June 1, 2017

 

The staffing for next year has not quite been completed and still tentative, however I wanted to share what I have before the year has ended. There might be other changes that happen over the summer, we will communicate what those changes may be and keep you informed. As we add new staff members to our list and fill vacancies, we will keep you informed.

You will see that there are many changes in our staff for the year to come. We have a few departures and additions. Although, there are quite a few changes, we have an incredible group of educators lined up to work with your children.

Transitional Kindergarten Rm 1 Ellen St. Amand		Kindergarten Rm 2 Melanie Haddad Rm 9 Natalie Miceli
First Grade Rm 10 Charity Mastropietro Rm 11 Philina Lin		Second Grade Rm 8 Leslie Rainforth Rm 17 Song Mori
Third Grade Rm 7 Tracy Grinberg Rm 4 Monica Morosin Rm 5 Erin Newman		Fourth Grade Rm 15 Janet Taylor Rm 16 Caitlin Florek
Fifth Grade Rm 21 Tessa Chen Rm 22 Esther Cho Rm 23 Deb Longo/Jen Dorn		Sixth Grade Rm 18 Zeb Wilkes Rm 19 Leslie Becker Rm 20 Gina McDonell
Special Education Staff RSP – Katie Hurst Lower SDC – Ami Lutz Upper SDC – Ann Baum Speech, Language/Social-Sheri Laramie		STEM Instructional Support Teacher Grace Choi   Literacy Instructional Support Teacher Rebecca Taylor
English Language Support Vacancy		School Psychologist Vacancy

 

As you can see there are some changes in grade levels, some staff not returning next year, as well as a new type of class. I would like to share my appreciation for those staff members who are moving on to other adventures.

Ms. Halligan who taught Kindergarten, will be retiring.

Ms. Harness who taught Kindergarten, will transfer to teach kindergarten at Covington School.

Ms. Wirkkala who taught third grade, will be the Literacy Instructional Support Teacher for Springer School.

Ms. Samimi who taught six grade, will be exploring new opportunities.

Ms. Bennion who supported our English Language Learners, will be exploring other ESL opportunities.

Mrs. Rivera our secretary, will be retiring.

Ms. Koch our school psychologist, will be moving away.

Each person above has contributed in a variety of ways to make this a special year for the students here at Loyola School. I would like to thank them for their dedication to our children this 2016-2017 school year.

 

Introduction of new staff:

Melanie Haddad

Hello! My name is Melanie Haddad and I’ve been living in the Bay Area for about a year and a half now. My husband and I moved from Australia and it has been a great adventure so far!

Prior to moving, I lived in Sydney where I was fortunate enough to spend three years as a classroom teacher on various elementary school grades. This included two years working with first grade as well as a year on a mixed grade of 5 and 6. I also enjoyed spending time as a substitute teacher for over a year in a wide range of schools. Upon moving to the Bay Area, I took on a maternity leave position at Springer Elementary School. I worked with Kindergarten and I loved every minute of it!

Getting the chance to watch a student grow academically, socially and emotionally is a very rewarding experience and is what drives me each day. Nothing beats watching a child reach an ‘aha’ moment when they understand a concept or have learnt a new skill. The proud smile on their face is priceless!

I am very excited to continue to work with Kindergarten and am looking forward to joining the Loyola community!

Natalie Miceli

I am delighted to be joining the LASD Kindergarten team at Loyola Elementary! My Husband and I have been in the Bay for a couple of years. I grew up in Sydney, Australia and I come to LASD with five years teaching experience in Kindergarten and First Grade. I graduated from university with a Bachelor of Education in Primary and Early Childhood. My Teaching career has been inspired by the 21st Century Learning principles and I believe that our young citizens are filled with knowledge and skills right from the beginning. In my free time, I enjoy reading, being in the outdoors and cooking for family and friends. I thrilled to meet you all and be apart of the Kindergarten learning journey. See you all in August!

Song Mori

I’m thrilled to be joining the 2nd grade team at Loyola! Currently, I’m teaching 3rd grade at Huff Elementary School in the Mountain View Whisman School District. Prior to working at Huff, I taught 2nd grade for six years at Almond Elementary School and 1st and 4th grade at Zanker Elementary in the Milpitas Unified School District. I’m so excited to be returning to the Los Altos School District for this upcoming school year.

Although I was born in Korea, I grew up in the Bay Area and went through the Whisman School District, now the Mountain View Whisman School District, before going to Wilcox High School in Santa Clara. I received my B.S. in Human Development from U.C. Davis and earned my Teaching Credential from Santa Clara University.

My husband and I live in Los Altos with our two fabulous kids and five chickens. Both of our children attend Gardner Bullis Elementary School. Outside of work, I love attending sports events and cheering on the Giants and Warriors. However, my favorite sporting events to watch are those of my kids so that I can have those proud mama moments. I also love cooking, baking, trying new cuisines, and traveling with my family and friends.

Erin Newman

I am super excited to join the Loyola community next year as a third grade teacher! My husband, two children and I relocated to the Bay Area three years ago from the east coast and have been enjoying every moment! After graduating high school in Atlanta, GA, I went on to receive a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing, and I am currently finishing my Masters in Education. I have eight years of experience teaching students from preschool all the way to middle school. I come from a family of educators, who have helped shape my passion to lead a life where I have the opportunity to serve the most precious members of our communities. I have been fortunate to live and travel around the world as a child and adult, which has influenced and continues to impact my teaching methods and philosophies. In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, hiking, traveling, and swimming. I look forward to meeting the Loyola community and developing new, long lasting relationships!

