Content Row
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
February 9, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
As mentioned in last week’s message, one fifth (108/541) of Almond students were born outside of the United States. These children and their families enrich our community through their global experiences. We welcome them with open arms!
A large portion of our students (433 to be exact) were born in this wonderful country. Eighty-two percent joined this planet within the state of CA, while the remaining 8% were born in 22 different states. And, just because this type of data fascinates me...13 started their lives in Illinois, 13 in Massachusetts, with the next largest count being 8 in New York.
So, what. Why does any of this even matter?
It matters because we are a beautifully diverse community. By learning about the origins and journeys of others, we can broaden our practice of acceptance and empathy. Another way to accomplish this, is through travel.
Last spring, my husband and I had the great fortune of traveling to China. The purpose of our visit was to meet Almond’s sister school, Hangzhou Dayulu Primary School. Chris and I came back transformed. We gained an incredible appreciation for the hard working nature of the Chinese people, reverence for China’s history and cultural contributions, gratitude for the growing awareness of their younger generation on the environmental impact of industrialization, and admiration for the freedoms that we often take for granted. Here are some pictures.
Part of our transformation included a charge to ensure that our own children understood the greater beauty in this world and the richness of culture. As such, we lugged them along with us on a wild summer adventure through Costa Rica and Nicaragua. It was fantastic!
Well...it is now time for Almond to host some visitors from our sister school in China. On April 26th, twenty-four 4th through 6th grade students, three teachers, and the vice principal, will arrive in Los Altos and stay until May 1st. The students will attend school on Thursday, 4/27 and Friday, 4/28. They will attend our LASD Junior Olympics on Saturday, 4/29. On Sunday, 4/30, they will venture on a tour to San Francisco and depart from Los Altos on 5/1.
We need host families.
The responsibility of a host family is to welcome a student from Hangzhou China into your home to allow them to experience what it’s like in America. They will eat breakfast with you, travel to school with you, go home with you after school, partake in your dinner ritual, and spend the night with you. The student will stay with you for 5 nights. If your family has existing commitments (e.g. karate class, swimming), this student will accompany you. On the day of Junior Olympics, you will transport them to the high school and they will remain with you and your child throughout the day. On Sunday, you will drop them off at school for their tour to San Francisco and then pick them back up that evening. The following Monday, they head back to China.
It is preferable that the host student from Almond is at the same grade level. However, if we are not able to accommodate this, then we welcome any family at any grade level to host.
Our visitors are:
4th graders – 13 (3 boys, 10 girls)
5th graders – 9 (7 boys, 2 girls)
6th graders – 2 (2 girls)
This would be a wonderful experience for your family to learn about the Chinese culture and to share your own traditions.
If you are interested, please fill out THIS form and we will be in touch.
Mr. Chan will be taking the lead in coordinating this visit. THANK YOU MR. CHAN!!!!
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
ATTENDANCE PROTOCOLS
STUDENT COUNCIL
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! Thursday, Feb. 16th, 7:00 PM, Los Altos High School Eagle Theatre
LAEF: New $20,000 Matching Grant! Donate today.
LAEF is pleased to share with you that two LASD families have just offered $20,000 in matching funds! That means that all NEW donations and any dollar you give OVER your donation amount last year will be matched, up to $20,000. Since LAEF’s annual grant benefits every TK-8 student, we strive for 100% participation from all LASD families. That's why these families are giving now. To inspire you to donate by March 10th at www.LAEFonline.org.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
Family Science Night
REMINDER OF LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full. Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you. Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Almond After-School Playdate Events - Girl Scout Fundraiser!
It is Girl Scout Cookie 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
February 2, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
There is a bench at Almond School. It is green. It sits outside of room 15. I go to this bench when I need perspective. My favorite time to rest on this bench is at lunch time. I see so much. So much beauty. So much joy.
Every so often someone comes and sits with me on this bench.
This week Devin joined me for a chat. He wanted to know what I was doing. I explained that I was watching kids play and - just thinking. Devin is new to our school this year. He is a first grader; a bundle of energy and he shines so brightly. I asked where his family is from. He told me all about his grandfather and his aunties in Kenya. I looked into Devin’s incredible eyes and said, “Devin, promise me something. Promise me that you will always be proud of where you came from. You came from a very special place and it’s important that you never forget its magic.” He said he promised. Then he ran off to play with his friends.
