LS Weekly Memo Week 4: September  17 - 21

What a great first full week! Thank you for all of your hard work creating effective learning communities in your classrooms.  While I know many of you feel the urge to get going with your academic curriculum, the time you take now to build community will pay off in the long run. I greatly appreciated your energy and enthusiasm at the Back to School Picnic after the first full week.  Our thanks to Carolyn Stanley, Luke and John Stanley’s mom, and Diane Engelhart, Chase and Walker Jones’ mom, for putting this wonderful picnic together. Thank them for that delicious dinner is you have a chance.

Community

Walk-for-Fun and Fitness
Jaime Sales, mother of Kindergartner, Aaron and Third Grader, Ashlyn, is organizing parent volunteers. Stephanie, Scott and Lauren will get Mile File cards to you next week. Look for cards in the Faculty Room.  
As in the past, we will all gather for an Walk-for-Fun and Fitness assembly at 8:10.  Please be in the gym, ready to begin by 8:10- that means heading down around 8 or 8:05.  Can you also remind families in your Weekly Newsletter to be sure to be prompt that day? We will likely have stragglers, arriving late. Perhaps assistants can be out on the walkway or common areas, collecting late arrivals.  
Expect the assembly to be short and sweet. Following the assembly all will walk at least one lap with their students.
Parent volunteers will be on the track all day until 2:05,  marking mile file cards.

Parent Partnership Coffees
Chris will send outhte link to the Parent Partnership Coffees document. Please revisit the google doc for dates and list who is coming.
We start our first round of parent coffees on Monday, 9/24 with Kindergarten.

Buddy Class Survey
Thanks to the 11 classroom teachers who filled out the Buddy Class Survey on Google docs. If you haven’t filled it out, please do so by Monday. We want to establish new buddies by Tuesday, so you can share this information with your families at BTSN.

David at Self Study Retreat - off Campus on Wednesday, 9/19
Chris will be in charge.

Be Present at Meetings
I ask that we all be present in meetings, focused on the topic at hand, not tending to email, correcting student work or attending to other work.


Program

Professional Growth and Goals
We will discuss professional growth and goals at our 9/27 meeting.  Please come prepared with ideas for each.  Professional development connected to goals will be given priority.  

October 12 Professional Development Day
Friday, October 12 is one of two professional development days that we have during the year (The other is Monday, April 1st).  Chris has shared a Professional Development document for you to enter your plans for the day.

How to Sign Up for Workshops
•Connect goals to your professional development work
•Fill out a professional development form- hard copy in the office, or find it on Google doc.
•If your plans include travel and hotel, please write up a proposal with anticipated expenses, to be approved by David
•Once approved, register on line, then come to the office with your laptop so Lyn can pay fees with our school credit card

Walk-a-bouts
On Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons David has scheduled time to walk about and visit classrooms.  Please let me know if you have a special event you would like me to visit.  The sooner I know the better my chances of being able to come.  I have enjoyed my visit to classes both for reading to the class and simply visiting.

BTSN
Let us know if you have any questions about BTSN.  David and Chris will meet with new teachers to be sure they feel set for next week’s gatherings.
Wednesday, 9/19
K & 2 @ 4:30 - 6:00
PK & 4 @ 6:30 -8:00
Thursday, 9/20
1st & 3rd @ 4:30 -6:00
P & 5th @ 6:30 - 8:00

LSLT - Monday, 9/17 3:15 - 4:15. No Faculty Meeting
See LSLT 2012-12 Agenda
Debrief start of year
Review recess plan
Duties task force

Faculty Meeting 9/20 - No Faculty Meeting
Either rest up from or in preparation for BTSN

Election Year
In this election year, I want to remind you of the need to approach political conversations with your students is a very thoughtful and intentional manner.  Please do encourage respectful discourse, careful fact finding and checking while remaining neutral about your political opinions.

Operations
LS Library at Lunch Recess
Library will be open on Tuesday and Friday for lunch recess. Librarians will encourage most students to select books, then head outside for fresh air and exercise.  

Homecoming - 9/28
As you are likely aware, courtesy of some enthusiastic work by Donna Knight and a number of volunteers, Homecoming is going to be bigger and better than ever this year.  In that spirit I have agreed to have Lower School participate more fully in the excitement.  I hope many of you will plan on attending and showing some school spirit.

Kick - off Rally - Monday, 9/24 from 8:00 - 8:15

Spirit Week - students will have a week of uniform optional ( either they come dress in the theme or they wear their uniforms), theme days to get in the spirit with MS and US.  Thanks to the LS Homecoming Liaisons who helped create the themes.
Monday - Athletic wear day
Tuesday - Career Day
Wednesday - Clash Day
Thursday - Tropical/ Hawaiian Day
Friday - OES Spirit Day

Pep Rally - Friday, 9/28 at 2:35 p.m.
Homecoming Parade, Friday, 9/28 at 5:45 p.m. featuring student made floats. Paretn Volunteers are organizing the float making which will be done outside of class time.

