LS Weekly Memo
Weekly Memo Week 10, October 19-23 , 2015
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Thank you for your participation in the Open House, whether you talked with dozens of prospective families or just a few, I think it is important to open up the Lower School to all. We continue our exploration of the world around us this week with 4 field trips heading out. Specialists take note. The week ends with the our annual pumpkin display and for any who are up for it, Spooktacular on Saturday.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
- Foundation walls and shear walls are going up. You may have to shift your viewing point as the walls appear. You can get a good sense of the building dimensions now that the footings have been poured.
- Once the wall closest to the parking lot is set, Skanska will begin a massive infilling project to get the earth almost level with the parking lot. Should be some fine big machine watching.
- Stuff Matters - Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik, has a great chapter on concrete if your are curious about its history and science.
Playground Design with Natural Materials
Greening the Campus - Strategic Energy Management (SEM) plan
COMMUNITY
Wanted: Classroom Agreements for Chapel Blessings
Dear Primary-Fifth Grade Teachers,
Jennie would like to have a special presentation and blessing of classroom agreements on Friday, Oct. 23. Could you please give her a copy by Tuesday, Oct. 20? Also, please choose representative(s) from your class to read four of the agreements aloud.
You can let your students know that we will have Oct. blessings during Friday's chapel, too. :)
Birthday Celebrations
On Wednesday, October 21st – we will celebrate August, September and October birthdays with a chocolate cake, coffee and tea in the LS Lounge. F/S can pick up their treats anytime of the day.
AUGUST
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Busick, Natasha
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8/8
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Synan-Russell, Margaret
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8/26
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Baker, Erin
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8/26
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Mulley, Julie
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8/28
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SEPTEMBER
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Rheingans, Amy
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9/1
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Elliott, Elaine
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9/6
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Sprague, Jeffrey
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9/13
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King, Dori
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9/13
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Hunger, Paula
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9/15
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Johnson Mounsey, Kiah
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9/15
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Lowell, David
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9/20
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Endicott, Lauren
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9/20
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Cesere, Gwynne
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9/29
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Sathyaraj, Asha
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9/30
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OCTOBER
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Wolfram, Jessica
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10/9
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Davison, Cherie
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10/12
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Stenstrom, Kati
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10/30
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Open House, Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 - 8:00pm
More people came than last year. Many great prospective families. Let Sarah know if you had any particularly notable interactions with parents, either positive or negative.
DEAR Assembly, Friday, 10/14, 8:10
Thank you Kristen for organizing it. It is such a nice way to start the day, I think we should do it more often.
Field Trips II
Each year I budget $1500 per grade for field trips, thinking that is roughly 3 trips per grade. I have had a great flurry of field trip requests recently. Though it is too late to expand the budget this year, it is great time to build a budget for next year. Spend wisely this year and start thinking about next year.
Sack Lunches
When you order sack lunches for your class field trips, please go to your alert list and make sure to order gluten free sack lunches or other specialized lunches for students with allergies. Apparently, one student who is gluten free didn’t get a sack lunch during one of the field trips.
Testing in US on 10/14
Paula Sutton and the US were tremendously appreciative of the quiet entering and exiting of you classes. Thank you.
Drop-off
If you have repeat offenders, please send them into the office. By now they know what to do.
Lewis and Clark Student Teachers Visit, 10/22
About 20 Lewis and Clark student teachers will be visiting Lower School on Thursday, October 22. They will be start off with an orientation in the Platt Classroom, 8:15 - 8:45, visit classes from 8:45 - 10:15 and then debriefing their experience. The students will travel in groups of 2 or 3. Ari and Eriin are coming. Let me know if any of you L & C grads want to participate in the welcome.
Storyteller Judith Black comes to campus!
Thank you Jennie Kiffmeyer for making this happen.
Judith Black Resources
CDs and DVD by Storyteller Judith Black
Judith Black donated two CDs and a DVD to our library!
We have:
- her collection of Jewish Folktales, Waiting for Elijah,
- the original story, Hell For a Picnic (set in 1812, Charlestown, MA, the 45 min. piece is about a boy's quest to find his father),
- and for those interested in how she works with primary documents to create a performance piece, check out her DVD of War: Collierville, TN 1863 from the POV of a woman in the south, commissioned by Morton Museum of Collierville History.
- see Lara or Heidi if you'd like to borrow them.
- interested in taking her summer workshop or would like to explore taking a storytelling workshop closer to home, please see Jennie Kiffmeyer.
Chapel
As we settle into our school routines, please work on timeliness to Chapel.
Monday - 11:50 - 12:20 - we want to start as close to 11:50 as possible. I know it is challenging as it comes right after recess/lunch
Friday - 8:10 - 8:40
Chapel Seating - Look for your sign.
PE Offering in the Gym
The PE Team would like to start offering options in the gym during Lunch Recess. To do so for 4th and 5th grade we will need an additional duty teacher for Lunch Recess from 10:50 - 11:20 on M, W, F. Email David if you can cover one of these.
Thanks to all who offered to take on an Extra Duty doc. With the exception of the 4th/5th lunch I think we are covered.
2015-16 Chaperone Needs
I know there are more. Please enter your Chaperone needs in 2015-16 Chaperone Needs by Wednesday so I can make a plan.
OES Fund Request
Thank you Beth for taking this on for the LS Faculty. See her email for more details.
The link for the payroll deduction google from is here: 2015-16 Faculty/Staff Payroll Deduction - OES Fund.
Students of Concern
- HB - K- CB
- H returned last week. He attended school half days to catch up with much-needed rest. Let Carole and Chris know if he is having difficulties. We want to be consistent in our support.