A whole group of fourth grade girls stopped by and offered a greeting. Some in this group (Julia, Ruby, Kimmie, Sammie) have known each other since long before kindergarten. Other friendships have flourished in recent years. They are so very kind. Generous and thoughtful. Brilliant thinkers who have much to contribute to this world.
During the transition from lower grade lunch to upper grade lunch many students flittered by and either waved or simply shouted out their hellos. Each one made me smile. There was Jacob and Kobe engrossed in conversation. And right behind them the group of 5th grade boys probably debating stats about basketball. Then came the crew that invented the cities out on the perimeters of the field. You know, Stick City and Dirt City. Many of them are 5th graders now. These invented worlds have evolved since they started them as 3rd graders (when they were little).
While a great many of our Almond students were born in the U.S., about one fifth come from far away, magnificent places; Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, Vietnam. Each of these children and their families have brought with them traditions, diverse experiences, and a world lens that contributes to a kaleidoscope of iridescence.
There is a bench at Almond School. It is green. It sits outside of room 15. I invite you to come by. From this bench, you will see a microcosm of beauty that exists at Almond School.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL (SSC) MEETING
What is SSC? It is a meeting that brings together staff and parents around school topics. We are required to have this meeting per the California Department of Education. The two teacher representatives (Mrs. Wishnack, Mrs. Burke) and myself will meet on the designated day whether or not parents attend. We would much prefer and welcome parent representatives who are interested in collaborating with us as opposed to working in isolation. On Wednesday, 2/8, we will see input from the parent committee on survey questions that the staff has crafted and continue discussing how we might create a more culturally responsive environment on our campus.
STUDENT COUNCIL
STEM DAYS at EGAN & BLACH
LAEF’S BILLBOARD UPDATED TO THE $3M MARK!
Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
SCHOOL COFFEE
Keith Rocha, the Egan Principal, will be our honored guest at the school coffee on Thursday, 2/9. He will discuss how parents can support the transition from elementary school to junior high. You do not need to be a 6th grade parent to attend. It will be valuable information for any Almond parent with children in any grade level. We hope you’ll join us.
REMINDER OF LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full. Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you. Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.
AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY
Egan Girl Scout Troop 61015 is holding an after-school playdate on Friday, February 10 from 2:25 - 4:45 in the Almond multi. The troop will provide supervised play and activities to Almond students in grades K-3 (and siblings ages 3 and up who are potty trained). The kids will have a lot of fun with board games, legos, arts and crafts, and play time on the playground, and snacks will be provided. Most of the scouts have earned their babysitting badge and are Red Cross babysitting certified, and several adults will be on hand to help supervise. The fee is $25 per child and $10 for each additional sibling - you can pay at drop off or pick up. We plan use use the funds for our summer trip. To sign up, please click here by February 8th. Please email Sara Elkin with any questions.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
It is Girl Scout Cookie 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
January 26, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
Please. Watch THIS. The whole thing.
Now, let’s talk about math.
When I sat in math classes as a learner, I identified with that meerkat. Not because it lulled me to sleep, but instead because my brain went into a frantic state of panic. My amygdala response sent my thoughts into doubt and worry. “What if I get the answer wrong?” “Hurry up Erika! Everyone else is done and you’re still working on the problem.” “What is that darn formula?!?!?! I thought I had it memorized but I can’t retrieve it from my working memory.” “Why do I even need to learn this stuff? I am NEVER going to use this.”
Thank goodness I became an educator and as such have poured over tons of research that speaks to the impact of our beliefs on our achievement. And, I’m so grateful I learned this before I became a parent. This understanding has made me keenly aware of my self talk in front of my children. They have never heard me utter, “I’m not good at math,” or “math is so hard.” In fact, my poor husband got the look of death from me once when he suggested that the kids go to him for math help because mom’s better at creative things and he’s the mathematically minded of us two. He has never made another such a statement ;-).
This week I joined a team of 14 educators from LASD to hear from Jo Boaler, renown Stanford Professor of Mathematics at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. What an incredible two days! It provided our team with a deep sense of validation in our work around “the growth mindset”, reminded us of the importance to encourage students to develop varied strategies in solving problems, and also introduced us to new ways to deepen conceptual learning.
