October 8, 2021 Lower School Principal Message Aloha Lower School Families, Following our COVID-19 cases last week in Grades K and 1, I'm glad to announce that all first degree contacts who have tested have come back with negative tests. Additionally, six Lower School classes and associated faculty participated in our periodic screening testing here on campus this week and all Lower School students and faculty tested negative. Below are some pictures from testing day!
Parent/Teacher Conferences are on Monday, October 25. Please click here for more information and to sign up for a conference time.
I wish you a restful Fall Break. If you are traveling out of state, please remember to complete the required LJA Student Travel Declaration form. We'll see you back here on October 18!
Aloha, Leah Magaña
TRAVELING OVER FALL BREAK? Families must notify the school nurse of any out of state travel and it's quick and easy. This form is for out of state travel only, regardless of vaccination status. Please notify the school here: LJA Student Travel Declaration Form ORDERING SCHOOL PHOTOS If you are interested in ordering school photos, please do so by the upcoming deadline. Contact Perfect Portraits with any questions. LUNCH AND SNACK (Remember no candy or soda) Parents should provide nutritious snacks and a water bottle for their child daily. Candy and soda are not allowed.
LUNCH ORDERS Sign up for lunch orders. All questions regarding the lunch program should be directed to Kyle Nakayama at kyle.nakayama@lejardinacademy.org. LOST AND FOUND - will donate unclaimed items by Nov 1 All items in Lost and Found will be repurposed or donated on November 1. Please visit the Lost and Found cabinet located to the right of the front doors of the Schuler Administration Building. CONCERNS AROUND SQUID GAME We have heard that some young students are watching a show called "Squid Game" on Netflix. We would like to clarify that this is not something kids are watching at school, however, we want to discourage LS students watching the show as it has content that is violent and sexual in nature.
Here is a season review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w89NOsi0ZC4 Here is common sense media's post: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/squid-game VOLUNTEER AS A PARENT CHAMPION FOR LJA GIVING DAY! The Advancement Office is now recruiting Parent Champions for each grade level to help round up enthusiasm and support for LJA Giving Day (October 22)! On LJA Giving Day, our entire school 'ohana gives together to raise $250,000 in support of the LJA Fund, a flexible fund that supports scholarship, innovation, and campus enhancements to improve student learning.
What would being a Champion entail? During LJA Giving Week, you'll personally reach out to parents in your grade via phone, text, email, and/or LJA's crowdfunding website, whatever you're most comfortable with. You are also invited to campus to help wave and hold signs during drop off/pick up to create energy on LJA Giving Day! And don't worry - language, lists, etc. will be provided - it's easy and fun!
LJA Giving Day is a wonderful tradition and exemplifies our community at its very best. Join us and be a part of it all! To sign up, email courtney.chow@lejardinacademy.org by October 15!
PICTURE OF PRACTICE - LEARNING AT LJA Many of you attended last Thursday's Parents' Turn to Learn virtual event where expert teachers talked about how we teach reading, math, design thinking, inquiry-based learning, and independence.
In one session, our use of Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routines as a way to develop students' toolbox of thinking strategies was discussed and I wanted to share it with you.
Thinking routines are easy prompts for students to respond to following a new experience. Learn more here. We call them thinking "routines" instead of skills or strategies because when practiced over and over, students build habits and automaticity, equipping students to think deeply when faced with new situations. Each thinking routine develops a different type of thinking (considering different viewpoints, connecting to prior understandings, etc.)
Students PK-12 engage in thinking routines by responding to any form of content, media, or object. For example in PK, a student may do a "what do I see, what do I think, what do I wonder?" routine following looking closely at a leaf. While our fourth graders are doing a "what are the parts, people, purposes?" routine following the inquiry into a complex system. You can practice thinking routines at home with anything (a photo, an article, a TV show, a read aloud, a piece of nature, and experience, etc.) Here are some favorites we use in the classroom!
Find thinking routines here (click on the thinking routine, then the "resource link" on the right to view the instructions for each routine)
HEALTH UPDATES LJA COVID-19 Response Level We are currently in an LJA Risk Response Level 2. This means that in the Lower School we will:
IMPORTANT DATES Oct. 11 Discoverer's Day
Oct. 12-15 Fall Break
Oct. 25 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Oct. 29 Halloween Parade
Nov. 1 Teacher PDD Day #1 - No School. Extended Day for those who registered. STAY SOCIAL! Trying to set up a socially distanced beach playdate, bike ride, or hike? Here is a tutorial on how to access the Parent Directory to connect with other families:
Follow Leah Magana on Instagram
CONTACTS Leah Magaña Lower School Principal 261-0707 ext. 1030 leah.magana@lejardinacademy.org
Lower School Vice Principal/ 261-0707 ext. 1060 lori.praetorius@lejardinacademy.org
Lower School Administrative Assistant 261-0707 ext. 1130 lisa.ventura@lejardinacademy.org
Attendance hotline 261-0707, select options 0, then 1
|