Weekly Memo Week 36, May 1-5, 2017

Congratulations to the 2nd Grade Team for their students' successful hero speeches. Congratulations to Tasha and her class for their spirited and action packed performance of Romeo and Juliet. We wish Natalie all the best as she sets off to her new home in Omaha and welcome Mary, as she takes over the class from Monday until the end of the year.

This week we begin Moving Into Coffee season with PreK, K and Primary. Specialists, note which coffees you are requested to attend. If you are not included in the coffee and would like to be, let Chris or Kirsten know. Best of luck to 3rd grade as they put the finishing touches on and then perform their play. May the sun shine on the 4th graders during their Camp Gray trip Wednesday through Friday.

As a collaborative professional community Lower Faculty Employees will strive to:

• Do what is best for the students
• Assume we are all doing our best at the moment and our intentions are positive
• Be present, participate, contribute, include many voices

• Create a safe space that encourages sharing different opinions, ideas, perspectives
• Seek understanding, be curious about what others think
• Express gratitude, joy and encouragement
• Communicate with compassion, clarity and effectiveness
• Demonstrate respect

COMMUNITY

Moving Into Coffees (MIC)

MIC’s begin next week, May 1st with PreKindergarten. Specialists have been invited. While we reserve 8:00 - 9:30, the agenda is only planned for an hour. Links lead to slideshows with slide notes about participation. See schedule below:

DATES	GRADE	TIME	Specialists
Monday, May 1	Moving into PK	8:00 – 9:30	PE, Art, Library, Counseling
Wednesday, May 3	Moving into K	8:00 – 9:30	Music, Spanish, PE, Art, Library, Counseling
Friday, May 5	Moving into P	8:00 – 9:30	Science, Academic Support, Chaplain
Monday, May 22	Moving into 1st	8:00 – 9:00	Science, Academic Support, Library, Art, Science
Monday, May 15	Moving into 2nd	8:00 – 9:00	Music, Tech, Library
Wednesday, May 31	Moving into 3rd	8:00 – 9:00	Outdoor Ed, PE, Theater
Monday, May 8	Moving into 4th	8:00 – 9:00	Spanish, Tech
Friday, May 12	Moving into 5th	8:00 – 9:00	Outdoor Ed, Counselor, Chaplain

Dining Hall Alternative Route for AP Testing

We need to re-route Lower School students for AP Exams on three dates this year:

Tuesday, May 2

Tuesday, May 9

Thursday, May 18

Please have your students walk behind the Middle School and enter at the back of the Upper School near the Dining Hall entrance off of rooms 70-73. Students should exit the Dining Hall by the doors closest to the food lines. We don’t want students walking past or near Platt or walking by the sidewalk near the US Library.

Supporting Exhibitions--Please help!

We have some exciting exhibitions of culminating student projects coming up--we thank you in advance for supporting that work with alternate transition routes and group gatherings at alternate times if necessary. Avoiding the inner stairwell from the Lodge Level to the main level will be important. The following dates/times are lined up for performances in the

Performance Commons/Dining Commons -  thanks in advance for preserving quiet in that area at these times:

Wed. 5/3: 3rd Grade Play, 8:30-9:30 (F Day)

Employee Awards - Due May 1st - see email from Sage

• The OES Staff Excellence Award - The Staff Excellence Award is awarded annually to a non-faculty employee who has exemplified the highest standards of mission-minded performance in her/his position.  Please submit applications and nominations to Phillip craigp@oes.edu
• Grant for Graduate Studies for Faculty - A faculty member who wishes to pursue any graduate program leading to an advanced degree, may receive 50 percent of tuition costs, up to a program cap of $10,000 subject to the limitations. Please submit applications and nominations to Sage carters@oes.edu
• The Mary Stephenson Award - Annual award to the OES faculty member or members who has or have excelled in challenging and inspiring students to question, to think, to speak out, and to care. Please submit applications and nominations to Sage carters@oes.edu

AM Yoga - Friday, May 5

This coming Friday, May 5th, Kathleen is available to teach in the LS Performance Commons from 6:30-7:15am. Please let her know if you are interested in attending/planning to attend. Also let her know if 6:45 works better.

Heather Wenrick is Away

Before Heather took on the interim LS Chaplain role she and her family had planned a grand family vacation for the next few weeks.  Phillip will be stepping in to convene Chapel in her absence.

