http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=11894
Greetings Bolts,
That was fun seeing folks on Friday at Roadhouse and at Top Gun: Maverick. My capsule review of the film is that it was the perfect mix of nostalgia (buzzing the tower, Danger Zone, shirtless beach sports, etc.) and an entertaining original story that was able to stand on its own. No deep subtext. Just a fun summer popcorn flick. 3 1/2 starts out of 5.
Twenty-five items of note for this week:
• Safety Reminders (Doors & Visitors) – For those not at Friday’s Staff Meeting, a few key safety reminders:
• Doors – All exterior doors are to remain locked at all times. Do not prop doors open. Also remember that this time of year the doors don’t always properly close on their own due to pressure differentials, so make sure they are fully latched shut behind you.
• Visitors – All visitors need to go through the main office entrance. Do not let anyone in through a side door, even if they are a 4J employee.
• TUESDAY Staff Meeting – Not exactly a standard Staff Meeting, but as shared earlier, we will meet in the library this Tuesday at 2:45 for sending and receiving grade level teams to discuss students of note (not enough time to discuss all students).
• 2nd Grade Interviews, WEDNESDAY (Avoid Staff Room) – We’re holding interviews for our 2nd grade classroom this Wednesday at 2:40 in the Staff Room. Please avoid the Staff Room after school that afternoon if possible. If you’d like to join Lesli, Kim, Jenna, Ashley R., and Lisa Z. when we interview, just let me know and I’ll share applications and interview materials.
• Bricks & Minifigs Fundraiser, THURSDAY – I forgot to put this in the Quick News last week if you can share this with kids, but Bricks & Minifigs is doing a fundraiser for Holt this Thursday. Just bring the flyer, which I’ll include in Monday’s Quick News, and Holt get’s 20% of all sales!
• FRIDAY PD Cancelled – Double Prep – To make up for the missed hour of weekly prep next week on the Grading Day, there is no meeting this Friday, which will instead be a “Double Prep” Friday.
• End of Year Checklist – Linked here is the End of Year Checklist 2021-2022. This needs to be completed by all staff in charge of a school area before you start your summer and needs both mine and Ryan’s sign-off. It’s the same as last year with the following exceptions:
• ELA Materials Boxed-Up – Downtown is sending all classroom teachers six boxes to pack up ELA materials (Journeys and Being a Writer). Teachers can keep any books or pieces you want to keep for future use. Classified staff can help with packing on the June 10th, Grading Day. Leave the boxes outside your classroom for Warehouse Staff to pick-up in August.
• Diverse Classroom Libraries Inventory – Teachers will inventory the SIA Diverse Classroom Library Book Sets. There are two processes depending whether you are teaching the same grade next year or if you are moving grade levels or schools.
If not moving: Inventory books, cross any missing books off of the inventory list, keep books in your room.
If moving: Inventory books, cross any missing books off of the inventory list, leave bins in classroom, and write the bin barcode number on the End of Year Checklist 2021-2022.
• Friends/Family Allowed to Help End of Year Packing – For the last week of school, when students are not in session, downtown is allowing friends and family of staff members to be “essential visitors” to help with end of year packing. The only requirement is they check-in at the Raptor Kiosk in the office (if you’re packing on a weekday) and limit their movement throughout the building.
• Report Card Grading Day Expectations – Friday, June 10th is a regular work day for both classified and licensed staff. For licensed staff, HR allows teachers to work from home if you notify your administrator (me) in advance, but be sure to plan ahead if you need to collaborate with any colleagues this day. Also, be sure to use this time for grading and not use it to run errands around town. Teachers are highly visible members of the community, so keep in mind public perception. HR has said that if working off-site on grading days is abused, we will not be allowed to continue the practice. For classified staff, this is a good day to cash in any accumulated trade time you’ve built up, but remember you need to notify me before you begin accumulating trade time.
• Report Card Printing & Envelope Stuffing – Since grading day is before the last day of school, 4J elementary schools are going back to normal report card procedures, where teachers print report cards and stuff envelopes, which will be sent home with students the last day of school. Melanie will do the “Update Attendance” procedure in Synergy the Thursday before grading day, so wait until grading day to print report cards.
