January 23, 2019
 
In This Issue
  • High Schools to Start Later in 2020-2021
  • AUSD Youth Launch Student Round Table
  • Classroom Peek: AHS Biotech 
  • Kudos to...
  • Board Briefs
  • Upcoming Events
clock
High Schools to Start Later in 2020-2021

AUSD high schools will start at 8:30 am starting in 2020-21, district leaders announced last week. The change comes in response to increasing evidence that teen brains undergo a sleep-wake cycle shift that makes it hard for them to get enough sleep when schools start early. Start times for middle and elementary schools will be announced in early spring. We have more details here.
flyer for event
AUSD Youth Launch Student Round Table
 
Beginning in February 2020, a newly formed Student Round Table will be holding monthly meetings to provide AUSD secondary students with an opportunity to advise district leadership on matters that affect youth in our district. Such matters include changes to curricula, programs, and policies.

The purpose of the round table, which will be entirely student run, is to strengthen AUSD's supports of student well-being and academic success. Meetings will be structured so that students meet alone for the first half and then with members of the district leadership team.

The first meeting will be held on February 12, 2020 and will be focused on developing a list of issues of concern to students. Each subsequent meetings will explore one issue of concern in depth.

All students in grades 6 through 12 are invited to attend these meetings. To sign up, please RSVP here.

Classroom Peek: AHS Biotech

Alameda High students enrolled in the Career Technical Education (CTE) Biotech Pathway led 9th grade biology classes through a lab experiment last week! The experiment focused on using pKiwi (DNA that includes a gene for creating green fluorescence) to transform bacteria. CTE Biotech teacher Alissa Hoeft and her Lab Tech Frances Pratt devised the plan and oversaw the peer teaching.  
 
The goal of structuring this unit was to give the current biotech students an opportunity to demonstrate their depth of knowledge, to give 9th graders a taste of the biotech program, and to encourage them to consider enrolling in the Biotech CTE pathway. This initiative is supported with funding from a Strong Workforce grant called "Biotech Talent Pipeline" that we share with Laney College and Bay Area Bioscience Education Community. 

"I think the best way for students to understand something is to teach it to someone else," Ms. Hoeft says. "I was very proud watching all of my students take charge of teaching the lab."

Board Briefs

At its January 14 public meeting, the Board of Education heard a presentation on Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School and updates on the Strategic Plan and later school start times. The Board also continued the self-evaluation process that it initiated at its December 17 meeting. The agenda and video for the meeting is available
here. 

At its  January 28 meeting,  the Board will hear presentations on Franklin Elementary School,  the Emma Hood Swim Center Lease Agreement with the City, the Bias-Related Incident Tracking System, the district's progress on the special education comprehensive review,  and the governor's proposed budget for 2020-21. The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm at City Hall.
Look withini poster
Kudos to...

Congratulations to Emmett Kopatish, who won an Award of Excellence from the Peralta District PTA for the musical composition that he submitted to the Reflection Program's annual contest. This year's theme was "Look Within," and Emmett's composition, " Speak Only In Silence"  now moves on to the state level contest. 
Upcoming Events

January 23, 6:30 pm
Additional Maya Lin Kindergarten Information Night
Maya Lin School

January 28, 6:30 pm
Board of Education Meeting
City Hall

February 12, 2020, 6:00 pm
Student Round Table Meeting
Niel Tam Educational Center
(2060 Challenger Drive)

February 20, 2020, 7 pm
Teen LGBTQ Poetry Night
Julie's Coffee and Tea


Alameda Unified School District | 510-337-7000  | www.alamedaunified.org
STAY CONNECTED: