LS Weekly Memo Week 37, May 16-20, 2016

Many thank to Jennie Kiffmeyer, Kristen Haferbecker and you for the great work on MHCSD. By my count, we had 10 classes out and about our campus, 8 classes serving off campus, 6 classes with an US/MS collaboration and 5 classes serving other students and so many children finding great joy in exercising their power for good.

Kudos to the K-Team for rallying and and successfully celebrating their students learning on Friday.  While that may not be a feat they attempt to replicate in the future, Learning Celebration following so soon after MHCSD, the students rose to the challenge.

Thank you also to those of you who interviewed our 1st and 2nd grade teacher finalists. I am working my way through reference checks and employment letters in hopes of an announcement before the week is through.

Onto another event filled week with the showing of “The Mask You Live In” on Monday, the grand debut of the 3rd grade student written play, Prek and Primary learning celebrations, 5th and 2nd grade MIC’s and a fun surprise on Friday.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

• June 30 deadline for packing rooms
• Rod is gathering packing materials and will let us know when they are ready.
• August 22nd -  the official move in week with the LS Cafe open each morning
• The building will be move in ready before 8/22, and we will let you know as soon as moving in is a

possibility.  

• Moving trucks are tentatively scheduled for the week of July 25.  Go SKANSKA and Jon.

COMMUNITY

The Mask You Live In - Old Market Pub Monday, May 16, 3:00 - 5:00

MS and LS Film Viewing - The Mask You Live In - the education of boys

LS faculty are invited to join the MS faculty to watch and then discuss the documentary. Sign-up if you are interested and join the 21 of us already planning on attending.  Movie starts at 3:30 with discussion to follow

3rd Grade Musical - Wednesday May 18th, Gym

9am performance, 7:00pm performance

The 3rd grade team and Emily Stone have done amazing work with their students, researching, writing and rehearsing their own Portland history play.  Come see the culmination of their work. See Erin’s email for details.

MHCSD: It's a Wrap!

Thank you, one and all, for making this year's Mount Hood Climb Service Day a truly wonderful day of service. And thank you to all who have provided feedback for Kristen and Jennie as they plan for next year. If you haven't yet, there's still time. Please go to the MHCSD feedback form and let them know what you think.

Finally, there are loads of great photos in the shared MHCSD 2016 All-Employee folder in case you didn't get enough of children weighing peas, pulling ivy, or pinning their reflection to the rainbow wall.

Chris O’Toole Out Next Week Wednesday, May, 18 - Following Monday, May 23

She will travel to Florida next week to help out her sister who has been experiencing some major health issues.  She will read  and respond to email at least once a day and hopes to return Tuesday, May 24th.  Please contact Lyn if you need support and she will have Melanie, Ari, Jennie K or David assist you.

Friday, May 20

• Uniform Optional Day (to be announced in WedX)
• Surprise (Keep it a secret!)

Jordan Elliott is bringing an inflatable giant slide and an obstacle course to campus on Friday for a surprise to the US students.  He has kindly offered to let LS students have access to the inflatable fun as well.  Keep it a secret so all students are surprised.

Fair weather - Inflatables on the grass field

Foul Weather - Inflatables under new covered area

PK, K, P access - 9:00 - 9:45

US - 9:50 - 10:50

4th and 5th - 10:50 - 11:20

1st - 3rd - 11:20 - 11:50

Ssshh!

US Student Help

Robin Schauffler has a new team of Upper School students available to perform all types of on-campus service. They’ll do anything—indoors, outdoors, office work, classroom work, you name it. Here's when they're available:

Every Wednesday, 10:20-10:50

Every Thursday, 10:50-11:50

See Robin’s email for more details.

Thank You, Pre-K Lunch Helpers!

A few volunteer opportunities are unfilled in May and June.  If you are a specialist and work with these students and are free that period, please sign up to help out! Thanks to all for considering.  Your support is greatly appreciated. Pre-K Lunch Helpers

Students of Concern- Sub Folders

Remember the SST site has helpful information.

