http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=13363
Hello Holt Bolts,
The week before winter break is always a tough one for kids (and adults), and although kids do well with routines, give yourself permission to just have some fun throughout the week. It’ll likely make things easier for you and the kids.
Eighteen items of note for this week:
• Holt Night Out Fundraiser – Papa’s Pizza, MONDAY – Monday is a Holt Night Out Fundraiser at Papa’s Pizza on Coburg Road, so remind your students to bring the flyer and Papa’s Pizza will donate 50% of all purchases to Holt! Take out and dine in only. Beverages and delivery orders are excluded. See you there!
• Grade Level Team Meetings, TUESDAY – The first two Tuesdays of the month on non-Staff Meeting weeks are dedicated Grade Level Team Meeting times. Teams should:
• Meet in their wing so specialists can connect if needed
• Take care of any needed team business
• Complete the Team Meeting Minutes Form (make a copy) and email it to holt_staf@4j.lane.eduThe Team Meeting Minutes Form can also be found on the Holt Staff Dashboard.
• Wednesday PD: Post Winter Break Team Planning – I’ll call it out. We’re all going to be super tired that last week before winter break, so let’s just make this day a time for teams to plan for what you’re going to do when kids return after winter break. Teams choose if it’s more useful to work as a group or individually.
• Classified Meeting WEDNESDAY – We’ll hold a Classified Staff Meeting this Wednesday after school at 1:30 in the library to plan our post-winter break PBIS Rule Round-Up. Lesli is working on a schedule and this time, to avoid being rushed and so kids will hear better in smaller groups, we will only teach to two grade levels at a time our first week back. Following the meeting, since we have several new classified staff member, I’ll go over the new staff orientation I did at the start of the school year, reviewing referrals and other building procedures. Veteran EAs are welcome to stay for this as well to pass along any wisdom.
• Holt Spirit Day – Pajama Day, FRIDAY – This Friday is a Holt Spirit Day and this time it’s Pajama Day! Tell your students to wear their comfy PJs, sweats, or robe, or just wear their Holt spirit gear!
• Spirit Assembly FRIDAY @8:20 – The December School Spirit Assembly is this Friday in the gym. The assembly will start at 8:20, but all classes should be in the gym by 8:15. See the linked Assembly Map and Agenda for details.
• Jan. 2 PD Info and Sign-Up – See the Jan. 2 PD Email for details, but here is a link to the Licensed PD Info and the Classified PD Info, which is where you can register for which sessions you would like to attend. Times are locations are:
Licensed Staff, Gilham, 8:00-1:00
Classified Staff, Holt, 8:00-1:00Sign up now before the good sessions fill up!
• Wednesday PD: Team Collaboration – Since you just had 5 hours of PD the day before, let’s set this time aside for teams time to connect and collaborate following the PD from Tuesday.
• Stop, Walk, Talk Refresher – When we return from the break, teachers should review Stop, Walk, Talk with students. You do not have to use the Stop Walk Talk Bully Prevention Lessons, but may use that or the Lesson 1 & 2 Slideshow shared last year if you choose. Linked here is the Stop Walk Talk Resource Folder that’s on the Staff Google Drive, but it may be easiest to watch one of the videos below and have a class discussion.
• Rules Round-Up and School Rules Slideshow – Mentioned above in the Classified Staff Meeting, we’ll hold a Rules Round-Up Refresher when we return from winter break. Lesli is working on a schedule that will have 2 grade levels going out at a time, which will hopefully make it easier for kids to hear and also not making things feel as rushed. After getting input from Classified Staff, I’ll also make a slideshow teachers can review with students playground hotspots, as well other reminders of different rules inside the building (i.e. walking, hoods indoors, zero voice in hallway, etc.). Feel free to let me know of anything you feel needs covered.
• Student Support Team (SST) Meeting Dates & Referral Form – With Data Teams now focused on Tier 1 and 2, teacher decided to hold monthly old-school SST meetings to track and review new and current referrals for SPED evaluation. I put these meetings on the Staff Zimbra Calendar the same date and time as the first Grade Level Team meetings of each month. April/May is the only month were dates got a little funky:
Tuesday, January 9, 2:45-3:30
Tuesday, February 6, 2:45-3:30
Tuesday, March 5, 2:45-3:30
Tuesday, April 2, 2:45-3:30
Tuesday, April 30, 2:45-3:30
Tuesday, June 4, 2:45-3:30For initiating a referral to the team, I’m thinking it’s easiest to add this to our current Request for Student / Classroom Support Form and added a checkbox for “Academics – Student Support Team – SPED Referral” and teachers can put pertinent details in the textbox below. This may change once we find the old SST Referral Form. I also changed the form so that it will email teachers a copy of what you submit.
• Wit & Wisdom Grade Level Teams Opportunity – Teachers will receive an email Monday morning, but I wanted to highlight for folks that downtown received a grant to create grade level teams to dig into Wit and Wisdom. The goal is to develop guidance of what to teach and what to skip to help make the curriculum manageable for each grade level. They’ll also focus on how to support students with the complexity of the texts. Teachers will be compensated $1200 for their work and will be asked to join 6 days between January and June. Downtown will provide subs and there will be a sign up link in Monday’s email.
• Book Nook Coupon – Here’s an updated Book Nook Coupon (single coupon and sheet of coupons) for students to get a free book at the Book Nook on Thursdays at morning recess. We’ll get copies in teacher mailboxes and put extra in the workroom.
