Almond Thursday Word

May 5th-9th is National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week and I want to join the chorus of voices around the world in saying THANK YOU to Almond teachers and staff for their dedication to student learning and well-being during this challenging time in our world.

Seven weeks ago, Almond staff were asked by our state and local governments to shelter-in-place, yet continue to remotely deliver instruction, guidance and support for students. Despite the unavoidable uncertainty of these times, teachers and staff have risen to this challenge and have provided students with a robust program of learning in a new format (exclusively online). Our teachers made the shift from in-person learning to complete distance learning veritably overnight and have been doing an amazing job. This makes me think of a surgeon, normally trained in her craft for countless years, being asked to perform open-heart surgery on a patient using only a computer and robotic arms. This can be done, and done well, but it does require time to think through how to adapt processes and systems built around one format (in-person surgery) into another format (remote, robotic arms). Our teachers have adapted and quickly! They continue to:

• Provide direct instruction lessons in the knowledge, skills and standards that support and further student learning.

• Create opportunities to connect with students and strengthen relationships throughout the week via live meetings and,

• Collaborate with their colleagues, sometimes daily, to consider what students need to know, check for understanding and provide growth and/or reteaching opportunities when needed.

Our educators have the training, flexibility, creativity and critical thinking skills to continue to provide rigorous learning opportunities for students during this time. This is a testament to their professionalism, passion for their craft and, most importantly, their dedication to the idea that ALL students can and have a right to learn and thrive.

Here’s to celebrating the teachers and staff of our Almond Ohana!

Raquel

Call for information and assistance:

COVID-19 Community Connection : 650-947-2790

COVID-19 Senior Connection : 650-947-2797

• School campus closed: Virtual school in session
• 5/4 - 5/8: Staff Appreciation Week

• 5/25: Memorial Day; No School
• 6/10: Last Day of School
• 8/19: First Day of School 2020-2021
• LASD calendar 2019-2020

• Next school year calendar 2020-2021

We are working on a new file with active links, and will resend tomorrow. My apologies for the multiple emails! ~Jane Sanders

We will ask that you order by May 14, 2020.

Questions? Contact chi.buckley@gmail.com or shikha128@gmail.com

With bit a planning, we have relaunched rehearsals for Annie the musical! Limited Zoom showing on June 5th & 6th at 7pm. The format of the show will be audio with some visual supports. We are so excited to still offer Almond Drama program to our participants and to engage the community through performance arts during shelter in place! Details to follow.

Special thanks to Mr. Davy Liu for taking the time to create an encouraging & inspiring video for the Almond community in celebrating the achievements of our young Bookwave Publishers! We played this video during our "Friday Assembly" for our entire school community to watch as families.

For those unfamiliar with Davy, he is a TED talk speaker twice over & was one of the lead animators for Disney movies such as Lion King, Mulan, and later worked on Star Wars with Lucas Films.

He is waiting to return to Beijing to continue to work on his upcoming animated movie, but meanwhile, is offering free facebook art lessons on Saturday mornings! Visit kendu kids facebook page for more info!

If you have not picked up your Bookwave book yet, please contact Rainab@gmail.com or Lily@alexwang.com to schedule pick up or drop off.

We hope that all of you are doing well as we continue to shelter in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this challenging time, Living Classroom is continuing to help balance "screen time" with backyard "green time" by creating activity videos that help connect students with our nature-based curriculum at home.

If you haven't done so already, check out the new Living Classroom PARENT PAGE where you can find our new how-to activity videos as well as additional nature-based resources.

Please share this resource widely and check back frequently as new videos and activities are being added weekly. Click here to view a fun video on making your own bird nest or here to learn how to make simple dyes from plants and other materials found in nature!

Keep Calm and Garden On! - Living Classroom Staff

The Los Altos Art Docent program is turning 50 next year and we want LASD TK-6 students to create a logo to be exhibited at the Los Altos History Museum.

The winning design will be used on posters, pins and sketchbooks during the 2020-21 school year.

