Town Hall Re: Spring Break Acceleration Days Wednesday 6pm

Walgrove Weekly Message

Dear Walgrove Families and Staff, 

I hope you are safe, warm and dry. Apparently, there will be more rain this week. So, bundle up!

Here is more of what is to come this week at Walgrove:

MON

Violin in the Auditorium 2:30 (reach out to Danielle daniv90291@gmail.com for confirmation)

Volunteer Zoom in Dr. K's Zoom room 6pm

TUE

Matchy-Matchy Day. Dress like one another OR otherwise apply the theme of "matchy-matchy"

All-day ILT meeting 9-1

Staff Meeting and PD in Rm 24 2-3:30 

    ILT Share-Out; Budget Discussion; Grade Level Meetings

Musical Theater Rehearsal in the Auditorium 2:30-4:30 detailed schedule per Mr. Donzell

WED

Spring Photos. REGISTER HERE BY SUNDAY, FEB 26 Passcode: WALGROVESPRING2023

Musical Theater Rehearsal in the Auditorium 2:30-4:30 detailed schedule per Mr. Donzell

THU

Musical Theater Rehearsal in the Auditorium 2:30-4:30 detailed schedule per Mr. Donzell

FRI

Assembly in the Quad 8:05. Ms. Chin's class to lead the Pledge. Luna and Bea to perform

A Few Upcoming Events:

    March 6-10 Shortened Days for Parent Conferences 

    March 8-10 OLSAT Testing for Grade 2 

    March 11 - Volunteer Day in the Wildlands and Edible Garden 9-1

    March 18 - FOW Auction 

    March 31 - Cesar Chavez Day - No School

    April 3-7 - Spring Break - No School

    April 15-16 Volunteer Weekend Sat and Sun 9-2

    April 18-May 5 Summative Assessments 

    April 22 Monarch Fest

    May 26 STEAM Fair

    June 8 5th Grade Culmination

For more info, visit the Walgrove Yearly Calendar and the Assessment Calendar

Let's have a great week, Walgrove!

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Walgrove Principal's Corner: Welcome and OLD v NEW

Walgrove Principal's Corner: Welcome and OLD v NEW: Welcome to the Principal's Corner where I will occasionally share info, news, research, conversation starters and other educationally re...

Walgrove Weekly Message

Dear Families and Staff,

In order to strive above introductory clichés, such as "I hope you have had a good weekend so far," this week, I will pose to you a quote and ask you from where it comes. Text, author, and character (or narrator?):

"To surrender dreams -- this may be madness."

Sure, you can look it up and get a quick answer, but you can also search multiple sources to confirm with certainty who actually said it and when and in what context and then add how it does or does not resonate with you personally?

While you are pondering that (or rolling your eyes at it, which I can totally appreciate)...

...Here is some of what is coming up this week at Walgrove:

TUE

Lockdown Drill 10:40am

Early Dismissal 1:35

Grade 4-5 Tutoring per Ms. Webster After School in Rm. 20

Musical Theater per Mr. Donzell After School in the Auditorium

High School Student Tutoring After School per LaVie in the Library

Staff Meeting and PD - 2pm in Rm 24 - Inclusion Activity Followed by Cohorts

WED

4th Grade Field Trip

Grade 4-5 Tutoring per Ms. Webster After School in Rm. 20

Musical Theater per Mr. Donzell After School in the Auditorium

High School Student Tutoring After School per LaVie in the Library

SSPT 2:45pm

THU

Grade 4-5 Tutoring per Ms. Webster After School in Rm. 20

Musical Theater per Mr. Donzell After School in the Auditorium

High School Student Tutoring After School per LaVie in the Library

FRI

Assembly 8:05 - Ms. Chin's Class to Lead the Pledge; Luna and Bea to Perform

Prospective Parent Tour 8:05-10:00 

1:45 UCLA NeuroNote Assembly in Rm TBD (UCLA Students Play Music for a Class or Classes 

Menchie's After School -- Please walk, don't run, and don't catapult out a different gate and then run around the block to cut in line. That's not cool, and Walgrove kiddos are nothing if not cool.

SUN - Garden Day - Dr. K to host - Was On, Was Cancelled, Now On with Shorter Hours 9am-12pm

Let's have a great week, Walgrove!

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After School Opportunities for Walgrove Students at Windward

 

Webster Middle School Tours

Walgrove Weekly Message

Dear Walgrove Families and Staff, 

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

May the two teams have fun, and may the friends-and-family time be sublime!

Here is some of what is coming up this week at Walgrove:

MON

Prep for Valentine's Day - Let's please be mindful, considerate and inclusive. Everyone deserves love!

Violin in the Auditorium 2:30

TUE

Valentine's Day - Let's please be mindful, considerate and inclusive. Everyone deserves love!

