LS Weekly Memo
Weekly Memo Week 25 January 26-30, 2015
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Friday was pretty quiet around Lower School. I hope you were able to take advantage of the day, writing reports in the comfort of home. January and February are busy with reports, admissions visits and conferences. Ask for help if you need it. Offer help when you can.
COMMUNITY
Woods, Wetlands and Wild Spaces of OES activity
Tom Handle and US Students - Wednesdays 10:15-10:45, Thursdays 10:50-11:45.
time to have your class go on a short hike, go canoeing, learn set up tarp shelters in the woods, learn how to use a compass, track wildlife, go birding, play a game, etc… Then let Tom know and he will coordinate when he can lead your class on an outdoor activity of your choice
Head Injuries
If a student hurts his/her head make sure Miriam and Lyn know about it. Please do not take the child back to class or recess without checking with the LS Office first.
Protocol:
- If a student hit his/her head she/he is brought to the office.
- We apply ice to the part of the head that got hurt
- We call the nurse, describe the situation and ask her to follow up with a check-up.This will initiate communication between the nurse and the student’s teacher
- We ask that the student stay in the office for few minutes just to be sure he/she is fine – no dizziness, no head ache, vision is ok
- For awareness and information, the office staff, student’s teacher or the nurse will contact the parents
US Helpers - see Robin Schaufflers email for details
Every Wednesday, 10:20-10:50, beginning Wednesday, January 14 (note that this is only half an hour & adjust your expectations accordingly!)
Every Thursday, 10:50-11:50, beginning Thursday, January 8
Robin Schauffler, schaufflerr@oes.edu
SST Support in the New Year
As you are conducting assessments and preparing to write reports, reach out to SST as needed.
Students Who Needs Extra Support
5th gr - Peter G - writing and self reflection are very difficult for Peter, requiring teacher support
4th gr - Sophia M - will be attending morning until 2/9
3rd gr - JaSier R -not to play competitive sports/games (soccer, touch football, four square tetherball until Monday, 2/2. After 2/2 he will gradually add one or two competitive sports/games per week.
2nd gr - Ben K - can get physical during competitive games and need help cooling down
Lice - Tips from Elaine
- Segregated storage for coats, hats, helmets
- Not sharing hats. Personal items
- Laying around on pillows and rugs increases chance of lice spreading
- Prevent head to head contact
Mandatory Reporting
As employees of the school, we are all mandatory reporters of child abuse. While we have not had our formal training this year, we have a clear policy. See p 29 in the Employee Handbook for details. Also see Melanie’s email for additional details
Key Cards
A number of guest/ visitor key cards have gone missing. If you see any around, please return to the LS Office ASAP.
PROGRAM
Faculty Meetings
- 1/26 - proofing reports
- 1/29 - proofing reports
- 2/2 - State of the School
- ⅖ - Departments and Teams
Use of LS Art Room for Faculty Meetings
Margaret lets us use the LS Art Room for meetings. We can show our appreciation by
- cleaning up after ourselves - cups, napkins
- putting chairs back, pushing in stools
Report Card Timeline
•First half of reports to be sent to peer editors by end of the day, Friday, Jan. 24th
•Second half of reports submitted to peer editors by beginning of the day, Monday, Jan. 27th
•Revisions, corrections made Jan. 28th-Feb. 3rd
•Uploaded to PCR by 8am, Wednesday, Feb. 4th
Specialists- Use the same peer editors as in the past
Classroom Teachers - edit each other’s reports.
Report Proofing Expectations
Both Monday afternoon and Thursday morning faculty meeting are dedicated to report proofing. Teaching team members are expected to be proofing each other’s reports.
- classroom teachers proof each others
- specialists rotate proofing among team members - Art, Music, PE, Spanish
- Chris will help proof Art, SPanish
- David will proof Science
Parent Winter Coffee
Our last grade level coffee is next week.
Third through Fifth Grade Tues., Feb., 3rd
Thanks to all who have helped out
Affinity Coffee - FYI
Building Resiliency in Children, 2/10, 8:00 -9:00 in LSCH
Assistant Teachers Meeting - Wed., Jan. 28th.
We’ll discuss Assistant’s roles in the second half of the year, give an update on our potential move to temporary spaces and hear from Sarah Ross-Bailey about Admissions Day. Thanks to Meredith, Donna, Madeleine, Juidi and David Loitz for offering to help with admissions
Lower School Building
- New building will be safest, greenest building on campus, with the space we need
- Design aligned with budget
- Fundraising on schedule - 65% raised, 35% to go
- April 21 Board meeting - building decision will be made
- See David if you have questions
Admissions Day, Friday 1/30, 7:30-4
•For Kindergarten, Primary/First Grade Classroom Visits
•3rd-5th Grade Testing
•All Expected to attend
Pre-K Admissions Day, Saturday 2/7, 7:30-4:30
•Two, possibly three, sessions
•Colesie, Lauren, Kristen, Melanie, Chris and assigned volunteers (TBD), will observe our candidates
David Loitz
David will be available as a super substitute on Fridays starting in January. Subbing will take priority over projects. If requesting release time please plan on using Fridays. When not needed as a substitute David will be available for special projects.