The following is directly from the youcubed website.
“These 9 findings have very strong implications for mathematics classrooms. If acted upon they could unleash the potential of millions more students.
Here’s to guiding a whole generation of thinkers into a realm where numbers, variables and symbols are friends...not foes.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
SPRING BOOK FAIR CHAIR NEEDED
The PTA still has not been able to identify a volunteer to head up the annual spring book fair. This event not only raises funds for Almond, but it also brings a bookstore right to us. Children enjoy perusing the books and get excited about losing themselves in stories or non-fiction texts. If we do not have a person (or people - could be a partnership) identified by 1/31, we will not hold a spring book fair this year. :-( Please contact Jon Meyer if you are interested in supporting this initiative at our school.
SCHOOL COFFEE
Keith Rocha, the Egan Principal, will be our honored guest at the school coffee on Thursday, 2/9. He will discuss how parents can support the transition from elementary school to junior high. You do not need to be a 6th grade parent to attend. It will be valuable information for any Almond parent with children in any grade level. We hope you’ll join us.
STUDENT COUNCIL
LAEF’S BILLBOARD UPDATED TO THE $3M MARK!
Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org.
AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY
Egan Girl Scout Troop 61015 is holding an after-school playdate on Friday, February 10 from 2:25 - 4:45 in the Almond multi. The troop will provide supervised play and activities to Almond students in grades K-3 (and siblings ages 3 and up who are potty trained). The kids will have a lot of fun with board games, legos, arts and crafts, and play time on the playground, and snacks will be provided. Most of the scouts have earned their babysitting badge and are Red Cross babysitting certified, and several adults will be on hand to help supervise. The fee is $25 per child and $10 for each additional sibling - you can pay at drop off or pick up. We plan use use the funds for our summer trip. To sign up, please click here by February 8th. Please email Sara Elkin with any questions.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
BOOKWAVE
REMINDER OF LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full. Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you. Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
It is Girl Scout Cookie 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
January 19, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
On Tuesday, we gathered as a district to grow our repertoire of strategies to support diverse learners, specifically students working to master [the English] language. If you remove the words in brackets in the preceding sentence, that lens expands to encompass ALL.
Why is this significant?
What we learned applies to ALL because ALL of our students are learning language. For some English is their native tongue, yet for others it is their second or third. Languages, and the application of language (listening, speaking, reading, writing), are full of complex structures that can take a lifetime to master.
One of the most dynamic components of language is the art of conversation and dialogue. It’s a variable construct, not fixed. It is dependent on input and its permutations can be infinite. In order to attain proficiency in this skill, students need abundant opportunities for practice. We include collaborative interactions in our classrooms to allow students to connect around content knowledge and application. Students are guided through listening techniques, restating, paraphrasing, clarifying, and summarizing. This takes different forms depending on the grade level.
In education we emphasize academic discourse to prepare students in becoming active and effective contributors to our world.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
STUDENT COUNCIL
WALK OR WHEEL
LASD/LAEF JUNIOR HIGH STEM DAYS
LAEF’s Billboard Updated to the $3M Mark!
Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
BOOKWAVE
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Almond 8U MVLAGS Softball Team Sign-Up
If your daughter is 7 or 8 years old (or in second/third grade), consider signing her up for Girls' Softball. It is a wonderful way to stay active and learn a fun team sport with friends. The short spring season is purely recreational with an "everyone plays" philosophy, so no experience is required. 8U teams are school based, and there are still 3-4 spots left on the Almond team. If you are interested, go to http://www.mvlags.org/signup to register your daughter or email Coach Mona (elnaggarmona@yahoo.com) for further information. Let's play ball!
Sixth District Parent Education Conference—FREE
On Saturday, January 21 @ Peterson Middle School (1380 Rosalia Ave, Sunnyvale). Session 1: 9:30 - 11am. Session 2: 11:20 - 12:50pm. Register here. Conference is open to ALL PARENTS AND STAFF. Each workshop presented will be offered twice during the conference. Workshops to be presented are:
Screenagers Film Showing:Growing Up in the Digital Age
Reset Your Child's Brain: Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
January 19, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
On Tuesday, we gathered as a district to grow our repertoire of strategies to support diverse learners, specifically students working to master [the English] language. If you remove the words in brackets in the preceding sentence, that lens expands to encompass ALL.
