LS Weekly Memo
Weekly Memo Week 35 April 13-17, 2015
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The work last week with Louise was special. Thank you to Carole, Dori, the 3rd and 5th grade teams for presenting and to all for participating with such focus and thoughtfulness. Thank you Chris, for your great work conceiving of and organizing the day.
This week we start with Spanish candidate Alfredo Peche’s visit, followed on Tuesday by the not to be missed Beginning School movement program and end the week with Teacher Appreciation Day featuring coffee service, massage in the library and a middle of the day appreciation lunch. Be sure to thank April Gilster and Margaret Harrif for their work coordinating this event.
This week also marks the beginning of a new Lower School tradition - Label or Lose It Week (see details below). You have the labels. We have the tossing team at the ready. Imagine the transformation of Room 10.
COMMUNITY
Hiring Updates
- 4th Grade - Chris Thompson will be returning to OES to teach 4th grade after several years of international teaching.
- Kindergarten - Hiring Committee meets Monday to consider 4 finalists
- Spanish- Alfredo Peche visits on 4/13
- Chaplain search - finalist visits are being scheduled. April 24 and April 27 are confirmed. More coming.
Angela Hancock to MS Science
Angela Hancock has accepted a science teaching position in our MIddle School starting next year. Please join me in thanking Angela for her inspiring work in Lower School and congratulating her on the opportunity to return to what she loves most, teaching inquiry based science to children.
Teacher Appreciation Day - Student Preparation for Recess and Lunch
Thanks to April Gilster and Margaret Harrif’s determination and organization, Teacher Appreciation returns to the middle of the day. Those of you who have been around a bit remember that we had to change Teacher Appreciation to the afternoon because there were too many issues when parents were supervising lunch and recess. Please work with your students so they are ready to help our parent volunteers oversee a fun and safe recess. Chris, Melanie, the PE Team and I will work review recess practices with parents before they take on duty.
Safety - Students not alone in the classroom
Students must be accompanied by an adult when in the classroom. Students are not to be left alone in the classroom. I have received a couple of reports of student alone in classrooms during recess or specials.
LS Building - Board Decision on 4/21
The board will make the decision next Tuesday about whether or not to begin construction on the new Lower School in June. Fund raising and building plans are in great shape. Knock on wood, cross your fingers or say a little prayer.
Special “Return to Campus” Event on 4/28, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Alumni, parents of alumni, former employees and board members have all been invited back to campus to revisit the BS and LS before it all changes. Tina, Alysa, Paula, Janet, Doug, Chris and I will there. Let me know if you are interested in joining us.
Chapel
Monday, April 13: Celebration of April birthdays
Monday, April 20: LS Eucharist
Assembly Preparing Your Students for the April 17 Literary Assembly
Our next assembly, April 17, will be a kick-off to the school-wide literacy celebration. Our buddy activity will be a book-share. All students will be asked to bring to the assembly a book that they enjoy. They will have a chance to share a bit about the book/series, its author, or its illustrator with their buddy. What is the book or series about? What do they like about it? Is there a part that is particularly exciting or engaging? Does the author/illustrator have other books you like? Ms. I and Ms. H will introduce the idea of book-shares during library classes this week and next, and if you have some time in your schedule, please consider helping your students, especially younger students, start to think about which book they would like to share and why. And don’t forget to bring those books to the assembly! Thanks!
Incident Reports
As we jump into the last 10 weeks of school, remember to use the Incident Reports to help us in SST with tracking and following up on student incidents.
Lunch Duty
Kelly let me know that she needs our help from duty teachers with spills, students’ special needs and at times with the beverage cups and serving dessert.
Patrick Cook-Deegan - http://patrickcookdeegan.com/home
Cindy McEnroe arranged to have Patrick Cook-DeEgan, mindfulness and experiential education expert, on campus on Wednesday, 4/22 and Thursday, 4/23 for the events listed below. NOTE: There is an FLG meeting first thing in the morning, otherwise no am meeting.
4-22 - 7:00-8:30 - Parent/ Faculty Presentation (Optional)
4-23
8:45-9:4 5- MS Assembly-Grades 6-8
10:50- 11:50 - US Assembly-Grades 9-12
2:05-2:55 LS - Grade 5 Assembly or 3 rotating class size group experiences TBD
3:15-4:15 - LS Faculty Presentation
(MS and US faculty will be present for assemblies in each of their divisions)
Students Who Needs Extra Support
Fourth and Fifth Grade Basketball Court- Competition is ramping up for these players. Keep an eye on this if you are out on recess duty.
3rd Grade Soccer - same as above
Colton P - Boone S. Continue to keep a close eye on these boys. Let Chris and Tonya know right away if anything comes up.
