http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=13376
Happy New Year, Everyone!
I hope you all had a good break. A major highlight of my break was getting to see DIE HARD on the big screen when a friend rented out a theater. They encouraged people to dress up as a character from the movie and I went as the more obscure of supporting character, Uli. I also made my kids watch the classic Christmas film GREMLINS, which I realized my wife had never seen either.
Twenty-two items of note for this week:
• Jan. 2 PD Info and Sign-Up – See the Jan. 2 PD Email and the Follow-Up 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!
8:00-8:25 Carpool Time
8:30-1:00 PD Sessions
1:00-2:00 Lunch & Drive Time
2:00-4:00 Planning Time*Licensed specialists, see communication from your district team about where to report.
• PBIS Rules Refresher Slideshow – Teachers should find time this week or next week to review the PBIS Common Area Rules Review Slideshow (Winter 2024) with your class. With input from EAs, I’ve added a slide for Recess Snacks, Library, Stop Walk Talk, and the Buddy Bench. There’s also a classroom slide if you want to use it. I highlighted a few of the bullet points on the slideshow for some of our hotspots and added some additional rules for clarification, which include:
Arrival Dismissal:
Hands, feet, objects to self
This is not recess time, so no wild playing
No eating at morning arrival. Eat in the cafeteria.Hallways:
Voice Level 0 in the hallwaysCafeteria:
Wait quietly in lineRecess Snack Rules:
Morning Recess: Snacks allowed on the sidewalk only
Lunch Recess: Eating only in the cafeteria. No food allowed at recess
Eating on hard play or soft play will result in sitting out the rest of recessLibrary:
Library is a classroom
Follow the same rules you would in your classroom
Keep voices quiet to not disrupt Dynamo GroupsRestrooms:
Voice Level Zero” and “Do not slam stall doors
As a bonus, I also added a couple of videos (VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2) of how to use the hand dryers, which a lot of kids do not seem to know how to use the right way.Stop Walk Walk:
Stop Walk Talk Video (Silent Film Version)
Stop Walk Talk Video (Start w/Heart Pig Puppet)
Stop Walk Talk Video (Older Students Instructional Video)
Here’s a link to the Staff Drive Stop Walk Talk Resource FolderBuddy Bench:
How to use the Buddy Bench VIDEORelated, there are also quite a few really good student-made videos by past Holt students on many playground and recess game rules on the Holt Portaportal.
• PBIS Playground Rules Round-Up – The Playground Rules Round-Up will be the first week back, which Classified Staff helped come up with the areas to review with students. I will connect with EAs about which stations they can help teach (or claim a station now). This time we’re doing two grade levels at a the schedule will be:
K/1 Thursday @ 8:15-8:45
5-Minute Rotations (4 min. talk, 1 min. transition)
Classes start at:
1. Rough Play/Horseplay and Chase Games (Vaughan & Harmon)
2. Playground Balls (Gulewich)
3. Stop Walk Talk (Gori)
4. Rules for the Field (Willow)
5. Swings/Slides (Zluticky)
6. Structures (Seno)2/3 Thursday @ 1:40-2:10
5-Minute Rotations (4 min. talk, 1 min. transition)
Classes start at:
1. Rough Play/Horseplay and Chase Games (Rabourn & Gulekson)
2. Playground Balls (Norton)
3. Stop Walk Talk (Bemiller)
4. Rules for the Field (Harshbarger)
5. Swings/Slides (Talley)
6. Structures (Ball)4/5 Thursday @ 1:40-2:10
5-Minute Rotations (4 min. talk, 1 min. transition)
Classes start at:
1. Rough Play/Horseplay and Chase Games (Benavides & Reich)
2. Playground Balls (Longoria)
3. Stop Walk Talk (Cobb)
4. Rules for the Field (Henrich)
5. Swings/Slides (Parks)
6. Structures (Ayres)Feedback on the above-linked Playground Rules Round-Up document and schedule are welcome.
• Fall easyCBM Testing Window Jan. 3-24 – See Debbi’s Email for details, but the winter reading and math benchmark testing window is open Jan. 3 – 24. This window is shorter than usual, so plan accordingly.
• Wednesday PD: Team Collaboration – Since you’ll have 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. This is also a good time to prep and plan for benchmark testing.
• Ems Reading Program Kick-Off Assembly, FRIDAY @8:10 – This Friday in the Gym from 8:10-8:40 (arrive by 8:05 so everyone is seated by 8:10) will be the Eugene Emeralds Reading Program Kick-Off Assembly. They have a much shorter timeline this year, saying final numbers for students who reached their reading goal are due Feb. 1, but teachers can go ahead and stretch it out if they want. I’ll just tell the Ems all students met their goal, which is what I do every year.
• Student Support Team (SST) Meeting 1/9 – We’ll hold our first SST meetings next week on Jan. 9, to track and review new and current referrals for SPED evaluation. If you have a student you’d like to bring to the team, complete the Request for Student / Classroom Support Form and check the new checkbox I’ve added called “Academics – Student Support Team – SPED Referral.” I’ll take a look at the form on Jan. 2 and will email which teachers should attend the meeting.
• Wednesday PD: Upbeat Survey 1/10 – Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 1:30 in the library we’ll review the results from the fall Upbeat Survey, which this time around we can compare to last year’s survey results.
• School Choice Presentation 1/10 @6:00 (Zoom) – Downtown is having all elementary schools give school choice presentations, one on Zoom, one in person during school, and one in person in the evening. Our first one, on Zoom, will be in two weeks on Wednesday, January 10th, from 6:00-7:00.
Wed., Jan. 10, 6:00-7:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Wed., Jan. 17, 6:00-7:00 p.m. (Holt Library & Zoom)
Thurs, Jan. 25, 9:00-10:00 a.m. (Holt Library & Zoom)If you’d like to check out the updated 2024 School Choice Slideshow, our About Holt / School Choice webpage, or our Enroll / Register webpage, feedback to make them better is welcome.
