Bill's Blog
Making Next Year's Classes
Revised 4/18/12
Dear Ohlone Families,
It's hard to believe, but it's that time of year when at least some of the teachers' attention turns to next year: it's placement time. This is a period of weeks when teachers gather together to look at next year's entire class, e.g., at 180 4th and 5th graders, and try to create classes that are balanced while meeting the needs of individual students. This is a monumental challenge that takes an abundance of time, energy, thought, and emotion.
Over the years, these have proven to be some of the most challenging discussions for teachers. They each spend hours listening to your input, thinking about your child's needs and strengths and their social skills, discussing each child with their cluster-mates, and really pondering over which class your child might best thrive in. I have seen placement meetings where teachers cry openly or even argue aloud. While the teaching staff is extraordinarily respectful of each other, tempering our desires for each individual student with the overall goal of creating balanced classes is hard, and sometimes emotional, work. We all feel a deep connection with each of your children and where they go after they leave us is extraordinarily important.
The overarching goal of placing students is to create balanced classes. It is the sole professional responsibility of each teacher here to consider all of the input he/she knows and receives about a given student and to match him/her with the best class while considering the goal of balancing all classes. This is the teachers' only charge, but it's a huge one. It is one that has elements both of science, art, and intuition.
"Balanced" means a lot of different things. It means balanced not only by gender as much as possible, but also by interests, by strengths, by grade, by whether any students have had a two year experience with the same teacher, by siblings who have had the same teacher (not necessarily an automatic placement), by special needs, by social make-up, and if possible, by established friendships. As you might imagine, fitting together the many pieces of this puzzle is not an easy process, and it's definitely not one for the faint of heart. It is also not a perfect science. Enrollment numbers alone don't always allow us to have equal numbers of boys and girls in each room, for instance.
One source of input comes from your discussions with your child's present teacher. Over the years, we've discouraged receiving requests from you for specific teachers for basically two reasons. One is that we try really hard not to give the impression that the teacher you feel is best for your child is the actual teacher your child will get. Teachers cannot make that promise. As you can see from the above criteria, it is impossible to give everyone their first choice. We also discourage discussions about specific teachers since much of the input received is based on impressions, short observations, or the experience of others. Obviously, each child's experience with a teacher is a unique one. Remember also that our main goal is to create balanced classes throughout an entire grade level.
The kind of input that is important to hear from you, though, is what you feel is the best environment for your child. Based on what you know, it is helpful to inform or remind us of his/her social and emotional status, strengths and interests, historically positive and challenging relationships, and areas that you feel need attention. Things happening in the family or anticipated changes that might occur are additionally helpful. All of this input is "thrown into the information hopper" so to speak, and then each child is tentatively placed in what appears to be the best fit. Again, considering the bigger picture is equally important to who is in which classroom.
Next year we will be welcoming at least two new teachers - Rick is retiring, and we're adding the second Mandarin Immersion 4th/5th grade class. We know that, sometimes, parents view new teachers with uncertainty and would prefer that their children were not placed with new teachers. This is unfortunate. While new teachers, or teachers new to Ohlone, don't have the historical knowledge or perspective of a long-time Ohlone teacher, they do come with an array of the latest, research-based strategies to address student needs. I find them often to be some of the greatest resources for the rest of our staff. Unfortunately, some parents feel like they've been dealt a low hand if their child is placed with a new teacher. It's been interesting to me, though, that after a few months the feeling about these same teachers often changes 180 degrees. PAUSD works very hard to get only the best teachers available. I can vouch for the intensity of the process having been a part of it for a few years now. We will all experience having a new teacher at some point in our children's public school careers. I would hope that you would be open to the possibilities and opportunities new teachers offer and be supportive of their efforts.
With the hours of concerted effort and thoughtful consideration, the placement process still exists as an imperfect "science". Know that it is not one done lightly or without an abundance of effort and concern. We believe, though, that it is still better to give our best effort and attention to the task than to leave it up to one person, chance and luck, or some other, less thoughtful system. We appreciate your continued trust that your children are well cared for and have at least one advocate in this process.
We appreciate your patience in waiting to hear where your child has been placed. I know that it makes for a sometimes anxious summer. Anticipation for children can be both exciting and annoying. But, unfortunately, changes are made throughout the spring and summer that affect placement. Typically, we mail home placement letters in early August.
As we go into this season of taking a glimpse at next year, let's all recognize that we may not get our first choice for our child's teacher; that every teacher here at Ohlone, and in PAUSD for that matter, is top-notch and extraordinarily talented in some way; and that a tremendous amount of time, attention, and effort is given in an attempt to create 27 of the most balanced classes possible.
I hope this helps you understand what goes into the placement process. Your children are in caring hands.
Talk to you soon,
Bill
March 2011
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you how the staff used the recent Staff Development Day in February. For many years now teachers have had the opportunity to attend the Brain Conference held in San Francisco, one of four national conferences sponsored by Learning and the Brain. The goal of these conferences is to bring neuroscientists and educators together in a melding of the minds. This year's theme was "The Brain and the Whole Child", so appropriate for us.
Several teachers have attended these in the past and are very interested in aligning their classroom practices with current neuroscience research. We were lucky enough this year to have been able to offer to the entire staff the opportunity to go. Almost the entire staff attended and either went to the morning workshops or attended the entire conference, into the weekend.
As you might expect, there was a tremendous amount of enthusiasm about attending such a prestigious conference, and even more upon returning to school. It was hard not to be caught up in the energy that we were surrounded by. We spent last Tuesday at our staff meeting revisiting some of the information that we learned. Many teachers have even tried some of the new strategies in their classes. We have also started a blog where teachers are sharing what they have tried with others. It's been very exciting. The subjects that have been shared range from things we learned about attention, about the attraction to video games, mindfulness, the benefits of meditation, happiness, and so much more. Again, all very exciting.
I'd like to share a few tidbits of what I learned from a neuroscientist/educator named Judy Willis. One topic was about attention. As it turns out, it is fundamental to all mammals that we involuntarily attend to things all of the time. In fact, we can't shut it off. Of all of the things that we can attend to, the one that trumps all others is any perceived threat to our safety, including emotional safety. That's one reason why creating a safe environment for kids is crucial. One way to gain attention is through novelty. Simple things like moving in front of the class, modulating voice volume, and other neat little gimmicks attract attention. What maintains attention, though, is making predictions. This, again, is involuntary. If you think about it, it is consistent with what mammals would need to survive.
