|
Los Angeles Unified School District
Pupil Services Newsletter
 
Mission
"To ensure that all LAUSD students are enrolled, attending, engaged and on-track to graduate"
|
|
Volume 4, Issue 3
|
December 2013
|
|
|
Greetings!
Join me in congratulating Dr. Debra Duardo for being selected to receive the prestigious 2014-15 Stanton Fellowship from The Durfee Foundation. Please click here for more information on the LAUSD Press Release.
I want to thank all of you for your participation in the video projects that we have been working on to build cohesion and unity among all members of our unit. I am excited about viewing the finalized video recording of the "I Am..." project that will be viewed at our January Professional Development.
The "3 Words" project will be filmed during December and January and will be presented at our March Professional Development.
As the Holiday season approaches, our goal as the Pupil Services Unit is to remind parents/guardians of the importance of attendance and that the best gift they can give their child this holiday is an education.
During the winter break, be sure to replenish your personal motivation by taking care of your needs and engaging in self-care. Spend quality time with your family and friends as you begin to ring in the New Year. Have a safe and happy holiday season!
Erika Torres, MSW
Director
|
|
|
Your APSAC Board continues to move forward with supporting members' professional growth. Our goal is to offer two professional development opportunities this Spring. Based on the Pupil Services survey, we know that 68% of Pupil Services staff who responded are in the process of licensure, or are already licensed. These PD's will provide valuable knowledge to all participants, and will support the important work that we do each day.
To ensure these opportunities meet the needs of our members, please participate in a brief survey by visiting the updated website: www.apsac.net. Click on "Events and PD's" (no password required) to take the survey. Please complete the survey by Friday, December 13, 2013.
***Don't forget! APSAC members will enjoy reduced rates for these PD's- and it's never too late to join APSAC!***
Your APSAC Board would like to take this opportunity to wish you the most joyous of holiday seasons and health and happiness in the New Year!
|
|
|
|
| |
December
12/04 - APSAC Meeting
12/23 - 1/10/14 - Winter Recess
1/13/14 - Second Semester Begins
|
|
|
December
12/05 - School staff generates ISIS Initial Evaluation List
12/17- School staff clears absences
12/18 - Central Office generates Final Report
1/13/14 - Central Office mails Truancy Letters
**Schools are required to clear and update attendance data and records during the current school year. Corrections and updates to attendance data and records are not allowed after the school year has closed. Refer to REF-5464.2.
|
PSA Counselors at the October 2013 Professional Development.
|
|
|
EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTERS
| | |
|
ESC East
Attendance Fun at Clinton Middle School!
PSA Counselor, Dora Casillas, is diligently working to engage staff and students to make school attendance fun at Clinton Middle School! In order to do such, Dora organizes three large "Attendance Celebrations" a year. Clinton MS students have the opportunity to participate in each event if they achieve perfect attendance for the identified 2-month period (e.g., January and February).
On October 31st, Dora successfully hosted the first Attendance Celebration/Fair of the year.
Dora promoted perfect attendance by advertising the Attendance Celebration for months leading up to the day's event. She notified faculty and students of the criteria through the use of posters and announcements. She created a themed poster notifying students that in order to participate in the Attendance Celebration, they would have to achieve perfect attendance for the period of September 3rd through October 31st. The day of the event, 362 students were identified and provided a ticket to participate in the celebration.
The Attendance Celebration consisted of three booths. Students' tickets were stamped as they visited each booth to ensure students did not visit the booths more than one time. At the first booth, students received an ice cream sandwich. A "Spin the Wheel" was set up at the second booth in which students had to answer attendance questions and in turn received candy. At the final booth, "Beat the Clock," students simulated a morning routine where they had to race to "get dressed" and ready for the day. The event proved to be a great success in engaging students and raising awareness around the importance of school attendance.
 | | Way to go, Dora! (pictured on right) |
|
|
ESC West
Cultivating a Warm and Welcoming School Culture at LeConte Middle School
LeConte Middle School is privileged to have the support of numerous community partners, support staff members and MSW/MFT interns who provide much needed support services to students. As a PSA Counselor new to the school herself, Necko Taylor identified the need of the school to bring together the many new faces at LeConte. In response, Ms. Taylor and her interns organized a staff meet and greet event allowing for school faculty and community partners to connect faces and names to the services they provide.
