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LS Weekly Memo
October 22-26
Week 9
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Welcome to Week 9!
What a glorious way to start the day on Friday... DEAR was truly delightful. So great to see children of all ages and stages of reading, enjoying great books together. When the 30 minutes of book bliss passed, children and adults alike, groaned, clearly wishing for more. We’ll talk more about our new community events, and possibly consider more DEAR events. Our thanks to Jenny Cleveland and Kristen Haferbecker for launching our new year of community gatherings!
Community
Spooktacular
Spooktacular is coming on Saturday, October 27. Once again there will be a faculty and staff costume contest. You can help prepare for the excitement by reminding students about costume guidelines – No weapons or gory masks. Costumes should be appropriate for a PreK – 5th grade event.
Pumpkin Display, Friday, Oct. 26th
As in the past, students will bring in pumpkins to display in and around the school. Beginning School children display theirs in the hallway (we’ll need to get creative with space now that the studio takes up a third of the hall), First and Second Grade in the Common Area, and Third through Fifth Grade in the library.
Remind parents that they need to drop them off and pick them up if they are too large for children to transport themselves.
Grandparents Day - Tuesday, November 20
Our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day is the day before Thanksgiving Break. Plan to have your children in class from 8:45 - 10:15 so grandparents can find their grandchildren.
Trustee Day - Monday, October 29
Trustees will be on tour in the Lower School from 9:00 - 10:00 am. 5th grade guides will lead the trustees from PreK to 5th grade.
Please Post Your Class Agreements on your Website
Earlier this week Chris and David met with the PAL Grade Representatives. In discussing parent partnership, one idea that emerged out of the conversation was the idea of classroom teachers posting classroom agreements on the classroom website. Parents really want to be able to use the agreements at home to support our work at school.
Parents are also eager to learn more about the Peaceful Playground initiative launched by the PE team and Patti. Parents would love to see these agreements. Please share this with the classroom teachers, PE team, so they can post these for parents to see.
Program
AS Faculty Meeting, 10/22
We will hear from the Chair of the Accreditation Visiting Team, Mission and Vision and learn about the benefits offered in the coming year. Assistant Teachers should plan to attend this meeting and record it on your time sheets.
LS Faculty Meeting, 10/18
I appreciate your promptness and presence at the faculty meeting. Results of the faculty meeting:
1. Having in person transitions among specialists and classroom teachers for the next month until our November 29 faculty meeting. Exceptions will need to be made to ensure team planning time is not interrupted.
2. Consider the new assembly structure and provide feedback to Kirsten, Scott, Chris or David. We are looking to construct each assembly around a single focus and use the Essential Competencies as our guide. We are proposing that the assemblies no longer focus on the 6 Pillars of Character and classroom/ grade level performances. You suggestions fro assembly themes are welcome.
3. Open House, Wednesday, November 7. Required attendance by all faculty
4. Service Learning Support Team. Thank you to Jenny Cleveland and Laurie Price for the creation of the new SLST. Start thinking how you can put your students learning into action through service.
LS Faculty Meeting, 10/25
Appreciations
Math Specialist update
Self Study Read
New Marketing Materials Meeting - Thursday, October 25 at 3:15
There is an optional All School Faculty and Staff Meeting in the dining hall. Marty Jones and Mo Copeland will be presenting the creative representations of the new OES brand statement you saw last spring. Your presence is requested, as you are a critical audience to truth test the new approach. Treats will be served.
Operations
Lock Down Update
During a recent safety discussion at Administrative Team, we decided to add a new safety procedure, the Quiet Lock-in. This action would be taken as a precaution in the face of an uncertain threat.
1. The LS Office would be contacted
2. LS Office will call Jon von Behren to secure LS electronic doors
3. LS Office will call 911 if necessary
4. LS will begin quiet lock-in by visiting classrooms and quietly informing the teachers that it is “Time to shut the Doors”. This phrase will be the code to have you lock your doors.
In a situation of immediate threat the announcement would be broadcast to allow for a faster response.
LSLT - We were a small group, due to other conflicts. We debriefed about Homecoming, what worked, what we could do better, 5th Grade Leadership opportunities (see the Google doc Alysa shared mid-week) and the Heifer project. We talked at length about lunch and recess duty procedures (see the mid-week email from Chris).
Lunch Procedure Changes
I understand that plans have been tweaked a bit and tables are excused and brought down to recess by grade, beginning with First Grade. Let us know how this is going in the coming week.
Open House - 6:00 - 8:00pm, November 7
As you may recall, Open House is happening this fall, due to the late Winter Break. All faculty should plan on being present for the entire Open House, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Sarah Ross Bailey will be sending out details in the near future. Dinner will be provided before the event.
Last Week’s Earthquake Drill
We know that your were totally caught off guard...that was Jon von Behren’s intent. He wanted to see how we would fare in an unannounced earthquake drill. As you could see, it was a bit rough around the edges.
Please remind your children to:
•Remain silent throughout the drill- be ready to listen to directions
•Line up by class/grade, from the youngest to the oldest
Teachers, please be sure to:
Use the safest route to the field. The covered walkway and covered area are likely to be unsafe after a significant quake.
•Take accurate head counts, double check that all are accounted for
Recess- Friendly Reminders
•Please be on time for duty
•Double check that there are people on duty before you dismiss your students. Students are going out on the playground before adults are on duty. It would be best if you escorted them down to recess, so you could verify that someone is on duty.
•Remind students that they are to wait at the top of the stairs (ist and 2nd Grade) or by the
gym’s covered area (3rd Grade) until an adult is on duty.
Important Recess Reminder- Please read if you have a First Grade recess duty
There have been a number of problems in the past week involving First Graders and tetherball.
We are now limiting them to “two specials” a week. First Graders decided at Friday’s Together Time that they will allow ropes and holds will be used in the coming week 10/22-10/26. This may be a bit tough the first week or so, as they get used to focusing in on two at a time. They just can’t handle having multiple rules. It leads to flared tempers and sometimes physical outbursts.
Dress Code Reminders- Nail Polish and Other Embellishments
Just recently a parent asked Asha if there were any dress code restrictions on nail polish, custom manicures with nail painting, etc. There is nothing stated in the dress code about nail adornment, or hair color, for example. The bottom line is that if nail polish or any other special grooming, causes undue attention or distraction, you can contact the parent and have it stopped. If you need support doing so from us, let us know. We will gladly assist!
HAC
The Head’s Advisory Counsel has been doing great work. Thank you Asha for leading the group. The minutes from the HAC meetings are sent out to you for your review.
Curriculum
Just for Fun- October is National Squirrel Awareness Month
Here’s a link to an article about our furry friends!
http://mansfield.patch.com/articles/october-16-2011-national-squirrel-awareness-month
