LS Weekly Memo Week 33 : April  22-26

I look forward to sharing the Lower School with the visiting team.  It is a great opportunity for us the share what we do so well and seek insights into how we might continue to develop and evolve our program and student experience.

COMMUNITY

Teacher Appreciation Kudos

Our thanks to Stephanie Knight and her crew for the great treats in the morning, snacks, prizes and entertainment in the afternoon.  Deborah’s Melodies were precious beyond words. Thanks, Deborah for sharing the Melodies that afternoon. Stephanie Knight is open to feedback. If you have suggestions send them to Chris or David and to be passed along to Stephanie.

Self Study - See communications from Dana

Thanks to those of you who have done some cleaning and documenting.  

Remember the three required faculty meeting this week.  There will be no faculty meeting on Thursday, 4/25.

• AS Visiting Team Meet and Greet Sunday at 5:30 - 6:30 in Dining Hall

Please arrive by 5:15 to get name tags and oriented.  

• LS Faculty and Specialists Meeting,

3:15 - 4:30 Monday in LS Art Room

• AS Faculty and Staff Meeting

3:15 - 4:30 Wednesday in Dining Hall

Moving Into Coffees (MIC)

Please be sure to review this document (see link below) and add information needed for your team- who is representing, which students will present their reflections. Specialists, be sure to check this document to see if your presence has been requested.  Let Chris or David know if you have any questions.

Chris and David will be making a brief appearance at your team meeting next week to review MIC details

Moving Into Coffees 2013

School Visits

We had great school visits -

University Child Development School

Epiphany School

Bush School

Rosa Parks Elementary School

Overlake School

Look for photos on the web site Debra created next week.  Thanks to Janet, Alysa, Kirstin, Tracy, Debra, Chris and Jon von Behren for taking the time away from school to do this important work!

Monthly Parent Grade Level Representatives Meeting

Once a month Chris and David meet with the parents who are the Grade Level Representatives for each grade.  Last week we discussed:

• Mount Hood Climb Service Day
• Uniforms - aligning the dress code with our identity and simplifying the options
• School visits - shared some reflections from our school visits
• Debriefed the auction
• Looked ahead at Moving Into Coffees and overnight trips

PROGRAM

Student Placement - 2013-14

As parents approach you about placement for next year keep in mind:

• have parents share insights about their child and how she learns
• ask parents about child’s interests and social relations
• have parents share about relationship with a particular teacher
• share with parents all that we consider in deciding on class placement, making three well balanced classes that will be effective learning communities - social, emotional, academic, special skills, talents, interests and class balance.
• Parent request will be considered in the context of classroom teacher, specialist teacher and past teacher perspectives
• Do not suggest or promise placement for a child in a particular class

Make Thinking Visible to Visiting Team

Thanks to all of you for the extra efforts put forth to make our school community’s thinking and learning visible to our PNAIS visitors.

Chapel

Be on time.  Chapel is from 11:55 - 12:20 on Monday and 8:10-8:40 on Friday. Your class needs to be seated and ready by the start time.

LS Building Update

I will be looking to schedule a morning for the architects to come on campus, visit classes and observe the flow of a Lower School day to inform their design work.  I also will be scheduling a design session with them before the end of school, likely during the 1st weeks of May.  Though the timing is tight, the architects want to make some good progress over the summer so these sessions will be critical for informing them about our needs and wants.  The Team Leaders and I will discuss timing and structure of the visits.

PGD - Big Ideas

I have heard from several of you about big PGD ideas you have for this summer or next year.  I am going to begin approving plans and budgets this week.  If you have not formally communicated a plan to me by completing the PGD form, you need to do so before the end of the day Friday, 4/26.  

OPERATIONS

Custodial Help Over the Weekend

Bill will have someone do a walk through on Saturday and Sunday.  No major work will be done on the weekend. He will have his crew wipe down furniture in common areas.

Snacks

Shirley wanted you all to know that morning snack service is changing. They no longer have access to small oranges (Cuties). She doesn’t want to give apples too often, and knows you aren’t keen on messy oranges. She will provide an alternative of raisins, and possibly a Nutrigrain bar.

Schedule for 2013-14 - input by May 3rd

Chris and I have begun discussion of next year’s schedule. We will not be making major changes, but we would like to know if you have schedule issues that need to be addressed.  If you do, be sure to include what does work about your current schedule as well.

The current schedule was built around the following priorities:

What is best for our students

All Together Time - time for classes, grades and larger groups to get together

Blocks - RIght size blocks of time for teaching

Community Time - class meetings, chapels, assemblies

Common Planning Time

Transitions

Uniforms

We are looking to align our uniform policy with our identity and simplify it so it is more easily managed. We will review changes at the May 2nd faculty meeting.

Lunch

Be sure to communicate with Kelly Cowing if you need to change the lunch plan for your class for a special event.