The purpose was to establish a comfortable and collegial environment where individuals were able to learn about one another's roles on campus and share their areas of expertise. In those conversations, academic and attendance goals for the year were also identified. The event has evolved into an annual activity at LeConte and has had a significant impact on the school culture and environment by fostering relationships that allow for a collaborative approach to supporting students.
 | |
The LeConte Middle School support staff pictured above includes Intern Linda Gonzalez, PSA Counselor Necko Taylor, Intern Sylvia Salguero and Healthy Start Resources Navigator Maria Garcia .
|
 | |
PSA Field Coordinator, Pat Burt and PSA Counselor, Oralia Lua at the October 2013 Professional Development.
|
|
|
|
ISIC
Vista MS Videos Support Attendance and Behavior
PSA Counselor Jose Diaz, with the support of Principal Giuseppe Nardulli and the Vista MS Studios have created a video and posted it on their home page. In the video, Mr. Diaz along with students, discussed attendance strategies, the uniform policy, how to say "NO" to drugs and showed recent fun school activities. The Vista Studio students gained valuable experience producing a video that presented information and school rules in a way the students would enjoy. To see this latest video, log on to YouTube, then view the video on Vista's website at
http://www.vistamiddle.org/
ISIC PSA Teams up with Operation School Bell
On Thursday, October 24, 2013, ISIC PSA hosted its first 2013-14 Operation School Bell on Wheels event at Gratts Learning Academy for Young Scholars. All ISIC schools with students in grades K-6 were invited to bring 8 students. 211 Kindergarten through 6th grade students from 20 ISIC schools were fitted for new school uniforms, shoes, backpacks, jackets and miscellaneous items. Our thanks to Principal, Maria Butler from Gratts for opening up her school for this event and to Wanda Soohoo, ISIC Lead PSA Counselor for organizing the effort. We are grateful to our partners at City Year for sending 5 wonderful volunteers to assist with fitting the students with shoes. The next ISIC Operation School Bell on Wheels event to take place on January 23, 2014!
 | |
PSA Counselor, Horace Brown with 6th grade students from Obama Preparatory Academy.
|
 | |
PSA Counselor, Geraland Benson with Woodcrest Elementary students.
|
McTeacher's Night at Stevenson Middle School
Ever dream of having your principal or teacher prepare dinner for you and your schoolmates? Well, the students at Stevenson Middle School had just that opportunity. PSA Counselor, Tania Martinez in conjunction with Stevenson Middle School's faculty and staff partnered with their local McDonald's to participate in McTeacher's Night. Teachers and administrators were flipping burgers, running the drive-through window and cleaning trays alongside with McDonald's employees to serve students and their families their favorite Happy Meal. 15% of the proceeds went back to the school for attendance incentive programs. It was a wonderful way to get the school, students and their families and the community together. Schools can contact their local McDonald's to organize their own event!
 | | Stevenson Middle School's PSA Counselor, Tania Martinez, Principal, Leo Gonzalez and Assistant Principal, Hady Cortez. |
|
|
|
ESC South
ESC South Collaborates to Keep Students, Enrolled, Attending, and Engaged
"IT TAKES A VILLAGE" to combat truancy and recently
this adage was fully carried out through an extremely complex case that reached the hands of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) in ESC South. In October 2012, the ESC South Field Coordinator, Dionne Ash, received a referral from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) reporting that three (3) minor students, who were in the care of their father and elderly grandmother, had not been enrolled in school and it was uncertain whether they ever attended school at all. Immediately, Ms. Ash initiated an action plan with SARB Chairperson Cecilia Alexander, Lead District Counselor Graciela Ortiz, and School Based PSA Counselor Josette Rosas to ensure the students immediate enrollment in school. Ms. Rosas collaborated with the appropriate school personnel and provided intensive case management services with an in-home counseling session and offered community resources to the family. Despite numerous school-level efforts and community support services, the children were not enrolled in school. Thus, the case was referred to the School Attendance Review Board. Although, the family failed to attend the hearing, the SARB panel strategized and collaborated on how to address the multi-faceted needs of the children, as well as the father and grandmother. Alas, by February 2013, the children were enrolled in school; but again, the students failed to attend school regularly. The PSA Counselor continued to work closely with the principal and school personnel in order to implement academic and social-emotional interventions (an SST) to address the students' varied needs. After the summer break and during the first week of school in August, to our dismay, the children did not return to school. Immediately, the new PSAC, Ms. Linda Cortez, the principal, and the Psychiatric Social Worker (PSW) collaborated to make an impromptu home visitation to ascertain reasons for the students' non-enrollment. The intervention proved successful as evidenced by the children returning to school. Currently, all of the children are meeting the Superintendent's Performance Meter Goal for Attendance. This case is an excellent example of ESC South utilizing a multi-disciplinary team of professionals collaborating with schools, families and the Community to deliver quality physical and mental health services. Collaboratively, the team increased the achievement and well-being of three students who were about to lose their opportunity to realize a bright and optimistic future. In this case, "Attendance (WAS TRULY) Everybody's Business"!
