Welcome to Week 31! We are fast approaching the busiest time of the school year. Keep an eye on the calendar and be vigilant on the playground and in the lunchroom.    

Meetings and Events

DATE	EVENTS	LOCATION
Mon., Apr. 23rd, 11:55am Mon., April 23rd, 3:15-4:30	Project Second Wind Kick-Off Self Study Work	OES Chapel BS and LS
Tues., April 24th, 8-9:30	Blake’s Hero Speeches	LS Library
Wed., Apr. 25th, 8-9:30	Griffin’s Hero Speeches	LS Library
Wed., Apr. 25th, 7:30 - Wed., Apr. 25th, 8:15-8:45	Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Beginning School Chapel	Faculty Lounge OES Chapel
Thurs., Apr. 26th, 7:30-8:30	LS Faculty Meeting	DVR
Thurs., Apr. 26th, 9-10:30	Schilling’s Hero Speeches	LS Library

COMMUNITY

Rosalie is Here!
Great news! Lauren and Thomas’ dear daughter Rosalie is here, complete with dimples and a head of curly hair.  From Lauren:
Tomas and I joyfully announce Sweet Miss Rosalie Ananda Erickson
Endicott to the world! Born 10:26 PM, Thursday, April 19, 2012 in Portland, OR. 8 lbs 2 oz. and just shy of 21 inches. We are doing wonderfully! She is our big door prize, love bomb, brilliant beauty queen! I am entirely in love with my girl and my new tiny family. Cheers to Rosalie!

Denise Carsman
After much thought and reflection Denise Carsman has decided she will not be returning to OES next year. While taking some time to determine her next career, Denise is looking forward to the opportunity to take some art and yoga classes.  I am greatly appreciative of all the Denise has contributed to the evolution of the Beginning School program, including her most recent big idea, the creation of the Atilierista (Reggio inspired art specialist) position.

We will begin the search for a new kindergarten teacher on Monday.

Hiring Update

3rd - We have made an offer. I will make the official announcement once we have received the signed letter of employment.

5th - We are well into our second round of finalists for 5th grade and have three teachers scheduled to visit from California, Texas and Ecuador. Lillie Stevens will be on campus Monday

CORE
It is time for our end of the year wrap-up meetings.  Grade Level teams, please contact Ari to reserve time on one of the  following dates:
Apr. 25th        May 2nd        May 9th        May 16th
May 23rd        May 30th        June 6th

Summer Stipends- Friendly Reminder
Summer stipend requests are due May 7.  As mentioned in the faculty meeting, we are anticipating many request due to the number of new teams and new positions we will have next year.  Stipend priority will be given for new teams, collaborative projects and significant curriculum revision.

Beginning School friends, please take time over the weekend or early next week to fill out the Google doc, listing times when you will be available and when you cannot be available for our stipend with Laura. Look for a Google doc entitled “Beginning School Summer Stipend.”

Good Luck
Wish the 2nd graders and their teachers good luck as they prepare to present their hero speeches. And the same to the 3rd graders and their teachers as they prepare to present the Portland Musical.

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast
Wednesday parents will be offering breakfast treats in appreciation of your good work.  Enjoy.

 
PROGRAM

Optional Self Study Meeting Time; 4/23 @3:15
The last scheduled Self Study Meeting is Monday.  This is an opportunity for vertical groups to do a final review of question responses, scope and sequence document.  The final step should be the copying and pasting the response into the appropriate section of the Self Study Site, according to the stated formatting.

LS Faculty Meeting, 4/26 @ 7:30 in DVR
We will use the meeting to review the calendar to the end of the year.

LS Curriculum Task Force
•Self Study Wrap Up: We reviewed Beginning School and Vertical Group’s scope and sequence and blue prints. Everyone is fine tuning their last pieces before the May 3rd deadline. Monday’s meeting is devoted to that last task.
•Summer Professional Development Preferences: David and Chris will review options and will announce our finalized plans next week.

Mo Copeland
Remember to invite Mo to your culminating events.  She is eager to experience LS project work from Beginning School Movement Program to the 5th grade debates.

Sustainable Living for Educators
Here’s another great course offering from Lewis and Clark. Check it out!
Sustainable Living for Educators
Choose a session: Wednesdays, May 9, 16, 30 and June 6, 13, 20 or
Monday-Friday July 30-August 3
May-June session meets 4-7 p.m.; July-Aug. session meets 1-4 p.m.https://graduate.lclark.edu/live/news/15575-sustainable-living-for-educators

OPERATIONS

Placement Meetings
Lyn will be posting the placement sign up list Monday afternoon.  As always scheduling is challenging and tight. Be sure to use the cards Lyn has made for your placement discussions.  They may be picked up from Lyn in the Lower School Office.

LS Leadership Team Agenda, 4/26
4/26/2012
Aardvark Fun Park - 6/1/12
TA Evaluations
Team Leader Review

Self Study Survey
Remember to complete your self study survey.

Overnight Trips
Thank you to those of you who have agreed to be chaperons for an overnight trip.  I believe 3rd - 5th grades are still looking for a few more adults to help. Let the teachers know if you can help.

Summer Maintenance
Now is the time to think ahead to summer maintenance work.  I’ve sent out the form via an email attachment. Please keep in mind that we try to honor as many requests as possible, but summer camp’s use of classrooms often limit what can be accomplished.  Please return your completed form to Chris by Friday, May 4th.  

Aardvark Fun Park
AFP is scheduled to be taken down on June 1st primary for safety reasons.   Though many students will be sad to see it come down, I am thinking that they would rather see it come down than have it disappear over the summer.  We will be discussing this at LSLT.  Let your representative know if you have questions.