District 6 News and Events

District 6 READS ACROSS AMERICA...and more!

Tue, 12 May 2009 09:26:00 -0700

by Joan Kramer, Coordinating Field Librarian, Local District 6

District 6 schools held a variety of spectacular events for Read Across America this year and Reading is Fundamental, the group that distributes books to children for their home libraries.

In a District that has not one bookstore, and not enough public libraries, our school libraries are the GO-TO PLACES for books and information for research and recreational reading.

One event at Bryson Elementary included everyone wearing pajamas while the Principal read to the entire student body from the roof. Principal Lisa Trujillo is a supporter par excellence of reading and libraries.

Nimitz Middle School held a beautiful event, inviting policemen, firemen, and local businessmen who went into participating classes and read to the students. Librarians Carla Barrera-Ortiz and Anna Lee pulled out all the stops, decorating the library and serving a beautiful breakfast to all the volunteers. They couldn’t have done it without Mayra who has been the Library Aide for several years.

Hughes Elementary invites community people and politicians, teachers and District employees to read to students in classrooms. Students receive special gifts and incentives to read more. Cindy Gonzalez, their Library Aide, is a spectacular artist who brightens up every corner of the school.

Nora Gonzalez is the Library Aide at Stanford Primary Center. She is also studying for her Masters Degree at San Jose State University to become a public librarian. Every year she holds Reading is Fundamental activities to give books to her students to take home. This year was no exception, with CAMP LIBRARY. Students read stories by campfire, read books in a tent, watched the stars at night, and rowed a boat around a lake.

These are just a few of the events that you will find at our wonderful District 6 schools where every effort is made to instill the love of reading and create life-long learners.

Outstanding Teacher Award, Mr. Gonzalo Bayardo, Holmes Ave. Elementary School

Tue, 12 May 2009 09:12:00 -0700

Mr. Gonzalo Bayardo, a teacher at Holmes Avenue Elementary School, has been awarded the prestigious honor of being selected for the “Outstanding Teacher Award” for his dedication and commitment to the educational advancement of students and the community by the TELACU Education Foundation. Congratulations!

Margarita Gonzalez, EL Coordinator, Featured in ASCD's April Podcast

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:30:00 -0700

April 22, 2009

Dr. Margarita Gonzalez-Amador, EL Programs Coordinator for Local District 6, was recently featured on the April edition of ASCD’s Whole Child Podcast. She was one of three leaders in ELL education across the nation chosen to be interviewed for this podcast. She shares the unique opportunities and challenges that our students in LAUSD encounter and talks about the strategies that Local District 6 is taking to address the learning opportunites for our ELL students.

You can listen to the podcast at the ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) website. You will find it in the April Podcast section.

Local District 6 Operations Meeting

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:34:00 -0700

March 13, 2009

The Local District 6 Operations Meeting on March 11, 2009, was held live online virtually using various collaboration tools.

The archive of the meeting can be found at http://district6.wikispaces.com There you will find video archives, presentations with linked audio, and all files and media shared at the meeting. All information can be accessed for a period of at least one month.

You can also download the audio recordings from the meeting by subscribing to our Local District 6 Podcast.

Special Board Meeting Explores Tough Budget Options

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:03:32 -0800

March 4, 2009

During a special meeting on February 26, 2009, Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines shared the district’s dire fiscal picture of facing a cumulative $894 million budget deficit for the 2008-09 and 2009-2010 school years, The presentation from that meeting can be downloaded from the LAUSD website.

ChalkWalk - May 3, 2009

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:29:00 -0800

March 4, 2009

LAUSD and LACOE are teaming up with Phi Delta Kappa International to sponsor the Los Angeles Chalk WalkSM, the first ever walk-a-thon fundraiser to honor great teachers and support the next generation of great teachers. Read more and register through the LAUSD homepage.
Shared via Lisa Regan, Secondary Literacy Coorinator, Local District 6

Inauguration Resources

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:03:00 -0800

The Presidential Inauguration will take place on January 20th, 2009. Below are some suggestions and resources for this important day.