Why is this significant?
What we learned applies to ALL because ALL of our students are learning language. For some English is their native tongue, yet for others it is their second or third. Languages, and the application of language (listening, speaking, reading, writing), are full of complex structures that can take a lifetime to master.
One of the most dynamic components of language is the art of conversation and dialogue. It’s a variable construct, not fixed. It is dependent on input and its permutations can be infinite. In order to attain proficiency in this skill, students need abundant opportunities for practice. We include collaborative interactions in our classrooms to allow students to connect around content knowledge and application. Students are guided through listening techniques, restating, paraphrasing, clarifying, and summarizing. This takes different forms depending on the grade level.
In education we emphasize academic discourse to prepare students in becoming active and effective contributors to our world.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
STUDENT COUNCIL
WALK OR WHEEL
LASD/LAEF JUNIOR HIGH STEM DAYS
LAEF’s Billboard Updated to the $3M Mark!
Did you notice the growing arrow on the LAEF sign in front of our school? The 21 parent volunteers on our Board of Directors are pleased to announce that LAEF just reached the $3,000,000 mark! 100 families contributed in December, with donations ranging from $20 to $5,000. Thank you! With $700,000 to go to meet our $3.7M goal, every dollar counts. That’s why we’re counting on another 400 families to participate this school year. To donate or learn more about the many ways to give, please go to www.LAEFonline.org.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
BOOKWAVE
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Almond 8U MVLAGS Softball Team Sign-Up
If your daughter is 7 or 8 years old (or in second/third grade), consider signing her up for Girls' Softball. It is a wonderful way to stay active and learn a fun team sport with friends. The short spring season is purely recreational with an "everyone plays" philosophy, so no experience is required. 8U teams are school based, and there are still 3-4 spots left on the Almond team. If you are interested, go to http://www.mvlags.org/signup to register your daughter or email Coach Mona (elnaggarmona@yahoo.com) for further information. Let's play ball!
Sixth District Parent Education Conference—FREE
On Saturday, January 21 @ Peterson Middle School (1380 Rosalia Ave, Sunnyvale). Session 1: 9:30 - 11am. Session 2: 11:20 - 12:50pm. Register here. Conference is open to ALL PARENTS AND STAFF. Each workshop presented will be offered twice during the conference. Workshops to be presented are:
Screenagers Film Showing:Growing Up in the Digital Age
Reset Your Child's Brain: Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
January 12, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from the Almond Teaching Staff
NOTE: Italicized portions are a repeat of what was communicated regarding reading results.
Tomorrow you will receive paper copies of the 2nd administration of the iReady computerized assessment for math.
As a reminder...
This measure is just one of many that we utilize. Because iReady is only given three times a year, it serves as more of a progress monitoring tool than a data source to determine targeted instruction configurations.
We would like to share some of the results that we have noted through our analysis.
iReady Math
As a reminder...
Your child’s iReady reports will communicate two scores via a bar chart; Test 2 and Test 1. It will also provide a breakdown by subject area domain. As noted in the data above, many students experienced an increase of score between the two administrations. There were however students whose scale score went down. We ask you to consider three things when reflecting on this information: 1) There is a standard of error of (+/-)approximately 10-15 points. 2) This is one single measure taken on one particular day or series of days. 3) We are looking at each and every students’ results and following up on how to further support growth with specific actions from the education team at Almond.
We want ALL children to be challenged in their sweet spot of learning.
If you have any specific questions regarding your child’s iReady reading results, please address those directly to your child’s teacher.
Correlation Analysis & Reflections of iReady Math and CAASPP:
ONE of the many sources of pride for the Los Altos School District is the high achievement of our students. These accomplishments manifest in a great many ways. The contributions of our young people in the greater world around them. The higher education that they pursue. The careers into which they become leaders as adults. And, one of those measures also includes the statewide assessment known by some as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and known by others as the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Both the same assessment that is only applicable to grade 3-6. We will standardize on referring to is as the CAASPP. Because we know some of you will look at the iReady and draw correlations to how your child “might” perform on the CAASPP, we would like to directly address this as a staff.
