Sunday, October 16, 2016

LS Weekly Memo
Week 11, October 17-21
Thank you, Ari for scheduling the speech and language learning discussion with Joyce on Thursday. Even if you could not attend be sure to review Joyce’s video about speech and language support. I hope you all enjoyed your Professional Growth day on Friday. I ventured up to Charles Wright for the NWAIS annual conference.  Of particular note were two speakers, Catherine Steiner-Adair, who spoke about technology and community and Gever Tulley who spoke about engagement learning at Tinkering and Brightworks Schools.  


Building Updates
Punch List
We are still chasing items. Be sure to submit maintrequest for any new issues that have arisen.
Scott House Teardown
It started Friday and the building is mostly down. It is safely fenced off so there should be some good viewing for classes.


COMMUNITY
Lunch on Wednesday
On Wednesday, October 19 we will be giving the PSAT to all sophomore and juniors in the Upper School and Drinkward. On their way to and from lunch, we would like to request that all Lower School students enter/exit through the front door, walk past the reception desk and through the dining hall door in the Great Hall. Remind them to enter and exit quietly.
Fariss Hall
After the destruction of Scott House the remodel of Farris Hall is next. Renovations will include a student fitness center and Athletics offices, music classrooms and practice spaces, and an all-school student design and production lab.
Food Service Update
LS Dining Commons
Kelly is now planning on serving 15-20 adults in the Lower School Dining Common each day. Main Dining Hall
Kelly will have self service foods available in the US Dining Hall starting at 10:50
Playground Design
Friday, October 21 - All LS playground design provocations
Friday, 10/21 All classes will meet with their grade level for a 20 min. session between 8-11 to experience the workshop the Playground Design Team has created. This is in place of the 8:10-8:40 buddy gathering time, we tried to organize with buddy groups but the timing got too long or groups got too big, so we will reschedule buddy gathering time. 4th/5th grade design team will be gathering data and observations from this workshop.
8:00 Meet as Playground Team to review day and roles
8:20-8:40 3rd Grade
8:40-9:00 5th Grade
9:00-9:20 Kindergarten
9:20-9:30 Break: snack, bathrooms, run
9:30-9:50 4th Grade
9:50-10:10 1st Grade
10:10-10:30 PreK / Primary
10:30-10:50 2nd Grade
10:50 3-5 Recess
Saturday, October 22 - All LS Families playground design provocations
The Playground team is also leading a community wide event Saturday, 10/22 from 9-11. This event is open to all families.
Lower School Open House, Wednesday, October 26 - see Sarah’s email
Dinner before Open House
The Open House is during the rehearsal of the US play, Journey to the West. Usually the Great Hall is blocked off from entrance at that time, (3:30-6) so that our actors can stay focused.
Dinner is planned in the Dining Hall during rehearsal.Teachers, please enter the Main lobby area and Great Hall steps area very quietly, or maybe even enter through the Language wing.

Halloween
This is the first year in several years that we’ve had school on Halloween, and the first year we haven’t had pumpkin contests or Spooktacular (due to a lack of parent volunteers to coordinate). The children will undoubtedly have a lot of excitement around this day, but they should not wear costumes to school and may save their Halloween traditions for home/family time. Some thinking we’ve heard from teachers around managing the possibility of increased energy have been an intensive storytelling focus for the day, spider or leaf observation walks, and outdoor community service. Share your creative ideas with your team!


PNCA Playground Exhibit
An opportunity you all might be interested; a visit to the Pacific Northwest College of Art exhibition, Extraordinary Playscapes, running Oct. 6-Dec. 17th at the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design at PNCA.  November 6th is a free Design Museum Portland pop-up Adventure Play workshop for families (reservations recommended).


PROGRAM
Assistant Teacher Meetings
It is time to begin our monthly Assistant Teacher meetings.  The first is scheduled for Wed. 10/19 from 12:30-1:15 (D Day).  It will take place in the LS Performance Commons. Our agenda includes:
  • Time Sheets and Procedures
  • Scheduling of Future AT Meetings
  • Conversation: Balancing Consistency and Flexibility
  • Future Agendas
Just reminder that 30 min. lunch breaks are part of our Assistant Teachers’ days and should be honored outside of this meeting time, which may require some adjustment in your day’s schedule.

