Weekly Memo
Week 38, May 15-19, 2017
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What a week. We have much to be thankful for and proud of after such a week. I know you could not do it all, but hope you managed to watch, participate and contribute to many of the activities on campus last week:
Mount Hood Climb Service Day
Kindergarten Learning Celebrations
Lego Physics Show
Parent Coffees
Beyond Measure screening
Field trips
Chaperone meetings
Class Placement meetings
Candidate visits
Music concerts
Equity Informed Dialogue training
This week is less event filled, with the exception of the 5th graders and several chaperones, Chris Thompson and David included, who are heading up to Camp Orkila for the week.
As a collaborative professional community Lower Faculty Employees will strive to:
- Do what is best for the students
- Assume we are all doing our best at the moment and our intentions are positive
- Be present, participate, contribute, include many voices
- Create a safe space that encourages sharing different opinions, ideas, perspectives
- Seek understanding, be curious about what others think
- Express gratitude, joy and encouragement
- Communicate with compassion, clarity and effectiveness
- Demonstrate respect
COMMUNITY
Chris Thompson and David Away This Week
Kirstin and Ari are in charge
Chris and I are joining the 5th graders at Camp Orkila this week. I will be back for Friday. Melanie will help support students in Chris’ absence. Lyn will be able to contact Chris and me at camp as needed.
Duty Plea
A team of teachers is helping support 5th grade students away at camp all next week. There are several duties that have not been claimed. We also have the 3rd grade trip coming up the week after. Please review the 5th grade googledoc and 3rd grade googledoc for duties that need coverage and take one for a colleague. We appreciate the support.
Moving Into Coffees (MIC)
While we reserve 8:00 - 9:30 for coffees, the agenda is only planned for an hour.
For 2-5 grade classrooms, we rely on support and specialist teachers to help cover classrooms. You can trade your class time for earlier or experience a morning homeroom schedule. Please help support at least one classroom coffee. Thank you!
See schedule below:
DATES
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GRADE
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TIME
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Specialists
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Monday, May 22
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8:00 – 9:00
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Science, Academic Support, Library, Art, Science
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Monday, May 15
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Moving into 2nd
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8:00 – 9:00
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Music, Tech, Library
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Wednesday, May 31
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Moving into 3rd
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8:00 – 9:00
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Outdoor Ed, PE, Theater
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Nocturnal Animal Stories Monday
Deborah has invited classes to share in her class' storytelling around nocturnal animals:
We welcome our OES friends to our Nocturnal Animal Forest on Monday, May 15! Please see the times below for visits and story sharings. The stories are interactive, so visitors will be asked to read stories as we present them with our Story Workshop “languages” of dramatic play, tempera and watercolor paint, shadow puppetry, sewing and clay. We have 6 story stops and can spread visitors throughout the classroom to hear a few stories during their time.
Use this document to sign up for a Monday story experience!
Mount Hood Climb Service Day
Deborah has invited classes to share in her class' storytelling around nocturnal animals:
We welcome our OES friends to our Nocturnal Animal Forest on Monday, May 15! Please see the times below for visits and story sharings. The stories are interactive, so visitors will be asked to read stories as we present them with our Story Workshop “languages” of dramatic play, tempera and watercolor paint, shadow puppetry, sewing and clay. We have 6 story stops and can spread visitors throughout the classroom to hear a few stories during their time.
Use this document to sign up for a Monday story experience!
Mount Hood Climb Service Day
Kristen Haferbecker, April Gilster and all who made the day one of the best MHCSD’s ever, thank you. Power for good realized.
Mount Hood Climb Service Day Thank You and Follow Up
Thank you all for leading your students so beautifully through our day of service on Wednesday. Whether you were on or off campus, leading a class project, guiding reflection or community sessions, or stepping in to provide needed support, your efforts were appreciated!
Don't forget to add your photos to Heather's slideshow for the reflection chapel on Tuesday.
