ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
February 8, 2018

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• Thursday, 2/8, School Coffee re: 6th Grade Transition to 7th Grade at Egan (8:30am, Multi)
• Tuesday, 2/13, Strictly Strings Concert (7pm, LAHS Eagle Theatre)
• Wednesday, 2/14, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Thursday, 2/15, District English Learners Advisory Council - DELAC Meeting (9am, iLearn Studio)
• 2/19 - 2/23, Winter Recess - NO SCHOOL
• Thursday, 3/1, Family Science Night, (6:30-8pm, Multi)
• Saturday, 3/3, Spring Gala and Auction (6:00-11pm, Computer History Museum)
• Thursday, 3/8, Bookwave Blast (6:30, Multi)
• Wednesday, 3/21, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Friday, 3/23, School Coffee re: Beyond Academics (8:30am, STEM Lab)
• Tuesday, 4/3, STEM Expo (TBD, Multi)
• 4/9 - 4/13, Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, 4/18, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Friday, 4/20, School Coffee re: TBD (8:30am, STEM Lab)
• Tuesday, 4/24, Almond Singer Concert (7pm, Multi)
• Saturday, 4/28, LASD Junior Olympics (8am-4pm, Mountain View High)
• Tuesday, 5/8, LASD Gr. 4-6 Music Concert (1pm, Multi)
• 5/14 - 5/18, 6th Graders at Science Camp
• Friday, 5/18, School Coffee re: TBD (8:30am, STEM Lab)
• Wednesday, 5/23, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Thursday, 5/24, Open House (6pm - 7pm)
• Friday, 5/25, Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:15pm
• Monday, 5/28, Holiday - NO SCHOOL
• Friday, 6/1, Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:15pm
• Tuesday, 6/5
  • TK/K CSMA Parent Concert (1pm, Multi)
  • Gr. 1 - 3 CSMA Parent Concert (2pm, Multi)
• Thursday, 6/7
  • Last Day of School
  • Morning Assembly (8:30am, Multi)
  • 6th Grade Promotion (8:45am doors open for seating, 9:00am ceremony begins)
  • Minimum Day Dismissal - 12:15pm

PRINCIPAL MESSAGE

That green bench.  It’s still there.  It beckoned me Monday while I wore my solar flame white sunglasses, ate my Five Guys, and allowed the warmth of the sun to raise my spirits.

What brought me the most joy though...was an interaction I observed between two 6th grade girls who had just finished their lunches and were strolling together to their next destination.

Millie (standing to the right of Rachel) said, “Rachel, you are a wonderful human being.”

I have no idea what prompted this exclamation.  And, these were her exact words, said in her charming British accent.

Wow!  To be told you are a “wonderful human being.”  That might be the most incredible compliment one might ever offer another.  It was beautiful to witness.

Almond Community - I need your help.  There are 50 plus staff members on this campus that work tirelessly to provide the best learning experience for your children.  In the next week, please take time with your children to complete THIS form for a staff member you’d like to celebrate as “a wonderful human being.”  Feel free to complete as many forms as you wish.  

Please complete your forms by Tuesday morning (2/13, 9am).  Next Thursday, February 15th, I will present each staff member on our campus with their very own SOAR ticket keepsake.

For our staff, SOAR stands for...Serving students selflessly, Owning the success of each other and all of our students, Always striving to be our best, Respecting our gifts and those of each member on our team.

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW

LET’S KEEP CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
HERE is the slide deck.  We have had 6 contributions out of 512 students.  I believe we can do better!!!!  Please take some time to learn about an amazing champion of African heritage and create a slide to honor their achievements.

REMINDER - SCHOOL COFFEE RE: TRANSITIONING TO JUNIOR HIGH ON 2/8
Keith Rocha, Egan Principal, will host a coffee for any parent interested in learning more about Egan Junior High.  While this event is typically attended by 6th grade parents, it is open to parents of children at any level.  Due to the prior arrangement of this date, it must still take place on its designated Thursday.  However, instead of beginning after the assembly, it will start at 8:30am in the multi.  

LASD HEALTH SERVICES
The District Nurses will be doing Hearing screening at Almond for all Kindergarten, 2nd, 5^th grades on 3/7/18. If your child has a known hearing loss, please notify the Health Services Staff (nurses@lasdschools.org) before the day of the screening. The nurse will mail a referral form and call the parents of students who do not pass the Hearing screening.

FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT IS COMING THURSDAY MARCH 1ST 6:30-8PM!
What is Family Science Night? 
An amazing night of science exploration at Almond School!  25+ stations for children TK-6th grade to interact with everything from robotics to anatomy!