I had someone ask me about removing some of the names from this list.  I keep the names on if their behavior listed is still an ongoing concern.  It occurred to me that it was worth reminding people to have some respectfully written notes for substitutes in your sub folder or sub plans, alerting them to possible challenges. It would be important to add strategies and accommodations you use that help student be successful in class.

• 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
• Giving her lots of love and support
• Attending full days again and generally doing well.
• Please keep Carole and Chris in the loop if challenging behavior arises again

• Read if you supervise the field at lunch recess for 1st and 2nd Grade

• First Grade boys are having heated arguments about soccer and football. One person on the field at lunch recess should oversee their games
• Try to be alert, and help problem solve before things escalate
• Please remind them before going out to the field that when the whistle is blown they stop the play and players take turns CARRYING the ball off the field.
• It helps to give them an 2 minute warning before blowing the whistle to end recess.

Updated entry, please be sure to read if you teach or supervise Second Grade

• SG - 2 JB

• 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
• Specialists, we value your input and appreciate your feedback.  Please input any rating and observations at the end of each day into the weekly googledoc. In addition to the daily communication with his family this document is also sent daily to Sam's outside support team.  They appreciate the specific examples we provide and work through them with him (accomplishments and challenges).  Thank you.

• Fourth Grade World Cup Soccer Games
• Track and Field Duty People, please continue to keep a close eye on these games. 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 (no larger than 8 or 9 students)
• Teachers out on the field, please continue to monitor this situation. Last week I had to remind them of their agreements.

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

Faculty Meetings

• The Mask You Live In, Old Market Pub, Mon., May 16th 3:30-5 (Optional)
• No Divisional Meeting, Thurs., May 19th
• Scheduling Task Force, Thursday, May 19, 7:35 - 8:35, Platt

Summer Stipends - Due Monday, May 23

Please use the link below to submit requests to your DEPARTMENT CHAIR by end of day Monday, May 23.

Summer Stipend Request Form 2016

Closing Faculty Meetings

• Thursday, June 16th, 8:30 - 11:30am - Celebrating the year that was

Breakfast at 8:00.  Meeting starts at 8:30.

• Friday, June 19 - Monday, June 20 - report writing and proofing
• Tuesday, June 21, 8:00am - Reports Due in PCR
• Tuesday, June 21st- 8:00am - 12:00pm - Looking ahead to the year that will be

Moving Into Spring Coffees

We have begun scheduling 30-minute planning meetings (during your grade’s Common Planning Time).  Click on the link below and propose a date for your planning meeting, if I haven’t already done so. Thanks to those of you who signed up on the Google doc  Moving Into Spring Coffees 2016.

Pre-Kindergarten	Monday, May 23rd
Kindergarten	Monday, May 9th
Primary	Tuesday, May 31st
First Grade	Monday, June 6th
Second Grade	Tuesday, May 17th
Third Grade	Wednesday, June 1st
Fourth Grade	Tuesday, June 7th
Fifth Grade	Monday, May 16th

Student Panels at Moving Into Coffees- Please send me the names of your ambassadors and the best times to meet with students

Chris will prepare students for their roles as panelists. She plans to meet (20-30 minutes)  with them on the Thursday or the Friday the week before the coffee.  They don’t need to prepare anything written, just be mentally prepared with some responses to the questions she will pose.

She will give each student a note to take home to their parents explaining their roles.  

Teacher Searches

Thanks to all who toured and interviewed finalists last week. Be sure to send in your feedback forms. David is checking references.

Class Placement

We have specialist feedback, parent requests and your reflections to go over during the 3rd round of class placement discussions.

Playground Planning for 2016-17

We have a lot of play space to work with around the new buidling.

Check out the designers of Westmoreland and Sabin  Playgrounds and more: Learning Landscapes, Michelle Mathis.

Here is a link to the Sabin School’s project that they did with Learning Landscapes. It was a two-year endeavor!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcs8pvCA-aw&nohtml5=False

Discovery Day for Primary through Second Grade Students, Thurs., May 26th 12:15- 2:30

-Students should return their workshop requests to you on Monday. Collect them in the Discovery Day Folder.