Annual Fund Progress
Thanks to those of you who have given.  Look for an update from Tasha.  It would be great to be at 100% before homecoming to show our OES Spirit.

Specialist Communication with Parents
The question arose in the Specialist meeting last Thursday about how best to communicate with parents. I propose the following:
1. Specialist teacher checks in with classroom teachers to see of there is additional context of relevance about the student.
2. Specialist then communicates directly with parents.  
3. If the Specialist chooses to email, cc classroom teacher. If the Specialist choose to phone or meet in person, the specialist will communicate back to the classroom teacher relevant information.
By following this simple protocol, the Specialist Teachers will be able to have the direct communication with parents that they desire while ensuring the classroom teacher is kept informed about their students.
Thank you again for getting us off to such a good start. On to our 2nd full week we go.

LS Weekly Memo Week 3: September 10-14

Thank you for a terrific start to the school year. The week began with the transformation of the Lower School classrooms to learning communities, first through your efforts to create beautiful, organized and inviting learning spaces and then by your planning activities to enage students in the work of becoming a classroom community.  As I write many of you are meeting with parents to learn about your students from those who know them best. 

Enjoy a well deserved rest this weekend. See David if you have questions.

Community

Marty Update
Jenny Cleveland has been in contact with Marty Eastman Brown.  Her surgery went well and she has begun the slow recovery process.

No Uniform Days- LS Back to School Picnic, Walk-4-Fun, and Homecoming
We have 3 big community events coming up over the next 3 weeks, all of which are uniform optional days.  Pace yourself.

LS Back to School Picnic - 5:00 -7:00 p.m., Friday, September 14
Be sure to RSVP if you want to have dinner before BTSN.  See the invitation from Carolyn Stanley.  All faculty are expected to attend.  See me if you have a conflict.  Grade level teams, be sure to share details of the events with your new colleagues.

Senior Entrance Monday at 8:00 a.m.
Every year the seniors make a grand entrance, based on their theme of the year, at the Belltower.    Use your discretion about attending as the Senior Entrance can be rated anywhere from G to PG-13.

Beginning and Lower School Parent Coffee ‘12-’13 Google doc-  Sign up to represent your Grade Level at one of the coffees.

Andrew Shotts Restraining Order
Jenny Shotts, mother of Elwin in 1st and Edgar in 7th, has renewed a restraining order against Andrew Shotts, as follows:

(1) Boys can have unlimited contact with Dad by phone. Dad can call the
boys on Mom's cell phone Tues and Thurs evenings from 7-8 pm.

(2) Dad can't come to school or remain there, except to drop off at
school on Monday mornings on the alternate weekends when Dad has
custody, and to attend the boys' school and sports events.  If he is
on campus he must stay on opposite end of field/ gym/ auditorium/ classroom/ whatever from Mom.

(3) Dad can't knowingly come within 150 feet of Mom, can't contact Mom
in person or through 3rd parties, can't mail or email her except for
parenting purposes, or text or call her (except for 7-8 on Tues/Thurs to
talk to the boys).

(4) Dad can't threaten or hurt Mom or the boys or do anything that makes
them fear he will hurt them.

If Andrew appears on campus please contact the LS Office immediately.

David in MS Monday Morning
I will be in the Middle School all Monday morning for Parent Partnership.


Operations

Late Start Thursday Reminders
Remind students next Wednesday about late start
Students are checked in the BS, 1st/2nd and 4th/5th wings
Quiet reading or homework in the library
Social time in the common areas (no computers)
Backpacks for 1st and 2nd Grade- lining walkway, not dumped at the top of the stairs
3rd-5th line backpacks along the covered walkway wall of the gym
Bell rings at 8:45.                                                       

School Supplies -
I understand we have some back ordered school supplies. We did some brainstorming and have come up with a solution for the future.
School supplies will be ordered by grade level and delivered the next day.
We can only fit a single grade level order in Room 10.

Teachers may choose a date for delivery in August with the understanding that teachers will come in to sort and store their supplies on that day.

Jenny will place orders strating in August according to dates chosen by teachers.

Earlier ordering in August will prevent back ordering delays.

Hats
There seems to be a proliferation of hats on the heads of LS student. Hats are not a part of the LS dress code and are not to be worn inside.  In Wednesday Express I will request that hats stay at home.  Parents may send a plain colored hat to school in uniform color to be worn for sun protection during recess.  

