It is now mid-April and much of my attention and time is focused on the 2012-2013 school year.  Because I am starting to get questions about class placement procedures, I thought I would devote this article to that process.

Class Placement

Our Beliefs About Class Placement:

• All of our teachers are able to meet the needs of any of our students.
• Classes are best when they're mixed on several levels: gender, social maturity, interest level, student background, etc. .
• Accepting parents' requests for specific teachers hampers our ability to make the best placements for all students.

For Students Entering Grades 4-5:

One of the Third and Fourth grade faculty's tasks each spring is to develop class groupings for the coming school year. ("Class Groupings" are not made with a specific teacher in mind.  Actual teacher assignments are made by the La Entrada administration after class groupings are done.)  Considerable thought and attention go into formulating classes that will work best for students.  The teachers and administrators consider three major perspectives as we work together to develop class groupings: the needs of the individual child, the need to create balance within each classroom, and the need to create balance among classrooms at a grade level.

We seek to create balanced classrooms by considering such factors as gender, ethnicity, the academic readiness levels of the children, students' learning and working styles, and relationships among children.  We ask ourselves these kinds of questions as we compose classrooms:  Does each class reflect the range of learners from those who are highly independent to those who need special support?  Does each class reflect a range of academic readiness levels?  Will the social dynamics of the class foster a positive learning environment?

We take the classroom grouping process seriously, always striving to place the educational and social-emotional interests of the children in the forefront.  Your child's current teacher will bring all she or he knows about your child's individual needs and capabilities to the grouping decision.

We believe that your child's current teacher possesses the necessary information and understanding concerning your child to make an appropriate grouping for the coming school year.  However, if you wish to provide additional perspectives about your child that you believe we are not aware of and that could be useful to us as we engage in the grouping process, we offer that opportunity through email to me (lthomas@llesd.org).  If you do plan to send me additional information via email, please do so by May 18.  Remember, this is optional.  Please be assured that equal care and consideration will be taken in placing each child.  There is no expectation that an email be sent.  It is simply our way of offering an additional opportunity for those of you who want to provide more input.  

We do expect that parents will trust and respect the judgment of staff in making classroom placement decisions.  We do not accept requests for specific teachers because such requests would compromise our ability to develop balanced classes - which would impact all children.  Since requests for specific teachers are not helpful to this process, we ask that you do not formally or informally make requests for specific teachers.

While we do not accept teacher requests, it is helpful for us to know if you have had an older child in a specific classroom that did not work well for him or her.  If that is the case, feel free to email me that information and we will do our best to place your child elsewhere.  Please note that while we do our best to accommodate these situations in the core classroom, the process for math placement may not allow for such requests.

The actual process for composing classes involves all teachers at a grade level working together to develop classes for the next grade.  As they work together during several meetings, the administration and support staff also provide perspectives based on their knowledge of the children.  As appropriate, input from prior teachers is tapped. 

One final note:  although this activity begins this spring, a number of variables and unpredictable factors --- such as new enrollments, student transfers, staff changes --- delay the final class assignments until shortly before school begins in the fall.  For this reason, classroom assignments will be mailed home in August.

For Students Entering Grades 6-8:

The process for these grade levels is much more "technology" dependent because we offer students a wide variety of courses in a manner that is more typical of a high school.  We use a computer system to do the scheduling of students in grades 6-8.  The process looks like this:

      1. The students fill out their registration forms, listing their elective choices for the following year. (This has already happened.)

      2. I develop a master schedule that has the highest probability of meeting the highest percent of student requests.  This is a list of classes, what periods of the day the classes will take place, the teachers for each class, maximum number of students for the class, and the room the classes take place in.

      3. Students' elective choices are entered into the system, as well as a list of the required courses they must take.

      4. The computer places the students into a schedule which allows for the closest match of the student getting his/her top elective choices as well as the required courses.

      5. The computer generates a list of students who were unable to be scheduled completely.  We then look at the students' other elective choices to see how to make the schedule work, and we also experiment with other variations of the master schedule.

      6. We print out a list of all classes and make necessary adjustments to try to balance the class groupings.

Again, although this activity begins this spring, a number of variables and unpredictable factors --- such as new enrollments, student transfers, staff changes --- delay the final schedule until shortly before school begins in the fall.  For this reason, schedules will not be available until August.  

