*IMPACT - Have a strong effect on someone or something.

Yesterday (Wednesday) will be regarded as one of my favorite days of all times as a principal at Almond!  It began in Oakland at WE DAY and culminated in celebrating the 189 student scientists that participated in the Science Fair.

Seventeen student government leaders from Almond joined thousands of students across the state at the Oracle Arena where they heard inspiring messages about their worth and importance.  Students were reminded that they matter and that they have the ability, actually the responsibility, to impact the world by being changemakers. 

Here are some of the quotes/messages from various speakers:

• “You do not need to be powerful, you do not need to be wealthy to raise someone's spirit. We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard…be aware of others, be mindful of everyone from everywhere.” – Clemantine Wamariya
• “Redefine what is possible.” - Spencer West
• “There is absolutely nothing that is not possible.” Martin Luther King III
• “A dream shared by many becomes a movement.” “Reach outside of ourselves and serve others.” “Find something in your life worth fighting for.”  – Craig Kielburger
• “You are strong enough to overcome your challenges.” - Orlando Bloom.
• “We all have a gift...something to share with the world...accept who you are with all your imperfections...we have to walk down our own path...if you know what you stand for…you can beat any obstacle…be fierce.” – Laila Ali
• “Make sure you love yourself because then you can love someone else.” – Magic Johnson
• “We are never too young to change the world.” – Selena Gomez

I wonder what types of conversations would unfold if you discussed some of the quotes above as a family.  What types of changemakers do our children envision becoming?  How will they pair their passions with their concerns about the world to make it a better place?  I look forward to engaging our students in these types of conversations in the coming weeks.

Some of our children are already well on the path to impacting this world in ways that we cannot yet imagine.  This was evident in the brilliance of the projects at the Science Fair.  Students honored curiosity by crafting thoughtfully constructed scientific questions.  Prior to delving into research, they developed their best guesses via a hypothesis.  Once results were gathered, they analyzed this data and developed and reported their conclusions.

While having an impact in a world where an estimated 135 million** babies are born annually might seem impossible, in the words of Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it's done.”  Let’s join together to utilize our voices and actions to be changemakers in our school, our community, and the world!

*Defined by Google search  **http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm

By the time you get this communication, there will likely only be a quarter of the day remaining for International Day of Happiness.  While such a day allows all of us Earth inhabitants to pause together and reflect on what brings us joy, let’s join forces and extend this opportunity beyond midnight tonight.

As principal at Almond Elementary here’s the beginning of my infinite list:

• The first grade student that oozes excitement at simply being alive
• The upper grade students who are taking care of our school by carefully putting their instruments in the right spots in the multi
• The very responsible fourth grade students who are making great choices in regards to appropriate conversational topics and play options
• The 518 students currently enrolled who give their all to grow their minds daily
• The staff that comes together to plan engaging learning for children
• The colleagues that bring tasty morsels weekly to nurture both stomachs and souls
• The teachers that opened their classrooms today for the LASD minimum day on how formative assessment supports differentiated learning opportunities
• Our district leaders and my principal peers that inspire me to continually push towards innovation and what’s best for kids
• Our PTA that has raised unprecedented funds at Almond to bring additional resources to our children
• The parents who volunteer their time in the classroom, STEM lab, library, Helping Hands, hot lunch program, and other school improvement projects
• The families that do the heavy lifting of raising our children before they step onto our campus and after their laughter leaves at the end of the day
• …

I leave you with this final thought.

Asking, “What makes ME happy?” does call into question how we define this term and focus us on the positive.  I wonder how we might answer this question, “What do I do that brings happiness to OTHERS?”  I will be asking myself that question as an individual, parent, and principal.  Almond Community:  I invite you to put on your various hats and ponder this thought along with me.

A conglomeration…today’s principal message contains many parts:

VIVA LAS VEGAS AUCTION/GALA

By now many of you have likely heard that a record dollar amount was raised for Almond School (recent total estimate $122,000).  There are no words capable of expressing my gratitude for the generosity of this amazing community.  Thank you to the committee chairs, Alix Apfelberg and Kirsten Sirey, for the countless hours you dedicated to preparing for this event.  Behind these two amazing women was an army of parent volunteers that helped with decorations, silent auction set up, check in, clean up, and even more.  Thank you for the time and service that you put into this evening.  I’d also like to extend appreciation to the Almond staff for demonstrating commitment to a partnership with our families by showing up in force at the Gala (check out the staff picture on Twitter via the website).