• Navigate through a laser maze
• Create amazing lego structures with Kidizens
• Program a robot
• Make slime that glows and your own flavored lip balm
• Interact with bugs in the Insect Discovery Lab
• Observe bats, reptiles, and much more!

Family Science Night is not a drop off event, children must be accompanied by adult.
Do you enjoy science or helping children explore and experiment? 
We still need a few volunteers to run a table or help set up the morning of the event at 8:30am. 
Sign up  here!   Questions? Dharti Dhami dharti@gmail.com or Melissa Neal mbryantneal@yahoo.com

LAEF

• LAEF funds your students STEM education. Students visit the STEM lab where STEM ISTs (Instructional Support Teachers) provide opportunities for hands-on exploration and critical thinking. New this year, LASD is bringing STEM into each classroom, where STEM IST’s help teachers integrate STEM with their cross-discipline instruction.  Find out more about the LASD STEM program at laefonline.org.
• Donate to LAEF today and fully fund STEM teachers this school year. We need your help to raise an additional $800K to reach our goal of $3.7M by April 27th. Gifts of any amount are appreciated. Learn more & make your tax-deductible donation today at www.laefonline.org.

ABC (Asset Building Champion)/ Project Cornerstone

• This month for grades 1st - 5th, the ABC Program chose a powerful, true story  to share with our children. Through My Eyes /Ruby Bridges  tells the story of Ruby Bridges, a six-year old black girl who on November 14, 1960 walked through a mob of screaming segregationists escorted by Federal Marshals into her new school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Surrounded by racial turmoil, Ruby spent first grade learning to read and add with one supportive teacher.
• For our children, racial tensions and struggles to achieve civil rights may sound like ancient history. However, research in today’s schools shows that over the course of a year, nearly one-fourth of students across grades report that they have been harassed or bullied on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or disability. Intolerance and injustice are still painful obstacles our society strives to overcome.
• To promote a more caring school climate, this lesson provides the opportunity to  discuss the following important topics:
  • tolerance and the acceptance of differences.
  • how it feels to walk in someone else’s shoes
  • what it feels like to be targeted by others because we are “different.”
  • Students will be encouraged to think about UPstander techniques discussed in previous ABC lessons to brainstorm something they could do or say if they saw a person being treated unfairly at Almond.
• We recommend you continue this discussion at home and share your own personal stories of times when you have been treated unfairly, and who you rely on in your own web of support.
• Kindergarten students will be reading Understand and Care which focuses on explaining empathy to children. This lesson will help teach children how to identify emotions and understand how another person feels.
• 6th Grade will continue to read from Annie Fox's Middle School Confidential: Real Friends vs The Other Kind.  This month’s chapter, “So-Called Friends”, is about unbalanced friendships. We will talk about some ways to handle situations when friendships aren't going right.
• For more information about the ABC program contact: Mona ElNaggar (monayousuf05@gmail.com) or Jen Walker (jenswalker5@gmail.com) Almond Project Cornerstone Co-Leads

REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS

STRICTLY STRINGS CONCERT
6th Grade Orchestra Students from Almond, Covington, Gardner Bullis and Santa Rita will be featured in a performance with Egan and Los Altos High School Orchestras. Come to see the progression of string students from elementary to high school. It is a free concert, everyone is invited!  Tuesday, Feb. 13th, 7:00 PM, Los Altos High School Eagle Theatre.

 LET’S PARTY LIKE GATSBY!   

• The Bi-Annual Spring Gala and Great Gatsby themed Gala is right around the corner on March 3 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View! Join your fellow Almond parents at this adult-only event that will include a limited timed Silent Auction starting promptly at 6:00pm, dinner and a lively live auction and then dancing the night away - until 11pm. Themed attire is encouraged and a cash bar will keep the good times rolling.
• Tickets are limited, so get yours right away on the Almond Website, where you can also pre-register for purchases like grade-level kid parties, sporting event tickets and other awesome auction items.

SPRING GALA AUCTION

• The biannual spring gala is fast approaching and there are a few very important things we need to bring to your attention.
• PRE-REGISTER
  • Pre-registration allows you to browse the entire silent auction catalog, place bids on selected items – with the option of setting a maximum bid – and you can depend on a text notification when/if you’re outbid.  Simply register here to get started. (Even if you’ve purchased a ticket, you will still need to register in order to bid on auction items.)
• DONATIONS
  • If you’ve been considering donating a weekend at your family vacation home or hosting a party, now is the time to do so!  Donations should be made by February 15 and can be done online using this link.
• WINE WALL
  • Due to popular demand, we will be having the “wine wall” at this year’s gala. Please consider donating your favorite bottle of wine or making a monetary donation where the auction committee can purchase a bottle on your behalf.  The suggested donation amount is $25, but any amount is appreciated.  To donate wine, please drop off a bottle at Gabby Gomez’s house: 269 Marich Way.  If you’d like to make a monetary donation, please use PayPal or write a check to Nina Krammer (nkrammer@yahoo.com).  Please make your donations (either wine or monetary) by February 15.
• If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact Nina Krammer at nkrammer@yahoo.com or Gabby Gomez at gabbygirl_915@yahoo.com.
•  Thank you for your support.  - Almond Gala Auction Committee

