January 31. 2022

By Allan  

 

Howdy All,

Thought I’d pass along a compliment from my sub who mentioned how helpful and welcoming of a staff we have here at Holt. Glad to finally get to come back!

Fourteen items of note for this week:

• Staffing Updates – Two staffing updates:

• School Nurse Update – Lisa West, our school nurse, has taken another job outside of 4J. Her last day was last week and I’m still waiting for an update from SSD as to who will be her replacement.

• 22-23 Staffing Timeline – HR is behind on getting staffing information out for next year. Right now their goal is to have it out to principals the last week of February.

• Friday PD: SEL/Morning Meetings – This Friday’s PD will be an SEL focus on Morning Meetings. Licensed staff will meet in the cafeteria at 1:30. The following Friday PD will be an update on the 22-23 ELA Adoption, which will include an optional drop-in Zoom Q&A session by the Adoption Team Leaders.

• Classified Absence Reminder – If you’re absent and even if you don’t need a sub, you need to record all absences in the Absence Management System (formerly AESOP). If you have questions how to enter an absence, visit the website 4J Absence Management Quicksheets and Support.

• CORRECTION: Visitor/Volunteer Process – I made a mistake and left out a step for anyone wanting to use volunteers. The Volunteer Approval Process, in addition to volunteers completing the volunteer back ground check, principals also have to fill out a submit volunteer names to HR for approval along with a liability waiver form. Apologies to Elizabeth and Robbie who had volunteers try to come last week, but HR put a stop to it when they saw them sign-in through the Raptor sing-in system. So if you want visitors and/or volunteers, give me the following:

• Volunteer Name
• Volunteer Tasks (what they’ll be doing)
• A Signed Volunteer Liability Waiver

• Bertha Holt Celebration, Gift of Hope Project, Coming in February! – As part of an ongoing tradition, the students of Holt are raising money to support an international family using the Gifts of Hope Catalog through the Holt International Organization. See the linked draft Gifts of Hope Project Flyer for details, but the short version is we are asking student to find a way to earn $1 that they contribute. These will go home with students and we will announce the gifts chosen on the Ultimate Cozy Pajama Day Assembly on Feb. 25th.

• EAs and Staff Meetings – If any EAs would like to attend Staff Meetings that occurs beyond your normal work day, let me know and we can make an agreements about banking trade time to use on a non-student day.

• Walk+Roll to School Day, WEDNESDAY – The first Wednesday of each month is Walk & Roll Day, so please encourage your students to walk, bike, carpool, or ride the bus to school. If students live a long way from school, they can try parking a ten minute walk from school and walking the rest of the way. The goal is to reduce traffic and pollution around our school and to promote physical activity for our students.

 

 

• Save the Date for OSAS PD, Friday, March 11 – Gloria emailed earlier, but SAVE THE DATE for the required Oregon Statewide Assessment System (OSAS) security training on Friday, March 11th at 1:30 (location TBD). because there will not be the usual opportunities for make up trainings in other buildings. EAs who will be in 3/4/5 classrooms or SPED classrooms when testing occurs need to attend as well.

• Staff Meeting Location Survey: DEADLINE EXTENDED – Were up to 23 votes and it’s still a dead heat between switching Staff Meetings to Zoom or remaining in-person. We’ll decide at Tuesday’s Staff Meeting, which will be the last time we’ll be able to meet in the cafeteria. Fill out the Staff Meeting Location Survey by Monday to tip the scales one way or the other.

• REMINDER: Teacher PD Survey – Teachers were already given time for this, but if you haven’t already be sure to complete the linked 4J Teacher Curriculum Trainings Survey.

• REPEAT: EEF Grants DUE FRIDAY – EEF is accepting grants for round two of the school year. See the EEF Email or EEF Website for details. Unlike in the past, staff may directly submit grants without first going through Site Council. This year, after the Feb. 2 deadline, all submitted grants will then go to Site Council for rank ordering.

• HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT: Leaving the building during work day – This week’s highlight from the Holt Staff Handbook, is on “Leaving the building during work day”:

Leaving the building during work day:

• For safety reasons, all staff must notify the office when leaving the premises. Should there be an emergency during the absence, it is important a staff member’s whereabouts is known. Likewise, staff must let the office know when returning to the building.
• All itinerant, or district personnel, visiting Holt MUST sign in/out while on campus.

• Using Morning Messages to Start the Day in Distance Learning – The morning message is a popular way to help elementary students transition into school—and it can be adapted for home learning. See this Edutopia Article for details.

• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:

January 31 (M)
2nd Grade Staff Room Duty
Report Cards Sent Home
Winter Benchmark Testing Continues
4:30-6:30, Allan to Conscious Discipline PD (Zoom)

February 1 (T)
Black History Month
2:45-3:25, Staff Meeting (Cafeteria)
5:30-7:30, 4J/EEA Negotiations (Zoom)

February 2 (W)
Monthly Walk+Roll to School Day
9:00-10:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
4:15-5:15, Optional Morning Meeting PD (Zoom)
7:00-10:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)

February 3 (H)
5:00-7:30, 4J/EEA Negotiations (Zoom)

February 4 (F)
1:30-2:25, Friday PD – PBIS / SEL PD

February 5 (SA)
1:00-2:30, Superintendent Selection Community Forums (Zoom)

February 7 (M)
3rd Grade Staff Room Duty
Winter Benchmark Testing Continues
National School Counselor Week
4:00-5:00, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Zoom)

February 8 (T)
International Clash Day (sorry, one of my all-time favorite bands)
1:10, Fire Drill
2:45-3:25, PBIS Team Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)
6:00-7:00, Conscious Discipline Parent Nights (Zoom)

February 9 (W)
9:00-11:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
2:40-3:25, 1st Grade Data Team

February 10 (H)
5:00-6:00, Site Council Meeting (Zoom)
6:00-7:00, PAHS Meeting (Zoom)

February 11 (F)
Friendship Day & Holt Celebration Assembly
1:30-2:20, 2nd Grade Data Team
1:30-2:25, Friday PD: ELA Adoption Update

Have a fab week, everyone!

Allan