The Fund-a-Need for technology (please watch this 2-minute video to learn about our Almond Utopia) raised a record amount of approximately $27,000 prior to the anonymous donor matching.  Thank you for supporting our school goal of moving technology out of a lab setting and into the classrooms so that these tools can be more readily accessible and woven into daily learning.  We are on our way to realizing our 1:1 (grades 3-6) / 2:1 device goal (grades K-2).  I also offer heartfelt thanks to our anonymous donor for pledging to match up to $50,000 and for extending the deadline for that match to the end of March.  If you are still interested in donating funds to Fund-a-Need, please let us know.

SCIENCE EXPO

            What a success!  Students were able to experience science through a myriad of demonstrations that included finger printing, momentum, sound waves, circuits, balance, infrared technology, engineering feats (in STEM lab), and more.  The ever-popular real organs table garnered interest by those who were eager to touch and feel livers, eyeballs, intestines, etc…  Check out Twitter to see pictures.  This night could not have been possible without the leadership of Cheryl Branson and Yumi Hosaka and their legions of parent volunteers, 6th grade student station leads, and Mrs. Leach.  Once again this was a true testament of what makes Almond remarkable.

TAKING CARE OF OUR SCHOOL – BATHROOMS | DROP OFF & PICK UP TRAFFIC

            Students and parents, Almond needs your help in taking care of OUR school.  At last Friday’s assembly, I began a bathroom campaign to educate our students about their responsibility in keeping our bathrooms clean.  Our custodian is passing through the bathroom three times throughout the day (before school, after recess, after lunch) to tidy up as needed.  While some progress has been made, pictures that I took yesterday show we still have work to do in making our bathrooms ready for a theoretical Presidential visit.  Parents, I’m asking our students if the President of the United States happened to pop in for a visit and had to use our bathrooms, would we be proud or embarrassed?  Let’s work together to have it be the former.  We will be ramping up our campaign by creating posters to post in the bathrooms to remind students to pick up toilet paper from the ground and to press the manual flush button if the automatic sensor doesn’t work.

            Parents, Almond also needs your help in bringing safety and efficiency to our drop off and pick up times.  Please adhere to the following guidelines.  While it is my inherent nature to frame expectations in positive, what-to-do-language, in this case I’m going to get to the heart of the matter and specifically address what choices need to be altered.

• Please arrive early enough to encourage a peaceful experience for your family and all those around you.
• Please do not leave your car parked (even for a minute) in the drive thru lanes. 
• Please pull as far forward as possible before letting your children out of the car.
• Please do not park or block the handicapped parking spaces in the parking lot.
• Please do not let your children out of the car in the non-curb lane of the drive thru.
• Please exhibit patience and tolerance to each member in our community.

FILM FESTIVAL
            The countdown has begun! There are two weeks left to submit videos for the LASD Student Film Festival. The submission window closes on Friday, March 28th. The festival will take place on May 9th from 4-6pm in the Covington multi; we are hoping to showcase many original entries!  Film festival categories include:  educational, music videos, animation/claymation, comedy, story, and class collaboration.  Each category will be judged by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8).
            For more information, please visit http://lasdfilmfest.org/home.html . This website includes event information, submission information, rules, frequently asked questions, and a thank you to last year’s sponsors! The submission form is on the website, or can be accessed here.  If you have any questions, please email lasdfilmfestival14@gmail.com.  On behalf of the Film Festival Team (Covington 6th Grade) - Thank you, and have a great week! We’re looking forward to receiving all entries!

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

A frequent question my dad would ask me during my youth was, “Erika, are you going to share the long version or the short one?”  As a result, I consciously apply effort to being succinct and concise.  Sometimes I hit the mark; other times I’m way off.

Why share this with you?  At Saturday’s auction, I will speak to the need for additional resources in the area of technology to achieve our goal of revolutionizing learning for children.  As scintillating as this topic is to me, I imagine some partygoers might be a bit more focused (justifiably so) on catching up with friends and making their way to the dance floor while the kids are tucked away at home for night.  Therefore, please indulge me in the long version here because I commit to you that I’ll deliver the short version on Saturday.

Many months ago, the Almond staff began a dialogue around our vision and focus for the 2014-15 school year.  We looked back at areas of success and future needs – all grounded in what’s best for student learning.  After gathering a wealth of input, lead educators partook in a Leadership / Visioning Summit at the LASD iLearn Lab.  In the morning we processed and synthesized data.  Nine parents then joined us for lunch to elicit reactions and ideas.  Since then, we have been further distilling the needs list and have shared it at School Site Council, with the PTA Board, and spoke briefly about it at the last PTA meeting.

Our parents reminded us to shed our timid, humble educator approach of meekly asking for just the basics and to instead dream big and live that bold, audacious notion of articulating our utopia.  So here it is!