On your iReady report, there is a green shaded area that indicates “On Level.” There is a range in this level that is “Early,” “Mid,” or “Late.” Anything to the left of the green shaded area is “below” level. Anything to the right is “above” level. If you’ve ever engaged in a conversation with Mrs. Benadom, you know she despises these terms because at times they can be used to label and limit children. This does not contribute to a growth mindset. As an Almond teaching staff we have worked tirelessly to be very mindful of the language we use in describing a child’s learning needs.
As we looked at iReady Spring 2015 results alongside CAASPP Spring 2015 results in math, we found these correlations: There was a strong correlation between the iReady relative labels of “2 or more below” and the CAASPP label of “Standards Not Met.” We also found a strong correlation between the iReady “1 level below” and the CAASPP “Standard Nearly Met.” We found that when a student achieves at the “early” or “mid” grade level designation within their age appropriate placement, the CAASPP result was typically “Standard Met.”
We found a significant discrepancy between the iReady “Above” and the CAASPP “Standard Exceeded.” We attribute this to the difference in the two subject matters and the depth and complexity of math. While iReady Math performance may report a child within the “On Level” zone and list the progress as “Late” in the Placement column, this typically translates to “Standard Exceeds” on the CAASPP. In other words, if you perceive that your child typically performs at a high level in math and when you look at the report he/she has a scale score bar that is falling within the “On Level” area and not reaching to the far right of that as you expected, please don’t panic. If your child is making progress and the trajectory is headed towards them reaching into the far end of the green, where they would be considered “Late,” our analysis points to a strong correlation that their CAASSP score will most likely be “Standard Exceeded.”
As a final reminder…
We share all of this with you so that when you receive your child’s iReady results, you may consider this information within a reasonable context. We are midway through the school year. There is still more learning to take place. We will continue to focus on the diverse needs of students and work together as a staff to personalize learning for ALL of our students. Again, we cannot emphasize enough that this is one single measure upon which we reflect to ensure we are supporting the learning of our students.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
Happy New Year from LAEF!
We hope you had a wonderful break and are looking forward to a great second half of the school year. The end of 2016 brought in many contributions! Special thanks to those families who made a tax-deductible gift or requested a match from their company. Stay tuned for an exciting update on our fundraising progress. In the meantime...for more information about LAEF or to donate, please go to www.LAEFonline.org.
NEW LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full. Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you. Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS - WINTER SESSION STARTS SOON
LASD PARENT EDTALK: Assessment and Reporting
Friday, January 27, 2017 @ 9:00am in Gardner Bullis School - Staff Lounge
Join us for a Parent EdTalk on Assessment and Reporting in LASD. This talk will include an overview of standards based teaching and learning, as well as provide details on our district-wide K-8 common assessments: the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment and the iReady Diagnostic Assessment in Reading and Math. Seating is limited to 50. To reserve a place please click link: https://edtalk_1_27_17.eventbrite.com
FROM LAST HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT: When to Keep Your Child Home From School
Father / Daughter Dance, Feb 11th 6:30-9pm in the Almond School Multi
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
BOOKWAVE
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Screenagers Film Showing:Growing Up in the Digital Age
Reset Your Child's Brain: Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen 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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
January 5, 2017
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from Mrs. Benadom
“A Hat Full of Sky” by Terry Pratchett is a fanciful satire about a young girl learning to be a witch. It is written beautifully and in it I found a quote that captivated me.
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
Welcome back!
May 2017 be one full of fresh perspectives and brilliant hues.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
ALMOND SINGERS
Our next practice Tuesday, January 10, 2017 @ 7:30am. Mr. Chan
BOOKWAVE
LASD: We Want You … Substitute Opportunities
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
[none at this time]
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
"Science in January" weekly program at the Los Altos Library
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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
December 15, 2016
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
...from the Almond Teaching Staff
At this morning’s school coffee, Mrs. Benadom, Mrs. Leach, Ms. Greene, and two of our awesome 4th graders shared Almond’s use of data binders to enhance student self-efficacy and to provide formative feedback on learning progress. Here is the presentation that was shared. Here is a Tweet of the superstars themselves.
