March 12, 2018

By Allan  

 

Hello Everyone,

Just two weeks until spring break, which mean it’s time for my semi-annual reminder that there will be lots of student excitement, anxiety, and other volatile emotions, meaning we’ll likely see an increase in interesting/unusual behaviors. Remember to take the time to do plenty of pre-teaching of rules and expectations the next couple weeks because students will likely benefit from the extra reminders.

Seventeen items of note for this week:

• Staffing Updates – Principals have to turn in staffing plan by Thursday this week, so I’ll email staff the plan that I’ve submitted to HR by the end of the week. We have not yet received classified SPED, PE, Music, TSS, or BEST allocations, but I did hear that we will minimally get 0.2 FTE for ESC, which is the same amount we received this school year.

• Artist in Residence Updates – I emailed teachers at the end of last week, but linked here is a Revised Artist in Residence Schedule. Amy also requested to teach four session with 4th and 5th grade, which is reflected in this new schedule.

• PRIDE Awards, March 21st – Not this week, but next week on Wednesday, March 21st during lunchtime in the cafeteria will be our PRIDE Awards for Discipline. Teachers should remind students about PRIDE and the meaning of Discipline (“Work Hard at Everything”), and then pick 2-3 students who have demonstrated Discipline. Be sure to get the Discipline PRIDE Certificates to me before the 21st so I can sign them and get them organized and also remember to send home the PRIDE Award Invitations to parents before the event.

• Eugene Emeralds Reading Program Assembly, March 21st – Not this week, but also on Wednesday next week is the kickoff for the Eugene Emeralds’ Reading Incentive Program. The program will run the same as in the past, which is classroom teachers set a reading goal for students and if students meet that goal they get two free tickets to attend an Ems baseball game this summer. The K-2 assembly will be 8:45-9:10 and the 3-5 assembly will be 9:20-9:45, where Sluggo will motivate kids to meet their reading goals (or at least get them wound up). See the linked Assembly Map and Directions for details.

• Fire Drill, March 22nd @8:30 – Also next week will be our March Fire Drill, which will be on Thursday, March 22nd at 8:30.

• ESY Summer School at Howard – I’m still waiting for complete details, but starting this summer Howard will begin hosting the SPED Extended School Year (ESY) program, which serves about 150 students, runs in the mornings for four weeks in July and August, and will likely use all 15 classrooms on the first floor (possibly some second floor rooms as well). I’ll share more details as I get them, but I wanted to give staff a heads up now.

• Surprise Fire Marshall Inspection – If you were wondering how our unexpected fire inspection went, we did very well. There were only a few minor classroom violations and four building related ones, which is much better compared to 82 violations that were found at another unnamed school. Crystal or I will connect with effected classrooms, but violations included needing to put fire retardant on materials in a couple rooms (or taking the materials down), removing holiday/twinkle lights in a few rooms (an exception was made for SPED classrooms), and verifying that a lava lamp was cleared for commercial use. The rest were general building issues, so nice work, everyone!

• Walking in Hallways – We did well curbing students of wearing hoods inside the building. Another area to consistently enforce is to make sure students are walking in the hallways. This is not as much of an issue when teachers are walking classes place to place (unless the line gets stretched out with stragglers at the end), but we need to be consistent when we see students running or fast walking and make them go back to show us the right way to walk down the hallway. Also be sure to document first with Uh Ohs, then Level 2s, and then Level 3s for repeat runners.

• Family Resources – Below are three community recourse for families. The first two came from Matt and the third from the Lane ESD. All of these resources can also be found on the Howard Google Team Drive under MEETINGS/TEAMS > STUDENT CARE TEAM > RESOURCES.

• UO Center for Healthy Relationships – The center offers individual, couple, relationship, family, and group services with an emphasis on relational counseling, helping with concerns at home, work, school, health and wellness, and parenting challenges. Clinic fees are assessed on a sliding scale and they aim for cost to not be a barrier to services. They are unable to accept insurance, though there are several payment options. Clients can make appointments or have questions answered by calling (541) 346-0923. See the linked brochure for details.

• The 15th Night Youth Resource – A community-wide partnership helping Bethel and 4J students with rapid access to resources and services such as clothing/shoes, personal care products, backpacks, food, housing specialists, transportation, doctor’s appointments, counseling, mentors/peer support, youth advocate, application assistance, and library cards. Get help 24/7 by calling or texting (541) 246-4046. See the linked flyer and documents for details.