-Sarah Berglund and Ashley Bingham, fabulous Chair and Co- Chairs, will provide name tag with students workshop assignments.

-Session One @ 12:15 Students gather in the gym, find their workshop leader.

-Break for yummy snack and recess from 1:15-1:30

-Session Two @ 1:30 gather in the gym, find their workshop leader

-2:30 return to class. Youngest children should be escorted by workshop leaders..

Chaperones for Spring Overnight Trips

Thanks to those who have volunteered their time.  These trips are incredible experiences for our students. 4th grade coming up in June.

OPERATIONS

Be on Time for Dismissal

The past few weeks have been challenging for two reasons:

•Students dismissed as early as 2:45, unsupervised on the Loop Rd. and Covered Walkway

•Students dismissed late, clogging up the pick-up line with cars waiting for students

Students need to be at their pick-up locations by 2:55. Duty teachers, please be on time too!

Packing and Unpacking of Rooms

Rod has materials. Let him know what you need

Use the new catering form provided in the OES ‘Food Services’ website – Catering Form. The catering document can also be found in the “LS Important Docs”.

Important: Be Observant and Proactive at Recess

We’ve had a rash of problems at recess, particularly on the turf field the past two weeks.  Please be on time for duty, circulate,  be proactive and try to  intervene before problems erupt.  

This will be especially important next week when Third and Fifth Grade subs are filling in for overnight trip chaperones.  While these social issues often occur as the excitement of  the end of the year increases, many of these incidents  can be avoided if duty teachers are on their toes.  

Recess Equipment

Be sure students collect up the equipment at the end of recess and return the bag to the ball shed.  

Covered Play

We will continue to have ACP be a no ball zone due to the construction fence.  Remind students to be careful in the transition from ACP to the field.  Watch for vehicles.  Be aware of uneven ground.

New Substitute Phone Number

Miriam’s cellphone for substitute needs - 503-939-9120

She will be checking the phone:M-F: 6:00am-6:15am, Sun-Th: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Emergency Drill Substitutes

In the future these people will be the designated helpers if David and Chris are unavailable.

·         Scott Corris – in charge of public announcements and dismissal

·         Class attendance – Lyn and Tracy

·         Faculty & Staff attendance  – Ari and Miriam

·         Debra Thomas stays with Donna (Schilling’s class)

2016-17 Calendar

We drafted the OES All School Calendar and it is updated.  

Common Areas: A Friendly Reminder

Please keep Common Areas tidy.  Store cardboard boxes and piles of students’ artwork out of sight.  If you clean out paint pots in the Common Area sink, please  clean up after yourself.  Sarah still takes visitors on tours.  Many families will be coming through the building in the next six weeks for culminating events.  We want to make a good impression.

Important Safety Issue: Visitors Must Have Visitor Badges or Stickers to Enter the Building

All visitors must sign in and get a visitor badge or sticker (we use them when we run out of key cards).

If you see someone at the door wearing a visitor badge you may let them in. Otherwise, politely say “I’m sorry. You need a visitor’s  badge or sticker to enter the building.” David plans to put a friendly reminder in the Wednesday Express.

Friendly Reminder About Calendar Updates

Please remember to get your important dates on the Faculty Google Calendar, and where appropriate, Anne’s All School Calendar when parents need to be notified.  

Calendar Updates and Conflicts

Lyn and I reviewed the calendar on Friday and we found a number of issues.

•Learning Celebrations- Please do not schedule when there is a parent meeting (Wednesday and Friday mornings)

•List all events and field trips (with destination and times on the faculty calendar, no destination on Anne’s All School public calendar)  on the Google Faculty Event Calendar AND Anne’s All School Calendar.

•If you change the date of an event, be sure to remove the old date from the calendar(s)

•We are changing the May’s GLRT (Grade Level Rep’s and PAL parent meeting) from Wed., May 4th to Tues., May 24th. The calendar was clear of special events when we changed it last week. Please be sure to not schedule anything special for parents on that day.

Change in Lunch Routine

Kelly needs at least 72 hours notice if you need to change lunch plans (not eat in the dining hall, need sack lunches, etc)

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.