Another topic that Judy Willis presented was in relation to the attraction video games have for kids. Where else do kids pass up food, play dates, punishment, and more to continue to participate in an activity? To make it even more interesting, kids fail around 80-percent of the time playing these games. She identified four traits of video games that create the attraction. They are:
- Timely and frequent feedback
- Achievable challenges
- More challenging work after success
- Buying in to a goal
- Incremental goals
These concepts are giving the staff excellent areas for conversation - how can we apply them to education and learning?
Throughout the conference, I repeatedly heard elements of our core values that are supported by current neuroscience. One example is achievable challenges mentioned above. In my words, that would mean that students are given appropriate or personalized work as often as possible that has elements of both success and challenge. In core values language, I would call it, "The Developmental Approach". All told, I found evidence to support the Parent-Teacher-Student Partnership, the Developmental Approach, Meaningful, Relevant Curriculum, Multidimensional Learning and Trust. I found this to be extremely validating.
All told, it was a very exciting conference that is still reverberating today. I hope we can all attend something like this again next year.
Take care.
Bill
October, 2011
Dear Ohlone families,
It feels good to be writing to you again. The lines of communication that we have at Ohlone are really important. I am grateful to all of you who help make this happen on a regular basis.
I have a lot to tell you. This is a very exciting time in Ohlone's history. Please excuse my summarizing of certain important issues. It's my intention to revisit some of these topics in greater detail in the future.
Recent Staff Development Day
We just completed a Staff Development Day on October 17. The time that teachers spend together is vital to our professional growth and development. During this time, we also continue to align our practices to the Ohlone core values and school goals.
The focus in the morning was meeting individual student needs, including the introduction of a new process for making referrals to the special education team. This has been one of the topics we've been addressing in several different ways over the past few years. Then on October 18, we had a Parent Education night introducing this new process, which includes steps and tools for parents who have concerns about their children. To be brief, if you're concerned about your child for some reason, ask your teacher whether or not it would be a good idea to open a "blue folder". This is the beginning step (now adopted by PAUSD) where interventions would begin. Your teacher should be able to explain the rest of the process for you. I plan on talking about this in greater detail in future blog posts and newsletters, and we hope to share some of the materials via the website in the near future.
The afternoon of our Staff Development Day was spent hearing presentations from staff about what they learned at the "Learning and the Brain" conferences in recent years. Aligning our practices to reliable neuroscience is a goal of mine. We heard presentations about plasticity, the effects of lack of sleep (I'll share these with you later as well), memory, teaching tools that attract the brain to learning, and creating brain-compatible classroom environments. It was very interesting and enjoyable.
This Wednesday, we're having an extended staff meeting to continue our discussion and learning about the best ways to teach reading. The growth that we're making as a staff in creating programs where we meet each student's needs is remarkable. Like everything else, it's an ongoing journey.
Construction
While so many parts of the journey continue, this one is getting close to the end. It isn't without its recent challenges, though. Due to no fault of the district, the school, or the contractors, but rather to difficulty acquiring qualified electricians, the move-in date has been moved to the winter break. Trying to look at the positive aspects of this change, it will give all of us an opportunity to tour the new building and celebrate its completion before anyone begins to move furniture. More information will follow about this as well, probably in eNews.
Traffic Safety
It may appear that no one is helping to create a flow of traffic that is safe for everyone, but this is definitely not the case. I apologize for not keeping the entire community up to date on this topic. I was actually hoping, initially, that this would be a quick fix, but that is not the case. Before school started, I approached both the district and our construction contacts as to the ambiguity of the new pedestrian/bicycle lanes. This was not part of the plan created two years ago. Since that time, the district has examined the actual point of concern, as have city and other officials. The other day, the Traffic Safety team and I went to a meeting of the City/School Traffic Safety Commission. This commission includes representatives from the police department, different schools and the school district, City of Palo Alto staff, and others who are interested. We were able to speak to the points of concern, not only near the entrance of the parking lot, but also our concerns about crossing Colorado Ave. and the middle of Amarillo Rd. without crosswalks.
To summarize, there is hope. The commission is looking at it and is considering some different options. Our own dedicated Traffic Safety Committee has begun discussions about creating another drop-off point, as well as a host of other options. As it turns out, the City has plans to make Louis Road and Moreno part of a safe bike zone in the future. These ideas and more are being considered.
The down side is that implementing these ideas takes time. They take careful planning, consideration, and discussion. A quick answer might create more difficulties later on. There are some things that we can do now though. A few of these include:
● Drivers in the drop-off area staying in their cars at both pickup and drop-off
● Ordering signs asking all bicyclists to walk their bikes on campus
● Repainting the existing white signs on the walkway reminding people that there should only be pedestrians on campus (see the bullet above)
● Placing bike racks at the back of the school campus as well as finding places for other racks in the front of the school
● Reopening the back gate on or around November 1st (date is tentative)
● Continuing to educate our community on the need to move safely, slowly, and predictably around the school
● All of us using crosswalks
While all of these are being implemented the bottom line still exists:
We are the ones who are in control of the level of safety for our children!
It's our willingness to be safe and respectful drivers, whether we're talking about cars or bicycles, that will continue to maintain Ohlone's long-standing record of not having any related accidents on campus. One last thing, please don't park in front of our neighbors' driveways. They have been extraordinarily patient with us and we would like to show them that Ohlone is a community that respects everything and everybody.
I hope to see you around campus, as well as the upcoming parent education nights (Nov. 9th) and other events. Please don't forget that PiE donation days are coming up in just a few weeks, November 16-18. I can't emphasize enough the importance of your donations.
Whew! That's a lot. It's also just a snapshot of some of the things that are occurring on a daily basis at Ohlone. (I didn't even mention what a phenomenal Harvest Festival we had a few weeks back!) It's a rich experience here; one that is very, very special. Take care, and I'll talk to you soon.
Bill
What a Year at Ohlone!
