Luis Valdez Leadership Academy
Lion Roar
Week of April 6 - April 12, 2020
School Contact Information
Instagram Follow us @sjlvla
Website: www.sjlvla.org
Location: 1855 Lucretia Avenue, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: 408-384-4015
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjlvla
ACADEMICS
Important Highlights
- Check your emails daily and frequently.
- All classes have a designated time for you to engage with your teacher for that specific period. You will login/check your Google Classroom at the designated time, for the designated Block.
- Your teachers will conduct class check-ins, provide instruction, and respond to your questions during the class period.
- The designated time for each block does not mean you have to “attend” class for the entire 100 minutes. This is to provide you a structure to know when to log on for each class and structure your work time and day. Each teacher will plan how to use the 100 minutes for each block. You do however, need to check/log in for your class daily, as you may have live instruction, a new task, group work, etc. assigned. Google Classroom will house your assignments and class information. You will use e mail, Google Classroom, and Google Meet as the main modes of instruction.
- Office Hours are by appointment and is a time for you get help from your teachers.
- Advisory will remain a space for you to connect with your Advisor and peers. This will be a time to get additional resources, support, College and Career Readiness information, social/emotional resources and lessons, and a place to engage with each other.
- You are responsible for engaging (logging on, completing assignment, etc.) in remote learning to complete class credits for the 2nd semester.
- If in doubt, or need help, ask .
- We miss you and want you to remain safe, engaged, supported, and healthy. We cannot wait to see you.
FROM THE DEAN OF STUDENTS
Hi Leones,
First and foremost, I hope you and your family are doing well, and I want you to know that I am thinking of you every day. As you have already heard from many outlets across various industries, these are unprecedented times. I want you to know that we are here to support you the rest of the school year, and I want to assure you that we are going to get through this. I will be sharing weekly updates and check in on you here, but I promise the next ones won’t be as lengthy :).
As we move forward with distance learning, I understand that it may present some challenges for you. Some of those challenges may be related to technology, limited working space at home, distractions, having a role in taking care of family members, the list goes on.
The good news for you is that you won’t have to turn in your phone at the start of class during remote learning. The challenge, however, is making sure that your phone or other home devices are not distracting you during remote learning. Teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators will help you along the way, but it will be up to you to make sure you are doing your best and completing your work in this new environment.
The best definition of integrity I know is doing the right thing, and doing your best when no one is around to witness it. I have all the confidence in the world that, like Leones, you are going meet this challenge.
Below are a few Dos and Don’ts that you can use during distance learning. Review them, and reach out to me and share how they worked for you:
Avoid Academic Integrity Violations:
Don’t: Do not copy work, plagiarize, cheat, or violate the academic integrity policies of the school handbook in any way*
Do: Do your best, do your own work, and ask for help.
Be Respectful to Everyone:
Don’t: Do not be rude, do not bully or harass, and do not record students and/or teachers at any time with any device*
Do: During virtual class instruction, or any type of class communication, remember to be kind, professional, positive, and supportive.
Stay Engaged:
Don’t: Do not just log on at the start of a virtual class instruction portion, and then go do something else.
Do: Stay engaged during a virtual class instruction portion, participate by listening (speaking when asked by your teacher), and follow your teacher’s directives.
Avoid Unproductive Multitasking:
Don’t: Multitasking is great, but during virtual class introduction do not use your phone to socialize or play games, do not play video games, do not engage in any other unproductive activity that can distract you from instruction.
Do: Pay attention and stay engaged. Active listening is a great way to participate when your teacher is calling on you during class.
Take Breaks:
Don’t: Do not forget to take great care of your physical, mental, and emotional help!
Do: Do something enjoyable, read a book, and stay active (but practice social distancing)
RESOURCES
Elevate Tutoring (www.elevatetutoring.org) is providing FREE online STEM tutoring available for all low-income students who could not otherwise afford private tutoring. Tutoring is available for all K-12 grades and introductory college coursework, with best availability in math. Apply directly via the following link: http://www.elevatetutoring.org/web/tutoring.
Eligible students will receive 2-3 hours per week of FREE online tutoring via Zoom for the remainder of the academic year. Tutors are first-gen college students with more than 25 hours of training. Many can tutor in Spanish if needed (please make a note on application form).
For more information, please contact freetutoring@elevatetutoring.org.
ACADEMIC COUNSELING CORNER
Class of 2020
Continue to work on Cyber High, Mrs.Canales will reach out individually to check on progress. Mrs. Canales will continue to reach out if you have D’s and F’s and will schedule one on one google hangout meetings to help you with your to do’s for college. If you need an official transcript or to print a form please let inform Mrs. Canales. If you applied to San Jose City College they will be reaching out in the next two weeks to schedule a meeting with a counselor to schedule classes. Please check your emails daily. EVC will send emails to set up a time to schedule a meeting with a counselor.
