LS Weekly Memo LS Weekly Memo Week 20, January 11-15, 2016

January and February are always busy with student assessments, progress reports, admissions, conferences and hiring.  What a gift to start off with a four day week and end the week with Tonya’s inspiration to have a community gathering at IBU. This is our only full week in January.  Hard to believe.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

• Many of you have noted how tall the covered play area is.  This is for design reasons, so the covered play area roof aligns with the gym roof.  The weather over the break and last week slowed progress on the play area, now projected to be open for use on 1/25
• Though the weather caused a bit of a setback, the building continues to be on budget and under time with a projected completion date of mid-July.
• 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

Kathie Kimmy

Please join me in thanking Kathie for her great work this fall starting the year off with Kiah’s class. Kathie’s last day in the classroom is Monday.  She will take the remainder of the week to write up progress reports.

Kiah Johnson Mounsey

Please join me in welcoming Kiah back from her maternity leave.

Plans for 2016-17

Let me know by the end of day this Friday, 1/15, if you are seeking a different professional experience for next year; changing grades, positions or schools. I will launch the hiring season next Tuesday, 1/19.

MLK Assembly, Friday 1/15, 8:10 - 8:40

4th grade is preparing.  Be sure to arrive at the gym on time so we can start at 8:10.

Visitors from Charles Wright Academy

On Friday, January 15, we will have three visitors from Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma.

Nicholas Zosel-Johnson - 4th grade teacher

Matt Weiner - 4th grade teacher

Diane Hunt - Lower School Head

They will be visiting classes and having lunch in the LS Art Room.

They are particularly interested in the curriculum development and are eager to integrate more inquiry-based project work into their students’ school experience.  Please welcome them into your classroom.  All are welcome to join us for lunch in the LS Art Room.

Upper School Helpers - see email from Robin Schaufler

Beginning this Thursday I will have a new team of Upper School students available to perform all types of on-campus service:

Every Wednesday, 10:20-10:50 (note that this is only half an hour & adjust your expectations accordingly!)

Every Thursday, 10:50-11:50

They’ll do anything—indoors, outdoors, office work, classroom work, you name it.

Hazelnut Shells on Path to Wetlands

Hazelnut shells were spread as mulch on the path to the wetlands as part of an Eagle Scout project. Elaine is consulting with allergists to clarify any allergy risks.  Look for an update early in the week. If you have a student with severe nut allergies in your class, please avoid the trail until we hear back from Elaine.

Chapel Schedule

• New Chapel Theme

In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. observed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Beginning Monday, we will have a short series of chapel talks that center on the theme of justice. We will begin with a story from Dr. King’s childhood called “The Ice Cream Shop.” It’s my hope that this story and related music will connect nicely with other conversations and activities across the LS that are taking place during the week leading up to our MLK Assembly. During the next four chapels—Monday, Jan. 25, Monday, Feb. 1, Friday, Feb. 5, and Monday, Feb. 8—we will continue to explore the theme of justice and its relationship to compassion by hearing sacred stories from various traditions. If you or your class would like to actively participate in an upcoming chapel on justice during early February (e.g., sharing an activity or story from the classroom), please be in touch. It would be wonderful to include more voices!

• Birthday Blessings for Jan.

Since we have an irregular chapel schedule for much of Jan. and Feb., I will include birthday blessings for January during chapel on Monday, Jan. 11. (Blessings for our friends in Primary and 1st grade who had a birthday during Dec and Jan. will occur during regular chaplaincy class as we won’t have another chapel together until Friday, Feb. 5.) Students and employees who have February birthdays will be celebrated in chapel on Friday, Feb. 26.

Welcome Kellan Hvizdak

Please join me in welcoming Kellan Hvizdak (boy) into Deborah’s Kindergarten on Monday, Jan 4. Kellen’s family is returning to PDX from Colorado.

Kate Romanov’s Departure

As many of you already know, Kate Romanov, Claire’s Assistant Teacher, resigned early last week. Kate, who is completing a Masters in Education program, will be doing her student teaching at a public school.  We are in the process of finding a new Assistant Teacher for Claire. Look for an announcement in the near future.

Congratulations Jessica Wolfram

She has accepted our offer of the permanent Lower School PE position.  Please join me in congratulating her.

No More Chocolate Milk

Representatives from 4th and 5th grade met with MS and US students to discuss reducing the amount of sugar offered at lunch.  I asked them to make a proposal for reducing sugar by 33%.  After discussions during council, conversations with students across the grades and with Kitchen Staff and LS teachers, the council proposed removing chocolate milk from the menu.  Chocolate milk has 25 grams of sugar per 8 ounce glass.  Kelly and I have accepted their proposal.

See recent federal guidelines for healthy eating which specifically calls out the need to reduce sugar consumption - New Dietary Guidelines.

Admissions

• Admissions Information Night - 1/06

Thank you to those who were on hand to answer the questions of prospective parents

• Admissions Season

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.

• Friendly Reminder: Send Admissions Visitors to the Office at 2:00

Send two buddies or an Assistant Teacher at 2:00. We want our guests to avoid the traffic congestion at the end of the day.

• Admission Day, January 29

All faculty are expected to assist with Admissions on this day, except for the PreK teachers who will be working on 2/6.  We will use the 1/28 faculty meeting to prepare.

• Save the Date- Pre-K Admissions Visit, Saturday, February 6th

Sarah will be in touch with participants  after we return in January.  As you know, we all need to share our time and talents to find the very best candidates for our program.

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

• 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

• Fourth Grade World Cup Soccer Games
• I met with Fourth Grade boys. They made a plan:

-Gather at the beginning to organize teams.  They will divide into two mixed ability groups with one soccer goal OR play one large game of soccer using two goals

-Teachers out on the field, please continue to monitor this situation. Last week I had to remind them of their agreements.

