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Upcoming Events:
MON. (9/24) Teaching & Learning :)
TUES. (9/25) More Teaching & Learning :)
WED. (9/26) Learning & Teaching Abounds!
THURS (9/6) *SUPERINTENDENT'S 2nd VISIT*
Dr. Kropp will stop by Los Al in the
afternoon to observe classes.
Drama's First Play "Fortune Coffee"
debuts @ 7pm (9/27 - 9/29)
Mr. Arnold to attend Apple Education
Leadership Tour in Cuppertino @ Apple
Headquarters. (Don't worry, I'm bringing
back everything!!!)
FRI. (9/7) Support Los Al Athletics All Week Long
Coach Barnes goes for win # 299 on Friday!
And Boys Water Polo, Girls Volleyball,
X-Country, Girls Tennis, and Girls Golf all
compete throughout the week!
& On The Horizon...(next week is super-busy...)Oct. 1 School Site Council @ 5:30pm in Room 500 Oct. 2 (a.m.) STAFF MEETING @ 7am in Room 500
Oct. 2 (p.m.) The Gym's Official Ribbon-Cutting ---
& our PACK-THE-GYM VOLLEYBALL GAME
Oct. 4 Homecoming Ceremony @ Football Game
Oct. 5 Homecoming Dance --- Wanna Chaperone?
Oct. 15 Fall Plans Due Nov. 15 Deadline for Fall Plan Meeting w/ Admin
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Back To School Night:
How Los Al Teachers Partner With Parents...
From the looks of things, last Wednesday, September 19th, was one of the most well-attended Back To School Nights in recent memory. Each room was full of 25+ parents for 10-minute increments, as teachers began the work of formulating relationships with families to support students in their learning.
(In the picture below, Dr. Coriaty explains to parents that their children will be involved in "deep practice" during his course, and that he will guide his class through any potential struggles they may face throughout the year.)
Back To School Night was a success because of the concerted way our teachers asked parents to partner with them in student learning. From Edmodo, to class websites, to parent reading groups, to FLIPPED learning, and more... Los Al parents left our campus on Wednesday ready and willing to team up with their children and maximize student learning all year long.
What began in the P.A.C. for parents, where they watched and listened to Los Al's incredible Jazz Band, Choir, and Dance Team, ended in the quad around 8:30pm, where one could hear the names of every teacher on the lips of parents, as they talked about how confident they were that this year would be their child's best!
And when it was over, more than 50 teachers made it to El Torito for a Back To School Celebration of their own!
Can't wait 'til next year :)
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Fall Planning On A Full Stomach:
Faculty Club's BBQ Is Well-Attended & Enjoyed By All
It's impossible to Fall Plan on an empty stomach, right?
This philosophy, along with the fact that Mr. Torres and Mr. Haygood cook a mean burger, is probably what drove more than 100 teachers and staff out to to the back of the P.A.C. for Faculty Club's Annual Fall BBQ.
Wearing their iHeartLosAl gear, and equipped with notepads and pens to take notes during lunch about different Fall Plan ideas, teachers sat at various tables on the lawn, listening to music and further getting to know colleagues they may not get a chance to interact with every day. The teaching profession can get isolating at times, so opportunities to get together, socialize, laugh, and share memories like this are important throughout the year.
Faculty Club sponsors the BBQ, and members Cynthia Williams, Kim Loggins, Janelle Fox, and Tracy Lundblad spent tons of time putting everything together and organizing the event.
Thanks to all for an amazing event! And for staying late afterwards to wrap up your Fall Plans!
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Los Al To Host Edmodo Symposium This Fall:
If You're Interested In Presenting, Read On... 
In just a few short weeks, Edmodo has legitimately turned into a schoolwide phenomenon of sorts.
More than 30 teachers are using www.edmodo.com to manage their classes; and a few have even turned to Edmodo to deliver, grade, and store all student work. And while it may not be for everyone, there's something about Edmodo that has the teaching community abuzz.
That's why, at Los Al, we've decided to share our experiences with other teachers throughout the district. This fall, we'll be hosting an Edmodo Symposium in Room 153/154, and look to present our practical knowledge of Edmodo to all who are interested. So, whether you use Edmodo to sent text messages to parents, or just to have kids respond to online polls from time to time, click the link below if you're interested in being a part of the Symposium. (Planning time will be compensated, and it's a great experience to prepare for future lectures you may present at in the future!)
And for those of you still thinking about Edmodo, or who have tried it, but didn't find it all that useful or impactful, check out this powerpoint presentation that Joel Rubio has been using with his colleagues: Edmodo For Beginners Powerpoint. It takes a few seconds to load up, but it's totally worth it, and fully downloadable.
For a faster version, but one you can't save on your computer, click here: Edmodo Web Slideshow
Education technology is changing the way we think about education, and deliver and manage content. The Edmodo Symposium that Los Al will host will have that as a theme, and we'd love for you to be a part of it!
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Random Act Of Kindness
Ms. Schaeffer Gives A Student A Wristband For Returning An iPhone!!! |
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After-School Homework Help Can Change A Grade...
Math teacher, Piper Brucculeri, keeps her room open nearly every day after school. And late, too. This photo was snapped after 5pm last week, and there were still students working on math in her room.
While some may not call this a "strategy," research suggests that extending opportunities for students to learn and practice leads to a deeper understanding of the material.
PARADIGM SHIFT COMING >>> For years, schools have been operating under the framework that TIME is fixed, and LEARNING is the variable. (We give grades to students for how much they can accomplish in a semester, for example.)
But staying after school to help students with their homework changes this paradigm. By ensuring that students learn, no matter what, teachers have the ability to make LEARNING fixed, and TIME the variable.
However we help our students... the more time we can create for them to learn, the deeper their content mastery will be, not only this semester, but for many semesters to come.
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"Everything I've Ever Done... Ever!"
What you're looking at is a huge binder full of math problems... but it doesn't belong to a student.
Actually, Dave Barker has been collecting math problems for the better part of two years now, archiving every problem he and his students work on in class.
The reason? It helps him teach..
Mr. Barker said that he "got sick of thinking to [him]self, 'Hey, didn't I do that problem last year? And didn't we come up with a great way to solve it in class?'"
In actuality, by having every homework problem archived and completed during the "We Do" portion of class instruction, students get a chance to learn how other students in years past solved the same problem.
This is a lot different than looking up answers in the back of the book. Mr. Barker has found a simple and effective way to capture student output, and turn it into a source of learning for a different cohort of students in the near future.
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Wanna Help Out With Homecoming?
Don't worry... you won't have to dress up like this guy did.
We just need a few teachers to help out at the game on Thursday night, 10/4/12 @ 7pm. And @ the dance on Friday, 10/5/12 from 7-11pm.
If you're around, please email Melissa Miller and Jason Farvour at mmiller@losal.org, or jfarvour@losal.org to let them know.
They'll get back to you with details. Thanks!
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Los Alamitos High School
3591 Cerritos Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
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