LASD is excited to invite you to an excellent parent education event geared towards 6th grade and junior high parents. LASD is partnering with MVLA, Mountain View Whisman and CHAC to host a special event screening of the documentary Angst followed by a panel discussion with local mental health and medical experts.

Here are the event details:
When: January 15 (Tuesday) 6:30-8:30 P.M.
Where: Los Altos High School, Eagle Theater
             201 Almond Ave, Los Altos, CA
How do I register: https://mvla2018-19-angstfilm.eventbrite.com
                               Space is limited-please register early!

The event flyer with more information is included here!   You are welcome to bring your 6th, 7th or 8th grade student.

Angst is an IndieFlix Original, documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety. The film includes interviews with kids, teens, educators, experts, parents and a very special interview with Michael Phelps.  The goal specifically is to help people identify and understand the symptoms of anxiety and encourage them to reach out for help. Angst screens in schools, communities and theaters around the world. The film and corresponding materials provide tools, resources and above all, hope.

More information on this documentary can be found on their website:
https://angstmovie.com/

Anxiety is the precursor to so many mental health challenges. By opening a dialogue and normalizing (not trivializing) anxiety we can help our youth, each other and ourselves.

Spread the word. Believe change is possible. The purpose of this screening is to talk about this universal issue, share personal stories, and provide resources and tools.

I sincerely hope that you will join us at this timely and informative event on an issue that impacts our youth.

Let us join together as a community to build a network of support around our children and help them thrive.

Dear Los Altos School District Families,
Perseverance is a quality our school community models for its students because it is the foundation for continuous learning, growth and achievement.  I’m reminded of this core belief today as I share very exciting news.
 
Mountain View City Council Unanimous Vote Paves Way for New School
Tuesday night, the Mountain View City Council unanimously voted to enter into a Joint Use Agreement with the Los Altos School District--a final step towards the purchase of a new school site in the North of El Camino neighborhood.  Through collaboration, innovative thinking and perseverance on the part of the City and our school district, we will build a new school, recreational facilities and 2-acre park for local residents for decades to come.  Read more about the vote here.

Since 2012, we worked with our community to achieve the best solution to resolve our school site sharing issues and future student enrollment growth.  Community-led committees, task forces and surveys recommended that we acquire a new site to protect our small schools and academic excellence for all students.  Read more about this community-driven process here.

I would like to personally thank the City of Mountain View, our Los Altos Board of Trustees and our community for their hard work in achieving this huge victory for local children.  
 
Three of Our Teachers Earn National Board Certification
Qualified and dedicated teachers are a primary reason that Los Altos School District is among the top performing districts in the state.  To consistently improve teaching and learning in our classrooms, we invest heavily in professional development for our educational staff.

This month, three of our educators attained one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field:  National Board Certification.  Congratulations to Santa Rita 6th grade teacher Natalie Cannon, Almond 1st grade teacher Samantha Nguyen and Shelby Regner, Oak Literacy Instructional Support Teacher, who worked tirelessly for this notable achievement.  Read the full story.
 
Your Donations to LAEF Make a Difference
Thanks to our community for your donations to the Los Altos Educational Foundation.  Your contributions support the educational programs that inspire a passion for learning and perseverance in our students.  LAEF needs to raise an additional $800,000 to fully fund the educational programs it supports for this school year, including PE, library, junior high electives, mental health counselors, music, STEM, art and computer science.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to make your donation yet, please donate today!
 
Congratulations to Los Altos School District Board Members
On Monday, December 10, our newly elected Board member, Vaishali Sirkay, was sworn in and Jessica Speiser became our Board President.  We feel fortunate for their dedication to our students and schools, and look forward to their leadership in the years ahead.

Three Los Altos School District Teachers Earn
National Board Certification

Qualified and dedicated teachers are a primary reason that Los Altos School District (LASD) is among the top performing districts in the state.  To consistently improve teaching and learning in our classrooms, we invest heavily in professional development for our educational staff. Our support for professional learning opportunities allows our educators to participate and succeed in the rigorous programs that improve student success in the classroom.  

