Saturday, June 11, 2016




LS Weekly Memo
Week 41, June 13-17, 2016


Thank you to all for your engagement with the new schedule last Monday.  I appreciate your openness to new possibilities.  We will return to the discussion on 6/21. Any feedback before then, via the feedback form, is appreciated. Last week was full of culminating events; special chapels, field days, celebrations and informances.  Thanks to all who made the events possible and meaningful for our students.


On we go to the final days of the 2015-16 school year, Promotion Ceremony on Wednesday, our Reflection faculty meeting on Thursday and the writing and proofreading of reports.  Best of luck.


CONSTRUCTION UPDATES


  • June 30 deadline for packing rooms
    • Rod has packing materials. Here is the plan, The Big Re-Move. Contact Rod for labels and boxes. Confirm your new room number.
    • Put full boxes in closets until school is out.
  • Teachers may move in as early as August 1st.
    • August 8 - furniture swap begins in each of current LS Common areas
    • August 22nd -  the official move in week with the LS Cafe open each morning
    • August 22nd - MS/ US faculty moving help day




COMMUNITY


New Teachers to Lower School
With contracts signed and returned I can announce our new teachers.
Katherine McCall Petke - 1st Grade
Natalie Simms - 2nd Grade
Look for their bios in August.


Paula Hunger
Paula is working her way back to health.  Kathie Kimmy will cover her class through the Promotion Ceremony.  Paula and Kathie have been communicating and planning for the students.  If you’d like to communicate with Paula please email, text or send cards.  Flowers and card from us will be sent to Paula on Monday. Stop by the LS Office to sign.


US Student Help - Thanks you Austin for coordinating.
Below, please find the link to the volunteer spreadsheet:
1) Please click on the tab for the day(s) that you would like packing help. If you would like help on a day not listed, please click on the tab marked, "Other."
2) Please input your name, room number, and desired time(s) for the given day. Please note that the, "Time(s) Needed," column is intentionally short, so that each subsequent time period will wrap around and be easier for me to see. Please input the time as: #:##-#:##
3) All student volunteers will email Austin their availability. He will then input them depending on the schedule. Though he will mostly put them in on a first come, first serve basis, Austin’s goal is to get everyone at least one student helper if possible.
4) Please feel free to check on the schedule regularly. Austin will try to send an email the night before to let you know who to expect.


MS and US Faculty Help with Moving
MS and US faculty are eager to know how they can help with our move.  I am going to offer August 22nd as help day.  Sign up to get MS , US Faculty help for moving on 8/22.


Substitutes
Many substitutes are already off on vacation. We will do our best to cover requests. In the future please do not plan on taking personal days during the last two weeks of school.


Thank You, Pre-K Lunch Helpers!
Thanks for your help this Spring!


Year End Parties
Please be sure to post your end-of-the-year parties on the Faculty Events Google Calendar. We want to know when large groups of parents will come on campus for these events.  Parking may be an issue when we have overlaps.


Important: Please be sure to read the OES Food and Allergy Policy
This is a friendly reminder... if a student requires food from home, it must be cleared by Elaine Elliott, our nurse. Contact SST and Elaine if you have a student with any dietary/ allergy issues. Here’s the link to the policy in the Lower School Handbook:  OES Food and Allergy Policy


Students of Concern- Sub Folders
Remember the SST site has helpful information.
See Chris if you have questions. She keeps the names on the list if the behavior listed is still an ongoing concern.  Remember 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


Students not Returning in 2016-17
The following students will not be returning to OES next year.  Treat this information confidentially, as we do not know which students have been told nor how comfortable they are with the decision.
Students Not Returning 2016-17 as of 5/30/16
1st
Scarlet Ganes - relocation
Brooke Gilson
Rebecca Laakman - relo
Elsa Swanson - relo
2nd
Mako Jindai - relo
Kianna Meyer
3rd
Ben Blumenthal - relo
Lincoln Weiler
4th
Zorian Chakraborty - relo
Hanako Jindai - relo
5th
Andrew Reveno - relo
6th
Andrew Kashiwagi
Will Owen
Ashley Schroeder
Hannah Swanson - relo


PROGRAM


Promotion Ceremony
•Please be seated by 9:30.  We want to begin promptly
•Specialists, please sit with your Opening Day Buddy Class


Last Day of School- Promotion Ceremony and Dismissal Help
If you haven’t done so, please sign up to help out. There is
Specialists and Assistant Teacher, please help out at one of the two dismissal areas- Covered Walkway or Loop Road.