2010 A Brief Look at This Year and the Next
Dear Ohlone Families,
Well, it’s been another wonderful year at Ohlone. So many great things have occurred, so many terrific experiences provided. This past school year saw our community rise together in an inspired effort to help the people of Japan after the quake and tsunami. It also saw the growth of our new building. The year included a phenomenal and successful auction and a “modified” harvest festival. Once again, these events epitomized some of the best aspects of Ohlone: cooperation, caring, flexibility, and tremendous effort given by many. It was also another very rich year that included science, math, and literacy nights; a school play; bingo nights; book fairs (including an international one); picnics and Spring Flings; another wonderful Lunar New Year celebration; parent education nights; an excellent after school foreign language program; and so much more. These are just a few of the opportunities offered to us by the PTA, the Core Values Committee, and the Site Council. I could go on and on.
Individual classrooms also offered a variety of rewarding educational experiences to our students. Overnight field trips, Gold Rush and Native American simulations, an integrated project about the Farm, and high quality Farm science experiences were all a part of this. Many teachers also held special open houses, including a poetry café; science nights; and plays and performances, including a recent performance of Macbeth. There were many enriching field trips. And even before school started, classrooms were opening their doors to families to come and meet their teachers. Other teachers offered after school academies and opportunities for kids to enhance their math, literacy, and writing skills, as well as to get help with their homework. They did this, and more, while working hard to grow professionally, to participate in district trainings and meetings, to address student needs, to continue to align their programs to the Ohlone philosophy, to attend night meetings, and to be available to talk with us when necessary. We also added two new teachers to our staff: two 2/3 MI teachers. Ohlone continues to thrive and offer a very rich and exciting program for our children and their families.
Just like any other living organism, though, Ohlone needs to continue to grow. There are already many plans for next year in the works that will enrich what we already offer and improve our ability to educate our children. I’d like to mention a few of them so that you can begin to look to the near future. There isn’t any order or prioritization to this list; it’s simply a sample of what’s in store.
- Oskar II will visit the campus (a follow-on to “Oskar and the Big Bully Battle” which we hosted last spring). This time the actors and actresses of TheatreWorks will be addressing resiliency in their light, yet meaningful, way.
- Free the Children will be bringing in guest speakers to introduce the olders to some global issues.
- The Foreign Language Program will be expanding slightly. What a great program this is, and what a wonderful opportunity for our kids to be introduced to different languages.
- We’re adding a fourth grade MI classroom.
- We’re hoping to sponsor some adult education nights related to boys’ issues. We offered some very successful nights this year with girls and their mothers.
- Our big focus for the Core Values Committee will be to introduce the new school goals that are an addition to our core values and to educate us all on how they might be implemented both in the classroom and at home.
- We will continue to try to support parents in their quest to give their children a high degree of emotional intelligence as well as facilitating the acquisition of the developmental assets.
- The disproportion team here at school (SD-CEIS) will be introducing the process for better meeting your child’s needs and how to get support in that area. They’ll also be introducing ways to give input to our special education team.
- We’re planning on having at least a week long set of classroom activities available to teachers, parents, and students related to “Abilities Awareness.”
- The staff will continue to explore such concepts as measuring and communicating at what “developmental” level your child is, the core standards in mathematics, literacy, leading emotional intelligence lessons, using Smart boards to facilitate student learning, better meeting individual needs, and so much more.
- The new building will be ready for us to occupy. We’ll need your help in order to make the move as seamless as possible. We’ll let you know when we’re ready for your help.
- I’m hoping to begin a lunchtime leadership/community service/Free the Children club in which olders can participate if they choose.
- There will be a new outdoor playground located toward the back of the property.
- The front parking area will be renovated and will hopefully improve, at least a little bit, the traffic congestion.
I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but it looks as though it’s shaping up to be another tremendous year. Of course, good ideas aren’t worth much without your continued support and participation. You all have given so much again this year. It is always with great pride that I talk to others about this community and all you do, not only to help the school and your children, but also for others throughout the world. Words of gratitude really don’t do it justice, but thank you anyway.
So, with all of the possibilities for next year ahead of us, and while trying to get your kids to different athletic fields and other activities, be sure to use whatever free time might be available to take a breath, get that overdue massage, and get ready for another great school year. Thanks for a memorable one this year.
Have a safe and wonderful summer.
Bill
May 2011
Meeting Individual Needs & Classroom Placement
Dear Ohlone Families,
I feel like I say this in every Arrow, but where does the time go? Here it is May, with only a short time left before we send everyone off to summer break. It’s hard to believe that we’re almost at the end of another school year.
This issue of the Arrow contains two articles from me. The first is about some of the work that is happening behind the scenes and how we’re continually striving to better meet individual student needs. The second is one I wrote last year about our placement process and some of the thinking that goes on behind the scenes annually as we begin to think about the following year. I hope they give you some insight into some current activities and concerns of the teaching staff.
•Better Meeting Individual Student Needs For the past two years, the teaching staff has been involved in various discussions and activities related to our children, their needs, and how best to meet them. We’ve had discussions about how our VTP kids are doing; about how to teach developmentally; about how to better address social-emotional needs; about the core curriculum standards and how to teach to those, specifically about what our kids need mathematically; about addressing gender issues; about differentiation; about the continuums each student is on and how to assess them; about our best practices in math and literacy; and more. We’ve read professional articles related to guided reading, the developmental approach, and project-based learning, and had several guest speakers. Our focus has been, and will continue to be, on how to meet the diverse needs of our student body.
Some time last year the Palo Alto Unified School District was found to be out of compliance with the State of CA for having an imbalance in the number of students of color that are enrolled in special education compared with the rest of the district. While this was not great news, the resulting plan to remedy this has become a wonderful opportunity for everyone in the district, including those of us here at Ohlone. It gave us extra incentive to reflect upon what we do to meet individual needs and to improve our practices.
In the beginning of the year we created our own SD-CEIS committee (Significantly Disproportionate– Coordinated Early Intervention Services) that is made up of our school psychologist, our resource specialist, our speech and language therapist, teacher representatives from all of the grade levels, and me. While the district has arranged for three full days this past year for each school’s SD-CEIS committee to plan and strategize, we have also been meeting every Monday afternoon to continue and expand our dialogue. We’re excited about the modifications to our student referral process that we’re considering, as well as what the district is coming up with. We think that it will improve communication and how concerns are addressed. We’ve also created a resource book of interventions that teachers can use. We’re hoping to make some of these available to parents in the future as well. We’re planning to have a parent meeting in the fall to introduce the improvements to everyone.
