September 29, 2015
Stay in the Loop
REMINDERS
Research Staff
CST
Carpool
- Please plan and implement a procedure for change in carpool forms with your teacher assistants, students and parents.
- Keep in mind that the forms need to be taken to carpool daily.
- Some ideas: Have a folder or basket where students/parents place the form at arrival and TAs/teachers take them to carpool. Have students hand the forms to a classroom TA in the morning.
IMPORTANT: Facilities
Purchasing
Please let everyone know that the reimbursement process is intended only for travel related expenses, not to be used to purchased goods and services. The university has an approved purchasing process that protects the university with specific terms and conditions. Reimbursements are purchased in the individual’s name and do not protect the university in the same way. There is also the risk that it will not be approved for reimbursement, and they may not be able to return the item.
Going forward, please use the University mechanisms for purchasing goods and services.
Leave of Absence
IMPORTANT DATES
Faculty Meeting: Inter-level CGI Articulation
We will meet as a whole group in Rooms 7/8. Come prepared, as a level, to share your CGI goal for the year. Then you will meet to vertically articulate about math expectations, goals, ideas from one level to the next: Intermediate with Upper I, EC II with Primary. EC I will meet with Specialists to discuss how they can support the work that is happening in the classroom, expectations in regard to schedule (arriving on time) etc.
BTSN
Primary, Tuesday, October 6th
Fitzone Classes
Classes will begin the week of Sept. 28, in Rooms 7/8. Thank you teachers for your generosity with your space.
Mondays 3:30-4:30pm Total Body Workout
Tuesdays 3:30-4:30pm Zumba
Thursdays 3:30-4:30pm Yoga
Budget Application
Faculty Meeting Agenda Items
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vw_nLrSBHm78Ac52G8PN6tO5H6NR9LAuhKaBfTvjaVw/edit
Staff Meeting: School Leadership Committee Purpose & Representation
TECH CORNER
Our iMac computers for TAs, Faculty, and staff are en route. If you need a dedicated laptop for the time being please email Chris. Our Library MacBook Pros arrived and our Tech Team can configure those MBP laptops for you if needed.
IN THE NEWS
Complex Learners: ED 196C
As many of you may know, a group of Lab School faculty, staff, and parents have been meeting since January to explore new ways to address the needs of complex learners in our classrooms. Stemming from the conversations, Drs. Connie Kasari and Jennie Grammer are excited to announce the development of a new Practicum course for Undergraduate Students at UCLA called 196C Apprenticeship in Teaching and Learning: Complex Learners School Practicum. Now that we have the course approved, we are looking for teachers who are interested in having additional assistance with students in their classrooms. A little about the course:
What is the goal of this course?
The focus of this course will be on the development of complex learners, with topics ranging from the development of executive functions and self-regulation to social interactions and peer relations. The instruction that the undergraduates will receive is designed to complement the experience that they will have in classrooms, where they will be available to assist students with complex learning needs by working with them directly and helping you as your monitor their progress. The goal of this course is for the undergraduates to gain a deeper understanding the educational experiences and needs of complex learners while also providing service to students, teachers, and staff at the Lab School.
Who will be enrolled in this course and working with children?
Up to 10 undergraduates who have expressed an interest in working with students and teachers at the Lab School throughout the year will be enrolled. The course is limited to students who have completed EDUC 132 (Autism: Mind, Brain, and Education), so they will also have a foundational knowledge in the needs of diverse learners. Building on what they have learned in previous coursework, Dr. Kasari and I will lead the undergraduate students in weekly meetings where we discuss research relevant to the needs of diverse learners as well as strategies for working with students on specific issues.
What’s the time commitment for you?
We understand that you are all very busy, and that having an extra set of hands – although often helpful – can also be an additional burden on your time. We will be supervising the undergraduates and working with them as they develop skills for working with your complex learners. Our goal is for 196C students to be as helpful and unobtrusive as possible. Although we will be supervising them, we would ask you to assist us in determining ways that the 196C students can be most helpful to you as we set up the practicum in the coming weeks and also that you be available to address their questions, appropriately timed, as they are working with your students. We also would ask that you provide feedback on how the undergraduates are doing in your classrooms.
