Reflection and Goals for the New Year Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Facts about Reflections and Goals Learning is both an active and reflective process (Burns, Dimock and Martinez, 2000) Though we learn by doing, constructing, building, talking, and writing, we also learn by thinking about events, activities and experiences (Burns, Dimock and Martinez, 2000) Opportunities for reflection should occur at the beginning, middle and the end of the school year. (Parrillo, 1994) That way students can take note of their learning starting point, assess their progress mid-year and critically evaluate their own learning at the end of the school year Reflection activities allow students a sense of intellectual ownership and a better understanding of oneself and one's own abilities (Burns, Dimock and Martinez, 2000) Students can learn to use their creative and critical thinking skills to help prepare for, succeed in, and learn from attendance improvement strategies in order to be better prepared for the future (Parrillo, 1994) Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Reflection and Goal Setting: Questions for Students What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life? What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of? What have been some of the barriers for attending school this year? Where is your favorite place in our classroom (or school)? What is something that was hard for you at the start of the year, but is easy now? In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements? What are the three most important things you learned this year? Is there anything you will do differently this year/semester? What are two goals you have for the rest of this school year? What are goals you have for five years from today (where would you like to be and what would you like to be doing)? What steps will you take, today and in the future, to achieve your goals? Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Reflection and Goal Setting: Questions for Teachers What are some things you accomplished this year that you are proud of? What is something you tried in your classroom this year for the first time? How did it go? What is something you found particularly frustrating this year? Which student in your class do you think showed the most improvement? Why do you think this student did so well? What is something you would change about this year if you could? What is one way that you grew professionally this year? Who amongst your colleagues was the most helpful to you? What has caused you the most stress this year? Is there anything you will do differently this year/semester? What are two goals you have for the rest of this school year? What are goals you have for five years from today (where would you like to be and what would you like to be doing)? What steps will you take, today and in the future, to achieve your goals? Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Bulletin Board Ideas - Elementary

Bulletin Board Ideas - Secondary

Where we are: Attendance Bands through December 2013 Instructional Days = 85 Far Below Basic Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced Perfect Attendance! -Maintain- At-Risk Attendance: 4-6 absences -Early Intervention- Outstanding Attendance! 1-3 absences -Maintain- At-Risk Attendance: 7-11 absences -Early Intervention- Highly At-Risk Attendance: 12 or more absences -Early and Intensive Intervention- Copyright © LAUSD, All Rights Reserved

Where we are going: Attendance Bands at the end of the school year Instructional Days = 180 Far Below Basic Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced 0 ABSENCES 8-14 ABSENCES 1-7 ABSENCES ABSENCES MORE THAN 23 ABSENCES Copyright © LAUSD, All Rights Reserved

JANUARY ELEMENTARY TIERED SUPPORT PROFICIENT/ADVANCED ATTENDANCE: Recognize students with proficient/advanced attendance through the month of December on the Bulletin Board Send home a recognition letter to parents. Organize a Day without an Absence the first week of school in January. Send home a letter home announcing the 100th Day of School Grade Level Classroom Competition Kick-Off. BASIC ATTENDANCE: Send home a letter home announcing the 100th Day of School Grade Level Classroom Competition Kick-Off. Create a New Year, New Beginning Attendance Pledge Medallion and send it home to parents to sign and return to school. Display medallion’s on school fence or bulletin board. BELOW/FAR BELOW BASIC ATTENDANCE: Send home a letter home announcing the 100th Day of School Grade Level Classroom Competition Kick-Off. Create a New Year, New Beginning Attendance Pledge Medallion and send it home to parents to sign and return to school. Display medallion’s on school fence or bulletin board. Hold COST meeting to discuss students with most severe academic and socio-emotional issues/concerns. *All students should receive an attendance progress report Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

JANUARY SECONDARY TIERED SUPPORT PROFICIENT/ADVANCED ATTENDANCE: Recognize students with proficient/advanced attendance through the month of December on the Bulletin Board Issue incentives to students with proficient/advanced attendance through the month of December (e.g. A ticket student can redeem for a snack once a week in the month of January). Create a New Year, New Beginning Attendance Pledge Poster for students to sign in each Advisory Room and display it on classroom door. BASIC ATTENDANCE: Issue tickets to students with perfect attendance on a weekly basis which they can redeem at the end of January (e.g. snack, pass, incentive, etc). Hold ACE (Attendance Counts for Everyone) Meeting for students with 5 or more absences. BELOW/FAR BELOW BASIC ATTENDANCE: Hold COST meeting to discuss students with most severe academic and socio-emotional issues/concerns. *All students should receive an attendance progress report Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Information that can be shared with grade level team On February 3 (the 100 th day of school), some students in the Basic attendance band will have 8 absences and no longer be able to meet attendance goal at end of the year. January is an important month to provide focused support to engage students in the Basic band. Identify number of students in each band per class School-wide attendance trends Grade level comparison Changes in attendance percentage on milestones (25 th day, 50 th day, etc.) Point out increase in rates If there is a decrease, discuss possible reasons why (i.e. extended vacation days, illness, etc.) Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Upcoming Milestones 100 th Day of School! – February 3, 2014 Maximum Number of Absences at Each Tier by Instructional Day Calendar Date Instructional Day LESS THAN 87% (Far Below Basic) 87-91% (Below Basic) 92-95% (Basic) 96-99% (Proficient) 100% (Advanced) February 3, or more13840 Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Monthly Attendance Trends What’s affecting attendance at this point in the year? Extending Winter Break Not returning on Monday, January 13 th Change in weather increases absences Students stay home when it rains/cold Students health affected Illness/Cold/Flu Asthma Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observed Monday, January 20, 2014 Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Looking Ahead February 3 rd – 100 th Day of School February 12 th – Lincoln’s Birthday (not observed) February 17 th – President’s Day Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Fun Themes Jan 1 st – Betsy Ross/Paul Revere Birthday Jan 3 rd – Drinking Straw Day Jan 6 th - Cuddle Up Day/Bean Day Jan 8 th - Bubble Bath Day/Elvis Presley’s Birthday/Make Your Dream Come True Day Jan 9 th – First iPhone introduced 2007 Jan 11 th - Step in a Puddle and Splash your Friends Day/Milk Day Jan 13 th – Poetry Break Day Jan 15 th - National Hat Day Jan 18 th - Winnie the Pooh Day (Birthday of Winnie’s author) Jan 19 th - National Popcorn Day Jan 21 st - Hugging Day Jan 22 nd –Celebration of Life Day Jan 23 rd - Pie Day Jan 24 th - Compliment Day Jan 25 th - Opposite Day Jan 27 th - Chocolate Cake Day Jan 29 th - Puzzle Day Jan 31 st - Backward Day/Chinese New Year Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Fun Themes The Month of January is: National Bath Safety Month National Blood Donor Month National Eye Health Care Month National Hobby Month National Mentoring Month National Oatmeal Month National Soup Month National Staying Healthy Month National Thank You Month January 17 th – 90 th Instructional Day WE’RE HALF WAY THERE !!! Muhammad Ali (Cassuius Clay) born 1942 – Knock out absences! Benjamin Franklin born 1706 – Attendance is Electric (Fly kites with students present) Copyright-2013 © Los Angeles Unified School District - All rights reserved

Elementary Activities

Secondary Activities

Take the time to reflect on all that you have accomplished. What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. ~ Henry David Thoreau Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson