My official summer ended two weeks ago and my days have been full and exciting ever since.  One thing I love about being a principal is that no two days are alike.  Each unfolds into countless opportunities to problem solve with creative solutions.  During some of the recent flurry, I mentally retreated to that space this summer that included sun-filled skies with puffy white clouds, the anticipation of snagging a bass on a dangling mealworm, the focused effort to stay atop the water on a wakeboard, the long runs that allowed my thoughts to wander, my new fascination with photography, and the smiles and giggles of my daughters.  It has brought me back to center every time and reminded me that anything before me is possible as long as I am open to listening, thinking out of the box, and true to my unwavering optimism.

 Almond School is fully staffed and ready to welcome 544 students!

The campus has been anything but quiet.  Our district maintenance department and school custodians have worked diligently to clean and prepare our school for opening day.  Our district instructional team has supported our continued growth through many professional development opportunities this summer and in setting a vision to create a more personalized learning experience for students.  Our front office staff has juggled a million different tasks, often all at once, to ensure we’re ready for the first pitch at 8:30am on Wednesday, 8/19.  Then there is our All-Star team of teachers of whom I could not be more proud.  Their incredibleness is evident in the fact that while their year hasn’t officially started, they’ve already spent hours setting up their rooms, meeting with their peers, and planning each and every detail of our first official day together.

This is going to be an incredible year!

As your worlds begin to buzz with activity, whether that be through the joy ;-) of travel back home, the negotiations that arise with re-establishing bedtime hours, the rush of lunch preparations in the morning, or the other multitude of details that will need to be figured out, “Find Your Happy.”  Revisit it whenever needed.  Reset.  Then conquer that challenge in front of you.

See you at 8:30am on Wednesday, 8/19.

Two months ago to the day I sent the last Thursday Word for the 2014-15 school year.  Fifty-five days of summer fun have passed with 15 remaining...  

 Did you live each day to the fullest?  Did you watch a sunrise or sunset?  Did you travel to that destination you’ve been wanting to visit for some time?  Did you stay up way past your bedtime watching movies or getting lost in that novel that took you to another dimension?  Did you organize that space in your home that’s been driving you crazy for years?  Did you enjoy a lovely dinner with a friend you haven’t seen in a while?  Did you explore a new passion?  Did you set fear aside and try something you’ve never done before?  Did you fail, get back up, and ultimately succeed...or not?  Did you look at life close up and then sit back and admire its incredible beauty? 

A serenity and peace found me this summer.  The colors were brighter, sounds more musical, smells full of fragrance, tastes rich with flavor  - it was magical.  I hope that each and every one of you were blessed with moments of greatness during this season of warmth and relaxation.

The 2015-16 school year begins on Wednesday, August 19th.  It is going to be an unforgettable year!

For decades, schools have designed classrooms to serve the typical student.  In the Myth of Average Tedx Talk, Harvard University’s Todd Rose challenges us to design instruction to the edges of student learning needs.  We intend to do this this year at Almond Elementary.  

 A constraint that has perpetually challenged education is the placement of children into grade level configurations.  Theory contends that students within a 12 month span of each other should all have similar skillsets and are therefore taught the same grade level standards.  However, reality asserts that that - is hogwash!  Some 6 year olds have far exceeded expectations in the mathematical realm and might even be ready for learning that is typically taught to 3rd graders.  And some 10 year olds may need a bit of extra support to construct meaningful writing that wrangles the complexities present in the English language.

This year, Almond will explode the grade level box by using data about children’s learning needs.  Students will still have a base camp (homeroom teacher) in which they are heterogeneously grouped (in other words balanced classes) with age like peers.  This underlying structure is essential to building strong and caring connections between adults and students.  Throughout the year, at different points during the day, students will be regrouped around particular learning topics.  Some students may be accelerated in one particular area, yet need support in another.  These needs and the forthcoming growth will be evident through the collection of multiple measures of student learning (a.k.a data).