• Lane County Public Health Resources on Adolescent Suicide – This is more of an issue at secondary than elementary, but should the need arise, the Lane ESD shared the linked information from Lane County Public Health on Adolescent Suicide.

• Safety Awareness: Daylight Savings & Spring Break – With daylight savings time this weekend and spring break only a few weeks away, Risk Management sent an email regarding the heightened risk for an on the job injury to occur around this time (article). Factors can range from getting less sleep and not being as alert to taking a shortcut when performing a task to save time. Linked here are reminders they shared regarding Ask for help when moving heavy tables, knowing your Leverage Zones when lifting, Injury Prevention in SPED Classrooms, and Strengthen and Lengthen Warm-Ups.

• Yahoo Images Blocked – If you use Yahoo Images, the Technology Department recently identified their image repository as containing a significant catalog of images considered “obscene or harmful content” as defined by The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), so this part of the website is now filtered.

• Google Kid Safe Search Engine: Kiddle – Related to the above, I shared this a few years ago, but Kiddle is a visual search engine for kids that is powered by Kiddle editors and Google’s safe search, allowing kids to do a web, images, news, or video searches. Once a child enters a query into the search bar, Kiddle will pull up a list of related links. The first one to three results will include safe sites and pages that are written specifically for kids that are handpicked and checked by the editors. The next four to seven results will feature sites that include content that is written in simple language so that young children are able to comprehend what they are researching. These too are handpicked and checked by the editors. Results eight and onward include sites written for adults that are still filtered by Google safe search but are a bit harder for children to comprehend.

• REPEAT Wacky Wednesday – Crazy Sock Day – Wednesday is Crazy Sock Day, so start getting kids excited to show off their wackiest socks and start planning your own crazy/mismatched socks!

• P-3/P-8 April 7th Conference – This is a FREE opportunity to learn more about Oregon’s early learning and kindergarten guidelines, connect with PK providers in Eugene, and learn about how we can better transition kids into Kindergarten. The good news is that this is free and lunch is provided. The bad news is that it is on a Saturday. Linked is here a Conference Flyer as well as the registration link if you are interested.

• Hacker Checkup – As part of my regular digital hygiene I type my email into the website Have I Been Pwned? to see if my email/password has been leaked to hackers by a sloppy company. They will tell me if and when a breach occurred at a company which yielded my email on a list for sale on the dark web. This is an indication to change my password for that login as well as any other sites that I might have used the same or similar password. The check site is free, instant, no signups, and specific in needed action.

• Children’s Books That Respectfully Portray People with Disabilities – In this article in The Reading Teacher, the authors say that well-chosen children’s books can act as mirrors (reflecting kids’ own thoughts, feelings, and experiences), windows (opening new worlds through characters’ experiences and responses), and doors (transporting them into adventure, fantasy, and mystery). “It is vitally important to consider who is represented, who is underrepresented, who is misrepresented, and who is ignored in literature. When books painting diverse and accurate portraits of the incredible range of ability and disability are not available to students, we must question what we are teaching them about who is valued and what is important.”

The authors did a systematic search for picture books that depict people with disabilities in a respectful way, using these criteria:

– Easy to read – third-grade readability or below, accessible to students in upper elementary grades who are reading below grade level;
– Not overly didactic – the character with a disability is not pitied or patronized;
– Respectful language portraying characters with disabilities as rich and complex individuals who are defined by more than their disability;
– An interesting and engaging story line involving characters with depth;
– Readily available from booksellers and public libraries.

The authors’ initial search identified 700 fiction and 1,100 nonfiction books, which they narrowed down to a much smaller number. Below is a sampling of the best they found. “Each book,” say the authors, “has the potential to transcend the disability category and could be enjoyed, and learned from, by all students.”

King for a Day by Rukhsana Khan (2014) – Malik, a boy in Pakistan who uses a wheelchair, struggles with a bully and hopes to become the best kite fighter in Lahore.

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson (2015) – A boy in Ghana is born with a physical disability but hops the two miles to and from school, learns to play soccer, and eventually bicycles 400 miles across Ghana.

The Snow Rabbit by Camille Garoche (2015) – In this wordless book, two sisters, one using a wheelchair, watch snow falling outside their window; one goes out and makes a snow rabbit, brings the snow sculpture inside, and when it starts to melt, they go outside and play and the magic begins.

El Deafo by Cece Bell (2014) – This autobiographical graphic novel tells how the author lost her hearing at age 4, struggled to read lips and decipher sounds through her hearing aid, sought friendship, and imagined herself as El Deafo, a superhero who was able to hear everything.

