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Superintendent Newsletter

January 2024

SuperintendentNewsletterJanuary 2024

You're Invited: STEM Career Nights

In February our junior high students will be participating in STEM Career Days and Nights. These wonderful events are a key part of our excellent STEM program here in LASD.


Through the LASD STEM program, students experience learning through projects that integrate all STEM subject areas with a focus on the Next Generations Science Standards as a base for planning. Through project-based learning, students experience hands-on building and designing using the engineering process, persevering through their failures and then reflecting on their learning to make changes. Many of our projects integrate NGSS, ELA, computer science, math and technology into grade level specific curriculum so that STEM is seamlessly integrated into the classroom instead of being an ‘extra’ activity.


Our LASD STEM program is generously sponsored by the Los Altos Education Foundational Foundation through community donations.


During STEM Career Day, professionals in a wide variety of STEM fields volunteer to attend our science classes to discuss their careers. Students attend the discussion they find most intriguing. STEM Career Day will take place at Egan on February 5th and Blach on February 6th.


Please join us for STEM Career Night

STEM Career Night is open to our entire community! Experts in the STEM field will deliver a short presentation and answer audience questions about their careers and field of study.


Where: Blach Multipurpose Room

When: February 6, 7:00-8:15pm

Updated COVID Protocols

The California Department of Public Health has updated its COVID-19 guidelines. Please take a moment to review the information below to understand the changes that the Los Altos School District will implement based on these new guidelines.


Per CDPH updates released on January 9th, 2024, COVID-19 isolation requirements move away from five days of isolation and instead focus on clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation.

Staff and students are still required to report if they are COVID-19 positive to their school offices/supervisors.


Please note the updates below for COVID-19 positive individuals:

1. Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.

  • If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others.

  • You may attend school or work if you are asymptomatic.

  • Review the CDPH symptom guidance to confirm when your child is ready to return to school: Considerations when a Child has Symptoms of Illness in Child Care or School

  • The potential infectious period is 2 days before the date symptoms began or the positive test date (if no symptoms) through Day 10. (Day 0 is the symptom onset date or positive test date).


2. Per Cal/OSHA, COVID-19 positive staff are required to mask when they are around other people indoors for the 10 days after they become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). Staff may remove their mask sooner than 10 days if they have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date.


3. It is strongly recommended that COVID-19 positive students wear a mask when they are around other people indoors for the 10 days after they become sick or test positive (if no symptoms).


4. Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days. Higher-risk individuals include the elderly, those who live in congregate care facilities, those who have immunocompromising conditions, and that put them at higher risk for serious illness.

  • Seek Treatment. If you have symptoms, particularly if you are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, speak with a healthcare provider as soon as you test positive. You may be eligible for antiviral medicines or other treatments for COVID-19. COVID-19 antiviral medicines work best if taken as soon as possible, and within 5-7 days from when symptoms start.

  • Call 1-833-422-4255 if you are unable to contact a healthcare provider, or use the treatment options to find one.


5. Masks and COVID-19 test kits are available at each school site and at the district office.


If you have any questions regarding these new protocols and policies, please contact your school’s front office.

Ongoing Registration for the 2024-25 School Year

Registration for the 2024-25 school year is open! Do you, a friend, neighbor or family member need to register an incoming Transitional Kindergartener, Kindergartener, or grade-level student? If so, please share this information and visit our Registration Page. Registration is easy and can be done online or in person at our District Office. Find out more information on our Transitional Kindergarten program here.


If you have questions about registration, please contact our friendly Registrar, Bridget Stolorz at bstolorz@lasdschools.org.


We are looking forward to welcoming your new student to our schools!

Podcast: The LASD Experience

LASD staff and I are so passionate about our students' learning journey that we have developed a podcast to shine a light on learning and instruction in our classrooms. It’s a wonderful deep dive into the work that your students are doing every day and how our amazing staff supports their learning.


Visit our website to learn more and check out our latest podcast.

Sarah Stern-Benoit
Sarah is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters