Four Things

Hello to all -

This is a piece of an email forwarded to me around the OUSD budget crisis. PLEASE help if you can.  Almost 40,000 children are depending on you.

Theresa

As many of you know, OUSD continues to experience a significant budget crisis.  The Board of Education recently voted to target a $15.1 million dollar reduction ($5.6M is the School Target) across the District in order to maintain local control and avoid state receivership.   State receivership for OUSD put our district in a worse position in the not so distant past.   Each school principal was given a target proposed budget cut last week that was based on a dollar amount per pupil.  They were asked to submit their proposed budget cuts within one week’s time.   We need all parents, guardians, care takers and Oakland community members to take action.  How?  Below are 4 things every person can do to positively impact the budget crisis that will effect every OUSD school and child.

1. Get informed.  There is a lot of information at  https://www.ousd.org/fiscaltransparency. 
   
2. Advocate.  Options include reading and signing the Petition to the OUSD Board demanding that cuts should stay away from our kids and schools.  This is absolutely possible if we all lean in and act.   There are clear alternatives to achieve financial solvency without mid-year cuts to schools.  See https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/stop-state-takeover-of-ousd-and-keep-cuts-away-from-our-kids.
3. Voice your opinion.  Email OUSD Board member(s) today to voice your concerns about the issue and share opinions on how the District should act to avoid impacting OUSD students and schools. District 2 and our Director is Aimee Eng (aimee.eng@ousd.org).  You can also email others on the Board:  District 1 jody.london@ousd.org; District 3 jumoke.hintonhodge@ousd.org; District 4 nina.senn@ousd.org; District 5 roseann.torres@ousd.org; District 6 shanthi.gonzales@ousd.org; District 7 james.harris@ousd.org
4. Unite.  This is a cause worth fighting for.  The quality of children’s education is at stake.  Be there when the OUSD School Board makes its final vote on the resolution.  This is currently scheduled for Wednesday, December 13th at La Escuelita, 1050 2nd Ave at 5pm. 

Today I Have Something To Say - The Private School Edition

I think most people who know me know that I am a rule follower. A pragmatist. Which is good,  mostly, because I work a lot in bureaucracies (like special education, school admissions) where your best bet is to step through the system. Know the law. Check the boxes. Smile. Be prepared. Make progress, step by step.

This is my 20th year in education. I know the systems - and I like to think I get things done. It might not be flashy or fast, but the work I do is thoughtful, complete, and responsive - to my families but also to the system. I explain what the system can and cannot do - or at least help families take note of when they are pushing the boundaries of a system.

I always thought this is what made me an effective advocate. The ability to tell people all the ways you can push on a system and how that may - or may not - work out for you. How much effort will one action mean for you? For your family? Your child? I help people weigh when to push on a system - and when to leave it alone for another day. This has always made sense to me.

I think what has not been sitting well with me recently, is that in order to navigate systems, I (obviously) participate in them. And to participate in them and get things done you have to keep your eye on the ball. That has meant that sometimes I have to ignore the snide remark of the behaviorist in order to focus on getting services for the child. That means I have to nod with understanding as a person explains why they are cutting speech and language services for a child who is years behind in order to wait for my moment to present clear data to show that support is necessary. I smile at the admissions person who asks for my help in placing a child because "we simply couldn't support him here". This means that I have to speak in a measured way in order build relationships, even with people that I don't respect. I do it to move processes forward for a child - and for other children down the road.

Its not them - I tell myself - it is the system. It is lack of money. It is systemic discrimination. Its lack of training. They are overburdened. And that is all true.

But today I have something to say.  To private schools today. To public schools tomorrow. I can't be measured anymore. Sorry for the moments of all-caps in advance. This has been building up for a while.

Private schools: Here are some things that have been bugging me.

(1) Neurodiverse is not the new term to describe children who have been given a label around their learning. It isn't code for special needs. WE ARE ALL NEURODIVERSE. All the people. No one is "normal". No one would score at the middle of the bell curve on every test. That kid doesn't exist. We all have different ways of processing information, different speeds of learning, different interests, different ways we store information, different ways we show what we learn - everyone's brain has strengths and weaknesses. So when you tell me that you simply can't take another neurodiverse kid because you don't have "the resources" - you aren't being sensitive or PC. You are being ignorant. Read a book.

