LS Weekly Memo
Week 17: December 1-5, 2014
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Thanks for all your extra efforts getting ready for and managing Grandparents and Special Friends Day. This was our largest ever. Enjoy the Thanksgiving Break and get ready for the three week sprint to Winter Break.
COMMUNITY
Tentatively Scheduled for Monday, Dec. 1st at 9:35.
Lock Down Plan – for next week’s lockout drill
- Review Emergency Procedure flipchart
- Emergency signal – will be broadcast over speakers
- If outside - choose quickest route into safe building
- For this drill when 1st and 2nd are at recess - 1st and 2nd to LSCH
- Email, text or phone into LS Office with attendance
- If calling, use cellphone as Jenny and Lyn wil be away from their desks
- 503.970.2923 - Jenny
- 503.750.6687 - Lyn
Upcoming Chapels
Monday, Dec. 8th - Giving Chapel!
Wed., Dec. 17th - Beginning School Season of Light Chapel
Student Who Needs Extra Support
BK in Jackie Blake’s Class- B., a super smart and sweet new member of our community, is highly competitive, and sometimes a very rigid thinker. When he gets upset, he has a hard time talking to adults. If he does get overwhelmed by a situation at recess, class, or a specialist class and needs a break, he will give a “thumb down” signal. If that occurs, get him to one of the safe places. If you can’t get him to the safe place, call the office and Lyn get help.
Safe places for a break:
•Jackie’s library
•Chris’ office
•Melanie’s office
•Ari’s office
•Lower School office
If you see him get emotional and he hasn’t chosen to take a break, you may tell him, in a calm manner, that he needs to take a break in one of his chosen locations. He has bolted away in the past. If that occurs, notify the office immediately.
PROGRAM
Building Update - Design Meetings
We will be having the the following design meetings with THA for the details of spaces. See Team Leaders or David if you have questions or ideas.
December 15 - Classrooms
December 16 - SST, Science, Tech, Affinity Commons, Dining Hall
Positive Discipline Workshop, Held Here on Campus!
Friday March 6th and Saturday, March 7th
Steven Foster and Julia Tomes, certified Positive Discipline trainers, will lead a two-day workshop on Positive Discipline here on campus. Positive Discipline, by Jane Nelsen, offers great insights and tools for parents and educators.
Nan Hanson, mother of Max and Ada O’Hare, director of Mentor Graphics Child Development Center, raves about the power of Positive Discipline (PD) and the work of Steven and his PD colleagues. To learn more about their work, check out their website.
David and I hope that SST members and a cadre of Beginning and Lower School teachers take this workshop. Together we can begin to build a common language and strategies that will lead to positive discipline at OES. Interested? Sign up here!
Tutoring Reminder
If you wish to recommend a student for tutoring because they are not making benchmarks and their academic growth is not progressing as a result of the differentiated instruction you are providing:
- Check-in with Ari
- We generally avoid recommending Tutors to parents before a comprehensive review of testing and instructional support
- Ari will provide the contact information directly to the parents or to the parents through the teacher
- If an existing Tutor comes to you and would like to make schedule changes, he/she must contact Ari before any changes are made (please direct them to Ari)
Faculty Meetings
- All Employee Meeting - Monday, 12/1, 3:15 - IDI
- Department/ Team Meeting - Thursday, 12/4
- LSD (Lower School Diversity) Optional Meeting - Monday, 12/8 @ 3:15
- LS Faculty Mtg - Thursday, 12/11 @ 7:40 in LS Library
Inquiry Design Team Meeting
- Inquiry Design Team Meeting: Wednesday, December 10th at 3:15-4:15
- Reflect on the first round of coaching with Louise
- Reflect on Last Common Experience Around “Beautiful Questions
- Consider next steps: Common Experience Around “Grand Conversations”
Team Leaders
- Transition plan 2015-16
We’ve lined up Louise to do 8 hour-long coaching sessions. Click on the link above to find your assigned times and the sub assigned to cover your class.
UbD/Curriculum Design Documents or Other Artifacts to Louise Cadwell by December 1st
Please remember to send your documents electronically by December 1st. Louise said that she received UbD docs from two teams and that it has been really helpful information that will inform your work together.
We have a shared folder where you can place your completed UBD’s for others to peruse. I hope those of you who are further along in the process will be able to help the rest with your examples.
I have launched the PGD opportunities for 2014-15. Express your interest. Indicate your preference. Add additional possibilities.
Surveys
During the first week of December we will request that everyone complete two confidential surveys:
1. The Intercultural Development Inventory
2. The NAIS Faculty and Staff Satisfaction Survey
On Monday of next week you will receive further information and context on the IDI. Upon return from Thanksgiving break you will receive the invitation to complete the workplace satisfaction survey.
OPERATIONS
When to Send Children to the Office, When to Get Elaine Elliott Involved
•If you have a child who is complaining of an injury throughout the day, err on the side of caution and have Jenny, Lyn or Elaine involved.
•If a student hits his/her head, definitely send the child down to the office to be checked.
•If a child had an injury during the day, pass that information along to after school care, either Kathy F-B or Joan.
Lower School Fire Drill Monday, November 24th at 2:10
Excellent job. Quiet, orderly
Future drills we will not be notified and may be single or many buildings. Evacuate if alarm occurs in your building.
Bathrooms at Lunch Recess
The Gym bathrooms will be open during Lunch Recess. Students should tell a duty teacher before they go. Student should take a buddy (1) along who waits in the hall.
IMPORTANT: Remind your students:
•Bathrooms are for one person only.
•Bathroom buddy waits in the hall or by the entrance to the gym.
•Students should use the bathroom in a respectful manner and clean up after themselves
Bathroom Use - Bodily Fluids
- I have received reports of two issues in the Gym bathrooms
- Blood has been found on the sink or floor. Check to be sure LS students have cleaned up after a bloody tooth or nose. If concerns, contact LS Office
- Boys have been urinating on the seat of the toilets. Remind them to lift the seat.
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.
