East LA Express
February 2021
EAST LA BRIGHT SPOTS - SCHOOLS HIGHLIGHTS
Ford Bulldogs Celebrating 100 Days of Virtual School!
SECONDARY PARENT CORNER
Kindness can make your teen happier and more successful
Research shows that people who are actively kind to others actually score higher on measures of happiness than people who don’t go out of their way to be kind. And happier students tend to be more motivated in general—which ultimately helps them achieve academic success.
To foster kindness in your teen, encourage her to be:
- Compassionate. Kind people feel for others, even when they are not directly affected by a situation. Your teen can show compassion by putting herself in others’ shoes. She could reach out to a student who seems upset. She could invite a new student to connect on social media.
- Grateful. Kind people thank others. Did a counselor go above and beyond to help your teen with her college applications? She should thank the counselor—and maybe even write a nice note.
- Considerate. Kind people take others’ feelings, needs and wants into account. Showing up to class on time, sharing notes with a classmate who was absent, and contributing fairly to group projects are all ways your teen can show consideration.
- Forgiving. Kind people realize that holding grudges isn’t effective. Tell your teen that she will be happier if she focuses on improving the future rather than dwelling on the past.
Reprinted with permission from the March 2021 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2021 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: O. Curry and others, “Happy to Help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor,” Open Science Framework, Center for Open Science.
ELEMENTARY PARENT CORNER
Give your child the time and space to think critically
Critical thinking—the ability to go beyond basic knowledge and consider “the bigger picture”—is a crucial skill for school success. The better students are able to think critically, the more deeply they will grasp new concepts and ideas.
To promote these skills:
- Let your child figure things out. Resist the urge to solve every problem. Instead, give her time to work through problems herself. If she’s forgotten how to do an assignment, don’t offer to email the teacher. Instead, ask, “How could you find out?” Can she call a classmate? Look over at a previous assignment for clues? Give her space to come up with a plan.
- Discuss current events. Is there a news story that might interest her? Print out an article and chat about it over dinner. Find out what she thinks about the issue, but don’t stop there. Once she’s shared her opinion, press her a bit. “I can see how you feel about this. But why do you think other people might feel differently?”
- Encourage reflection. Once your child completes a big project for school, talk about it. Ask her, “How difficult was it to finish? What did you learn about how to do projects? Regardless of how the project went, reflecting on the process will help her hone her critical-thinking skills.
Reprinted with permission from the March 2021 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2021 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.
COVID-19 TESTING INFORMATION
Local District East Testing Site March 1 - 5
El Sereno MS 7:15 am – 4:00 pm
Garfield HS 7:15 am – 4:00 pm
Legacy HS 7:15 am – 4:00 pm
PARENT RESOURCES
FUN FACT
LATINO WALK OF FAME
The Walk of Fame is similar to the one in Hollywood, but with a focus on Latino celebrities. The Latino Walk of Fame was inaugurated on April 30, 1997 to honor outstanding leaders who have made historical and social contributions with a Sun Plaque on Whittier Boulevard the heart of East L.A. Spaces have been created for over 280 plaques. Permanent granite plaques have been put in place for the first 20 honorees. The merchants’ association of East Los Angeles sponsors a Comprehensive Clean-Up Campaign that cleans the sidewalks and gutters daily and removes litter and trash.
EAST LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS
Website: eastlacos.lausd.net
Location: 4540 MICHIGAN AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CA 90022
Phone: (213) 302-3027
Twitter: @EastLACommunity1