(2) That family with a child with ADHD or that kid with anxiety? THOSE ARE YOUR CLIENTS. Their parents pay tuition. They volunteer. They support other families at your school going through an assessment or dealing with a unsupportive family member. That kid has a best friend at your school and helped that other student when they were scared the other day. They are your community. Don't you dare treat them as if they are screwing up your precious school with their presence. When you treat them as "less than" that is the experience they feel throughout time in dealing with educational settings. And whether you want to think about it or not, that experience translates over to the child.

(3) Admissions people: Be gracious. Be kind. Be inclusive. Do not turn up your nose at the family with an autistic child who showed up on your admissions tour who dared to ask how their son could be a part of your community. Or avert your gaze to go and talk to someone else once the family says the word ADHD. Those families are looking to you with hope in their hearts that the could find a small, inclusive community that would love their child. You don't have to accept them into your school - I get it. But at least be kind. Oh - and you could also be knowledgeable about where that family might go or where they can get support. But if you can't do that, kindness works.

(4) Heads of School: How dare you - how dare you - kick a child out of your school in October? You couldn't try for longer than four weeks? Children and families need you to try and to commit to doing the right thing. And then trying another thing. And then another thing. Because when you kick a child out of your school - especially in the middle of the school year - you damage them.

Yes. That is what I meant to say. YOU DAMAGE THEM. No child can think through what it means to be kicked out of school all of a sudden. To have a daily routine, relationships, and activities on Tuesday and nothing on Wednesday, or Thursday, or Friday - from there on. The child's translation: I am so bad that not even my school wants me. I am so wrong that I can't be at the place that is supposed to love and accept everyone. I can't go to the place where every other child in the world is expected to go each day.

It is an experience that will impact them for the rest of their lives.

And guess what else? THIS IS THE BAY AREA. Everyone has jobs. That kid you just kicked out? He has to be cared for by someone full time until another plan can be established. You not only damaged the child, but you just took a crowbar to the knees to the family as well. Congrats.


Thanks. I feel a little better.

A little.

Please join us for our 

Middle School Information Night 

on Thursday 10/1 from 6-7:30 pm

for Mills College Children's School & Aurora School

This year, Mills and Aurora are partnering together to put on our annual Middle School Information Night. Though this event benefits graduating 5th grade families, the admissions timeline seems to be getting earlier each year and this event has become essential to 4th grade families as they begin the process of thinking about life after MCCS. We also highly encourage 3rd grade families to attend, and anyone else who wants to learn more about middle schools. 

Theresa Lozac'h of Beyond Quality Educational Consultants (www.theresalozach.com) will give a talk about how to 

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determine the right fit for your child, conduct a search and narrow down your choices. She will also include a segment about choosing schools for a child with learning differences, so even if you've come to this talk before, you may this new perspective to be helpful. Afterward there will be a Q&A. 

Childcare/pizza will be provided in the SAC room so that parents can attend this event without their children. 

​Please sign up here by 9/30. 

Here are driving directions to the school: 

http://www.mills.edu/maps/index.php

Click on the link for driving directions

Our address is 5000 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94613

You can also click the campus map to see how to get to the Children's School (#48).

At the front gate, stop and ask for a day pass to visit the Children's School. They can also give you a map and directions.

Once inside the gate, go straight on Richards Rd until it dead ends.

Turn right on Kapiolani Rd and follow that until it reaches the Children's School on the left.

You may park in the lot above to your right, walk down the steps to the the office with the water fountain out front, then look for signs to our meeting location. 

If you can't find parking up top, follow Kapiolani down around the pond where it turns into Wetmore and you'll see another parking lot to your right. Walk up the steps and look for signs to our meeting location.

Beyond Quality Has New Digs!

We are excited to announce our new home at 510 49th Street in Oakland. It is in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Oakland, right near Burma Superstar, Bakesale Betty, Park Day School, and Emerson elementary in OUSD.

Now all we need is a little furniture....

Free School Selection Seminar - September 27th, 2014

I am giving a two hour, FREE seminar on choosing a school for your child at Classroom Matters in Berkeley on September 27th from 10-12 p.m.  We will be delving into:

• Figuring out your core values regarding what makes a quality education
• Using strategies to support prioritizing those values - and how that helps you find a school
• Answering your burning questions about school choices in the East Bay! 