Closing Faculty Meetings
  • Thursday, June 16th Continental Breakfast at 8am
  • Thursday, June 16th, 8:30 - 12:00am - Celebrating the year that was
Breakfast at 8:00.  Meeting starts at 8:30. Special catered lunch served, including a July and August  Birthday Cake!
  • 11:00 Appreciations- Assistants and Staff will join us for the appreciations and a catered lunch at 12. (no dining hall service for Lower School this day)  
  • Friday, June 19 - Monday, June 20 - report writing and proofing, lunch available on Friday and Monday, if you are on campus
  • Tuesday, June 21
    • 8:00am - Reports Due in PCR, Continental Breakfast at 8am
    • 8:30am - 12:00pm - Looking ahead to 2016-17
    • 2:00 - 5:00pm, LS Building Tours
  • Wednesday, June 22, 9:00 - 1:00 pm - Closing All School  Meeting and Luncheon


New Lower School Schedule
At the Look Ahead meeting on 6/21 we will return to discussing the schedule.  Any feedback before 6/17 will help shape the discussion.


Sign Up for a Tour of the New Lower School
David will take three 45-minute tours. Click on the link to sign up!


Playground Design
We had our first exploratory conversation with Michelle Mathis of Learning Landscapes about playground design.  On to budget discussions with Jon to see what our funding looks like.


Library Feedback and Book Love
Author Visit Feedback-Lara would love to hear from you about your and your students' experience with our library author visits this year.  Next year, we will welcome Patricia Polacco to campus and will be developing ideas on how best to celebrate her work as a Lower School Community.  


5th grade Book Love Gallery-Our thanks to Lara, Heidi and the Fifth Grade teachers and students for putting together the Book Love Gallery. It was so much fun to see our younger students inspired by our Fifth Grade readers!


Progress Report Timeline
  • Friday, June 17th Complete half of your reports, pass along to your proofreader
  • Monday, June 20th Complete last half of your reports, pass along to your proofreader
  • Tuesday, June 21st Upload all to PCR by 8:00am, before our LS Faculty Meeting
  • David to read Jane’s Reports
  • Chris to read Kelola’s Spanish and Margaret’s Art
  • Kelola reads Alfredo’s reports


Jeffrey and others will review all reports on PCR. Lyn will send out an email to parents notifying them when reports are available on PCR. Our aim is to go out some time on Friday, June 24th.  Jeffrey will let us know when that can realistically be done. Beginning School will send out their reports as PDF via email simultaneously, coordinated with the rest of the Lower School.


Artifacts to Pass Along to Next Year’s Teachers, Pre-K Through Fourth Grades
As in the past, please gather the following items and place them (well labeled  and alphabetized)  in a boxes in Ari’s office before you leave.
  • DRA or F & P Reading Assessments
  • Copy of Final Math Assessment(s)
  • Student’s Letter of Introduction to Next Year’s Teacher


Summer Stipends
Stipends have been sent out.  See David if you have questions.


Moving Into Spring Coffees
Thank you classroom teachers and specialists for your contributions to this year’s coffees.  They were well  attended and informative!


Class Placement
The spring sessions are for the most part complete. We will do one final check of First Grade next week.  One final check in August to go.


Field Days
Our thanks to the PE team for putting together fabulous games and competitions! What a marathon of PE events this Spring: BS Movement, PE Fun Night AND 3 Field Day Events. Many thanks for your hard work and dedication!


OPERATIONS


Last Day of School
Please open the links to the last day of school schedule and LS Promotion help sign-up. These documents can also be viewed in the LS Important Docs. We appreciate your help! .
Lost and Found Tables!!!
Our dedicated Lost and Found parent volunteers have put out all Lost and Found items from all of the locations on tables uder teh covered walkway. Students and families can check for Lost and Found items before and after school. Teachers, please prepare students for this situation, and make agreements with them around car pick up and  dismissal.


Be on Time for Dismissal
Friday was especially hard, with many classes strolling out well after 2:55. Please be prompt, between 2:50 and 2:55.


Packing Up Boxes
Teachers were wondering if they could stack boxes in the Common Areas.  Please pack boxes and store them  in your closets. If some need to take up space in your classroom, cover them with fabric of some kind. Keep learning environments pleasing up until the end.


Recess Equipment and the Shed Lock
Please be sure to have students gather or put away equipment after every recess. When left out, things seem to disappear. Please keep the shed locked. When the lock is left open, it too tends to disappear.


Dining Hall Manners
4th and 5th Graders have been tossing food and dirty napkins at each other. Please have a serious class meeting about being respectful in the dining hall. Jason and Kelly were pretty upset about this. Teachers on duty, please be on top of this and let Chris know if we continue to have issues.


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
OES All School Calendar and it is updated.  


Common Areas: A Friendly Reminder - Please keep Common Areas tidy


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.


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.

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