Tomorrow you will receive paper copies of the 2nd administration of the iReady computerized assessment for reading. This measure is just one of many that we utilize. Because iReady is only given three times a year, it serves as more of a progress monitoring tool than a data source to determine targeted instruction configurations.
We would like to share some of the results that we have noted through our analysis.
iReady Reading
Your child’s iReady reports will communicate two scores via a bar chart; Test 2 and Test 1. It will also provide a breakdown by subject area domain. As noted in the data above, many students experienced an increase of score between the two administrations. There were however students whose scale score went down. We ask you to consider three things when reflecting on this information: 1) There is a standard of error of (+/-)approximately 10-15 points. 2) This is one single measure taken on one particular day or series of days. 3) We are looking at each and every students’ results and following up on how to further support growth with specific actions from the education team at Almond.
We want ALL children to be challenged in their sweet spot of learning.
If you have any specific questions regarding your child’s iReady reading results, please address those directly to your child’s teacher in January when we return from winter break.
To better understand the predictive capacity between iReady and the statewide CAASPP assessment for grades 3-6, we examined both data sets from 2015-16. There was a strong correlation between the iReady relative labels of “2 or more below” and the CAASPP label of “Standards Not Met.” We also found a strong correlation between the iReady “1 level below” and the CAASPP “Standard Nearly Met.” We found that when a student achieves at the “early” or “mid” grade level designation within their age appropriate placement, the CAASPP result was typically “Standard Met.” And finally, students with a score designating performance at the “late” stage of their designated grade level or at a level above their grade level, the corresponding CAASPP score tended to be “Standard Exceeded.”
We share this with you so that when you receive your child’s iReady results, you may consider this information within a reasonable context. We are midway through the school year. There is still more learning to take place. We will continue to focus on the diverse needs of students and work together as a staff to personalize learning for ALL of our students. Again, we cannot emphasize enough that this is one single measure upon which we reflect to ensure we are supporting the learning of our students.
In January, we will be sending home the iReady math results.
Happy Holidays! See you in 2017.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
STUDENT COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS
LAEF: TWO WEEKS LEFT FOR CORPORATE MATCHING IN 2016
Did you know that in 2015/16, LAEF received $590,000 in corporate matching funds? Wow! With less than 20 days until the end of the tax year now is the time to submit a matching request to your company (or to make your tax-deductible annual donation for 2016). Find out if your company matches by going to www.doublethedonation.com/laef or donate at LAEFonline.org.
LAEF: COMPUTER SCIENCE ROCKS IN LASD!
LASD joined schools around the world to celebrate Computer Science Education Week December 5-9. This annual event was dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science. Our students participated in the Hour of Code program organized by Code.org. This year’s LASD theme was Code with a Buddy and TRY Something NEW. Go to LAEFOnline.org and find out why it's important to learn computer science and what LASD students in each grade are learning this year.
DRAMA WORKSHOP FOR ASPIRING ACTORS
To prepare for the upcoming drama season, Egan Girl Scout Troop 61015 is offering a workshop to help children gain confidence with performances and in everyday life: stage presence, acting, singing and dancing, and expressions. This is a fundraiser for Girl Scouts and a fun afternoon for kids!
Click here to sign up. Any questions? Send an email to Sara Elkin.
ALMOND SINGERS
Our next practice isn’t until Tuesday, January 10, 2017 @ 7:30am. There is no practice on January 3, 2017. Have a peaceful and joyful holiday break! Mr. Chan
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
[none at this time]
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
ALMOND BROWNIE GIRL SCOUT TROOP 61070 COLLECTS COATS for ONE WARM COAT
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.
Quick Links…
School & Community News now found via Peachjar:
https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=53999
Almond Elementary School Website
Copyright © 2003-2016 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
December 1, 2016
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE
We hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and/or friends.
The Leadership Team would like to share the following highlights with you about the happening in your children’s instructional program.
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
Become a LIVING CLASSROOM docent... share your love of nature with kids!
BOOKWAVE
LAEF: Winter Music Concerts & Computer Science Ed Week
We hope you enjoy the sounds of the season coming from our 4th, 5th and 6th grade LASD Winter Music Concerts in addition to hearing inspiring stories of our K-8 students participating in “Hour of Code” during Computer Science Education Week. Parent donations to LAEF have made these enriching educational experiences possible. That’s why we are requesting your support by donating at LAEFonline.org by 12/31.