Caitlin Florek

My name is Caitlin Florek and I am looking forward to joining Loyola. I taught 3rd grade at Almond this year and am excited to join the Loyola community in 4th grade next year! I originally am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where my whole family lives. I went to the University of Pittsburgh for both my bachelors and masters in special and general education. I was able to spend time with many different types of students and I love to celebrate their differences!

I spend my free time going back and spending time with my family exploring Pittsburgh. When in the Bay area, I like to be outside reading or playing quidditch. I also love to do fun runs such as the Color Run or the Disneyland Super heros race. I can't wait to spend my next year at Loyola with all of you!

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

May 25, 2017

 

Year End can be a hectic time

Boy, things sure have been busy around the Loyola campus lately. There is so much happening it is hard to keep up with all that is scheduled right now. Am I the only one feeling a bit overwhelmed? I bet there are a few others out there that are feeling May Madness as well.

Volunteer Appreciation- Friday, May 26th, from 7:45 to 9:00 am in MUR, we would like to recognize our parents for all their volunteer efforts to support students over the 2016-2017 school year. Whether you drove on field trips, volunteered through PTA events, helped out in a classroom, or any other of the various ways you shared your special talents, our school staff truly appreciates your efforts.

Parent Survey- We are looking for your input and thoughts as we reflect on the 2016-2017 school year. Survey closes on Friday June 2nd at 5 pm. Please complete a survey for each child, Loyola Survey. We are looking for every family to respond, so we are providing an incentive. Please print out last page of survey, sign it and return to your child’s teacher. The classes with the 80 percent or more will receive a popsicle party the last week of school at the end of their school day.

 

Field Trips

There are lots of field trips happening now as well. These field trip experiences outside of the regular classroom provide the chance for students to see how the “what” they are learning is applied to real life. An example of this real life application could be seeing a community business such as a bakery for Kindergartners to understand various roles in the community. Perhaps, it is a chance for our sixth graders to attend the Marine Science Institute where students observe, compare, measure, and interact with fish (including sharks and rays), invertebrates, and other forms of bay life, thereby gaining an understanding of the relevance of the skills they learn in school to real-world situations. Regardless of the field trip, the experience plays a key role in our students’ understanding of concepts to see them in a real life capacity.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

May 18, 2017

 

Hot Lunch

Parents we need your help!

 

I know this section is all in bold, because I really want to draw your attention to this concern.

 

Currently, we do not have a few PTA program leads for the coming year. I fear most about our hot lunch program not having a lead because so many of our students take advantage of this option daily. I also worry that we will have to cancel it and not be able to bring it back once school starts next year. It is just one of those programs that takes time to organize prior to the year beginning. The PTA has investigated some ways to improve the efficiency of the program, so we don’t need the same amount of volunteers per day. This will scale down the demand for searching for volunteer parents to help dramatically, effectively reducing the effort to manage the program. If you or if you know someone who might be able to help us out, please let me know as soon as possible. I would hate to be the only school in the district without a hot lunch program.

 

Volunteer Appreciation- Friday, May 26th from 7:45 to 9:00 am in the MUR- we would like to recognize our parents for all their volunteer efforts to support students over the 2016-2017 school year. Whether you drove on field trips, volunteered through PTA events, helped out in a classroom, or any other of the various ways you shared your special talents, our school staff truly appreciates your efforts.

 

Parent Survey- We are looking for your input and thoughts as we reflect on the 2016-2017 school year. Survey closes on Friday June 2nd at 5 pm. Please complete a survey for each child, Loyola Survey. We are looking for every family to respond, so we are providing an incentive. Please print out last page of survey, sign it and return to your child’s teacher. The classes with the 80 percent or more will receive a popsicle party the last week of school at the end of their school day.

 

CSTEM Expo- Don’t forget about the amazing work being shown at the CSTEM Expo Tuesday, May 23rd at Blach Multi from 3:30-5:00pm. There will be a Taco Truck, and lots of opportunity to play games created by the sixth grade students across the district, including our very own Loyola Lions.. What an amazing way to help your younger child see what they will learn when they get to sixth grade.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

May 11, 2017

 

 

As we move into this weekend and Mother’s Day approaches, I have been thinking about my mom quite a bit. My parents are quite far away. They are at that point where mom doesn’t drive at night, and during the day it can be a challenge as well. Although the distance is great, we make time throughout the week to talk. I get to hear about her mundane life and she gets to hear about my mundane life. We spend time discussing the kids and family. My mom is truly the best mom in the world for many reasons. I have never seen someone work so hard at everything she does in life. She is kind, patient and always thinking of others. As I find myself being in that role of concern for my aging parents and raising my own children, I realize how appreciative of the way my mother sacrificed for our family and continues to do so. I appreciate her hard work and dedication to being a fabulous role model. I appreciate the careful way she directed my values and approach to life.

 

To all the moms out there, you have a difficult job balancing all the needs in your families. Often you are the rock many lean on to keep things together at home. Sometimes your family may not tell you how important your support has been for them. However, your devotion, love, and support mean so much to so many. Thank you for being there for your children and doing all you can for your family, it truly makes a difference. Have a lovely Mother’s Day!