Conference Sign-ups
Conferences are on  November 3,4, 2016
7:30 - 5:00 Thursday
7:30 - 2:00 Friday
Conference sign-up closes on Monday, October 24th
PGD Site - John Holloran has launched the OES PGD website, which will come to include recommended PGD opportunities and summaries of PGD experiences.
October 14 PGD Day
Everyone did something. Ask a colleague about what she or he learned.
Monday - All School Benefits Meeting
Thursday - FLG/PGD Meeting
FLG Planning Meeting
Chris and Kirstin would like to invite you to attend an FLG Planning meeting on Thursday 10/20 from 7:35-8:35 in the Flex Classroom. This meeting is required for all FLG year-one participants but open to anyone who would like guidance and resources around the FLG process, particularly goal-setting and teacher research. We recommend this article if teacher research is new to you or you’d appreciate further reading.

Primary Program
The BY Teachers and support staff have been working to clarify our articulation about our Primary Program.  We’ll be sharing some of these preliminary steps with parents at the upcoming Grade Level Rep meeting as well as at conferences. BY Specialists, please see Kirstin’s email this week for resources related to your feedback into the process. You can access our updated drafts of parent and specialist communication about the purpose and role of Primary here. You may also be interested in our Habits of Mind Observation Form (for Primary candidates or general use).
Fall Conference Reports
We know many of you are beginning to think about fall conference preparation. The templates for Fall Conference Reports were sent to you via email on 10/10 to preserve formatting:
The Lodge Fall Conference Report Template: see email from Kirstin
Grades 1-5 Fall Conference Report Template: see emails from Kirstin and Chris
Please contact individual SST members if you’d like Melanie, Ari, Kirstin, Chris, Elaine or Heather to attend a child’s conference.  SST meetings are available on Thursdays from 3:15-4:00 for anyone who would like a whole team approach to supporting a student or students. Please contact your Assistant Head to request a Thursday afternoon SST. Also let us know who you’d like to request to attend.
New Substitute Teachers and Sub Folders
Our substitute teachers were trained in procedures and safety last Wednesday, and we have five new teachers who will soon be available to us.  You can meet them here! In the meantime we still have many returning guest teachers who are also listed in this document.
Lyn and Kathy will be placing new substitute folders in your mailboxes soon.  In your folder, please keep a current copy of:
  • a class list (with photos is especially nice)
  • emergency information and allergy info.
  • your duty schedule
  • other relevant documents
For planned absences, please also leave a hard copy of your plans in the folder for your sub.

At the sub training the returning subs mentioned how nice it is when the students’ After School Weekly Plan is easily accessible or in the sub folder--thanks for helping our guest teachers’ days go smoothly!


OPERATIONS
 
New Ordering Procedure
Updated procedure to order materials and supplies
See Kathy’s email
Raisins
Raisins are becoming a cleaning issue.  The custodial crew is having to spend several extra hours scraping smushed raisins off the floor. Please make a concerted effort to have your children pick-up and throw out fallen raisins so the mess is less.  If we do not significantly reduce the number of smushed raisins by the start of November we will have to stop serving raisin snacks.
The Beginning Years Odds and Ends has several updates--please read if you’re on the BY team. You can find a handy tab at the top of the Weekly Memo.

Attendance
The only attendance you can report in PCR are:
  • PRESENT
  • ABSENT UNEXCUSED – even if you know that your students are late or absent excused

Transitions and Duties
Chris Thompson made a great screencast of the process of creating a "My Duties" calendar. If you need help doing this let Chris or Jeffrey know and you can walk through it together.
Recess Reminders
  • Be on time
  • Care for people and equipment
Epi pens are no longer kept in the first aid kits for walks to the wetlands or for field trips.
  • important to always gather any student prescribed epi pens for your outing

Substitute Procedures 2016-2017
  • Email requests to lssub@oes.edu
  • Kathy will check this email box at 6:00pm and 6:00am. You may send the email as soon as you know you need a sub.
  • Kathy will email teachers and subs as soon as the assignment is made.
  • Only for morning of emergency on the way to work needs-after 6:30am. Send a text to Kathy Finn-Brennan at 503-989- 3737
You can access a Google Doc of this information here if you’d like to add a copy to your Drive.

Food from Home
Only after we have done the following:
  • Worked in partnership with the parents and Bon Appetite to test in-school options
  • Had a parent meeting including a Bon Appetite representative and the OES Nurse
  • Received doctor’s statement about the medical issue and proposed interventions
Maintenance Requests
Rod would like us all to return to the usual maintrequest@oes.edu protocol for maintenance requests.  The Maintenance Log will become a view only document.
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Kirstin, Chris or David 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 maximize our time to collaborate during meetings.
Archive
Utilize the archive for previous Weekly Memo.

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