LS Weekly Memo Week 11: October 28 - November 1

Good luck with your conference preparations.  I have only been asked to attend a couple of conferences.  Chri and I will be available if you want to practice or debrief a conference.  

COMMUNITY

Friday certainly was an exciting day- ramping up to the spectacular Spooktacular Halloween party.

Thanks to all who helped students with their pumpkins at Friday’s dismissal.  Thank you for your flexibility in regards to the cancellation of assembly.

Birthday Celebrations

We will celebrate August, September and October birthdays  on Thursday, October 31st. Come enjoy a piece of delicious birthday cake in the faculty room and wish your colleagues with late summer and early fall birthdays a belated “Happy Birthday!”

Open House - See Sarah’s email for details

• Timing - 11/6 from 6:00 - 8:00
• Make learning visible - your colleagues have some great examples of documentation
• All faculty at epeted to be present the event
• Specialists - can begin table set-up at 3:30
• Admissions is providing a Faculty Dinner in Room 60 from 4:45 - 5:45 pm
• Plan on being In classrooms and at tables by 5:45 pm

Agreements on Your Website

Inspired by the Agreements Chapel, remember to post your classroom agreements on your website.

Looking Ahead to Special Community Events in November

• Beginning School Chapel- Wednesday, Nov. 6th @ 8:20
• Diwali Chapel, Friday, November 8th @ 8:10, Primary and First Grade are invited to this special Chapel. Let Jenny know if you plan to attend.
• Book Fair -
• November Tuesday, November 19, 7:30am - 4:00pm
• Wednesday, November 20, 7:30am - 5:30pm
• Thursday, November 21, 7:30am - 4:00pm
• DEAR Assembly, Friday, November 15th @ 8:10 in the gym
• Grandparents and Special Friends’ Chapel, Tuesday, November 26th @ 10:15

Save the Date! BS and LS Holiday Party, Monday, December 16th, 3:15-4:15

We will gather on the 16th for our annual party. Look for details in a Weekly Memo after Thanksgiving.

PROGRAM

Conferences

• You should all have access to your conference schedule through the link Jenny provided.
• Respect everyone’s time by keeping to your schedule
• Classroom Teachers - remind parents that the Specialists are in the library ready to meet.
• Remember to use the conference form for bulleted  list of strengths, challenges and plans.

2014-15 Budget

If you anticipate significant additional expenditures for next year - think field trips, materials, curriculum supplements - let me know by November 8. I need to submit a proposal by 11/15.

Trustee Day - Tuesday 10/29

On Tuesday the Trustees will meet with Division Heads to discuss program and then tour the US, MS and LS with a focus on the attributes of the new Lower School building.  Let David know if you have something exciting happening on Tuesday from 9:30 – 10:30.

PAL Meeting - Wednesday, 10/30

Wednesday morning LS PAL will meet to discuss technology use at OES and in the home. Parents will begin developing their own technology use plan for home.  

Conference Days

Specialists should plan on being available for parent conferences from 7:30 - 3:30 in Thursday and 7:30 to 2 on Friday in the LS Library.  Part time-people should work the appropriate percentage of each day. We do need to facilitate your accessibility for working parents. Jenny Strode has provided online sign-ups for parents as you requested at the Specialist Meeting.

No meetings Monday or Thursday

You may want to take the time to visit each other’s classrooms, looking at posted docuemntation or questions.

LS Curriculum Task Force Rescheduled

The LS Curriculum Task Force, scheduled to meet Monday, December 16th will meet on Monday, December 9th from 3:15-4:30 instead.

Wetland Consortium, Monday, Oct. 28th, 3:15-4:15 in Erin Baker’s Room

If you explore the wetlands with your students, and can get away from conference prep, join us. This is a great opportunity for cross-divisional collaboration

OPERATIONS

Website Updates

Thank you to all who are faithfully updating their websites.  I think all technical issues with the sites have been resolved.  If not, contact Angela. My expectation is that classroom websites get updated at least every other week.  Specialist teachers should update each class quarterly.