Staff Meeting and PD 2pm Rm 19. Data Chat & Grade Level Meetings

Musical Theater in the Auditorium per Mr. Donzell's schedule

WED

Principal Meeting 8-4pm Dr. K off site

Musical Theater in the Auditorium per Mr. Donzell's schedule

Region West Parent Workshop in the Walgrove Auditorium 5pm

THU

Lunchtime meeting with the Field Day Boys to discuss and plan

Musical Theater in the Auditorium per Mr. Donzell's schedule

LSLC and SSC at 3pm and 3:30pm in Dr. K's Zoom Room 2023-2024 budget info - All welcome!

FRI

Assembly in the Quad 8:05 Ms. Mazariegos' Class to Lead the Pledge; Double Trouble to Perform

FOW General Meeting 8:30 in the Parent Center

MON FEB 20 - NO SCHOOL FOR PRESIDENTS' DAY

THANK YOU, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FOR ALL THE DIBELS AND EDULASTIC ASSESSMENTS THESE PAST TWO + WEEKS. 

THANK YOU, MS WEBSTER, FOR TUTORING AFTER SCHOOL!

Speaking of tutoring, the District offers four types right now at Walgrove:

1) After school with Ms. Webster (and other certificated teachers, as available)

2) 24/7 virtually through Paper.co. Great for help with reading, math, and specific assignments. Just log into Schoology, click on Paper.co and voila. 

3) After school M-Th with high school students in the Library

4) Very soon for all students who need extra support with reading (specifically those with DIBELS scores in the Well Below Basic category) via Amplify, virtually, but at school in groups of up to five with certificated teacher or admin present, three days a week from 2:30-3 starting in late March. Keep your eyes peeled for messages from teachers, staff and me.

Walgrove Yearly Calendar

Let's have a great week, Walgrove!

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Region West Parent Workshops -- One this Wednesday at Walgrove!

To translate documents, go to Google Translate, Documents.

Para traducir los documentos, haga un clic en Google Translate - Documentos.
 

Angel City Youth Chorale Starts Again Soon!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP / HAGA EL CLIC AQUI PARA REGISTRAR

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Walgrove Info

 Mascot: Monarch  (We are a Certified Monarch Waystation)

Campus size: 9.77 acres

Enrollment: Approximately 250 Students (Last Five Years: 252; 285; 254; 217; 244)

33% Special Education

33% Gifted or Gifted Prospective

33% Not Yet Designated

35% Free or Reduced Lunch

64% Families of Various Means

40% Latino (94% of Which Prefer Communication in English)

40% White

10% Two or More Races

8% African American

2% Asian

Over 15 languages - English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, Urdu, Arabic, Farsi, Swedish, Serbian-Croatian, Bulgarian…

20 English Learners, 75% of Which are in Special Education

Pre-COVID 2019 Test Results Among Students in Grades 3-5: 

            55% At/Above Grade Level in English Language Arts; 42% At or Above Grade Level in Math

            At/Above the State Average

            Growth Among Students in Special Education Not Factored In

Post-COVID 2022 Test Results Among Students in Grades 3-5: 

            42% At/Above Grade Level in ELA; 30% At or Above Grade Level in Math

            At the State Average

            Growth Among Students in Special Education Not Factored In

Great Schools Score in 2019: 2

Great Schools Score in 2020: 4

Great Schools Score in 2021: 4

Great Schools Score in 2022: 4

Great Schools Score in 2023: 5

Great Schools scores do not account for growth among students in Special Education who don't typically score at or above grade level (because if they did, they likely wouldn't qualify for Special Education), and Great Schools scores perpetuate the false idea that schools with a score of 9 or 10 have earned those scores through excellent teaching and not instead though parent income and education level.

Studies show the opposite.

Our own data show the opposite.

As we moved from being a Title I school with over half of families qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch to fewer and fewer families qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch (now 35%), our Great Schools score rose in direct correlation, from 2 to 4 to 5, while 13 of 15 of our teachers have remained the same. Many of our teachers have been here for over 15 years. Our teachers are dedicated and fantastic.

You may never know why a school has a high or low Great Schools score (in terms of school offerings) but studies show that the #1 reason is parent income level.

Attendance - So far, during 2022-2023: 52% of our students are deemed "Chronically Absent" (last year we were at 44%). Chronically Absent means absent for more than 10% of the year. This Year’s Goal, per the LAUSD Strategic plan, is an improvement of at least 10%, so then our goal for this year is 39%.

Our poor Chronic Absenteeism rate is the reason we are required to have an SSC and complete a Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), which the SSC formally approves, and are officially on Program Improvement.

Discipline – So Far, During 2022-2023: 9 Referrals, 1 In-School Suspension. We fare very well in this regard. We have much support for students who struggle. Our teachers and support staff work miracles with their rapport, daily SEL lessons, Council, and their following of the principles of Restorative Justice. (Here our our PBIS student behavior docs).