 

TK at Loyola 2017-2018! It is great news to hear that we will be hosting TK here next year. We have over 85 students across the district registered for Transitional Kindergarten. The district need to open another class and we were fortunate enough to be selected. More information around staffing will be coming in the coming weeks toward the end of May.

 

Music Concert

Tuesday, May 16th at 1:00 pm we will host our annual spring concert for students in grades 4-6. This is such a special event to see all the hard work and effort students have put in over the year. Appreciation to our wonderful foundation, LAEF and our parents who donate to make this possible for our students. We hope to see you there!

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

May 4, 2017

 

Hello May, can you believe it? It seems to never fail, I am still surprised how quickly it sneaks up on me every year. On May 8th, I will attend our end of the year PTA Council luncheon, to honor some nominated volunteers from across the school districts within the council. (Los Altos and Mountain View Elementary and High School Districts) Another portion of the program includes a recognition to retirees within the school districts. This year we have one teacher who is saying her farewells to Los Altos School District colleagues, children and community.

 

 

Thank you, Thank you Thank you! What a week it has been for our staff. We loved the flowers, the yummy breakfast, the kind words inscribed with chalk on our sidewalk and in front of the doors and the coffee that kept us on track. The banners hung make us smile as we walk around campus. Our staff is looking forward to the luncheon on Friday. We all feel fortunate we have an incredibly supportive community here at Loyola School. Thank you for the warm support you have shown our staff this week.

 

Jane Halligan- Will retire this year, Jane Halligan has been teaching 31 years. She began her career out of state, however she has taught for the last 18 years in Los Altos. For the past 17 years she has taught Kindergarten at Loyola School. She is looking forward to retirement and will work through the Early Retirement Program, subbing and enjoying life in the Bay Area.

 

Junior Olympics was amazing, thank you to all the volunteers that made it happen. Loyola represented our community well with terrific effort and wonderful sportsmanship. I am always so proud of our students, this is a highlight of the year to see the children in action. It was terrific not only seeing the families of children who were participating, but even some primary families came to cheer on our Loyola Lions. Information about the ribbons will be coming soon, stay tuned.

 

Congratulations to Tiara Wirkkala for being selected as Loyola Teacher of the Year. She is seen as an inspiration to so many at Loyola School. She has many strengths as a teacher, and we feel fortunate she is here to support students, staff and parents. She exudes kindness and is always there to listen to her students, so she can best meet their needs.

 

This year our district has added recognition for our classified employees. Liz Rivera has been selected by her peers to be Loyola Classified Employee of the Year. I consider Mrs. Rivera the sweet spot of the school. She is not only knowledgeable, but supportive to students, parents, and staff. She is truly my right hand in so many ways. I appreciate her values on children and being the first impression of our school to those who call or come visit our school office.

 

Last Thursday, April 27th I took 9 sixth grade students to WE Day in Southern California. It was an amazing experience for our group. Thousands of students and educators spent the day celebrating the work that has been done to help so many around the world in need. We were able to hear several celebrities share their own personal stories of challenges. We were inspired by students and others to continue the efforts in giving back. There were quite a few powerful themes that were expressed during the event. One of my favorites align very well with the work we do with Project Cornerstone. Stories of bullying and standing up for others, being kind and how “WE together can bring the world together.” I felt proud of our students in how they represented our school and I know it will not only be unforgettable experience for them, but for me as well.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

April 27, 2017

 

Junior Olympics

I am so excited about the opportunity to enjoy the Junior Olympics this weekend. It truly is an amazing event. We are asking for all families to join us this year to encourage our 4th, 5th and 6th grade athletes. To find out more, read our PTA president’s message. The Junior Olympics is special for many reasons. We have students who have been practicing athletic events in grades 4, 5, and 6. There have been early morning and late afternoon practices as well. This is an event that is 100% directed, planned, and executed by parent volunteers across the district. If you have never had the opportunity to attend, I would highly encourage you to come and check it out. Words can’t even begin to describe the pride you see in the children’s faces. An exciting part of the event is the kickoff at 8:30 am, having the schools march onto the track, hearing the students from 6th grade band play their instruments, seeing the Torch Bearers run their relay, it’s definitely a sight to see. Our LAEF will make it’s grant to LASD at Junior Olympics to fund this year’s STEM, PE, art, library, and music programs, in addition to smaller class sizes in TK-3 and Instructional Math Coach for grades 6-8. LAEF serves every one of our students and that’s why giving to LAEF is all about participation. Please give today at www.laefonline.org.

 

State Testing

State testing is going well this week. Please remember to have children get a good night sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. If there are appointments you have scheduled over the next few weeks during the testing times, please consider rescheduling, if possible.

 

WE Day 2017

Today I am off-site with 9 amazing sixth grade students. We traveled to Los Angeles to WE Day together on a one day adventure. Typically each year, the WE Day site alternates between Northern to Southern California, so we anticipated the event to be here in Oakland in 2017, as it has been in the past. However this year the event unexpectedly stayed in LA. Our students were not going to let a few hundred miles get in their way. They petitioned Jeff Baier, our Superintendent and myself to attend. They also fundraised to help cover most of the cost of the field trip. I am very proud of their efforts and tenacity to make this happen.

