Once a month, our maintenance team sets aside dedicated time to be on campus and take care of the many things that help our school run smoothly. This month, they had a BIG list!

They refreshed our field and edible garden, tackled a long list of small fixes and larger projects, and took care of the many details that can easily go unnoticed—but make such a difference in our day-to-day experience. From sprucing up spaces students use every day to fixing the things that have been on our “to-do” list, their work helps our campus feel cared for and ready for our students.  We especially appreciate that they take the time to walk the campus, notice what needs attention, and jump in to help wherever they can. Their work is a wonderful reminder that creating a great school takes all of us—and that caring for our physical spaces is part of caring for our students.

We are so grateful for the care, time, and attention they bring to our campus each month. Thank you to our incredible maintenance team for helping make our school a place where students and staff can learn, play, and thrive! 

Special Thanks to Ms Caroline and Ms Sandi from the Living Classroom who came out and helped spruce up our edible garden!

In Blach’s continuing work to build a more inclusive and caring community, all Blach 8th graders will have the opportunity to participate in Challenge Day.  

Thanks to LAEF, Blach is able to provide this impactful experience for every 8th grader who wants to participate.  Since Challenge Day is limited to 100 students, we will run two Challenge Days: Monday, October 5th and Tuesday, October 6th.  

The Challenge Day program is approximately 6 hours long and takes place during a school day. 

Challenge Day Leaders begin the morning by helping teens step out of their comfort zones through music and games. When the teenagers begin to feel safe in the group, they are then willing to be vulnerable with one another and connect as human beings and no longer from stereotypes and labels that have been placed upon them such as “nerds”, “jocks”, “popular”, etc. 

Leaders also spend a portion of the morning talking about the healthy expression of emotions, and the negative effects of keeping feelings inside. 

During the afternoon, participants dive into the issue of social oppression and examine the impact oppression has on their lives and the lives of people around them. By the end of the afternoon, participants have an opportunity to take a stand against oppression, make amends for hurts they have caused each other, and state their commitment to creating change on their campus and in their community. The day is both inspiring and awakening for students and adults.

Challenge Day is also a wonderful springboard for our 8th graders just prior to their weeklong trip to Yosemite.  The bonds formed up in Yosemite are made even easier, and tighter, because of their Challenge Day experience.  

 

Students are encouraged to share as little or as much as they want during Challenge Day.  The level of participation is completely up to the student.  Just being in the room is a powerful experience. 

 

A critical component to Challenge day is a 4 students to 1 adult ratio.   If you’re a parent who has been looking to get involved at Blach and have a strong interest in helping our community grow in unity and caring, this is your chance!  We would welcome community members who may not even have a child at Blach helping out as well.  

We need many adults to make this happen so we are asking for your help.  We invite parents, other family members, or even members of the greater community to assist us on that day.  If you, are someone you know, could help us out on either October 5th or 6th, please fill out a short form by clicking on this link. 

If you have any questions, please contact Blach principal, Wade Spenader at wspenader@lasdschools.org

Start your Friday with a little caffeine and conversation!

Come by the brick area in front of the school Friday morning for an informal Principal’s Coffee. Stop by to chat with me, meet some members of our school community, ask a question, share an idea—or just grab a cup of coffee and say hello.

Socialize or not. Stay for five minutes or hang out for a while. Come get your caffeine and start the day with us!

Our Oak teachers and staff truly enjoyed the treats on Wednesday! The cookies and milk were delicous and were gobbled up by lunchtime. A hearful thank you to the following Oak bakers: 

Rumi Bhattacharyya, Shannon Chen, Mary Chiou, Tiffany Chou, Michelle Han, Tiffany Hickman, Jane Lai, Esther Lan, Mitra Lohrasbpour, Jasmine McGee, Kristi Schramm, Steph Shum, and Jamie Smith. 

LAEF’s Fall Fundraising Campaign is underway, with a push to encourage donations now through September 28. Thanks to the generosity of many families, we are now at 38% of our fundraising goal. But we need everyone’s help to sustain the well-rounded, quality education that LASD schools are known for. No matter the amount, every gift matters and strengthens our schools. 

If you haven’t donated yet, please consider making your tax-deductible donation or pledge today, and increase your impact by submitting for a corporate match if available to you! 

It is Oak School’s mission to ensure high levels of learning for all students. Every day we respectfully collaborate to develop confident, resilient, joyful learners who care about the Oak School community and become responsible citizens.

Email: nshah@lasdschools.org

Website: oakschool.org/

Location: 1501 Oak Avenue, Los Altos, CA, USA

Phone: (650)237-3900This is an example of a sentence to begin a paragraph.