Mount Hood Climb Service Day Logistics:

Thank you for all your planning and good thinking around MHCSD. Many of you have already completed many of the steps below. Here is the info, gathered in one place.

1. Your MHCSD lunch orders are due to me by Monday, May 1 (if applicable). Please refer to the email I sent to you on Monday, April 24 for your specific catering request form.

2. Also, by Monday, May 1 please fill in the details of your time of service, materials (especially if you need me to provide them), and help needed on the master spreadsheet. Specialists and staff, please fill in your morning and afternoon plans at the bottom of the sheet.

3. Here is good news--we will be offering lunch recess coverage after all! There will be three sessions, and you are welcome to attend one as your schedule allows--11:00-11:25 (1st-5th grade); 11:30-11:55 (1st-5th grade); 12:00-12:25 (Pre-K--Primary). Specialists and Staff, please sign up to cover a lunch recess duty or two.

4. Did you know, at the beginning of the year two general parent volunteer spots were assigned to each classroom for MHCSD. I have filled in the master spreadsheet to indicate who has already signed up for your classroom project, but Sign Up will have the most up-to-date info. It will be especially important to indicate your times and location on the master spreadsheet so we can direct any lost parents on that day.

5. Several class have indicated that they would like to create art or crafts during a portion of MHCSD that can be sold at the 5th grade art fair (date TBD at the end of May). If you would like to have your class make projects to sell at the art fair as a portion of their service, and need ideas, let me know.

6. I have two reflection station slots open in the afternoon--12:00-12:30; 1:10-1:40. If you wish to sign up, please contact me. We will reflect through movement, pair and share, and artistic (comic-like) responses.

General schedule for the day:

8:15--Bell Tower

8:55--3rd-5th Grade pack lunches in MS commons (only for classes NOT leaving campus)

11:00-11:55; 12:00-12:25--1st-5th grade mixed recess coverage

12:00-12:25--Pre-K--Primary recess coverage

12:00-2:15 Afternoon sessions (according to sign up)

2:25 Gather in affinity groups in commons for brief reflection

2:35 Popsicles (in the location of your choice--pick up popsicles in the LS Dining Commons)

Thank you!

GOBS

Thank you Lara, Patrick, Chris and all the parent volunteers for the gift of good free reading.

Teacher Searches

• LS Chaplain - Offer out
• PreK Teacher - Offer out
• 5th Grade Teacher - interviews underway

Student Support

• First Grade - We appreciate your help at First Grade recesses keeping an eye out for Andy B, Juliette B., Aaron S., Alex J. and friends. They may need support navigating social issues and particularly in using kind and inclusive language together.
• Neal Family - Alexa, 2nd, and Mark, PreK. The family is going through a difficult transition. If either child needs support, let Melanie know.

Playground Safety

If cement is under the bars/wall/etc., you know these were not meant to be played on and is not part of our play area. The bike rack area is off limits for playing. It is hard to supervise and is a storage area for bikes.

Slide Tag Guidelines

4th graders have started a game around the slide. The 4th grade team is excited to see the class play together in a large group and now other grade levels are becoming involved. At the same time, we have had a couple injuries from students jumping or falling off the slide. While the slide area is over bark chips, a couple safety rule have been added. No jumping off the top of the slide or stairs.  No climbing onto the platform from the side of the slide. You cannot go down the slide if someone is standing at the bottom.

Mini Aardvark Tag Guidelines

A collection of 3rd graders having been playing tag around Mini Aardvark. SImilar guidelines to Slide Tag; no jumping from the upper deck to the ground. No climbing the outside of Mini Aardvark.

Major Lower School Rules

The following infractions are considered serious and could result in a range of consequences including dismissal from the school. Unless otherwise stated, these rules apply to conduct at all school-related events both on and off campus.

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: Faculty Meeting Schedule, Faculty Meeting Agenda

• Monday, May 1 - Required All School Emergency Management Plan  
• Thursday, May 4 - Open

Assistant Teacher Meeting 5/5, Performance Commons
Assistant Teachers meet 12:30-1:15 this Friday 5/5 for their last meeting of the year. On the agenda are AT evaluations and possibilities for AT meetings next year.