“WE Day is a powerful, life-changing event that combines the energy of a live concert with the inspiration of extraordinary stories of leadership and change. WE Day brings together world-renowned speakers and award-winning performers with tens of thousands of young people to celebrate their contributions and kick-start another year of change. WE Day has evolved from a single event nearly eight years ago into a series of 14 stadium-sized events held across Canada, the United States and the UK. This past year, 200,000 students attended WE Day and left inspired to create change at local and global levels.

You can’t buy a ticket to WE Day. Students earn their event tickets by taking one local and one global action through WE Schools, our yearlong educational program that engages and empowers young people to become compassionate leaders and active citizens.”

Stay tuned to learn more about our adventure, we will return tonight and look forward to seeing everyone on Friday. You can find more information here.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

April 6, 2017

 

It is hard to believe we have Open House tonight-6:30-7:30 pm. It is a wonderful time of year where we get to see the products from the journey of learning that have happened over the year. Students are excited to share with you their work, the learning, and experiences over the last year. I know I am excited to also see all the families here tonight. Tomorrow is a minimum day, please don’t forget students are released at 12:15pm for an early dismissal.

As we head into Spring Break, I know many families are traveling around the globe to many places, as well as, local spots to enjoy. Wishing your family safe travels, if you are traveling this break. Many of you might be staying home and enjoying the bay area and all it has to offer. Regardless of your plans, enjoy the respite if you have some time off.

We are looking forward to seeing you and your children back at school on April 17th.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

March 16, 2017

 

Welcome to some new staff

 

It is rare that we make so many changes in the middle of the year, however we have made some changes and I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the following new staff members.

1. Diana Ryoo is our new kindergarten aid in Ms. Harness’s class
2. Eileen Pelletier a new aid assisting our Resource program
3. Cecilia Duran changed roles to provide aid support in Ms. Harness’s class
4. Aaron Salcido is supporting students in our upper grade Special Day Class

Scott Eaton, our current day custodian will take on a lead role with the district in our maintenance department and will leave his position as custodian. We are working on hiring his replacement.

There is quite a bit happening at Loyola School in the coming month.

 

School Play- Wizard of Oz (Fun for the entire family)

 

This year we have over 70 students participating in our annual Musical. It is sure to be a treat, so follow the Yellow Brick Road to Loyola School.

Friday, March 17th- 7:00 pm

Saturday, March 18th- 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

Sunday, March 19th- 2:00 pm

 

School Auction- Under the Sea (Adult only event)

 

This special event is sponsored by our PTA. The proceeds from this event, go directly to the students and programs here at Loyola School. This year our event will be held at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club on Saturday, March 25th from 6:30-10:30 pm. Cocktail attire is the dress (no jeans, please).

Over the past year, your PTA contributions have supported your children directly:

• Canopy replacement for lunch areas
• Beautification of garden and adding trees
• 150 replacement Chromebooks which were out of date
• Upgrade for hard drives on student laptops to improve speed
• 5 new Chromebook carts
• Upgrading wifi system
• Yearly subscriptions to learning software licenses
• Playground balls and equipment for recess and PE
• Performing Arts program for our students in Kindergarten through Third grade
• Art supplies for fine arts lessons
• Living Classroom support for gardening
• Art Docent support for program
• New Library Books
• Assemblies for students
• Conference attendance for teachers

More information about auction online.

 

STEM Expo (Fun for the entire family)

 

The STEM Expo is an opportunity for students in K-6 to design hands-on projects while exploring just how fun STEM can be. Students can choose from seven categories (Robotics, Reverse Engineering, Invention, Environmental Innovation, Scientific Inquiry, Rube Goldberg, & Wearable Design).

March 30th 5:30-7:30 pm

 

Open House (Fun for the entire family)

 

Open House is the opportunity for students to showcase their learning from the year. There will be projects, student work samples available to see during this time. We also have our Art Show happening in the MUR during this time.

Open House - Thursday, April 6 in classrooms 6:30-7:30 pm

Art Show in MUR Thursday, April 6th 6:00-7:30 pm

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

March 9, 2017

 

Another Amazing week

 

It is so nice to be back into the groove this week. I hope families had an amazing week off and found some time to connect with each other. As I walk around campus, visit classrooms I see curiosity, engagement and inquiring. Your children are working very hard in class this week. I see differentiation happening in classes, through reading, writing and math. There were students learning every where I turned.

• In Physical Education they have been working on Junior Olympic training and assessment for students in grades four through six. In the primary grades they are being introduced to Junior Olympic activities.
• In Kindergarten students had an amazing field trip to the Marine Science Institute to be engaged with science. I have seen a lot of writing on this topic and various personal experiences.
• Our first graders celebrated Wacky Wednesday and Dr. Seuss’s birthday today.
• In second grade, students were engaged on their final narrative drafts about a personal experience.
• In third grade students were understanding equal parts and applying the concept of fraction through visual representation.
• In fourth grade, I observed a class taking information from three different sources and synthesizing the information together to create expository text.
• In fifth grade there were some amazing art docent lessons happening this week.
• In sixth grade this week, there was the Ancient Civilization Walk Through, where students brought History to life.
• There has been a Pasta Challenge across the school through STEM time and our Maker Space where students have been working hard creating items and projects.
• Ms. Choi has been encouraging students to participate in our STEM Expo, handing out tri-fold boards and signing up students to participate. (deadline to sign up is tomorrow, Friday- March 3rd)

I see teachers assessing levels of learning in reading and in math this week across the school. Once again an amazing week of learning here at Loyola School. The sun is shining finally and we are all enjoying the weather! Thank you to parents, PTA and LAEF for making Loyola such a special learning community to lead.

