Weekly Memo
WM 14, November 13-17, 2017-18
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Thanks for your extra efforts during Open House. I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and are now feeling well adjusted to the time change. On we go to the final 7 days of school before Thanksgiving Break.
LS Faculty Norms
- 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
We continue our new Weekly Memo format with repeat items in blue and new items in black.
“Trust matters for learning. The more children trust their peers, the more likely they are to take the risks necessary for learning.” - Examining the Role of Trust in Shaping Children’s Approach to Peer Dialogue; James, Kobe, Zhao
“What schools must stop doing is teaching only the puzzle pieces and then never letting students put the puzzle together.” - The A in STEAM Completes the Puzzle; Riley.
COMMUNITY
Giving Chapel is coming up!
'Tis the season for Giving Chapel! Giving Chapel bags will be blessed in Chapel and at BS Strategy workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday. After that, class sets of Giving Chapel bags will be delivered to you. You may choose to have the kids decorate the bags in the classroom, or send them home plain. Either way is just fine, but please send bags home before Thanksgiving Break.
Please also visit our first ever Giving Chapel Service Fair, November 28-December 8. Our 5th Graders (and 2nd Graders!) have been hard at work using their hands to share their hearts by designing hands-on projects that kids can make (in the classroom or at home) that honor the values of some of our Giving Chapel agencies. If your class hears a presentation in chapel or gathering (watch for the red gift box!) that speaks to their hearts, consider visiting the Giving Chapel Service Fair to learn more and to pick up instructions for the kids-designed projects. Material costs for projects completed in the classroom will be covered by the Service Learning budget.
Thank you Clara Baker
Amy plans to return on Monday, 11/20 so this will be Clara’s last week as our long term substitute in music. Clara will remain available as a substitute.
Lower School Open House
Thank you for making the Open House such a success. Thank Susie, Sarah and the admissions team for all their good work preparing for the event.
Welcome Alma Pedrosa Gomes - LS Library Assistant
Alma begins on Monday with a couple of training days with Lara, Austina nd Michael. Please introduce yourself when you see her.
Guest Teachers
We have added a number of Guest Teachers and Assistant Teachers to our roster--take a look at the bios for these new members of our community!
Food Allergies
Just a reminder to check the posted menu signs each day in the lunchroom before serving food to children to avoid potential allergens. The Bon Appetit staff has been trying out some delicious new recipes, so new ingredients may appear from time to time.
DEAR (no gathering)
Next Friday 11/17 our ‘gathering’ will be an all LS DEAR with our buddies instead of a LS Gathering in the Dining Commons.
Gathering and Chapel - Please be seated and ready at 8:10
- Tuesday 11/14 Chapel--Kendall Duffy will be speaking about her Veterans project.
- Friday 11/17 No Gathering--Go straight into DEAR
- Monday, 11/20 - Thanksgiving Chapel (Changed to Monday to accommodate GPD)
Grandparents Day, Tuesday, November 21
- 8:00 - 8:30 - breakfast in gym
- 8:30 - 9:30 - LS Classroom Visits - All students in homeroom for this hour
- 9:30 - Grandparents Choice
- Recess, snack and then over to Gym
- State of Lower School in LS Library
- Specialist visit ( If your class has a special after 9:30 students should go to their special. Grandparetns can make their choice; Recess, Special or SOLS)
- 10:10 - 10:50 - Concert in Gym
All classes are asked to be in their classroom from 8:30 - 9:30 so grandparents can find their grandchildren with ease.
We encourage grandparents to follow the schedule of the day. We discourage grandparents from staying all day. Knowing that about 1/3 of the students have grandparents coming, we do want to have the day return to a normal schedule after the planned events.
Students Updates
A reminder that the SST site holds lots of valuable information which is helpful as we learn student’s history and as a way of communicating student action plans as we move forward. The SST site is linked and if you need login help, please contact Ari.
The Annual Fund Continues
- Thanks to all who have given thus far
- The Fund remains active all year
Upper School Helpers Every Wednesday and Thursday
- Send “help requests to Sandi Lillevik (lilleviks@oes.edu), copy Ashley (scatesa@go.oes.edu)
PROGRAM
Faculty Meetings
Monday, 11/13, 3:15 - 4:30: Professional Growth Block (PGB)
Thursday, 11/16, 7:35 - 8:35: Division Meeting - Purpose to Practice III
Monday, 11/20 - No meeting, GPD preparations
Thursday, 11/23 - Thanksgiving
ERB Testing Begins after Thanksgiving Break
- 4th grade, 11/28-12/1
- 5th grade, 12/4-12/8
- Please keep common spaces and transitions quiet so test takers can focus
Portland Art Museum PGD, Thursday, 11/9 at 5:15 – 7:30 p.m.
