LS Weekly Memo Week 23: January 20-24

Thank you 4th grade team for an excellent assembly. The students’ comments about carrying Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream forward were inspiring.

Our thanks  to Colesie, Carole and Dori for a great, well-attended Beginning School coffee.  Your knowledge of child development, the power of story workshop and playful inquiry were inspirational.  

Good luck to the Tech Team as they offer the first affinity coffee about technology in Lower School.

COMMUNITY

Welcome Back,  Kiah!

Kiah joins Kathy in the classroom  this week, transitioning back after her maternity leave. Kathy KImmy and she will have the week together to help with the transition.  Kiah and Kathy will also spend the conference days together.

Thank you Kathy Kimmy

Our thanks to Kathy for leading Kiah’s class so skillfully during the first half of the year.  Students and their parents, Paula and Erin all  appreciated her many contributions.

Significant tardies or late arrivals

Please let Jenny Strode know if you have students who are regularly tardy. We will be sending a letter out to the parents for those who are habitually late.

Teacher Visits from Cascade Academy, 2/21/14

Two teachers will be visiting from the school in Bend, observing classes and eager for conversations about teaching and curriculum.

SST Meeting

Thank you to those who have already met with SST. It is a great time to check in about your students as you write reports and and prepare for conferences. See link for your time.

PROGRAM

Faculty Meetings

LSLT - Notes

• Checked in on progress reports
• Update on Tools fro Problem Solving and Recess Agreements
• Worked on draft of LS FAculty Agreements to be worked on with the entire LS faculty on 2/6

Faculty Meeting - Thursday, 1/23 - Progress Report Work. No formal meeting.

AS Faculty Meeting, Monday, 2/3

Next LS Faculty Meeting, Thursday 2/6

Report Cards

• Specialists - See Angela’s template for report writing
• Friday, January 24 is a report writing day
• Reports are due at 8:00 am, Monday, January 27.  Coordinate with your team if you want to have ½ due at the end of the day Friday, 1/24 and ½ due at the start of the day on 1/27
• We will designate our two faculty meetings next week  to proofing reportsz:
• Monday, 1/27 from 3:15 - 5:00pm
• Thursday, 1/30, 7:30 -8:30am
• Beginning School reports are due on 2/10 so they can be emailed home before conferences.

Report Writing Support - The Tech Depratment is in a training all day on 1/24.  Debra and Angela will be available for support on 1/27 and 1/30.

Report Proofing Plan

• Faculty Meetings on Monday, 1/27 from 3:15 - 5:00pm and Thursday, 1/30, 7:30 -8:30am are for proofing
• All changes will need to be made in PCR by 9:00 pm on Thursday, 1/30
• Grade level teams will proof each others reports
• Department members will proof each others
• David will proof Science
• Chris will help proof Art and Spanish

Winter Coffee Format

Winter Parent Coffees 2014  

Tech Tools Coffee, Tuesday, January 21st, 8-9am, 9-9:30

Angela, Debra and Brad will lead this coffee.  There will be a hands-on exploration from 9-9:30.  We will have many laptops and other devices  available for parents to to try out.  It may put a strain on the network.

First and Second Grade Coffee - Friday, January 31st

Agenda:

     • Social Emotional Development

     • Grade level breakout sessions for 1st and 2nd

Third through Fifth Grade Coffee - Wednesday, February 5th

Agenda:

     • Standardized Testing at OES

     • Break out sessions for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades

Canoe Safety Training Postponed

Tom postponed his next canoe safety training until the Spring. Look for the new date in a Weekly Memo after Spring break.  

ERB Testing - 5th grade

The 5th graders will be testing all week.  Please respect their need for quiet during testing sessions.

NWAIS All Schools Conference Presentations

Be thinking ahead to the fall conference we are hosting next October. Is there something you and /or your team would like to present? The presentation  on playful inquiry, story workshop  and social emotional learning. might make enticing relevant workshops.

OPERATIONS

Custodial Notebook

See Lyn’s email for location of the log in each wing.  Record current needs and any future needs that custodians should be aware of.

Scheduling Practice in LSCH

It is a challenge to get things done when events are happening either too early or too late. To be able to set-up properly for lunch, clean up, washing dishes and putting utensils away, Shirley will need the LS Common Hall free* of any events from 9:45 – 1:00.

Available times for Play performance and meetings:

·      8:00 – 9:30 am

·      1:00 – 2:00 pm

Available times for Rehearsals only:

·      8:00 – 9:30 – entire LS CH

·      9:30 – 10:30 – stage only*

·      12:00 – 1:00 – stage only*

·      1:00 – 2:00 – entire LS CH

LS Weekly Memo Week 22: January 13-17

Thank you for a great first week in 2014.  Chapel was inspiring, hearing about the many things you are looking forward to with your class.

COMMUNITY

SST in January

We look forward to our Pre-Conference check in with classroom teachers, and if possible, specialists.  