 

Yard Duty

 

I am still in search of Yard Duty staff for an hour a day. If you are able to volunteer or we would be happy to pay you for your time, please let me know. Thursday and Friday, we are particularly short staffed.

 

Kindergarten Substitute Aides Needed

 

We are looking for parents who may be interested in helping out in Kindergarten at times when our Kindergarten Aide may be absent. Our current pool of substitutes has dwindled over the year and we would like to increase that group to call on if we are in need. The district currently pays, $14.05 per hour. Typically, the Kindergarten Aid works from 9:15am to 1:15pm. If this is something you may be interested in, please contact Mrs. Rivera about next steps.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

February 16, 2017

 

As we move into winter break, I would like to take a moment to let our parent community know how much we appreciate your support. Our goal is to help support your child’s academic growth while developing responsible and compassionate children. Working as a staff with you as partners is a crucial aspect to achieving this goal. We hope you have a wonderful winter break with your children. We will miss them next week.

Today or tomorrow, you should receive a manila envelope with your student’s iReady testing information for mid-year. The iReady Diagnostic is a computer adaptive, diagnostic assessment aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Details about the assessment can be found in the Leaflet this week. “The results of iReady Diagnostic provide teachers with an immediate instructional course of action personalized for each student. No technology can take the place of great classroom teaching, but iReady will help teachers provide students with targeted classroom instruction based on the exact skills that need to be addressed.”

Your child’s iReady reports will communicate two scores via a bar chart; Test 2 and Test 1. It will also provide a breakdown by subject area domain. Many students experienced an increase of score between the two administrations. There were, however, students whose scale score went down. We ask you to consider three things when reflecting on this information:

1. There is a standard of error of (+/- ) approximately 10-15 points.
2. This is one single measure taken on one particular day or series of days.
3. We are looking at each and every students’ results and following up on how to further support growth with specific actions from the education team at Loyola.

There were some students who only have the beginning of the year data, due to absences or students not finishing assessments. Your child’s teacher will follow up with you if that is the case. We want ALL children to be challenged in their sweet spot of learning.

If you have any specific questions regarding your child’s iReady reading results, please address those directly to your child’s teacher.

We share all of this with you so that when you receive your child’s iReady results, you may consider this information within a reasonable context. We are midway through the school year. There is still more learning to take place. We will continue to focus on the diverse needs of students and work together as a staff to personalize learning for ALL of our students. Again, we cannot emphasize enough that this is one single measure upon which we reflect to ensure we are supporting the learning of our students.

For more information about how we use assessment information in our district and at Loyola School, be sure to come to our Principal Coffee tomorrow morning, Friday, 2/17 at 8:45 am.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

February 9, 2017

 

When people ask me about my job, I honestly start to beam with joy. Now don’t get me wrong, there are days I am tired and worn out a bit from the hectic life of being a principal, however they really are very few. No matter how busy, or hectic things may become, I am truly inspired by so many aspects of my wonderful role to lead this lovely staff to provide instruction and support to our amazing students. The rewards of my job always outweigh any areas that might challenge me.

This week is our Fourth Annual Project Cornerstone Week. The theme of the week is “Celebrating Ability Awareness”. Each day we have had a video message to start off the day that provides the key challenge of the day, as well as an activity that will happen during the day. This message has students sharing their thoughts on what those words mean to them and how it is demonstrated in various ways. Sometimes the challenges people face are visible or invisible and hard for others to understand.

During the week our students were put to various tests and asked to think differently about their perceptions. They were challenged in various stations; one station was the Physical Therapy Station with a wheel chair, walker and crutches. In the Mirror Box station, students gained insight on what it would be like to have Dyslexia, by trying to draw a star in a mirror. Students tested their attention in a station where they had to follow step by step directions with pencil and paper. Students had the experience of trying to understand a story in another language and what it would be like to learn in a second language. Students struggled to button up shirts with socks on their hands to experience what it would be like to have fine motor challenges. Finally, students experienced what it would be like to have autism in a station called Sixth Sense.

Wednesday, we had an incredible assembly which highlighted an awe inspiring dance troupe, AXIS, founded in in 1987, it is the nation’s most acclaimed ensembles of disabled and non-disabled performers. Their mission is to bring the artistry of dance and engage others while building advocacy for all. It was truly an amazing program for our students to witness and experience.

Tonight the challenge we give children is to participate in SHHHH homework. This is a school-wide homework assignment. Kids will practice non-verbal communication for 1 hour at home.

We are so fortunate to be in a place where we have the opportunities to explore and learn more about our interactions with each other. We are blessed to have so many to put the time, energy and priority into this message for our children. The parent leaders who have worked tirelessly on this event also deserve a special thank you- Nicole Snedigar, and former parent Annie Morgan (Board Member for the SELPA- Special Education Local Program Area). There were many parent volunteers we would like to thank who were crucial to the implementation of the week. I would also like to thank the staff for their thoughtful conversations with students and efforts to coordinate the variety of events.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

February 2, 2017

 

Next week is a special week. We are excited to bring back Ability Awareness Week to Loyola School. I believe it was approximately five years ago that we worked with our Special Education SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area). This year we have worked with our SELPA in conjunction with Project Cornerstone to bring this special week to our children. As a school, we often talk about empathy and provide instruction, and examples for our children. Building empathy can be a complicated lesson, however with application into experience there is a greater understanding for our children.

