Board Workshops
The Governing Board is conducting a series of workshops this year to study particular aspects of the educational program. As part of its effort to increase communication, the Board encourages community members to attend and participate in the discussion.
The upcoming workshops and topics are as follows:
Topic |
Date |
Time |
Docs. |
Gate |
June 3, 2008 |
6:00 pm |
|
Assessment |
July 10, 2007 |
5:00 pm |
Minutes
Handouts |
Class Size Reduction |
November 13, 2007 |
6:00 pm |
|
Demographic Study Presentation |
February 19, 2008 |
6:00 pm |
Minutes |
All workshops are located in the round building at 4490 Cornishon Avenue in La Canada.
2007-2008 Board Meeting Schedule and Resources
Meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the District office round building at 4490 Cornishon Ave unless
otherwise posted. Please check below for specific dates.
You will need Acrobat Reader (it's free) to view the agenda and minutes,
the actions are in html format.
Audio recordings of certain board meetings are also provided and will remain available until the meeting minutes are posted. The audio files are encoded as mp3 files. Click on the audio file link to automatically play the audio file.
Prior Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes:
Board Policies of Interest:
Governing Board Core Values:
The La Cañada Unified School District recognizes the community’s passion for superior education and commits to:
- foster a learning environment dedicated to academic achievement, character growth and the overall health, safety and well-being of each child
- provide opportunities for any child who is not thriving
- promote a culture of mutual respect and professionalism among all stakeholders
- demonstrate continuing personal growth and improvement among students, staff, administrators, parents and Governing Board members
- maintain strong, open and proactive communication between and among all stakeholders
- preserve financial stability of the district by maximizing its fiscal, physical and human resources to best benefit children and their learning environment
Governing Board Educational Goals
Download the approved Educational Goals here.
These Goals were approved on March 20, 2007.
Message from the President of the Board:
June 13, 2008
Ever since my family entered the La Canada school system I have heard from some sources that, while the District seems to have programs and services to enrich or help the high achieving and special needs students, the middle students are sometimes left to fend for themselves and can end up falling between the cracks, especially if they only need help in one or two subjects. And in fact, I have seen this situation happen with some friends’ children in the past, particularly when those students are quiet and shy and sit in the back of the class. That is why I am so excited about the Every Student Succeeds (ESS) plans and the proposed Student and Teacher Enrichment Program (STEP).
The ESS is a plan through which there is a variety of ways for a student to first be identified as needing help in one or more curriculum areas which then results in the teacher(s) and counselor working together to develop an individualized plan for that student. This team can choose from a variety of interventions that range from minimal to extensive in scope and can be modified depending upon the initial or ongoing success or needs of the student. Naturally, these interventions vary also depending upon the age of the student. This program was implemented last year on an inaugural basis and has been so successful that it continues to be expanded at all of the sites.
The second piece of this puzzle is the proposed STEP. This program was developed by a group of 7-12 teachers and principals who worked diligently over the last year researching best practices for curriculum delivery used around the country, looking specifically for a way to increase, improve and expand the assistance and enrichment provided to our LCHS students. If its details are greenlighted during contract negotiations, it will be implemented soon at LCHS 7-12 and would actually accomplish several goals.
One complaint frequently heard regarding the 7-12 schedule is that the SSR period can be a waste of students’ and teachers’ time. The STEP would eliminate this period. Many parents and students have asked why we can’t have a study hall period. STEP would provide that as an option for those students wishing to sign up for it. In fact the potential for this program in terms of offerings to the student is limited only by our imaginations. It would be possible to offer specific art, music, vocational, athletic and curriculum enrichment programs. We could offer a writing lab for students needing help in that one specific skill set. Classes for students with an interest in architecture, robotics, graphic design, anatomy, you name it, would be possible.
Of course, we would have to match the interests of the students with a teacher who has a common interest. However, it appears from the presentation to the School Board last month that we have many teachers who are very enthusiastic about the potential of this program.
These two programs and the vision used by the administration to develop them are great examples of why LCHS has been and continues to be a blue ribbon high school providing an outstanding education for our students.
Susan Boyd
President, LCUSD Governing Board