http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=11402
Greetings Bolts,
Thirteen items of note for this week:
• Staffing Updates – Three staffing updates:
• School Counselor Update – Max Taylor, our Behavior EA, was selected to take over as our school counselor for the rest of the school year. He’s already made great connections with some of our toughest kids and should be a great match for the position and for our school!
The transition plan is for Darla to stay on at Holt through conferences and to use the following Monday to have some closure with students and pass the torch to Max.
• 2.5-hour Title 1 EA Interviews, Wednesday – Let me know if you are interested (and available) in being part of interviews for a small 2.5-hour Title 1 EA Position we’ve created with our remaining Title funds. Interviews will be the Wednesday, 10:10-12:00 in the library.
• CLD EA Vacancy – We’re still waiting on HR to get back regarding their job offer to a candidate to fill Jason’s vacant CLC EA position.
• November Fire Drill, 11/16 @1:10 – Not this week, but next week on Tuesday, November 16th at 1:10 will be our November Fire Drill. Linked here is theBuilding Evacuation Map and the Fire Drill Line Map.
• Conferences Updates & Reminders – Seven parent/teacher conferences updates and reminders:
• Conference Schedules to Office – If you haven’t already, send a copy of your schedule to Melanie.
• Seesaw and Families – Make sure families are signed up with Seesaw Family at conferences. You can see which family members are connected by logging into your Seesaw account and clicking on the ADD families button.
• Resources for Families – Should any families request tutoring, the Eugene Rotary (WEBSITE and FLYER) offers free virtual tutoring and the NAACP (WEBSITE and FLYER) also offers a free in person tutoring program for all BIPOC students. Teachers should NOT suggest tutoring, because that puts the district on the hook to provide or pay for tutoring.
• Allan’s Conference Tips – Parents generally just want to see that teachers “know” their child and care about them. If you can convey that at your conference, usually by sharing a story or two, mission accomplished! My other advice is to start conferences off with “How do things look on your end?” or other open ended question so parents to share anything that’s on their mind, rather than making them wait until the end and possibly running out of time.
• REPEAT: EA Extravaganza, WEDNESDAY – Educational Assistants should attended the EA Extravaganza on Wednesday from 8:00-12:00 via Zoom. See the above link for sessions, times, descriptions, and Zoom links, and see Marlee Litten’s Email for additional details.
• REPEAT: Title 1 Compacts & Conferences – Title 1 Compacts (English and Spanish) should be reviewed with all families at conferences. For the signatures, the teacher and student should sign the form and for parents review the permission section at conferences and then just date the form in the parent signature line that the parents agreed to do their part.
• REPEAT: Wednesday PAHS Lunch – PAHS is planning to provide a big lunch for staff on Wednesday, with enough to be left over for dinner if staff are still working in the building then, so I’ll need to get a head count at Tuesday’s Staff Meeting of how many people will be in the building this day.
• Recess and New Kickball Rules – Linked here is the Recess Equipment and Activity Rules Doc, which is a living document of the most current recess rules. Most recently we added Kickball Rules to the doc, which Kim and I will come around to review with grades 3, 4, and 5. Teachers should email us a good date and time to come in for a 10-15 minute block of time to go over the “official” kickball rules.
• Referral Reminders – When writing a referral remember to:
• Press Hard with a Pen – Minor and Major referrals are on NCR paper, so use a pen and press hard so what you write goes all the way through the three layers.
• No Student Names in Description – Major referrals are sent home to parents, so do not include other student names in the description section. On major referrals, there is a spot on the second page of the NCR paper to include this information.
• List Just One Behavior Type – SWIS, the system we enter minor referrals, only allows for one violation/behavior type, so check off the most egregious behavior if an incident has multiple offense types (i.e. if a student called someone a name and then pushed them, check off just “Physical Aggression”).
• Parent Requests for SPED Eval – Any time a parent requests their child get an IEP or wants them tested, make sure you notify me or our school psychologist, Kelly Kirk, immediately. A legally mandated timeline starts from the moment parents make that initial request.
