LS Weekly Memo
Weekly Memo Week 3, August 31 - September 4 , 2015
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Thank you for all your work in the week prior to school opening. Many of you have been hard at work setting up your new learning spaces. Others have been finishing up summer stipends. Team Leaders have had two full day retreats; one focused on LS initiatives and one of curriculum design.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
LS Building Update
Access to ACP and the field will be limited for the foreseeable future until the new covered play area and stairs to ACP are constructed.
Access to ACP is between the Gym and Library
Access to the turf field is by the stairs on the grass field
Water Outage on 9/2
Should be back on at 8:00
Water may be a bit dirty when it comes back on
Any problems with the water - call Arlene
Parking Change
Jon in concerned there is not enough parking for all employees to park behind the gym. My new request is to leave the entire lowest row of parking spaces in the main lot for parents. You may choose to park behind the gym or in the other rows of parking in the main lot.
OES Campus Traffic
Traffic on campus will be altered to accommodate the construction. We have the website. We have the graphics. Now we have the animated movie, Pick-up and Drop Off video - take a look.
Moving Trucks Round II - The moving trucks will be back on campus is 9/3. Furniture and boxes to be taken to storage on 9/3 should be labeled with black labels. Large items NOT labeled for removal will not be removed before Opening Day.
Classroom and Commons Needs
Chris, Rod and I are doing a walkaround Monday afternoon and Thursday afternoon to be sure we have maintenance, custodial and tech issues recorded. If you have emerging needs as you move into your classroom be sure to use one of the communication tools below:
Technology Requests - oeshelp@oes.edu
COMMUNITY
LS Cafe
Thank you to Lyn and Miriam for providing all the treats last week. Unpacking was better with just the right treats.
BTSN Change to Monday, September 21
BTSN for PK,K,1st and 4th has been changed from Wednesday, September 23 to Monday, September 21 so our Jewish families may complete their recognition of Yom Kippur.
Classroom Design
- Please review our Design for Inquire Guidelines we developed last year from our common inquiry experiences
- Consider designing space for Specialist Teachers who come in to your class
Assistant Teachers
All Assistant Teachers, full and part-time, will attend Opening Day meetings (5.5 hrs). Full-time Assistant Teachers have one work day for classroom prep (flexible, ideally when you are not in meetings and can work together, Wed/Thurs. afternoons or a full Friday when you are free to work in your classrooms) and a full day on Open Classroom Day, 9/8. Part-time teachers will put in partial days, according to the percentage they work.
If, for some reason, you are finding you need more help and want your Assistant to work more hours, please let Chris know.
LS Educational Technology Specialist (LETS)
Debra and Jeffrey have new titles and acronym ( as is LETS try it) this year.
Health Alerts
Elaine has allergy/asthma health alerts ready for distribution and hopefully they will be in your mailbox on Monday. They are printed by grade level. Please remember to treat this information with confidentiality and put the paper copies into your sub folder for easy access if that is how you communicate with your subs.
Opening Days Events - see email from Mo for details
- Monday - 8/31 - All Employee BBQ - 5:00 - 7:00pm
- Tuesday - 9/1 - Opening Meeting
Eucharist (optional) 7:30-8
- Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00
- Opening Chapel - 9:00 - 10:00
- All Employee meeting - 10:00 - 12:00
- Wednesday, 9/2
- Lower School Meeting, 8:00 -12:00
- Teacher Planning, 1:00 - 4:00
- Thursday, 9/3
- Lower School Meeting, 8:00 -12:00
- Teacher Planning, 1:00 - 4:00
- Friday, 9/4 - Teacher Planning, All Day
Classroom Teachers’ Welcome Letters to Students and Families
Plan on sending your letters to families on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd.
Classroom Websites
Between now and when you update your website for 2015-16, please change the share setting to private so we do not confuse parents with last year’s information. Post your welcome letters on your web sites by Open Classroom Day. General updates to web sites should happen before Back-to-School Night.