I would love to see you there! All you have to do is RSVP to beyondqualityconsultants@gmail.com and I will save you a seat!

One Wrong Move

I was listening closely to a mother who called me to talk about Kindergarten for her son. As I often do, I take notes as people speak, trying to get a sense of what is most important to them and I write down short phrases to capture their thinking.  Calmly, professionally, she spoke about how to truly know which public school was the best in her area and how she didn't know if private school was better either. She spoke about her son, and how much he was enjoying his preschool and how he was beginning to read and do math. She talked to me about her local public school's test scores and concerns about the entitlement and lack of diversity in her area private schools. She told me about her own educational experiences - and her husband's.

As she continued however, the conversation started to turn slowly towards her worries, her fears. After several minutes, she sighed slightly and said, "It feels like if we make one wrong move, one wrong decision (for our son) then that is it. " I wrote the phrase down at the top of my paper, and circled it slowly as she continued.

There it is. The fear.

In my job, I hear some version of this same worry every day…and whenever I do, I wish to be able to reach into people's hearts and minds and yank it clean out. I can't seem to do that -  so here is my attempt to do it virtually, for anyone else who might be struggling in the same way.

There is no one wrong move in raising your children. 

OK - throwing them off the side of a building is not a good call. But if you are a person who is thinking about your child's educational path and considering your options carefully, with concern, with worry, reading this blog…I am guessing I didn't need to tell you I am not talking about physical safety. Let me rephrase.

There is no one wrong move in educating your children. 

Here is what I know for sure.

Montessori, public school, Waldorf, private school, charter schools, religious education, non-public schools, blended learning, bilingual education, progressive education, inclusion, special day classes, STEM, STEAM, design thinking, gifted education, hands-on learning, traditional learning, expeditionary learning, homeschooling, unschooling, hybrid homeschooling, micro schooling….all of these methods of education (and any that I have missed) have contributed positively to children and families in a multitude of ways, in many places, across time.

You will find happy, contributing members of society who have been educated in all of these ways in a wide variety of schools, chirping happily about their own education or their child's, and how wonderful it is.

You will also find people who have been educated - in any of these methodologies and systems - who don't reflect kindly on their education or their child's experiences in an educational model or particular school.

You will also find people who disliked their education AND who are happy and successful contributing members of our society. Meaning, they made it even though their education wasn't optimal. They made it despite the one wrong move (or more).

And, you will also find - or see - people who our educational structures, systems, choices seemed to fail them. I won't deny that. Those of us who have spent any time in a classroom or in a school have seen them.  What I can guarantee, however, is that those children who were not served, who were ignored, unseen, unsupported - those people and their experiences did not culminate into "failure" because of one wrong move. Or two. Or three. It was from not having people in their daily lives who cared about their education.

These kids didn't have people who cared that they got what they needed in school  - sometimes even outside of school. They didn't have people who talked to them at night before bed and helped them with their homework. That kept in touch with their teacher and read Facebook articles on new educational methodologies. Or thought about the pros and cons between bilingual education and Montessori. That cared about their future and helped them to shape it - in little and big ways - consistently, throughout their childhood. It was not one wrong move - it was many wrong moves, consistently, over time.


There cannot be one wrong move. I know this because none of us would have survived our childhoods if that was the case. All families make wrong moves with their children, because we are human. We err - all the time. You might choose a school or educational path that doesn't end up working for your family or for your child - and that is OK.

I mean it. Stop your worrying. It is going to be alright - even if you are on wrong move #129 by your count.

It is OK because you are there for your child - helping, listening, thinking. You are engaged in your child's education. You are trying. And it turns out, in the end, that is what truly matters.

Thinking about Middle School….? I Am!

I know, I know. It is still summer vacation. But for me and my work it is already time to start thinking about the upcoming school selection season and how I can support families. Plus….

My daughter is entering fourth grade. (Yikes! What? Are you kidding? How did that happen?)

So, basically, for someone like me, that means I am beginning the process of looking at schools for what would be a good fit for her  - two short years away. 

I realize that to some, that sounds crazy. Take two years to look at middle schools? Well - while I am a little on the Type A side to be sure, I have to tell you…I think I am right on this one. The fifth grade year is full of things that families need to accomplish and it is all crammed into the fall. If you spread some of your tours out to the year before - you have a little wiggle room. A little extra time to look at that school you heard about from that one lady standing in line for coffee. And for me, that extra time helps me breathe easier, think my priorities for my daughter through without pressure, and helps me to feel confident that I have considered what I have needed to - before starting the stress of the fifth grade fall. 

