Wednesday, August 12, 2020

What to Do on the First Two Days of School

Dear Families,

Indeed, school starts on Tuesday!

While your teachers will all be reaching out to you on Monday, August 17 with very specific guidance, here is an overview of what to expect during the first week of school. 

There are two ways to be marked present during the first two days of school. You can EITHER log in to lms.lausd.net OR you can click the appropriate link below, do the assignments and then email your teacher letting them know you did. Then, your teacher will mark you present!


Virtual Learning Asynchronous Assignments:




We look forward to seeing your beautiful faces soon, both at my Principal meet and greet Tuesday at 3:30 PM and your teachers' meet and greets Wednesday at various times after 1 PM.

Q and A

Q: Where can I find my child’s specific class schedule?

A: These are the official UTLA-approved, district-wide schedules. Schools may only make the following two changes: 1) change the Instructional Support Day from Monday to another day and/or 2) align the lunch-times across the grades. Schools can only make one or both of those changes with LSLC approval. 

The lunch-aligned versions of the schedules are here:







The District is allowing us to consider the lunch-aligned version as an option. So, I am planning an LSLC meeting Monday, August 17 at 3 to consider adopting that schedule. 


However, first, I would like to hear from you. Please take this survey:

Q: When will my child’s schedule be available? 

A: Monday after the LSLC meeting. The schedule is fixed across the school and teachers may not veer from it. (However, students need not attend ANY live Zooms to be marked present.)

Q: What is expected of parents and kids on the 18th? 

A: Parents should help their children login to the District-led lessons, on Aug 18 and Aug 19 through Schoology. Those will be explained in greater detail by classroom teachers on Monday, August 17. Here is a quick overview:




Q: Where can I find the Zoom info for each of my child’s classes? How often will that access info change? 

A: I am posting teachers’ Zoom links on a web page like I did for summer. This is what I created for Summer School. This is my draft page for Fall. The Zoom info should not change. However, if for some reason it does, I will update the web page. During Summer School, I double-checked the links every morning. The page with Zoom links and Schoology Access Codes proved to be quite helpful. 

Q: How often (roughly) do you intend to change the class schedule? 

A: Never.

Q: When will we know the schedule on this: “Aides and assistants to support: with push-Ins, pull-outs, breakout rooms, and more”?

A: The teachers will share that info, as the aides and assistants will work directly with them.

Q: How far in advance will we know if our child will be in asynchronous or synchronous instruction each day/week? What should we expect (roughly) for changes on this? (e.g., Mon-Wed-Fri is asynchronous and Tue-Thu is synchronous and next week it switches.)

A: There will be synchronous and asynchronous daily, per the schedule. Teachers may only adjust the combinations within the timeframes. So, one teacher might establish a pattern of doing a whole-group introduction for 10 minutes, then breakout rooms, then come back together then everyone goes and does independent work and then returns for a good-bye. However, no teacher’s total synchronous minutes shall be lower than the minimums. 

Q: How self-sufficient are you intending each child to be? What is a reasonable expectation for parental supervision for each age?

A: Parents should supervise their children per their discretion. One LAUSD rule is that no teacher can be alone with any one student. Teachers always need at least one other adult or another student present. So, keep that in mind when planning supervision for your child/ren.

Q: Can you elaborate on this “Attendance will be engagement, not just Zoom”? What is the official policy on attendance? 

A: The District changed their original guidance and now students will be marked present for any day they engage at all. If they turn in an assignment via Schoology or Google, they are marked present for that day, even if they never attended live synchronous instruction. Attendance is now due by 3 PM the next day. 

Q: If our child misses one of the Zoom classes, are they marked absent for the whole day?

A: No. Children need not attend live Zoom. There are other ways for students to engage. While live instruction is a good way for kids to stay connected to their peers, it is not mandatory. 

Q: What is the average expected size of the Zoom classes? What is the average expected size of breakouts? Are there any one-on-ones worked into the schedule?

A: Class size will vary per teacher; teachers will use breakout rooms; and yes, small groups are worked into the schedule. One-on-ones are generally not allowed unless there is another adult present. Teachers are not to be alone with students. 

Q: When will our teacher go over what is expected of parents?

A: Teachers will be communicating with parents on Monday, as part of their all-day staff training day. Monday is their first official day of work for the school year. While all teachers have been working hard all summer and did not really get a vacation, we principals were not allowed to require them to come to work before their contractual first day. 

Q: Where on the Parent Portal will the daily assignments live?

A: Schoology.

Q: What time every day will the assignments be updated? 

A: Teachers will update Schoology regularly, as needed, per their discretion. I am requiring that all teachers also send to all of their families every Monday a weekly message with an overview of the week’s plan using a school-wide template. 