First Assembly of the New Year- MLK Assembly 1/17 at 8:10

We will gather for our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance.  Our thanks to the Fourth Grade for making this possible.

Significant tardies or late arrivals

Please let Jenny Strode know if you have students who are regularly tardy. We will be sending a letter out to the parents for those who are habitually late.

PROGRAM

Faculty Meetings

LSLT - Monday, 1/13/14

• Progress Reports check-in :15
• Tools for problem solving check-in :15

Next Steps

• Agreements :45

Next Steps

• Recess Agreements Check-in- Second Grade’s :15

Next Steps

• SEL Conference :05
• Academic Integrity work

Faculty Meeting - Thursday, 1/16

Departments/ LS Teams - See Department Chair or Team Leader

No Faculty Meeting - Thursday, 1/23 - Progress Report Work

Report Cards

• Specialists - See Angela’s template for report writing
• Friday, January 24 is a report writing day
• Reports are due at 8:00 am, Monday, January 27.  Coordinate with your team if you want to have ½ due at the end of the day Friday, 1/24 and ½ due at the start of the day on 1/27
• We will designate our two faculty meetings to proof reports,Monday, 1/27 from 3:15 - 5:00pm and Thursday, 1/30, 7:30 -8:30am
• Beginning School reports are due on 2/10 so they can be emailed home before conferences.

Report Writing Support - See Angela’s email about Brown Bag Lunch support on Monday and Wednesday.

Report Proofing Plan

• Faculty Meetings on Monday, 1/27 from 3:15 - 5:00pm and Thursday, 1/30, 7:30 -8:30am are for proofing
• All changes will need to be made in PCR by 9:00 pm on Thursday, 1/30
• Grade level teams will proof each others reports
• Department members will proof each others
• David will proof Science
• Chris will help proof Art

Winter Parent Coffees 2014  

Beginning School Coffee - Wednesday, January 15th

Agenda:

     • Child Development and Primary

     • Grade level Break Out Sessions for PreK, K and P

First and Second Grade Coffee - Friday, January 31st

Agenda:

     • Social Emotional Development

     • Grade level breakout sessions for 1st and 2nd

Third through Fifth Grade Coffee - Wednesday, February 5th

Agenda:

     • Standardized Testing at OES

     • Break out sessions for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades

Prioritize Your Professional Development

We are pleased to see so many of you eagerly signing up for professional development opportunities in the New Year.  That said, if you signed up for multiple PGD opportunities,  we ask that you rank or prioritize which opportunities are most important to enhance your work with your students, your Grade and your Team.  Label your choices “1st Pick,”  (first priority), “2nd Pick,”  etc.

https://docs.google.com/a/go.oes.edu/document/d/1MAl4VdTlIoONVwvJXglFwSfOOCyJEHnzwUAS5BY4l6o/edit

ERB’s

4th and 5th graders will be doing ERB testing this week and next.  Please be quiet in the hallways outside the 4th and 5th grade rooms.

OPERATIONS

Uniform Reminder

We’ve noticed that students, largely our older students, are taking liberties with the Uniform Policy.  Please take time to remind students of expectations and enforce the rules.  Remember:

1st incident,  a verbal reminder

2nd incident, send student to room 10 to borrow and wear the appropriate uniform item and send an email to parents

3rd incident, Let David or Chris know

Most of the issues revolve around non-OES uniform use in the classroom such as wearing  OES spirit wear sweatshirts or Adidas or Nike sweatshirts (which can be worn outside as outerwear).  Only Navy or green sweatshirts with or without logo should be worn in the classroom.

The other liberty is with socks-only white or navy (black can pass, too).  I know it sounds picky, but it is not fair for some to adhere, while others don’t.

Incorrect Pictures in PCR

If you come upon student photos that are incorrectly placed, please let Deri Bash know. He is the person to make the change in PCR.

Student Incident Report

Just a friendly reminder- if your students engage in unsafe or inappropriate behavior please fill out a Student Incident Report. We want to know if students are experiencing challenges in the classroom too!

Fire Drill Debrief

Great job on the field.  Classes were quiet and attentive. During the next drill I would like to see similar behavior from all classes while walking to the field.

Custodial Notebook

Bill Peoples and his crew are now using a new process cleaning method; some daily tasks, some tasks performed on a weekly rotation.  

Here a few tips he gave that may be helpful:

• Desks can be wiped down daily with a disinfectant if you don’t put up chairs
• They have new backpack vacuums that allow them to get around the legs of chairs and desks
• Window sills can be vacuumed if they are clear of books and materials

What you can do to get the most effective cleaning:

• have students do a floor check at the end of the day, picking up small toys in the BS and pencils and erasers in the older grades
• If you have a special request, please write it down in the new Maintenance Log which we will keep in each Common Area.  

Lyn will put together a Maintenance Log form and notebook next week.  Look for an email on where you will find your notebook.  

Tough Flu Season - This is part of what Elaine sent home.  Good for you to keep in mind about your students and you.