This month, three of our educators attained one of the most prestigious recognition in the field:  National Board Certification.  Santa Rita 6th grade teacher Natalie Cannon, Almond 1st grade teacher Samantha Nguyen and Shelby Regner an Oak Literacy Instructional Support Teacher worked tirelessly for this notable achievement.
 
National Board Certification develops and recognizes talented teachers.  More importantly, it improves student achievement by training an elite cadre of educators focused on educational outcomes and improvement.
 
“The National Board Certification is a voluntary professional development opportunity.  Teachers deeply reflect on their own practice and focus on each students’ learning,” said Erin Green, Director of Student and Staff Services at LASD.  

LASD encourages its teachers to embark on the one to three-year rigorous process of certification by paying for all support courses and exams, as well as providing release days for the additional time needed to build portfolios, prepare for exams and complete other components of the program.  As an added incentive, teachers who obtain their certification and maintain it receive a $5,000 annual stipend for the life of their certification.
 
“Decades of research shows that this analytical and self-reflective approach to teaching and learning improves student success.  We’re seeing that in our classrooms, which is why we support our teachers through their certification process,” Green explained.  

“Education is a living and changing experience with new students every year.  Teachers benefit from slowing down their routines and strategies to solidify what is working well and to introduce new research-based practices,” said Shelby Regner.  “Allowing myself to be supported by my community and working with others to impact our students’ learning has been the greatest reward in the process.”

For more information on National Board Certification, please visit https://www.nbpts.org.

Mountain View City Council and Los Altos School District
Move Forward on 10th Site

Tuesday night, the Mountain View City Council voted unanimously to approve a joint use agreement to finalize a collaborative deal to purchase 9.5 acres for a school, park and recreational facilities in the North of El Camino neighborhood.  The landmark partnership will build a shared community asset, including a school, park and recreational facilities in the North of El Camino neighborhood.

“We have all worked hard to get here and to ensure that this project meets the needs of all of our residents.  Let’s move forward tonight, approve the agreement and build this project.  This is a huge win-win for our communities,” Los Altos Board President, Jessica Speiser, stated before the Council took its vote.

Through a unique and collaborative funding plan, the school district would purchase the property and sell development rights to offset the cost of land by up to $79 million.  In addition to creating this Transfer of Development Rights program, the City of Mountain View will also contribute to $23 million towards the project in park in-lieu funding in exchange for joint use of recreational facilities.  

With thousands of homes to be constructed in the next 10 years and a rapidly growing student population in the North of El Camino area of the district, the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees determined that the new school must serve children in the North of El Camino neighborhood.

“The reason for this decision is clear.  As you can see, the North of El Camino area of our district has a very high concentration of students and is growing rapidly, but has no school to serve it.  We will build a school to serve the neighborhood’s students,” Speiser explained.

To shape the plan to address the ongoing issue of school site sharing and enrollment growth in the northern portion of the district, Los Altos School District engaged in a multi-year process to determine the best solution to address its school facilities needs.  First, the district sought public input that determined a 10th school was the best solution.  Community-led committees then reviewed and analyzed every possible piece of property for acquisition.  Through committees, task forces and surveys, the district sought public opinion regarding the type of school to site on the property.
 
“The Board has worked tirelessly over the last several years to resolve our long term facilities needs and protect academic excellence for all students.  It has been a challenging and complicated process.  We collaborated with the City of Mountain View and put our heads together to meet the needs of all of our constituents.  I’m proud of our work in achieving this huge win-win for our kids,” said Superintendent, Jeffrey Baier.  

Blach and Egan Holiday Faires
Showcase Student Entrepreneurship and Creativity

On Friday, December 7, Blach and Egan 7th and 8th graders put their creativity and entrepreneurial spirits to work at the school Holiday Faires.  

Although participation is voluntary, the majority of students at both schools participate in the annual event.  Students work individually or in groups to generate ideas, design their products, create business plans, and make unique display booths to market their handcrafted wares at the Holiday Faire.

“The event encourages our students to get out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves to develop effective business plans and sales pitches, which are very persuasive.  I always leave the faire with dozens of special, unique gifts and treats for family and friends,” explained Bhavna Narula, Principal at Blach Junior High.