Almond Elementary will sculpt learners that master academic content in tandem with qualities necessary to achieve life long success:  curiosity, courage, creativity, confidence, empathy, and resilience. 

To this end, students will partake in innovative learning experiences that are project and inquiry based, collaborative, design thinking focused, responsive to student needs via differentiation and individualization, and blended with technology.

We espouse to utilize technology as a tool to enhance instruction so that it is seamlessly integrated into learning.  Increased accessibility to these tools through a 1:1 device model in grades 3-6 and a 2:1 ratio in grades K-2 will assist students and teachers in accomplishing this goal.  A systematic approach to teaching technical skills, as per the LASD scope and sequence, will be embedded into daily/weekly lessons within the classroom.  Staff gathering and collaboration time will be set aside to afford teachers the ability to leverage efforts in designing instruction that wraps academic content with digital tool learning.  Such an approach will encourage efficient use of these tools so that the focus is on learning, creating and demonstrating mastery of content – as opposed to learning technology for technology’s sake. 

Students must still be able to thrive in a three dimensional world that includes face-to-face interactions.  Therefore, a strong emphasis will remain on providing students with abundant opportunities to interact with that physical world.

It is with genuine sentiment that I boast of the integrity of the Almond staff, both instructional and classified.  This is a collective group that constantly seeks to improve on existing practices to optimize the learning experience of each and every child.

See you at the Viva Las Vegas Gala!

WHAT’S YOUR SOMETHING?

There are times when I watch someone work and its seemingly effortless nature transfixes me.

Have you even seen 2CELLOS perform?  Wow!  For Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser to have become as skilled at infusing the cello into contemporary pieces, it is certain that much sweat and hours of practice have been expended.  Yet what draws me to watch them over and over is the fun they have when they’re playing. They found THEIR SOMETHING!

Whenever I watch Jimmy Fallon perform a routine like “The History of Rap,” I cannot help but be infected by the joy he exudes. In order to come out on the other side of the countless hours of prep, he’s got to love what he does; have a passion for it.  He found HIS SOMETHING!

In “Everybody Got Their Something,” Nikki Costa sings about our passions; that something that we pour hours into without even realizing time has passed.  You know that something I’m talking about.  It’s that something that you go to sleep thinking about, or wake up extra early for.  It’s that something that Steve Jobs spoke of in his 2005 commencement address at Stanford, “you've got to find what you love…Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Almond Elementary is committed to supporting each and every child in their quest to find “their something”. Along with a focus on academics, we provide experiences in music, physical education and art.  This year we also have a heavy emphasis on S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and math).  In the next month, science takes center stage with the Science Expo (March 12th, 6:30pm) and Science Fair Night (March 26th, 6:30pm).  “The something” for your child might be science.  We aim to fuel that interest by providing great demonstrations at the expo and are thrilled to put your child in the role of scientist as they conduct research and share findings via the fair itself.

To achieve this goal around science, WE NEED VOLUNTEER JUDGES!  Last year we had 70 science fair entries; this year almost 200!!! We are seeking parent volunteers who have a background in science.  We know you’re out there!  Please consider spending some time with us at the end of March and email Mrs. Leach to share your interest.

And by the way, I found my something - working in service of children and all the adults behind that effort.  Each day I can’t wait to get to work and when doing what I love, I can’t help but smile and revel in the fact that I actually get paid for this.

What do the 1st Annual International Festival (2/7), Beautification Day (3/1), and the Spring Gala – “Viva Las Vegas” (3/8) all have in common?  Each pays tribute to the extraordinary qualities of the Almond community.

Last Friday night, hundreds of you descended upon the multi to celebrate the rich diversity that we each bring to this community.  In planning this event, our modest hope was to bring together perhaps 25 families.  Wow!  Almond, you blew it out of the water.  Families streamed in with food from all over the world that was made with love and care: samosas from India, enchiladas from Mexico, cheese plates from Northern Europe, rice cakes from Korea, King Cake from New Orleans and more… These delectable dishes were not the highlight of the evening.  The real beauty was in the sincere connections that families made with each other, the conversations between our newest families and our long standing ones, the bravery demonstrated by our solo 3rd grade hula hoop performer, and the fun-spirited dancing lead by one of our talented moms.  I extend my deep gratitude to all the planners of this event, all who bestowed the magnificence of their heritage by attending, and the selflessness of those who rolled up their sleeves to help clean up at the end of the evening.