Team Leaders - Topics Discussed
- No meeting this week
I have received two significant requests for PGD funds for national workshops. If any of you are thinking of national conferences, let me know by Friday. I need to work on budgeting for these requests.
OPERATIONS
Medications and Field Trips
A friendly reminder when your class is going on a field trip (this procedure can also be found on the checklist that is attached to the Bus Request form):
ON THE MORNING OF THE TRIP – take these items with you in a gray backpack:
· Field trip binder
· First aid kit
· Students’ prescribed medication – every class should have a list of students who require prescribed medication
AFTER THE TRIP
· Return the students’ prescribed medication back in the file cabinet – please do not send a student to return the gray backpack filled with medications and first aid. If you are pressed with time after the trip, file the students’ prescribed medication after school but never leave them inside the gray backpack overnight
Students Bringing in Food from Home
Please email Elaine Elliott, school nurse, if you have a student who is bringing in food from home. We are asking parents to request permission from the nurse and Head of Lower School for their child to bring in food.
Rubic’s Cubes
While we typically do not allow toys from home, I am OK with students bringing in Rubic’s Cubes to use at recess. Students should not be using them in class. If the cube becomes a distraction for a student during school, the student may be asked to leave his/her cube at home.
NEED A SUBSTITUTE OR A DAY OFF?
Calling in sick? Contact Miriam--520-250-1497
- In the evening: If you know the night before, please text or call Miriam (never email) before 8:00pm so she can call around for a sub until 9:00pm (IDEAL!!) Please do not text or call her after 10:00pm.
- In the morning: Please text or call , do not email. Please text or call her between 5:45-6:15am, whenever possible.
- If you do not connect with Miriam by 6:30am, please call David at home – 503.384.0578 (not ideal.)
- Specialists and Assistant Teachers: Please indicate in your message the start and end time. Typically ½ hour before your first class starts and then however long after your last class (duty?).
Fire Drills and Earthquake Duck and Cover/Evacuation Drills
Remember to remind students that in the new year emergency drills are going to come when they least expect them- when they are outside, in the classroom, in Chapel, etc. Take a moment next week to review expectations for all drills with your students.
Please let us know if you have a student who is feeling stressed about unanticipated fire drills. We want to work with you and the student on a plan so the student adapts comfortably to these new types of drills.
Supervision of Children Transitioning to Special Classes
Before the break I received some reports from faculty about students transitioning between classes unsupervised. Review supervision plans for students between classes with classroom and specialist teachers.
Tardy Students
If you have chronically tardy students, please be sure to remind parents in progress report narrative the importance of being on time.
Let David or Chris know if there are excessive tardy arrivals and absences.
Food Handler’s License
Do you prepare sandwiches for children? Do your parent volunteers prepare sandwiches for children? If the answers are “yes,” you should have a Food Handler’s License issued through Washington County. FH licenses can be obtained on-line for a $10 fee. Submit FH License receipts to Lyn for reimbursement. Parents will need to obtain their own FH License.
Extra hours for Teaching Assistants
David need to pre-approve extra hours for teaching assistants to ensure we stay within budget.
Safety Reminder
Heidi is the LS Representative for the Safety Committee. Send her a quick note when you have any safety concerns or near-accidents. The Safety Committee wants to know about potential safety hazards so they can work to prevent injuries. If you have any kind of injury at school please fill out an incident form (located in the form organizer by David’s office).
Lunch Planning - 1st - 3rd Grades
1st and 2nd grade
- Students dismissed by table by grade level - 1st grade goes down 1st, then 2nd, then 3rd
- Students line up in dining hall
- Dismissing teacher guides students to stairs and stays at top of stairs to monitor
- Students walk down steps in single file holding the railing
- Students wait at bench outside for everyone to get down the stairs
- Dismissing teacher walks group down to recess and has children go down recess stairs single file.
3rd grade
- students dismissed at 11:20, table by table
- students must clear/ clean table before being dismissed
- Duty teacher takes time between each table to prevent pile up of students at bussing stations
- students walk down to recess
- Duty teacher in dining hall ensures all 1st - 3rd students have gone to recess before going off duty
- Duty teacher on covered walkway corner supervises walking/ skipping down to recess. Students who run will be asked to walk back up to US building or top of walkway and walk.
5th graders
How can the 5th graders help set the example in community and transition times: between classes, recess and lunch? Younger students are looking to them to help show the way.
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Chris or me by Thursday each week and we will include them in the Weekly memo. This should help reduce the number of emails we are receiving, and to maximize our time to collaborate during meetings.