Suggestions for Viewing, via Ramon Cortines, LAUSD Superintendent

Watch the inauguration in groups. Try to assemble students in large common areas such as a cafeteria, library, auditorium, gym, or multi-purpose room and project the broadcast onto a large screen or provide multiple viewing locations in one large room.
Whenever possible use a television or VCR that receives over the air broadcast channels. If the TV or VCR is not connected to a roof-top antenna a set of rabbit ear antenna should work. Test the location of the TV or VCR to assure reception. Some TVs and most VCRs, have an “audio/video out” connection and can be used with an LCD projector to project onto a large screen. KLCS will broadcast live, begining at 8:00 a.m. and will rebroadcast later that day at 4:30 p.m.
Some schools have cable or satellite service. If so, use that service whenever possible.
If schools want to observe the inauguration over the Internet through any one of the media streaming sites, then they should view them in large groups. It is not recommended to have individual students or employees watch the event online. This will cause an increase in network usage that would exceed the available bandwidth and could cause the stream to be interrupted for all users, spoiling the experience for all. Consider grouping students together (as noted above) or in larger classroom and have the teacher project the inauguration for multiple people to view.

The following should help you if you plan to use the streaming over the Internet option: (recommendations via Themy Sparangis, LAUSD Chief Technology Director)

Small schools and elementary schools should consider no more than 10 computers to simultaneously watch the inauguration online.
Middle schools should consider no more than 20 computers to simultaneously watch the inauguration online.
High schools should consider no more than 40 computers to simultaneously watch the inauguration online.

Online Viewing Resources

With the above considerations in mind, here are some resources for online viewing:

Inauguration Day 2009 - This site has a list of sites to view the stream live, as well as suggestions for listening on the radio and on tv.

Some additional streaming sites not mentioned on the above resource

Using My Right Hand - a live stream
LBP Don’t Miss a Moment - live stream (has central times listed)

Online Educational Resources

NYC Department of Education has put together an 18 page resource on classroom activities for learning about the Inauguration. It’s divided into elementary, middle, and high school resources. via The Innovative Educator blog.

Additional Resources

LAUSDnet Kids has some great Inauguration Day educations resources.

Maywood Academy wins Title 1 Academic Achievement Award! Congratulations! December 18, 2008Maywood...

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:26:00 -0800

Maywood Academy wins Title 1 Academic Achievement Award! Congratulations!

December 18, 2008
Maywood Elementary was among only 200 California schools to be selected for the 2008-2009 Title 1 Academic Achievement Award. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell stated, “These schools deserve high praise for improving student achievement.” Maywood Elementary was the only school in District 6 to receive this award. Congratulations! For more information about this prestigious award, please visit the news release on the California State Education website.

CERTIFICATED ADMINISTRATIVE EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:04:00 -0800

November 12, 2008

The Certificated Human Resources Division is announcing the Assistant Principal, Adult Counseling Services; Secondary Principal; and Elementary Principal administrative examinations this coming Spring 2009.

The filing period for Assistant Principal, Adult Counseling Services will open Monday, December 8, 2008 and close Thursday, January 22, 2009.
The filing period for Secondary Principal will open Monday, January 5, 2009 and close Thursday, February 5, 2009.
The filing period for Elementary Principal will open Monday, January 26, 2009 and close Thursday, February 26, 2009.

All candidates applying for any of the above examinations must participate in the new Recommendation of Readiness (RoR) process. The new RoR process serves as a tool to develop and recommend certificated staff for school leadership roles. This RoR process includes the new Success Indicators that standardize criteria upon which supervisors make recommendations and facilitate candidate preparation for higher level positions.

Candidate Examination information is available at: http://www.teachinla.com/research/exam_announcements.html

Administrator Examination information is available at: http://www.teachinla.com/AdminExamInfo.html

Individuals interested in applying for the examination should contact the Administrative Selection Unit (ASU) at (213) 241-6886 for further information.

CONGRATULATIONS CORONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR BEING THE MODEL LIBRARY FOR LOCAL DISTRICT 6!

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:01:00 -0700

October 7, 2008

On October 3rd, Library Services celebrated the Model Elementary School Libraries in each Local District. Model Libraries are chosen because they exemplify the highest standards for Libraries set by the State of California Department of Education and LAUSD. Local District 6 is represented by Corona Avenue Elementary, with Principal Jack Baumann, A.P. Vinita Bhasin, and Library Aide Stephanie Sanchez.