Back in the day, students were put into tracks for the year and subsequently...their learning plateaued, rather than peaked.  That is NOT what we’re doing at Almond.  The word “regroup” contains the prefix “re” which indicates “again and again.” Students will be grouped by need for a unit of study that spans 4-6 weeks and then they will be regrouped into another unit of study.  Our initial collaborative work will be in English language arts (ELA) / English language development (ELD). However, do not fret...ALL other subject areas will still be taught.  

 Here’s a single potential example.  There may be a 4-6 week unit across Almond School that focuses on point of view.  All children will participate in engaging learning around this concept.  Some students in grades K-2 might be grouped together because along with establishing the foundation for point of view, they may need focused attention in decoding the text to translate words into meaning.  At the same time, there may be grade 1-3 students who have a high degree of reading fluency and can clearly identify who is telling the story and are now ready to focus on the differing points of view of each character.  We may have some accelerated readers in our upper grades who are already reading complex texts and are ready to jump into analysis and then transference to their own writing (which are actually 7th and 8th grade standards).

The Los Altos School District is a beacon across the country for innovative learning initiatives that include programs like STEM, project based learning (PBL), design thinking, and more.  We continue forward in our efforts with this as our underpinning.  The units of instruction will include our best practices; standards will be wrapped with rich content, formative assessment, and authentic experiences that connect learning to real life.

As we advance in this journey, we will be overly transparent in our communication regarding our goal to meet the learning needs of ALL students.

I am tingling with excitement at the year ahead!

Fifteen more days of summer!  Make the most of each and every one.

The door is ajar.  

The destination - “The Unknown.”  

You can see into the distance, but it’s fuzzy. While you can’t see the pathways and edges ahead, something is drawing you in. The light, colors, and textures beckon. You imagine the possibilities.  

Do you go through?  

It requires you to depart from your current position; to let go. It necessitates entering a place that is unfamiliar. It demands your trust that all will be well. If it’s not, rely on your confidence in knowing you have what is needed to adapt and ultimately thrive.

You must dig deep for that courage, that bravery. It’s inside of you!

Suddenly, someone’s fingers interlace with your own. First on the right, then on the left. As you glance to your right, there’s your friend. Her smile warms you. To your left is that colleague who believes in you. His eyes reflect your capabilities. Suddenly you realize you don’t need to step through that door alone.

Together, you take the first step...

“The Unknown” means something different to each and every one of us. There are two times during the year that I most treasure; New Year’s Eve and summertime. Both represent to me an open door to opportunities for transformation. While we can certainly make adjustments to our lives at any point in time, these particular markers are ones when many are simultaneously contemplating change through some opening that awaits.

This summer I will be reflecting on the wisdom that I’ve been receiving from a book by Marie Kondo, “the life-changing magic of tidying up,” along with the Myth of Average Tedx Talk by Todd Rose.

May this summer bestow you with relaxation, adventure, time with family, time for you, a change in routine, epiphanies, uneventful days...or...whatever it is that your heart needs.

Thank you for a great year!  See you in August.

As the 2014-15 school year winds down, our Almond staff is working diligently to prepare for the 2015-16 school year.  Our focus will remain on our number one LASD Goal: Meet the individual learning needs of all students. A) Ensure meaningful formative feedback is included as a constant in student/teacher interactions. B) Develop a communication process that allows teachers, students and parents to utilize actionable feedback about each child’s learning. C) Regularly incorporate small group instruction as a method for meeting individual student needs. D) Design learning opportunities that allow for student choice and passion.

We will dedicate our collective capacity to this effort.  As a first step in realizing this goal, as a united staff, we have agreed to teach mathematics (8:30am-9:30am) and language arts (10:30am-11:30am) at the same time every day.  This will support our efforts to ultimately regroup students based on learning needs.  

There is a distinct difference between regrouping and leveling.  Regrouping involves a unit of instruction with clear learning objectives that covers a finite span of time (4-6 weeks).  Students can flexibly move between groups depending on their learning needs.  We will not be leveling (a.k.a. tracking students) for the duration of the year.  