Calendar Updates- Google Faculty Events Calendar and Anne’s All School Final Site Calendar

Thanks to all who  diligently enter upcoming dates in the Faculty Google calendar. Please remember, if events involve parents in any way, you need to post the dates and times on Anne’s All School Final Site calendar well in advance.  

Next Fire Drill, Wednesday, November 6th @ 9:45

Early in the week of November 4th please remind students about fire drill expectations:  

•Walk calmly in a single-file line out of the building and onto the turf field, no talking

•Try to line up in grade level groups from Pre-K through 5th, it makes it easier to take attendance

•Stand quietly and calmly in line until David gives the signal to return to classrooms

Adults, please model this behavior by not talking to students or colleagues

At this point in the year students should not have advanced notice about fire drills.  If you have concerns about students’ reactions to fire drills, please let Chris know.

Safe School Training - See Jennifer Lushenko’s email from 9/30

DUE OCTOBER 31

Open the login instructions for accessing the SafeSchools training site. Follow the instructions for your user name. All employees are required to complete these courses by the end of October.

How to log on to the online training program:

• Using your web browser, go to the web page oes.or.safeschools.com (no “www” is necessary.)
• To access your assigned training, enter your username, which follows the following format: last name, first initial of first name

Example: John Smith = smithj

• Select any course by simply clicking over the name of the course. The courses have audio so turn up your speakers or headphones if you wish to hear the narration.
• Complete all the training scenarios and the assessment to receive completion credit for the course.
• Please print out a Certification of Completion once you complete the course and turn in a copy to Jennifer Lushenko.
  
  

LS Weekly Memo Week 10: October 21-25

Looks like we have another week of sun. I hope your students and you get out and enjoy it.  Good luck with conference preparations this week and next.

COMMUNITY

Kristen Update

Congratulations to Kristen and Joe on the arrival of Cora Lucille Haferbecker on October 15.

Dave Hall

Our thanks to Dave Hall for stepping up so quickly to take up Kristen’s BS and First Grade music classes. Dave has also picked up Kristen’s Second Grade support duties. Way to go, Dave! We appreciate all the time and effort Dave, the Second Grade team and Amy (his music mentor)  are contributing to make this all work!

Madeleine Jennings

Please welcome Madeleine Jennings, Carole’s long-term substitute and parent of an Upper School student, to our community.  Madeleine immediately fit right into the fabric of the classroom and the Beginning School team.  We feel so fortunate to have her with us!

Goals with Assistants

Assistant Teachers and their supervising classroom teachers should meet and develop goals for the year.  You will both have an opportunity to reflect on Assistants growth and achievement of goals later on in the winter. You will each complete a  supervision and evaluation form before Spring break in March 2014.

Lisset’s Galaria

You may have noticed beautiful art work emerging in Lisset’s Galeria between the First and Second Grade Common Area and the library.  If your students have some type of promotional posters to hang, please remind them not to hang posters in Lisset’s  Galeria.  Muchas Gracias!

Fall Conferences Coming Up

Please let Ari, Patti, Chris or David know if you need support, with planning and/or attending conferences.  We will all be on campus and can make time in our schedules to attend conferences if you let us know ahead of time.

Fourth and Fifth Grade Lunch Concerns

This past week a number of students, largely Fourth Graders, have taken it upon themselves to fill out Bon Appetit comment cards. The first day the comments  were critical, the second day the comments were down right rude.  We are looking into this early next week. If you supervise Fourth and Fifth Graders in the dining hall, please be aware and watchful.  Asha and her team have noticed that her students are eating little to nothing and spending time chatting instead of eating.  We are realizing there may be more to this.  Stay tuned.

