Messages from the EG Staff

Ms. Kim – Guide

Happy Monday families & Learners & welcome to Week 5 of the project! We are quickly approaching the end of the project cycle & learners may feel a bit overwhelmed right now. I
am right there with you!

If you are struggling or having a hard time, I encourage all learners to come find me or any other one of your guides during office hours Monday-Thursday from 12pm to 1:15pm. Additionally, if those specific times do not work for you you can always send us an email & we can find a time that works for both of us!

Remember, everyone here at Empower wants our learners to be successful & we are here to support you the best way we can. Let’s make this a great week!

Ms. Marian – Guide

Happy Monday Learners and Families. Welcome to WEEK 5! As we get close to the end of the Workshop Cycle, I would like to once again extend the opportunity for learners to join my zoom during flipped time and complete work/assignments with me. If you are having trouble with Zoom please let the school know so someone can help you correct the problem. My Zoom link is located at the top of the “classwork” section of my google classroom, and in the schedule under my name. SEE YOU IN FLIPPED TIME!

Bob – Education Specialist

The internet has exposed us to more information and opinions than at any time in history. We can now get answers to questions instantly. No longer do we need to search for a fact through many different sources, which is often unsuccessful.

However, even though we can get information quickly, we must be careful to make sure it is real. There are many programs on the internet that you can use to verify information such as Snopes and Fact Checker. Imagine how the world is going to change as information can now be exchanged faster than at any time in our history.

Brian – School Counselor

March was the month that we were assisting learners with financial aid, scholarships, and Dream Act Applications. We have also been scheduling campus presentations with local colleges and universities. We will also work with CTE programs to assist our learners who are interested in a trade. SCOIR is a college admissions network that connects students, families, high schools and colleges for a better admission experience. I will be rolling-out SCOIR to all of our 11th & 12th grade students this week to assist them with their college search and experience.

Mr. Sean

If you’re anything like me, you HATE Earthquakes. I guess I live in the wrong area, since the San Andreas Fault goes right through the Antelope Valley! Maybe I should move to the MOON! Not so fast, did you know just as earth has earthquakes, the moon has — you guessed it — moonquakes. Less common and less intense than the shakes that happen here, moonquakes are believed by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists to occur due to tidal stresses connected to the distance between the Earth and the moon…the more you know.

Ms. Rosie – Office Manager

Our Intent to Returns will be sent out on Monday, April 4, via email, please be on the lookout and fill out the form. If you don’t receive the email, please let me know and I will make sure that your information is correct in our system.

On a side note, they say that “April Showers Bring May Flowers” But here in the Antelope Valley, we are lucky to have the poppies blooming already. If you get a chance, check out the poppies. My email address is roselia.calderon@empowergenerations.org.

Tanya – Guide

Last week, our class focused on learning about the atrocities that occurred during the genocide in Rwanda. This week, we will analyze how to recognize the 10 stages of genocide by using the events of the Rwandan genocide as a case study. Over the course of last week, the learners explored how the Rwandan genocide could have been prevented if only the world community had stepped in to help.

Romeo Dallaire, the force commander for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda, was not only scarred by the slaughter of innocent people but by the disturbing knowledge that it could have been prevented. If you are interested, take a peek at the Genocide Watch website. Genocide Watch is an organization that exits to predict, prevent, and punish genocide and other forms of mass murder. Their purpose is to build an international movement to prevent and stop genocide.

Jeanette – Guide Support/Care Team

If you can read, you can do anything! In our Reel Physics class we have been integrating literacy skills in order to make scientific concepts easier to understand. However, school isn’t the only place to strengthen your reading abilities! If you want to increase your ability to learn, you need to read more in your personal life. This includes books as well as online media. To support you in your quest for knowledge, our upcoming spirit week will include a Brunch and Books activity! At this activity there will be books available for free pick-up! Please make sure to join us and to choose a book to take home with you.

Mr. Rob – Care Team

Each year, students in grades five, seven, and nine participate in the California Physical Fitness Test, also called the PFT. California has chosen the FITNESSGRAM® as the annual physical fitness test for students in California public schools. The PFT results provide one measure that students and their families can use, along with other information, to monitor overall fitness. Schools may also use these results for the purpose of evaluating their physical education program.

This year, your child will take the Physical Fitness Test (FITNESSGRAM®).

Our learners will start testing on April 11. Prior to this date we will prepare by practicing three weeks in advance every day at 1:30pm. Mondays will consist of abdominal strength. Tuesdays will consist of upper body strength. Wednesdays will consist of trunk strength and flexibility. Thursdays will consist of the mile run. If you have any questions about your child’s participation in the PFT, the FITNESSGRAM®, or the test results, please contact Mr. Rob at Robert.sterling@ileadinnovationstudios.org.

The FITNESSGRAM® includes six test areas:

• Aerobic Capacity
• Abdominal Strength and Endurance
• Trunk Extensor Strength and Flexibility
• Upper Body Strength and Endurance
• Flexibility

Most of the fitness areas of the FITNESSGRAM® have two or three test options so all students, including those with special needs, have the chance to participate. For each fitness area of the FITNESSGRAM®, students are scored as meeting the “Healthy Fitness Zone” or “Needs Improvement.”

You are an important part of your child’s education. To help your child get ready for the test, you can:

• Talk about the PFT with your child. Make sure your child is not anxious and is ready to do their very best.
• Tell your child that you and their teacher are both there to help, every step of the way, and want them to do their best to finish what they can.
• Help make sure your child engages in 60 minutes of activity every day.
• Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast before testing.

To learn more about the PFT, go to the California Department of Education Parent Guides to Understanding Web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/parentguidetounderstand.asp.

Mr. Troy – Care Team

Last week I asked the question about the seats on the plane. The answer to that question is made simpler when you reduce the amount of seats and people to only 2. If that person chooses a seat at random then it’s a 50-50 chance that you will sit in your assigned seat. The math stays the same no matter how many seats or people there are! Assuming it’s always a 1:1 ratio.

Ms. Dani – Care Team

Come join our Wellness Committee Meeting next week Wednesday at 2 pm via Zoom. We will be discussing our Wellness Policy and what we do at EG to promote our learner’s health and well-being and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. We will also listen to your feedback about the current program and different things we
can improve on as well as set goals for the program before the end of the year and possibly for next year. Please contact Ms. Dani at danielle.padilla@empowergenerations.org if you have any questions.