On Saturday, March 1st, a whole crew of us will dedicate energy to the asset of service by spending a morning at Almond.  We will clean our campus, work on special projects and take pride in that this is OUR school and WE are the keepers of this remarkable place.  Join us in this effort and help us plan ahead for your participation by contacting Martha Gomez.  Thank you Martha for taking such great care of us and embodying the outward facing mindset we embrace at Almond.

Then, on Saturday evening, March 8th, the adults (sorry kiddos) get to gather for an incredibly fun evening together.  This only happens every other year, so seize this opportunity in 2014.  We get to dress up, enjoy some good food together, boogie down (if you so choose), and oh, yes…raise some dollars to support Almond’s instructional program.  While I have had the pleasure of meeting many of our families, I know there are more out there with whom I have not yet connected.  There are more stories for me to learn, conversations to be had, and I hope that I get this opportunity at the auction. 

Have a wonderful February break!  Recharge, enjoy the change in routine and come back revitalized and committed to exploring new ways in which you can contribute to this exceptional Almond community.

Imagine a world where we all fit the same mold; a place where we all wear the same clothing, style our hair in the same fashion, prepare the same meals, speak the same language, celebrate the same traditions and hold the same belief systems.  That world might be orderly, it might be harmonious – but there is a high likelihood that it wouldn’t be creative, rich with beauty, and most definitely not diverse.

In his book, Imagine: How Creativity Works, Johah Lehrer speaks about the necessity to cultivate the “outsider perspective” to promote creativity.  We can accomplish this by getting some distance from our comfortable daily lives through engaging in conversations with new people, trying a new cuisine and reflecting on how it tingles our senses, listening to a song outside our normal musical arsenal, parking in a different space when arriving at work, or traveling to a new part of the city, country or world.  All of these experiences contribute to mental flexibility that enhances our creative tendencies.  Every single one of us has the great capacity to be creative; however, we must be deliberate in our efforts to make it so.

Tomorrow evening, in the Almond multi, an opportunity to stretch and expand our perspectives arrives at our front door; the International Feast.  Several hundred of us will gather and bring a smorgasbord of meals for sampling.  Young Almond Eagles have been sharing with pride the dishes that they will contribute.  This night is not only about savory delights though, we also have a chance to learn about each other and participate in conversations with members of this amazing community who come from all over the country and world.

Did you know that more than 22 different languages are spoken in Almond family homes?  They include:  Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Dutch, English, Farsi (Persian), French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Putonghua), Portuguese, Rumanian, Russian, Spanish, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and others not listed.

Did you know that of the 516 children currently enrolled there are over 29 different birth countries?  They include:  Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, and Uzbekistan.  And that’s just where the kids were born.  I bet that count is higher when accounting for the birthplaces of parents.

I hope to see you tomorrow evening and look forward to learning more about you and the story that brought you to this place in your life.  Because of each of you, my life is more vibrant and abundant.  Thank you for that gift!

A reflection inspired by the upcoming Science Fair and 4th Grade Robot (Spout Bot) Construction Project through STEM:

My first grader was soaring her recently constructed Lego creation (a Star Wars flight vehicle) around the living room when it crashed to the ground and scattered into numerous pieces.  Alex’s disappointment and devastation was profound.  She had worked for hours and followed the manual so very carefully.  Her proud accomplishment was destroyed.

As my husband and I coached her out of her emotional spiral, we were reminded of the power of parenting and the opportunity before us to impart a lesson on resilience.  It was absolutely appropriate for Alexandra to feel sadness at the loss of this design feat, but she now had choices in front of her in regards to expressing those emotions and addressing how to move forward.  She could be flexible in her approach and bounce back, or she could allow this setback to keep her from using her imagination to fight further galactic battles.  We certainly weren’t in favor of the latter.

Once the tears had been wiped away, we talked through options.  We could deconstruct the wing and backtrack only as much as needed, or take it all apart and start from scratch.  This was just a bit too much for this 7 year old to ponder at that moment, so we completely took a break and changed activities.  We put the pieces in a bag, committed to coming back to it later, and moved forward.*

In the coming months, many Almond students will be working on their Science Fair Projects.  This opportunity affords students the experience of progressing through the scientific inquiry process:  observe, define a problem, form a question, investigate the known, articulate expectations, carry out the study, interpret results, reflect on findings to ultimately communicate findings.  This arduous process will put our student’s diligence and commitment to the test.

In addition, our 4th grade students will be constructing a robot named Spout Bot through our STEM program. Students will delve into the principles of matter, energy, magnetism and electricity.  Precision will be essential and this journey will require relentless focus. 