Also, if you have any logistics comments/questions/
Care of Building
Please take good care of our new building. Ben Starbuck and the custodial crew have had to put in extra time cleaning up rooms after some projects ended up with paint on the floor and cabinetry.
Dining Hall Alternative Route for AP Testing
We need to re-route Lower School students for AP Exams on one more date this year:
Thursday, May 18
Please have your students walk behind the Middle School and enter at the back of the Upper School near the Dining Hall entrance off of rooms 70-73. Students should exit the Dining Hall by the doors closest to the food lines. We don’t want students walking past or near Platt or walking by the sidewalk near the US Library.
Architect Tour
Friday, May 19th a group of architects will be touring the building from 8:30 - 9:30.
Promotion, 6/16, 9:00 - 10:15
Promotion timing will be altered this year to accommodate all divisions ending on Friday, June 16. Lower School promotion will be from 9:00 - 10:15 and dismissal at 11:00.
Student Support
- First Grade - We appreciate your help at First Grade recesses keeping an eye out for Andy B, Juliette B., Aaron S., Alex J. and friends. They may need support navigating social issues and particularly in using kind and inclusive language together.
- Neal Family - Alexa, 2nd, and Mark, PreK. The family is going through a difficult transition. If either child needs support, let Melanie know.
PROGRAM
Summer Stipends
The Division Heads and Chairs meet Wednesday to work divvying up funds for Summer Stipends.
Please have your proposals submitted by 3 pm Wed May 17th.
Faculty Meetings: Faculty Meeting Schedule, Faculty Meeting Agenda
- Monday, 5/15, 3:15, Platt Global Classroom - AS discussion of Beyond Measure
- Thursday, 5/18, 7:35, LS Library - Look for agenda from Kirstin
Whole Brain Child, Half Day Workshop with Tina Bryson--highly recommended by the team who saw her at an NWAIS event this fall!
June 26, 9:00 - 12:00, June 26
If interested, complete a PGD form
The Science of Learning–What Every Teacher Should Know
Teachers College, Columbia University and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) are relaunching The Science of Learning–What Every Teacher Should Know MOOC (massive open online course) as a self-paced course on the edX platform. Created by Professor Pearl Rock Kane and Dr. Kevin Mattingly, both faculty at Teachers College, the course explores, through current research, how we learn — the way our brain makes, stores, and retrieves memories.
The course is free and open to all. Enroll today! bit.ly/2q8H8Bs#edsci1x
Office White Board
Please make sure you write your class location when leaving the building. This is for field trips, walks to wetlands/woods, visiting other divisions, etc. Thank you.
Teacher Searches
LS Chaplain - Phillip Craig has accepted our invitation to join the LS Faculty as Chaplain.
PreK Teacher - Offer out
5th Grade Teacher - Offer out
LEGO Show Friday, May 12th
Jane, what a great use of space to showcase the students work.
6th Grade Plays
6th graders who have some stories they would love to share with LS Students. These stories are generally for the younger members of our community but all classes are welcome.
We have two dates:
Monday 6/5 8:25 - 8:55
Tuesday 6/6 9:10 - 9:40
OPERATIONS
Fidget Tools and Toys - See Ari’s Email
Ari has sent out "What is a Fidget" and "Fidget Rules". They are useful for discussion with your students and families.
He is happy to come into your class and talk with students about fidgets.
Fidget Spinners are toys. They are amazing, fun - but toys.
A fidget is a small object that keeps your hands busy, so you can pay attention to the teacher.
A paper clip is a fidget.
Schedule to place your last order for 2016/17 classroom materials
All orders must be completed by the end of May. Find the balance of your classroom budget by going into your google drive in the “Shared with me” folder and type “classroom account”. Lyn shared the individual classroom budget in google sheets. Remember to turn in your receipts for reimbursement and Lyn will update your balance. Questions regarding your classroom budget, please email Lyn.
