Connecting Families through Community Collaboration
March 23, 2018
Top Stories
WASC Update
STHS is happy to announce the WASC Visiting Committee completed their visit and left an extremely positive report! The final WASC decision won't be released until at least June, but the visiting committee did compile their findings in a preliminary report:
"A positive school culture was repeatedly observed throughout the visit across all stakeholders groups. Parents report feeling more welcomed to participate in meaningful ways. All VC (visiting committee) members met with students who reported feeling very positive about their opportunities for learning as well as high levels of connectedness to their teachers and principal. Teachers spoke very highly of the opportunities they've been given by the district and their principal to update the curriculum and to receive training in innovative teaching strategies. The momentum for positive and substantive change was a pleasure to observe," was stated on the report.
Why is Transitional Kindergarten Good for Kids?
Transitional kindergarten (TK) provides children with an opportunity to learn in an enriching and academically challenging environment that nurtures their growth. Research shows that children who attend kindergarten readiness programs like transitional kindergarten are more likely to do well in school and attend college. TK is for children who turn 5 between September 2 and December 2. This FREE program is part of the public school system, and is housed at Tahoe Valley Elementary School in the Early Childhood Learning Center.
You can apply for Early Entry TK at the beginning of the school year, if your child's birthday is between December 3-March 1st. You can petition for entry into the TK program by contacting Tahoe Valley or registering during Kindergarten Round Up April 30-May 11 (district-wide).
School Safety Updates
South Tahoe High School (STHS) and South Tahoe Middle School (STMS) joined nearly 3,000 schools across the nation for National Walkout Day last Wednesday, 3/14 at 10 am. Although most participating schools had 17 minutes of silence in memory of each life lost in the February tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, STHS and STMS students planned additional activities to take action in reducing gun violence at school. School staff supported students during this optional event by maintaining supervision, overseeing logistics, and “honoring the student voice” on campus, however student leadership groups took the initiative to organize Walkout Day events.
blacklight video remastered.mp4Student-created videos of the event at STHS (above) and STMS (below)
17_1.mp4Awards and Recognition!
Mya Rossi (14) has made it to the Northern California Regional Finals for the Boys and Girls Club of America Youth of the Year Competition.
South Lake Tahoe teen up for Youth of the Year, South Tahoe Now
Tahoe youth in regional Boys and Girls competition, Lake Tahoe News
Local Teens Makes Nor. Cal Youth of the Year Finals
On Friday 16th March, Mya Rossi (Freshman, STHS) participated in the Northern California finals for the Boys and Girls Club of America Youth of the Year Competition, at Mircosoft in Silicon Valley. Mya was representing our local Club, BGC Lake Tahoe, and had already won their internal Youth of the Year Competition.
Mya stormed through round 1 and was one of nine competitors chosen for round 2. In round 2 she was the youngest competitor by a significant margin and went through a panel interview and gave her speech in front of over 100 Club professionals and members. Although Mya wasn't chosen for State, she gave a phenomenal performance and the Club hopes that she will have another opportunity to compete again in two years.
“Mya isn’t just a great student, athlete and Club Member; she is also a wonderful person” Said Jude Wood, Executive Director. “We are incredibly proud that she is representing the Club and our community in the National Competition”.
The Club would also like to congratulate the Club Junior Youth of the Year Arianna Deleon and runners-up Madison Gallop and Emmie Fiel. We are confident that these exceptional young women will follow in Mya’s footsteps in a few years.
Further information on the Youth of the Year competition and Mya’s progress can be obtained from Jude Wood, Executive Director, on 530 542 0838 or jwood@bgclt.org
Share your accolades at the Gold Award ceremony (May 5, 2018) by sending a congratulatory letter or certificate to:
Stacy Ingrisano,
Program and Troop Support
Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada
605 Washington Street
Reno, Nevada 89503
If possible, they would appreciate your letters by May 1, 2018.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting. Earning the Gold Award is a challenging and enriching accomplishment for any young woman. It means that she has single-handedly changed the world for the better by taking on a service project in her community that will have a meaningful influence and withstand the test of time.
Please join us in congratulating Theresa Sandborn (STHS Senior) as a Gold Award Recipient for her Zephyr Cove Native Plant Walk Project.
Project Description: There is a lack of environmental awareness and educational opportunities related to native plants and invasive species in the Lake Tahoe ecosystem. We established a guided trail complete with informational plaques and native plants, and made arrangements for teachers at nearby schools to incorporate native plant lessons in their curriculum.
Among several other awards and sports recognition, we knew Theresa was goings places as a sophomore when she was awarded "the first person EVER to solve a Viking Longship crossword."
Board Agendas and Schedule of Regular Meetings Meet Your Board Members Board Policies
The next Board of Education meeting is this Tuesday, March 27, at 5:00 PM. Closed Session is at the end of Open Session as the Board will conduct a Study Session on safety and security at the school sites beginning at 5:00 PM. Regular Open Session will commence at 6:00 PM at which time the Board will conduct public hearings on the Collective Bargaining Proposals by South Tahoe Educators' Association and LTUSD Administration for the 2018/19 school year; discuss the WASC Probationary Visit of March 18-20; and consider a proposed increase to the Substitute Teacher pay rate. We hope you can join us! Here is a link to the agenda (click on the March 27 box in the right column).
Mar. 23 - Derik Nelson and Family at LTCC Theater
April 10: Actor Auditions at LTCC - All ages
Registration Open through April 5
Looking for services available for you and your family? Check out this quick access summary and community folder for relevant locations and services.
Wellness
When and Where to get Medical Care?
According to Kids Health, “sometimes you will know instantly if your child needs quick medical care. Other times, it's hard to know if an injury or illness needs the attention of a health care provider — and, if it does, whether that means a trip to the ER, a call to your doctor, or a visit to the nearest urgent care center.”
Read the full article and guidelines for making this decision HERE
FREE WEBINAR
Coping with Stress and Depression:
Strategies for Families
Tuesday, April 10
7 PM (ET) / 4 PM (PT)
We know you love your family. Even so, family life can be stressful- and that's normal.
It's natural for family caregivers to feel the burden of stress. This stress can intensify when a family member is deployed, traveling for work, or struggling with a health condition. Do you spend so much time taking care of others that taking care of yourself isn't a priority? Just as family demands often generate stress, families can also work to manage stress. This upcoming webinar is all about you and stress management practices you can use with your family.
During our family-focused 1-hour Coping with Stress and Depression webinar, you will learn how to manage stress and identify depression in yourself and others. This webinar features Dr. Liza Zwiebach of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Emory University School of Medicine, who shares insights from her work with families, including supporting veterans, and offers a variety of resources and coping strategies for all families.
Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation
Please take a moment to thank a LTEF Member when you see them in our community!
The diligent work of the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation (LTEF) has allowed our students to participate in an multitude of educational and enrichment programs that would have been otherwise unavailable to our schools. For nearly 30 years, the LTEF has operated as a volunteer-lead non-profit organization whose driving purpose is to "support the educational programs and needs of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. " This is done through a fall and spring grant request process in which LTEF provides $40,000 to $60,000 each year to enrichment grants. Individual and business donations are the sole source for the LTEF fund. If you are interested in learning more or wish to donate, please visit the Foundation at http://www.ltedf.org/. Here photos from are some of the 24 programs that received a total of $69,552.40 in LTEF grants this year!
LTUSD is looking for a HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC to perform journey-level repair, maintenance and servicing to school buses and other District vehicles and grounds maintenance equipment. Please submit an online application via www.edjoin.org.