Welcome New Faculty and Staff
And one more…
Nancy Gillias - Extended Care
We will do more thorough introductions at opening faculty meetings.
PROGRAM
Mindfulness Reflection
I would like to offer a few mindful moments during our faculty meetings - starting off each day and after a break each day. Let me know if you would like to offer one such moment either with a guided meditation or simply a breathing practice.
LS Opening Meetings Agenda
Lower School Library
Wednesday, 9/2
8:00 Welcome
Mindful Moment
8:15 Reflection on AS Meeting
8:45 Introductions of New Employees
10:00 Mindful Moment
I am excited about …
10:15 My Goals
10:45 Our Students I
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Our Students II
Thursday. 9/3
8:00 Mindful Moment
Overview
8:10 Ethic of Excellence Reflection
9:10 Mindful Moment
LS Initiatives
10:10 Resourcing Initiatives
11:10 Transitions During Year of Creativity and Flexibility
11:50 Guests and Announcements
12:15 Lunch
Faculty Meeting at 11:10 on Open Classroom Day, 9/8
Meet in the LS Art Room. We will do a modified recess rodeo and walking tour of drop-off, pick-up and recess/ lunch transitions.
Construction Opportunities
Kristen Fallin, the project supervisor for SKANSKA, is very willing to engage with faculty and students about the construction project. She can be reached at:
(971) 244-2554
Playground Design with Natural Materials
We have the opportunity to engage in the design of the natural play spaces on the playscape surrounding the new building. Start thinking how your students and you might want to be involved.
Summer Reading - An Ethic of Excellence
We will discuss at our faculty meeting on Thursday.
UBD’s Due
Department Chairs and Team Leaders are spending the day reviewing the designs and making the plan for this year’s scope and sequence work.
2015-16 Calendar
The draft of the 2015-16 calendar that we started at the end of the year was in the Lower School Library. If your team borrowed it, please return it to one of the two easels in the library. Chris and Lyn will begin entering the calendar into the Faculty Events Calendar this week.
Schedules
Any changes to schedules need to be sent to Lyn and me so we have an accurate record in the office.
Duty Schedule
To accommodate the new drop-off and pick-up plan, and to cover a more dispersed recess areas, we had to add a number of new duties. We are going to need everyones help to make this transitional year work well for our students. As the year goes on we will likely need to revise the duty schedule. Let Chris know if you have any brilliant ideas on how this could work. We are open to your suggestions!
Summer Stipends
I hope you enjoyed your time together over the summer, getting acquainted with new team members and developing program.
- AFTER the summer stipend work
- Summer stipend payment is contingent on the completion of these two forms (forms can be found in the LS Important Docs in the Summer Stipend Forms folder):
Old LS Building - repurposed
Send ideas to Jon von Behren.
Honoring our Rivers - Writing and art opportunity
We would like to extend an invitation to OES students to submit writing and art for publication in the 2016 anthology. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2016 with a publication date in April. For more information as well as entry forms and guidelines, please visit our website, www.honoringourrivers.org. You can also contact me with questions, to obtain a copy of the anthology, or to access our free resources for teachers.
Interpretive history classes either in your classroom or at the museum.
OPERATIONS
Important Docs to Start the School Year
Look for documents on recess agreements later this week.
Timeliness for Dismissal - 2:55
To make pick-up work efficiently during construction, classes will need to be on the curb on time.
Technology Update
The Tech Department is working on getting all equipment up and running this week. If you encounter any issues - oeshelp@oes.edu
Set Up New Common Areas
In this busy time of getting your classroom set up, please find time to meet with your colleagues to design your new common areas. Contact Rod to set up a time if you want help moving furniture.
Access to Room 10
During these early weeks of demolition and construction there will be no access to Room 10. If you absolutely need access, contact Rod, and he will unlock the construction barrier. Be sure to contact him in advance for an appointment. He is a busy man!