JaSier R. and Julian E. had a physical incident in music this past week. Let Kiah or Chris know if anything comes up for these boys.
PROGRAM
Lower School Diversity Group -
Our thanks to our LSD leaders for organizing this very important discussion.
This was the final of four offerings this year. Plans for next year at forming.
Cadwell Plans
We had great collaborative coaching sessions. Ask your colleagues for details.
Faculty Meetings
- Thursday, 4/16 LS Faculty Meeting - 7:40 LS Library
- Common Inquiry Experience - Assessment/ Reflection
- Thursday, 4/23 LS Faculty Presentation - 3:15 - 4:15 Patrick Cook-Deegan
Presentations/ Discussion
- Make One Change - discussion - See details from Janet
- Culture Shock -
- Wednesday, April 15th at 7:00PM, Damaris Webb presents “The Box Marked Black," a solo performance that explores growing up multi-racial in Portland. Register for the event here.
- Thursday, April 16th at 7:00PM, Rosetta Lee will speak on “Parenting with Identity in Mind.” We particularly encourage Lower and Middle School parents to join us for this talk relevant to all age levels PreK-12. Register for the event here.
Team Leader Agenda
- Many topics
Positive Discipline Workshop - Mind Map
Safe Schools - Previous WM
Giving to the Building - Previous WM
Math Feedback - Previous WM
UBD Reminder - Previous WM
Lower School Building – Previous WM
PGD – Previous WM
2015-16 Budget – Previous WM
Community Talks - Here is a link
OPERATIONS
Room 10
Label it or Loose it Week – April 13 -17
Room 10 Labels are in Your Mailbox
Check your mailbox - Sandy and Miriam have placed colored labels in your mailbox along with instructions to put on the items stored in Room 10 that you wish to keep.
April 18 – Sandy and Miriam will DISCARD or REPURPOSE items with NO Labels
FUTURE – Room 10 will not be a free for all storage anymore. A sign-in system will be in placed if anyone wishes to store items in Room 10 and on the same note, items that are not on the sign-in system are discarded every Friday.
Recess - 4th and 5th grade
The 3rd person on duty for 4th & 5th grade lunch recess should check in with the field and ACP duty person to see if they need help. The number of students on the field is increasing.
Lightning Safety - 30/30 Rule
If the time between the lightning flash and thunder is 30 seconds or less, seek shelter for 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Science Discovery Room
Renovations are underway in the Scott House. The Science Discovery Room will be a Fourth Grade classroom next year. Everything must go, including the plant grow light stand. First and Second Grade team, please discuss what you plan to do with this valuable item and let me know.
Substitutes
A friendly reminder regarding substitutes:
Please do not contact our Substitutes directly. This is to avoid confusion and conflict of substitute scheduling and assignment. If you wish to request a preferred substitute, write it in the yellow form sub request form. Any time you request a day or part of the day off, for whatever reason, you fill out the yellow form for David’s approval. HR requires that we submit a timesheet for every employee taking a time/day off: personal/medical/dental/ etc.. every pay cycle and the yellow form is truly helpful for the office record.
Lacrosse
It is that time of year again when students are interested in playing lacrosse at recess. I will await word from the 3rd - 5th grade about how they want to manage it. Last year we following the guidelines below:
- lunch recess only on particular days (coordinated with lacrosse practice?)
- sticks stored in recess shed
- designated area on field
- tennis balls only
- no checking or goalies
Catering Orders - must be ordered 5 - 10 Business days BEFORE the event
See - Ordering Catering
Monkey Bars and Green Rainbow
Children have been climbing on the top of these structures. While we hate to discourage exploration, we think it best to not allow them to climb on top of the Green Monkey Bars and the Green Teeter Totter Rainbow.
OES LS Uniform Policy - Friendly Reminder
Just before break I noticed that many students were stretching the limits of our uniform policy.
•Students wearing knit beanies in classrooms and Chapel
•Students wearing Spirit Wear sweatshirts indoors, not as outerwear.
•Students wearing sports caps
•Girls wearing all kinds of headbands and hair adornments
Please take time to review the uniform policy with your students.
All School Calendar Summit to Be Rescheduled
After the meeting we will have the bones of the 2015-16 calendar determined. It should be updated on the OES Web calendar by the following week.
Packing Boxes
Culling for our move to temporary spaces? Here’s Some Donation Ideas
Friendly Reminder About Toys Brought to School
Attendance input at 8:00
The Yellow Line and Safety
When to Use LS Division Only and All School
Recess Reminders
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Chris or me by Thursday each week and we will include them in the Weekly Memo. This should help reduce the number of emails we are receiving, and to maximize our time to collaborate during meetings.
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