• CORRECTION: Kona Ice, June
15th8TH at 1:45 – Kona Ice is coming to Holt the SECOND TO last week of school and this time, as we discussed at a Staff Meeting a few months ago, bus riders who bring money will be dismissed early if they brought money for shave ice, so they have time to buy and eat their shave ice before getting onto the bus. Kona Ice will be here Wednesday, June15th8TH at 1:45, so teachers can send out at that time, where they will be supervised.• UDPATE: “Grab & Go” Sack Lunch DELIVERY – To simplify some scheduling issues and I think also to make it easier on teachers, Deb agreed to deliver Grab & Go Lunches to each wing at 10:45 the last day of school instead of the schedule I shared last week.
• June 20th, Juneteenth Expectations – HR was supposed to send something out, but principals got the succinct graphic below. Monday, June 20th is the last regular workday for licensed staff, but it is also a new Federal Holiday, so staff have the option to work extra days prior to Juneteenth and not working this day or you can take June 20th off and work on Tuesday, June 21st instead.
• End-of-Cycle Goals Reflection;- I’m hoping to finish everyone’s observations over the next two weeks, but one final step probationary licensed staff need to complete in TalentEd is the End-of-Cycle Goals Reflection. You do not need to write a novel. A few sentences reflecting on how you did towards your goals is fine, but please complete these before the end of the school year. Let me know if you have any questions.
• YMCA/BEST iPads Stay at School – Starting this week, students who attend YMCA/BEST can begin leaving their iPads in class and no longer need to take them home each night.
• Schedule Your Gaga Ball Rules Lesson – Gaga Ball is going to be one of our Field Day stations, which I’ll be running. I’d like to teach kids the rules ahead of time, so let me know a good 10-minute block to go over the Gaga Ball Rules Slide Show ahead of June 15th.. The closer to Field Day the better, but email me a time that works well for you.
• Summer SEAL Update – Downtown emailed principals and Title 1 Coordinators an update on SEAL, which included a count of the current number of students enrolled by grade level and region. Looking at these low numbers, it doesn’t seem likely we’ll use many classrooms. We’ll also host at least two middle school classes and one classroom for KITS. I’ll keep staff posted on how many classrooms are needed, but I estimate it’ll be no more than 8-9 classrooms at most. Stay tuned!
• UPDATED: 22-23 Classroom Map – Semi related to the above, linked here is the 22-23 Classroom Map (Dynamos & Calming Room change over summer) we came up with a couple months ago. I’d actually forgotten some of our shifts, so I figured others may want a reminder as well. I’ve also updated the map with some of our new hires.
In order to help the Calming Room with alternative recesses and to also find a spot for our new Human Services Coordinator, I’d like to move:
• Dynamos (Title 1) stay where they are this year instead of Stimler’s room.
• Calming Room moves to Stimler’s room.
• 0.5 SPED (Whitney) moves to the Calming Room (this year’s location)The back grass area by Stimler’s old class would work well for alternative recesses and the exterior door allows one person to supervise both the outside area and also the Calming Room. That room is also large enough to house our new Human Services Coordinator
• REMINDER: Science Kit Restocking – If you need additional materials for your science kit, be sure to complete the Science Kit Restock Order Form before the end of the school year.
• ELA Updates (Adoption, SIA Kits, PD Options) – The district ELA TOSA’s shared the linked ELA Update Slide Show with principals last week. They are going to email teachers additional details, but here it is is you’re curious.
• Wellness Policy Reminders – Nutrition Services emailed principals a reminder about food at end-of-year parties. For quick resources and answers, see the 4J Wellness Policy, including guidelines for snacks and parties. Note that families can provide special foods, but make sure they are commercially prepared and are not served at the same time as school meals. Kitchen staff need at least two weeks advance notice if students will not eat school breakfast or lunch. Shellfish or nut products are discouraged.
• REPEAT: Erin’s Law & Second Step Child Safety Unit – All classroom teachers should use the Second Step Child Protection Unit for meeting the state Erin’s Law requirements. Teach lesson 6 right before summer break, within the last two weeks of school. Each grade level has their own kit, but linked here are Child Protection Unit Scans of the teacher guides if that makes things easier.
• Safety & Lagging Skill Planning Resources – 4J Behavioral Safety Assessment Coordinator, Sheri Hoyland, emailed principals a reminder about the 4J Safety & Lagging Skills Planning webpage, which lists safety interventions and educational components for a student’s safety plan. I’m not sure staff were aware of this page or the larger Student Wellness & Safety Resources website, which has some useful resources and tips for creating plans for students with unsafe behaviors.