Class of 2021
If you have been working on Quest Bridge Scholarship deadline has been extended until April 21st your advisors and I will continue to support you gathering required documents and revising your essays. Will be reaching out to students that haven’t made up work. Continue to check your emails if you applied to SRA (let me know so that I can help you with next steps). Will continue to reach out if you have D’s and F’s. Lastly, If you are working on the Quest Bridge Scholarship, the deadline has been extended until April 21st. Your advisor and I will continue to support you gathering required documents and revising your essay.
COLLEGE and CAREER
Continue to Check your Class of 2020 Google Classroom for information, virtual workshops, updates, scholarships, and more.
Final College Decisions & Deposits: The deadline to submit your decision and deposit for most colleges, including UCs, is still May 1. Some schools have extended their deadline to submit your Intent to Register, so please check specific school sites for updates.
Abby Sobrato Scholarship: If you applied for this scholarship, continue to check your online SVCF Portal!
Interviews: Only those that might be a good fit for the support services with PCF will be invited to interview virtually on April 21st. Reminders will be sent out soon. All other eligible applicants will be considered for the financial award only by the selection committee. Even if you don’t get an interview, you still may get a scholarship!
Final decisions will be determined after all interviews have taken place and students will be notified of awards on or around May 20th. Keep checking your online portal for outreach communications and the Sobrato webpage for any updates. You can also contact Dean and Emiko at 650.450.5487 or scholarships@siliconvalleycf.org if you have specific questions.
Juniors-Class of 2021: The UC and CSU systems have changed their admission requirements for next year, due to this crisis. FOR UCs: You will no longer need to take the SAT test scores and minimum grade requirements will no longer apply. That means this is a VERY good time to begin working on your Personal Insight Questions, so they are as strong as possible!
FOR CSU: No decision has been made about eliminating the SAT/ACT test requirement. We will keep you updated when we learn more.
Community College
Are you considering applying to a community college? Click on the link for instructions on how to submit an application:
Submitting a Community College Application
Community College Orientation:
Continue to check your emails for more information on orientation and next steps.
Students that completed a registration when college representatives were on campus and complete an orientation by the due date will be able to enroll in classes as soon as April 20th (may vary per community college)
Alumni Support: If you know of any alumni (or you have family that is a TFHE Alumni) needing support, please have them call or text Brittany: (408) 430-7402
Information Technology
Birthdays
APRIL
Alejandro Camacho (6th)
Itsel Castellanos (6th)
Yahir Contreras (7th)
Alexandra Cisneros (9th)
Jonathan Diaz-Gonzalez (9th)
Diana Duarte (9th)
Juan Calderon (10th)
Michelle Graciano (11th)
The Foundation for Hispanic Education Updates
MINDFULNESS
Connect with Nature
Take a ten minute walk to help you breathe in fresh air and experience the outdoors. During our Stay at Home Order, walking outside is permitted, keeping in mind the 6 food distance to others. While you are out here, look around and take in the environment with your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel?
Class of 2020 College Acceptances
Miguel
San Jose State University
Sacramento State
CSU East Bay
Aaliyah
San Francisco State University
Sacramento State
San Jose State University
CSU East Bay
Christopher
UC Davis
UC Merced
Chico StateSacramento State
San Jose State University
NDMU
Benjamin
San Francisco State University
Evergreen Valley College
Alondra C.
CSU Monterey Bay
San Jose State University
Class of 2020 UPDATES
Great questions coming in for you! Biggest question, Will we have graduation? Yes, Graduation is still scheduled for June 5th at 6:00 P.M., Bustos Plaza at our The Foundation for Hispanic Education.
Prom Committee, another invitation will be sent so that we can meet via Google Meet.
UC to ease admission requirements: No SAT, no letter grades due to coronavirus. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-01/uc-to-suspend-admission-requirements-for-sat-minimum-gpas-to-help-students-during-coronavirus-crisis
Poetry Contest
Guidelines
- Email your poem to Ms.Gonzalez at ggonzalez@sjlvla.org by Friday, April 10, 2020 midnight, using your LVLA email account.
- Entry must be an LVLA student.
- Poetry can be written in any poetic style and any appropriate subject.
- Must be original work.
- Poem can be written in English or Spanish.
- Poem cannot exceed 26 lines.
- Poem must be free of vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language.
People That Changed the World
"Action is the antidote to despair." - Joan Baez
A Chicana folk singer who uses her music as an avenue for social change, Joan Baez has long been a force for equity and justice in entertainment. Early in her prolific music career, Baez declined to play any segregated venues, only playing black colleges when touring the South.
For more than 50 years, Baez has been a fierce advocate for a wide range of social justice topics, including nonviolence, civil rights and environmental causes. Her lyrics are a constant nod to this activism, even including notable protest hymns like "We Shall Overcome" on her early albums. Baez has received wide recognition for her activism, often performing to benefit activist causes. Now 75 years old, Baez still uses her music as a form of activism, releasing more than 30 albums in several languages, including Spanish.
Learn More
An intimate glimpse into the life and career of a beautiful human being https://youtu.be/hQRAGIZybiA
Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream (Song)