LAEF: Buy Your Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints & Support LAEF
By ordering your holiday cards from Tiny Prints (link here), you’ll save on your cards and LAEF will receive a donation from every order! It’s another easy way to support LAEF during this season of giving. Thank you!
Egan Holiday Craft Faire
Come shop for the holidays! Egan School seventh and eighth grade students are busily making all kinds of homemade crafts and gift items to sell at their annual Holiday Craft Faire. Items for sale will include pillows, soaps, jewelry, clothing accessories, hats, candles, origami as well as ornaments, holiday crafts, decorations and food items. The Holiday Craft Faire will take place on Friday, December 9 from 7:30a-12:30p at Egan School (100 West Portola Avenue). Everyone is welcome!
Amond Community Services: Family Giving Tree Wish Drive
Dear Almond Families,
Thank you so much for supporting this wonderful cause. Let’s all pitch in and do something GREAT together this holiday season!
Cheers,
Almond Community Service
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
[none at this time]
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Almond Brownie Girl Scout Troop 61070 Collects Coats for One Warm Coat
ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
November 11, 2016
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL MESSAGE - special guest post by Sandra McGonagle
I have loved my time at Almond this week and feel privileged for filling in for Erika while she is out. Thank you for the warm welcome. While walking in and out of classrooms, speaking with students about their learning, and chatting with parents about their kids, I have observed first-hand deep and connected learning experiences all around the Almond campus.
The hustle and bustle of deep learning brings to mind two of my favorite quotes. The first is from an older post from Thomas Friedman’s January, 2013, NY Times Op-Ed piece It’s P.Q. and C.Q. as Much as I.Q, where he discusses the idea that individual initiative and a high skill set is what’s required to compete in today’s “hyperconnected” world.
“The winners won’t just be those with more I.Q. It will also be those with more P.Q. (passion quotient) and C.Q. (curiosity quotient) to leverage all the new digital tools to not just find a job, but to invent one or reinvent one, and to not just learn but to relearn for a lifetime.”
I love the idea of relearn. Another of my favorite quotes comes from Alvin Toffler, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Unlearning and relearning is tough to do; some find it terrifying while others find it exhilarating. The educational community around the world is right in the throes of this, and it is difficult for many to unlearn the practices that have been “successful” for so long. We can’t keep preparing kids for our past or present, but must make sure they are set up for their future, whatever that may bring.
This brings me to Almond - our Almond teachers are leading the way in unlearning and relearning what school could look like if it tried to meet the individual needs of ALL students - if the learner was at the center. They are working tremendously hard to get it right, to refine the model, to learn what’s working and what needs tweaking. They are tireless in their belief that students deserve the best education for THEIR futures and not our past. It’s happening at Almond; it’s happening across LASD; it’s happening across the US; and it’s happening throughout the world. It’s happening because our kids deserve it - mine and yours.
Here’s to unlearning and relearning!
Sandra
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW
Project Cornerstone ABC Reading
The Project Cornerstone/ABC Reader book of the month is Don’t Laugh At Me by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin. The book talks about how people might look different on the outside but on the inside we are all the same. It shares a message about empathy, compassion and caring. The goal of this month’s lesson is that students learn to practice intentional acts of caring and peaceful conflict resolution, in order to create a school where every student feels accepted, valued and safe.
The Kindergarten students are reading Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners, which focuses on peaceful conflict resolution. The students are learning specific tools to resolve conflicts and get along, as well as how to accept and respect someone else's position.
Our 6th grade students are continuing the discussion about friendship by focusing on problem-solving friendship dilemmas and practicing how to make a genuine apology when one is required to mend a friendship.