Miss Little’s Gift by Douglas Wood (2009) – An autobiographical picture book about a boy with ADHD who has difficulty learning to read. With the help of a caring teacher, Douglas finds a book that interests him and discovers the joy of reading.

Kami and the Yaks by Andrea Stenn Stryer (2007) – A young Sherpa boy, who is deaf and unable to speak, races a big storm in the Himalayas to rescue a group of yaks who strayed from their owners.

A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz (2014) – A true story of a boy who spent his school years in a special classroom because of his stuttering. His teachers believe he’s incompetent, but he finds his voice through imaginary conversations with animals and becomes a strong advocate for wildlife conservation.

I’m Here by Peter Reynolds (2011) – A boy with autism is isolated but fully aware of his surroundings. Sitting in a playground, he makes a paper airplane and launches it into flight, and the plane is returned by a girl who may become a new friend.

Skateboard Sonar by Eric Stevens (2010) – A graphic novel about a skateboard competition in which Matty, who is blind, wins the competition against several bullies, showing that “seeing isn’t everything.”

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay by Cari Best (2015) – Zulay is a blind girl who is included in a regular education classroom. She and three of her best friends debate which field day events to take part in, and Zulay ends up running a race with the help of her friends.

Zoom by Robert Munsch (2003) – Lauretta needs a new wheelchair and chooses a 92-speed dirt-bike model and takes it home for a trial run despite her mother’s misgivings. Then the real adventures begin.

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

March 10 (SA)
9:00, OBOB Lane County Regional Tournament (Thurston HS)

March 11 (SU)
Daylight Saving Time – Spring Forward!

March 12 (M)
Penny War Begins
Artist in Residence Continues
2:30, Allan Meeting w/5th Grade Team, Staffing Input (Room 9)
4:00-5:30, Allan to All Admin Meeting (Ed Center)

March 13 (T)
1:15-1:45, Allan to Title 1 Budget Review Meeting (Ed Center)
2:30-3:30, IPBS Meeting (Mellissa/Mariah’s Room, RM23)
2:30-3:30, Allan to IEP Transition Meeting (Conference Room)

March 14 (W)
Wacky Wednesday – Crazy Sock Day
2:30-3:30, PBIS Team Meeting (Rae’s Room, RM1)
2:30-3:30, Allan to Wrap Around Meeting (Conference Room)

March 15 (H)
Staffing Plans Due to HR
12:00-3:00, Allan to ILT Meeting (Ed Center)

March 16 (F)
Regular Day

March 19 (M)
Artist in Residence Continues
2:30-3:30, Allan to IEP Meeting (Conference Room)

March 20 (T)
8:15-11:15, Allan to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
9:00-12:30, Kreider/Peterson to Museum of Natural History
2:30-3:30, Allan to IEP Meeting (Conference Room)
3:45-5:30, 4J Staff of Color Affinity Group (Community Room)
6:00-7:00, PTO Meeting (Community Room)

March 21 (W)
Title 1 Progress Monitoring Day – No Groups
8:45-9:10, K-2 Eugene Emeralds Reading Program Assembly (Gym)
9:20-9:45, 3-5 Eugene Emeralds Reading Program Assembly (Gym)
11:00-12:45, PRIDE Awards at Lunch – Discipline
2:30-3:30, Student CARE Team (Conference Room)

March 22 (H)
9:00-12:30, Niccum to Museum of Natural History
12:00-3:00, Allan to ILT Meeting (Ed Center)
4:00-5:30, Allan to North Region Principals’ Meeting (NEHS)

March 23 (F)
7:30-9:00, Allan to 4JMAPS Meeting
9:00-12:30, Robinson to Museum of Natural History
11:00-12:45, March Birthday Lunches with the Principal (Community Room)
1:30-2:00, Tail Feather Reward – Roadrunner Game Show (Gym)
2:30, BEST Dance Party (Gym)

March 26 – 30
No School – Spring Break

April 2 (M)
PBIS Monthly Theme – Encouragement
No School – Professional Development/Planning Day (District Math PD)

April 3 (T)
Classes Resume
4:00-5:15, Allan to Report Card Committee Meeting (Ed Center)

And a shoutout to Cash and the Bees (and Coach Julie and staff who came  out to cheer them on) for representing Howard at the Oregon Battle of the Books Regional Tournaments this weekend. Nice work, Team!

Allan