• Second Grade Boys Pretend Play on the Field
• Second Grade boys are fascinated with pretend games that involve play fighting. We would like to give them alternatives, like the Yoga Calm “Peaceful Warrior” in which students play fight but do not make physical contact and no violent scenarios. We hope to come up with some agreed upon alternatives. We will continue this conversation when we return.

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

Administrative Retreats

• David and Chris - LS Admin Team Retreat, 1/12 from 8:00 - 11:00
• Ari and Melanie are in charge (Chris and David will be on campus)
• David - Division Heads Retreat: Disaster Preparedness, 1/14 from 7:45 - 10:45
• Chris is in charge (David on campus)

Progress Reports

Jeffrey gave you the overview and the offer of assistance if you need it.  See the timeline below, including the Tina adjustment, and the proofing plan too.

Progress Report Timeline

Friday, 1/22 - Report Writing Day

Monday, 1/25 @ 8:00am - Reports due

Monday, 1/25 - 1/29 Report Proofing

Monday, 2/1 @ 8:00am - All reports posted in PCR

Friday, 2/05 - Reports posted for parents

Monday, 2/8 - ERB’s sent to 4th and 5th grade parents

Progress Report Proofing - everyone needs to have reports proofed by a colleague

• Teachers on a grade level team will proof each other’s reports
• Department members will proof each others reports
• David will proof Science
• Chris will help proof Art
• All changes will need to be made in PCR by 8:00 am, 2/1

The bad news - our typical times set aside for proofing are taken up by the following:

1/25 - State of School Address

1/28 - Admissions Day prep faculty meeting

1/29 - Admissions Day

The convergence of these three events in the same week are the results of the compressed schedule for the year.

The good news - you have more days to complete proofing and entering in PCR

Conferences - 2/11 and 2/12

• Parents must request permission from David to schedule conferences on a different day
• I will suggest phone or Skype conferences on the conference days if parents are away
• LS employees with LS students have 1st priority for conferences. See Miriam.
• All other OES employees will receive sign-up on 1/11
• Parents with more than one child at OES will receive sign-up on 1/13
• Open sign-ups begin 1/15

Scheduling Task Force

We had a great meeting on Thursday, examining scheduling comments from Specialists and Classroom teachers.  We found a lot of common ground and are working on articulating the educational values that will drive our schedule.

Let me know if you know of a school with a great Lower School schedule so we can reach out to them.

Faculty Meetings

Monday, Jan. 11th, 3:15-4:30 - Department/ Team Meeting

PK, P, 1st - 5th grades - Scope and Sequence Work : Enter your second Social Studies  UbD into the Scope and Sequence document

Kindergarten Teachers - Primary discussion

Thursday, Jan. 14th, Second UbD Review,  in Grade Level Teams

Summer Programs - contact Kati with your ideas

OPERATIONS

Emergency Closure Communication

We sent out two closure announcements related to last Monday’s inclement weather.  The late start announcement was sent out Sunday night at 8:22pm.  The school closure announcement was sent out at 5:25am on Monday.  If you did not receive both notices, please check you Instant Alert account to be sure all information is accurate.  Contact Rebecca Williams if you need help.

Enrollment Instructions

Instant Alert Sign-in Page

Concerns from the Bon Appetit

Cheese- Concerns About Safe Management

Kelly and Shirley expressed concerns about the management of cheese. Earlier in the year cheese was left out and two boxes ( a $50 expense) spoiled.  When Shirley delivers cheese she often has to take several minutes consolidating boxes of cheese so the new delivery can fit in the refrigerator.  

Could one class or classes (a possible month-to-month rotation)  take on the management of cheese in our small refrigerators?  If so, it would be helpful to leave a sticky note for Shirley listing the accurate count of cheese in the refrigerator. It could be  a perfect job for students!

Let Chris know how your team/grade plans to handle this.

Dirty Dishes in Common Areas

Please return your dishes to the the dining hall each day. The Dining Hall is open from 10:45 - 1:15 every day.  In addition, there is a tub outside the dining hall after hours for the collection of dirty dishes.  Though Shirley has been willing to pick-up your dirty dishes, it is not part of her official duties.

Start the New Year Off Right!

• Remind Students in the New Year- Walk Around the Building

On rainy days students try to walk through the building. Please remind them to walk around the back of the building to get to the upper wing and Scott House.

• Duty Coverage - be sure to get coverage if you cannot make you duty.  We had a duty teacher free lunch room before the break
• Volunteer Check-in - help us ensure volunteers are checked in. Ask if they have done so if they are not wearing a pass or an OES Volunteer name badge

•Students Arrive at Covered Walkway and Loop Rd. Pick Up by  2:55

A plea to you, teachers...please get children out to dismissal areas on time. Car pick up is especially difficult when drivers clog up the dismissal line waiting  for late arriving students.

Friendly Reminder About Sub Requests

Miriam continues to get requests late at night. Please do not text Miriam after 7pm. Contact her:

Evening: Sunday through Thursday 5:00-7:00pm

Morning: Monday through Friday 6-6:15am

Early Morning Duties When There is a Delayed Opening

If there is a delayed opening due to wintry weather,  you will need to be at school 30 minutes before the opening of school.

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!

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.

Pick Up Aardvark Community Park After Every Recess

All equipment should be collected at the end of each recess and returned to the shed or the area in front of the shed.  When equipment isn’t collected it tends to disappear.  Classroom teachers, please remind students.

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.

Parking in the Main Lot

Parking continues to be a challenge for many Pre-K families who need to park and sign out children at pick up time.  Please park in the lot behind the gym whenever possible.  

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.

Calendar Updates- Specifically for January, 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 AS web calendar.

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.