Superintendent Newsletter

This year, our LASD Art Docents program unveiled a new 5-year plan to reimagine art education in all of our LASD schools as a key component of student learning. The plan includes cross-curricular lessons at all grade levels to reinforce what students are learning in the classroom through hands-on art and creativity.

In line with this new plan, many of our students are engaged in fun new Art Docent lessons and projects this school year. Our first graders worked on a Very Colorful Butterfly. This mixed media art lesson is inspired by the work of author and artist Eric Carle. Students created a cut-paper collage butterfly with painted paper from first graders from another classroom. Then, they created textured and painted paper of their own for classmates in another first grade classroom.

Our second graders participated in "The Color of Me" project, where students are introduced to contemporary photographer Angélica Dass, who challenges the myth of race by revealing the diverse beauty of human colors. Using color theory, students mix complementary colors of tempera paint to create a skin color that matches their own to add to a class collage. Students then share their mixed paints with each other to create a "rainbow" of beautiful skin tones to take home.

Our fifth graders are discovering how artists use art to advocate environmental issues through the Watercolor Ecospheres project. Students create a piece of art that communicates how the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact. They explore various wet-on-wet techniques, resist, and the use of salt using liquid watercolor. The project integrates artistic techniques and science to create a beautiful project.

We are so excited about all of these projects and many more to come. We thank our amazing LASD Art Docent volunteers for their incredible work to integrate art into our classroom learning.

Every year, we invite prospective Los Altos School District families to join us for New Family Information Night. If your friends or neighbors are interested in learning more about our schools, please pass along this information about our upcoming events!

Will your child be entering Transitional Kindergarten (TK), Kindergarten or joining LASD as a new 1st through 6th grade student in the upcoming 2023-24 school year? If so, please join us for one of our Information Nights this fall or winter.

School principals, teachers, parents and students will share what they love about our excellent schools, top-quality teachers, rigorous academic programs and special programs like art, music and wellness.

Our Information Nights will be held in person at each of our 7 elementary schools in November. Our Superintendent, Sandra McGonagle, will also host a Virtual Information Night in December.

Your child will qualify for Transitional Kindergarten in the 2023-24 school year if their 5th birthday is between September 2, 2023 and April 2, 2024.

Not sure which is your neighborhood school? Click here.

In-Person Kindergarten & New Family Info Night
When: Thursday, November 3, 2022, 7pm
Where: Each of Our 7 Elementary Schools
What: Principals, teachers, parents and students will present information and answer your questions about the excellent academic programs and classroom instruction in your neighborhood elementary school.

Virtual Kindergarten & New Family Info Night
When: Tuesday, December 6, 2022, 7pm
Where: Via Zoom, Register Here
What: Our Superintendent, Sandra McGonagle, will present information and answer your questions about our excellent academic programs and classroom instruction in our neighborhood elementary schools.

Throughout the school year, all LASD teachers at all grade levels are provided with incredible opportunities to continue honing their craft through professional development. Due to our school district's commitment to lifelong learning for all students, we foster this same commitment in our staff.

Teachers participated in professional development in many key educational areas on September 23. They chose from 17 topics including "Literacy for Our Earliest Learners," "Refining Math Instruction for All," "Building Classroom Culture in the 7th and 8th Grades," and "Inquiry Based Social Studies."

In addition, all teachers participated in "The World of Difference" training, facilitated by presenters from the Anti-Defamation League. This training focused on building community, examining identity and challenging bias. Staff learned about ways they can make our campuses safe, equitable and inclusive.

Our excellent teachers and classroom instruction are a primary reason our students are so successful. We know our continued investment in professional development will result in ongoing student achievement, supporting success in high school, college and beyond.

LASD School Safety Event

What: Join us for an evening to discuss how to keep our children safe at school, at home and in our community. Information tables and speakers will include topics on the School Crisis Preparation and Response Plan, drug and alcohol awareness, tobacco prevention, cannabis awareness, emergency preparedness, gun safety resources, mental health services, and more.

When: October 20, 6:00-8:30pm

Where: Covington Elementary School Multipurpose Room

More Info: Email Erin Green, egreen@lasdschools.org

Supporting Positive Mental Health through the Middle School Years

What: A panel of experts in mental health, including CHC and CHAC, will discuss proactive strategies to help children reduce stress and anxiety, how to identify warning signs around mental health, and how parents can partner with schools and community resources to support their children’s health in all ways.

When: Wednesday, October 26, 7:00-8:30pm

Where: Blach Intermediate School, Multipurpose Room, 1120 Covington Road, Los Altos

Email Jennifer Walker at jwalker@lasdschools.org with any questions or to submit a question for the panelists in advance of the event.

Substitute Teacher Training

What: Do you enjoy working with kids? Do you have a flexible schedule? If so, you might enjoy becoming a substitute teacher in our local Los Altos School District classrooms! Laura Wiley, Curriculum Coordinator and teacher in LASD will share information, tricks, tips, and strategies for successfully substituting in Kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms. All are welcome. Requirements to Substitute Teach are a BA/BS college degree, fingerprinting and background check and a CBEST Exam. To learn more about requirements, contact Marlene Revelo mrevelo@lasdschools.org.

When: Wednesday, November 16, 9:00am-11:30am

Where: 201 Covington Road in the iLearn Studio

RSVP: Email Erin Green at egreen@lasdschools.org

Email: superintendent@lasdschools.org
Website: lasdschools.org
Location: 201 Covington Road, Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 947-1150