In conjunction with this, I’ve been meeting periodically with the PTA presidents and our special education liaisons. We’ve had some wonderful discussions and brainstorming about how we can communicate better and, as a result, have a better idea of how to help our children. We’re presently planning some interesting student activities for the fall to help them learn to be more accepting and tolerant of others. This goes well with our core values.
What I’ve just described as happening behind the scenes is but a small portion of the reflection, discussion, and modification processes that have been occurring. The details of all of them would fill more than a few Arrow issues. All of this is very exciting to me, and I look forward to telling you all about it in the fall and in future editions of the Arrow. In the meantime, we all are continuing our personal and professional journeys with our charge to make Ohlone the best learning environment for each and every student.
•Making Next Year’s Classes:
A Great Challenge for Teachers Using an Imperfect Science
(Originally printed in April, 2010)
It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year when at least some of the teachers’ attention turns to next year. It’s placement time. This is a period of weeks during the month of May when teachers gather to look at next year’s entire class (for example, all 140-or-so 4th and 5th graders) and to try to create classes that are balanced. This is a monumental challenge that takes an abundance of time, energy, and emotion.
Over the years, these have proven to be some of the most challenging times for teachers. They each spend hours listening to your input; thinking about your child’s needs, strengths, and social skills; discussing each child with cluster-mates; and, often, agonizing over the class in which your child might best thrive. I have seen placements where teachers cry openly and even argue aloud. While the teaching staff is extraordinarily respectful of each other, relationships are at times tested during this period. We all feel a deep connection with each of your children, and where they go after they leave us is extraordinarily important.
The overarching goal of placing students is to create balanced classes. “Balance” means a lot of different things. It means not only balanced by gender, but also by interests, by strengths, by grade, by whether or not students have had a two-year experience with the same teacher, by siblings that have had the same teacher, by special needs, by social make-up, and, if possible, by established friendships. As you might imagine, this is not an easy process, and it’s definitely not one for the faint of heart. It is also not a perfect science. Gender numbers alone don’t always allow us to have equal numbers of boys and girls in each room.
One source of input comes from your discussions with your child’s present teacher. Over the years, we’ve discouraged receiving input from you about specific teachers for two main reasons. The first is that we try really hard not to give the impression that the teacher you feel is best for your child is the actual teacher he or she will get. As you can see from the above criteria, it is extremely challenging to give everyone his or her first choice. We also discourage discussion about specific teachers since much of the input received is based on impressions, short observations, or the experience of others. Obviously, each child’s experience with a teacher is a unique one. Remember also that our main goal is to create balanced classes throughout an entire grade level.
The kind of input that is important to hear from you, though, is what you feel is the best environment for your child. Based on what you know, it is helpful to inform or remind us about his/her social and emotional status, his/her strengths and interests, historically positive and challenging relationships, and areas that you feel need attention. Things happening in the family or anticipated changes that might occur are also helpful. All of this input is “thrown into the information hopper” so to speak, and then each child is tentatively placed in what appears to be the best fit. Again, considering the bigger picture is equally impor- tant to who is in which classroom.
Even with the hours of work and thoughtful consideration, this process still exists as an imperfect “science.” It is not one done lightly or without a great deal of effort and concern. We believe, though, that it is still better to give our best effort and attention than to leave it up to one person, chance and luck, or some other less thoughtful system. We appreciate your continued trust that your children are well cared for and have at least one advocate in this process.
We appreciate your patience in waiting to hear where your child has been placed. I know that it can make for a somewhat anxious summer, as anticipation for children can be both exciting and annoying. But, unfortunately, changes are made throughout the spring and summer. As you know, with children new information can appear at some very inconvenient times.
As we go into this season of taking a glimpse at next year, let’s all recognize that we may not get our first choice for our child’s teacher, that every teacher here at Ohlone, and in PAUSD for that matter, is top-notch and extraordinarily talented in some way, and that a tremendous amount of time, attention, and effort is given in an attempt to create 26—soon to be 27—of the most balanced classes possible.
I hope this helps you understand what goes into the placement process. Your children are in caring hands.
•Final Remarks
I hope that this set of Arrow articles give you some insight into the level of commitment and dedication the entire staff holds. Ohlone is a very exciting and special place that continues to grow in new, and even better, ways daily. Have a great spring, and enjoy the rest of the school year.
Take care,
Bill
Developmental Assets and Helping Others - April 2011
Dear Ohlone Families,
As I write this, I am looking out at a drenched blacktop and field. Winter is definitely hanging on with a tight grip, and I hope you are all able to stay warm and dry on these blustery days. Too bad we can’t get fireplaces for our classrooms—wouldn’t that give them a cozy feeling?
In spite of the challenges presented by the weather, the Ohlone community once again was seen at its best in the wake of the recent tragedy in Japan. The outpouring of contributions, whether through the book and bake sale or through the read-a-thon and classroom bake sales, was phenomenal. The amount of time and energy donated by the organizers, all in the name of helping people who are in need, was inspirational. I am always in awe of this community and how it rallies to find ways to give assistance in times of dire need. This past week was another example of how so many people came together for the sake of helping out the people in Japan. To say that I am proud to be a part of this school would be an understatement. Thanks to all of you who gave whatever you could in this recent effort.
Last fall, our fifth graders (along with fifth graders throughout the district) took a survey in an effort to see how many developmental assets they possessed. For those of you who are new to this idea, an organization named Project Cornerstone, with support from the Search Institute, researched and created a list of attributes of kids who make good decisions. This list became the 41 developmental assets. The research shows a direct correlation between the number of these assets a student possesses and the number of risk-taking or not-so-good decisions made. The higher the number of assets, the better the chance of staying out of trouble.
Last week at a parent education meeting, we had a representative from Project Cornerstone here to talk with us about the survey and the assets. Coincidentally, I had received the results for both the district averages and Ohlone’s scores earlier that day and was able to share what I had gleaned from it thus far. As with any kind of good data, it should validate some practices that already are in existence and pose some new questions for consideration. While all of the scores were comparable to other elementary schools, there were a few that stood out for me. From the external asset list, such assets as fifth graders experiencing a caring school climate, being seen as resources, and having opportunities for positive after school programs were high. From the internal asset list, assets such as being engaged in learning and possessing self-esteem were seen on the higher side. I think this supports what we continue to believe in and try to achieve on a daily basis.