Recess Equipment Reminders are Working
PE teachers report that we did a better job at collecting equipment at the end of each recess. Keep reminding the children and praise them for their efforts

Dismissal Reminder Siblings, new students, ⅘ EC
Oldest siblings go to their youngest sibling’s pick up area
Dismiss Grades 1-5 at or around 2:50, giving them 5 minute passing time to get to their spot in the Beginning School.  Late older sibs cause major tie ups in the pick up lane

Morning Drop Off Help, Please Specialists
Volunteers needed at drop off to help with drop off. We need to have specialists flagging parents to pull down to the farthest drop off points, and remind parents gently to park in the lot, not park curbside and go into the building

Student Support Team (SST) -

New structure-

•SST (David, Chris, Patti, Ari, Jenny C. and Elaine) meets every Monday morning from 9-10 to discuss students of concern

•SST meets with teachers (by appointment through Ari) on Thursday at lunch/recess

from 10:50-11:50

Curriculum


Faculty Meeting - Thursday, Sept. 13th, 7:30-8:30 Team Meetings

There is no faculty meeting on Monday.
Thursday’s faculty meeting will be in teams. We will develop the agenda in collaboration with the team leaders:

BS with Chris

First and Second Grade with Janet
Third Grade with David
Fourth and Fifth Grade with Alysa
Specialists with Ari, Patti and Jenny

Professional Goals and Professional Development
To help stimulate your thinking about your professional goals and professional development see the professional development opportunities below

PNAIS All Schools Conference - October 12, Tacoma, WA

National Conference for the Social Studies - November 16-18, Seattle, WA

CSEE - Lower School Character Education Programs - November 2-3, Hollywood, CA

National Service Learning Conference - March 13 - 15, Denver, CO

LS Weekly Memo Week 2: September 4-7

Thank you again for all your work this week.  I am looking forward to a great year. Good luck with final preparations and be sure to enjoy some of the weekend.  See you on Tuesday.


COMMUNITY

August Hackenjos
Out best wishes to August, Heidi and Joey as they prepare to welcome him into the world. I am sure Lara will let us know when there is news.

Nicole Cormier
Nicole will be the long term Library Assistant substitute for Heidi, starting on Tuesday.  Please join me in welcoming Nicole to OES.

Restraining Order for Andrew Shotts
There is a restraining order in place against Andrew Shotts, the father of Elwin Shotts in Doug Whitmore’s 1st grade class and Edgar Shotts in 7th grade. This order restricts his time on campus and his access to his children.  Andrew is allowed to pick up and drop off the children on his scheduled dates every other weekend and he is allowed to attend school events or sports events for the children. He is not allowed on campus at other times.  In addition, Andrew is not allowed to contact the children during the school day. Jenny Shotts has full custody of the children.  See David if you have additional questions.

Specialists during opening 10 days - either teach class or visit homeroom
During the opening 10 days of school, 9/5 - 9/14, specialist teachers will either go to the classroom during the time of their regular class and support the classroom teacher or teach the class.  PE is an exception as the teachers will be running Recess Rodeo during the first week of school, 9/5 - 9/7.

Room Parents
Michele Ackerman, LS PAL Chair, and Clare Rathbone, LS PAL Co-Chair, have been hard at working finding room parents for your classrooms.  Be sure you have completed the volunteer spreadsheet before next Friday, September 7 and send it to your room parent.  Your room parent will likely look to meet with you before the Room Parent Training on Friday, September 7.  Volunteer Spot will “go live” (parents gain access to sign up, very exciting) on Monday, Sept. 17th at 5:30 so the room paretns will have a lot of work to do between 9/7 and 9/17.  Let us know if you have questions.

Buddy Class Survey
With new teachers on board, we have an opportunity to rethink how we match up buddy classes.  Ideally we are hoping to match classes that have a three year age difference and match “buddy teachers” that share affinities, like Deborah and Paula, who share an interest in our feathered friends, the chickens!
Look for a buddy class survey in your email box this week.  Fill it out, and send it back to Chris.  Chris and David will match classes that need new buddies.  If you already have a buddy class, great! Just indicate who it is on the survey.

LS Important Documents
Many details for the opening days are there.  Take some time to read through them.

Open Classroom
Please do plan a way to engage your students in the classroom during their visit at Open Classroom. Parents are greatly appreciative of the structure and the opportunity to explore the classroom together.


PROGRAM

Lower School Recess Plan from PE
The PE Team is considering your input and creating a Recess Plan for the 1st  6 weeks of school for the 1st - 5th grades.  They will share their plan at the faculty meeting on Tuesday, after Open Classroom. The Beginning School teachers are collaborating on a plan for the BS Playground.
Nerdly diversion - Rock, Paper Scissors variation
http://youtu.be/Kov2G0GouBw

Chapel Time - 8:10 on Fridays
At the Lower School Leadership Team (LSLT) meeting last week we agreed that Chapel/ Assembly on Fridays will start at 8:10.  The slight adjustment to the time will give sufficient time for students to get to class for attendance and will provide sufficient time for Chapel/ Assembly to end before specialist classes begin.

