Volume 6, Issue 1                                                                                                                  October 2015
            
Director's Message

   
 
On August 17, 2015 we kicked off the 2015-2016 school year with close to 500 Pupil Services staff at Cal State LA. Our Opening Staff Meeting was an opportunity to discuss the goals for this upcoming year. I was excited to share updates on planned Professional Development Trainings, Clinical Supervision, and our new items such as the Integrated Meetings, Peer Mentor Program, PSA Toolkit, and the Dynamics CRM System. 
 
Student Recovery Day 7 (SRD7) was held on September 10, 2015 with seven selected school sites represented from each Local and Board District.  Mayor Eric Garcetti, LAUSD school board members and over  410 volunteers participated, conducting 1,242 phone calls, 645 Home Visits, and visiting 236 businesses in a single day. This event provided individuals with the opportunity to see what the work of Pupil Services staff is all about; making a difference in the lives of our students. I would like to thank each and every one of our volunteers who made SRD7 a true success! Continue reading below in this newsletter for more information on SRD7.  Click here to view the SRD Recap video.

Don't forget to mark your calendar and plan to join colleagues and community partners at our 3rd Annual Resource Fair on November 5, 2015. Over 50 agencies will be present to provide District staff and Community Partners with resources to support our students and families. I look forward to another successful school year. 

Respectfully,
Erika F. Torres
Director 

 

            
Student Recovery Day - September 10th, 2015


 

Featured News


Quick Links

Upcoming Important Dates
October
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 
November
5 Resource Fair
5 Symposium
11 Veterans Day Observed
23-25 Unassigned Days
26-27 Thanksgiving Holiday
Truancy Automation
Central Automation of 
Initial NOT Letters

Initial NOT letters are not being generated or mailed to parents by central office at this time. Schools are required to maintain accurate up-to-date enrollment and attendance records, and to update student attendance records and absence reason codes regularly.  Central automation should resume in the month of October and qualifying students will receive the centrally generated initial Notification of Truancy letter based upon their attendance record since the beginning of this year. For more information please refer to REF 5464.3. Schools may access the Truancy Reports by clicking here.

You can access the MS Word versions of the NOT letters by clicking on this link:  NOT Letter Templates.
STUDENT RECOVERY DAY 7
OVERVIEW 
Each year, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) identifies between 15,000 and 20,000 students on its "Potential Dropout and No Show" lists. These lists include students that have stopped attending school, students that never checked in at the high school they were expected to attend, and students that left or withdrew from their school without enrolling in another. 

Driven by the urgent need to re-engage as many out-of-school youth as possible, the Los Angeles Unified School District hosted its annual Student Recovery Day on September 10, 2015.  The following schools were selected from each Board and Local District: Gardena HS, Grant HS, Santee Education Complex, Manual Arts HS, Monroe HS, South Gate HS, and Venice HS.

Once recovered, the Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor will work with the student and their family, presenting various options that encourage the student to return to school and earn their diploma or equivalency. 

Over 410 volunteers from Headquarters, Local Districts, schools and the community conducted 1,242 phone calls, 645 Home Visits and visited 236 businesses.  This year marked the District's seventh Student Recovery Day effort, and we were thrilled to continue our partnership with the Mayor's Office, the City of Los Angeles Education and Workforce Development Department, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, and City Year. 
 
STUDENT RECOVERY DAY - LOCAL DISTRICT SOUTH
GARDENA SENIOR HIGH

Gardena Senior High's Principal Rosemarie Martinez welcomed all volunteers and highlighted resources provided on the the Gardena campus such as their partnership with Healthy Start. The Local District South Superintendent Christopher Downing also welcomed volunteers and shared his previous experience as a volunteer and motivated volunteers to be ready to make an impact in a student's life. 

Over 50 volunteers made 442 telephone calls, conducted 41 home visits and visited 31 businesses within the community that are frequently visited by Gardena students, to ask for support in Student Recovery Day. Student Recovery Day efforts returned a total of seven students to the school site and the Pupil Services staff were ready to assist. Gardena thanks every one for supporting their school community. 

STUDENT RECOVERY DAY - LOCAL DISTRICT NORTHWEST
JAMES MONROE SENIOR HIGH

Monroe participated in Student Recovery Day Led by Local District Northwest Superintendent (Valley)- Vivian Ekchian, Monroe's Principal Christopher Rojas, Northwest Pupil Services and Attendance Coordinator Dionne Ash and a team of enthusiastic community and district volunteers, this group reached out to the school community and asked who was willing to support students on their path to graduation.  