There are a few questions on the survey that directly relate to my first two paragraphs here. There were questions that related to the level of importance families give to helping others. There were others related to what degree students are affected by the feelings and experiences of others. Even in the Six Seconds model for emotional intelligence, some of the competencies are related to giving of oneself, creating noble goals, and having empathy.
The modeling of these attributes was clear this past week or so. As I’ve already mentioned, caring, cooperation, and generosity were evident everywhere. As a result, not only were people in need given some assistance, at the same time adults here were providing excellent modeling for our kids. This only heightens my appreciation how this community has responded once again to the plight of others. This is pretty phenomenal in my book. Again, thanks to all of you who continue to give what they can to Ohlone and the world, whether it is in monetary donations or time or energy or desire or sensitivity and understanding. This school continues to change at least a part of the world on a daily basis.
As a final note, I’m writing this before Saturday night’s auction. I’m hoping that it will be a huge success, if for no other reason than it’s an opportunity to celebrate together.
Take care,
Bill
(P.S. All of the Project Cornerstone data can be found on the PAUSD website: http://www.pausd.org/parents/programs/StudentConnectedness/index.shtml .)
March 3, 2011
Dear Ohlone Families,
People don’t always know many of the things that go on behind the scenes and after school hours here at Ohlone. We have an extraordinarily hardworking and professional staff, and their days rarely end with the dismissal of students. In addition to being expected to keep on top of student progress and to plan for the next day and for the future, they also maintain high expectations for themselves related to their professional growth. I’d like to share with you just a few examples of activities in which all or parts of the staff have been involved recently.
The month of February started with the staff reviewing our site disaster plan. We were able to go over our additional responsibilities, how to release children to parents, and so much more. For you, it’s important to know that in such an event we will only release students to people who are on your white emergency forms. We keep these in the office. If yours needs updating, please take care of this ASAP. Also, in a large evacuation situation, we’re asking that all adults line up to check out their children by entering the playground from near the office.
The following week, we had two presentations from staff members as a part of sharing best practices. We had presentations that introduced us to Singapore Math and to a strategy for learning multiplication facts. This is one use of our staff meeting times that is extremely beneficial to our continuing professional development. As a result of these presentations, several staff members are interested in attending additional training in these areas.
During last Thursday’s Staff Development Day, a few staff members attended the annual brain conference in San Francisco. This is an event that some Ohlone staff members have been attending for over 15 years. It, too, adds greatly to the entire staff’s understanding of our brains and the current neuroscience that exists. We are continuing our journey of aligning our practices with current research.
The rest of the staff was here at school, where we read about some of the current best practices for teaching reading and math—two of our areas of focus for the past two years. We had excellent discussions about guided reading, as well as opportunities to reflect upon our own practices. The afternoon was filled with activities related to our own understanding of the core values and of the soon-to-be-released school goals. (Look for these coming out at the beginning of the next school year.) It is times like these when our practices become much more aligned to our philosophical beliefs.
In cluster meetings that occur about every other week after school, grade-level groups are planning for upcoming simulations and having discussions about addressing student needs.
Even lunchtime is often used for professional growth. Currently, one group of teachers meets regularly to discuss a book that they are all reading about morning meetings, and another group meets with mentors regularly.
In addition to these opportunities, teachers are often off campus during or after school to attend district-provided training sessions. The topics of these have included literacy, Mandarin curriculum, science, and more.
In the past we have had presentations from PAUSD personnel related to how our voluntary transfer students do, what math instruction looks like in more successful countries, guided reading, what the new national core standards are and how we can use them to benefit students, how we can better integrate math into our large cluster-wide projects, how to better differentiate curriculum in our classrooms, how to better meet students’ social and emotional needs, and so much more.
In future meetings this year we’ll be discussing kids making transitions to different clusters, new technology that is becoming available to us, and enlarging our ability to teach lessons related to social and emotional well being and gender issues.
As you can see, this entire staff is committed to continuing to grow professionally. It is a motivated group that is always searching for better ways to meet your children’s needs. While we’re all on different personal and professional continuums, we have one thing in common: the growth and well being of all of our students. It is a pleasure for me to be a witness to this.
As a final note, let me tell you how much I’m looking forward to the upcoming auction on March 26. All of these events that I’ve attended in the past have been a lot of fun, and there’s always a huge selection of things on which to bid. It’s also a great opportunity for the adults of the community to come together to meet, socialize, and just hang out. In addition, the funds all go to a worthy cause. The Ohlone PTA plays a huge role not only in helping to provide a very rich program here, but also by contributing to some of the professional growth that I discussed earlier. I hope that you are planning to attend.
Until then, take care.
Bill
Lessons Our Kids Are Learning
Dear Ohlone Families,
I hope you're surviving these "tough" California winters. Being a native, I can only imagine living in an environment that is more demanding this time of year. All of the nice weather has me thinking of the upcoming spring and all that it entails.
The construction of the new building may be the most visible metaphor for the growth that surrounds us. It is new and will ultimately be a wonderful addition to the site, but its growth and development have not always come easily. It has been painfully loud at times (the trucks), it has caused some questionable decisions (the tree), it has been extremely inconvenient (parking), and it has even caused a change of plans at the last minute (the recent decision not to dig the trench behind the office). Its growth and development have also not come at a steady, predictable rate or without significant labor.
In my mind, it epitomizes what our students experience on a daily basis. People do not grow in a methodical, predictable manner. Their care, nurturing, and education have elements of both science and art. Their continuing education involves a tremendous amount of effort on their parts, as well as patience and guidance on ours. The not-so-good decisions that they make at times are opportunities for them to grow and to learn even more. As with any kind of growth, there is sometimes discomfort. All of these feelings and experiences, comfortable or not, will be a part of who they are. How we respond to them also influences who they will be.
As educators we spend an abundance of time acquiring and strengthening our skills, not only those related to academic growth, but also those that allow us to respond to our students in ways such that they don't see themselves as being punished. Our intentions are to reflect back to them the not-so-desirable behavior and to act as guides and coaches on how they can be the great people we know they are. As you might imagine, being consistent with these messages is challenging at times.
At a recent parent education night, we discussed not only Six Seconds' model for the acquisition of emotional intelligence (which is one large indicator of future success in life), but also how they support in a deep way the Project Cornerstone assets. What struck me the most, though, was the apparent desire for parents to have a better idea of how to support their children's growth in this area at home and on the playing field.
