Living Classroom Informational Coffee
Monday, May 15, 10:00 - 11:30am
Los Altos School District iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos CA 94024

Living Classroom is seeking volunteers to teach our fun nature-based lessons and help care for our school gardens.  No experience necessary as we teach you everything you need to know.  Please join us on Monday 5/15 from 10:00 - 11:30am for an Informational Coffee to learn more about volunteering. We will provide an overview of the program, answer questions, and take a brief tour of one of our native plant gardens. For questions or to RSVP, email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103. Check us out at LivingClassroomLASD.org!  

Living Classroom Spring Docent Training
9-Noon Mondays 3/6, 3/13 & 3/27
Los Altos School District iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos CA 94024

Living Classroom is seeking volunteers to teach our fun nature-based lessons and help care for our school gardens.  No experience necessary as we teach you everything you need to know.  Please join us from 9-Noon on Mondays 3/6, 3/13, and 3/27 at the LASD iLearn Studio to training on our spring lessons that take place April through June.  Can’t make Mondays?  Ask us about our apprentice-style training.  

Questions?  Contact Living Classroom Program Coordinator Caroline Chan at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103.  Check us out at LivingClassroomLASD.org!
 

39th Annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest

2023 Theme:  "A Path to Conservation Inspired by Wallace Stegner"

The Los Altos Historical Commission and the Los Altos History Museum are co-sponsoring the 39th annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest, open to third- through sixth-graders who live in the area and/or attend local schools.

Wallace Stegner was at the forefront of the modern conservation movement. He was a visionary who understood how important wilderness is to human beings. Mr. Stegner brought awareness locally, nationally, and globally to the importance of the environment and conservation. In 1962, he co-founded Green Foothills, a local environmental organization, which led to the development of MidPeninsula Regional Open Space and their work in preserving wilderness areas and natural open spaces for all to enjoy.

Come to the Museum grounds anytime to view this outdoor exhibit by March 5, 2023. The exhibit begins in front of the J. Gilbert Smith House. Learn about the impact Wallace Stegner had on the conservation movement as you stroll the Museum grounds and access photos, videos, and audio recordings via QR codes on your electronic device. For more information on this exhibit, please visit this website: losaltoshistory.org/StegnerExhibit  

The deadline to submit essays is Friday, March 10. For the detailed essay prompt, click here. For the essay rubric, click here. For the cover sheet, click here.

For more information, visit losaltoshistory.org.

Volunteer with Living Classroom!

Living Classroom is in need of more volunteers to teach our fun, hands-on lessons and help care for our school gardens. No experience or green thumb necessary as we teach you everything you need to know! Join a community of people who enjoy connecting kids with nature and teaching them where their food comes from. The suggested time commitment is only 6 hours a month and you get to participate in fun volunteer enrichment activities such as nature hikes, garden tours, educational workshops, talks, and more! Living Classroom is a great way to act locally to help care for our planet and nurture our future environmental stewards! Get involved today!

Join us for our upcoming Spring Docent Training!

Living Classroom

Spring Docent Training
Mondays 9-Noon
3/7, 3/14 & 3/21
LASD iLearn Studio*
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
*Masks and proof of Covid-19 vaccination required. Training may be held virtually depending on COVID guidelines.

Please RSVP to livingclassroom@lasdschools.org if you plan to attend

Can't make Mondays? Ask us about our Apprentice-Style Training!

Questions? Contact us at (650) 947-1103 or email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org

WHEN:  January 13 and February 3, 3-7pm

WHERE:  Blach Multipurpose Room

WHO:  Anyone age 5 and older

Appointments are encouraged by clicking here, but walk-ins are also welcome.

What to bring to the Blach vaccine clinic:

1. A consent form for any patients under the age of 18 in English, Spanish or Chinese

2. Medical/prescription card if applicable (not required)

3. COVID vaccination card (if 2nd or 3rd shot)

For more information on the Blach vaccine clinic, click here

38th Annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest

2022 Theme:  "History is Happening Now... Inspired by Annie Knapp Fitz"

The Los Altos Historical Commission and the Los Altos History Museum are co-sponsoring the 38th annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest, open to third- through sixth-graders who live in the area and/or attend local schools.

Anna Knapp Fitz, known as Annie, moved from San Francisco to a farm in Los Altos in 1921. A self-taught artist, she loved to sketch scenes from everyday life. When asked what it was like in those bygone days, Annie responded with her paintbrush. Her portraits, historic sites, and landscapes capture the enduring spirit of early Santa Clara Valley and the towns of Los Altos, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. At a party celebrating 50 years living on her farm, she was asked what life had been like a half-century before. Her response is illustrated in the current Los Altos History Museum exhibit, titled "Annie Knapp Fitz Paints: A Legacy in Art." Her sketches, oil paintings, and sculptures, as well as the photographs that inspired her provide us with a picture of our past.

Come to the Los Altos History Museum to view this exhibit by February 6, 2022. You can also view an online tour of Annie's paintings by downloading "The Wondrous World of Annie Knapp Fitz" found on this page: losaltoshistory.org/StudentTours. 

The deadline to submit essays is March 4. For the detailed essay prompt, click here. For the essay rubric, click here. For the cover sheet, click here.

