Superintendent Newsletter

This month a group of teachers and administrators had the opportunity to attend the Deeper Learning Conference in San Diego.

The conference is hosted by the High Tech High Graduate School of Education in San Diego, which focuses on innovative teaching and learning that is student-centered. The idea is that students will learn best by thinking and doing. This is accomplished through meaningful projects and inquiry, rather than a more traditional mode of instruction.

The conference allowed the team to learn the way a student would in their classrooms with a "deeper learning" focus. As students, each participant selected an area of interest about which to learn deeply and created a product to showcase their learning. This experience allowed them to explore their knowledge of the subject, integrating their unique skills, and then present their ideas in an exhibition.

Through this experience, our team learned how to create the conditions necessary for students to engage in deeper, immersive learning. Our team was very inspired and excited to bring what they learned back to the classroom to ensure all students have the opportunity for deeper learning.

The United States and Taiwan have an agreement to promote global exchanges, in particular educational exchanges. The reason: when we experience a different culture through education, it strengthens international relationships and promotes a feeling of global citizenship.

Through this agreement, one of our school district administrators went to Taiwan last year to experience Taiwanese education. In exchange, Egan Junior High hosted 18 middle school students, 2 principals, and 3 teachers from New Taipei City last week. This educational delegation came to Egan to shadow our students to understand our innovative teaching and learning here in the Los Altos School District.

This was truly an amazing experience for our teachers, staff and students to become hosts and tour guides for their school, as well as to showcase all they are learning at Egan Junior High.

Over the few days the Taiwanese educational delegation was at Egan, many lasting friendships were formed over educational interests and lunchtime chats. Students and staff from Egan plan to stay in touch with the Taiwanese delegation, and may consider becoming “sister schools” with the school in Taiwan.

Egan students have been invited to Taiwan next year for a similar cultural and educational exchange! Check out the photos from this exciting visit.

This month, students who will be entering 7th grade next school year attended the Elective Fair at Egan and Blach. This is a very exciting opportunity for incoming students to get a sense of the elective choices they can experience in junior high school.

At the fair, students are able to get more information and ask questions about various elective classes they can choose to take in junior high school, including world languages, engineering, technology, the arts, journalism and so much more. Students are able to ask teachers and students questions about these classes to really get a sense of what they will learn and experience in junior high school.

We're so thrilled by the variety of elective classes we offer our students so they may explore their interests. Visit the Blach and Egan websites for more information about elective offerings.

The Los Altos School District would love your feedback on our educational strategic planning for the upcoming school years.

Please fill out this quick survey with your opinions today!

As part of the California funding formula for schools, known as the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), school districts are required to develop, adopt, and annually update a three-year Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).

LASD is working on its three-year plan, and we'd like to engage you in providing feedback about our draft strategic plan or LCAP to continue to provide a world-class education for our students.

Your feedback is very much appreciated and will be used to inform the goals, actions, and services provided at all Los Altos School District schools.

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.

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