LASD Board Highlights

One of the ways LASD provides a rich learning experience for students is through Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL allows students to deeply explore educational content in a way that is meaningful to them, and allows them to practice and further develop their academic skills in communication, collaboration, citizenship, critical thinking, creativity and character.

Loyola's second grade students discussed their experience with PBL through a social studies project. They developed an understanding of basic economic concepts, their individual roles in the economy and demonstrated basic economic reasoning skills.

Students were given the task of designing and marketing a sticker that would promote school spirit and raise money to give back to Loyola. Economic concepts students learned were producers, consumers, distributors, supply and demand, as well as marketing.

With all of their work, the students earned $885 in 5 days! With the profits, the students plan to purchase a Book Box to install in front of the school for everyone to give and take books. To watch the presentation, check out the board meeting video.

The Los Altos School District hired CAW Architects to conduct a facilities assessment and community outreach to determine top priority school repair and upgrade projects at all school sites.

After reviewing all school sites' classrooms and facilities, CAW determined that aging and leaking roofs need repairs, energy efficiency must be improved, and old portable buildings should be replaced. In addition, classroom upgrades or additional space for STEM, music, PE, art and library was needed.

CAW also led community outreach to gather opinions on our school facilities from parents, teachers and staff through workshops and online surveys. Top projects for parents included improving STEM labs, replacing old portable buildings and energy efficiency upgrades. The Board is considering placing a bond measure on a future ballot to fund these school repairs and upgrades.

The next steps in the process will be to prepare site-level plans based on community feedback and the architectural assessments. These plans will be reviewed by site principals and an advisory committee to determine a proposed set of projects across the district, as well as preliminary budgets.

For more information, check out item I.1 on our online agenda.

By law, LASD is required to provide school facilities for Bullis Charter School (BCS) students who reside within LASD boundaries. With 10 schools on 9 sites, over the years this has resulted in significant encroachments on the Blach and Egan school campuses, with resulting impacts on the operations of those schools. LASD has been working diligently towards a solution to the challenges of school site sharing that will protect its high quality academic model.

Board members Jessica Speiser and Vaishali Sirkay provided an update for the Board and community regarding their meeting with representatives from Bullis Charter School around a long-term facilities solution to house the charter school. Ms. Speiser explained that their recent meeting with BCS Board members was a tour of the 10th school site. In prior meetings, BCS expressed an openness to moving a portion of its program to the 10th site, with a smaller footprint at one of the junior high schools.

Ms. Speiser stated the meeting was positive and after the tour, she and Ms. Sirkay scheduled a follow up meeting with BCS representatives on April 23rd. They will provide a report at an upcoming Board meeting.

For more information, check out the video of the Board meeting.