Unfortunately, I don't have a clear, succinct answer for this that I can communicate effectively here. But, it is something that we need to address in the months and years to come. What I can communicate to you, though, is something I said way back at Back to School Night. Children are sponges. They see and sense everything. While our words to them are important, how we act and react is critical. I'm sure you've heard the expression, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Well, whoever coined this expression, I'm sure, was talking about children and how they mimic the behaviors of the significant adults in their lives. You've also heard the expression, "Actions speak louder than words." This applies in this discussion as well. How we respond when things are tough, inconvenient, annoying, or worse is what our kids are learning. The accompanying words just reinforce or compromise the learning.
We all want our children to live happy, healthy, and satisfying lives, but to achieve this we must give them the tools to help when things aren't going the way they intended. Teachers here are working hard to engage their students in such topics as adversity and resilience. As parents, to give those lessons clearly and consistently we must model for our children, as often as humanly possible, the actions that will help them. We should ask ourselves questions such as the following: "How do I act when I'm angry, and what is my child learning from that?" "How do I act when I'm frustrated or disappointed?" "How do I act when I'm really disappointed, sad, or depressed?" "How do I solve problems?" Our responses to these questions are the real lessons our children are learning.
I would love to say that as a parent I am a tremendous example of clear and consistent behaviors that gave my children all of the lessons I wanted to them to learn. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I am, after all, human. Having such high expectations is unhealthy. But, it's never too late to sit our kids down and take responsibility for our actions, to explain to them where those strong feelings came from, and to help them understand the actual lesson we want them to learn. Isn't that great modeling in itself? I am also pretty sure that, if you check really deep inside, your actions came from a large amount of care and concern and desire for them to be really great people.
I look forward to further discussions with you about how we can help our kids to gain the knowledge and tools that will help them be successful in life. In the meantime, try to step outside yourself and see what your kids are seeing. All of this is but one small part of their journey, but an important one.
Bill
Happy New Year!
Dear Ohlone Families,
Welcome to 2011! I hope the winter break was a restful and re-energizing one for all of you.
I always like this time of year. I enjoy taking time to reflect on the past year and to look at ways in which I can improve myself in the next one—as a professional, as a father, and as a person. This reflection can sometimes turn into goals or resolutions, and as many of us who have tried these before with questionable success know, they often work better when they're done with others. Sometimes family resolutions can be beneficial as well as fun. You might want to give it a try. The New Year is a good time to try some different things.
As I hope you've been reading on eNews, construction is occurring at a brisk pace, and we're right on schedule. Even during the break, workers were busy pouring cement, digging trenches, and so much more. By the time this reaches you, there should be the first signs of a structure rising from the ground. I'll try to continue to send pictures through The Arrow and eNews, but I've also been told that you can actually access a live webcam through the district website. Classrooms that are close to the building site have had to deal with some distracting noise these past few weeks. To help with this situation, we're getting some temporary sound systems in those rooms (which should be arriving soon). Construction, with all of its joys and tribulations, will con- tinue to be part of our journey this school year.
We're now settled back into our classroom routines. I've found in the past that this period of time is an optimal one for academic and social growth. It's a good time, as a parent, to sit back, notice, and appreciate the progress our children have made so far. Realize it or not, they are already different from who they were in August. I believe that celebration is a necessary part of life. It marks as a signpost movement, progress, and growth. Coming up with your own way to celebrate, or at least to acknowledge, some of the growth your children have made thus far might be another fun thing to do.
As always, Ohlone continues to be a very special place. I'm looking forward to what the New Year holds for all of us and to being a part of the wonderful journey we're on. Welcome back!
Bill
December 2010
Dear Parents,
Please forgive me if I’ve said this before, but where does the time go? Is it really Thanksgiving Week and the beginning of the holiday season? I want to know where August went. For that matter, I want to know where this decade has gone.
Time does march on, regardless of whether or not we notice it. I am con- stantly reminded, as I get together with my 20+-year-old kids, how special and fleeting the time that we spend with them is. As challenging and tiring as they were, there’s a piece of me that wishes they were still elementary school age. There is an energy, a warmth, and an innocence that exists only during this period of time. As we get a few more opportunities to spend some significant time with our children over the next several weeks, let me recommend that you savor these moments and, in any way possible, etch them into your long-term memory. These days go by so quickly.
With that advice on appreciating our families, it is also that very special time of year to reflect upon just how fortunate we are. I have many things for which to be grateful. I feel extraordinarily lucky to be part of a school community that is so giving of its time, energy, passion, and resources. By the time you read this, PiE donation days will have come and gone. The quality and richness of our students’ experiences at Ohlone depend on your donations in so many ways. If you haven’t yet had the chance to support PiE, and wish to do so, it is not too late.
Also, by the time you read this, the teaching staff will have had their two-day retreat. Throughout the history of Ohlone, going back to the days before my time here, this time spent together has been critical in the development and maintenance of a way of educating our children in which we believe. It has also allowed us to reflect upon our practices and to continue to refine them. After all, we are all on our own continuums. While I already know the planned agenda for the two days, I’ll hold off on communicating it to you until I’m sure of what was actually discussed at the retreat. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of such a wonderful, hard working, and committed staff. Speaking for them, we are equally appreciative of the gift of time that you’re giving to us again this year. It is time well spent.
I know that this may sound funny, but I’m feeling fortunate that we are in the middle of a major construction project that thus far has not adversely affected the qual- ity of instruction. For your information, the workers are now digging trenches in preparation for pouring the foundation. It makes a huge difference in the completion of the building if this is done before the rains become a regular weather pattern.
Another area of appreciation is the continuing improvement and strengthening of the Mandarin Immersion program. You might know that we presented our report to the Board of Education on November 9 and will find out their decision as to the fate of MI on December 7. I’m just beginning to realize the potential we have for expanding school-wide opportunities to build cultural awareness and tolerance. I’m certain that we will see this potential come to fruition as the months and years go by.
There are so many more people in this community for whom I am grateful—far too many to name here. However, I must mention what a pleasure it is to have of such a wonderful front office group, including Barbara, Chrys, and our psychologist, Margaret Sachs. They definitely help to make everything so much more enjoyable.