This is the schedule to place an order by grade or department. Place your material order on the spread sheet Kathy has created for us:
· Monday, May 22 – PreK and Kindergarten
· Tuesday, May 23 – Primary and First Grade
· Thursday, May 25 – 2nd and 4th grades
· Friday, May 26 – 3rd and 5th grades
· Monday, May 30 – Specialists - please consult your department chair about your budget before placing an order
NOTE – order for School Supplies for next year is done separately in mid-June before you leave for vacation or can be done during your curriculum stipend days!
Kindergarten and Primary Recesses (ACP)
We’re considering adding a large bucket to hold water for the children to use to fill their smaller buckets on warm days, but in the meantime the K-P teachers would like to ask that the faucet near the gym be used only by adults at Kindergarten-Primary recesses (adults can fill a bucket for a child to use in the sandbox or turn the faucet on on to wash very muddy or sandy hands--the children are finding that flow hard to manage). Thanks for your support!
SAFETY ISSUE: Shelves 4’ and Above Need to be Secured to Wall
Recent safety audit let us know any shelves 4’ or higher need to be secured to a wall. Please submit work orders by May 12 for any shelves needing to be secured.
Purchases - Order by May 31
We are asking that all purchases on this year’s budget by completed by the end of 5/31. Next year’s budget begins July 1st.
Jewelry at School
Please remind your students that necklaces and earrings other than studs are not allowed at school. This is for safety reasons.
Uniform Policy:
For safety reasons, only watches and studs for pierced ears. Please refrain from sending the Lower School students to school with necklaces, drop earrings, bracelets, multiple scrunchies worn as bracelets, rings, etc.
Major Lower School Rules
The following infractions are considered serious and could result in a range of consequences including dismissal from the school. Unless otherwise stated, these rules apply to conduct at all school-related events both on and off campus.
Verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying, or inappropriate physical touch.
Lying, deceit, or other dishonest conduct
Destruction of property belonging to the School, its personnel, or another student
Stealing
Inappropriate language
Possession or use of weapons or any object that is used in a threatening manner
Reminders: (New section for still-relevant information that was posted last week)
SST meetings are available on Thursdays from 3:15-4:00 for anyone who would like a whole team approach to supporting a student or students. Please contact your Assistant Head to request a Thursday afternoon SST. Also let us know who you’d like to request to attend.
Playground Safety
If cement is under the bars/wall/etc., you know these were not meant to be played on and is not part of our play area. The bike rack area is off limits for playing. It is hard to supervise and is a storage area for bikes.
Slide Tag Guidelines
4th graders have started a game around the slide. No jumping off the top of the slide or stairs. No climbing onto the platform from the side of the slide. You cannot go down the slide if someone is standing at the bottom.
Mini Aardvark Tag Guidelines
A collection of 3rd graders having been playing tag around Mini Aardvark. SImilar guidelines to Slide Tag; no jumping from the upper deck to the ground. No climbing the outside of Mini Aardvark.
Yoga Offerings
Please contact Kathleen if you are interested; hickska@oes.edu
Adding to the Faculty Calendar
We’ve had some accidental deletions from the Faculty Calendar lately, so access has been modified to allow teachers to view the calendar but not make changes. If you need an event added or modified, please email Lyn with your changes. Thank you!
Recess Duty
Be on time, walk around, cover all zones of the playground
Performance Commons - check to be sure it is available
Field Trips on or off Campus
Inform the LS Office when you take your class on a trip out of the building. We need to know where your class is at all times during the school day. Take with you what you need; cellphone, 1st aid, emergency forms and more as needed.
Calendar Updates
Update grade level events on the faculty calendar and the Finalsite Calendar. The spring is a very busy time. We want to be sure all know what is happening when with sufficient time to work through conflicts and plan on attending
Early Morning Supervision
A helpful tool is created in the OES website for employees to save time searching different sites when you need to access the basic forms like check request, catering, maintenance requests and other resources.
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Kirstin, Chris or David 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 maximize our time to collaborate during meetings.
