Who is ready for a little Spring Break? All LAUSD schools and offices will be closed from Monday, April 11 through Friday, April 15. Click on the picture for the full 2021-22 approved school calendar for all additional no-school days and the last day of school.

Nobel Middle school welcomed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on March 24. Student leaders at Nobel Middle School had a wonderful opportunity to meet and have lunch with Superintendent Carvalho. Lunch was provided by LAUSD's Food Services Division for the students and Mr. Carvalho. During their lunch at the garden area at Nobel Middle School, the students asked questions about how he will support their school and his vision for LAUSD moving forward. They also gave input on what they anticipated for their education and suggestions on what they would like to see. Thank you Superintendent Carvalho for investing such deep passion to make education and student lives better.

On April 7, it was a wonderful celebration of community at Chatsworth High School for the 2022 Carnival of Knowledge. With more than 10 of our schools represented, along with 30 clubs, 10 community vendors and over 500 people, it was a festive evening. Thank you to Chatsworth High School for hosting the event at your school site.

Congratulations to our outstanding Chatsworth High School Model UN Team that competed on March 26 at the Southern California Competition at USC. 7 of the students brought back awards for their hard work. Way to represent Chancellors!

Title III Coaches have been in our middle schools supporting the implementation of the Get-Lit program. They have been working in classrooms assisting teachers with strategies that support our English Language Learners' listening, speaking, reading and writing. Through the process of learning and writing poetry, these students have tapped into their talents! Students at Lawrence, Nobel, Columbus and PRCS culminated the program by reciting their poems on stage and receiving certificates for a job well done!

Check out the wonderful program Columbus Middle School is offering to Middle School students. Click on the flyer to find out more information about all that Columbus Middle School can offer you!

Coffee with the Local District Northwest Superintendent is intended to be an opportunity to meet with the LDNW staff to discuss current issues and exchange information. Each meeting will include presentations by PACE, Operations, Instruction, District/LD staff, and Superintendent Joseph Nacorda. Board Member representatives will also provide updates. These meetings will give parents the opportunity to provide input on new and continuing initiatives and discuss the impact at local schools. Click here to watch the recording.

Join us for an evening with Community of Schools Administrator Mary Melvin as she shares current information about happenings at our schools and in the District. Operations Coordinator, Sherman Gardin, will also be co-hosting, sharing revised safety protocols for the end of the year activities, events and Graduations. Join us on Tuesday, April 5 at 5:30 by clicking the link to the zoom. https://lausd.zoom.us/j/83184012424

Join us on April 7 at Chatsworth High School at their Annual Carnival of Knowledge. This year, we are providing a special opportunity to join in this special event with specific raffles only for current 8th graders! Check out the campus, talk with current CHS students and teachers, find out more about the SAS and G+STEAM programs all while you get a chance to win some great gift card prizes! You don't want to miss!

Stress Awareness Month has been recognized every April since 1992, but this year it seems particularly important. Whether from our own personal experiences, witnessing the hardships of others around us, or what seems like constant exposure through the news and other media, we have all experienced some level of stress. There is no single definition for stress, but the most common explanation is a physical, mental or emotional strain or tension.

Common reactions to negative stress can include:

· Feeling sad, frustrated or helpless

· Difficulty concentrating and making decisions

· Irritability, outbursts of anger, or frequent arguments

· Headaches or stomach problems

· High blood pressure

The good news is that we can learn to recognize and manage stress before it gets the best of us. The best way to do this according to mental health experts is practicing Mindfulness.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment – where we are, what we are doing, what we are thinking and what we are feeling. When we are fully present and aware of what is happening inside of us, we can reduce our tendency to become overwhelmed by what is going on around us. Mindful practices can help interrupt the stress cycle to allow space to respond instead of reacting.

Examples of Simple Mindfulness Activities:

· Taking a walk and noticing things along the way

· Stopping to take really deep breaths

· Focusing on completing one task at a time

· Being still

· Closing our eyes and listening to what we hear

· Eating slowly

· Setting an intention for the day. For example “Today I will be kind to myself”

More information for kids, teens, and adults:

https://www.mindful.org/

https://www.parents.com/fun/activities/5-mindfulness-activities-you-can-do-as-a-family

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/series/mindfulness-in-early-childhood

Dive into Spring with this fun graphic novel challenge. Graphic novels run the gamut from silly to sophisticated and are great reading for all ages. Choose titles from our reading list or select a few reading activities and Wham! Bang! Pow! Earn four badges and you will be entered into a drawing to win a prize pack of graphic novels.

https://lapl.beanstack.org/reader365

We have an amazing opportunity, for our Black Boys in Grades 3 - 5, to join Wes Hall in a weekly group conversation designed to provide African American young men access to engaging, personalized, and empowering life lessons and pursuits. Each young man is mentored in key aspects of life, academics, and financial success.

This workshop is open to students in Local District Northwest. Click on the flyer for more information. All meetings will be virtual.

Wes Hall’s Greatness Academy- Registration is NOW OPEN-

Scheduled to launch 3/21- For Black Boys in grades 3-5

The LDNW Equity Team under the guise of Ms. Stevens has put together a series of workshops that focus on parents, teachers, and students. Through working, building, and growing together, and tackling tough issues collectively we are making sure our future history is represented of all voices.

For older kids, the YMCA is bringing back our Junior Leaders Program. Junior Leaders is a weekly summer leadership day camp for middle school and high school students that focuses on college and career readiness, including leadership and character development, volunteerism, global learning, community involvement/projects, social justice and equity, civic engagement, social responsibility, college-prep, resume building, financial health/budgeting, career planning and so much. We incorporate fun activities, guest speakers, etc. I have a 14 year-old at home that I am signing up for this program, otherwise, he will likely sit at home all summer in front of the computer playing video games. This program is offered all summer, Monday-Friday, and full day (7:30am-5:30pm). Families can register for whatever weeks they are interested in. The program is very affordable and, of course, we have TONS of scholarships and financial assistance for eligible families who may not be able to afford the program. Let’s give our teens and pre-teens something productive and fun to do this summer.

The YMCA is hosting its 30th Annual Healthy Kids Day Event, “A Day of Play for LA” on Saturday, April 30, 2022, from 10am-1pm, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In the past, we held this event at all 26 of our YMCA branches across LA County, but for this year, we will be hosting the Healthy Kids Day Event as one large county-wide event, at the Coliseum. This event is FREE and OPEN to the entire community. I have attached a digital flyer that you are welcome to share. We will have a lot of free activities for families to enjoy (rock climbing wall, live music/bands, food trucks, heath fair and resources, COVID testing and vaccines, sports and fitness activities with LA sports teams, arts experiences, petting zoo, obstacle courses, teen zone, battle of the bands, gaga pit, campfire sing-a-long, interactive fitness demos, and so much more! This event is 100% free.