Now you tell me, some of you are saying into your screen. My kid is starting fifth grade! What do I do then?!

Don't panic. :) Here is an overview I give my clients - and notice there are a few things you can do right now to soften the blow of the fifth grade fall. 

• Develop your list of 6-9 key educational needs in a setting for your child so you know what you are looking for in a school. (For more on this, check out my website.)

• Think about how you would like your child to be involved in this process. 
• What decision making powers (if any) will they have?
• What limits will you set in the process of deciding? (i.e. you have to tour three schools; you have to apply to four schools; we will meet every other week as a family to talk about middle schools for one hour, etc.)
• What expectations will you set around your child’s participation in this process? (i.e. you will work on application essays once a week for an hour; you will take a class on preparing for the ISEE; we will make a calendar so you know when applications are due and can plan for things to be ready by then, etc.)

• Research, read and make a tour list
• What schools do you want to tour?
• How many schools can you realistically tour in the fall? 
• What schools do you want to bring your child to tour?

• If you are considering public schools, find out about your district’s school assignment policies and deadlines. 
• Remember that these can (and do) change from year to year. Always good to double check with the district - not your good friend or the lady in your office - so you don’t miss an important deadline.

• If you are considering applying to private schools, find out about the entrance exam requirements (if there are any) and sign up for that test.
• Go to http://erblearn.org/parents/admission/isee or http://www.ssat.org/ssat/info/home.html to find out when the testing dates for this year are and register.
• You will need “codes” for the schools that you would like these scores to be sent to...so it is great to know all the schools you are considering applying to so the score reports can be sent to the appropriate place. Be inclusive of who you send to, so you don’t have to go back and get the scores sent to other schools in a time crunch.
• Many schools have their own, in-house assessment as well. Good to ask about what that will entail and how students can best prepare.

• Create a touring calendar and a consistent “questions to ask” sheet to take with you.
• Have at least three key questions - based on your prioritized educational values - to ask at every tour - that way you are comparing apples to apples when the time comes. 
• This makes sure that you don’t miss an opportunity to tour a school and that you have the same information (based on your key educational values - see #1) regarding each school.

• Create an application and financial aid due date calendar so you don’t miss any due dates.
• Display it prominently so everyone in the family can see it and reference it.
• Don’t forget private, public, and charter school deadlines differ - so be sure to put them all on your calendar.
• Help your child plan when he/she will work on their essays and make sure they are scheduling enough time to do their best work while minimizing stress.

• Check in with your child’s teacher about teacher recommendation forms and when they would like to have the forms.
• You don’t want a teacher recommendation done “on the fly”. :) Remember to give them clear directions, pre-addressed envelopes, and stamps so all they have to focus on is the recommendation.

• Tour and attend open houses and start to determine where you would like to apply.
• If there are schools that your are certain you want to apply to, then start working on the application essays with your child in order to give them as much time as possible to do a great job.
• Talk about your observations with your partner and your child (as applicable), and be sure to call current families if you have questions or concerns about a school. 
• Many private schools will schedule a tour for families who can’t attend regularly scheduled events - be sure to ask if you need something that better matches your schedule.
• I recommend that if you want an independent school to be an option for your child, you should apply to at least three schools minimally. Middle schools in the Bay Area can be very competitive, depending on the school. 

• Apply on time and schedule your family’s interviews, your child’s shadow days, and assessment days at different schools. 
• Many schools have different activities for students to do to get to know them and for them to get to know the school.  Most of these activities are required in the admissions process.
• Put them on your calendar too...and spread them out if you can to lessen the stress on your student.
• Ask what your student will do on their assessment day so they can feel a little prepared heading into a new setting. 
• Does not hurt to practice basic interviewing skills - in a fun, low pressure way. Shaking hands, smiling, try to participate, and answering adult questions in full sentences is really all they need.

• Remember to set expectations with your student about where they may or may not go to school.
• Children will get their hopes up about different schools and sending a consistent message that you will find a great fit, but that we have to stay open minded about the end result is important. 

I hope this is helpful to you! And good luck! Maybe I will see a few of you on school tours this fall!