We are, and will continue to undertake a thoughtful, systematic approach while taking it one step at a time to ensure student learning is our continued emphasis.

• Students will still be placed in heterogeneous groups with a grade level teacher.
• Our students will still be learning all subject matters (ELA, math, science, social studies, PE, music, art, STEM, etc…).
• For 2015-16, in grades K-5, our collaborative work will focus on ELA.  In grade 6 it will center on math.
• Prior to regrouping any students, we will gather the necessary, reliable data that informs us in regards to what our students do know and what they still need to learn.
• Initial regrouping (which may not take place until mid year) will occur within grade levels.

Every step of the way we will communicate this work with our community.

Following are some updates regarding staffing for the 2015-16 school year.

• Summer Reeves will be moving to San Luis Obispo to be closer to family.
• Anna Uhm will be teaching 1st grade in the Union School District.  This will permit her to be closer to home to spend more time with her family.
• Lisa Call will be retiring and beginning a new career in marriage and family therapy.
• Sarah Koh, previously at Gardner Bullis, will be joining the Almond staff as a 5th grade teacher
• Raquel Matteroli, previously the interim principal at Covington and our LASD Categorical Programs Coordinator, will be joining the Almond staff as a 3rd grade teacher

Here is the teaching roster for 2015-16.

• Transitional Kindergarten:  Lisa Schubert
• Kindergarten:  Jenny Eldridge, Laurie Lamb, Melissa Powell
• First Grade:  Sarah Hall, Samantha Nguyen, Alicia Peterson
• Second Grade:  Edana Conlon, Nancy Liu, Jill Williams
• Third Grade:  Tammy Reilly, Joann Martinez, Raquel Materolli
• Fourth Grade:  Annie Daggett, Melissa Dowling, Jenny Wishnack
• Fifth Grade:  Joe Chan, Sarah Koh, Laura Ohlund
• Sixth Grade:  Allison Aubrey, Jessica Saretsky, Jasen Stuart
• STEM Teacher: Elizabeth Leach
• PE Teachers:  Mary Alber (TK/K), Candice Marquis (Gr. 1-6)
• ELD Teacher:  Janine Wulfsohn
• RSP Teacher:  Ginny Kalotihos
• Speech Teacher:  Carol Leamon

I look forward to dispelling the myth that has come to my attention through a question I’ve been asked by several students during this school year, “Why is it that a principal can only be a principal for 2 years?" It has been an honor to serve the students, staff, and families of Almond for the past two years and I look forward to a great 3rd year ahead. 

Tuesday, 5/19/2015, approximately 5:30pm.

In the car upon picking up from after school care.

Sam: For my birthday sleepover we’re now going to have 6 kids.

Me:  Oh, really?  When was this decided?

Sam:  I already talked to dad about it.

Me:  Oh, I see.

Alex:  Then Will (the friend Allie will have over) and I will have the iPads to play with in the morning.

Me: Yeah…that’s not going to happen.

Alex:  But, why not?

Me:  Because if you have a friend over, the purpose is for you to interact and play together, not to be isolated on a device.

Alex:  But mmmmooooommmmm!

Sam:  It’s not fair for her to get the iPads, the 4^th graders should get them because it’s my birthday.

Me:  Ladies, neither of you will have the iPads.

Sam & Alex:  Pppppppllllllleeeeeeeasssssseeeeeee!  Please!  Please!

Me [a very tired mom who had a very long day]:  This argument is over.  My answer is no.  I expect you to respect that.

Crickets…

Ten minutes later at our dinner destination because this very tired mom couldn’t bear the thought of cooking a meal.

Sam:  Mom, you know we weren’t arguing with you earlier; we were NEGOTIATING.

Me [huge smile on my face remembering what a gift it is to be a mother]:  Ahhhhh, negotiating.  Why how could I have been so confused?  So what exactly IS the difference between arguing and negotiating?

Sam [these are her exact words]:  Negotiating is where there are two perspectives that are considered and you try to agree on something in the middle.

Food arrived.