Please do not send your child to school if they experience any of the following symptoms:

-  a temperature greater than 100.4

-  vomiting

-  diarrhea

-  rash

-  unusually sleepy or lethargic

-  active cough

Please do not send your child with a new, largely productive cough unless cleared by their physician, as coughs can be very distracting as well as possibly very contagious.

Before students return to school, they need to be symptom free for 24 hours.

Our Attendance Policy

In case you have any families who are asking about extra vacation plans, here is the text from the OES Student Handbook:

As we hope you understand, “elective” absences are not condoned by the School. We do, however, recognize that there are situations when the educational benefit of the absence would convince us that the absence should be excused. In these cases, please approach the School well in advance of the absence so that special assignments can be made. If the trip is not considered educationally valuable, we cannot ask teachers to prepare assignments in advance. Of course, the homework will be available to students upon their return, but it will be the student’s responsibility to make up any course requirements at the convenience of his or her teachers. If extra tutoring is required to bring the student to current status with the class, it will be the responsibility of the family to arrange for and provide the service.

As you schedule family trips and other excursions, we greatly appreciate your cooperation in not scheduling absences for your children during the school year. In an effort to help families plan vacations, we release the school year calendar well in advance. Please remember to avoid early departures and late returns from scheduled vacations as well.

LS Weekly Memo Week 21: January 6-10

I hope you have all enjoyed your break and are returning to school well rested, healthy and ready for the all that awaits us in 2014; assessments, ERB’s, progress reports, conferences and admissions.  I have seen a few of you coming onto campus already this year.  Good luck with starting up anew in the new year.

COMMUNITY

Plans for Next Year

If you are considering changing your professional plans for the 2014-15 school, please let David know.  This could include an interest in changing grades at OES or a pursuit of opportunities beyond OES.

SST in January

We look forward to our Pre-Conference check in with classroom teachers, and if possible, specialists.  If you haven’t done so, please sign up on Ari’s  Google doc sign-up sheet for SST this week.

First Assembly of the New Year- MLK Assembly 1/17 at 8:10

We will gather for our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance.  Our thanks to the Fourth Grade for making this possible. More details to follow.

Welcome Back Kristen Haferbecker

We welcome Kristen Haferbecker back from her maternity leave this week.  She will shadow Dave Hall this week and take pon her full responsibilities starting the week of January 13th.

Thank you Madeleine Jennings

Our thanks to Madeleine Jennings who stepped in for Dave Hall in Carole’s Kindergarten class.  Madeleine will return for one more full week. We look forward to seeing you as a Beginning School substitute in future days.

Thank you Dave Hall

Our thanks to Dave Hall for working flexibly as Beginning School and First Grade Music teacher and Second Grade Assistant Teacher, two very big roles.  He will return to his Kindergarten Teaching Assistant position in Carole’s class after helping Kristen H. transition back.

PROGRAM

Report Cards

• Specialists - See Angela’s template for report writing
• Send Jenny Strode an email if you notice a picture of a student with the wrong name in PCR so she can fix it.
• Friday, January 24 is a report writing day
• Reports are due at 8:00 am, Monday, January 27.  Coordinate with your team if you want to have ½ due at the end of the day Friday, 1/24 and ½ due at the start of the day on 1/27
• We will designate our two faculty meetings to proof reports,Monday, 1/27 from 3:15 - 5:00pm and Thursday, 1/30, 7:30 -8:30am

Change in Winter Coffee Format

Winter Parent Coffees 2014  

Lyn will set up a time for us to meet with you to prepare for these coffees.   Look for an email from Lyn this week.

OPERATIONS

LS Leadership Team, Rescheduled, Monday, January 13th, 3:15-4:30 in Kathy’s Room

Inclement Weather Recess Options

If the weather is particularly bad, you always have the option of opening the Gym and/ or Library for recess, as long as it does not conflict with PE or Library activities.

Kitchen Utensils for Cooking and Entertaining in Your Classroom

Just before Winter Break Shirley lost most of her tongs and serving spoons needed to serve the Beginning School’s lunch.  Please do not use Shirley’s much needed utensils. Instead, we will stock a supply of utensils in the faculty room and establish a “check out” system to borrow spoons and/or tongs.

Fire Drill Second through Fifth Grade, January 10th, 8:30  in Chapel

The first Friday back we will practice a Fire Drill  filing out of the Chapel.  Look for more details in an email next week.

New Stainless Steel Scoops for Aardvark Community Park Excavators

There are now color coded stainless steel scoops in First through Fifth Grade recess equipment bins.  (five for First and Second, and Four for Third through Fifth).  

Please inform your students:

• Students may dig in  two designated areas:
• Sand box by Mini Aardvark
• Sand box by the Zip Line

• Scoops are color coded with tape
• All colors match recess equipment, except Fourth, which have white tape on the handles, not purple

• Scoops are to be returned to bins at the end of recess,  sand and mud-free

We’ll see how this goes. We may need to have separate bins for scoops.