Vaccines This Week!

Happy Hanukkah Nov 28-Dec 6

 Peace, love and light!

Grab & Go Meals Over the Break

 

Vaccines for Kiddos 5+

Regarding vaccines for kiddos 5+:

LAUSD is currently focused on kiddos 12+, because starting in January, all students 12+ must be vaccinated in order to attend school. 

This is the language from the LAUSD website:

With the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-old children, we are delighted to be able to offer voluntary vaccine access to students in this age group. The COVID-19 vaccine is highly encouraged for children ages 5-11. However, it will not be part of Los Angeles Unified’s current student vaccine requirement.

Beginning November 8, our mobile vaccination teams will offer the vaccine to students in this age group. 

Starting on November 16, 13 school-based family and wellness centers will offer the vaccine to students 5- to 11-years old. (These wellness centers already offer vaccinations to students 12 and older.) We will also have school-based clinics offering the vaccine on select Saturdays (more info to come). Walk-ins are welcome, and appointments can be made on the Daily Pass.

Venice Community of Schools Town Hall Wednesday 11/10 @4pm

Daylight Savings Ends Tonight!

 

Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

This year, we do not have shortened days for the purpose of parent-teacher conferences during the week of November 15. Therefore, just as last year, conferences will be spread out over several days/weeks, at dates and times convenient for parents and teachers. 

Your children's teachers will reach out with their respective schedules. 

Conferences may be in person or via Zoom.

In order to meet in person on campus, all adults must show a vaccination card and recent negative test.

Teachers will reach out (if they have not already) with either hard copy or electronic sign-up sheets. 

Food Bank Food Collection +

Dear Walgrove Community, 

The Student Council is collecting food for the West Side Food Bank and would love your donations of:

• Peanutbutter (in plastic jars)
• Canned soup
• Canned veggies
• Canned tuna
• Canned fruit
• Other canned goodies (e.g., pork and beans, Spaghettios...)
• Dry pasta
• Pinto beans
• Lentils
• Mac and cheese
• Instant soups

Please look for the donation stations around campus (currently decorated boxes). 

Additionally, they would like to create at least one (hopefully more) Thanksgiving bags for Walgrove families in need. If you are able to contribute Thanksgiving items, please send those items separately to the Principal's office (Rm 26). Please also feel free to share whom you think would most benefit, including yourself. Email that info to charlotte.jones2@lausd.net, cindy.mazariegos@lausd.net, matthew.stansbury@lausd.net, nlc0696@lausd.net, steve.choe@lausd.net, andrea.kittelson1@lausd.net.

The Student Council (Charlotte, Cindy, Matt, Nancy, Steve and imminently-elected students) thanks you!

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Walgrove 2021-2022

LAUSD implements Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) district-wide. Each school in LAUSD must create school-site matrices, classroom matrices, minor-major matrices and more. 

The following documents are the current prevailing documents that govern student behavior, discipline, rewards, consequences., etc., at Walgrove. All documents were approved by the 2020-2021 LSLC and will be revisited by the 2021-2022 LSLC at the next LSLC meeting, which will be Thursday, November 18 at 3:30pm in Dr. K's Zoom room. 

In addition to posting the documents in classrooms and around campus, Walgrove teachers share the documents with students and teach overt lessons on the concepts. 

The decision-making body that resides over the area of student discipline at Walgrove is the LSLC. 

The 2021-2022 LSLC is comprised of:

• Principal Andrea Kittelson
• SAA Tracy McCarthy
• UTLA Rep and Gen Ed Teacher Jackie Lettieri
• SDC Teacher Kathy Elkins
• Gen Ed Upper Grade Teacher Lynn Webster
• Gen Ed Lower Grade Teacher Elvia Perez
• Parent Reps Shaina Shapiro and Maria Boyd
• Alternate Teacher Alejandra Biolatto
• Alternate Parent Danielle Barto

If you have any questions, concerns or awesome ideas, please forward them to any of the aforementioned LSLC members and/or to me at andrea.kittelson1@lausd.net. Or stop by Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal any/every Thursday at 9am in Dr. K's Zoom room. (Except Nov 4 and Nov 11. Nov 4, I'll be teaching a lesson in a classroom. Nov 11 is a holiday) and/or stop by any LSLC meeting, which are monthly and mentioned in the Sunday message, on the yearly calendar and on the electronic marquee. 