Please let Renata and Jennie know if you are interested in having students from this course assist you in your classroom or if you have any questions about the course! grammer@ucla.edu
New Event and Project Proposal Form
Parents sometimes approach faculty or staff about new events, fundraisers, projects, and other ideas that need to be reviewed, approved, and thoroughly planned out before placing on our busy academic calendar. To centralize requests and facilitate the process, Laura Weishaupt and Judith Kantor developed an Event and Project Proposal form which the requestor may submit directly to Administration. The form is available on the parent wiki under Resources > Policies & Procedures, and on the faculty and staff wiki under Parent information and Forms. Please direct parents to the forms on these pages, or feel free to notify Kate Tirone in Administration to email the link to the parents (recommended, to encourage parents to make event requests from Administration). Viable requests will be reviewed by the SLC and TLC committees before adding to academic calendar.
Event or Project Proposal Form is available on the UCLA Lab School Parents Page at https://wikis.labschool.ucla.edu/parents/index (Resources > Policies & Procedures)
Note, although the forms "live" in parent categories on our intranet, staff and faculty are welcome to use them. Feedback to further improve the form is also welcome.
T4T Delivery Service
Cotsen Alumni Group Grant
Grant guidlines:
Cotsen Alumni Group Grants - up to $1,500 for a maximum of five teachers. Cotsen alumni are eligible to apply for competitive grants to continue their collaborative learning with a particular focus. We offer $300 per participant with a minimum of three and a maximum of five teachers per grant. Non-Cotsen teachers may participate as long as the group includes at least one Cotsen alumnus. Applications are due Tuesday, October 20th. See Sylvia G. if you are interested.
Marcelo Suarez-Orozco
PD SHARE OUT
Share
TLC UPDATE
We were unable to achieve a 75% decision when taking into consideration the information your TLC representatives brought back in regard to a theme for this year. After taking into consideration your many wonderful ideas and suggestions, the administration chose the theme: [drum roll...] HARMONY.
Harmony with self, harmony in relationships, harmony in and with the environment, global harmony, harmony as seen in systems around us, harmony in social justice and the process to attain harmony, in relation to all the above and much more.
SLC UPDATE
Tricia - development, health, special needs
Laura - operations, library
Nancy - Technology, program coordinator
Marie - EDP
- Sara - business office, front office
The all-staff meeting will be held on Monday, October 19th, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Please bring any questions, ideas, and comments you have to this interactive meeting. If you need coverage for your post, please email Renata.
OUTREACH
We will continue to have CGI-related observations/visits with El Segundo, Megan Franke, and perhaps other schools.
VISION COMMITTEE UPDATES
VST
LTL
Goals for the year
- Implementation of Common Goals & Practices
- Parent Communication & Education
- Newsletters/Blogs
- Session for TA’s and Parents
- Name change
- LTL Outreach
Who We Want to BE
-Name change
B3? Are we limiting ourselves?
Re-naming it is declaring the change?
How else do we need to brand it?
-subcommittee for re-branding
People at our school don’t all understand who we are
Mini-inquiry with Communications Firm.
Quality resources, equitable representation (Website)
Goals continued:
1. LTL families to help recruit more families who are bilingual.
2. Elevate language and valuing languages as a community
3. Family Read Aloud/Mother Tongue : Create a sculpture where everyone adds information WE VALUE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
- teacher rep would work with Ding
4. Looking for a parent to represent our LTL
Further discussion: TA’s training, get all the LTL TA’s together
Next steps:
- Oral Language Assessment, Dual Language (Literacy)
- Funding: TIP grants? Renew? Norma to follow up with the Dean.