If I don’t see you beforehand, have a wonderful holiday season and a terrific new year. Please give your phenomenal kids a hug for me.
Bill
November 2010
The Ohlone Community Never Ceases to Amaze Me: Parent–Teacher–Student Connections
Dear Ohlone Families,
I would think, after so many years here, that I would never see community support rise to even higher levels than what I’ve previously witnessed. Well, I was wrong. While the stories of support and connection can go on forever, what occurred a couple Saturdays ago has taken this idea even further.
To be honest, when the parent leadership team was considering what to do about the Harvest Festival and the possibility of rain, I was apprehensive at best about what the outcome might be. When it was decided to go ahead with it rain or shine, a whole new set of concerns surfaced: Would anyone show up? Do parents still ask their children to stay inside during inclement weather? Would they forego that family policy to attend? Would the weather be so miserable that it would be impossible to do any craft or game or have any fun at all? What would be the effect on the Farm’s budget if it were unsuccessful? I admit to being more than a bit concerned. In fact, as I drove closer to the school that day, I was lamenting what appeared to be little traffic and parking on Louis Road. Uh oh, were my greatest fears being realized?
It wasn’t until I actually parked and walked into the schoolyard that my fears were assuaged. Not only was there an abundance of people in attendance, but everyone looked happy and apparently unaware of the pouring rain outside of the overhangs. I was once again reminded of how the Ohlone community rises to the occasion and makes “the impossible,” or at least the “uncomfortable,” into a rich and warm experience for everyone. The Harvest Festival, the Farm’s largest fundraiser, was once again a huge success. It was when, by all predictions, it shouldn’t have been. That says a lot about all of us.
Of course, an undertaking of such proportion doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Many people contributed a tremendous amount of time and energy to the success of the day. Thank you to all of you who signed up to help in some way, or spontaneously gave some time and effort on the day of the event. A special thank you to Talitha, who operated as “conductor” of the symphony. It was a grand performance. It’s truly inspirational and amazing for me to see you all in action.
It just so happens that the Core Values Committee has decided to focus on the parent-teacher-student partnership value this year. This is such an important value. The Harvest Festival is one such example, especially with the contributions and attendance of those families and staff members who could make it. There are a hundred different examples of this partnership. They range from the constant open communication among all parties to the participation in all of the school standing committees. They have also shown up in years when the school play was produced by this community, as well as in arranging and attending trips to the opera, Hidden Villa, and a variety of overnights. These kinds of enriching experiences for kids can only be accomplished through a partnership between all of the adults and the students.
At the root of parent-teacher-student relationships is communication. As I hope you know, we’re trying to help our kids to be self-advocates and address problems directly with the source of the issue. Within each classroom, we work toward this goal. We try to help them avoid bringing others into the situation—something that can often bring about negative escalations. At the same time, if that person cannot “hear” what you’re saying, or if you aren’t satisfied with what you’re requesting, then you need to go to a “higher authority.” That might be one of the yard duties, any teacher, people in the office, myself, or other resources. As I’ve said before, if we want our kids to learn certain skills, we need to model those behaviors. In these ways, we can not only help our children to learn the valuable lessons of self-advocacy and conflict resolution, but do it while continuing to maintain a community where anything is possible and every conflict or concern is handled in a respectful, yet direct, manner. It is such a pleasure to be part of a community where the glass is always half-full.
There are several events that are in the planning stages that will also facilitate student-parent-teacher partnerships. The first occurred last Tuesday at the end of the Core Values Committee meeting. At that time, three teachers and I offered examples and answered questions that were related to continuing and enhancing our relationships. The staff has also been discussing this topic at times. We have discussed the need to communicate more fully with you all. The challenge is to do this without compromising their preparation time and needs to address other priorities. As always, we are open to any ideas that would increase the quality and quantity of communication that takes this into consideration. Stay tuned as the year progresses for more ways that we will address this value.
Once again, thank you to all of you who helped, worked, attended, played, planned, and otherwise made the Harvest Festival another huge success.
Talk to you soon,
Bill
October 2010
Dear Ohlone Families,
It feels like ages since I’ve written to you—as though Back-to-School Night just took place. While I have a lot to tell you, I will try not to be too long-winded.
It’s hard to believe that we are already in our sixth week of school. It’s amazing to me how well your kids have adjusted to being back, with many making transitions into new classrooms with new teachers. It is a joy to see your kids as they come to school each day with such excitement and enthusiasm. What a great way to start my day!
As I hope I have said many times before, we have a phenomenal staff here at Ohlone. It is a tireless, dedicated group, always willing to do whatever it takes for your children to be successful in school. Our new MI teachers, Claire and Lu, have embraced the major commitment that the professionals here make. They both worked much of the summer preparing themselves and their classrooms for the year ahead. In my opinion, that time has already paid major dividends.
Staff Development Day in August
Before school actually started, we had a staff development day that was devoted to sharing and improving our skills in teaching concepts related to social and emotional well-being. With the help of our longtime consultants, the people from Six Seconds, we discussed the roles that class meetings play, as well as how to facilitate helping each child to find his/her voice. We also came up with a “wish list” of SEL skills with which we’d like our students to leave Ohlone. (The list follows my message.) In addition, some of us have been gathering data regarding our students related to this topic. Many students took the Social Emotional Inventory, Youth Version (SEI-YV) last year. This was an online survey that showed how well developed social emotional competencies are in our students. It basically assessed our kids’ ability to know themselves, to choose themselves, and to give themselves. I’m hoping to include you in a parent education night sometime this year at which these important concepts can be more fully communicated to you. You might be interested to know that several classrooms have volunteered to be “demonstration classrooms” for other educators in the area to come and observe what SEL looks like in a public school. What we are doing this year in this area is very exciting. The 5th graders will be completing another survey in a week or two. It comes from Project Cornerstone, with the hopes of seeing where all of our kids in Santa Clara County are related to connectedness and possessing assets that have been shown to indicate a positive direction.
Traffic
As I mentioned at Back to School Night, I don’t believe that there exists a magic plan to make drop off and pick up any better. The only thing that will improve the situation right now will be the attitudes and common sense that we possess. I can’t emphasize to you enough the need to enter the parking lot slowly and carefully, and exit in the same manner. It is much better to be a little late than to do something that we will all regret later. Please also use the crosswalks. This year we are lucky to have some very conscientious Ohlone Guides, who have been encouraging you to pull forward and only unload your kids near the flagpole. They’ve also been helping you and your children cross in the crosswalks. One last thing—please never leave your car. If you must, please pull around the corner and park along the street, then return.