Some highlights of Monroe's SRD include the Community Outreach Team (Local District Superintendent Ekchian, Principal Rosas, and Northwest PSA Counselor Lead Ana Griffin) who were assigned to visit the surrounding churches, received blessings from every place of worship they visited.  Other Community Outreach Teams reported that Walgreens and Starbucks in North Hills were delighted to be included in SRD and offered to partner with the school in any way needed. Building strong, collaborative relationships on behalf of our students is what SRD is all about.  Thank you Monroe SH SRD team!
STUDENT RECOVERY DAY -  LOCAL DISTRICT EAST
SOUTH GATE SENIOR HIGH
Principals, certificated and classified staff from the Headquarters and the Local District East Office, along with community educational entities, assisted South Gate High School in reaching out to 210 students. Included in these efforts were Local District East Superintendent Dr. Gibson and Administrator of Operations Mr. Huerta, who are strong advocates for PSA services, viewed this "Recovery Day" as an example of PSA at its finest.

The PSA Unit (in addition to the extremely competent and dedicated staff from Local District East and the Headquarters ) worked tirelessly on this successful "Recovery Day" affirming the District's commitment to preventing students from dropping out of school and hindering their economic and psycho-social future. Principal German Cerda, shared personal experiences saying he "ditched" a couple of times during high school, and it was a counselor who came knocking at his door who made his life turn in a different direction. He encouraged and reminded everyone that we are more influential than we think in students' lives.

A total of 119 telephone calls were made to students who had dropped out, 66 homes were visited of students with poor attendance, and 27 businesses were also visited and collaborations and contacts were made. The results: a multitude of returned calls by students and/or parents; and six students and their families returned to the school on the same day. One family, walked in during the "Recovery" teams debriefing and the family began to cry as they saw and heard words of encouragement and hope about their son getting help and becoming a success story. Everyone considered the day an overwhelming success!

STUDENT RECOVERY DAY - LOCAL DISTRICT WEST
VENICE SENIOR HIGH
Local District West Superintendent, Cheryl P. Hildreth, Administrator of Operations, Jan Davis, Venice High School Principal, Oryla Wiedoft, and Venice High School PSA Counselor, Gabriela Morales led teams of school staff, Local District and Headquarters staff, and community volunteers in making 83 home visits, 215 phone calls, and 60 community outreach visits to re-engage students who had not graduated, dropped out of school, or had poor attendance.

The following is an excerpt from an open letter written by Steven Rochelle, Coordinator Standard English Learners, Local District West, one of the 73 volunteers, revealing what SRD meant to him as a volunteer on this day.

"Today I participated in the District's Student Recovery Day at Venice High School. In spite of the soaring temperatures I joined the group with Instructional Superintendent Cheryl Hildreth to walk the neighborhood and do home visits to find students who had not shown up for school and provide them the needed support to get back on track. I had done home visits as an administrator before, however I must confess I had forgotten what a powerful learning tool they could be. There can be no doubt about the potency of home visits to the families and students we serve. Every parent we spoke to was impressed and even grateful to see District leaders taking the time to care and offer support to their child." 

Pupil Services thanks Steven for sharing his experience as a Student Recovery Day volunteer.
PUPIL SERVICES OVERVIEW
PUPIL SERVICES FIELD COORDINATORS
PSA Field Coordinators monitor and enforce the performance and accountability of school based Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselors. Each Coordinator is also responsible for supervising the creation and maintenance of the Resource Panel and School Attendance Review Board (SARB) panel as well as the supervision of the assigned SARB Chair.
LOCAL DISTRICT PUPIL SERVICES
Local District Lead PSA Counselors provide support to Field Coordinators, schools, and school-based staff within their Local Districts.  Their work includes technical support, training, guidance and assistance to school-based PSA Counselors and other schools staff, as well as other units and District personnel.  In addition, Local District PSA Counselors provide school personnel, students and parents with training and resources to support  increased attendance and graduation rates. 

SCHOOL BASED PUPIL SERVICES

School-based Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) provide comprehensive child welfare and attendance supports, including tiered absence prevention and intervention, as well as dropout prevention and recovery services.  These services may include individual, group and family counseling; visiting students' homes to gather and exchange information and provide in-home counseling as needed; collaborating with school officials and community agencies; serving on, or coordinating Student Success Teams; collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data to all stakeholders, and empowering families and students by helping them understand and access appropriate public and private health and social services. School-based PSA Counselors play an integral role in the development of school-site attendance improvement and dropout prevention plans, education of all stakeholders regarding compulsory education laws and the impacts of chronic absence, as well as targeted, evidence-based child welfare and attendance interventions.  Every LAUSD school must design and implement specific strategies, activities, and designate persons responsible for providing these services as outlined in the Safe School Plan, Chapter 5b (REF 5511.3).

