LS Weekly Memo Week 15 & 16: November 25  - December 6

Two more days and then a welcome break.  Enjoy your time away with family and friends. We have about the same number of grandparents coming this year as last.  Lower School will be full on Tuesday from 8:45 - 10:00.  

COMMUNITY

Grandparents and Special Friends - 283 RSVP’s (up 10 from last year)

The number varies widely per class.  Look at the list from Cindy Plummer so you know how many grandparents and special friends to plan for.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day - Tuesday November 26

Note the change in recess time.  Remember to keep children in the classroom during the duration of grandparent's visit.

Schedule of Events

8:00 – 8:40 a.m. Breakfast – Gym

LOWER SCHOOL

8:45 – 10:00 a.m. Visit Classrooms

9:45 – 10:05 Recess (1st & 2nd Grades) - NOTE LATER RECESS TIME

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.Chapel – Students Grades 1st–5th, all guests welcome

Students will sit with their grandparents or special friends. See Jenny Cleveland’s email.

10:45 a.m. Say Goodbye

Grandparent Options:

Coffee in the LS Library @ 8:45

Coffee in Chapel Narthex @ 9:15

OES School Store Open 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Chairs

60 Chairs on a cart in the Beginning School Hall/Wing

60 Chairs on a cart in the Lower School 1- 2 Grade Hall/Wing

30 Chairs on a cart in the Lower School hall near room 24/25

30 Chairs on a cart in the Lower School hall near room 22

Thanksgiving Break - No School, 11/27-12/1

Enjoy.

Kristen’s Baby Shower, Monday, December 2nd

Thanks to the 2nd grade team for organizing.  We may even get to meet Cora.  See Jenny if you wish to contribute to a gift.

Soccer During Afternoon Recess

McKenzie Lay - will be out on afternoon recess M, W-F from 1:30 - 2:00.  She is there so we have enough coverage to open up the field for soccer. She is not available to help on Tuesdays as she has an EC staff meeting.  No soccer during afternoon recess on Tuesdays.

Arabian Nights

Good luck Alysa and class.  Performances are 12/3 - 12/6.

Holiday Season Excitement and Student Behavior

We all know the huge impact the holiday season has on students and our families.  Please keep SST informed of students who are having a hard time managing behavior.  Remember to post Student Incident reports when appropriate, or let Chris, David, Patti or Jenny know about students of concern.

Evening Advent Service and Afterglow, Wednesday, December 4th

Older students may need to leave class for a rehearsal.  Look for information from Sue Jensen.  

PROGRAM

LS Building

Stop in and see David if you want to review the building concept design more closely.

Oregonian Article- Living and Travel Section- Get Your Child To Pay Attention

There was an interesting article in the Sunday Living and Travel section about the work of a team of researchers at the University of Oregon.  There website is Changing Brains   Check it out! Share it with parents. It has helpful tips for home and at school.

NY TImes - Are Children Too Coddled?

No Meetings, Monday, Nov. 25th

Prepare for Grandparent and Special Friends’ Day.  Have fun Tuesday!

Faculty Meetings

• 12/2 - Kirsten’s Baby Shower @ 3:15 in LS Library

• 12/5 - FLG/ Admissions Office Hours

Look for a communication from Sarah R-B about student visits for 2nd - 5th grade applicants.  She will have office hours from 7:30 - 8:45 to answer any questions.  She is particularly interested in getting Specialist TEachers feedback

• Optional Team Meeting - check with your team leader

Faculty Meeting - We will continue to have meetings start at 7:40 through December. With one divisional meeting a month I need everyone to arrive on time.

Geo Bee Preliminary Round, Monday, December 2nd

Ari will let us know times for these events.

OPERATIONS

A Friendly Reminder- Duty Transition from 11:15-11:20

Jane, who is on Fourth and Fifth Grade duty on Tuesdays,  pointed out that First through Third Grade students often come down from lunch between 11:15-11:20 when Fourth and Fifth Grade duty folks are transitioning students off the field and ACP and heading up to lunch.  There are lots of children and few adults to supervise them in that small window of time.

Please have one person from the Fourth and Fifth Grade’s recess shift stay on duty until the next shift arrives.  Those of you who have First through Third Grade lunch recess duty need to be on time, or a few minutes early, when possible.

Upcoming Fire Drill, Thursday, December 5th at 12:00

Please give a general reminder about Fire Drill expectations when we return from Thanksgiving Break.  

•Walk out of the building calmly in a single file line.

•No talking

•Line up in grade level groups

*Wait quietly, including adults, until the signal is given to return to the  buildings

Umbrellas at Recess

Adults are welcome to use umbrellas at recess.  Children are not allowed to use umbrellas at recess for safety reasons.

Gift Policy - Tis the Season

Questions concerning hte OES Gift Policy were brought up at HAC. Below is the text of the OES Gift Policy. I included it in Wednesday Express as well.

While we are very appreciative of the high regard in which students and their families hold their teachers and coaches, we are concerned that student affection and gratitude be expressed in a manner that doesn't divide families according to financial means. We do believe that it is best for all if gifts be a simple expression of thanks and affection. Therefore, we ask that gifts be restricted to very inexpensive and/or handmade items. We also suggest giving a book to the library in honor of or in memory of a teacher or coach, or you can designate that your annual OES Fund contribution be a tribute gift. We do ask that you not give gifts of significant monetary value. Our faculty and staff always welcome your kind words and personal appreciation of their efforts.