 | | SARB Chairs Cecilia Alexander and Velma Davis at the October 2013 Professional Development. |
|
|
|
ESC North
ESC North Pupil Services and Attendance has identified the twenty lowest-achieving schools on the Attendance Performance Meter. The PSA team, under the leadership of Field Coordinator Pat Jimenez, is providing targeted assistance to help these schools improve. The Coordinator, Lead Counselor and SARB Chairs are assisting the schools as well as the ESC Operations and Instructional Leadership in monitoring attendance data, intervening with individual cases, and in-servicing staff and faculty to facilitate systematic improvements.
 | |
SARB Chair, Edith Miller presenting on SART at the the October 2013 Professional Development.
|
|
|
|
FOREIGN STUDENT ADMISSIONS
The Foreign Student Admissions Office is
currently accepting applications for any foreign students who would like to attend an LAUSD school on an F1 or J1 Visa for the Spring Semester. F1 students pay full tuition to attend an LAUSD school for a semester or a school year. J1 students are here for a cultural exchange, which could also be for a semester or a full school year.
The Foreign Student Admissions Office is looking for schools interested in being pilot schools to provide focused support for foreign exchange students for the 2014-15 school year. Schools or staff that are interested should contact the Foreign Student Admissions Office via email at studyinla@lausd.net or 213 202 7581.
|
|
|
ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (AIP)
The Attendance Improvement Counselors (AIC) have been working hard to increase and maintain the number of students meeting the goal of attending school at 96% or better. The Attendance Improvement Program (AIP) is proud to announce that 78 out of 79 AIP schools are currently meeting or exceeding their 5% attendance increase goal. In addition, 10 of these schools are meeting or exceeding the Superintendent's Performance Meter Goal of 76% or more of students attending at 96% or better.
Utilizing MyData, AICs reviewed last year's attendance data and strategically planned events to help motivate students to attend school the day after Halloween. Since this day typically has a high rate of absences, AIC worked diligently to promote activities, events, and incentives in efforts to avoid unnecessary absences from occuring.
In the month of November, AIP incorporated the theme of Collaboration and Resources into teaching attendance. To read more about AICs incorporating school, district and community resources to improve attendance, click here for the Attendance Improvement Newsletter.
Attendance Incentive
On Saturday, November 2, a full bus of 9th grade students from Los Angeles High School had the opportunity to attend a UCLA Football Game at the Rose Bowl, as a reward for maintaining Proficient/Advanced attendance. Fifty students received free admission, lunch and snacks, as a result of donations obtained by Attendance Improvement Counselor (AIC) Nicole Nigosian and Attendance Improvement Program (AIP) Lead Counselor Melinda Duran. The Attendance Improvement Program counselors are continually looking for creative and exciting ways to reward students, to motivate them to stay on track, and to provide them with new opportunities.
 | |
Pictured here at the Rose Bowl are AIC Nicole Nigosian and AI Lead Counselors Melinda Duran and Martha Godinez who accompanied the students to the game.
|
|
|
|
FOSTER CARE PROGRAM
The Foster Care Program participated in the Grandparents as Parents' (GAP) 11th Annual Professional Conference, "Trauma Informed Care: Through the Lens of Relative Caregivers," on Monday, October 21st, 2013 at the California Endowment Center. The conference highlighted the dynamics of the relationships between relatives and the children they parent and how to effectively empower them by providing supportive and nurturing care in professional practice.
Participants attended workshops and a resource fair. Father "Greg" Joseph Boyle, founder and director of Homeboy Industries was the keynote speaker. Other community partners included: Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS); Los Angeles Mission College; AAA TLC Healthcare; Child and Family Guidance; Shields for Families and United Friends of the Children. The conference was well received by the caregivers and community organizations. The Foster Care Program took advantage of this opportunity to connect and build alliances with key community partners and grandparents/relative caregivers, as well as provide information regarding services offered (i.e. training, technical support, and the Pathways to College Program) by the Foster Care Program.