The event not only invites the community to participate, but also gives back to the school.  Much of the proceeds and registration fees are donated to Blach and Egan to support libraries, school events and educational resources.    

“It takes perseverance and creativity to make a product to sell for the Holiday Faire,” explains Keith Rocha, Principal at Egan.  “Students have the freedom to generate their own ideas and create a product they feel will be marketable to the clientele.  It’s an exciting and very rewarding process that helps build entrepreneurial skills, teamwork and risk-taking, which are essential skills for high school, college and future careers.”

Click the link below to read the full article recently published in the Los Altos Town Crier:

• Read all about it: Covington gets student-run newspaper

Dear Los Altos School District Families,
As we approach the December Recess, I have a few important updates and announcements for the community.  
 
Kindergarten and New Family Information Night
We invite new families and parents of incoming Kindergarteners to attend an information night to learn more about our schools and registration.  Families will meet teachers, speak with current parents and tour classrooms to learn how our small schools and student-centered educational model ensures that each and every child achieves to the full potential.  We are excited to share our schools with you as you choose the best educational program for your child.
 
Date: Thursday, December 6, 2018
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Multi-purpose room at all elementary school locations
 
If you are enrolling a Kindergartener for the upcoming school year, please find the information you need here.  Current parents, please feel free to share this information with interested new families in your neighborhood.  
 
Partnership with the City of Mountain View for New School
To protect our small school model that is key to our successful academic programs, LASD is partnering with the City of Mountain View to secure a new school and park in a rapidly growing area of our school district.  We are grateful for the City’s ongoing collaboration.  On December 11, the Council will consider and vote on an essential Joint Use Agreement that will facilitate the District’s purchase of the site.  The agreement would provide up to $23 million towards the purchase and allow community use of recreational facilities and open space at the school site location.  We believe that the City of Mountain View and LASD are committed to the same goal: the site should serve the neighborhood and its children with a park, recreational facilities and school.  Please join us on December 11 at 7:00pm at Mountain View City Hall for this important next step in the process.  Read more about the history of the community-driven process for a new school here.
 
Computer Science Education Week
This week is Computer Science Education Week, a worldwide event to expose students of all ages to computer science and coding. A major component of the event is The Hour of Code, in which students use their Computer Science skills and creativity to design a unique project.  LASD is one of the first districts in the country to implement ‘Computer Science for All,’ integrating coding skills into other subject areas for a comprehensive and real-world approach.  Computer Science is an essential component of a 21st-Century education, teaching logical thinking, providing opportunities for creative expression and important skills for future careers.  
 
For more information about LASD’s Computer Science program, please click here.
Check out #lasdk8 #HourofCode for classroom updates from the event.
 
December Recess
As a reminder, our December Recess begins on Monday, December 24 and school will resume on January 7. We hope you enjoy the break and look forward to wishing you a Happy New Year!

Last week, Bullis Charter School (BCS) parent Courtenay Corrigan and Los Altos School District (LASD) Parent Peipei Yu, published a joint letter in the Los Altos Town Crier urging the BCS and LASD Boards of Trustees to collaborate on a long-term solution to meet the needs of all local families.

The Los Altos School District applauds these two parent leaders, who created petitions that attracted thousands of community signatures in support of a solution that best serves local students.  

The LASD Board of Trustees agrees wholeheartedly with these two parents’ well-expressed viewpoints.  The Board is redoubling its efforts to achieve a long term facilities agreement with BCS that respects the needs of the entire community and protects academic excellence for all students.  

Due to diminishing air quality conditions, the Los Altos School District, Mountain View Whisman School District and Mountain View Los Altos High School District will be closed this Friday, November 16.

This was a difficult decision made with careful consideration and collaboration, which we do not take lightly.  The air quality conditions have continued to worsen and are not expected to improve tomorrow as originally forecast.  We recognize this may cause great inconvenience for our families, but the safety of our students is our greatest concern.  

We appreciate your patience and understanding during these acute conditions. We will continue to keep you updated. Please have your students stay indoors until air quality in our area improves to safer levels.

Click the link below to read the full article recently published in the Los Altos Town Crier:

• LASD supports teachers with team of instructional coaches