Geometry Pathway Information (Current 5th and 7th Graders)

 

A note went home with all 5th and 7th grade students during the week of April 9.  The note outlines information regarding math options for incoming 6th and 8th graders.  It includes information about the Geometry Pathway.  Please ask your student to give you the note.   

Sincerely,

 Larry Thomas

Schedule of Events:

Friday June 8th, 4:45 pm at La Entrada:  Class of 2012 Photo (Graduates only)

Friday June 8th, 6:00 pm at La Entrada:  Graduation Ceremony

Friday June 8th, 7:30-10:30 pm at Jensen Hall:  Dance Party (Graduates only)

Saturday June 9th, 6:30-9:30 pm at Ladera Rec:  Pool Party (Graduates only)

Donations:

The Graduation Committee is trying to raise $5,000 to cover the costs of the ceremony and festivities to keep the ticket prices to a minimum.  We are starting to solicit donations now to offset the costs of the events.  We hope that you will contribute what you are able.  Another letter will be sent out shortly that will cover the graduation details and include the order form for the ticket purchase.  Please make a donation now by sending a check payable to "La Entrada Graduation 2012" to our Treasurer, Virginia Chang Kiraly, P.O. Box 7525, Menlo Park, CA  94026-7525, or dropping it off in the office by Friday, May 4. 

Spring Fever or Loss of Motivation:  How to Help Your Underachieving Teen

By Jennifer Jones, LCSW, Site Director, Palo Alto High School

            It's that time of year; the long winter is over, trees are blossoming, the temperature is warming, and we all want to go to the beach instead of to work.  That's why Spring Break was invented.  But what if a week of vacation doesn't revive and re-inspire?  What if that loss of interest in work isn't temporary? As the Supervisor in a counseling center on a high school campus, I have been hearing a lot lately from parents and teens about a general loss of motivation and interest in doing well in school.  If it didn't just start prior to spring break and isn't "Senioritis;" if it's been ongoing, what can parents do to increase a teen's motivation to succeed?

            As human beings we develop the motivation to please our parents as we receive nurturance, love, food and other basic needs from them.  As we grow from babies to toddlers and throughout childhood, we receive both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for behaving appropriately and doing what we are told.  By the time we become independent adults, we have learned what happens when we "don't behave," when we procrastinate, don't complete our tasks, act irresponsibly, or make poor choices. How we spend our time is our choice now and we deal with the consequences. Teenagers need to test; they need to find out "what will happen if...?" on their journey to adulthood.  Making poor choices or mistakes is part of the process. 

As parents, we have the most influence over our children's lives, until they hit adolescence.  At this time, their focus turns to the outside world.  They begin to learn more from their friends, other adults, and the surrounding culture. They start behaving differently and want to spend less time with family, all normal developmental processes.  Their interests may broaden and motivators may change.  But when a parent notices a significant and alarming shift in their teen's school performance it can be a cause for action. Two factors that tend to lead to a loss of motivation in teens, and which parents can still greatly influence, are:

1) Loss of self-confidence/self-esteem, and

2) Lack of control/choices in their life. 

Sometimes a very authoritarian-style of parenting, which includes lecturing, criticizing, having unrealistic expectations, and engaging in frequent power struggles with children can erode a child's self-esteem.  If there are too many conditions for love and acceptance, the child may just give up entirely or chose to rebel by doing poorly. 

Sometimes we parents don't realize we continue to parent our teens as if they are still younger children.  We haven't shifted our parenting role to match their changing developmental needs.  We may continue to tell our teens what to do, when and how to do it, and how they should feel about it.  This can create dependence, low self-esteem and/or resentment.

Parents can help re-motivate their teens by empowering them to act responsibly.  Teens need to be given choices. Consequences of each choice can be explained while allowing the teen to make their own decision, and ultimately learn from their own mistakes. Parents can create a more respectful, cooperative environment by allowing teens to participate in creating the house rules.  Parents can be firm but kind, "I love you and I don't like this behavior."  Natural consequences are generally more effective than punishments.  Parents can involve teens in problem solving.  Parents can ask their teen what they think they should do in a given situation, leading the teen to finding a solution rather than telling them what the solution should be.  Parents can also help re-inspire their teens by doing the following:

1)     Provide unconditional support and acceptance

2)     Encourage teens to explore their passions, validate those passions and provide the tools necessary for exploration

3)     Help teens discover their unique strengths and abilities

4)     Set small, realistic goals, especially for the procrastinator

5)     Provide positive feedback and constructive criticism

6)     Provide incentives (money, electronics, more freedom, etc.)