For more information, visit losaltoshistory.org.

Volunteer with Living Classroom!

Living Classroom is in need of volunteers to teach our fun, hands-on lessons and help care for our school gardens. No experience or green thumb necessary as we teach you everything you need to know! Join a community of people who enjoy connecting kids with nature and teaching them where their food comes from. The suggested time commitment is only 6 hours a month and you get to participate in fun volunteer enrichment activities such as nature hikes, garden tours, educational workshops, talks, and more! Living Classroom is a great way to act locally to help care for our planet and nurture our future environmental stewards! Get involved today!

Join us in-person for our upcoming Winter Docent Training!

Living Classroom

Winter Docent Training
Mondays 9-Noon
12/6, 12/13 & 1/10
LASD iLearn Studio
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
(masks and proof of Covid-19 vaccination required)

Please RSVP to livingclassroom@lasdschools.org if you plan to attend

Questions? Contact us at (650) 947-1103 or email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org

Volunteer with Living Classroom!

Living Classroom is in need of volunteers to teach our fun, hands-on lessons and help care for our school gardens. No experience or green thumb necessary as we teach you everything you need to know! Join a community of people who enjoy connecting kids with nature and teaching them where their food comes from. The suggested time commitment is only 6 hours a month and you get to participate in fun volunteer enrichment activities such as nature hikes, garden tours, educational workshops, talks, and more! Living Classroom is a great way to act locally to help care for our planet and nurture our future environmental stewards! Get involved today!

Join us in-person for our upcoming Fall Docent Training!

Living Classroom Fall Docent Training
Mondays 9-Noon
9/13-10/11
LASD iLearn Studio (masks required)
201 Covington Road, Los Altos
-or-
email for information on joining us virtually

Please RSVP to livingclassroom@lasdschools.org if you plan to attend

Questions? Contact us at (650) 947-1103 or email livingclassroom@lasdschools.org

Dear LASD Families, 

As the February break approaches, I would like to remind everyone that the Mandatory Directive on Travel is still in effect and that we must continue to be guided by our Community Commitments to Healthy Schools to keep our schools open.  

How we celebrate our February Break will impact our entire school community of teachers, staff, students, and families.  That is why I’d like to remind you of important updates to state and local public health orders.

Mandatory 10-Day Non-Essential Travel Quarantine

• All travel for non-essential purposes is strongly discouraged 

• All persons traveling into or returning to Santa Clara County from a distance of more than 150 miles from the county’s borders must quarantine for at least 10 days after arrival or return to Santa Clara County.  Quarantine information can be found at sccstayhome.org.

• Please notify your school office if you plan to travel more than 150 miles from Santa Clara County over the February Break.

Even if we do not travel, all of us must take important precautions to stay safe during the February Break.  Important restrictions to keep in mind: 

• All indoor gatherings of any size are prohibited.

• Outdoor gatherings of no more than three households are now allowed, however wearing a mask and keeping physically distanced during such gatherings is required.

For more information about Santa Clara County’s new health orders, please click here. 

Please Help Keep Our Schools Healthy and Open

Our schools are essential community assets tasked with the well-being and academic success of our children. By abiding by the public health orders, you will help reduce COVID-19 transmission and ensure we can continue our reopening process and keep our schools open.   

We are grateful for the commitment from staff, teachers and families to make plans for the February Break that are in line with all public health guidelines and our Community Commitment to Healthy Schools to ensure our schools remain open.  If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out at any time.  I hope you all have an enjoyable February break.

Sincerely, 

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent 
Los Altos School District

37th Annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest

2021 Theme:  "Rise Up: Inspiring Women!"

The Los Altos Historical Commission and the Los Altos History Museum are co-sponsoring the 37th annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest, open to third- through sixth-graders who live in the area and/or attend local schools.

One hundred years ago, the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, and women were finally granted the right to vote in the United States. However, the 19th Amendment in 1920 did not guarantee full voting rights for all women. The work needed to grant this right to women of color faced many obstacles in the coming years. Still, the law became the first in many steps along the United States' journey to full voting rights for all people.

Come to the Los Altos History Museum to celebrate the "100th birthday" of women's suffrage with an exhibition in our main gallery called "Rise-up, The Fight for Women's Suffrage," and a special outdoor exhibit displayed along the wrap-around porch of the J. Gilbert Smith House. We invite you to visit both of these exhibits to learn about the inspiring women of this era. The Museum is open Thursday - Sunday, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. with masks required. The porch of the Gilbert Smith House is always open as it is one of several outdoor exhibits. (Both exhibits are on display until Feb. 21, 2021).

Our world survives on the accomplishments of both men and women and we are grateful to the women suffragists who fought for the women's right to vote. For our essay contest this year, we would like you to reflect on inspiring women in your life. It could be someone who you know at school, church, at home or in your community. You might also recall women you have read about in different areas, such as science, medicine, space, social justice, government, the legal profession, literature, art or music. Select one inspiring woman and reflect on what this woman has achieved in her area of expertise. What obstacles did she face in achieving her goals?

The deadline to submit essays is March 5. Students should submit their entries to anneroberts13@gmail.com. For the detailed essay prompt, click here. For the essay rubric, click here. For the cover sheet, click here.

For more information, visit losaltoshistory.org.