® PLTW —Elite STEM Program Grows
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FREE Education + Communication = A Better Nation ® Covering the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District VOLUME 5, ISSUE 21 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2014 PLTW —Elite STEM Program Grows By Joanne Jung, Career Technical We are proud to be implementing Education Facilitator a nationally recognized program The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified named, Project Lead the Way School District is developing robust (PLTW). PLTW is known for their STEM (Science, Technology, world-class curriculum and is paving Engineering, and Math) Pathway the way in helping schools enrich programs for K-12 students. Research their instruction with rigorous and shows the United States ranks 17th relevant curriculum, partnering in science achievement, 25th in math with universities and fortune 500 ability out of 65 countries. By 2018, corporations across the nation to STEM jobs will grow by 17 percent provide a strong foundation for yet, 1.2 million STEM jobs will go STEM education in the K-12 schools. unfilled. We want to make sure we Research shows students decide have the right programs in place as early as second- and-third-grade to prepare our students for their whether they like or think they are future with the marketable skills good at math and science, and about necessary to meet that demand. We 65 percent of scientists and graduate want our students to become the students said in a 2010 study that next generation of problem solvers, their interest in science began critical thinkers, and innovators for Teachers from Glazier and Gardenhill Elementary Schools attend intensive training See PLTW • Page 11 the global economy. in order to bring PLTW’s “Launch” to their students. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT Welcome back to a new and exciting year at Norwalk-La Mirada Bienvenidos a un nuevo y emocionante año en el Distrito Escolar Unified School District. We are looking forward to a year full of Unificado de Norwalk-La Mirada. Esperamos un año lleno de experiencias successful learning experiences for our students and communities. exitosas de aprendizaje para nuestros estudiantes y comunidades. I am returning as Interim Superintendent for the District. I have Regreso como Superintendente Interina para el Distrito. He trabajado worked for the District my entire career – 15 of which as Superintendent para el Distrito toda mi carrera - 15 de los cuales como Superintendente – before retiring in 2009. I am honored to be back while the Board of - antes de retirarme en el 2009, me siento honrada de estar de regreso, Education seeks a permanent superintendent. mientras que la Junta de Educación busca un superintendente Each school has exciting plans for this coming year. Please visit the permanente. Ginger Shattuck schools to experience the work that our students are producing and the Interim Cada escuela tiene planes emocionantes para este año que viene. extraordinary efforts of our employees. Superintendent Por favor, visite las escuelas para tener la experiencia del trabajo que The Board recently adopted the District’s Local Control and nuestros estudiantes están produciendo y los extraordinarios esfuerzos Accountability Plan (LCAP), which allows the District to prioritize funding de nuestros empleados. granted by the state’s new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). In the La Junta aprobó recientemente el Plan de Control Local y Rendición de past, the District was required to spend its funding according to broad state Cuentas (LCAP, por sus siglas en inglés) del Distrito, el cual permite que el guidelines. Distrito ponga prioridades en los fondos otorgada por la nueva Fórmula de See INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT • Page 11 See INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT • Page 11 Board of Education Margarita Rios Jesse Urquidi Daryl Adams Karen Morrison Chris Pflanzer Sean Reagan Ana Valencia President Vice President Member Member Member Member Member www.SchoolNewsRollCall.com Adult School ® 15711 Pioneer Blvd., Norwalk CA 90650 • 562/868-9858 Education + Communication = A Better Nation 15920 Barbata Rd., La Mirada, CA 90638 • 714/670-9279 • www.nlmas.org www.schoolnewsrollcall.com Free Career-Skills Classes Covering the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at the NORWALK—LA MIRADA UNIFIED Netragrednik SCHOOL DISTRICT Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School have many opportunities to Neta Madison build valuable career skills as they increase their language Kay Coop mastery. Students in ESL classes frequently collaborate on Founder/Publisher FOUNDER/PUBLISHER: Kay Coop projects that require research, writing, and the use of technology. 