MLA Bulletin
November 8, 2021
A Message from Bri and Violeta
Dear Families,
It was such a pleasure seeing so many of you at our Dia de los Muertos event last week. We want to send a huge thank you to our families in Padres Unidos and to Maestra Ruth for coordinating such a beautiful and special event.
In this bulletin, you will find important updates about the following:
- Upcoming Events
- COVID Updates
- Bailaton
- Conferences, EXPO, and Report Cards
- Water Bottles and Jackets
- 22-23 Enrollment Options and Tours
Thanks for reading.
With love,
Bri and Violeta
Dia De Los Muertos at MLA
Upcoming Events
COVID Updates
COVID Vaccine Updates -- Students 12 and older:
- The OUSD Board of Education adopted a Board Policy in October, which requires COVID-19 vaccines for all students ages 12 and up, starting January 1, 2022. For all students who are age 12+ as of 12/1/2021, they must get vaccinated or qualify for an exemption to attend school in-person in 2022. There are several exemptions in the OUSD Board Policy, including one for medical reasons, a personal belief exemption, and an exemption for students who have received their first or second shots but are not yet fully vaccinated. All non-exempted, unvaccinated students will be offered placement in the District’s independent study program at Sojourner Truth.
- To get vaccinated, please visit your healthcare provider, local pharmacy, community vaccine clinic, or any of our upcoming school-based vaccine clinics.
- If your child has been recently vaccinated, or was vaccinated outside of the state of California, please send a copy of your child’s vaccination card to health.wellness@ousd.org. All families who have a child over the age of 12, for whom we do not have a record, will be receiving messages and phone calls asking for updated vaccination information over the next several weeks.
COVID Vaccine Updates -- Students ages 5-11:
- The COVID vaccine is not yet mandatory for students ages 5 to 11, but we are strongly encouraging every student at MLA get vaccinated as soon as possible!
- To get vaccinated, please visit your healthcare provider, local pharmacy, community vaccine clinic, or any of our upcoming school-based vaccine clinics. We have requested a vaccination site at MLA, but the District is prioritizing vaccination pop-ups for schools in low-income zip codes.
- If your child has been recently vaccinated, or was vaccinated outside of the state of California, please send a copy of your child’s vaccination card to health.wellness@ousd.org. All families who have a child over the age of 12, for whom we do not have a record, will be receiving messages and phone calls asking for updated vaccination information over the next several weeks.
MLA COVID Protocol:
- MLA follows the District's COVID protocol, which uses the Alameda County Public Health Department's guidance as its baseline. As guidance shifts due to what is being learned about the virus, some of our protocols shift as well.
- In this document, you will find an updated running list of questions and answers regarding COVID protocol at MLA. We will update these answers whenever there is new information, and highlight the changes in yellow.
Bailatón 2021: This Saturday Nov 13 11:00-1:00
Less than one week until our virtual Bailatón, one of our most fun and memorable events of the year. This year we will continue to dance “together” virtually on Zoom and have special guest DJ, Bay Area legend Chuy Gomez to keep the party moving. Thank you to the many families who have already set up personalized fundraising pages for their children and helped get us half way to our goal of $20,000.
- We are still looking for volunteers to help this week with final preparations, please check out the sign up sheet.
- All students TK-8th Grade are encouraged to participate, prizes for participation and throughout the event.
- All the info you need to sign up to participate can be found online on 2021 Bailatón page.
Fall Conferences, EXPO, and Report Cards
This fall, ALL students will have a one-on-one conference with their teacher or crew leader.
- Students lead their own conferences with their guardians and crew leaders in grades 4-8.
- Teachers meet with guardians alone in grades TK-3, though some teachers allow students to attend.
- Conferences will take place on the afternoons of Nov. 15-19 during minimum days
- Conferences will take place on zoom
- Teachers will share a sign-up sheet for fall conferences
EXPO
As an Expeditionary Learning School, we are excited to host a whole-school EXPO once a semester to give our wonderful students and opportunity to show off their high quality work and share their learning with the community. Due to COVID safety restrictions, we will not be able to host a whole-school EXPO this year. However, in collaboration with the PTSA, our Instructional Leadership Team has decided to host EXPO "light" evenings by grade level.
