November Highlights
- TLC Chula Vista was featured in the City of Chula Vista's CLEAN Newsletter, acknowledging their accomplishment as a new "CLEAN Business" of Chula Vista.
- TLC La Mesa held their first No Place for Hate student committee meeting, where students school-wide electronically signed the No Place for Hate pledge.
- TLC was awarded a $3,000 grant from GENYouth for the Chula Vista site's food distribution program. This will help accommodate additional needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- TLC held several virtual events for students and families, including a San Diego Model Railroad Museum field trip, Museum of Ice Cream family night, and a parent chat with School Site Administrators on Social-Emotional Learning.
Social Emotional Competency of the Month:
SELF-MANAGEMENT
The ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations — effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. The ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals.
(source: CASEL)
Social Emotional Competency of the Month
Learn more about Self-Management by watching this video
Self-Management Activity
Calm Down Masks
Try this activity with your student(s)!
Show students a photograph or drawing of comedy/tragedy masks. Talk about how the masks show different feelings. Have students select one strong feeling they find it a challenge to calm down. Have students use round paper plates or sturdy art paper cut into facial shapes to create two self-portrait masks that show their own expressions: when they feel the strong feeling they identified, and when they feel calm. Discuss how students can use different elements of art, such as color, line, shape, space, texture, value, and form, and different media, such as paint, charcoal, and textured papers, to convey the emotions they want to depict. Students can wear their completed calm-down masks when they feel the need to calm down, or their strong feeling masks when they want others to know they’re feeling really angry or frustrated.
Student Work Spotlight
This month's student work spotlight is from Lennox Lake, 4th grade student at TLC Chula Vista. Lennox took it upon himself to create a fun and informational video about rock types using BrainPop. Watch his video below to learn about rocks AND see an example of a student utilizing technology in a fun and engaging way!
If you are a student and you would like to submit work to be featured, email tlcstudentnews@learningchoice.org. Submissions can be videos, written pieces, photographs, or anything that highlights what you have learned at TLC.
Creative Characters
4th and 5th grade students in Mrs. Gray’s class at TLC Scripps Ranch recently undertook a book report project, where they were asked to create a character from a book of their choosing. To make the assignment even more interesting, they were challenged to create this character using fruits, vegetables, or other items they could find within their home.
Students built upon this creativity practice by sharing their creations in a Zoom class, which helped them to practice their listening and speaking skills. They even had one student join in from Japan!
Great job, students!
TLC Student's Pursuit for Knowledge
Alina Contreras, a sophomore at TLC Chula Vista, recently participated in The Young Psychologist Programme 2020, organized by The University College of London. This program offered participating students the chance to learn about various fields and aspects of psychology, including clinical, forensic, and sport psychology. Students heard from guest speakers and participated in discussions and hands-on activities.
Alina has been a TLC student since she was in 7th grade. She decided to participate in this program because, as she says,
“I believe some sort of background in psychology might be very useful when trying to approach different people. In every job field and area, we must be able to deal and work with others.”
Alina already has an impressive resume, including volunteering to help senior citizens with Alzheimers, participating in the Teen Police Academy at the Chula Vista Police Department, and being a member of the U.S. Navy Sea Cadet Corps. Alina hopes to eventually major in political science and pursue a career in law as a prosecutor.
She believes education in psychology will help her in these pursuits and more. As she describes,
“Through all my different experiences I think it's important to be educated in what psychology is and how the mind works.”
Alina is excited to participate next in the Young Lawyers Programme 2021. We’re also excited for her and inspired by her quest for additional educational opportunities!
Writing Workshop: Student "Seed" Stories
In Mrs. Garcia's 3rd grade class at TLC Chula Vista students have been focusing on personal narratives, which Mrs. Garcia introduced to them as “seed” stories. This comes from a watermelon analogy found in the Units of Study. Students learned how a watermelon relates to writing by discussing how a whole watermelon is like focusing on the whole story, not the details. However, small moment writing focuses on the seeds of the watermelon, or the details within the story.
Mrs. Garcia explained to students that it is the smallest parts of their unique moments that makes the moment so special, and that is why as writers, we focus on providing descriptive details, so that our readers get to experience the "seeds" of that moment with us.
Many of the students expressed that they felt special being able to reflect on a memorable moment in their lives and really enjoyed being able to share it with their class.
You can read a collection of student "seed stories" here!
STAR Student Recognitions
November Character Trait: Responsibility
TLC is excited to recognize STAR students each month based on a determined character trait. This month's character trait was Responsibility. Students were nominated by their Educational Partners and School Site Administrators. Congratulations to this month's STAR students!
Simon Allen
Naomi Argenziano
Alexandra Arvizu Aramburo
Luke Baker
Bella-Lucia Baker
Magnus Burns
Galiana Cobian
Ivelisse Cruz
Joshua Fahey
Elias Fimbres
Luna Garcia
Magnolia Horning
Kathleen Hurtado
Bethany Jacobs
Ozzie Leighton
Ava Marcellus
Erick Mason
Jenna McDonough
Maya Morris
Angie Morris
Dayana Ojeda Lorenzo
Avery Pate
Otis Sambrano
Micah Schwab
Siena Trimble
Salma Valdez
Parent Support Network
Reminder: if you are a new TLC parent and would like to connect with support from returning TLC parents -- check out the different resources offered by our Parent Support Network!