• Artist in Residence – Our first Artist in Residence, Glass Fusing Fun with Rachell Jarvis, is finally set-up and will be Nov. 29 through Dec. 17. See Lesli’s Email if you have any scheduling requests (though no promises).• Staff Directory Photos Update? – Anyone hate their picture on the Staff Directory Webpage? Let me know and I can update it with this year’s photo. If you don’t have a photo on the school website, be sure sure to get your picture taken on Picture Retake Day next week on Wednesday, November 17th. BONUS FUN: If you log onto Adobe with your school email and password, you can have some fun removing your school picture background to make some much more fun of backgrounds.
• Language Arts Adoption Updates – If you’re interested, Expeditionary Learning (EL) and Wit & Wisdom are the two curriculums that will be piloted this year. One of them will be adopted for implementation next school year. Linked here is an Adoption Update Email that gives an overview of what’s happed so far in the adoption process as well as a timeline for next steps.
• Franz Bakery Virtual Field Trip – Franz Baker is offering a virtual field trip and will give classes bakers’ hats and a voucher per. If you’re interested, linked here is their Franz Bakery Virtual Field Trip Email, but you just need to email a few dates and time to Jodie Kelly FranzBakeryTours@usbakery.com
• HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT: Head Injuries – This week’s highlight from the Holt Staff Handbook, is on Head Injuries. See the 4J Students with Concussions Webpage for additional details, including the letter that is to go home with students who’ve had a head injury:
Head Injuries:
• Any students who has incurred a head injury must be sent to the office for evaluation.
• Students should be escorted
• Parents must be informed of any head injuries, even if minor• Thanksgiving Lessons Reminder – Here’s my annual reminder about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Staff should keep in mind that student conceptions of Native Americans often come from classroom activities around the First Thanksgiving. These conception of Native Americans gained from such early exposure is often both inaccurate and potentially damaging. When planning activities, be aware that what most of us learned in school about the “Pilgrims” and “Squanto” and the “First Thanksgiving” is a mixture of both history and myth. Thanksgiving activities should avoid reinforcing historical myths and should also avoid stereotypes (ie. NO warbonnets!) It’s often best to shift the focus away from the “First Thanksgiving” and instead focus on items children can be thankful for in their own lives and on their families’ celebrations of Thanksgiving at home. Some resources on what to avoid and what to teach can be found at the National Museum of the American Indian, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), and Education World. This Google Doc links to a ton of read aloud stories, primary sources, site, and other information about Native and Indigenous People. Here is a good article with a Native American Perspective on Thanksgiving as well as one on The True Story of the First Thanksgiving. Also, the 4J Natives Program is available for classroom presentations year-round and can offer an accurate picture of Native American culture.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
November 8 (M)
1st Grade Staff Room Duty
2:30-3:30, Allan to Care Team Meeting (Zoom)November 9 (T)
3:25-7:35, Parent/Teacher Conferences (Zoom)
4:00-8:00, Holt Night Out Fundraiser – Chipotle Mexican Grill4:05, Allan to Conference (Zoom)
5:30-6:30, 4J Parent Info Session: COVID-19 & Schools (Zoom)
November 10 (W)
No School – Conferences
8:00-12:00, EA Extravaganza (Zoom)8:00-8:00, Parent/Teacher Conferences (Zoom)
9:00-10:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
10:10-12:00, Title EA Interviews (Library)November 11 (H)
No School — Veterans DayNovember 12 (F)
No School — Parent/Teacher Conferences Comp DayNovember 15 (M)
2nd Grade Staff Room Duty
Melanie Out – Katie Subbing
Darla’s Last Day
9:00, Allan to Truancy Hearing (Zoom)
4:00-5:00, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Zoom)November 16 (T)
1:10, Fire Drill
2:45-3:25, Staff Meeting (Cafeteria)November 17 (W)
Picture Retakes
9:00-11:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
7:00-10:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)November 18 (H)
K-3 Vision Screening
K-5 Dental Screening
5:00-6:00, Site Council (Zoom)
6:00-7:00 PAHS (Parents at Holt School) Meeting (Zoom)
4:00-5:00, Allan to ELA Adoption Meeting (Zoom)November 19 (F)
Regular Day
And remind students about the Holt Night Out Fundraiser at Chipotle this Thursday, 4:00-8:00!
Allan
