LS Weekly Memo LS Weekly Memo Week 17, December 7 - 11 , 2015

Kudos to Amy Rheingans and Adam Steele’s Girls and Boys Choirs for their contributions to the recent holiday celebrations.  The 5th Grade boys’ bell choirs were outstanding.  Thanks again, Amy, for sharing your time and talents with the OES community. Inspiring. Thanks also to the 2nd grade team for a great celebration of the student’s research projects on Portland places.  

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

• Concrete pouring is continuing
• Construction of the new Covered Area begins this week.  SKANSKA is projecting it to be completed by 1/11.  They will be creating a large safety zone around the site as they erect the steel structure.  ACP will be significantly smaller for the week.
• The building continues to be on budget and under time.
• Let me know if you and your class are doing any interesting construction work.  We are exploring a possible article in the OES Magazine.

COMMUNITY

OES Holiday Party - Saturday, December 12, 6:00 - ???

Please join us in a celebration of the season.

US Chapel in Great Hall on Tuesday

Thank you for supporting US Chapel in the Great Hall this upcoming Tuesday. Chapel runs from 10:15-10:45, so it will be great if LS students arriving for lunch could go all the way around and come in through the language wing (as happens on testing mornings.) I will let Anne Weston and Arleene know as well.

Hanukkah Chapel - Monday 12/7

See email from Jennie for details.

Giving Chapel -  Friday, December 11

Plan Ahead- Staggered Giving Chapel Arrival Times

• 3rd and 4th Oldest students arrive first at 8:00
• 1st and 2nd  Arrive at 8:05
• Beginning School Arrive at 8:10

Pre-K-2nd Grade Helpers

As in the past, younger grades will have Fifth Grade helpers to take them up the hill to Chapel.

Helpers will arrive by 7:50.

Specialists Volunteer to Be Joyful Carolers

We’d love to have a group of specialists, and possibly Fifth Grade Parent Volunteers, to be carolers who greet  teachers and students as they enter Giving Chapel.  Let Jennie K. know if you plan to join this merry group of carolers.

Specialist Buddies Attend Giving Chapel with Your Belltower Opening Day Buddies

Specialist, we hope that if you serve as a caroler you still find a way to sit with your buddy class.  Teachers of our youngest children  could  use the extra support.

Grandparents Day

Thanks to all who made it great event.  Creativity and flexibility at its finest.

Student Leaving/ Student Entering

• Withdrawal – Edie Lieberman, 2nd grade – family is relocating to NYC; she will be attending City & Country School.  Edie’s last day will be December 18.
• Enrolling – Kellan Hvizdak (boy) will be enrolling in Kindergarten (Bridgnell) on Monday, Jan 4.  Kellen’s family is returning to PDX from Colorado.

Admissions Season Begins

Sarah has a limited number of days to schedule classroom visits, so thank you for your flexibility.  Specialists, please take 2-3  minutes out of your day to provide feedback on visitors. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Students Who Have Food Issues

Please take these steps if you have parents come to you concerned about students nutrition during the school day:

1. Have parents review the menu with their child the morning before, help them find good food choices.
2. Encourage the parent to come for lunch to explore good food choices
3. Tell the parent to get in touch with Kelly so she can step in to help (for a limited time)

Time for Giving

Giving to Those in Need

Every year, AASK gives each division a couple of families to buy presents and clothes for during the holiday season. This year the Lower School will support 1 family of three. For our family, we have mom and her children's sizes and wish lists. These are organized on a series of "giving tags."

Friendly Reminder: Return the UNWRAPPED gift to the office before Thursday, December 10th.  Please let Miriam know what gift tag you are taking.

Giving within our LS Community

It is the time of year when we reach out to our colleagues to offer small gifts of thanks and appreciation. In an effort to bring the whole community together we started a tradition of secret santa giving. Due to our Episcopalian roots, we continue to call this "Secret Santa" and with open arms we invite all faiths, religions, absence of religions to join in the fun and giving.

Quick timeline:

Secret Santa’s  Lists  here.

Friendly Reminder: Monday-Wednesday December 7-11: Give one small token each day in your giftee, ie a handmade card/note, a piece of candy, fancy post it note pack, etc.

Monday, December 14: Gather in the LS Library  for a potluck ( link to Pot Luck Plan here ) and to exchange gifts and discover who your santa was. A merry time will be had by all.

2:55 Pick-up

We continue to encounter two issues.  Pick-up is taking longer.  PreK parents are having a harder time finding parking so they can come pick-up their children.  You can help.

• Please be sure all students are ready for pick-up at 2:55.  That means they need to be out on the walkway or pick-up zone ready to climb into cars at 2:55.  Classes that come out late hold up the whole dismissal process.
• If you park in the main lot, please consider parking behind the gym so there are more spaces for PreK pick-up.