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

SAFE ROUTES IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
When: Monday, Feb 12, 6:30pm Open House, 7:00pm Complete Streets Commission Meeting
Where:  Grant Park Community Center, Rooms 2 and 3, 1575 Holt Ave., Los Altos
Hosted by: City of Los Altos Public Works Department and Completes Street Commission

• City staff will provide a brief history of the project.
• Engineering consultant, CSG Consultants, will provide the concepts for proposed crosswalk and intersection improvements
• Residents can gather info, voice support for, and concerns about, the proposed improvements
• Featuring improvements on/at the following streets/intersections:
  • Los Altos/West Portola Ave
  • El Monte Ave
  • Covington Road/Riverside Ave
  • Springer Road/Fremont Ave
  • Grant Ave/Morton Road
  • St. Josephs Ave/Deodara Drive

Parent Chat

• Tue. Feb. 13, 2018, 7PM-8:30PM, Los Altos Library
• Are you concerned about the emotional well being of your child? Come to Parent Chat, peer to peer support for parents of teens. Hosted by the Mental Health Subcommittee of SELPA 1 CAC.

Let's Talk

• Mon. Feb. 12, 2018, 7-9PM,Los Altos Library
• A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc.
• All are welcome, participants must respect confidentiality.

Platica Para Padres

• Martes, Feb13 2018, 7-8:30 PM, Biblioteca de Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road
• Le preocupa el bienestar emocional de su hijo(a)? Apoyo de colega a colega para padres con jóvenes de 14+. Venga a unirse a un grupo de apoyo organizado por el Subcomité de Salud Mental de SELPA 1 CAC

Vamos a Platicar

• Lunes, Feb 12 , 2018, 7-9 PM, Biblioteca de Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road
• Una oportunidad para preguntas y compartir ideas, recursos, y apoyo de otros padres con estudiantes de PEIs, 504s,  diferencias de aprendizaje, retos de salud mental, etc. Todos son bienvenidos, los participantes deben respetar confidencialidad.

S.O.A.R. CELEBRATIONS
(listed alphabetically by last name)

• Benji Barton, 2/2/18, Always making good choices, Respecting self and others. Great job, Benji, in helping others without being asked, and for being a great friend to others as well! :-)
• Chloe Bradbury, 2/1/18, Always making good choices. Being a great friend to others.
• Anthony Cruz Benitez, 1/30/18, Owning learning. Anthony kept trying, even thought the math was challenging. Way to SOAR! Mrs. O'Dell
• Ida Davidsson, 2/2/18, Respecting self and others. Helping a friend by showing and not telling.
• Aseem Dekhane, 2/1/18, Owning learning. Aseem taught his class all about orcas!
• Ben Elkin, 2/7/18, Respecting self and others. Ben always finds ways to help others without being asked.
• Jagger Heath, 2/6/18, Solving problems, Owning learning. Jagger has demonstrated outstanding leadership during Walk Through the American Revolution practice, and stepped up to take on an absent student's role during the final performance.
• Sean Lim, 2/2/18, Always making good choices, Respecting self and others. Great job, Sean, in helping a friend with a spelling activity! :-)
• Arin Prakash, 2/6/18, Respecting self and others. Arin was comforting a friend that was feeling scared.
• Arhan Schulze, 2/7/18, Solving problems. Arhan stepped up to take on an extra role during Walk Through the American Revolution for an absent student.
• Harry Tang, 2/8/18, A great help in translating for our new student.
• Sarah Tressler, 2/7/18, Solving problems, Owning learning, Always making good choices, Respecting self and others. Sarah is always very dependable and always puts forth a great effort in all she does.
• Elijah Udoh, 2/7/18, Owning learning. Elijah met the target growth for first grade in iReady Reading! :-)
• Jessie Yan, 2/1/18, Always making good choices. Jessie is consistently upbeat and helpful. She keeps a positive attitude and a strong work ethic.
• Alyssa Yang, 1/31/28, Solving problems. Trying her best even when things are hard. :-)
• Stephanie Yen-Ko, 2/7/18, Owning learning. Steph has willingly exceeded the minimum expected time on iReady reading and math.

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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