As a formal Special Education teacher, personally as a parent with children who have their own uniqueness, and the current landscape of divisive messaging in our world today, transferring the understanding of empathy is a priority for me. I truly want our children to grow up and not just be academically ready, but I want them to be happy, kind and empathetic leaders in our community.

We will open the week on Monday morning at an assembly to discuss behavioral expectations at Loyola School. This will mark how we are expected to behave toward each other on campus, providing the groundwork, as we develop common language across the school.

The assemblies will prime the students for their work during the Ability Awareness activities. Each grade level will go through 6 experiential activities which help students understand the challenges that many of us face while at school. These activities include:

• Fine motor control- what is it like to not have full function of your hands by trying to button a shirt with socks on your hands.
• The 6th Sense- an understanding that some of us are challenged with aspects of not knowing personal space, control of voice modulation or difficulty reading social or non verbal cues.
• Dot-to-Dot- what is it like to try to concentrate when there are high levels of background noise (auditory challenges).
• Mirror Box- students try to trace a star shape using only a mirror to see the paper which creates understanding of what it’s like to have a visual processing challenge.
• Physical Challenges- students will use a wheelchair, walker, and crutches to feel empathy for those who are challenged with physical impairments.
• English Language- while not a disability, this station helped students understand the challenges one faces when not fluent in English.

During the week students will be given a homework assignment which asks them to not verbally communicate for one-hour in order to appreciate the gift of speech.

Additionally, there will be a Dance Assembly from a troupe. AXIS Dance Company provides artistry in combination with advocacy. This is an opportunity for our students to see truly gifted dances with amazing abilities, despite their challenges.

I hope you and your family can come and volunteer and support this incredible opportunity and gift of a week for our children.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

January 26, 2017

 

Learning, more and more …

It is so nice to be back into the groove this week. As I walk around campus, visit classrooms, I see curiosity, engagement and inquiry.

Your children are working very hard in class this week. I see differentiation happening in classes through reading, writing and math. There were students learning Physical Education skills and the proper position and mechanics of a push-up in Kindergarten, and yes I joined them and pumped out a few on my own. In first grade I watched students engaging in our Starting Arts theater program, bringing a scarf to life. Today second graders were reading and selecting books from our Library, while others engaged in Readers Workshop. One of our Third grade classes today was observed by five other teachers from around the district, as a model of Readers Workshop. I have seen students working on electrical circuits in fourth grade science in our Makerspace. I see teachers assessing levels of learning in reading and in math this week across the school. I watched students engaging in fifth grade math with Coordinate Points. In sixth grade Social Studies, I see students learning about structure of power in communities. It is an exciting time for the students and staff here at Loyola School. The sun is shining and so are your students. It’s great to see such amazing learning happening! We couldn’t do it without our wonderful parent community, PTA, and LAEF.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

January 19, 2017

 

Wow, the weather has been amazing the past couple of weeks. I hope everyone has enjoyed some down time keeping toasty and warm inside. I am hoping next week will be a bit drier, so we can have time for children to be out on the playground and the field.

 

Emergency Lockdown Drill Next Week

This week, we completed some training around safety with staff for Emergency Lockdown and Shelter in Place. On Tuesday afternoon, January 24th, we will have a Lockdown drill for all students. We will explain to students before the drill the process and procedure for this drill. As we implement the drill, classes will lock and barricade the doors, draw the blinds, gather the students into a corner of the classroom. I will check all doors to see if they are securely locked. We will then survey students, and staff on how we can improve the process.

 

The goals of the drill include:

1. Putting in practice some of the strategies we learned from our training.
2. Provide training to the students to practice expectations during this drill
3. Gather feedback of how we can improve this process
4. Communicate to our parent community

 

Early Release Collaborative Day

Next Monday, Loyola School, Almond School and the Curriculum Department will present to the board our current experience of Collaborative Early Release Days at the board meeting on January 23rd. We are excited to share our experience and the work we are doing. A more Loyola oriented presentation will happen at the Principal Coffee, 8:45 am on February 17th, 2017.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

January 12, 2017

 

This coming weekend is a long holiday weekend. Monday, students and staff have the time off to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Tuesday, students have this day off and staff will learn together about Differentiation of Instruction. Los Altos School District adopted goals a few years ago:

• Encourage learning, increase training and sharing of best practices
• Achieve financial stability
• Meet the individual needs of students
• Keep staff, parents and community members engaged
• Explore, develop and implement innovative practices
• Develop a 5-Year Facilities and Resource Plan, including Charter School facility needs (not in a particular order)

As you read the list you will note the third one down, meeting individual needs of students is one of the most difficult tasks teachers have to accomplish in their class. When we discuss individual needs, we think of student passion, learning style, level of learning to name just a few. How do we challenge and support all levels of learning, interests in learning and styles in learning? There is no simple answer to that question. It requires hard work, planning and dedication to students to make that happen.

Tuesday our time will be spent working together learning how we can work toward this goal in English Language Arts and English Language Development Common Core Standards, as we strive to personal learning for your child. It is not something that happens overnight, however, I see learning and instruction becoming more differentiated everyday in classrooms. I am proud of the work we are doing, however, I am well aware there is so much more that needs to be done. Thank you for your support as we collaborate as a district to provide a learning experience that engages your child and meets their needs.

