11:30am
Los Altos School District – iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
Living Classroom Fall Docent Training
Mondays 9-Noon September 9th – October 14th
Los Altos School District – iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
*Can't make Mondays? Ask us about our apprentice-style training!
Click here to view and/or print our flyer!
RSVP/Questions? Email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103.
Check us out at www.living-classroom.org!
Who we are:
We are a dedicated group of trained volunteers who teach hands-on garden-based lessons to students in grades K-8.
Why volunteer?
Living Classroom is about more than just teaching students how to plant in the garden. It’s about using the edible and native plant gardens at each school as living laboratories and engaging student learning in fun and relevant ways. Most of our standard-aligned lessons are interdisciplinary and tie into science, social studies and math curriculum. Our hands-on lessons also get kids outside (green time vs. screen time), encourage healthy eating habits, and promote environmental literacy and stewardship.
Volunteering with Living Classroom offers a way for docents to act locally to help protect our environment and nurture our future environmental stewards!
You don’t have to have a green thumb to be an amazing Living Classroom docent. In fact, our program is great way to learn how to turn that black thumb into a green one!
Living Classroom docents enjoy ongoing educational programs, hikes, field trips, social activities and a wonderful sense of community. Just seeing the students smile and get excited when a docent arrives to give a lesson is rewarding and priceless!
The commitment is only 6 hours (3 lessons) a month and you can tailor the program to fit your interests and availability.
Thanks and we hope to see you in the gardens soon!
Living Classroom Staff
Los Altos School District Hosts
Hands-On STEAM Activities at the Apricot STEM Fair
The Los Altos School District (LASD) hosted engaging hands-on activities that showcased how the District curriculum blends science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Local children and adults explored these activities at this year’s Apricot STEM Fair on Saturday, June 30 at the Los Altos History Museum.
“We’re thrilled to participate in this wonderful community event to enjoy STEM with our neighbors. At LASD, we teach what we call STEM Plus,” explained Karen Wilson, Los Altos School District’s STEM Coordinator. “Our program integrates STEM throughout classrooms and curriculum using approaches such as project-based learning, hands-on activities and design thinking so students learn critical concepts and build their skills through practical experience, creativity and inspiration.”
At the Apricot STEM Fair, adults and children designed their own flowers and a hand pollinator using creativity, design and engineering skills. Then, they learned about the science behind pollination and seed dispersal with Living Classroom and STEM classroom educators.
The LASD-sponsored hands-on projects at the Apricot STEM Fair provided real life examples of the District’s STEM curriculum. The LASD STEM Plus Program goes beyond just science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The curriculum teaches students to problem solve through real-world applications and project-based learning, integrating STEM with art, history and other subjects. Living Classroom inspires students to learn about and value the natural world through garden-based education. Los Altos Art Docents develop students’ visual literacy and creativity by having students respond to art, experiment and create art and make connections to other subject areas, like science.
Los Altos School District was thrilled to participate in this wonderful community event!
Science on the Green!
Los Altos Rising Scientists Mixer
Los Altos Downtown Green – Saturday, August 17 @ 2-4PM
The Los Altos Downtown Green Committee and local residents will host the first ever Los Altos Science on the Green Event! The event will be an informal science fair where your 4-8 year old can come with a poster board size drawing/description of any science topic he/she would like to share with the community.
Examples could include: why is the world round, why do plants grow, why is the sun so bright, etc. The goals are to get kids to come out to the Los Altos Green, to talk and learn more about science, to introduce young families to one another and for folks just to enjoy the afternoon and have fun!
The Los Altos School District STEM, Living Classroom and Art Docent programs will host hands-on science project booths integrating art, science and engineering for children and adults to explore.
Please bring your youngsters to come enjoy the event! Although preparing a topic to discuss is recommended, it is not required. Here are the details:
Science on the Green!
Saturday, August 17 @ 2-4PM
Los Altos Downtown Green
(on 3rd St. between Main and State)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Jeffrey Baier, Superintendent
Thursday, June 20, 2019Los Altos School District
Phone: (650) 947-1150
LASD Acquires New School Site with $127 Million in Taxpayer Savings
After a multi-year exhaustive search for a cost-effective solution to resolve its long standing site sharing and school overcrowding problems, the Los Altos School District (LASD) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Federal Realty to acquire 11.65 acres of land in Mountain View on which to construct a new school.
“This is a huge win and great value for our community. With this property, we will construct a new school, provide recreational facilities and gain a neighborhood park in an area of our community that lacks these important amenities. This achievement would not have been possible without collaboration from the City of Mountain View and we are grateful for their partnership as we move ahead with next steps to protect academic excellence for all of our students,” said Jessica Speiser, President of the LASD Board of Trustees.
Through a unique collaboration with the City of Mountain View, the District will offset the purchase price of the property by over $127 million. A Transfer of Development Rights program will garner over $79 million in funds to the District from local developers. In addition, park-in-lieu funds from the city towards the creation of a neighborhood park and other financial contributions from developers offset the sale price by an additional $48 million. LASD will pay less than $28 million for 9.65 acres of land: under $3 million per acre.
“Student enrollment in the northern portion of our district is growing and the area is developing rapidly. As thousands of homes are slated to come on line in the North of El Camino area over the next decade, we need this site to serve the growing student enrollment. Our ability to obtain this property at a relatively low cost will allow us to resolve our site sharing issues now, prepare for future enrollment in the area and ensure we can preserve our small school model that drives the academic excellence our community expects from our schools,” said Jeffrey Baier, Superintendent.
James Reilly, a Mountain View resident and LASD parent said, “Having participated over several years in community forums, committees and task forces to help resolve our long standing facilities challenges, I am very excited for LASD to purchase land in the North of El Camino area. The new school site is a great value for LASD and can be a tremendous campus to improve the educational experience for generations of students. Also, the site will be a great resource for residents of Mountain View. A neighborhood park, playing fields and gym will make our community a better place to live.”
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State Test Results Will Be Digital This Year
Individual reports of students' CAASPP results will be available electronically. Read more.
Under California's local control funding scheme, all school districts are required to complete a Local Control & Accountability Plan (LCAP) that represents their spending plans on services for students including identified sub groups of students. The LCAP was adopted by the district's Board of Trustees on June 10, 2019.
Please click here to view the approved LCAP.
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