Q: When will the calendar on the Parent Portal be updated? 

A: I don’t know. I have limited purview over Schoology. (Which is why I am creating my page with Zoom links and Schoology Access Codes and Google Sites so that families can access the work even if Schoology crashes or has glitches.) 

Q: What if the schedule is too rigid and won’t work for my family?

A: Consider doing an Independent Study, which allows you to stay enrolled and do your own thing. 


Tuesday, August 11, 2020

School Preparation Events



July 30, 2020Info Session #1
August 5, 2020Parent-Led Parent Portal Workshop #1
August 7, 2020Device Drop-Off (Former 5th Graders)
August 10, 2020Info Session #2
August 13, 2020Parent-Led Parent Portal Workshop #2
August 14-19, 2020Device and Materials Pick-Up
August 17, 2020LSLC Meeting (3 PM) to Approve Any Schedule Changes NOW AUG 28 8 AM
August 17-19, 2020Teacher Professional Develoment and Planning Days (MINIMUM DAYS)
August 18, 2020First Day of Instruction (District-Led. Minimum Day. ATTENDANCE TAKEN)
August 18, 2020Principal Welcome Meeting 3:30 PM
August 19, 2020Second Day of Instruction (District-Led. Minimum Day. ATTENDANCE TAKEN)
August 19, 2020Teacher Meet-and-Greet (Virtual) Link via Schoology (and Teacher)
August 20, 2020First Day of Instruction with Classroom Teacher

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Info Session #2 for New and Current Families Monday August 10th at 6 PM

Dear Walgrove Community,

I will be hosting another Info Session for new and current families Monday, August 10 at 6 PM.

ZOOM LINK
ID: 826 6807 3253
Password: Community

We will discuss our plans for fall.

So, join us!

For those of you who cannot attend, we will also share those plans via our Website, this blog,  Blackboard Connect, Fresh Schools, Facebook and more.


 ***
Estimada comunidad de Walgrove:

Organizaré otra sesión informativa para familias nuevas y actuales el lunes 10 de agosto de 2020 a las 6 p.m.

ZOOM LINK
ID: 826 6807 3253
Password: Community

Vamos a discutir nuestros planes para el otoño.

Entonces, vengan si pueden!

Para aquellos de ustedes que no pueden asistir, también compartiremos esos planes a través de nuestro sitio de web, este blog, Blackboard Connect, Fresh Schools, Facebook y más.

Monday, August 3, 2020

Device and Materials Distribution August 14-19

Dear Families,

We will be hosting a device and materials distribution event August 14-19, 2020, 9 AM - 3 PM.

To make an appointment to pick up devices and materials, please email andrea.kittelson1@lausd.net or click the link to make an appointment here. 

Materials available for pick-up:
  • Electronic device
    • TK-1 brand new, never-before used iPAD
    • Grades 2-3 Chrome Book (or brand new, never-before used iPAD)
    • Grades 4-5 Mac Book Air (or brand new, never-before used iPAD)
  • Workbooks for math, ELA and social studies
  • Readers for Grades TK-1
  • Other items, as needed and available
Please remember:
  • Find us in the Teacher's Lounge off the parking lot at the corner of Appleton and Walgrove
  • Arrive on time (appointments are 15-minutes apart)
  • Do not come if you have had contact with someone with COVID-19 for two weeks prior
  • Bring only folks in your quarantine circle
  • Wear a mask over both your nose and mouth
  • Honor physical distancing
Thank you!

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Upcoming Parent Portal Workshops



Virtual Parent Workshops about the Parent Portal English Flyer_1pm on 8.12.20.jpg

Virtual Parent Workshops about the Parent Portal Spanish Flyer_3pm on 8.12.20.jpg

PARENT PORTAL WEBINARS:

English
Spanish

Parent Portal Workshop Wednesday, August 5th, at 6

As part of the enrollment process for this school year, the district requires 100% of families to register and engage with the Parent Portal on behalf of each of their children. 

Therefore, parents Heather McAdams and Natasha Landengerger will be hosting a Parent Portal workshop for Walgrove parents this Wednesday, August 5 at 6 PM, walking you step-by-step through the process of registering for the Parent Portal and connecting your account to each of your kiddos. 

We need at least one parent per kiddo to register and engage, but two parents per kiddo is totally super-great!

ID: 853-6189-2294
Password: parents

I will be at the workshop, too, to share with you via private chat your various PIN #s in case you don't successfully receive them by email tomorrow. 

I look forward to seeing you there!

Friday, July 31, 2020

Notes from Last Night's Info Session

Thank you to all the families and teachers who attended last night's info session!