Stephanie shared with us some of the wonderful things she is doing at Corona. She has implemented a dot system of colors that enables the students AND parents to find books to read for the Accelerated Reader program. She is coordinating the Book-It Program in cooperation with Pizza Hut, rewarding students for setting and reaching a goal for reading books with a free pizza. Stephanie keeps the library open after school so that students can study and parents can visit at any time. Friday afternoon, Corona held their Reading Tea, inviting parents to listen to their child’s own story written in conjunction with Open Court Reading Unit, Sharing Stories.

Stephanie is sharing her wonderful program with our other Model Libraries.

From School Photos

CalSTRS Pre-Retirement Worshops - 2008/2009

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:40:00 -0700

CalSTRS Pre-Retirement Worshops - 2008/2009:

September 12, 2008

Approximately 30 pre-retirement workshops are conducted at different LAUSD school locations throughout the school year. These workshops are presented by CalSTRS counselors. Employees are encouraged to attend at least one pre-retirement workshop at some time in their career. This is especially important for those employees anticipating retirement in the next 2-3 years and those approaching their 55th birthday. Schedules for pre-retirement seminars are now available for download at this site.

Summer School Transition Program August 5, 2008Soon-to-be...

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:41:00 -0700

Summer School Transition Program

August 5, 2008
Soon-to-be Southeast Middle School students had the opportunity to Think Green for their Transition Program Service Project during July. Students really dug into the project of creating an organic green space to grow vegetables and flowers. Over 180 incoming 9th graders participated in this special summer school program that gives students early access the middle school experience while boosting math and literacy study skills. This program is a success in large part to the dedicated and enthusiastic staff at Southeast. Thank you for Thinking Green!

Support Services Fall 2008 Newsletter

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:10:00 -0700

July 3, 2008

The Local District 6 Support Services Fall 2008 Newsletter is now available. This newsletter includes articles from:

Sylvia Fischer, School Nurse: Making a Difference Around the World, and Preventing the Spread of Contagious Diseases

Carmen Lendo, PSA Councelor: Pupil Services and Attendance: Who We Are, and The Importance of Taking Good Attendance

Virginia G. Hernandez, Psychiatric Social Worker: Dealing with the Challenges of School Refusal Behavior and Traumatic Stress Impacts Our Students

Delia Flores, Psychological Services Coordinator and Elizabeth Kaley, Psych. Specialist: Addressing the Needs of Students with Attention Problems

You can read the newsletter online below or download it for printing.

Support Serv Summer-Fall 08 Newsletter - Upload a Document to Scribd Read this document on Scribd: Support Serv Summer-Fall 08 Newsletter

Mara Bommarito, Principal at Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, Honored with Friend of the Library Award

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:09:00 -0700

June 30, 2008

On Saturday May 31st, 2008 the Los Angeles School Library Association (LASLA) awarded Mara Bommarito, Principal of Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, their Friend of the Library award for outstanding administrators who support school libraries. Mrs. Bommarito has opened three Wonder of Reading libraries in previous elementary schools.

As principal of Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, a Primary Center, Elementary school, and a Middle School in one complex, she has developed and expanded the facilities at her school so that not just students, but parents feel welcome. Middle school students read regularly to elementary school students. Parent leaders conduct TWO parent reading groups; they read and discuss a novel, and then produce a diorama about the book. Both middle and elementary school libraries have had their walls painted with beautiful murals about the life of astronaut, Ellen Ochoa. Mrs. Bommarito’s students are encouraged to Reach for the Stars!

Contributed by Joan Kramer, Coordinating Field Librarian, Local District 6

Below is the letter of nomination submitted by teacher librarians at Ellen Ochoa Learning Center. This letter is a wonderful tribute to an outstanding educator.

Click below to view image and document.

LASLA Friend of the Library Award - Upload a Document to Scribd Read this document on Scribd: LASLA Friend of the Library Award

Human Resources Alert

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:49:00 -0700

June 23, 2008

Personnel Research and Assessment is announcing the Principal, Secondary administrative examination this coming Fall 2008. The filing period will open Tuesday, August 26, 2008 and close Thursday, September 25, 2008.