We are a neighborhood school (not an official SAS school nor a magnet school, though our gifted learners thrive) and not a Title I school. While we are looking into becoming an SAS school and are in the process of becoming STEAM certified, in the meantime, we are simply a neighborhood school and oft-desired destination for those who crave wellness and the arts and the outdoors. Our students have much room to be their true selves and to frolic on our ten-acre campus.

With fewer than 21 English Learners, we do not have enough English Learners to have an ELAC.

However, we do have very involved parents. We have over 55 active registered parent volunteers. To volunteer, register here.

Every Friday after the assembly, we have either an FOW Board, FOW General, or Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal meeting, the former of which happen in the Parent Center, the latter of which we host in the Wildlands.

We host LSLC and SSC meetings over Zoom so they are more accessible to folks who work. Here is our LSLC and SSC Info.

We also elicit parent input via surveys, for example the recent budget survey (see below).

We DO need 100% of the parents connected to the Parent Portal. Our current rate is: 74%.

We would like more parents to take the School Experience Survey next year, though over 75% took it this year, which is excellent. But there is room for improvement, and we would love to hear from all families.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS:

Our current instructional goals, as set by the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), currently comprised of Dr. K, Ms, Robnett, Ms. Perez, Ms. Webster, Mr. Merrick, Ms. Biolatto and Ms. Mazariegos:

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) SMART Goal:

By End of Year (EOY) 80% of students tested will have a Collaboration score of 2.9 + (was 2.67 in Spring, was 2.83 this Fall, so on-track)

English Language Arts (ELA) SMART Goal:

By End of Year (EOY), 80% of all students will have improved their DIBELS composite score by at least 20%. 

Math SMART Goal:

By the second administration of the IAB, 80% of students will have improved their overall score by at least 40%. (Still administering.)

By the second administration of the Edulastic, BOY,  80% of students will have improved their scores by at least 20%. (Will revisit this.)

BUDGET:

We are not a Title I school and so do not receive Federal Title I funds. Our yearly budget of approximately $4,000,000-$4,500,000 is from State General Funds, lottery funds, a few categorical funds, grants, film crews and more, and goes mostly to salaries for administrators, office manager, office staff, teachers, additional class-size reduction teacher(s), aides, assistants, supplies, materials, copies, and special projects. Our parent booster club, the Friends of Walgrove (FOW), raises approximately $200,000 per year to pay for theater teacher and supplies, STEAM teacher(s) and supplies, PE teacher and supplies, the garden teacher and supplies, and more, as needed and prioritized.

Budget Survey Results for the Remainder of the 2022-2023 School Year (as of 02/06/2023):

Parents: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-BJ3xLFXoVIZgE_2Fw2frU_2BRA_3D_3D/

Staff: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-VCmLZKqwl8uTbpQL0emzdA_3D_3D/

For more Walgrove info, feel free to skim or peruse other Principal's Corner posts.

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Walgrove Weekly Message 02/05/2023

Dear Walgrove Families and Staff, 

Tomorrow is the 100th day of school of the 2022-2023 school year. Yay!

Here is more of what is coming up this week at Walgrove:

MON

100th Day of School

Violin 2:30 in the Auditorium

TUE

Ms. B CGI Coaching Day 1 (of 4)

Staff Meeting& PD 2pm Rm 19: ILT Share Out; Anti-Racism Training #4 (via MyPLN)

Musical Theater After School per Mr. Donzell's Schedule

WED

Parent Summit 7:45-12 Dr. K and Ms. Tracy Off Site through Lunch

Musical Theater After School per Mr. Donzell's Schedule

THU

Musical Theater After School per Mr. Donzell's Schedule

FRI

Assembly 8:05 in the Quad - Ms. Luz Luis's class to lead the Pledge; Julian G. and Owen M. to perform

EPO Meeting (Dr. K) via Zoom 9-12

Menchie's After School

Announcements:

K-1 Lunch will shift to the tables in the Quad starting tomorrow. (More details to staff via email in the morning.) 2-3 and 4-5 Lunch will remain the same. 

Remember that all absences, whether excused or not, count as absences and cost the District money (approximately $70 per day) and affect the school's data, which appear on the CA Dashboard and Great Schools. We have a quite high "Chronic Absenteeism" rate. So, please wherever possible schedule vacations during the official breaks. If you go out of town on the weekend, please check your kiddos into school first. 

Regarding the letters and calls you get about absences and tardies -- they actually come from the Central Office (not from me). I try to limit my messaging on Attendance to occasional positive reminders. Here is more info on attendance.

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Black History Month

While I wish we lived in a world where designated months were not a thing -- where ALL folks were honored every month, I understand that as long as oppression of certain peoples exists, a mindful acknowledgement of that oppression has a place. It is in that spirit (and not instead in honor of "otherness," which is icky), I share with you this incredible rendition of the Black National Anthem as we embark upon Black History Month. 

Let us indeed lift every voice!

Berklee College of Music's rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing. 

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