GAP currently serves relative caregivers in Los Angeles County. Over 90 percent of the caregivers are grandparents; the remaining 10 percent include aunts, uncles, siblings, and close friends. GAP provides weekly support groups, crisis counseling, educational workshops, advocacy, respite care, and emergency resource referrals for food, clothing and shelter.
 |
|
|
CAMP RETURNEE PROGRAM
Camps and Halls
Many think that juvenile halls and probation camps serve as a playground for offenders who are too young to be sentenced to an adult jail facility. To the contrary, they are places where crucial social skills and a positive value system are established. It is hoped that upon release these young offenders will start over with the ability to avoid the anti-social behaviors that got them there in the first place.
While incarcerated, every minute of the day is supervised and structured. The LA County Office of Education (LACOE) provides the free and appropriate public education. Kids are assigned therapists, participate in daily groups, may be required to participate in drug counseling, anger management, team building exercises, etc. They are given homework time, vocational training, on site job assignments (kitchen, grounds, etc). Outside agencies often visit the camps and provide more resources. Father Gregory Boyle (Father G) regularly visits the facilities to offer Mass and to give every minor his business card, encouraging them to see him at Homeboy Industries upon release. Every camp/hall even has an Academic Bowl team that culminates in a year end competition. For the past few years this event has been held at the Gene Autry Museum.
The Camps (approximately 6-12 months):
- Afflerbaugh-Paige (La Verne/all male-fire camp focusing on forestry, fire fighting and prevention)
- Glenn Rockey (San Dimas/all male)
- Munz/Mendenhall (Lake Hughes/all male)
- David Gonzales (Malibu/all male-you drive past this camp on Malibu Cyn. Rd.)
- Miller (Malibu/all male)
- Kilpatrick (Malibu/all male-the sports camp that inspired the movie The Gridiron Gang)
- Kirby (Los Angeles/co-ed mental health facility)
- Scott/Scudder (Saugus/all female)
- Challenger (Lancaster/all male-three camps in one: Jarvis, McNair, and Onizuka)
The Halls (held pending court decision):
- Central (Los Angeles)
- Los Padrinos (Downey)
- Nidorf (Sylmar)
|
|
|
DIPLOMA PROJECT
On October 30, 2013 six hundred and fifty 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Robert E. Peary Middle School students displayed excitement as they were regaled by the Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre performance of "Someone Like Me." Peals of laughter, oohs and ahhs could be heard as the actors' brilliant execution humanized the subject of "Bullying".
The Diploma Project sponsored the performance, in support of "Bullying Awareness Month" and Peary Middle School's Boys and Girls Mentoring Program. Several teachers complimented the performance by saying that, in the past, they have been given information about bullying; but they had never seen it dealt with in such a down-to-earth, pragmatic manner.
The play provided an opportunity to deal with some of the reasons why adolescents drop out in middle school by expanding on the various kinds of bullying: cyber-bullying, sexual bullying, physical bullying and verbal bullying. Additional topics covered included: peer pressure, depression and suicidal ideation, sexual attraction, abstinence and communication with peers and adults.
|
GPC Beverly Evans with the Kaiser Permanente Education Theatre actors.
|
|
|
|
HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM
November was designated as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. The Homeless Education Program would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the month a success and take a moment to highlight some of the contributions that were made.
 | |
CPK lunch in support of HEP.
|
Big Man Bakes generously provided cupcakes for our
donation drive that was held at LAUSD headquarters throughout the month. California Pizza Kitchen at the 7th Street Marketplace donated a portion of all sales in the month of November to the program. The monetary contributions that LAUSD employees made were also greatly appreciated. All donations went directly to support the program.
One of the goals for the month was to bring awareness to the topic of homeless youth. Huntington Park High School took it to the next level and organized a sock drive lead by Alma Castro, Title III Coordinator and Juan Alfaro, EL Title I Coordinator. With the support of their school Principal Ms. Hernandez, the students from the Language in Action after school program, partnered with the LA Mission to collect socks for their homeless residents. On November 13th, a ceremony was held to present over 400 pairs of new socks to Tina Russek, Gifts-in-Kind Manager. The students were excited to be recognized for their effort to help the needy. Click here for the Homeless Education Program Newsletter.
For more information on the Homeless Education Program please visit the website at
|
|
NEGLECTED , DELINQUENT OR AT-RISK YOUTH PROGRAM
2nd Annual Holiday Art Contest
The votes are in and a winner has been selected for the Neglected, Delinquent or At-Risk Youth Program 2nd Annual Holiday Art Contest for Pregnant and Parenting Students! The contest was open to students attending any school in the LAUSD. Students were asked to submit artwork illustrating their favorite holiday memory or tradition by November 1, 2013.