As a school this year, we have been meeting weekly to collaborate, to plan, develop and assess student learning. The information from student assessment influences how we design lessons, instruction and assessments themselves. Over the next month we will assess again with the iReady Diagnostic to determine growth in English Language Arts and in Mathematics. I would like to share results in mid February with parents to demonstrate how the teachers are using this information to inform their work with your children. I have set a Principal Coffee the date of February 17 after our Weekly assembly in our MUR to share more information about results of mid year assessments and our Early Collaboration Time. Of course, we will have the slide deck available online for those families who cannot make it to the coffee. If you would like a preview of the Early Release Collaborative Time topic, Sandra McGonagle, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, will present with Almond and Loyola School to the Los Altos School Board on this topic, Monday, January 23rd, at 7:00 pm during the Los Altos School Board Meeting.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

January 5, 2017

 

Happy New Year and let’s welcome 2017!

It is wonderful to see you all back after a relaxing break. The kids are already working hard on various projects and learning in the classrooms. Teachers are excited to see your children as well. This is going to be a great year.

This is a great time to reflect on our goals. Whether you believe in making a New Year’s Resolution or not, goal setting is one sure step in the direction of reaching a goal. I have seen many teachers having students reflect on their goals for the year, as well.

A goal I have set this year for myself is to be more present in the moment. I have set a few typical goals; eat healthy, exercise more frequently, read more, and creating more balance. This is a hard thing to do for any parent; how do you create a balanced life? I have always subscribed to a philosophy of prioritizing needs around health, family and then work. With this said, I do not want to down-play the importance and commitment I have to your children and their success.

What does this look like for me? I have banned my late night e-mail. I am getting to bed earlier, (in the past, I was awake into the early morning hours, typically working) so I can be more present here at school and for my family. I stay away from my work e-mail on the weekends and I don’t typically look at them until Sunday evening. As a family we are setting time each night to play a game, have dinner or a special time each evening. These are small steps in the right direction, but I know I have more work to do. As I reflect on my goals, I am happy with the changes I have made. The key will be to continue to work on these throughout the year.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

• We have some afternoon times available for Traffic Valet if you are available. Monday and Thursday afternoon from 2:30-3:05 pm
• We are in need of one more lunchtime supervision helper, if you are looking to volunteer, Thursday would be a helpful day. 11:55-12:45 pm. Safety First sign up

 

Morning Traffic Valet

We do still need morning valet support from families, we have set a schedule for families to sign up based on grade level to take on this volunteer opportunity at our school. Your time is greatly appreciated. Below you will find the Signup Genius. If you could take a slot it would greatly be appreciated. Traffic Valet Signup Genius

• Third- December 12- February 3
• Second- February 6- March 17
• First- March 20- April 28
• Kindergarten- May 1- June 7

 

Kindergarten Registration

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION has begun. If you happen to know any neighbors who have Kindergarten age children or other children who may be new to Loyola School for the coming year, please encourage them to stop by and register their students. Pre-registration ends February 3rd, 2017.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

December 16, 2016

 

Wow, it has been an amazing past few months and this week was a great example of the learning that has taken place over the course of the year. I witness creativity and collaboration as children built their gingerbread houses with the Kindergarten and Third Grade buddy project. We had an incredible winter vocal and instrumental concert. (Thank you LAEF and parent donations, for making instrumental and vocal music possible). We had Starting Arts Showcase this earlier this week. (Thank you PTA for sponsoring this activity) that highlighted Dance. We even had several of the parent audience help our children do the Electric Slide. I feel blessed to be part of such a robust and rich learning environment for our children.

Reflection is so important; as we move to the winter break into a new calendar year, please take a moment to reflect on the growth of the last year. There has been quite a bit of learning for our students and staff and of course myself. Research shows reflection is key in reaching our goals. This is a great time to see where our next steps will take us.

Have a lovely winter break with your children. Wishing all peace, safety and care for the time off. Happy Holidays!

 

Welcome To Our Newest Teacher

A few weeks ago our sixth grade Math teacher, Ms. Murakami resigned for personal reasons. We have hired Mr. Gilbert (Zeb) Wilkes to join our team. He started today meeting children and staff and will be with us for the rest of the school year. Mr. Wilkes recently obtained his Masters in Education from San Jose State. He enthusiastically joins the Loyola community and brings with him a professional commitment to whole student development. His background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Jose State and years of experience teaching music and chess/strategy games in after-school settings. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing the banjo, cooking, and travel. His interests include language, logic, history, and the humanities. He looks forward to meeting you and to a great 2017.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

December 8, 2016

 

EXTRA, EXTRA- Read all about it! We have a wonderful opportunity at Loyola School. Very satisfying chance to support students on the playground. We have a few instructional positions open, including:

• spending time at lunch with our students
• greeting parents and students in the crossing circle at dismissal time

 

Don’t miss this rewarding chance to connect with our students and staff. Please contact Mrs. Attell (kattell@lasdschools.org) if you know someone who is interested, we are definitely in need!