Students of Concern

• HB - K- CB
• Has difficulty keeping up with the flow of things, can be disruptive.  Let Carole and Chris know if he is having difficulties. We want to be consistent in our support.
• OB-K-CB
• Mourning the loss of her father, hasn’t wanted to be at school, has strayed away from the class, needs to be shadowed
• Giving her lots of love and support
• She is doing much better. Had a shortened day, but is not trying two full days, Tuesday and Thursday before break.
• Please keep Carole and Chris in the loop if challenging behavior arises again

• LL- 1 KMcA
• Specialists, refer to the notes Kirstin sent out
• Call the office if he gets stuck and disrupts the class or needs support on the playground

      •    KM-1 KMcA  

                         Having a particularly difficult time, in a negative place often throughout the day,

can refuse to participate, cooperate with adults. Call Chris if this happens or

contact Lyn. We are working on an intervention plan to support Kianna, Kirstin

and Julie.

Also doing better in recent day, but still, keep us informed if things arise.

SG - 2 JB

Doing much better these days, but still can have his moments, so keep us

informed.

• Working on first time listening, being respectful to adults and students, doing his best, being a flexible thinker, see his plan sent last week.
• Let Jackie or Chris know if he is having difficulty in your class
• If he gets stuck and disrupts the class, let Chris know- call the office
• Chris is sending out his intervention plan to specialists
• Specialists, please keep Jackie informed

Major Rules - If a student violates a major rule, Chris and David need to know and need to be part of the determination of consequences and reparations.

• Verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying, or inappropriate physical touch.
• Lying, deceit, or other dishonest conduct
• Destruction of property belonging to the School, its personnel or another student
• Stealing
• Inappropriate language
• Possession or use of weapons or any object that is used in a threatening manner

PROGRAM

Lunch & Learn Series

The Library and Technology Teams are announcing Lunch & Learn Series! This year we will be scheduling them every other week on Mondays from 11:00-11:40 in the Library. Monday Dec 7th will be our first L&L session. Derek Collett, our World Book On-line contact will share new updates and additions to this resource.  He also can focus on specific curricular ties so please let us know any content/subject areas which you would be interested in hearing about as a grade level team. Please RSVP here or just show up with lunch in hand.

Scheduling Task Force

Thank you to the following folks who have volunteered to serve.  

• Tina Akehurst

• Kristen Haferbecker
• Tracy Arensberg
• Ari Sternberg
• Carole Burton
• Tonya Griffin
• Rachel Taylor
• Beth Breiten
• Amy Rheingans
• Debra Thomas
• Chris O’Toole

We have our first meeting on Monday.  The first step will be getting a deep understanding of the scheduling challenges we are facing.

Great Mindfulness Article in a Recent Wall Street Journal

The Family Meditation Session

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-family-meditation-session-1447785641

One Down, One to Go -  Representatives Come and Share Assessment Systems

We are looking into other literacy assessment tools. We are hoping that Beginning School-Third Grade teachers will attend. Please find coverage in advance so you can attend.

• Fountas and Pinnel, Tues., Dec. 8th 10:40-12:10

Faculty Meetings

Monday 12/7  Scheduling Task Force @ 3:20 - 4:20 Tina’s Room

Thursday 12/10  @ 7:35

Classroom Teachers Meet- Scope and Sequence Work in the Platt

Specialist Teachers Meet- Appreciative Inquiry - Schedule 2016-2017 - LS Art Room

OPERATIONS

Loop Rd Dismissal Duty

Please bring your cell phones to this duty. Call Miriam if you have questions concerning a student’s after school plans.

Mesh Equipment Bags

A duty teacher or student(s) should return the mesh bags to the shed. It is fine to have students drop bags at the intersection of the paths if an adult takes the time to return them to the shed. They have been left out a number of times in the past few weeks.

New Substitute Feedback

A number of you have shared feedback on our new subs. Thanks. We appreciate hearing how they are doing and want to help them get off to a great start.  If you could take a minute to stop by Miriam or Chris’ desk or send an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Parent Volunteers Must Sign In at the LS Office When They Volunteer

Please remind parents in your next communication about the importance of signing in at the office. This is critical for two reasons:

•For security, our community expects visitors to wear visitor badges (BS lunch helpers

will wear an OES sticker)

•In the event of an emergency- fire, earthquake, lockdown, we need to know who was

in the building.

Please don’t let parents in the building without a pass. Remind them politely that they need to check in at the office.

Emergency Drill Notes

These are more challenging when they are surprises, but that is the point.  Let’s practice well.

• We were challenged by partial evacuations to account for everyone.  Be sure to have your cellphone with you if you are exploring the campus or using alternative spaces on campus.
• Exit quickly, calmly and quietly.  You need to maintain the order of your class throughout the drill in case there are directions.
• Choose your path intentionally.

Oregon Registry- for Teachers and Supervisors of Pre-K Students

When you receive your document from the Oregon Registry please make a copy of the document and give it to Lyn.

Sugar

The US Policy Board has begin to meet with delegates from MS and 4th/5th grade to make a proposal to reduce sugar in the dining hall. 4th and 5th grade delegates will be contacting 1st-3rd grade teachers to find a time to talk to your class.

Calendar Updates- Specifically for December through February

Please be sure to enter your big events- plays, field trips, learning celebrations posted on the faculty event calendar and Anne’s All School calendar.  Remember, if an event impacts parents and families, you must get that on the Anne’s calendar.

This is really important! Sarah is scheduling student visits in the coming weeks and doesn’t want to book students on days when special events occur.

We suggest each team designate one “calendar person.” Several teams do this and it is super efficient way of keeping calendars up to date.

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.