Last year's winner, a student from Ramona HS, received $50 worth of diapers and baby wipes. This year, participating students were eligible for a chance to win a $50 gift card, as well as, the opportunity for their art work to be displayed on the N or D program's 2013 holiday card for community partners.
The N or D Program is happy to announce that the winner of the 2013 Holiday Art Contest is Andrie Aguilar from Mc Alister HS (Chatsworth)! Andrie's entry entitled, "Gathering Together", received the highest number of votes and will be showcased on the cover of the program's 2013 holiday card. Andrie will also receive a $50 gift card to Target to use on needed baby items.
Thanks to the generous donations of LAUSD staff, the program was able to select a second and third place winner. Crystal Amaya (2nd place) and Karina Osorio (3rd place), also students from Mc Alister HS, will be awarded gift cards as well. All participants did an amazing job at sharing their favorite holiday memory or tradition. Congratulations students and Happy Holidays!
|
|
CITY PARTNERSHIP
Pursuing the Dream Maria Isabel Ocampo is a Mexican American "Dreamer" (as she likes to refer to herself) who immigrated to the United States at the age of four after enduring much hardship and the loss of her father in her native country. She came to the Boyle Heights Technology Center in September 2012 after being contacted by PSA, Ms. Sara Puma while working the LAUSD Potential Dropout Report. Initially, Maria was ambivalent about returning to school to complete the requirements for her high school as she was not familiar with the Technology Center.
Fortunately, Maria qualified for the City of Los Angeles Youth Training Academy (YTA) program that offered her assistance with paying for school courses, transportation and the GED Exam.
Maria had a lot of self doubt and did not believe that she could pass the GED. After much encouragement and mentoring by the Boyle Heights Tech staff and her YTA Case Manager, Karina Henriquez, Maria finally took her GED in August 2013 and passed on her first try.
Currently, Maria is enrolled at LA City College and pursuing her dream of becoming a civil rights attorney where she can assist other "Dreamers" that have encountered the same barriers that she currently faces. Everybody at the Tech Center is proud of Maria.
To read more about the City Partnership, click
here for the November/December Newsletter.
|
|
|
LAUSD GRADVAN SIGHTINGS
|
Event
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Attendees
| |
LASPD
3rd Annual
Carnival
|
11/7-11/11/13
|
LA
School Police Event
|
LA Live
|
200
| |
LAUSD 5K "Move It" Challenge
| 11/16/13 | LAUSD Event | Dodger Stadium |
200
|
 | | Central District Counselors with the Grad Van at the LASPD Community Carnival at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles. |
 | | Senior Deputy Superintendent Michelle King, SHHS Executive Director Dr. Debra Duardo and the Central District Counselors with the LAUSD Grad Van at the Move It! 5k Challenge, Dodger Stadium. |
 | |
SHHS staff at the Move It! 5k Challenge.
|
If you would like to request the GradVan for an
upcoming school event, click here for the flyer and referral form. Please note: A minimum of three weeks advance notice is necessary. All requests are reviewed carefully and confirmation of the event is based on staffing availability.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RESOURCES
California Open Enrollment Act
The California Open Enrollment Act, SBX5 4 (Romero) establishes a list of 1,000 "low achieving" schools for each school year. Parents/guardians of students at one of the 1,000 California Open Enrollment schools have the option to request a transfer to another school with a higher API score within the district or outside of the district. The application period is on or about November 1, 2013 through January 1, 2013 to be considered for enrollment in the 2014-2015 school year.
For an overview, frequently asked questions and more information on how parents apply for the Open Enrollment -Romero Act and the list of eligible schools, please go to the LAUSD website at http://home.lausd.net/, click on the Families tab, and in the Welcome Families section click on Parents: Got Questions?
Attendance Works
Attendance Works has developed a holiday messaging toolkit--complete with talking points, sample messages and letters in English and Spanish--to communicate to parents just before the holidays. For more information go to http://www.attendanceworks.org.
|
AMERICAN GRADUATE GRANT  The American Graduate Grant is an initiative that is committed to bringing awareness to the dropout crisis. Pupil Services is a recipient of this grant in the Southern California area.
|
The Pupil Services Newsletter is emailed to all staff during the first week of every month. If you would like to contribute or have a suggestion for a future edition, please email Nicole Mitchell at nkm2268@lausd.net or Yvette Zavala at yvette.zavala@lausd.net by the second Friday of each month. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Please note that content submitted may be edited or altered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