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM
The Academic Support and Achievement Program (ASAP) is newly established this year as a result of the reorganization of the former Neglected, Delinquent, and/or At-Risk youth program.  The program provides targeted, intensive academic support and intervention to improve educational outcomes for identified, high-need foster, probation, and/or at-risk youth.  The program provides extended day (afterschool) one-on-one or small group tutoring, implemented by Highly Qualified LAUSD teachers.  The program matches referred high-need students to teacher tutors, who assess student needs and interests and establish individualized student tutoring plans.  Student progress is monitored and reviewed with a multi-disciplinary team every 90 days.   

The program aims to:
1. Improve educational services for youth who are neglected, delinquent or at-risk so that they have the opportunity to meet the same challenging academic standards as all other students
2. Engage caregivers, parents, and community partners in the educational process
3. Improve basic academic skills (math and reading)
4. Improve academic grades, as well as cooperation and work habits marks
5. Increase credit accrual toward high school completion
6. Increase graduation rates

Additional information will be posted soon on the Pupil Services website. 
ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
The Attendance Improvement Program supports schools in achieving attendance improvement targets in Transitional Kindergarten (TK), Kindergarten and Grade 9. Increasing student attendance, a critical factor to improving academic achievement, is our top priority. The Attendance Improvement Program is committed to engaging parents, students, school staff, and community members toward a common vision of graduation for all students. Since the inception of the Attendance Improvement Program in 2011, focused support has been provided for students in TK/Kindergarten and Grade 9 at select elementary and senior high schools throughout the district. 
 
Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the Attendance Improvement Program.
DIPLOMA PROJECT
Diploma Project Logo The Diploma Project began as a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Educatio n's High School Graduation Initiative Grant.  Grant funding will end this school  year, however the program will continue and expand due to its success and support from several District offices.  The Diploma Project PSA Counselors work to reduce dropout rates in selected middle schools and high schools by utilizing a three tiered approach, which includes identifying at-risk students at the feeder middle schools and in ninth grade, based on the LAUSD MyData At-Risk Reports. These risk factors include lower rates of student attendance, lower English Language Arts and Math grades, as well as behavioral indicators, such as suspension.  One of the primary priorities of the program is The Re-Entry Component.  Diploma Project PSA Counselors identify students who have dropped out of school and assist with re-enrolling students in an educational setting. In addition to transitional supports for students and parent empowerment trainings, Diploma Project staff also collaborate with community partners, such as The City of Los Angeles, City Year, Inspiration 52, United Way, California State University Los Angeles, UCLA and Loyola Marymount.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the Diploma Project.
FAMILYSOURCE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
The FamilySource Partnership Program (FSPP) is a collaborative effort between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the City of Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department to serve students and families from low-income communities through FamilySource Centers. The partnership utilizes the individual strengths of each organization to fill in service gaps. The partnership's systems and collectively-aligned approach, which provides services through multi-agency collaboration, promotes academic achievement and graduation for all students, helps family systems thrive and strengthens communities.

Full-time Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselors, who serve as educational consultants, are located at thirteen FamilySource Centers (FSC) throughout the City of Los Angeles that primarily serve families with children ages 5-17. The FamilySource Partnership Program (FSPP) focuses on providing parents and students with resources to improve academic achievement and to lift families out of poverty. FamilySource Centers are "one-stop" community agencies that provide services to families and youth, such as case management, parenting classes, financial literacy, tax preparation, tutoring, mentoring, counseling and recreational activities. PSA Counselors at the FSCs also serve as the main provider for the Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD) Diversion Referral, an alternative to citations for students who commit minor infractions. The FamilySource Partnership Program aims to increase attendance, improve academic achievement and support the goal of graduation for all students. 

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the  FamilySource Partnership Program.
YOUTHSOURCE CITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Full-time Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselors are co-located in fifteen YouthSource Centers located throughout the city. The Centers provide services to youths between the ages of 14-21 with a focus on re-engaging students to school and providing them with opportunities to develop work skills. PSA Counselors conduct student intakes, assessments, and determine appropriate interventions to identified at-risk students with behavioral, social and attendance related issues. The goal of the PSA Counselor is to provide student support services to overcome barriers that impede school attendance and academic achievement. PSA Counselors make appropriate referrals to necessary services and monitor student's progress.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the YouthSource City Partnership.
FOREIGN STUDENT ADMISSIONS PROGRAM
The Foreign Student Admissions Office (FSAO) is responsible for marketing, recruitment, admissions, processing and tracking of international students on an F1 or J-1 visa for the District. This office authorizes students to attend the district high schools using J-1 Exchange and F-1 Student visas.  The LAUSD FSAO is authorized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue I-20 documents to prospective F-1 students.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the Foreign Student Admissions  Office.

