Weekly Memo 31

Weekly Memo WM 31, April 2 - 6, 2018

I hope you all enjoyed your Spring Break, whether here or away, and are feeling ready for the final 10 weeks of school. The week ahead includes a work day Monday with ICC training for some, curriculum articulation work for many and a challenging active shooter emergency response simulation for all in the afternoon. Tuesday there is neither Chapel nor Gathering so classes can have the morning community block to settle in. We end the week with Easter Chapel on Friday and Mary Duden's class play on Thursday and Friday.

Lower School Agreements

• 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

We continue our Weekly Memo format with repeat items in blue and new items in black.

COMMUNITY

Gathering and Chapel - Please be seated and ready at 8:10.
Please respect our community time by renewing your commitment to getting seated for Chapel and Gathering by 8:10.
Lower School Chapel Schedule for 2017-2018
No Chapel or Gathering on Tuesday, 4/3
Easter Chapel: Friday, 4/6

Tradition is So Last Season - Mary Duden's Class Play
Mary's class will be putting the finishing touches their class play this week, getting ready to perform dress rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday and performances on Thursday and Friday. Tradition is so Last Season Sign-up.

Welcome Sharon Kottler-Decker
Sharon will be teaching Katherine's class for the remainder of the year. Please join me in welcoming her to the 1st grade team. She spent time the week before break getting to know the students and has spent time over the break setting up her classroom and curriculum planning.

Welcome Mary Peterson
Mary will be teaching Janet's class for the remainder of the year. Please join me in welcoming her back to the 2nd grade team. She too spent some time over the break organizing and planning.

Ari Returns
Having been away for two weeks, Ari will need to focus this week on responding to parents and teachers, talking to outside providers, reading evaluation reports and writing assessment summaries, check on a few student plans and assess a few students. He will only be teaching in Sharon and Tonya's class. He will return to his usual teaching schedule the week of April 9.

Alysa Brauer Leaving at End of Year
Just before break, Alysa let me know she will be heading out to Redmond at the end of the year so she can be closer to her aging father and step-mother. We have begun a 2nd Grade search.

School Safety Response - Faculty Training

Before 4/2 exercise - review emergency flipbook and laminated directions 
Active Shooter Scenario - PGD Day, April 2, 1:00 - 3:30ish (See email from Peter)
Crisis Response Drill - August Faculty Meeting days

Hiring
4th Grade - Finalists begin visiting Monday, 4/9
1st Grade - Initial interviews will begin this week
2nd Grade - resume review underway

Playground Planting Day, Saturday, 4/14
We will have a playground planting day on 4/14 starting at 8:00am and running until the plants are all 400 plants are planted. Parent and child sign-up's are limited due to the size of the planting areas. You are all welcome at any time. 

Student Updates

The SST Site contains valuable information that is helpful in understanding a student’s history and action plans. You may want to review the entries in the site before writing a child's report. The SST Site is linked in the Weekly Memo and can only be accessed on campus.

PROGRAM

Faculty Meetings

Monday, 4/2 - 
8:15 - ICC work
8:15 - LS Faculty Purpose to Practice work for those not in ICC
12:00-1:00 Lunch in Dining Hall
1:00 - 3:30ish - Safety Training in LS Library

3:30ish - social gathering in Lower Farris

Thursday, 4/5 - Department/ BY/IY Meeting

Curriculum Articulation Work
Thanks everyone for your work curriculum articulation! We've received Articulation Planning Sheets from many. You will find all your documents in the Big Rocks/P2P folder using the "LS Common Forms & Other Relevant Information" link on the right menu bar of the Weekly Memo. 

PreK Author's Tea/Spring Learning Celebration
Thank you Carole and Kimie for sharing your students good work us.

4th Grade International Fair
Thank you, Asha, Rachel and Tracy for all your good work guiding your students inquiries. I was inspired to see how many students had learned something new while attending the fair.


3rd Grade Overnight
Please help cover some duties here.

Faculty Letters of Employment
Letters of employment are due back on Monday, April 2. Those of you with contract holds will have a different timeline. Let me know if you have questions.

PGD Links
Children’s Research Center for Development and Learning Conference - PD conference (link for conversations)

*Children’s Research Center for Development and Learning conference. CDL specializes in the development and dissemination of leading-edge scientific research, knowledge, and best practices that improve teaching and increase student learning.

US Mentor Pilot Program (link for description and sign up)
Thank you Ari and Kara Tambellini who have created a better structure for this program. Check it out.

Nike Innovation Summit
My take-aways from Innovate 18. Several useful to inspiring programs showcasing how organizations and schools are striving to have students learn differently.

OPERATIONS

Schedules
Please review your schedule here and on your google calendar. If there have been any changes or you see any errors, please alert Chris Thompson. Lyn and Kathy use your class schedule google calendars for scheduling and with parents. It is almost time to start thinking about next year's rotating schedule, having your up to date calendar is a necessary step. If you would like to discuss possible small changes within your calendar, please let Chris know.

Uniform Policy (p. 32 All School Handbook)

Print it out. Post it up in your classroom. Remind your students. They are getting a bit casual with the guidelines. What about sweatshirts, bows, jewelry, hats, footwear? It is all there.

Dining Commons  Request

Kelly is hoping that after Spring break we could set some new guidance for adult meals and people coming into the LS kitchen.  The 10 minutes between lunch shifts, 11:15 - 11:25 is a crucial time for set up for the second lunch shift. Please do not ask to be served food nor come into the kitchen at this time. When the staff have to stop and take care of adult meals or when people come behind the serving line to help themselves it disruptive the staff work flow. This is the time that Kelly's team needs to be 100% focused on the students meals and making sure the teachers have what they need for family service. When possible, she would like staff eating in the LS commons to come before the start of service at 10:50, or after 11:30.

Lice

We have a couple cases throughout the building. When we have 3 cases in a grade level, we will send communication to families. In the meantime, please be extra aware of students sharing sweatshirts, hats, bike helmets, etc.

Sign out on whiteboard in LS Office when go about campus

We need to know where you are for safety reasons. Be sure to sign in and out on the office whiteboard. Thank you to those who are consistent

Take Attendance for PK-Primary @ 8:10, for 1st-5th @ 8:00

Doing attendance promptly simplifies the start of Kathy's day. Thank you.

Lacrosse equipment into the playground shed

We were overwhelmed the first week of lacrosse. We still need all lax equipment to be stored in the recess shed. New organizational structure coming.

Prompt arrival

We all agreed to ensure we ended our class/ activity in time for student to transition to their next class on time. If you are late you will likely make someone else late.

Classroom Budget

• I begin working with Division Heads on the budget after Spring Break. If you anticipate different budget needs in 2018-19 now is the time to plan.
• Check your classroom budget shared by Lyn online. Review the budget entry and if you have questions, let Lyn know.
• Do not wait until late April to order classroom materials. Fill out the order form online in the LS Common Forms & other Relevant Information. Let Kathy know if you need assistance with the order form.

Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Kirstin, Chris or David by Thursday each week August-June 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.