Munching underway.

Sam:  Mom, would it be possible to get a root beer float?

Me:  No.

Sam:  Please.

Mom:  So Sam…you just talked with me about negotiating.  I’d like to add to your negotiating skills.  When you consider someone else’s opinion and want to negotiate, you offer a justification for why you think the person should change their mind or a counter offer, rather than just saying please.  A please by itself in my mind is considered begging, not negotiating.

Alex [her exact words…no joke]:  Mom, I had a great day today and having dessert would be a great way to celebrate the day and get me off to a good start tomorrow.

Sam:  Mom, 1) I love sugar, 2) I ate a good dinner, and 3) I love you.

Sammi ordered a Root Beer Float, Alex got a Hot Fudge Sunday, and I got the bread pudding (because I too deserved a bit of sweetness in my day.)

…On drive home in car at about 6:45pm.

Me:  Let’s talk about our plan once we get home.  Is all homework done?

Alex:  I have to fill out my reading log.

Me:  Okay.  Since you didn’t take showers last night because of the softball banquet, those are a must for tonight.  Sammi, you’re up first so Als can fill out her log.  If you want me to read The Penderwicks, then your bodies need to be in bed by 7:30pm.

Alex & Sam:  Buuuuuttttt mooooommmmm…

Me:  Let me introduce you to another new concept very related to the topic of negotiation.  It’s called a NON-NEGOTIABLE.  There are times when it is appropriate to negotiate and there times when it’s not.  We got to a win-win with dessert.  Relish that.  Savor it…because my expectations around our bedtime routine are not open for discussion.

Alex & Sam:  You got it mom!

Moments later as Alex was torturing Sam in the back seat by crossing the invisible center line and taunting Sam.

Sam:  Alex, get off me!!!  This is a non-negotiable.

Audible laughter and amusement from mom.

I give you my word that I didn’t make this up and I had the girls write it / read it with me to ensure I captured the dialogue accurately.

What does this have to do with Almond School?

While we only have 14 days left, we STILL have 14 days left.  Through many interactions with students in the past few days, our students are exploring the concept of negotiation.  While it is very important to support them in finding their voices and we want them to learn how to advocate for their thoughts and opinions, it is also important that there is clarity around non-negotiables.

Here are a few that are coming to mind:

• Arrive to school on time daily.
• Dedicate continued attention to learning until the very last day of school.
• Transition between classes quietly so that the learning inside classrooms is respected and honored.
• Strive to solve problems that arise with peers.
• Demonstrate respectful behavior to our parents serving hot lunch by using common courtesies (e.g. please, thank you, may I).
• Consider when it is appropriate to negotiate (probably not during lunch time when there are 3 adults guiding the behavior of approximately 240 students).
• Wait patiently at dismissal (under the supervision of a guardian) for siblings.
• Walk all bikes and scooters off campus to ensure the safety of every member of our community.

Thank you Almond staff and parents for your support in guiding effective negotiation sense in our children.

In education we strive to provide our students with authentic learning experiences; opportunities to apply skills and knowledge to synthesize and demonstrate understanding.

At Almond, we’ve recently had some exemplars of authenticity:  the LASD Film Festival, 5th Grade “To Sail or Not to Sail” Project Based Learning Project (PBL), 1st Grade Weather Reports, the Almond Drama Program and our musical performances.

In the ASCD article, “How Good is Good Enough?,” Grant Wiggins offers many salient points about the definition of mastery (in relation to learning) and how it might be demonstrated or measured.  Mastery is defined as “the effective and graceful transfer of learning to meet authentic performance challenges.”  

Wiggins contends that John Wooden, legendary UCLA basketball coach, was “The Mastery Master.”  Rather than focusing solely on isolated drills, he deliberately brought those parts together even during practice.

