http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=10331
Greetings Bolts,
It’s a short week, but it’ll be a long one for teachers with conferences.
Twelve items of note for this week:
• Want Any Supplies Distributed Nov. 5th? – I didn’t hear from any grade levels last week that you wanted any Math packets or student supplies distributed, but let me know by Friday if you want packets or other student supplies given out to students so we have time to notify families and to arrange for staff to help distribute.
• Synergy Call Log for Attendance – If you have a student who you have attendance concerns, the district is asking that we track our contacts (calls, emails, texts, etc.) in Synergy using the “Log Student Contact” section. For the most part, Darla, Kim, and myself are the team following up on students with attendance issues, so let us know if you have any students you’re concerned about, but if you are reaching out to parents or guardians with attendance concerns, be sure to log it in Synergy. See the linked Log Student Contact Directions on how to record this.
• Conferences Updates – Four items:
• REPEAT: Focus of Conferences – Instead of focusing on grades, assessments, and class work, conferences this year should focus on how students (and adults) are adjusting to the distance learning format and giving time for a conversation about how kids are doing and troubleshooting any issues.
• REPEAT: Share Finale Schedule w/Office & Interventionists – Please share your final conference schedule with SPED and ELD teachers, as well as front office staff.
• Staff Meals Wednesday & Thursday – I haven’t heard back from PAHS about dinner on Wednesday, but I’ll make sure we have something for people working at school to eat on Wednesday 12:00-1:00 and Thursday 12:00-1:00 & 5:00-6:00.
• What if a family never signed-up for a conference? – Let’s follow the same rule we have for setting up IEP meetings, which is to make three documented attempts to connect with the family, which can be phone, email, text, Seesaw message, or another form of communication.
• Home Visit Protocol – If any staff do a home visit, they must be pre-approved me and following these new required steps:
1. Review the linked 2020-2021 Safety Protocols and Procedures for Home Visits Document.
2. Sign the 2020-2021 Home Visits: Safety Protocols and Procedures Sign Off Document.
3. Complete and submit to me the Staff Volunteer Private Auto Insurance Information Sheet.
4. Use the required Home Visit Documentation Google Form prior to each home visit.
5. Building administrator must pre-approve every home visit.
6. Record mileage driven when making Home Visits in your personal vehicle on the Mileage Reimbursement Document. Instructions for submission are included in the document.
• Master Zoom Links (Add Meeting ID & Passcode) – Teachers, some of you have already done this, but if you haven’t, please add your Meeting ID and Passcode to the Master Zoom Links Google Doc. This helps us in the office when parents call trying to get into class Zooms, since trying to share this over over the phone is kind of hard. https://zoom.us/j/529969821?pwd=d2VPZC9OMGlpZ0fSK2dRL0ErNGg2QT06
• Green/Blue Schedule Explained Slide Show – Linked here is the Green/Blue Schedule Explained Slide Show we reviewed at last Wednesday’s PD/PLC time. The slide show is the same as from the beginning of the year, but with a few new slides with asynchronous suggestions for when students do not attend the live lessons.
• Nearpod Info & Tips – Three Nearpod items:
• Nearepod / Google Slide Integration – If teachers are interested in trying Nearpod, there’s a Nearpod Google Drive and Google Slides Add-On that lets you create slides like normal in Google Slides, and then when you click “Add On” in the menu bar, the Nearpod interactive slides populate on the right and you can easily drop them into your slide deck. Finally, it lets you click one button and upload the whole thing into Nearpod. It’s super easy and really slick. It offers way more flexibility than what’s built into the Nearpod website.
• Nearpod Sub Plans – Nearpod may be able to help with some of the sub issues at elementary. Check out Nearpod for Sub Plans Video on Vimeo.
• Nearpod Beyond this year? – It was asked at Friday’s Nearpod debrief if we’ll have a subscription to Nearpod beyond this school year. Eric Anderson let me know 4J currently has a 1-year purchase with a second year option in the works. 4J is waiting for data/feedback on its effectiveness before making a decision.
• District Admin Updates – If you didn’t listen to Last Week’s School Board Meeting and since it didn’t make the paper, I thought people would be interested to know the school board called off their superintendent search for a year and Cydney will continue as interim superintended for another year.
• Small Group Help – Teachers, please let me know if you’d like to have any extra EA help with your Blue or Green times, either small groups or whole group. We do have EAs available to help on a daily basis.
• Educator Appreciation (Papa John’s) – The owner of the two Papa John’s Pizza restaurants in Eugene emailed me that he is offering a 40% discount to all educators (teachers, classified, and admin) at his two locations. Just use the code EUCTEACH when you order. This code works online at papajohns.com or by calling one of the stores directly. The code is is good through the end of the year.
• 5 ways teachers can connect with students during COVID-19 – Written by a middle school reading teacher, the tips in this ASCD SmartBrief still apply for elementary, which are:
1. Communication with parents is huge
2. Finding new ways to keep students engaged is valuable
3. Reading platforms are foundational
4. Small virtual classrooms are best
5. Recognize the individual “wins”• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
October 26 (M)
Regular DayOctober 27 (T)
8:30, Allan Reading to Class (Zoom)
11:00, Allan to 504 Consult Meeting (Zoom)
2:00, Allan to Attendance Meeting (Zoom)October 28 (W)
8:30-9:00, Student Council (Zoom)
11:00, Allan to Conference (Zoom)
2:40-4:00, PD/PLC Time (Asynchronous on your own time)
4:00-800, Conferences
5:00-6:00, Staff Dinner (Library)
6:30, Holt Costume Dance Party! (Zoom)October 29 (H)
8:00-800, Conferences, No School
12:00-1:00, Staff Lunch (Library)
5:00-6:00, Staff Dinner (Library)October 30 (F)
Teacher Comp Day – No School
Regular Work Day for Classified StaffNovember 1 (SU)
Ewok Appreciation DayNovember 2 (M)
1:30-3:30, Allan to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)November 3 (T)
8:30-9:30, Allan to Attendance Meeting (Zoom)
3:00-4:00, Staff Meeting (Library & Zoom)
7:00, All About Pets Zoom! w/Ms. Kim McManus! (Zoom)November 4 (W)
2:40-4:00, PD/PLC Time (possible)
5:00, Learn Magic with Mr. Chinn! (Zoom)November 5 (H)
Regular DayNovember 6 (F)
Regular DayNovember 8 (SU)
10:30am-10:00pm, Holt Night Out Fundraiser – MOD Pizza
Allan