Color Printer Copier
The new color copier/ printer is ready. It will be faster, more reliable and provide additional functionality once we learn how to use it. See Brad Kuhn’s email for additional details.
LOWER SCHOOL LOGISTICS
MAIN OFFICE ENTRY
All LS Students coming to the LS Office must enter through the main front office. Students may not enter the office through the back door by the LS Lounge.
SAFETY
- All parents and visitors must check in to the Lower School Office
- Assistant Teachers will need to accompany the Beginning School Students when going to the office, rather than their buddies, since they have to cross 2 drive ways
- Older students must come with two buddies when coming to the office at all times
- Students who have an off campus appointment or are leaving on a trip in the middle of the day will need to be picked up by their parents from their calssroom. Do not send students to the office.
ATTENDANCE
- Attendance must be completed by 8:00 am for 1st to 5th grades
- Attendance must be completed by 8:10 am for Pre-K – Primary (Gentle Start)
- Follow Miriam’s guide or flow chart regarding the accurate attendance and afterschool changes entry – a copy is in your mailbox
- Remember Miriam is the only one who can make changes to the after school plan and attendance during the day! If parents emailed you directly of any changes, ALWAYS advise them to email lsattend@oes.edu
LATE COMERS
All late arriving students must check in with us in the office and be escorted by parents to the classroom.
OFFICE CONTACTS
Students needing immediate assistance from Chris, Jennie, or Melanie – contact LYN first: ext. 178 or 503-768-3178 then Miriam: ext. 143 or 503-768-3143 – we want Miriam’s line open for outside calls.
LOST TOOTH CLUB – since our office is located a bit farther away especially for the young ones and due to lack of space in our office, for this year, minor changes are in effect:
The Lost Tooth Club bulletin board is now located outside Chris O’Toole’s Office
Each Assistant Teacher is provided with Lost Tooth containers, stickers and first aid bag
Teachers advise students who lost a tooth to check in with their Assistant Teacher during recess times only
The Assistant Teacher provides the tooth container and sticker, write the Student’s name on the bulletin board
Unless someone comes forward, Coach Stephanie Rankin is the only one who is brave enough to pull a tooth! Students may consult with Stephanie during recess times only
ADDITIONAL FIRST AID STATION
The location for an additional first aid station is located by the hallway leading to the LS Library (sharing the Chaplain’s open office).
USED UNIFORM LOCATION
The temporary location for the Used Uniform is in Morris House, the room adjacent to the Gallery Store
LOST & FOUND
A bin with a lid marked with “Lost & Found” is placed in these locations:
- 4th and 5th Grade – outside by entry doors on back side of Scott House
- 1st/2nd/3rd – end of hallway
- Beginning School – the hallway in between BS Commons and Additional First Aid Station
STORAGE
There is very limited storage space in the LS Office and in the LS Lounge. Please be mindful of leaving items for grabs, rather send an email if you have ‘give away’ items.
MAILBOX
- The location of your individual mailbox is in the LS Lounge
- Outgoing mailbox is underneath Miriam’s mailbox
- Packages for mailing – take them directly to Arleene
- Incoming packages will be in the US Mail Room and then distributed to classrooms at the end of each day.
LS LOUNGE/KITCHEN
We have a small kitchen. We request that you clean up after yourselves.
BON APPETIT UTENSILS
Take them back to the Dining Hall and don’t leave them in the LS Lounge
THURSDAY MORNING TREATS – the tradition continues
CHOCOLATES - are provided in jar is on top of the steel file cabinet next to Lyn’s desk
LS Conference Room - we will have a 6 seat conference room in the Lower School Office. Check with Lyn about availability.
The Weekly Memo and Wednesday Express are our main communication vehicles for Lower School. If you can’t access either form of communications, please contact our LS Educational Tech Specialists: Debra or Jeffrey.
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.