7)     Encourage teens to do volunteer work in their community

When something more serious is suspected, there is help out there for parents and teens.  Parents can go to their student's Guidance Counselor, School Psychologist, or ACS Counselor to meet, discuss and figure out what is going on and where to access the best support, help and resources that is needed.

Teens respond to the same motivators as adults.  As parents we should remind ourselves about what motivates us, what it's like to feel inspired, and how it feels to be successful - then consistently model that for our children.

Adolescent Counseling Services is a community non-profit, which provides vital counseling services on nine secondary campuses at no charge to students and their families. To learn more about our services please visit the ACS website at www.acs-teens.org or call Dr. Rom Brafman, Site Director at La Entrada (650) 854-3962 ext. 218.  ACS relies on the generosity of community members to continue offering individual, family, and group counseling to over 1,500 individuals annually.  ACS provides critical interventions and mental health services, building a better future for tomorrow. If you are interested in helping to support our efforts, do not hesitate to call to make a donation. It goes a long way in helping teenagers find their way!

Join us for breakfast and learn more about ACS programs, trends in child and teen mental and emotional health, and hear from our licensed clinical staff about how you can better communicate and interact with any teen in your life.  These events are free, but space is limited.  Please RSVP to events@acs-teens.org or 650-424-0852 ext. 103 with your name, address, phone number and the date you would like to attend.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | 8:00-9:30am | ACS Corporate Office, 1717 Embarcadero Road, Suite 4000, Palo Alto, CA 94303

Don't know whom to sit with?  We know you have lots of friends - maybe too many to choose from! Or, you might be a newer member of our family, in the process of getting to know other people.  Never fear!  The Auction team is here to help you!  It's just fine to buy tickets for yourself, or specify another couple or two as tablemates; we'll place you with some other fantastic parents in the district. Also, feel free to tell us what grade your child is in when you buy your tickets now and we will seat you with other families from the same grade...and even from the same class or neighborhood if possible.

Not sure what you will bid on?  Get psyched, because this auction is offering some incredible items of Olympic-level greatness! Auction catalogs will arrive a few weeks before the auction...open it as soon as it comes home and make your list!  Don't forget to regularly visit our website at www.llef.org to see the Auction Previews sections - exciting items will continue to be added.

Take a look at these Auction Highlights...yours for the bidding!

• Trip to the London Olympics with tickets to 7 premiere events, August 8-13, 2013
• Three nights at the Ahwahnee Hotel Sunroom Suite for Memorial Day Weekend
• Trip for four via private plane to your choice home football game of #1 ranked USC Trojans
• Jet Fighter Pilots for a Day! Dog fight your pal in the sky! (All real, just no guns!)
•  Ski-in/Ski-out Luxury Deer Valley Condo for the Sundance Film Festival
• Round of golf for three at Pebble Beach with former NFL star Harris Barton
• Fisker Karma Luxury Hybrid car for weekend escape to Meadowood Napa Valley
• Andrew Luck personalized autographed jersey and football
• Four tickets and limo service to "Outstanding in a Field" gourmet beach dinner
• And so much more . . . . . .

Want to volunteer at the auction? We have many areas with which we need help:  Check-in, check-out, party set up, party clean up, etc. Please contact Valorie Friedsam at auction_volunteers@llef.org if you'd like to be a part of this awesome team!

Please bring your entire family and join the Las Lomitas Education Foundation's first ever Fun Run, Saturday, May 12 starting at 8:30 a.m. from the Las Lomitas Kindergarten playground.  Three separate run/walk events will be held, and everyone is invited to participate in:

• The short course on the Las Lomitas playground for the youngest participants

• The 1 mile road course on the beautiful streets of Atherton for older kids wanting a bigger challenge
• The 5K run/walk road course through the gorgeous, flat backstreets of Atherton

Mark your calendars and start your preparations today!  Strollers are welcome!  Registration details will be available soon.