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Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Factoids

>> Students in LAUSD may be designated Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) in 7 categories:

Intellectual Achievement (K+, tested by LAUSD psych, once during K-12. Outside tests may supplement but not supplant)

High Achievement (OLSAT in gr 2 and/or two consecutive years of high achievement in reading and/or math, gr 5 and above)

Specific Academic Ability (gr 5+, three consecutive years of high achievement in reading and/or math)

Creativity (gr 2+, portfolio showing extraordinary visionary inventions and innovations)

Leadership (gr 2+, portfolio showing exemplary leadership, problem-solving, purpose and direction)

Visual Arts (gr 2+, portfolio showing exemplary visual artistry)

Performing Arts (gr 2+ audition in the Spring)

>> Students may qualify in more than one category.

>> The process at Walgrove involves: All second-graders take the OLSAT test in the Spring, the results of which determine GATE designation in the category of High Achievement (though, not the only way to be designated in the category of High Achievement) 

>> AND each year, each teacher marks any/all categories of potential GATE designation for each of their students on a school-wide roster. Dr. K (Walgrove's GATE coordinator) follows up to make sure those students are eventually referred in MiSIS and evaluated/approved by the SSPT (Student Support and Progress Team) and that their parents are informed so they have the opportunity to take the next steps, which may include participating (along with the school, in portfolio development). 

PARENTS MAY ALSO REFER THEIR OWN CHILDREN FOR GATE. To do so, complete Attachment C of this document (for Intellectual Ability) or the equivalent form for one or more of the other categories:

High Achievement or Specific Ability

Creativity or Leadership

Visual and Performing Arts

While all submissions are all year long on a rolling basis, the District does set deadlines in mid to late April for students who will need Intellectual Ability testing before the subsequent school year and students who have to audition/demo in late May for VAPA: drawing/painting, drama, dance or voice. 

INFO REGARDING PORTFOLIOS AND AUDITIONS

>> The benefits of being designated GATE include, but are not limited to, having access to certain classes, such as honors classes (especially in middle and high school); certain programs, such as honors programs; and certain schools, such as magnet schools, Schools for Advanced Studies and schools for the Highly Gifted.

Magnet schools are typically schools with very particular foci, such as visual and performing arts, media studies, civic involvement, science, etc. 

Schools for Advanced Studies are schools that have applied for that particular designation (the process happens every five years). As part of the application process, schools must show a consistent commitment to training their teachers in strategies designed to meet the needs of gifted students. (Walgrove intends to apply for the next five-year cycle. All our teachers are trained to teach gifted students.) 

>> While students who are already designated GATE automatically qualify for magnet and SAS schools, students do NOT have to be designated GATE in order to attend such schools. Once a parent applies for such a school during during the E-Choices Unified Enrollment period, their child's name appears in a database. The current principal logs into that database by a specific deadline (usually in January) and places a "YES" or "NO" next to each applicant's name based on certain criteria -- see Section B #3. Many Walgrove students attend magnets and SAS middle schools this way. For all those within the Mark Twain footprint, I submit a list of qualified students (per the same criteria) to Mark Twain's Assistant Principal, Kerrie Egerton, and she places those students in SAS classes. 

>>There is no need to attend a magnet or SAS school in order to enjoy a robust GATE education. All LAUSD schools (and all schools in the nation, actually) are required to meet the needs of Gifted and Talented students, and your neighborhood school might have much more to offer than a gifted magnet.

  There are so many things to consider when choosing the right school. 

For more GATE info, please attend Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal, which happen weekly.

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