FOSTER YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

The Foster Youth Achievement Program (FYAP) is dedicated to enhancing the educational outcomes of students residing in foster care (e.g., with relative caregivers, foster parents and group homes). The program aims to provide comprehensive services to improve attendance, maximize educational achievement and the social-emotional well-being of all foster youth. Program staff advocate for the educational rights of students in foster care, as well as, provide consultation and training to District and school staff, community agencies, and caregivers on issues and legislation specific to students in foster care.  FYAP PSA Counselors and Psychiatric Social Workers provide the following services: case management; facilitate enrollment; promote school stability; aid in the transition to work, vocational school or college; participate in multidisciplinary meetings (i.e., IEP, SST, etc.); and engage in research and data collection to support identifying best practices and aligning educational policies for foster youth.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the Foster Youth Achievement Program.

GROUP HOME SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Group Home Scholars Program is newly established this year as a result of a reorganization of the former Neglected, Delinquent, and/or At-Risk youth program.  Group Home Scholars Program staff collaborate with LAUSD's Foster Youth Achievement Program, Department of Children and Family Services, and the Probation Department in order to provide targeted case management, counseling services, tiered support services and interventions for students residing in group homes. Group Home PSA Counselors (Liaisons), Group Home Counselor Aides, and Group Home Teacher Assistants will work together to remove barriers that impact student achievement to ensure that all students in group homes have equal access to an appropriate education and brighter future. Program staff are housed in selected schools, group homes, probation offices, and District offices.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn about the Group Home Scholars Program.
HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Homeless Education Program was designed to remove barriers to academic success for homeless students and their families in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, an integral part of the No Child Left Behind Act. The program provides basic resources for homeless students such as backpacks, school supplies, transportation and emergency clothing in addition to related resource referrals. The program also hosts special events for homeless students such as the sponsor a family, sponsor a graduate, graduation luncheon, universal day, etc. The Homeless Education Program works in collaboration with school personnel and community service agencies to ensure schools are in compliance with District policy and federal mandates to identify and support the academic success of homeless students district wide.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the Homeless Education Program
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD
The School Attendance Review Board (SARB) is a state- sanctioned process created by California Legislation in 1975 and became operative in 1976 to assist students with attendance and behavior problems. California Education Code (EC) Section 48320 was created to enhance the enforcement of compulsory education laws and to divert students with school attendance or behavior problems from the juvenile justice system until all available resources have been exhausted. SARB panels represent a community-based effort to bring together multiple resources to assist families with attendance, truancy and behavior issues so that students attend school regularly and graduate.

Local District Pupil Services and Attendance SARB Chairpersons organize and conduct SARB hearings, addressing cases originating from LAUSD schools in their area. The SARB is composed of a team from multiple agencies such as school and District support staff, the District/City Attorney, law enforcement personnel, the Los Angeles County Departments of Probation, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), Department of Mental Health (DMH), health care, community counseling agencies and parents (these agencies are on hand to combine their expertise and resources as stated in E.C 48321). The team works collaboratively to assess the barriers to attendance and recommend alternative solutions to alleviate circumstances that contribute to specific truancy, attendance, and/or behavior problems. These recommendations are written into a legally binding SARB contract. If the family does not comply with the recommendations and the student/s continue to have problems with attendance, the case may be referred to office of the City or District Attorney, and ultimately to court.

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn about the School Attendance Review Board.

CLINICAL SUPERVISION PROGRAM

Pupil Services may provide individual and/or group clinical supervision to PSA Counselors registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) who are interested in pursuing licensure in their designated discipline. The purpose of supervision is to enhance the clinical professional skills, knowledge, and attitudes of counselors in order to improve professional growth and competency. Counselors are able to translate evidence based theories into practice at their assigned sites and provide more effective and efficient services to students and families.

Each Fall, Pupil Services will conduct a Clinical Supervision Needs Assessment. The needs assessment will inventory staff regarding their professional educational background, professional goals, and clinical supervision needs toward licensure in their designated disciplines. The information collected will be used to establish a cohort of licensed volunteers able to provide clinical supervision to fellow colleagues and identify the needs of individuals who are in need of clinical supervision so that they can be matched with individual or group supervision, upon availability.