 

The Struggle

The past few weeks, I have been observing teachers formally, watching them teach and providing feedback. As I visit various classrooms, I see students struggling. Now, please don’t go down the path to think this is a bad thing; actually, it is a good thing. I love to see your child struggle. Yes, that’s right, I said it. I think it is our responsibility to challenge your child and to have them struggle in school. I would go as far to say, if we are not making your child struggle, we are not doing our job.

Please let me explain, struggling, persevering is an important skill. For some reason, hard work has developed a negative connotation. In actuality, it is a necessary part of life that leads to success. A common phrase I hear people say, “I don’t want my children to work as hard as I did, and I want to make life easier for my child.” However, the hard work the person puts forth, or challenging situations they endured has a lasting impact and often explained as a key to their success? A teacher shared an article with me about this topic. Are We Raising a Generation of Helpless Kids? I think this article explains this concept and gives me thought and pause, as a parent, and an educator.

John Hattie- conducted a meta analysis based on research of 83 million students, studying effective teachers around the world. This research is shared in his book, Visible Learning and tells us what impacts learning the most for students. I encourage you to review his website and see the research he has conducted. Some important researched facts shared are the following:

• we need to develop trusting relationships with our students
• we need to set high expectations for our students
• we need to provide feedback to our students.

These things have significant positive effect on student success in the classroom. Our classrooms should be places where students can make mistakes, where “errors are welcome” and as teachers we can nurture the growth that comes from the mistakes children make in their learning. We can support and encourage them as they struggle and help make them stronger in their knowledge and skills.

As parents, we need to remember that about our own children when they bring home an assignment where our child struggled, or brings home a test grade that is less than stellar. Take that moment to help our children learn from the experience. Provide high expectations for our children, while supporting them to reach those expectations.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

December 1, 2016

 

Welcome back from the Thanksgiving Holiday!

 

Vision Statement

Earlier in the year, our school team developed a Mission. We gathered student, parent and staff feedback to make this happen. A mission is about the purpose of our school.

Loyola School inspires students to become lifelong learners and engaged members of their communities. In partnership with families and community members, we create a safe environment where children are empowered to develop the knowledge and life skills needed to contribute in an ever-changing world.

Our next step in this process is developing a “Vision” What do we want to become?

This week, our school has been gathering information about Loyola’s Vision from our students. We are asking children what teachers could have done to prepare them for the current school year, as well as, asked them what is their dream for Loyola School. We also want your feedback to guide this process. Please answer these two questions to help guide our “Vision” process.

Once we have the Mission and Vision created, we can then work on our Strategic Plan and Collective Commitments to our students and Loyola Community. The Strategic Plan will be a long-range plan that guides our work, not only as a staff, but also as a community. This process is vital in developing a clear path and plan to direct instruction, focus and accountability as a school.

 

Family Coding Night- December 8th in MUR from 6:30-7:30pm

Did you know next week is the celebration of “Hour of Code”? You can read more about the activities students will be engaged in at school around coding, further down in the Leaflet. This year, we want to not just have students participate, we are asking parents to come learn coding with their child. You and your child can come in pairs to learn together to code. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here. If you already feel you are a coding master, perhaps you wish to volunteer? You can volunteer to coach on the same RSVP form, or just help set up and break down, as well. We need to know how many people will attend to make sure we have enough tables set up and laptops available for those who may need computers.

 

I Need Your Help!

Our supervision for lunchtime is still a concern and has not been resolved. Ms. Toni will be moving away to Southern California, so I only have a few part time staff members to help supervise lunchtime. I am requesting, if you are able to volunteer once a week, sign up on our sign up genius, or if you have a Nanny/Care Giver to come and help out, please let me know. We will pay for people to help out with yard duty, however we are still struggling finding people who are able to help.

 

Teacher Change

Before the Thanksgiving break, Ms. Murakami our sixth grade teacher, resigned from her position for personal reasons. Currently, we have a long-term sub in that position, with the support of our district Math Coach, Noirin Foy, for the rest of December. I am working with our district to hire a teacher for the remainder of the year and I will keep the Loyola Community informed, as the new teacher is selected.

 

Kimberly Attell, Principal

 

November 17, 2016

 

Thanksgiving Holiday Next week is the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s a time to sit back and be thankful for all that we have in our lives. Given this, I thought this would be a good time to reflect on what has been going on since school began and to do some reflection. This year, I have seen children learning in collaborative ways negotiating their thoughts and learning. I have seen teachers set expectations with nurture and care. I have seen children push themselves in science, math, and creative technology projects. I have witnessed engaged children in art, music, dance, drama, and PE.

We really have so many things for which we can be thankful. As a wife and a mother, I have countless things for which I am thankful, from a loving supportive husband, 2 incredible children, health, an incredible community where I live and another wonderful community where I get to work everyday. I do have much for which to be thankful for and I am feeling blessed. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends!

 

Principal Coffee on Friday- moved to Staff Room

Please swing by on Friday after the assembly to learn a bit more about our reporting system and conferences for the coming week. We would be glad to help you log into the system and help you access your child’s report. I will also answer any questions you may have about the new system. If you are unable to make it to the coffee, don’t fear; I will send out the slides for the community after the presentation.

 

Progress Reports

When reviewing your child’s progress report, I would like for you to remember viewing it with a Growth Mindset. As we look at our child’s growth, we need to remember where they have started and where they are headed. The journey is often the part we forget to acknowledge and remember. How many times have you heard the story of that person, that athlete, that individual, who has overcome so many obstacles to get to their d