New information regarding this examination will be available early August; please check http://www.teachinla.com/research/exam_announcements.html for updates. Individuals interested in applying for the examination should contact the Administrative Selection Unit (ASU) at (213) 241-6886 for further information.

Summer Learning Adventures

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:01:00 -0700

June 20, 2008

What are you learning this summer? Many educators in Local District 6 are using their summer vacation to engage in learning opportunities that they will bring back to the classroom.

Stacie Kortkamp, a teacher at Maywood Academy High School, will travel to Washington, D.C. this June to attend the prestigious Supreme Court Summer Institute. The institute offers teachers the opportunity to study recent Supreme Court Case in detail and learn innovative teaching methodology for conveying this information to students.

Mike Albert, a teacher at South Gate Middle School, will be attending several summer institutes. First on the agenda is the Federal Trials and Great Debates summer teacher institute in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Federal Judiciary Center and the American Bar Association. The institute will focus on 3 famous legal cases and how those cased demonstrate the role of the federal courts over time. Next on the agenda, Mike will be attending the Horace Mann/Abraham Lincoln Fellowship Institute at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. While visiting the many locations in the area, he will also be working with a teacher from Main on a lesson focusing on the Gettysburg Address.

What an honor to be among these educators who were specially chosen to attend these institutes out of thousands of applicants. Congratulations to all of you who pursue your life long learning passions throughout the year to better your practice when the new school year arrives.

Middle School Student Teams Score at the 2008 Mathematics Field Day Competition!

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:44:00 -0700

June 18, 2008

During the recent 2008 Mathematics Field Day Competition, hosted by the Los Angeles County Office of Education on Saturday, June 7th, 7th Grade students at International Learning Studies and 8th Grade students at South East Middle school won the Silver Medal for problem solving. Student from both South East Middle School and International Learning Studies scored Bronze Medals for individual performance. This is a testament to the magnificient work of students and teachers who represented Local District 6 well among the many competing schools throughout Los Angeles County. Congratulations to all of you!

District 6 High School Students Honored at the Southeast Student Film Festival

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:03:00 -0700

Student films submitted from Bell, South Gate, and South East High Schools were featured at the 7th Annual SouthEast Student Film Festival at the Edwards Theatres in South Gate on May 10th.

Another Hidden Voice by Alfredo Gomez won in the Personal Narrative category.

Arabic Love by Elvia Ruby Ventura and Brian Reyes won in the Documentary category and tied for Best Overall Picture for the festival.

The Parent Conference by Edgar de la Cruz and Ivan Soto took top honors in the Comedy category.

Honorable mentions include:

Marco Limon by Marco Antonio Limon

My Life as a Straight Edge Kid by Yairt Cardenas, Oscar Chica, and Melisa Hernandez

The Revenge by Edgar de la Cruz with Irenes Gomez and Marlin Salazar

Tacos el Chiludo by Edgar Alvarado with Sergio Chamorro and Luis Baltazar

Students in the following classes submitted films:

Mr. Roy Landsown - Bell High School

Ms. Joan Dooley - Bell High School

Mr. Oscar Robles - South Gate High School

Mr. John Landa - South East High School

Mr. Mario Jordan - South East High School

As part of the film festival, each school receives a scholarship based on the number of films submitted. Bell High School submitted 51 films, an all time high, to bring home a $1,000 to be shared among all the classes. South Gate and South East also won substantial scholarships for their video submissions.

Congratulations to all these talented students and their dedicated teachers!

Elizabeth Learning Center on ABC News!

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:23:05 -0700

Students at Elizabeth Street Learning Center exercise regularly at the school gym. Students who exercise regularly do better in school. The program is highlighted in this video aired on ABC on June 2, 2008. Bravo to Elizabeth Street Learning Center!

Elizabeth Learning Center Teacher is Teacher of the Year

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:58:00 -0700

Christine Bernie-Ramos was named Teacher of the Year for the State of California by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She was awarded a gold medal by Governor Shwarzenegger and received a $10,000 check at the Galaxy soccer game on September 18, 2007. Congratulations, Ms. Bernie-Ramos!