- Dual Language Balanced Literacy Program. UCLA Community School. Collaboration. Alison Bailey, principal investigator to help us with initiative. “Professional Learning Community”
MATH/CGI
Implementation of Common Goals & Practices
Level work with Megan
Parent Communication & Education
Newsletters/Blogs
Math is video & resources on new Website launch: Jan
Math morning
EC/Primary
Intermediate/Upper
Math celebration
Open Math class
Math Outreach
ESUSD
CGI visits? (math project? ESUSD? Cotsen?)
- Math Conferences
Next Steps:
- Continue the work with documenting units and planning
- Intermediate will meet once every 2 weeks with a member from each team to continue math planning
Would like to create this structure at other levels too
Upper would like to get through October before thinking about this work
- All - talk with the levels about parent education and communication so we can develop guidelines at our Oct 21st meeting with input from your levels
Primary - determine 2 times between now and Dec. for ½ day planning with 1 member from each team
EC - determine 2 times between now and Dec. for ½ day planning with 1 member from each team
Future Agenda items:
Dialogue & reach decision about CGI observations
South Pasadena - January 22
ESUSD
Math project would like to tour some folks though some demo lessons
Math Morning(s) plan
dates:
who:
topics:
BALANCED LITERACY
Goals for the Year
Assessments--decide what to use for each level, what is being evaluated, what constitutes a 1, 2, or 3, ESR items--what would you want it to say, sight words, other literacy assessments, forms
Finish units for each level--working documents, pare down verbiage
Familiarization with Teacher’s College work in Reading and Writing
Continuity across levels--analyze student work, words their way
International Literacy Association
CotsenINQUIRY/PEDAGOGY
Essential Question: How can we strengthen, communicate and document our inquiry pedagogy this year?
Goals for the year
Internal Training and Professional Development
Assessment and Essential Skills Report
Specialist integration, including iSTEAM Labs
Work on Sub-committees
· iSTEAM
· Social Justice (Kids for Change)
· Teaching with Primary Sources
· Reworking Critical Thinking Institute (Saturdays)
CotsenAction Items
Teachers and Specialists, iSTEAM, library
get a copy of literacy, science, math and
social studies curricula
2. Social Justice paid planning time all in their levels Oct. 2
could go into new budget proposal
due to Vichelle in Oct. 2
3. Intermediate Update of Scope
and sequence with teaching points,
learning experiences, resources, etc.
4. Facilitators for Oct. 14 meeting
determine location for meeting
put in tech request
email teams to bring a topic they
will document
copy documentation checklist
organize snacks
SAFE SCHOOL
What has happened so far this year
Laurie and Beth have begun teaching in Intermediate and Upper
Have curriculum drafts for the 2015-2016 school year
Laurie has gone to some of the level meetings (still need to go to Intermediate) and given the Lesson Documentation form as well as reminding teachers in EC and Primary that we are working towards them teaching the Cool Tools lessons independently.
Long range goals for this year - we identified the following long term goals for the year (and beyond):
Want to create a template for our intervention policy
a template because each case is contextual but there is a structure too.
need to create a consistent language around this process as well
Solidify the process for Sort-it-Out forms
work on integrating the Pyramid of Success
Continue our work on further integrating Safe School into the classrooms
Plan 2nd Internal educator day or TA pd around Safe School
- Set October 21 and January 6 as our full day retreat days.
EN ESPANOL
For those interested in building your Spanish vocabulary one word at a time, we will publish a word or phrase in The Creek, use it in a sentence, and provide the English translation. Today’s Spanish word of the day:
To Sweat: Sudar
I am tired of sweating.
Estoy cansada de sudar.
HAPPENING AND CELEBRATIONS
Upper Robotics
Our First Assembly....Harmony in Personal Wellbeing
WELCOME
MaryLou Escobar
Eric Nunez
Julia Salgado Santos
Julia is originally from Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. She moved to the United States when she was about 9 years old. Portuguese is her first language, and she learned Spanish while living in South Florida. Julia is a proud Bruin Alumnus! She really enjoyed her time at UCLA and wanted to stick around, so you can imagine her excitement to be joining the UCLA Lab School community and meeting each of you personally! Now we have three Brazilians on staff :)