TLC NEWSLETTER October 2024

You're Invited!

Tiny Home Open House

As you may have heard, every year TLC high school students enrolled in our Applied Sustainable Construction class work on building a sustainable tiny home. We currently have one of these student built tiny homes for sale and are hosting a viewing and open house for all prospective buyers on Saturday, Nov 2 at 9am at our Chula Vista school site.

This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who’s curious about tiny living or knows someone interested in a one-of-a-kind home.

If you’re able to attend, please RSVP to sasha.graciaruiz@learningchoice.org. In addition, we’d love for you to spread the word, so feel free to share this flier with anyone you know who might be interested.

You can also view and share our tiny home website for more information.

If you have any questions or need more details, you can email sasha.graciaruiz@learningchoice.org

Tiny House Details

• Dimensions: 20" x 8.6"
• 170 sq ft with a 100 sq foot loft
• Sale includes the trailer chassis the tiny home sits on.
• Sustainable features: solar panels, passive air movement, ultra efficient lighting, grey water systems.
• 100% of sale profits go back into the project.
• All reasonable offers will be considered.

Event Details

• When: Saturday, Nov 2 at 9am
• When: TLC Chula Vista, 881 Kuhn Drive.
• RSVP: Please RSVP to sasha.graciaruiz@learningchoice.org

Understanding MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports)

You may have seen reference to TLC being an MTSS certified school, or read that MTSS is an important part of our current public education system. Like many acronyms that are used within the education space, you may not fully understand what MTSS is and why this is important.

At TLC we are advocates for using MTSS to better support our students, so we wanted to take a moment to explain what this means and how we incorporate MTSS at TLC.

What is MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports):

“MTSS” essentially means that a school has one framework that aligns a number of different systems of support to ensure that students are getting what they need academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally.

It recognizes that students have different needs and creates a plan to ensure that all students are getting their needs met, whether that means receiving a standard educational program, or a standard program in addition to a combination of supplemental support.

As Panorama Education describes, “This framework allows K-12 educators to:

• Remove barriers to learning at the systems level.
• Use evidence-based practices to ensure all students are learning at grade-level.
• Make data-based decisions for targeted and intensive interventions.”

Why this Matters:

MTSS is a powerful framework to ensure that students are succeeding. It helps students reach grade level standards, it helps educators incorporate data to better serve students, and it gives students the support they need to learn and progress to the best of their ability.

Equity is therefore a key component of MTSS, as it ensures that each student is getting what they need to succeed. As the Orange County Department of Education summarizes,

“The evidence-based domains and features of the California MTSS framework provide opportunities for LEAs to strengthen school, family, and community partnerships while developing the whole child in the most inclusive, equitable learning environment thus closing the equity gaps for all students.”

MTSS Certification:

In 2021, TLC received a three year grant from a partnership between the Orange County Department of Education, the Butte County Office of Education, and the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. This grant provided TLC with a coach who helped to guide TLC through the implementation and development of MTSS in our school. It also gave our staff a chance to further their MTSS knowledge through an extensive training course. Over 90% of TLC’s staff completed this course, and as a result of this entire process, TLC became an MTSS certified district. This is a significant indicator that we are committed to this model of education and serving our students, and are utilizing MTSS at a high standard.

To ensure sustained attention and development of MTSS at TLC, our school has an MTSS Leadership Team, which includes district and site representation and is responsible for continuing education and implementation of MTSS.

To Learn More:

This information is a general overview of what MTSS is and why it is important. If you are interested in learning more, there are a number of free resources online, such as this one from the Orange County Department of Education. If you have specific questions about MTSS at TLC, you can contact Mary Leeds: mleeds@learningchoice.org

Tip of the Month: Fire Safety Month

October is fire safety month. This is a great time of year to look at your home and work environment and reduce the risk of fire hazards and commit to taking action BEFORE something dangerous occurs. To help you keep your spaces as safe as possible, here are the key components of ensuring your home or workplace is fireproof:

1. Eliminate Clutter – Clutter can easily become a fuel source in the event of a fire, allowing a fire to spread quickly. Furthermore, clutter can restrict access to emergency equipment and exit routes.
2. Designate Smoking Areas – Permit smoking only in designated smoking areas and provide means for extinguishing smoking materials safely.
3. Fire Extinguishers – Maintain the appropriate type and number of fire extinguishers. Conduct monthly and annual extinguisher inspections to ensure they are in good, working condition. Provide training on the correct use of fire extinguishers.
4. Chemical Safety – Use and store chemicals safely. Read hazard warning labels and safety data sheets to determine flammability and other fire hazards. Ensure your chemical storage areas provide adequate ventilation for the storage of chemical or other hazardous substances.
5. Waste Control & Storage – Limit the accumulation of flammable or combustible materials and residues in order to prevent the risk for such materials contributing to a fire emergency.
6. Exits – Ensure emergency exit route diagrams are accessible. Additionally, ensure exits are well-lit and free from debris or clutter.
7. Contact Information – Have access to a list of emergency contact phone numbers in case of emergency. Remember that human nature is to panic in emergency situations; therefore, basics such as the company address, important phone numbers, and building floor plan should be posted on or with the emergency action plan.

Safety Drills Recap

This month, our La Mesa site conducted two lockdown drills. The first had 221 participants and the second had 168. They were both completed within 5 minutes.

The San Diego site successfully practiced an Earthquake drill in which 111 staff and students participated.

Our Chula Vista site will round out the month with their own practice drill this week.

Ways To Support

In addition to being a valued member of TLC, there are various ways you can support our school. We'll try to highlight different avenues each month so that you can find a way that feels best for you. And if your support is simply being a member of our community, we're glad you're here!

Support a DonorsChoose Project

TLC teachers regularly post projects on DonorsChoose. This is a platform for community members, donors, and businesses to directly support local teachers. Teachers use this platform to request items that go beyond a typical classroom supply, such as materials for an innovative STEAM project, or specialized tools to support students with special needs.

You can view all active projects from TLC teachers on our DonorsChoose District Page and make a donation of any amount to support our TLC staff and students.