Clinical supervision is a voluntary option to those that have an interest in becoming licensed professionals as well as to those providing supervision. While participation in clinical supervision can be highly beneficial to career growth, it will also require thoughtful planning, logistical considerations, and approval from your Pupil Services Administrator Coordinator and School Site Administration (if applicable).
FIELD EDUCATION PROGRAM

Field Education is recognized as an important component of our unit that brings significant long-term benefits to our profession as School Social Workers and School Counselors with expertise in Child Welfare and Attendance (CWA).  These benefits include: new perspectives, ideas, enthusiasm, and the most up-to-date practices. The Pupil Services Field Education Program is comprised of Counselors who are interested in training and mentoring future School Social Work or School Counseling Professionals.  Pupil Services has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with several universities to place graduate level interns at school sites for training throughout the academic year. 

Visit the Pupil Services website to learn more about the  Field Education Program. 
LAUSD GRAD VAN SERVICES
Pupil Services utilizes the Grad Van as part of outreach efforts to engage students, parents and the community. The Grad Van provides a unique means of support and information to families across the district that face logistical barriers in accessing school and community resources. Resources provided include attendance information, high school graduation requirements, college information as well as Financial Aid. 



Visit the Pupil Services website to access the flyer and the r equest form for the Grad Van for an upcoming school event. 

Please note:  A minimum of three weeks advance notice is necessary. All requests are reviewed carefully and confirmation of the event is based on van staffing and availability.
NEW PSA COUNSELOR TRAINING PROGRAM
All newly hired Pupil Services and Attendance Counselors (PSACs) are required to attend a series of New Counselor Trainings during their first year. Trainings are facilitated by PSA Coordinators, PSA Leads, and experts on various topics. The purpose of the trainings is to provide new PSACs with the essential tools, strategies and knowledge regarding our Districts programs, departments, schools, offices, and personnel. The trainings include discussions on attendance expectations, the utilization of a three-tiered model (prevention, early intervention and intensive intervention) to improve individual and system-wide student attendance, district policies, legal mandates, and legislative updates (as it pertains to our role as experts in Child Welfare and Attendance.)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING 
Four types of training programs were developed to provide support and guidance to all Pupil Services Staff.  The four types include the All Day PSA Meeting (For all PSA Staff), the Integrated Meeting, the Local District and Specialized Unit Meeting, and the New Counselor Trainings. The purpose for the All Day PSA Meeting is to provide updates on LAUSD policies and organizational changes, learn about specialized units and program goals, and celebrate successes. The purpose for the Integrated Meeting is to provide the opportunity for Pupil Services specialized units and Local District offices to collaborate to enhance support offered to students and families. The purpose for the Local District and Specialized Unit Meeting is for Pupil Services staff to meet individually to assess program effectiveness,  receive on-going training on policies/procedures and resources in the community that are specific to each program. The purpose for the New Counselors Trainings is to provide newly hired staff with the foundational skills related to Pupil Services.  All trainings are scheduled to occur throughout the year.
PSA MENTOR PROGRAM
The PSA Mentor Program is designed to provide support and guidance to newly hired Pupil Services and Attendance Counselors (PSACs).  Lead Counselors from all PSA programs are assigned as mentors to guide counselors through their first years of employment within Pupil Services.  The goal of the Mentor Program is to provide PSACs with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of the school system and how it relates to their role as counselors.  Mentees will be provided with skills and best practices to help them achieve District and School-wide attendance goals.  All PSACs will receive support to build confidence and competence within child welfare and attendance.
BROAD RESIDENCY
On July 24, 2015, seven PSA Counselors were invited by the Broad Center Organization to participate in an effort to highlight interventions that were provided daily to their students and families to ensure academic success. The Broad Center helps interested individuals named Broad Residents, switch to careers in education. Broad Residents are primarily from the private sector who want to do something more impactful w ith their lives and careers. The program places them into management roles in school districts, charter management organizations and state departments of education across the U.S.
PSA Counselors shown in picture above: Angela Garcia, Susan Martinez, Micquelyn Jones, Oralia Lua, Leslie Prieto, Garyn Valdemar and Tanya Mercado.

W hile the participants are working, the Broad Residency trains them for two years on important K-12 topics. One area that is really important is for the participants to understand the realities of work at the school level and directly with the students.  To achieve this, the program will invite  counselors, teachers, students, principals to join the residency and talk about their work, share their experiences, lessons learned, advice, etc. All PSA Counselors who attended this event, enjoyed the opportunity to share what Pupil Services in LAUSD is all about. 
Visit the Broad Center website for more information.