• FOSS Science Student Books – If teachers would like to use FOSS Science Student Books, you can request them by filling out the linked FOSS Kit Resupply and Material Request Form. This link is also on the Holt Staff Dashboard. Credit to Leah for finding this out!
• SSD December Newsletters – Here is the December SSD Newsletter. This month’s topics include the importance of prior written notices, confidentiality reminders, a census update, and where to find key information. See the Newslette Archive for past issues.
• Virtual Walks Video Links – A fair amount of teacher play calming videos throughout the day, so I thought I’d share some links to a new genre of experiences that’s emerged on YouTube, where a bunch of channels offer quiet walks in high resolution. The creators hold a stabilized high def camera with binaural audio and walk around Tokyo at night, or Times Square in snow, or London in the rain, or the back alleys of New Delhi, all without narration. You can hear the ambient sounds and see all the ordinary things usually edited out of sizzle reels. It really feels like you are there and allow you to travel without traveling. A few to start get you started: Nomadic Ambience (NYC, Japan, Iceland), Virtual Japan (Japan), Watched Walker (London, Paris, Spain), Keezi Walks (India, China, Vietnam, South America). Google “quiet virtual walk” for more destinations. Some may be too distracting, but they’re all quite interesting.
•Repeats & Reminders – See prior announcements for details:
• EA Paid Time for Childcare at Jan. 4 PTO Meeting – There were no takers from last week, so let me know if any EAs are willing to oversee childcare from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the gym for extended contract . Should be a pretty easy time since there are usually only about 10 kids at most.
• ‘Gnome’ and Away – Walking Challenge Starts Soon – Join the “I’ll be Gnome for the Holidays” challenge in the Walker Tracker App. Once you’re in the app, find Holt and join the team. Make sure you open the app daily to log your steps!
• 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. For each grade level, there are six lessons, which are to be covered at three points in the school year, with lessons 1-4 before winter break, lesson 5 right before spring break, and lesson 6 right before summer break. Each grade level has their own kit, but linked here are Child Protection Unit Scans of the teacher guides (here’s a District Link that has additional files) if that makes things easier.
• HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT: Staff Absences – This week’s highlight from the Holt Staff Handbook, is on Staff Absences:
Absences:
Staff members who will be absent from work due to illness, personal reasons, or to attend training need to use Absence Management (formerly AESOP) to document the absence and request a guest teacher, if needed. Please try to schedule as early as possible to make arrangements. If it is too late to schedule a substitute, contact office staff immediately so arrangements can be made. If a longer term absence is anticipated, please contact the administrator for help with the process. Additional info, forms, and links can be found on the 4J Leaves Website.
•Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
December 11 (M)
3rd Grade, Staff Room Duty
7:30-8:30, Allan Meeting w/Jeff Johnson (Office)
8:00, Morning Announcements (Zoom) Pledge Sign-Up
11:00-11:00, Holt Night Out – Papa’s Pizza Fundraiser
2:00-3:00, Allan to IEP Meeting (Zoom)
3:30-5:00, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Ed Center)December 12 (T)
Birthday Drinks & Goodies in Staff Room
11:00-12:00, 4th Grade Garden
10:15, Student Council (Reich’s Room)
1:00-2:00, 4th Grade Garden
12:30-2:00, Allan to BAT Team Meeting (Ed Center)
2:30-3:30, Allan to IEP Meeting (Emily’s Room)
2:45-3:30, Grade Level Team MeetingsDecember 13 (W)
National Cocoa Day
1:30-2:30, Classified Staff Meeting (Library)
1:30-2:30, Wed. PD – Post Winter Break Team Planning
7:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)December 14 (H)
International Monkey Day
8:50-10:35, Book Nook (Cafeteria)
1:20-2:05, 4th Grade Junior Achievement
2:45-3:30, Leadership Meeting (Kendallyn’s Room)
4:00-8:00, Holiday Shopping
4:00- Pick up students
4:30 – Papa’s Pizza
5:15 – Target
Holt – Hot Cocoa, Cookies, and Wrapping
8:00 – Kids should be homeDecember 15 (F)
Holt Spirit Day – Pajama Day
8:30, School Spirit Assembly (Gym)
11:45, OBOB Practice (Library)
1:15, OBOB Practice (Library)
4:30, Allan to 4J BIPoC Staff Affinity GroupDecember 16 – January 1
No School – Winter BreakJanuary 2 (T)
National Science Fiction Day
4th Grade, Staff Room Duty
8:00-1:00, Licensed & Classified PD (Various Locations)
2:00-3:00, Allan to Multi-Cultural Group Meeting (Zoom)January 3 (W)
Classes Resume
Monthly Walk+Roll to School Day
8:00, Morning Announcements (Zoom) Pledge Sign-Up
1:30-2:30, Wed. PD – Team Collaboration
7:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)January 4 (H)
8:50-10:35, Book Nook (Cafeteria)
9:00-9:40, Safety Committee Meeting (Office)
1:20-2:05, 4th Grade Junior Achievement
2:45-3:30, Equity & Inclusion Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)
5:00-6:00, Site Council (Library)
6:00-7:00, PTO Meeting (Library & Zoom)January 5 (F)
8:10-8:40, Ems Reading Program Kick-Off Assembly (Gym)
11:45, OBOB Practice (Library)
1:15, OBOB Practice (Library)
It’s almost winter break!
Allan