At the LASD Film Festival, students had to apply executive functioning skills to plan, organize, and execute this event.  In the 5th grade PBL, students created products, have been marketing and selling them, and are garnering profits to purchase materials to build boats that they will construct and sail.  First graders wrote their own weather reports and worked as a team of newscasters to inform viewers of the treacherous conditions coming our way.  And through the Almond Drama Program and the CSMA/LAEF musical performances, students have had to master the reading of music, memorization of lines pronounced with purpose, and how to tame the butterflies that surely took flight in their bellies.

The most amazing part to watch in all of this though...how in every single instance above, students were required to adapt and adjust to unforeseen turns in their path.  One way to get better at responding to the unexpected is to have the chance to perform.

Thank you to all the staff and parents who continuously make these learning opportunities available to our children.

Time.

Its expenditure communicates what we consider important.

Join us next Tuesday at the School Site Council meeting (3pm in the Library) to hear how Almond plans to spend its time meeting the diverse needs of our students in language arts during the 2015-16 school year.  The meeting will be structured in a way that blends providing you with information, as well as opportunities for you to share your reflections.  

Immediately following, at the English Learner Advisory Council meeting (4pm in the Library), we will review information about how a child is identified as an English Learner and the path towards redesignating as an English Proficient student.

Tiempo.

Como lo utilizamos dice mucho sobre lo que consideramos importante.

Este próximo Martes, en la reunión de “School Site Council” (a las 3pm en la biblioteca), vamos a compartir como Almond pretende fomentar la diversidad de nuestros alumnos durante el año escolar 2015-16 sobre el tema del "Arte de Lenguaje" (Language Arts).  La reunión será estructurada de manera que incluya información y también la oportunidad para que ustedes puedan contribuir sus reflexiones.

Inmediatamente después, en la reunion de “English Learner Advisory Council” (a las 4pm en la biblioteca), vamos a revisar la información sobre como un estudiante es identificado como "Aprendiz del Ingles" (English Learner) y los pasos a seguir para reclasificar al estudiante como "Competente en el Ingles" (English Proficient).

時間

我們如何將時間使用在我們所認為重要的事情上

請加入我們下週二下午3點於Almond學校圖書館舉行的學校資詢會議. 您將聽到Almond學校如何計劃在2015/16學年，為解決學生對語言藝術的各種的需求。本次會議將為您​​提供這個訊息,並邀請您一同來分享您的想法.

緊隨其後的將是英語學習顧問委員會會議（下午4點在圖書館 ).，會中我們將探討有關小朋友如何被認定為英語學習者，以及如何提昇而努力成為一個精通英語者者的路徑信息。

Время.

Его расход показывает то, что мы считаем важным.

Присоединяйтесь к нам в следующий вторник на заседании Совета Школы (в 3 часа в библиотеке), чтобы услышать о том, как школа Альмонд планирует проводить свое время на удовлетворение разнообразных языковых потребностей наших студентов во время 2015-16 учебного года. Это собрание будет проводиться таким образом, чтобы Вы могли и получить информацию, и поделиться своими мнениями.

Сразу после этого собрания, на заседании Консультативного Совета по Английскому Обучению (в 4 часа в библиотеке), мы поделимся информацией о том, как мы определяем студентов, которым нужна дополнительная помощь с английским языком, и каким образом эти студенты осваивают английский язык.

Thank you to Augustin Farias (Spanish translation), Elena Krasnoperova (Russian translation), the Hoff Family (Mandarin translation).

I’ve been digging into the meaning of “future ready learning” and reached out to some amazing individuals to gain deeper insight.  They have already inspired me simply by their responses to an email.

• By doing the best work of your life, I'm a firm believer that you not only change your destiny forever, but also your organization's, because you act as a beacon of inspiration to everyone around you. [PERSONALIZED, RELEVANT, CONTEXTUALIZED]
• And I would hope that you would see me: -practicing compassion, -staying focused despite countless distractions/interruptions, -successfully negotiating complex relationships with other physicians, family members, and hospital staff. [SOCIALLY EMBEDDED]
• 1-1 staff briefings to review progress updates, challenges, and any other issues needing support. [COMPETENCY BASED]
• Tactical in the mornings and then...1-on-1’s in the afternoon. [OPEN-WALLED]
• ...garage start-up mode… [OPEN-WALLED] 
• ...how kids can better prepare themselves for what’s ahead…[LEARNER AGENCY]

Why am I examining “future ready learning?”  Because I am in a district that constantly pushes itself improve learning for ALL children.  As educators in LASD, we are encouraged to take risks and to reach for what might be seemingly impossible.