Evening for Educators: Animating Life: The Art, Science, and Wonder of LAIKA
Kudos to Margaret for sharing this event with us. The lecture was fascinating, the food terrific and the exhibit astounding. Look for future evenings for educators
Mindfulness - Thank you, Claire and homeroom teachers for supporting this important work
- Claire will teach during Counseling block for 10-15 minutes
- Teachers have kids on rug in a circle at the start to help with time efficiency
- Teachers stay during the practice time to build common vocabulary, incorporate the concepts into your themes, continue practice, listen to your student's experience and take a mindful break for yourself)
- Claire will send follow up resources and exercises to practice
SUMMER FUN AT OES!
Think about teaching in your most casual setting ever...deep-dives into exploration of your choice, very little time restraints, happy students interested in your subject matter, and sunny weather. THAT IS THE OES SUMMER PROGRAMS! "Disclaimer - usually". See Shannon HAcker’s email for more details.
Park Academy Visitors
Ari and I will be hosting visitors from Park Academy, a school designed to support students with language learning difficulties, Monday morning.
All School PAL Meeting - Inquiry and Design Thinking
The Peter Kraft, the EC3 Design Center staff and the division heads will host a morning and evening gathering for parent similar to the faculty experience in October.
IY Please Check Intermediate Years Odds and Ends 17-18
Professional Growth and Development
- Kirstin and Melanie attended a workshop on interpersonal neurobiology
- David and Peter attended a two day workshop on Design Thinking
Calendar Task Force
Please see CFT members before next Wednesday, 11/14 if you have calendar ideas you want us to consider - Claire, Tina, David
OPERATIONS
ADP Employee Portal
- Be sure to approve timesheet mid-month and at the end of the month in ADP
- Wednesday, November 15: Last day to sign up for OES benefits
Projector Installation in BY this week
If your classroom requested a projector be installed, look for that to happen this week.
Apple TV will be installed after Thanksgiving.
Wireless Passwords Changing
Look for an email from the tech department about a change in wireless passwords in the next week.
Uniform Compliance reminder
Time for a few uniform reminders - Lower School Uniform Policy
- Post copy in your classroom if you have questions
- Shoes appropriate for PE. No Uggs, blinking shoes or wheelies
- Jewelry - watches and stud earrings only. No necklaces, bracelets, hoop or dangling earlings
- Hair bands - white, navy, forest green, or Kirk plaid.
Stair Treads are on order
Installation will happen when a few good days come around after the treads arrive at the end of November.
Benefits Open Enrollment - November 1-15. You received notification. All benefits-eligible employees (part time and full time) need log into ADP and review their options online. This is the only way benefits enrollments is being managed for 2018 - includes changing, adding, dropping or waiving coverage!! YES - you will need to login even if you do not plan to change anything or choose to enroll in any of the plans - ie we will need to know that you are waiving coverage for 2018.
HR/ Payroll
- HR/Payroll is requiring all digital time cards in ADP be approved bi-weekly whether an employee has taken a time off from work or not. The modified timeline for bi-weekly approval is the 1st and 17th of each month. The purpose is to ensure accuracy of each employee’s time card report.
Safe Schools Video link
Last open faculty meeting times: 11/9 for all, 11/13 for some. Be sure to complete the videos and assessments.
You received a message from the SafeSchools system with all the information you need to access this year’s required trainings:
- Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter - Oregon Full Course - Approx. 30 minutes
- Sexual Misconduct Staff to Student - Approx. 30 minutes
- Sexual Harassment - Staff to Staff - Approx. 15
New this year: All courses are available in English and Spanish, you will be able to select your preferred language once logged into the system.
Smartfind Express Subfinder
- Every time you take some time off from work, you need to login & create an absence in the Smartfind Express
- Don’t contact the guest teachers and guest assistant teachers directly. Use Smartfinder
- Do contact your assistant teacher directly if you want ask her or him to lead the class
- Employees’ no pay days and absences in Smartfind are reported to HR bi-weekly
Bus Cost: $50/hr or $2.75/mi
Information Organization
Lice Policy - There have been some changes
Amazon orders - OES Amazon Business Account
Curriculum, Furniture and Students Services Supplies - Contact your division Assistant Head Trips around and off campus - be sure Ls Office knows where you are
Disease Prevention - health department predicting an early and heavy influenza outbreak
Field Trip Budgets - approximately $1500 per grade.
Food From Home - must have approval from the nurse
TIME SHEET -Fill out your timesheet digitally in ADP and approve it twice a month
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Kirstin, Chris or David by Thursday each week August-June 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.