562/493-3193 • [email protected] ADVERTISING SALES: Completed projects are presented to colleagues, giving students 562/493-3193 • Fax: 562/430-8063 Sharon Renfro important speaking practice. Teachers are continually coaching CONTENT COORDINATOR: Barbra Longiny Todd and supporting students as they become more comfortable with GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Meshel Negrete Director these activities and confident in their abilities. COPY EDITORS: Lisa Brock, Kate Karp & Anna Zappia In addition to regular ESL classes, both adult school sites offer pronunciation CONTRIBUTING CARTOONIST: and fluency classes, as well as ESL in a distance-learning format. A computer Netragrednik by Neta Madison basics course for ESL learners is also available at our Norwalk campus. These classes provide easy access for students to gain important skills, and best of all, This is our 5th year publishing @SchoolNewsRC these classes are free! School News covering the NLMUSD. There have been many changes, but SchoolNewsRollCall We hope the focus on academic excellence SchoolNewsRollCall you will take never changes. advantage By now the students have settled into their routines and. Fall has of these SCHOOL NEWS ROLL CALL, LLC wonderful arrived and the holidays are P.O. Box 728, Seal Beach, CA 90740 learning following close behind. Our next 562/493-3193 www.schoolnewsrollcall.com opportunities issue is December 3, have a Happy Copyright © 2006, School News Roll Call, LLC Halloween and Happy Thanksgiving. Reproduction in whole or in part without written at the permission is strictly prohibited unless otherwise stated. Norwalk-La We are always mindful of our men Opinions expressed by contributing writers and guest columnists are their views and not necessarily those of Mirada Adult and women in the armed forces and School News Roll Call. This publication is privately we are grateful for their service. owned and the right is reserved to select and edit content. School! The school district does not endorse the advertisers in this Thank you for including School publication. News among your reading choices. ESL students collaborate on a writing project. Established in 1990, Zinsmeyer Academy is a California State certified, nonpublic, nonprofit, fully accredited Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) school, that provides excellent academic and vocational education services to children needing small class sizes and individual instruction and tutoring. The school is co-ed, grades K through 12, offers CIF basketball and baseball. History Made Easy! The program includes: Museum-like setting makes learning history easy. ï Individual tutoring ï Small class size, student/teacher ratio of 5.5 to 1 World Geography ï Direct instruction strategies Grades 4th – 12th ï A safe, consistent daily routine with American History World History Public/Private Schools breakfast & a hot lunch provided Government Homeschoolers Economics Call Us Today and Schedule a Tour for Your Student Don’t forget to enter the online contest! Zinsmeyer Academy Hands-on Learning a division of One-on-One or Groups ChildNet Youth and Family Services, Inc. By Appointment • (562) 852-5242 4223 East Anaheim Street 225 Main Street, Seal Beach Long Beach, CA 90804 (562) 961-6300 ï (562) 961-6336 FAX www.TargetedHistoryTutoring.com 2 WWW.SCHOOLNEWSROLLCALL.COM Ramona Head Start Pre-School Optometry 14616 Dinard Ave., Norwalk CA 90650 • 562/921-7610 Two New Great Centers! We are proud to announce the opening of two new centers! We cannot always build the Paddison Head Start, located at Paddison Elementary in future for our children, but Norwalk, started in September. The Gallatin Center, located on we can build our children 9001 Paramount Blvd. in Downey, also started in September. for the future. – FDR Norwalk-La Mirada USD Preschool Programs now serves 1,100 children across 10 sites, with children served at eight sites throughout the district in addition to the two mentioned above. John Larcabal, O.D. Laurel Parker Sandra Stevens, O.D. Director We are excited to be able to serve 206 more children in Head Start classes. We look forward to seeing parents and showing Diane Almanza, O.D. them our classrooms at the various Back to School (562) 868-8233 • drjohnlarcabal.com Nights that will be held. Other upcoming events include the Policy Committee Member elections and training for Board and Policy Committee members continued through Oct. 16, parent workshops, parenting classes and activities specifically for fathers and adult males important in students’ lives. Earlier in October, fathers Please see our ad on the back page. and other significant men were encouraged to bring Jasmine and her Poppa together at last year’s their children to preschool www.TutoringClub.com “Daddy, Read Me a Story” event at Ramona. on Be a Hero day. “Connecting College & Career Readiness” “Conectando la Universidad y la Carrera” Mark your calendars: Wednesday – October 22, 2014 Marque su calendario: John Glenn High School miércoles – 22 de octubre 2014 13520 Shoemaker