Images, metaphors, and similes are how my brain processes information.  Recently, I’ve been picturing myself at the open door of a flying plane wearing goggles and a parachute.  I have never sky dived, but if I could be any other type of creature, it would be a bird.  To be able to fly, see the world, soar up to heights with incredible vantage points, and then land at places of my choosing - my nirvana.  Well, since turning into a bird won’t be happening soon, I someday will instead experience the sense of flight through sky diving.  To be able to jump out of a moving plane without wings of my own, I’m going to have to get myself to a place where I am confident that I will land safely.  After doing all the logical research and finally arranging the day, I imagine the most telling point will be whether I jump or am pushed.  If I jump, I’ve done so willingly and my ride to the ground will surely be exhilarating.  I will look around and marvel at the landscape, feel the air pressing against my skin, and ultimately enjoy a once in a lifetime experience.  However, if I am pushed, my mind will focus on the fear, the what ifs.  What if my parachute doesn’t open?   What if it get’s tangled?  What if I don’t land right?  And...I will miss the whole point of the ride.

To learn, our children must trust us.  They must know that we love them regardless of their outcomes.  They must know that when they fail, we will be the first to extend a hand, dust them off, and help them get started again.  To do this, we need to build cultures that include them and put them at the center.  They matter!

So in that spirit, I need the help of our children.

If you read the emails this week about the blue parakeet, you might have picked up on a not-so-subtle hint that Almond had a bird residence with no birds.  The Mariona Family heard my yearning and we have two beautiful parakeets now at Almond.  We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these winged beauties into our school.  Our children have been popping into the office to admire them.  For starters, they’ll have 3 mamas:  Mama Jane (Sanders), Mama Jill (Williams), and Mama Erika (that’s me).  You see, for bird to be well adjusted, they need to build a bond with their humans - I did not know that.  So, the original plan of circulating them through classrooms...well, not gonna happen.  Why?  Because that’s not what’s best for them.  And at Almond, we do what’s best for those in our care.

They desperately need names, and that’s where our children come in.  We want their help.  Please ask them to stop into the office to say hello and to check them out.  They can also see their pictures via this Tweet.  One is blue with white markings and the other turquoise with yellow markings.

If it interests your Almond Eagle, please support them in taking a minute to complete this 2 question survey to suggest names.  As a staff we will narrow down choices and put it out to our students for a vote.

Thank you for all that you do to contribute to a trusting, nurturing environment for our children.

Exercise has been a practice in my life for several decades.  It’s what often brings me back to center when my thoughts get the better of me.  When needing to tune out from the world, I put in my headphones and run, and run, and run. Over the past few years I’ve incorporated more toning work through a barre class.  While engaged in very intense micro-movements, the instructor reminds us about our mind and body connection.  She encourages us to conquer thoughts intent on stifling the capacity of our muscles and to push through the discomfort.  When I’m on the verge of giving up, I visualize past the temporary pain and focus on the forthcoming increased vitality.  This deepens my sense of resolve and I am able to transfer this resilience to countless inevitable challenges.  In order for my brain to function at its optimum capacity, I must give attention to my body.

At Almond and in LASD, mind and body also converge.