For more information about the ABC Program, see our section [http://losaltos.cyberschool.com/Almondes/5731-ABC-Program.html] on the Almond website or contact Jen Walker, Julie Watson, or Mona Einaggar
Miss Ohlund’s Reading Group: Betta Fish Update
Hello Almond Community, this is Miss Ohlund’s reading group, and we have something to tell you. We now have a betta fish thanks to the families who donated money! The fish is a male and has beautiful blue, white, and red colors. Everyone in our class is very happy because we finally got the fish. We have just enough food for our fish and some nice decorations. In addition, we have a small house that looks like a pineapple. We really want to thank the Popescu Family for donating lots of the supplies, including a 10 gallon tank and filter. With the extra-large tank and our knowledge about how to keep male bettas separated, we were able to add new dividers to include even more fish! Another red betta and a purple-blue betta were added to our tank this week. All three fish are very happy! We like to look at the fish when we come into the classroom in the morning. Our fish move very gracefully, and are very interesting to watch. Did you know that pets help kids learn in the classroom? Thank you for your support!
LAEF: What’s an IST? Meet LASD’s New Instructional Support Teacher for Math
Ms. Noirin Foy is the district’s first IST, supporting 6-8th grade math by providing our 27 math teachers with professional learning, coaching, and modeling. Teaching math in LASD since 2011, she is also strengthening LASD’s collaboration with the math ISTs from Mountain View and Los Altos High Schools. Check out Ms. Foy’s new LASD Math website with resources for students when they need extra support or practice and learn more at LAEFOnline.org!
LAEF’s meets $100K Challenge...raising $2.5M so far
LAEF’s Board of Directors is pleased to report that we have just reached $2.5M in donations on our way to meeting our $3.7M goal for the current school year. A special thank you to the families who made first time gifts or increased their annual donation to help us meet our $100,000 Matching Challenge from LAEF’s Board of Directors and the Honor Roll of Realtors Leadership Circle. For those of you that have not yet participated, please join our community’s 1,700 donors by making a contribution that is meaningful for your family. LAEFOnline.org
PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED
LOST & FOUND
There are many items in the Lost & Found racks! Please come look for your family's missing jackets and other belongings. And a note to the wise: if you write your student's name on things, we do our best to return things to their owners! We will be bagging up all items and donating them to those in need the Friday before the week of Thanksgiving.
PARENT CONFERENCES, a note from Mrs. Benadom
The goal of parent conferences is to set aside time on 11/21 & 11/22 for a face to face conversations with families about learning. Of course we hope that many families will be able to partake in this experience on these two days. Please know that it is not mandatory.
A challenge exists in our current construct for parent conferences. The days reside during Thanksgiving week when many of our families plan vacations and travel. This reality presents a challenge for our teaching staff. The two days that our district has set aside for conversations about learning are underutilized and teachers must then offer conferences outside of these two days in order to maintain a close connection with parents.
In grades TK-4, conferences will remain at the homeroom level. Any conference requests from parents outside of 11/21 & 11/22 will be based on the teacher’s availability. Grades 5/6 are more complex due to regrouping and rotations. A teacher potentially sees 120+ students. If a family requests conferences outside of the designated days (11/21 & 11/22), we will collect this request and get back to you with an alternate day. Almond will provide an additional sub day to teachers in grade 5/6 for conferences that were not able to be held in November.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Los Altos Little League Spring Softball and T-ball Baseball Registration open NOW
Girls On The Run!!
Do you have a daughter in grades 3, 4 or 5? Does she like to have fun? Then join Almond’s newest after school activity “Girls On The Run”! “Girls On The Run” or GOTR inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, curriculum that creatively integrates running. Over a period of 10 weeks the girls participate in lessons that encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical development. The season finishes in a “Girls on the Run” 5k event. This celebratory, non-competitive event is the culminating experience of the curriculum. Completing the 5k gives the girls a tangible understanding of the confidence that comes through accomplishment as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.
It is GOTR mission to offer our program to all girls who desire to participate, regardless of their financial status. Families who are unable to pay the program registration fees will be awarded financial assistance based on their income. Apply for financial assistance by November 30 to receive a scholarship code in time to register for the lottery. ALL need-based scholarships must be applied for and approved BEFORE registering a girl for the program. More information here.
Registration OPENS Dec. 3 - 5, register anytime in the window. The lottery for teams will be Dec. 6, 2016. GOTR 2017 Season Program begins the week of March 6 through May 20 on Wednesday & Fridays from 3:05pm - 4:35pm at Almond School. The program fee is $230. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Heath
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.
11/21/24 3:34 AM