Rules:

• 8 ½” x 11” paper

• Draw and use lots of bright, bold colors

• Include 50 and art in your design

• Write parent email and contact info on back

• Attach an artist’s statement to be displayed with submission at the Los Altos History Museum

• One entry per student

Deadline: Saturday, May 30th

Submit: electronically with lasdk8 email here

Or mail to

Los Altos Art Docents

201 Covington Road

Los Altos, CA 94024

Champions Has Openings Now!

Have you heard the good news? While school is out, Champions is here to provide child care for families who work in essential service roles during the coronavirus crisis. As our country is stopping normal routines-like sending kids to school-to help flatten the curve, many families are left without the critical child care support they need to do their jobs.

Champions is consistently staying up to date on the rapidly changing recommendations and policies from government agencies, including the CDC and childcare licensing. We have updated our safety standards and operating guidelines so that we can provide a warm and welcoming environment that allows both parents and children to feel safe and healthy.

Here is a video we created for our parents in our sites that are currently open for essential service families. We wanted to make sure our families see our health and safety protocols in action.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1feO5IQE1UZf9ZgHIEKV620qxzU-UVB_S/view?usp=sharing

If you are interested in enrolling in our Champions program at Covington Elementary in Los Altos please call or text our Site Director, Stefanie Gindi, at 650-559-7900. You can also email her at ch000684@discoverchampions.com.

Melissa Jostedt

Area Manager, Champions Extended Learning

KinderCare Education LLC
Email: mjostedt@discoverchampions.com

Cell: 925.457.7138

Family Support Team: 800.246.2154

http://www.discoverchampions.com

Special Education Meetings and Support Zooms for May and June http://www.selpa1cac.org

5/12 SELPA 1 CAC Mental Health Subcommittee is holding their Parent Chat, support for parents of teens with mental health challenges, via Zoom at 10 am on Tuesday 5/12. Mental health is now more important than ever and this group is amazing. If you are interested in attending, please email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for the link and password.

5/20 Decoding Dyslexia will be having a support group on May 20 in the evening. For more details, email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com or ddcasouthpeninsula@gmail.com.

5/26 SELPA 1 CAC is hosting a "Let's Talk IEP/504 Support Group" via Zoom on Tuesday, May 26 at 6 PM. If you are interested in attending, please email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for the link and password. Remember, this is a confidential support group to help each other!

6/1 SELPA 1 CAC is having a general meeting to hold our elections, discuss ongoing distance learning challenges and plan future parent education events. Meeting will be via Zoom at 9 am on Monday June 1. Email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for more information, link and password

12/5 El Subcomité de Salud Mental SELPA 1 CAC está llevando a cabo su Chat de Padres, apoyo para padres de adolescentes con problemas de salud mental, a través de Zoom a las 10 am el martes 12/5. La salud mental ahora es más importante que nunca y este grupo es increíble. Si está interesado en asistir, envíe un correo electrónico a selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com para obtener el enlace y la contraseña.

20/5 Decodificación Dislexia tendrá un grupo de apoyo el 20 de mayo por la noche. Para más detalles, envíe un correo electrónico a selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com o ddcasouthpeninsula@gmail.com.

26/5 SELPA 1 CAC está organizando un "Grupo de Apoyo Hablemos IEP / 504" a través de Zoom el martes 26 de mayo a las 6 PM. Si está interesado en asistir, envíe un correo electrónico a selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com para obtener el enlace y la contraseña. ¡Recuerde, este es un grupo de apoyo confidencial para ayudarse mutuamente!

1/6 SELPA 1 CAC está teniendo una reunión general para celebrar nuestras elecciones, discutir los desafíos de aprendizaje a distancia en curso y planificar futuros eventos de educación para padres. La reunión se realizará a través de Zoom a las 9 am del lunes 1 de junio. Envíe un
correo electrónico a selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com para obtener más información, enlace y contraseña.

Daily attendance will still be taken as usual in the virtual classroom.

If your child is sick or has an appointment, please let me know via email: jsanders@lasdschools.org.

These absences will be marked as Excused using the same criteria as during the regular school year.

An unexcused absence will be recorded if there is no online activity in Virtual School for 24 hours.