- OB-K-CB
-Mourning the loss of her father, hasn’t wanted to be at school, has strayed
away from the class, needs to be shadowed
-Giving her lots of love and support
-Specialists check in with Carole on how she is doing, we are taking this day by
day
- LL- 1 KMcA
-Specialists, refer to the notes Kirstin sent out
- Call the office if he gets stuck and disrupts the class or needs support on the
playground
- SG - 2 JB
- Will not be in school on Monday because of an event that occurred on Friday
–Working on first time listening, being respectful to adults and students, doing
his best, being a flexible thinker
-Let Jackie or Chris know if he is having difficulty in your class
-If he gets stuck and disrupts the class, let Chris know- call the office
- GH - 4 RT having a very difficult time recently
- Transitions are difficult. G should be next to teacher during transition
- Needs explicit directions about how to manage his body in class
- Benefits from 5’ perimeter from friends when having trouble focusing
- If his behavior is a safety issue he needs to come to the LS Office for time to settle and regain self-control
- SW- 4AS
- Had in-school suspension on Friday for physical aggression at lunch recess
involving SF, a classmate in Asha’s class
- Please keep a special eye on SW at recess and during transitions to special
classes
- Let Chris and Asha know if he has physical reactions with other children
- 5th grade girls - Ava, Elsa, Maggie and Sophia in Alysa’s class
These Fifth Grade girls reconciled last week. Please continue to keep a special eye on
them, and let Alysa, Melanie or Chris know if friendship issues become problematic.
Upper School Helpers
Every Wednesday, 10:20-10:50 (note that this is only half an hour & adjust your expectations accordingly!)
Every Thursday, 10:50-11:50
Send Robin Schauffler the location, the job description, and the number of students needed
Student Support Team
Know we have begun are weekly meetings and have time slots available for teachers. Reach out if you want to consult about a student.
Attendance - We are back to digital attendance. LS at 8:00. BS at 8:10
Please do not enter any after school changes in PCR. If a parent let’s you know about an after school change of plans, please refer them to lsattend@oes.edu. ces.
LS Library Open for 1st-5th from 7:30 - 7:50 each day
Local Beekeeper - Michael Standley, US Ceramics Teacher,
Yellowjackets - be aware and careful when adventuring
Rain Coats - remind your students to bring them
Community Communications Protocol - see David before sending out community wide email
Fall Parent Partnership Coffees - Coffees conclude this week.
Timeliness - it is a year long theme.
LS Office Conference Room - voices carry
Whistle Signals - 1 for recess. 3 for emergencies
LS Office as Communication Hub
PROGRAM
Here is the updated LS Conference Report Form. Please use this for your conference notes for fall and spring. Some grades have asked for variations. Similar to the UBD work, I prefer a common look to all “above the line”, above conference notes. You are welcome to add additional content after that.
10/19 3:30 All School Benefits Meeting - optional
Assistant Teachers, you may want to attend this meeting.
10/22 FLG or UbD Revisions- See note from Team Leaders about common style and formatting
Classroom Space Needed
Fairy Tale Theater, taught by Laura Dunn, 3:00-4:00.
Tuesday, and a space with a carpet for about 8 K-2nd graders
Book Fair Wish List - Did you submit yours?
5 -15 books for your wish list by 10/9. Add your favorite book of all time if you are so inspired. Send to Margueritte Kim or Betty Inscore.
Lamb Endowment - see Erin
Book Recommendations for the Library - see Lara’s signature
2015-16 Faculty Events Calendar - enter dates
Schedules - changes to Lyn
OPERATIONS
MEMORANDUM TO OES EMPLOYEES TRAVELING ON SCHOOL BUSINESS - See Tammy’s email
IMPORTANT: After School Plans
Kati Stenstrom, our new After School Classes and Summer Camp Director, Sherie Davison, her Assistant, Kathy Finn Brennan and I met last week to review the situation that occurred the week before when a Second Grader’s absence from an after school class went seemingly unnoticed. We have a plan which we think will prevent this mishap from happening in the future, but we need your help.
Please be sure to send your students to the gym for After School Classes on time. That means send them out your door around 2:50 so they can arrive for After School Class attendance check at 2:55. When students trickle in, arriving at 3:00 it makes accurate attendance check difficult and delays the start of classes.
Hiring Substitute Teachers
I’ve begun interviews with ten substitute teacher candidates. This is a lengthy process that involves interviews and follow up reference checks. If you see me in my office a lot in the coming week you can assume I am calling references.
Calendar Updates
Lyn and I try to check calendars on Friday. We’ve noticed that many of you have not been getting your dates posted.
Please be sure to enter your big events- plays, field trips, learning celebrations (Yes, spring learning celebrations, too!) posted on the faculty event calendar and Anne’s All School calendar. Remember, if an event impacts parents and families, you must get that on the Anne’s calendar.
Sarah Ross-Bailey really needs that information posted so she can plan admissions events- especially the upcoming student visits. David and the Division Heads are trying to select a day for Board of Trustees to visit.
Additional Background Checks for Specialists Teachers and All Who Supervise Pre-K
In a recent visit from the state inspectors, we learned that everyone who teaches or supervises Pre-K children will need to undergo an additional background check. Complete background check form and return to Lyn by this Wednesday.
Used Spanish Materials
Judy Pinkerton, former LS Spanish Teacher, is travelling to Spain and will visit some schools. The teachers of the school she is visiting are asking for used learning materials. Judy is wondering if you are able to donate some of these items:
· English flash cards
· Flip charts with English words
Phone: 503-245-3593
Email: pinks55@msn.com
Noise Level Entering and Exiting the Dining Hall
Sand Box Toys - Take good care of them
OES Car Stickers - coming from Robbi in 2 weeks
Bring Cell Phones to Recess Duty - Miriam’s direct line on speed dial 503.768.3143
Emergency Drills - You will not be notified when. Talk students through basics.
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.