PGD Day - October 12
As requested by several faculty members, 1st - 5th grade classroom teachers are free to choose from the many professional development opportunities offered on 10/12, including the PNAIS All School Conference in Tacoma, WA (See previous email.  Deadline is today). Beginning School Teachers are planning on working with Judy Graves.  Some departments are planning subject specific experiences for the day. Everyone is expected to be involved in professional development. Let me know your plans.

Lower School Curriculum Task Force (LSCTF) Decisions - LSCTF members remember to report back to your team.
At the LSCTF meeting last week we decided to proceed with the reading continuum in the following ways:
All students will be marked on the continuum for falland spring conferences.
BS - Continue to use Reading Continuum as communication and reporting tool.
1st & 2nd Grades - Work as a team to be ready to use continuum as communication tool during parent teacher conferences and as a reporting tool in January and June.
3rd - 5th Grades - Use continuum as communication tool to be used with parents during fall and spring conferences.


OPERATIONS

LSLT Decisions - LSLT representatives remember to report back to your team.
Chapel/ Assembly will begin at 8:10 on Fridays
P-1st grade will attend Chapel on Monday, 11:55 - 12:20
Specialist teachers will each have a buddy class starting with Opening Day assignments
Leadership Team representatives will manage LS Faculty Calendar
PE Department will introduce Peaceful Playground at Opening Meetings

Summer Stipend Forms Due Friday, September 7
Get forms from Lyn. Once completed, hand your forms into Lyn.

Classroom Clean-up
The Custodial crew will be coming through to clean classrooms this afternoon and evening.  They will vacuum and empty trash.  Messes you make over the weekend will need to be cleaned by you. If you need to empty trash or recycling over the weekend, the dumpsters are located behind the Dining Hall.

Calendar and Idea Update in LSCH
Chris is working on transcribing this into the LS Faculty Calendar.  Posters came down at 3:00 pm.

Calendar - Update by end of Late Start on Thursday, September 6
Chris reviewed the calendar updates you posted at Thursday’s faculty meeting.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of conflicts. It seemed as though people didn’t check the LS Faculty Calendar, or the OES School calendars.  Please review your dates, and check for conflicts with parent meetings and events. I’ve created 3 Google docs that will be an easy reference for you when double checking your calendars.  

Parent Coffees- see “Beginning and Lower School Parent Coffees 2012-2013
Sign up to represent your grade level team at a coffee.

Parent Meetings- PAL, PCL, Diversity Link, see “Parent Meetings ‘12-’13”

Assemblies- See “Assemblies 2012-2013”

Update Your Website - Thank you to those who have already done so. ave your sire updated by Opening Day.

Health Alerts in Sub Folders - Thanks to Elaine for the reminder.

Windows Removed in Seismic Upgrades
If you want bulletin boards or shelves installed where you once had a window, let Jon know.  He will have this done sometime in the fall.

Duty Changes
Thanks for letting Chris know about your duty changes. Look for finalized schedules on or before Tuesday.

Locking of the Doors Opening Week

Tuesday, September 4:
Office – 7:30-4:00 Unlocked
BS Hallway, Common Hall, 1/2 wing, 4/5 wing – 8:45-11:00 Unlocked

Starting Wednesday, September 5:

Office
7:30-4:00 Unlocked everyday

BS Hallway
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri
7:30-8:00 unlocked
12:15-12:45 unlocked
2:45-3:15 –unlocked

Thursdays
7:30-8:15 unlocked
8:45-9:00 unlocked
12:15-12:45 unlocked
2:45-3:15 unlocked

Open Classroom
Be in your room by 8:30 on Tuesday.  Open Classroom runs 9:00am -11:00am.
We will meet as a LS Faculty in the LS Art Room at 11:10.  Remember to lock your doors.

Opening Day
Be in your room by 7:15 am.  Doors open at 7:30 am and students come right into the classroom.

Late Start Thursday
Training for Assistant Teachers - Tuesday, September 4 from 12:00 - 1:00 to review practices and routines for our first late start.  Meet in David’s Office with Lyn, Chris and David

FIrst Late Start
There will be no LS Faculty meeting, but maybe treats in the LS Faculty Room.
Teaching Assistants will meet with Chris and David to debrief 1st Late Start at 8:50 in David’s Office.
Lara Ingham will be helping Nicole in LS Library.

Friday, September 7
No Chapel or Assembly

First Chapel, Primary to 5th Grades is on Monday, September 10