Exciting Days Ahead,  Friday, Oct. 25th and 26th

We begin the day on Friday, Oct. 25th with an assembly (more details to follow), and throughout the day will visit Pumpkin displays in the Common Areas and library.  

Saturday, Oct. 26th is Spooktacular, the annual Halloween party extraordinaire.  This is a very fun family event.  You attendance is optional.  Prizes are usually offered to  the best faculty Halloween costume.

All School Wetland Consortium, Monday, Oct. 28th, 3:15-4:15

All faculty who use the OES wetland for exploration and study, will gather in Erin Baker’s classroom after school.  If you treasure the OES wetlands with your students and  can get away from conference prep,  come to this meeting. It promises to be an exciting first step in an all-school collaboration.  Our thanks to Erin, Kirstin and Tracy for spearheading this movement.

PROGRAM

Visiting Classes

Remember that Team Leaders can be scheduled to cover your class so you can observe colleagues teach.

Open House is Around the Corner

Be thinking ahead  to how you will make students’ learning visible for our visitors coming on Wednesday, November 6th.  Look for more details in next week’s Weekly Memo.

AS Meeting - Monday, October 21 @ 3:15

Benefits Meeting in the Dining Hall.  See Jennifer Lushenko’s email for details.

Benefits Fair - Tuesday, October 22, 12:30 - 4:30

See Mo’s email from 10/17 for details

Thursday Meeting, October 24

Faculty Meeting - Team and Specialist meeting 7:40 - 8:40

BS - See Team Leader for agenda

1st & 2nd -  See Team Leader for agenda

3rd - 5th -  See Team Leader for agenda

Specialists -  See Team Leader for agenda

OPERATIONS

Substitute Folder- A Friendly Reminder

All classroom teachers, assistant teachers and specialists should keep up to date sub folders, ready with a emergency lesson plan (not for assistants), schedules, class lists, medical alerts, etc.

Safe School Training - See Jennifer Lushenko’s email from 9/30

DUE OCTOBER 31

Open the login instructions for accessing the SafeSchools training site. Follow the instructions for your user name. All employees are required to complete these courses by the end of October.

How to log on to the online training program:

• Using your web browser, go to the web page oes.or.safeschools.com (no “www” is necessary.)
• To access your assigned training, enter your username, which follows the following format: last name, first initial of first name

Example: John Smith = smithj

• Select any course by simply clicking over the name of the course. The courses have audio so turn up your speakers or headphones if you wish to hear the narration.
• Complete all the training scenarios and the assessment to receive completion credit for the course.
• Please print out a Certification of Completion once you complete the course and turn in a copy to Jennifer Lushenko.

Conference Schedule

All teaching Assistants are schedule to eat lunch from 11:00 - 12:00 so there will be no child care during that hour.  Please do not schedule conferences during that time.

Dress Code Policy Check In

We just finished the First Six Weeks of school and we can see that children are having a hard time meeting dress code guidelines.  There are obvious issues with sweatshirts inside. Students are to wear navy blue or green sweatshirts (OES logo in 2014), no spirit wear.  This past week I saw everything from a  “I Love New York” sweatshirt,  OES spirit wear to lots of NIKE sweatshirts.

Please review the uniform policy with your students, then:

-Remind them once

-Second time, send students to room 10 to get a used sweatshirt to wear for the day

-Third time, contact the family/parents

Care of Common Areas

Please be sure not to leave dirty dishes in Common Area sinks.  

Stray clothing should go to room 10, not be left by Chris’ office.

LS Weekly Memo Week 9: October 14-18

I hope you all enjoyed your PGD day and came away with inspirations for future work or satisfactions from work done. We will have a time to share out about our PGD experiences, using a speed learning format.  May the brief exchanges  during faculty meetings inspire more in depth discussions in the future.

COMMUNITY

Kristen Haferbecker

She is home on bed rest until at least October 28.  

Dave Hall

He will be teaching her classes and assisting 2nd grade.

