Monday Morning Memo --- June 10, 2013
Upcoming Events:

 

MON.  (6/10)  Find "Flat Griffin" In Your Mailbox :)               

                     (click above to read all about it...)

 

                      ***SENIOR FINALS***

                     (Regular Schedule, Dismissal @ 2:30pm)

 

TUES. (6/11)  ***SENIOR FINALS***

                     (Regular Schedule, Dismissal @ 2:30pm)

 

WED. (6/12)   Senior Lunch - Knott's Berry Farm

                      (Finals Schedule, Dismissal @ Noon)

                    

THUR. (6/13)  Graduation Practice --- 8:30am - 10:30am
                      (Finals Schedule, Dismissal @ Noon)

 

                      GRADUATION!  (Starts at 4pm @ Home Depot Center)

 

FRI. (6/14)      END-OF-THE-YEAR BREAKFAST 8:30am, Room 500

 

                      TEACHER CHECK-OUT DAY :)

 

                      ***No Students @ School***

                                              

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!
And don't forget to take your "Flat Griffin" with you on your Summer Travels.  We'd love to see where you went during our Back To School Slideshow on August 26th :)

& On The Horizon...

June 15 - August 25 ---- Vacation :)
The Best Graduation Speeches... Ever:
With Graduation Happening This Week @ Los Al, Here's Some Sage Advice From Three Recent Commencement Speakers
Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
 
Perhaps the most famous Commencement Speech of the 2000's, the text of Steve Jobs' speech can be found here: 

 
Some notable quotes from the speech are:
 
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever."
 
"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."
 
"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
 
J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement
J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement
 
Next is J.K. Rowling's Commencement Speech from Harvard in 2008.  It's called "The Fringe Benefits Of Failure, And The Importance Of Imagination."  Full text of the speech can be found here:
 
 
Some notable quotes from the speech are: 

"However, the fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you are not very well-acquainted with failure.. Indeed, your conception of failure might not be too far from the average person's idea of success, so high have you already flown."

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default."
 
"As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters."
 
Ben Bernanke's Ten Suggestions for Princeton Grads
Ben Bernanke's Ten Suggestions for Princeton Grads
  
Here's a brand new speech, given last weekend at Princeton.  It's from former Princeton Economics Professor Ben Bernanke.  And not only is it surprisingly funny... it's wonderfully brilliant.  Here's the full text:
 
 
Some notable quotes from the speech are:

"My qualification for making these suggestions, or observations, besides having kindly been invited to speak today by President Tilghman, is the same as the reason that your obnoxious brother or sister got to go to bed later--I am older than you."

"If your uniform isn't dirty, you haven't been in the game."
 
"I think most of us would agree that people who have, say, little formal schooling but labor honestly and diligently to help feed, clothe, and educate their families are deserving of greater respect--and help, if necessary--than many people who are superficially more successful. They're more fun to have a meal with, too."
Griffins Are Biliterate!
More than 200 Seniors get to wear this medallion on Graduation
During a lunchtime ceremony in Room 153/154, 200+ Seniors were awarded California's highest honor in learning a foreign language.

The State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB), AB 815 (Brownley, Chapter 618, Statutes of 2011), became effective January 1, 2012, and provides recognition to high school students who have demonstrated proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English. Each school district, county office of education (COE), or direct-funded charter school that confers the Seal is required to maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have met the established criteria for the award and to affix the Seal's insignia to the diploma or transcript of each qualifying student. 

 

To qualify for the State Seal Of Biliteracy, high school graduates must meet all of the following criteria:

 

1.  Complete all English Language Arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average of 2.0 or above in those classes.

2.  Pass the California Standards Test in English Language Arts administered in grade 11 at the Proficient level or above.

3.  Demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English through one of the following methods:

a.  Pass a foreign language Advanced Placement examination with a score of 3 or higher or an International Baccalaureate examination with a score of 4 or higher.

b.  Complete a four-year high school course of study in a foreign (world) language with attainment of an overall grade point average of 3.0 or above in that course of study.

c.  Pass the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) II foreign language examination with a score of 600 or higher.


CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS... YOU HAVE A MARKETABLE SKILL THAT WILL TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD FOR BUSINESS, TRAVEL, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN!
Week 40, 2012-2013... IN THIS ISSUE:
Upcoming Events
The Best Graduation Speeches Ever
Griffins Are Biliterate!
The "Flat Griffin" Project
Photo Essay: The Week In Pictures
 
Los Alamitos High School - Valedictorians Video 2013 
In case you missed it... Check out Camden Marco's
2013 VALEDICTORIANS VIDEO!!! 
 
"FLAT GRIFFIN":
Keeping Track of Los Al's Summer Travels

There's no denying it... when it comes to all things "Los Al," the Griffin is truly at the heart of everything we do.  That's why, this Summer, we're seeing just how far our Griffin can fly :)

If you have a child, or even know of a kid, anywhere between the ages of 6 and 16, chances are they've heard of the story of "Flat Stanley."
 
As the story goes, Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur ar
e given a big bulletin board by their father to display pictures and posters. After dad hangs the board on the wall over Stanley's bed, the board falls from the wall, and flattens Stanley in his sleep on the first night. Stanley survives and makes the best of his altered state. 
 
Enter "The Flat Stanley Project." 
 

The Flat Stanley Project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third grade schoolteacher in LondonOntarioCanada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document where Flat Stanley has accompanied them. Students create paper "Flat Stanleys" and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. Each student's Flat Stanley and its respective journal are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest and add to his journal.

 

This year @ Los Al, we're starting the "Flat Griffin" Summer Travel Blog. 

 

Because it is so important to recognize that all of us have lives outside of work and school, and that we are who we are because of our families, friends, and experiences... we'll plan on, once again, kicking the year off with a slideshow to share that side of everyone's Summer, and help connect all of us to each other in deep and meaningful ways.  Only this year, we're asking that you take the Griffin with you!  And why not?  The Griffin is the tie that bonds us all, and keeps us banded together as a powerful collective :)
 
RULES:  There really aren't any for this project.  You can take pictures of the Griffin alone, or with you, or with others, or whatever you choose.  (Of course, we'd like to at least be able to know who took the photo, so anyway you can show that off would be great.)  If possible, please submit at least two photos sometime during the summer to [email protected] so that our slideshow can be full and robust.  And don't forget to let your creativity (and humor) shine.  We value when others come up with clever and thoughtful ways to approach something... in part, that's what this whole project is all about.
 
The other thing the "Flat Griffin" project is about is CONNECTEDNESS, and the idea that we are most powerful and effective when we work TOGETHER.  Fortunately, we already operate within a healthy culture that supports our work and values our differences... heading into The Common Core, this connectedness will become even more critical to our continued success.
 
Have a great Summer everyone!!!!
 
And don't forget to Instagram:  #FlatGriffin
A Week Full Of Activities:
A Photo Essay...


ASB decorated the backside of the gym with the name of every student in The Class Of 2013, and what they're college plans are for next year.
Baccalaureate was also this week.  Russell, Krista, and Daniel (above) were the three speakers at the ceremony.
 Lina and Raychel provided their voices to a cool Adele track.

The "Glow In The Dark Assembly" was amazinggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, of course, Yearbooks got distributed as well :)
 

Thanks For An Amazing Yearbook Ms. Lundblad!!!!
 
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Los Alamitos High School
3591 Cerritos Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720   
(562) 799-4780