These undertakings will challenge and push our children’s thinking and limits.  Numerous failures may result along the way and our children will have choices in how they respond to adversity.  We, their mentors, will be able to guide their choices towards resiliency.  When frustrated and unable to see the big picture, let’s support our students in stepping back, taking a break and looking at the question/task from a different perspective.  Sometimes that means playing a game of basketball, listening (maybe even dancing) to our favorite song, or taking a walk in the fresh air.  Giving up though is not an option.  Let’s remind them that we always come back, because we are unstoppable. 

Remember, this is 2014, the year where we expect great things of ourselves!

*Two weeks after the dreaded crash of the Star Fighter, it was reconstructed and now adorns a spot on a display shelf with an Alex-made plaque celebrating the proud triumph.

A group of people is gathered, watching and listening to the rhythms of street musicians.  The beats resonate with many; toes are tapping, hips are swaying and shoulders gently shimmying.  One little human, still in diapers, breaks from the crowd and allows the music to captivate her.  Her dance moves are anything but subtle; they’re all encompassing.  She feels the sounds and her body responds with matching motions.  Her joy inspires a few others of varied ages to join in.

Many of us have experienced a scene like the one above.  Did you dance alongside that little girl?  Wish you had?  Perhaps dancing isn’t your thing and you were perfectly satisfied to watch.

The older (or should I say, more mature) we get, the more developed our brains become.  With that development, comes a sophisticated network of inhibitors that regulate our choices.  Inhibitions are necessary, yet they can be both positive and negative.  They help regulate our impulses so that our actions are thoughtful - bringing a balance between order and chaos.  However, at times, they hold us back - prevent us from being courageous, audacious, bold, and brave. 

Last Friday, a group of 24 individuals (students, parents & staff), came together in front of the whole school to perform in the Almond School Air Orchestra.  Their gutsy performance can be viewed in this video [http://vimeo.com/84659164].  While the staff and parents knew what lay before them and volunteered, the students did not.  I’m not sure which required more chutzpah; knowing what was coming and doing it anyway or entering into the challenge with no expectations.  Nevertheless, all members of the ensemble were amazing.  My sincere gratitude goes out to this group for being role models to our whole community!

The assembly closed with the song Brave, by Sara Bareilles and students were given the lyrics to bring home to share with their families.  She challenges us, “say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out, honestly, I wanna see you be brave.”  I invite you to watch the music video with your children (appropriate for the whole family) and dialogue about how you define bravery.  It’s different for all of us.  For some it might be looking someone directly in the eye, or participating in class.  Perhaps it’s joining a Four Square game, or speaking up when someone is being teased.  Whatever it might be, as the song goes, “show me how big your brave is.”

What do you get when you come up with a solution and resolve to do it?  A RESOLUTION!!! Did you make any for the New Year?  Were any a collective commitment of the whole family?  Did your children set a goal to work towards themselves?

It’s the 16th - we’re halfway through January – an opportunity to check in on that pledge and where it stands.  Or for that matter…to set one for 2014, if you haven’t already.

If you’re experiencing success and progressing towards your intentions, it’s probably a reflection of several things.  Whatever you’re striving for, you likely aimed for that sweet spot of challenging; not too easy and not impossible.   Secondly, you must have a plan.  You deciphered what it would take to accomplish this goal and have taken decisive actions to build towards success.  Frequent progress checks probably also keep you focused and allow you to make dynamic adjustments along the way.  I also imagine your positive self-talk builds the confidence you need to know that you have what it takes to realize your goal.  And finally, you’re NOT giving up because you are tenacious and determined!

Congratulations…you are demonstrating essential life skills that positively charge your life.  Research* in the education world points to the power of explicitly addressing executive functioning skills such as focus, self control, and taking on challenges in developing resilient youth equipped with the tools to thrive in their lives.

At Almond School (actually throughout LASD), learning extends far beyond the acquisition and mastery of content.  Yes, our children must learn to decode language for meaning, they must have a strong understanding of number sense and algebraic concepts, be able to write with accuracy and have knowledge of scientific principles and social events.  However, more importantly, they must be able to set goals, understand objectives, devise plans, identify resources, make adjustments and never give up.  As we design learning in our classrooms, we look for opportunities to allow children practice in these areas.

So, hold on to that resolution you’ve established.  Talk about it as a family.  Share what’s working well and what might need to be tweaked.  Know that you’ve got what it takes!  If it’s turning out to be more difficult than you thought, don’t give up.  Instead, dig deep and reflect.  Reset, adjust the plan, and celebrate the small wins.  The reward will not only be the outcome itself, but the process along the way.

*Galinsky (2010). Mind in the Making:  The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Need.  New York:  HarperCollins.

*Tough (2012).  How Children Succeed:  Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.