We enjoyed a lively Q and A with 92 participants, not counting the stuffed animals that joined us at the end.

I will follow up with a summary of the Q and A that emerged last night; however, in the meantime, here is the document I shared:


Sunday, July 26, 2020

Info Session for New and Current Families Thursday July 30th at 6 PM

Dear Walgrove Community,

I will be hosting an Info Session for new and current families Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 6 PM.

ZOOM LINK
ID: 890 6192 2718
PW: Community

We will discuss our plans for fall.

So, join us!

For those of you who cannot attend, we will also share those plans via our Website, this blog,  Blackboard Connect, Fresh Schools, Facebook and more.

 ***
Estimada comunidad de Walgrove:

Organizaré una sesión informativa para familias nuevas y actuales el jueves 30 de julio de 2020 a las 6 p.m.

ZOOM LINK
ID: 890 6192 2718
PW: Community

Vamos a discutir nuestros planes para el otoño.

Entonces, vengan si pueden!

Para aquellos de ustedes que no pueden asistir, también compartiremos esos planes a través de nuestro sitio de web, este blog, Blackboard Connect, Fresh Schools, Facebook y más.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

The Walgrove Promise

Dear Walgrove Community,

As you know, LAUSD is committed to offering virtual learning this Fall until it is safe to bring children to school for in-person, on-campus learning. 

While LAUSD is hard at work specifying their plan, and we do not yet know the degree to which that plan will be very prescribed or very open-ended, we do know that we at Walgrove are committed to providing for everyone in our Walgrove community our unique and special Walgrove flair no matter which framework the District settles upon.

We have learned a lot from this past Spring and are working tirelessly to improve and innovate distance learning.

Here is a partial list of what we are committed to offering this Fall:

  • Optional daily morning meetings where kids can engage with one another in fun ways to further their social emotional growth
  • Optional recess times throughout every day where kids can play on a virtual playground
  • Unstructured play and chat times
  • Live “Parents Helping Parents” workshops for help with technology and other challenging aspects of virtual learning
  • Specialty courses with specialty teachers:
    • STEAM Studio with Johnny B and Francesca Forcucci
    • Theater with Mr. Donzell
    • PE with Coach Rachel
    • Storytime with Ms. Barbara
    • Strings by the Sea, violin instruction and performance with Danielle
    • Sustainable Farming with our Outdoor Education team
    • Zoomba and Project Based Learning with Dr. K
  • Essential worker visits to the Edible Garden and Wildlands to care for our crops and animals (by appointment and in alignment with state and local guidelines)
  • Ease of transition to in-person instruction: 1) a distance learning schedule that aligns with in-person learning; 2) scheduling pods together in the same cohort, wherever possible
  • Flexibility for families, wherever possible, so that families can structure their days either very specifically or quite flexibly (see our Independent Study option)
  • Pre and post assessments
  • Weekly, monthly and trimester learning goals
  • Curriculum in all subject areas, including science, Project-Based Learning and STEAM
  • Passionate teachers who Zoomed far beyond the District minimum this past Spring and who have been working diligently all Summer preparing for a robust and loving Fall
  • Stakeholder involvement in data-gathering, decision-making, event organizing and more
  • Caring community that supports one another through outreach, donations and more
The Walgrove Promise is that we will capitalize on what makes Walgrove unique, from our 10-acre campus, replete with one-acre Wildlands and half-acre Edible Garden, to our passionate and dedicated teachers and diverse and compassionate community.

While you cannot come to Walgrove in the usual ways this Fall, we are committed to bringing Walgrove to you. 

Please reach out with questions, concerns or big ideas to andrea.kittelson1@lausd.net.

Thank you for your continued partnership and promise. 

Dr. Kittelson

Monday, July 13, 2020

Town Hall Invitation from Venice Community of Schools Administrator Erick Hansen

Good evening. This is Erick Hansen, administrator for the Venice Community of Schools with an important message for our Venice families. We are excited to announce our first Venice Community of Schools Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday, July 14 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. 

We hope you'll join us and meet our new Local District West Superintendent, Dr. Adaina Brown, get to know your Venice Community of Schools and receive up-to-date information as we look ahead to the 2020-2021 school year.

There will also be the opportunity for attendees to ask questions. You can access our Town Hall at

https://lausd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u_2tYc-ERAS_KePFuYqQwA.

I hope you'll join us for an informative meeting and a great way for our Venice Community to connect.

If you have any questions, please email me at venicecos@lausd.net. More information is on our Local District West website.

I hope you and your family are well and staying safe. I look forward to seeing you at our Venice Community of Schools Town Hall.

Superintendent Beutner's July 13 Address


Superintendent Update - July 13, 2020