Prior to spring break, we came together as a community through the #GimmeFive White House campaign to consider how we might live healthier lives. Students learned the moves to the Kidzbop version of Uptown Funk (inspired by Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres’ dance) over several weeks.  We boogied at lunch, Friday assemblies, and I heard about families joining in the fun in the evenings at the bequest of their children.  One of our students even took the concept, developed her own routine to her own favorite song, and taught it to students on Music Friday.  While this increased focus on physical activity certainly contained a tangible element of pure fun, we did also take our pulses to measure our elevated heart rates, and made commitments to healthy choices.  Check out this awesome video which captures our efforts.***

This Saturday, our 4th - 6th graders will compete in the LASD Junior Olympics.  Thanks to the generosity of LAEF, all of our students have weekly physical education instruction that honors the need to grow and stretch our bodies just as much as our brains.  For many weeks now our students have been preparing to accomplish their personal best.  At this event, our children will have the opportunity to push themselves to new heights and revel in their accomplishments.  I look forward to seeing our athletes and their families there.  If you are a parent of a TK - 3rd grader, I invite you to still attend to cheer on our Eagles.  

***Thank you to Mrs. Nguyen, Leticia, Yvo, and Olivia for capturing the video footage and creating the video!  Also, if any of you want to see the First Lady and her squad doing the dance, here was their rendition.

STUDENT CLASSROOM PLACEMENT: In May, I will guide staff in the process of creating new 2015-16 balanced classes.  I personally review each and every class list, along with its balance grid, and make final decisions about placement.  In this process some of the factors we consider are:

• Distribution of students from 2014-15 class into the upcoming year’s class
• Number of girls/boys
• Balance of accelerated, typical and struggling learners
• Count of special populations (English Learners, Student w/Disabilties, 504, etc…)
• Adequate amount of active parent volunteers

We hold a strong, unwavering philosophy that all teachers at Almond school are responsible to meet the needs of all children who enter their classroom.  All teachers receive the training and support to teach students with all different learning styles.

I believe you trust us and that you also want to do everything possible to ensure your child lands in the right spot.  While I appreciate and empathize with this desire, please know that I cannot honor 554 (current student count) requests for a particular teacher for next year, nor to be placed with a particular set of children, or to be separated from a specific crew.  I cannot be fair and just with such a task and it is my goal as your school leader to treat each family with the utmost integrity.

Some of you will still feel compelled to share your preferences.  Please do not address such requests to teachers.  They have been guided to redirect you to me via either an email or a hard copy letter.  My acceptance of this information is not an assurance that it will be granted.  Instead, the commitment I make to every family in the Almond community is that we will undergo a thoughtful, deliberate process at crafting balanced classes for the upcoming school year to ensure the learning of ALL children is maximized.

Finally, each year there are staffing changes where we bid farewell to some, welcome others to our campus, and some teachers teach different grade levels from one year to the next. Much is still in flux and will not be solidified until the end of the year.  As the year ends, I will send out the tentative staff roster to our community.

SBAC TESTING FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-6: Thank you again for helping us maintain a healthy mindset around the upcoming standardized assessments by reinforcing the message for our students to simply, “give their best effort”.  Teachers have been practicing how to log in, given students opportunities to experience this new testing environment, and have been teaching to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) which are what the assessment measures.  Below is the schedule.  Please further support your child by maintaining your bedtime and morning routines during these days so that they arrive as school ready to “give their best effort.”

• Tuesday, April 21, 8:30am-10am, ELA CAT Session 1
• Tuesday, April 21, 10:30-12pm, ELA CAT Session 2
• Wednesday, April 22, 8:30am-10am, ELA PT Classroom Activity
• Wednesday, April 22, 10:30-12pm, ELA PT Computer Session 1
• Thursday, April 22, 8:30-10pm, ELA PT Computer Session 2
• 4/23 & 4/27, Make Ups
• Tuesday, April 28, 8:30am-10am, MATH CAT Session 1
• Tuesday, April 28, 10:30-12pm, MATH CAT Session 2
• Wednesday, April 29, 8:30am-10am, MATH PT Classroom Activity
• Wednesday, April 29, 10:30-12pm, MATH PT Computer Session 1
• Thursday, April 30, 8:30-10pm, MATH PT Computer Session 2
• 5/1-5/8 , Make Ups
• 5/12 & 5/13, CST Science Test for 5th Graders Only (paper/pencil)

CAT = Computer Adaptive Test

PT = Performance Task (still on the computer)