Monday, August 21, 2023

Walgrove Weekly Message

Dear Walgrove Families and Staff, 

Wow. What a thrilling first week+!

There were bees, a hurricane-turned-cyclone and an earthquake, and also, thankfully, all kinds of fun times in class and on the yard. 

And, we hosted a volunteer day on Saturday where Walgrove families and Adam worked hard to maintain the garden and Wildlands. 


See Darcy's post with more and better photos here!:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/103083729731928

Thank you to all who came and helped out! (I didn't take a lot of pics because I was reburbishing the nurse's office. There were many folks here!)

Speaking of bees, (and the nurse's office), I wanted to shout-out Farmer Adam and Ms. Zeena who helped turn a potential disaster into a rich learning opportunity. On Wednesday, during class, some curious kiddos discovered Sonoran Bumblebees, which as it turns out are not quite as docile as many/most naturalists (including our own) have believed. So, there were some bee stings (!) with thankfully no serious side effects among the kiddos, along with a ripe learning opportunity.

After four students in Ms. Zeena's class were stung by the bumblees (!), Farmer Adam leapt into action to have the bees removed. He called upon his beekeeper pal Ian (from The Bee Amigos and honeylove.org) to help relocate the bees to the Ballona Marsh (with express permission from the stewards of the Ballona Marsh). 





Once the majority of the bees were collected Wednesday evening, Adam brought them in a box (safely!)
to the same students and parents on Thursday morning to let them hear them buzzing and to feel their immense weight before transporting them on his bike to their new home. 



Next, Farmer Adam built them a new super-structure and released them. 

Watch this incredible video!
 

Afterward, Adam and Ian vacuumed up remaining stragglers and repeated the same process.

We could have silently removed the bees without involving the students in the process. But, because Ms. Zeena and Farmer Adam are such stellar educators, they turned the entire process  -- from discovery, to problem to overcome, to solution -- into a rich learning opportunity. Thank you, Zeena, Adam, students and parents for your grace and patience during tumult. 

Then, there was the hurricane with a side of earthquake!

While the first week was rife with wild, and replete with learning, I will be satisfied if this coming week is a bit more calm. 

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

MON

No In-Person School due to Hurricane Hilary (be safe!)

Grab & Go meals available at Marina Del Rey Middle School 11:30am-2pm

DIBELS BOY AND iREADY OPEN FOR K-2 TEACHERS TO BEGIN ASSESSMENTS

GR 3-5 USE iREADY

TUE

Early dismissal at 1:35

PD for Staff in Rm 24: Review SBA Data. 2-3pm

Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal for Families Dr. K's Zoom Room at 7pm (I will host Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal two Fridays per month in the Wildlands at 9am and one Tuesday per month via Zoom at 7pm)

WED

Principal Meeting 8-4 (Dr. K off site; we need parent volunteers to help with lunch. Please reach out to Sharon Beam :)

THU

Robust instruction

FRI

Assembly in the Quad 8:05-8:20am. Ms. Biolatto's class to lead the Pledge

FOW Meeting in the Parent Center 8:30am

More robust instruction

SAT

Walgrove Welcome Picnic in the Upper Yard 12-3pm

REMINDERS:

Register to volunteer here: https://volunteerapp.lausd.net/Default?ReturnUrl=%2f 

Please complete your packets, espcially the Household Income Form (which you can actually do more easily online at hif.lausd.net. We need 100%!)

Thank you, and let's have a wonderful week, Walgrove!

LINKS:


To translate this message, open in Chrome or Safari, right click and choose "translate." (On your phone, select an area, then choose translate.)


Para traducir este mensaje, ábralo en Chrome o Safari, haga clic derecho y elija "traducir". (En su teléfono, seleccione un área, luego elija traducir).

By at