• REPEAT: Summer Reading Staff Picks! – Email or let me know in person any summer book recommendations you have for colleagues and I’ll post everyone’s picks in my final weekly announcements of the year. Another book I’m considering reading this summer is Consumed by weirdo horror movie filmmaker David Cronenberg (The Fly, Dead Ringers, Scanners, Videodrome). Let me know your summer reading picks!
• HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT: Staff Mailboxes – This week’s highlight from the Holt Staff Handbook, is on Staff Mailboxes:
Housekeeping:
• Students should pick up scraps, books, pencils, etc. off the floor before being dismissed each afternoon.
• Similarly, chairs should be stacked each afternoon and all trash cans should be placed outside your door.
• No stickers should be placed on desks, chairs, books, cubbies, etc.
• Student work habits often reflect their surroundings. Maintaining a neat and tidy classroom serves as a positive model for children to emulate.
• While seemingly unimportant, housekeeping details can make a difference in school appearance and students’ respect and attitude toward learning.
• Trash cans should be placed outside the room each night.• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the rest of the school year:
May 30 (M)
No School – Memorial DayMay 13 (T)
Kinder Staff Room Duty
3/4/5 Climate Survey DEADLINE
8:45-9:25, 4th Grade OSAS
1:50-2:05, K/5 Buddy Recess
2:45-3:25, Staff Meeting (Library)
6:00-7:30, Parent PD: Teen Substance Use & Coping (Churchill)June 1 (W)
Monthly Walk+Roll to School Day
8:45-9:25, 4th Grade OSAS
9:00-10:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
12:45-2:25, Storyteller, 4th Grade
1:35-1:50, 1/3 Buddy Recess, Barton/Gori/Talley, Longoria
1:50-2:05, 1/3 Buddy Recess, Cobb/Benevides
2:40-5:00, 2nd Grade Interviews (Staff Room)
7:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)June 2 (H)
8:45-9:25, 4th Grade OSAS
1:50-2:05, 2/4 Buddy Recess
2:45-3:25, Allan to IEP Meeting (Zoom)
6:30-7:30, 4J Math Education Parent Information Session (Zoom)June 3 (F)
8:45-9:25, 4th Grade OSAS
1:30-2:25, Friday PD Cancelled – Double PrepJune 5 (SU)
3:00-7:00, Barbara Kitterman Retirement CelebrationJune 6 (M)
1st Grade Staff Room Duty
Erin’s Law Lesson #6
8:45-9:25, 4th Grade OSAS
3:45-4:45, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Zoom)June 7 (T)
11:00-12:00, 5th Math Advancement Test (Location TBA)
1:10, Earthquake/Fire Drill
2:45-3:25, Staff Meeting (Library)June 8 (W)
9:00-10:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
11:00-12:00, 5th Math Advancement Test (Location TBA)
12:45-2:25, Storyteller, 4th Grade
1:45-3:15, Kona Ice – Holt Shave Ice Fundraiser! (Hard Play)June 9 (H)
11:00-12:00, 5th Math Advancement Test (Location TBA)
6:00-7:00, PAHS (Parents at Holt School) Meeting (Zoom)June 10 (F)
No School — Grading DayJune 13 (M)
2nd Grade Staff Room Duty
Erin’s Law Lesson #6June 14 (T)
2:45-3:25, PBIS Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)June 15 (W)
8:45-10:15, Field Day, Grades 3-5 (Field)
9:00-10:00, Allan Skipping Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
12:00-1:30, Field Day, Grades K-2 (Field)
7:00-9:00, Sheldon HS Graduation (Hult Center)June 16 (H)
1:30, Allan to BEST Meeting (Office)
2:45-3:25, Leadership Team Meeting (if needed)June 17 (F)
Last Day for Students
Last Day for 192 & 196 Day Classified Employees
8:30-10:00, 5th Grade Breakfast & Celebration (Cafeteria)
10:45, Grab-n-Go Lunches Delivered to Wings
11:10, Early Dismissal
Staff Social – End of Year BBQJune 20 (M)
Juneteenth
Last day for licensed staff
8:00-4:00, Allan to I Love U Guys Training (Ed Center)
4:00-5:00, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Zoom)
12 1/2 days to go!
Allan