Pick up
It has come to our attention that some of you are not picking up your children in a timely manner. Students are welcome to stay and wait for you in the kinder area until 3:00 PM, as long as they are respectful to the teachers working in their rooms and act responsibly. Students supervised by their own parents are welcome to stay longer. Due to liability issues, unsupervised students who are still on campus at 3:00 PM will be escorted to the office to wait for you there. This will begin on October 12. Also, climbing the trees in the kinder yard, as attractive as they are, is unacceptable. Thanks for your help with this.
Odds and Ends
• Thanks to all of you who have signed up on eScrip. This is such a great way to help out the school without it costing a dime more than what we normally spend each month.
• Thanks also to all of you who have already donated to PiE. If I didn’t tell you before, PiE contributes about three times what my discretionary funds from the district cover. Without their help, our children’s experience here would be considerably different.
• Building is progressing. Unfortunately we had to lose a favorite tree in the process. I’ve been told that that bird’s nest that was found was taken to Greer Park, and that the builders have promised to plant at least two trees for every one that is taken out.
• I hope to see you all at the Harvest Festival in a couple of weeks.
• I know I’ve forgotten something, so be sure to look for additional information on our eNews.
Talk to you soon,
Bill
August 2010
Dear Ohlone Families,
Welcome to the 2010 – 2011 school year!
I hope you all had a wonderful and restful summer break. I’m really excited about the upcoming school year. This year promises to be an exciting adventure in so many different ways.
First of all, the programs that the teachers have been planning and thinking about over the summer are sure to excite and motivate your child. The ones that I’m aware of presently sound terrific. Many teachers have spent a lot of time reflecting, organizing, acquiring new skills, and preparing over the summer. They are an extraordinarily committed and dedicated group of professionals who are also extremely hard workers. We include in our faculty two new teachers in the MI program. They are Claire Albert and Lu Sun. We also welcome Yasmin Shirole, who will be working part time in Room 9 with Suzy Anvar, and Laura Losier, our new Friday librarian. And finally, we welcome back Mary Lowe who is a former Ohlone teacher and parent. These new staff members complete an already talented group of teachers.
Second, we will have an abundance of construction going on throughout the year. I’m sure all of the noise, dust, movement and activity will add to our excitement level. By the time you get to school, there should be a lot of fencing that is visible to everyone. There are already four new portables located on the blacktop in front of Rooms 11-14. These will be temporarily for the MI students as rooms #24 (closest to the library) to Room 27, (closest to the office). Unfortunately the new construction and fencing will hinder the ability to drive or park behind the 2/3 wing. To assist the staff members who can no longer park there, we have restricted the area behind the MP Room and the office to staff-only and to the two auction winners from two years ago. (You will get a chance to procure these spots yourself at this year’s auction.) In the meantime, this year, even more than in the past, it will be extremely helpful for you to carpool. More information about this will be coming your way in the future.
For those of you who enter Ohlone through the back gate near the Farm, with the new fencing you will be taking a more circuitous route along the trees and around behind the newly placed OKC and Rooms 23 – 19. This little jaunt through the “forest”, or “Redwood City” , as it is affectionately known to our kids, should be a nice way to start school each day.
There are also so many other aspects of Ohlone that will be new and exciting this year. I’ll tell you more about these in the future. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at 8:30am on August 24th at this year’s opening ceremonies. At this moment, a decision as to where that will be has yet to be made. A lot will depend on whether or not all of the protective fencing has been put up or not. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer and I’ll see you soon.
Bill
August 5, 2009
Welcome to the 2009-2010 School Year!
Dear Ohlone families,
It is with the greatest excitement and enthusiasm that I welcome you all to the new school year. For the past 30 years or so Ohlone has been my home away from home. It has been a match made in heaven for me since the time I did my student teaching here with Jeannette Wei. One of the joys of my life has been working with Ohlone’s wonderful kids and its amazing parents over the years. It is a remarkable community that I feel extraordinarily lucky and honored to be the leader of.
I hope you have had a wonderful and restful summer break. For myself, except for a week away, it’s been a whirlwind of trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible. My learning curve is pretty steep right now. I’m sure that this will change once the year begins. So far, I’ve enjoyed all of the new experiences and knowledge. I feel very lucky to have Barbara and Chrys in the office to help me out.
I also feel extremely lucky to have the pleasure of working with a group of dedicated and committed teachers. They are an extraordinary group who put in a tremendous amount of time, as well as heart, into their programs.
New Teachers
We are fortunate to have the additional talents of three new and new to Ohlone teachers. Mike Airo, a former student teacher here, and 3rd grade teacher last year at Briones, is to take over my position in Room 15. The new Mandarin Immersion K-1 teacher is Judy Kislitsyn. I had the pleasure of interviewing her and know the talent and experience that she brings with her. Our MI program is still in the process of growing, and as a result we have a new teacher in the new 2nd grade classroom. Lee Kerk was hired as the teacher there last spring. She comes with an extraordinary amount of very supportive references and experience. All three of these teachers have already spent a lot of time preparing for the new year. All teachers new to Ohlone also get a chance to work with some of the more experienced teachers who serve as mentors.
Building News
Most of you already know that a new wing at Ohlone is in the design and development stage presently and the plans are proceeding at a good pace. The Building Committee, made up of parent and staff representatives, will continue to meet this year as we prepare for construction tentatively scheduled to begin towards the end of this school year or next summer.
Business as Usual
These are exciting times at Ohlone. The unveiling of this website is another example of this. While we will all miss Susan, I’m confident that things will operate as usual. I’m confident that Ohlone will continue to be a warm, safe, and exciting place for you and your children. Of course, the success of the school is dependent upon your continuing support and involvement. If you’re looking for a place to help out in addition to your child’s classroom, check into participating in our active PTA, Core Values Committee, Site Council, or Farm Council. We’re always looking for new people to be a part of these groups.
See You in the Farm Opening Day!
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer vacation. I will see you opening day, August 25th. Classes start at 8:15am. I’ll see you in the Farm later that morning.
Take care.
Bill