MATRIX: Fit and Polish... wrapping up the semester switch...

1.  LOCKED IN SCHEDULE
2.  RETROACTIVE HONORS CREDIT
3.  LOOKING AHEAD
4.  LAST DAY TO CHANGE CLASSES
5.  APPRECIATIONS
6.  DATA IS COMING!
7.  COLLEGE CLASSES GOOD TO GO
8.  WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD

===1.  LOCKED IN SCHEDULE===
Some teachers have raised concerns regarding why I had to change certain schedules from 1 period to the next.  Please know that it is deliberate and that I am not having the students period-shop.

For example, particular students who have Trigonometry, Spanish Speakers 3, Physics and the like are all locked into a schedule.  That is the case for a lot of students across grade levels.  I know that some classes may become inbalanced where a teacher has 20 in period and 25 in another.  I understand the ideal is 23 in eacher class but let's keep it in perspective that some teachers have close to 40 in their classes.  I have to balance their class so that may mean imbalancing your classes by a few students.  Some teachers have to have multi-level rosters in their classes and they have acquiesed in order to ensure that student schedules were not disrupted.

I wish I didn't have to change the whole master but unfortunately we lost 2 teachers and that impacted everyone's scheudle in some way.


===2.  RETROACTIVE HONORS CREDIT===
I will be putting a couple of forms in teacher's boxes regarding Honors credits.

I want to make sure that the students receiving honors are in the right placement as well as students who shouldn't be receiving honors credit be in the right placement.

In addition, I want to give you guys the opportunity to retroactively give students honors credits or to not give them honors credit if they didn't fulfill some project they were supposed to do for honors credit.


===3.  LOOKING AHEAD - MASTERING A NEW SCHEDULE=== 
So... now that we are slowing down with schedule changes, let's be proactive and look ahead to creating a master schedule.  Here are things that need to be done in order to make a master schedule by the end of the semester:
1. Have students choose classes for the Fall by end of first week in March.
2. Teachers fill out preference sheets
3. Counselor and a team create a tentative master schedule
4. Teachers see the new master schedule
5. We start plugging in as a collective where teachers are needed and can shine


===4.  LAST DAY TO CHANGE CLASSES===
Please note that the last day for students to request changes is Friday, February 10, 2012.

Of course, teachers will still be able to recommend schedule changes for students.

===5.  APPRECIATIONS
Thank you to Ms. Nunez (our parent liaison) and Ms. Grissom for regulating the front office space on Monday.  That really helped out with the drop-ins and ensuring that as much students as possible were following protocols.

Thank you everyone who has wished me Happy National School Counselor's Week!

Thank you to my new TA, Norman Sevilla and Yesenia Ramos, who are very quick and efficient.  When I asked them to do something, they were very much on-task.

===6.  DATA IS COMING!===
When the grading period closes, please be on the lookout for the following data.

• All grades: Report Cards, Honors Roll Data
• 8th Grade: Copies of Culmination Letter
• 9th: LAUSD Requirement and College Application Transcripts
• 10th: LASUD Requirement and College Application Transcripts
• 11th: Personalized Credit Appraisal, LAUSD  Requirements and College Application Transcripts
• 12th: Copy of Senior Letter, Personal Credit Appraisal, LAUSD Requirements and College Application Transcripts

===7.  COLLEGE CLASSES GOOD TO GO===

Huzzah!!! Both college classes are good to go.  The Community Orchestra class is off to a great start with 56 enrollees.  We have 11 out of our allotted 7 spaces.  LAHSA came through with a whopping 20 students as they should because they are a performing arts high school.  IT more than made up for the high school that did not recruit.  All but 1 of our students showed up! :-(

The Music Appreciation class filled up with a whopping 43 students.  We had 15 out of our allotted 7 spots filled.  And all of our student showed for the class.

WAY TO GO NOW STUDENTS!!!

===8.  WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD===
So... I'm talking to the other schools and I think that in comparison, we are in a much better state than some of the other schools.

We had our rollover earlier than some other schools who had easy rollover and some of the other schools are inundated with changes while we are stabilizing changes.

I think this is due to the team who came out to help with the scheduling.  Thank you very much again to Velia, Kim, Sookyoung and Chuck.

TECHNOLOGY: What does it mean to be a technology school?

When I think of a technology school, I like to think we as a "technology school" is really defined not  by the way we deliver curriculum or the way our students express gained knowledge through technology.  I like to think that we are more a school that sees technology through the "Critical Studies" lens.  When I think back at how The School of The Future delivers curriculum, I like to think that is the direction we are headed eventually as a "technology."  As we talk about the direction of our school as being technology-driven, we often talk only about using technology but sometimes I think media literacy and critical studies about technology is not discussed.

CONSUMING TECHNOLOGY

I think that it is very important to gain the knowledge needed to use emerging technology such as PowerPoint, Google Docs, Web Design, Film Production and the like, but is that what makes us a technology school.  Does the use of technology make us a "technology school."  Is having a computer in every classroom define us as a "technology" school.  For me, that is only an appetizer to being a "technology school."  After all, you can make the most beautiful PowerPoint presentation and still say nothing.

versus

TECHNOLOGY AS A MEDIUM

It's a natural step that when you learn to use technology, you would use it to express one's thoughts and create new and innovative way to express ideas.  But does the delivery of ideas through new medium really define us as a "technology."  If a student critically expressed themselves in "old media" such as skits, poster boards and the like, would that not be equally valid?  I'm not sold that ethnology just means emerging new media.  I think technology is also about the old school technology that worked.  I understand that as we send students to the workforce, they need "new media" skills in order to function in college and in the working world.  Let's face it, computer knowledge is truly a must in the 21st Century.

versus

CRITIQUING TECHNOLOGY

I think a lens that we often don't discuss when we talk about technology is the "Critical Studies" aspect.  I think that a part of being a "technology" school is to help students critically look at how they consume technology, how technology plays a part in their world, how they shape the direction of technology and how they can use technology to further the goals of social justice and environmental stewardship.  I don't think it is enough to simple consume technology or express oneself through emerging technologies, I think as a "technology" school, we have to help students understand technology from a critical standpoint.

To learn more about the School of the Future, check out their website:

http://www.sof.edu/