Madeleine Jennings

An early childhood educator and OES parent will fill Dave Hall’s Assistant Teacher role.

Andrew Shotts Update

Andrew Shotts is not allowed on campus until after October 30. Call the LS Office if you see him on campus.

PROGRAM

LSLT Meeting - 10/14 @3:15 in Kathy Narramore’s Room

• Focus on Citizenship and Development
• How can we best support the social and emotional development of our students so they become better citizens?
• How can we best address discipline in Lower School?

10-14-13

• 3:15 – 3:30 walk about classrooms: grade, grade above, grade below
• 3:30 – 4:00 share in Kathy’s Classroom
• 4:00 - 4:30 Brainstorm LS Agreements

LS Faculty Meeting - 10/17@7:40 in DVR

Sign up if you want to share 5 minutes about your recent PDG experience - PGD Speed Learning

7:40 AM	Yoga
7:45 AM	Appreciations
7:55 AM	Speed PGD - 3 rounds
8:25 AM	Goals
8:30 AM	Announcements
	Library/ Book Fair

Grade Level Coffees

3rd Grade - Tuesday, 10/15

4th Grade - Friday, 10/17

5th Grade - Tuesday, 10/22

For Better Social Skills, Scientists Recommend a Little Chekhov

Interesting study proving reading good literature develops better social skills in adults.  Could this be true for children too?

OPERATIONS

Quiet Requested, Wednesday

Upper School will be administering the PSAT to all sophomores and juniors on Wednesday, October 16 from 8:45 am-12:15 pm (give or take). We are hoping you can help us control noise that day by having your students take the following route to and from lunch.

Lower School: Come in through the front door of the building past Arleene (and leave through the front door). Remind students to keep their voices down as they enter and leave.

Fire Drill,  Wed., Oct. 16th @ 9:20

First through Fifth Grade teachers, please do not give your students advanced warning.  Beginning School teachers, use your best judgment, as to whether advanced warning is appropriate. I know the string of safety drills at the beginning of the year was unsettling for some of our youngest students

Assistant Teachers’ Meeting, 10.16 @ 12:05

Time Sheet Review with Lyn

Fall Conference Prep

Schedule and Substitute Plans

October 21st  3:15-4:30,  All Faculty and Staff Benefits Meeting, Save the Date!

No Meetings!

Monday, 10/28 Conference Prep

Monday, 11/4 and Thursday, 11/7 Open House Prep

Emergency Alerts

We are no longer using an emergency phone tree.  The Honeywell Alert system offers a faster way of receiving information. You can set it up to send the message to your phone, email or both.  If you are not signed up you will not receive emergency communications from the school.

Link to directions:

http://www.oes.edu/contacts/documents/parent-letter-honeywell.pdf

Online Training - See Jennifer Lushenko’s email from 9/30

Please open the login instructions for accessing the SafeSchools training site. Follow the instructions for your user name. All employees are required to complete these courses by the end of October.

How to log on to the online training program:

• Using your web browser, go to the web page oes.or.safeschools.com (no “www” is necessary.)
• To access your assigned training, enter your username, which follows the following format: last name, first initial of first name

Example: John Smith = smithj

• Select any course by simply clicking over the name of the course. The courses have audio so turn up your speakers or headphones if you wish to hear the narration.
• Complete all the training scenarios and the assessment to receive completion credit for the course.
• Please print out a Certification of Completion once you complete the course and turn in a copy to Jennifer Lushenko.

Food Service - From Andrea Bride’s email on 10/10

• the less food and staff time we use, the lower OES’ monthly bill
• minimizing food waste is a key value
• Let the kitchen know if you are planning to eat a meal other than lunch on campus so they can plan accordingly
• Let the kitchen know if your class will not be needing snack or lunch

Technology Help

Remember to use oeshelp@oes.edu when faced with tech challenges.  However large or small the issue, tech wants to know.