Summer Stipends

Here is the link for the:

Summer Stipend Request Form 2017

Due date for Summer Stipend Requests: May 17th

Primary to 2nd Discovery Day

We are planning to use the following rooms during Discovery Day, May 25 (C Day) from 12:00 - 2:30. Let me know if you have questions.

Ls Art Room

Turf Field

LS Conference Room

Natalie/ Mary's Room

Science Lab

Janet's Room

Doug's Room

Dining Commons

Performance Commons

Claire's classroom

Covered Play Area

1/2 of Gym if pouring rain

School Calendar Task Force Representatives

David Lowell

LS: Tina Akehurst, Claire Kucera

MS: Dennis Chang, Anna Rossi

US: Joel Gray, Liz Weiler

Extension: Kati Stenstrom

LS Budget - Thank you for your ideas. I have submitted a proposal and am awaiting final decisions

Mandatory emergency training meeting

May 1st from 3:15 - 4:45pm

All employees will gather in the dining hall for mandatory emergency training meeting.  

Thank you, in advance, for your time and attention to these trainings.

Sub Requests

More avanced notice increases your chances of having adequate staffing for your classroom. Thank you!

Harvard Project Zero Class

The Project Zero participants (Katherine, Colesie, Carole, Deborah, Kirstin, Chris) have ‘zeroed’ in on their shared inquiry question: How do we create an environment where student voice is central? Our hope is to discover some new terrain around this question with an expansive view of ‘we’ as well as ‘environment.’ How do our learning groups bring their voices forth? What structures allow them to do so with independence? What allows us to hear and respond to student voice? In what ways do students illuminate the voices of and connect to our build on the ideas of others in their community? What makes this possible?

As many of us in Lower School think about how to show parents the rich processes our students have been engaged in around project work, these words from our readings might be helpful:

Interpreting documentation is essential to the practice of documentation and what distinguishes it from display...displays become documentation when teachers assume a research stance and collect documentation that invites inquiry about children’s thinking and predictions about effective teaching. When teachers [and students] include their analysis and interpretation of the learning represented in the documentation, documentation moves from informing to educating.

Some guidelines for documentation panels meant for public viewing:

• Beware of including too much written text.
• Try to balance metacognitive learning and learning content.
• Documenting the experience of one small group, moment or event is often more powerful than documenting an entire lesson or unit.
• If you are feeling adrift in a sea of data, ask yourself, “What is the learning I want to make visible?”
• Consider including: title, context (one or two short paragraphs), supporting artifacts, your analysis or interpretation

We continue to value these resources:

• If You Only Have Five Minutes...short documentation moves (most are self-explanatory but all the Project Zero participants have the book referred to if you want more details)
• Entry Points Chart for planning learning groups
• Ladder of Feedback for helping students give effective peer feedback and a brief video about how teachers use it with students
• Article on ‘Zooms,’ ways to engage in documentation about a shared inquiry idea

Yoga Offerings

Please contact Kathleen if you are interested; hickska@oes.edu

SST on Thursdays

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.

OPERATIONS

Adding to the Faculty Calendar

We’ve had some accidental deletions from the Faculty Calendar lately, so access has been modified to allow teachers to view the calendar but not make changes. If you need an event added or modified, please email Lyn with your changes. Thank you!

Recess Duty

Be on time, walk around, cover all zones of the playground

Performance Commons - check to be sure it is available

If you are practicing for a performance in the Performance Commons that requires a large setup for an extended period, please do the following:

• Add this information to the Faculty Calendar under ‘all day events.’
• Let Chris, Kirstin or David know so they can add the information to the weekly memo.  

Field Trips on or off Campus

Inform the LS Office when you take your class on a trip out of the building. We need to know where your class is at all times during the school day.  Take with you what you need; cellphone, 1st aid, emergency forms and more as needed.

Calendar Updates

Update grade level events on the faculty calendar and the Finalsite Calendar.  The spring is a very busy time. We want to be sure all know what is happening when with sufficient time to work through conflicts and plan on attending

Early Morning Supervision

Just a reminder to please wait until 7:30 am before allowing students into the building each morning.  Children arriving before 7:30 should wait outside the building with their caregivers until the building opens.

Employee Resources

A helpful tool is created in the OES website for employees to save time searching different sites when you need to access the basic forms like check request, catering, maintenance requests and other resources.

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.