• Artist in Residence Draft Schedules – On the Staff Zimbra Calendar and below are the draft schedules the for the following artists in residence:
Feb. 5 – 15, Mask Making Artist Schedule (3-5)
March 4 – 22, Ceramics Artist Schedule (K-3)
April 29 – May 17, Fiddle Artist Schedule (K-5)
• School Board Appreciation Poster – Downtown is emailed schools we are to make a school board appreciation poster. It’s not super clear what they want, but I’ll put a poster in the library for kids and staff to sign this week during library checkout and lessons. I’m going to just make a simply poster that says something like “Thank you 4J School Board!” and have our school name and logo on there.
• Safety Inspection Results (make sure doors aren’t blocked) – The Fire Marshal did their re-inspection and we mostly passed. They did not cite us but did say we need to make sure all classroom doors have 3 feet of egress, meaning you don’t have any filing cabinets or other items blocking the doorway.
• OSHA Safety Information – This OSHA Email is mostly for the Building Safety Committee but principals were asked to share. The main thing to know is that all Flammable Materials/Decorations are Banned (i.e. any papers or paper objects not flush with the wall). The OSHA Visit Guidance is more just for office staff, but it’s kind of a funny read because it sounds almost like we’re preparing to receive the Queen of England or something.
• WREN Newsletter and PDs – The latest Western Regional Educator Network (WREN) Newsletter lists several new Zoom PD opportunities that staff are compensated for attending and are pretty nice to do from your home. They also list several other opportunities including Affinity Spaces, Teacher Pathway Programs, and an OEA Winter Recharge Retreat for early educators.
• UO International Cultural Service Program – The UO International Cultural Service Program is again offering free classroom presentations, either in person or virtual (we have to provide transportation, but I can cover that). See the ICSP Brochure for details and request a student HERE.
• Red Cross Classroom Presentations – The Red Cross is offering free one-hour classroom presentations. Their youth preparedness is available for K-2 (Prepare with Pedro) and 3-5 (Pillowcase Project). See the Email & Flyers for details and REGISTER HERE.
• BRING Recycling Field Trips & Class Presentations – Visit the BRING “In the Classroom” webpage for info on setting up a field trip or a classroom presentation (Worm Composting – K-2, and Waste Prevention – 3-5)
• 4J Parent/Educator News – Two items from the latest 4J Parent News and 4J Educator News. One, it said schools are using the 4J Behavior Matrix, but that’s not true. Principals were told we’ll be given information sometime after winter break that we can share with staff and families. Two, Check out Holt in the “OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM – Fin-tastic Field Trips!” for a bunch of cool photos during a salmon release field trip!
• Major/Minor Referrals Reminder – Two reminders when writing major and minor referrals:
• Be Specific – Do not write, “Disrespectful to adult” or “Not following adult directions.” Instead, write what they did that was disrespectful (“Called adult dumb” or “Threw paper on floor”) or what directions they were not following (“Continued to poke another student after two reminders to stop” or “Refused to do work after two promts and asked if they needed help”).
• No Names – You can use the student’s name you are writing the referral for, but do not use other students’ names in in descriptions of incidents. Copies of referrals are shared with parents parents, so we need to keep other student names off of the referrals for privacy reasons.
• OnlineSafari.tv | Live Wildcams – I shared some livestreams last month, but here’s one more. Onlinesafari.tv has almost 100 wildlife cams online from around the world. You can search by type of animal or ecosystem. It’s always soothing to watch animals in their natural habitat. If you’re lucky, maybe you can see some bears roughhousing in a pond in Romania!
•Repeats & Reminders – See prior announcements for details:
• EA Paid Time for Childcare at Jan. 4 PTO Meeting – For our January 4th PTO meeting, will pay two classified staff members who are willing to oversee childcare from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the gym. Should be a pretty easy time since there are usually only about 10 kids at most. Let me know if you are interested.
• HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT: Walking Excursions – This week’s highlight from the Holt Staff Handbook, is on Walking Excursions (field trips):
Walking Excursions:
Parents/guardians must complete an Annual Permission Walking form allowing children to make walking field trips (within a 10-block radius of the school) ANY TIME during the school year without the need for a signed permit for each trip. However, families should still be notified that the trip will take place.
•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 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)
1:30-2:15, SPED EA (K-2) AAC Training (Emily’s Room)
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 CollaborationJanuary 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)January 8 (M)
5th Grade, Staff Room Duty
8:00, Morning Announcements (Zoom) Pledge Sign-Up
3:30-5:30, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)January 9 (T)
Birthday Drinks & Goodies in Staff Room
8:05-8:45, Conscious Discipline Guest Speaker (Henrich)
8:45-9:20, Conscious Discipline Guest Speaker (Parks)
9:20-10:00, Conscious Discipline Guest Speaker (Ayres)
11:00-12:00, 4th Grade Garden
10:15, Student Council (Reich’s Room)
2:45-3:30, PBIS/SEL Team Meeting (Calming Room)
6:00-7:30, Conscious Discipline Parent Course (Library & Cafeteria)January 10 (W)
1:30-2:30, Wed. PD – Upbeat Survey Results
6:00-7:00, School Choice Presentation (Zoom)
7:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)January 11 (H)
7:30-9:00, Allan to MAPS Meeting
8:50-10:35, Book Nook (Cafeteria)
2:45-3:30, Staff Meeting (Volunteer’s Classroom)January 12 (F)
11:45, OBOB Practice (Library)
1:15, OBOB Practice (Library)
4:30, Allan to 4J BIPoC Staff Affinity Group
See you all soon!
Allan