LS Weekly Memo Week 8: October 7 - 11

Thanks to all who turned out for Homecoming.  While the sunshine and victories by the boys and girls  soccer teams over Catlin were great, Deborah’s Choir stole the show with the singing of the National Anthem.  This weeks brings 1st and 2nd Grade Coffees and our PGD day.  I look forward to learning about your PGD experience next week.

COMMUNITY

Parent Partnership Coffees

Monday, 10/7 - 1st Grade

Tuesday, 10/8 - 2nd Grade

LSLT

We meet Monday, October 14th and again on December 2nd. Mark your calendars LSLT members.  We will be focusing on Citizenship and Discipline this year.

PROGRAM

Monday, October 7 Faculty Meeting

1st - 5th - Curriculum Design workshop with John Holloran

BS -  Tools for Problem for Solving, Teachers and Assistants

Thursday, October 10 Team Meeting, 7:40-8:40

BS - 2nd Grade Teams, Tools for Problem Solving, bring an anecdote/ documentation on how you are using these tools in your classroom.

3rd - 5th - Alysa’s Room.  See Alysa for details.

Faculty Meeting Schedule

See 2013-14 LS Faculty Meeting Schedule for additional meetings.

PGD Day

Please submit your PGD survey by Monday. We want to know the wonderful ways you will engage in professional growth and development on Oct. 11th.

PGD Oct. 11th Survey

Curiosity Workshop - Arbor has limited parking. Let David know if you are interested in carpooling.

Boys, Coyotes  and Other Creatures, Yoga Calm Workshop

A number of faculty expressed interest in furthering their knowledge of Yoga Calm, particularly around supporting active boys and girls.  

Lynea and Jim Gillen are opening up 3 workshop opportunities for us at their Still Moving Yoga Studio :

Friday, Oct. 11th, from 8:30-4 (a condensed version of their 2 day workshop. 7 or 8 spaces left)

Saturday, Oct. 26th and 27th  (unsure of how many spaces left here)

Saturday, Nov. 23rd, 8:30-4  (a condensed version of their 2 day workshop, open to 15 people)

I’ve posted a copy of the workshop brochure and  a link below to a Google sign-up doc.

Boys, Coyotes and Other Creatures Workshop Sign-Up

LS Curriculum Task Force-

We meet Monday, November 11th. Details to follow.

OPERATIONS

Emergency Alerts

We are no longer using an emergency phone tree.  The Honeywell Alert system offers a faster way of receiving information. You can set it up to send the message to your phone, email or both.  If you are not signed up you will not receive emergency communications from the school.

Link to directions:

http://www.oes.edu/contacts/documents/parent-letter-honeywell.pdf

Admissions 1st - 4th Grades - notes from the 10/3 meeting

• Visitors arrive t 8:00
• Visitors depart at 2:30
• Do reading assessment in class
• Informal interview during visit
• Sarah has new assistant - Iona

Online Training - See Jennifer Lushenko’s email from 9/30

Please open the login instructions for accessing the SafeSchools training site. Follow the instructions for your user name. All employees are required to complete these courses by the end of October.

How to log on to the online training program:

• Using your web browser, go to the web page oes.or.safeschools.com (no “www” is necessary.)
• To access your assigned training, enter your username, which follows the following format: last name, first initial of first name

Example: John Smith = smithj

• Select any course by simply clicking over the name of the course. The courses have audio so turn up your speakers or headphones if you wish to hear the narration.
• Complete all the training scenarios and the assessment to receive completion credit for the course.
• Please print out a Certification of Completion once you complete the course and turn in a copy to Jennifer Lushenko.

Field Trips

A friendly reminder: when your class is going on a field trip – you will need to post your trip on our TWO main LS calendars (reference below). There were trips planned that were not submitted to the LS Events Web calendar.

Andrew Shotts Update

Andrew Shotts is not allowed on campus until after October 14. Call the LS Office if you see him on campus.