- EXPO evenings will take place 1 grade level at a time, between now and December 17th
- EXPO will run from 5pm-6:30pm (unless noted otherwise)
- Families are invited to attend their grade level EXPO evening in-person but are asked to leave siblings at home, if at all possible, to minimize the risk of COVID exposure
- All visitors must be masked at all times while on campus
- Students must be present at the EXPO in order for families to attend -- they have work to share with you!
- Your child's teacher will share more EXPO details with you via ParentSquare, so keep an eye out.
Fall EXPO 3rd Grade: November 8th (Garcia and Daniel only) 3rd Grade: November 15th (Jose only) 5th Grade: December 7th 2nd Grade: December 8th 4th Grade: December 8th Kindergarten: December 9th 7th Grade: December 14th 1st Grade: December 16th 6th Grade: December 16th TK: TBD 8th Grade: TBD
Report Cards
- Middle School: MP2 progress reports are available NOW (November 8) via the Aeries Parent Portal. This is the last progress report students will receive prior to the final semester report card, which will be available in early January. Final semester grades are reported on students' transcripts.
- Elementary School: Semester 1 progress reports will be available in draft form during your child's conference next week. Your teacher will share them with you via email OR you can pick them up in the front hallway if your conference is in-person. Official progress reports will be available on November 29 via the Aeries Parent Portal.
Enrollment for the 2022-2023 School Year
Enrollment Window Open from November 15 - February 7
- Please visit ousd.org/enroll to learn more.
- If you know someone who is interested in attending MLA next year, please encourage them to attend one of the virtual tours below.
- If you have an 8th grader, our Academic Counselor, Mr. Ian, will be reaching out to you shortly to share information about how we will be supporting our 8th grade students with the high school selection process.
- If you have a 5th grader, our team will be reaching out to you in December to share an invitation to a special middle school shadow day for our current 5th graders.
MLA Enrollment Tours for 22-23 School Year
This year, we will be hosting virtual tours for prospective families.
All tours will be held over zoom at the same Zoom Link
Elementary Tours:
Wednesday, November 17 @6pm via zoom
Saturday, December 11 @10am via zoom
Middle School Tours:
Monday, November 15 @6pm via zoom
Saturday, December 4 @10am via zoom
Jackets and Water Bottles
Please send Jackets and Water Bottles with your child!
- Water bottles: Our drinking fountains have been turned off for COVID safety. Please send your child to school with a water bottle so they can drink water during the day. We do not have cups to distribute to kids.
- Jackets: Now that it is getting chilly, kiddos are complaining that they are cold with the windows open. Unfortunately, we have to keep them open for COVID safety. Please make sure your child has a jacket with them every day.
Lost and Found
Please check for lost student belongings this week at both campuses. Parents are invited to enter through gates to check the Lost & Found after school or between 5:30-6:00 PM.
Maxwell location: enter campus gates on Fleming and remain outside between the portables and the cafeteria. Lost and found racks will be accessible just through the blue side door. Please do NOT enter the building.
Sherman location: under the canopy tent on the left just inside the entry gate.
We postponed our October donation date and have yet to donate the many items collected since Spring 2020. Our first donation date of the year for both campuses will be Friday, Nov 19. On Wednesday, Nov 17 and Thursday, Nov 18th, the PTSA will invite the MLA community to "shop" the unclaimed items. Any remaining items will be donated on Friday, November 19th
MLA SSC Meeting
Thursday, Nov 18, 2021, 05:30 PM
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COVID Updates and PTSA General Meeting
Join us this Tuesday for our quarterly PTSA Meeting from 7:00-8:00 on Zoom. We will share more about upcoming events, volunteer clearance, Cada Familia, traffic safety and as always how you can get involved. Bri will kick it off with a COVID Safety Chat from 6:30-7:00.
Meeting ID: 890 6149 8388
Passcode: M0y73Kc8
Tuesday, Nov 9, 2021, 06:30 PM
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Green Team Service Day
Saturday, Nov 20, 2021, 09:00 AM
Melrose Leadership Academy, Fleming Avenue, Oakland, CA, USA
Giving to MLA
Melrose Leadership Academy
Email: mlaschoolquestions@gmail.com
Website: www.melroseleadershipacademy.org
Location: 4730 Fleming Avenue, Oakland, CA, USA
Phone: (510)535-3832
Facebook: facebook.com/melroseleadershipacademy