By Allan 　http://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=9072

Hello Roadrunners,

Those snow days sure seemed fun at the time, but never mind that we should be on summer break now. However, we made it! One and a half days of school left and fourteen items of note for the week:

• 19/20 Staffing Updates – With Katrina moving out-of-state this summer, that leaves a 2nd grade opening which will be filled by Nicole. That leaves a 1st grade opening which I’ve posted for and will hopefully go up this week. Jessy and I are tentatively planning to conduct interviews on Thursday, June 27th if any staff are interested in volunteering your time to help select a new Howard staff member. And if you know of any excellent teachers, please encourage them to apply. Also, Rae and I will conduct interviews for our Life Skills EA position on Monday, June 17th 2:35-4:00 if anyone would like to volunteer their time to join us for those interviews.

• Master Schedule Updates – After much consideration, the master schedule is again being revised going back from a 15/35/10 lunch/recess schedule to this year’s 20/40 schedule. The main factors that caused me reconsider are that the instructional day (i.e. student contact time for teachers) has been increased by 20 minutes and also taking into consideration all of the additional prep and meeting times being required by new district initiatives. This change will mean fewer intervention groups to cover additional supervision duties and there are still concerns about student behavior with these longer times in the cafeteria and recess, but we have a number of licensed staff committed to supporting a PBIS refresh to support these longer unstructured times. The master schedule is still being worked on, but should be done sometime over the summer. I don’t like to email staff over the summer, but when I have a presentable draft schedule, I’ll drop it into the Howard Google Team Drive > Schedules > 2019-2020

• UDPATE: End of Year Checklists – Linked here is the End-of-Year Checklist for staff who are in charge of a classroom or other area. This form needs to be completed and signed off by me before you start your summer. Visit the linked Technology Equipment Checkout Contract 2018-19 if you want to take home any technology. One change from last week that Peggy sent a Tech Bin Email about how we are going back to our Technology Boxes for staff to put your Doc Cam, cables, whiteboard pens, video adapter, ENZO keyboard, and wireless mouse. The one exception is downstairs classrooms need to leave your HDMI cable and video adapter our for ESY. Also, take note of Ryan Spain’s Email about unplugging electronics over the summer to reduce plug load and also tips on pest reduction.

• REPEAT: Field Day, Monday 6/17 – Field Day is Monday with K-2 starting on the field 8:30-10:00 and grades 3-5 going 10:15-11:45. PE classes are cancelled this day. Teachers should divide your classes into four colors groups (orange, yellow, blue, and green). Michelle already emailed staff, but linked here are the K-2 Field Day Stations and the 3-5 Field Day Stations, along with the Field Day Station Maps. Classes will rotate by number, so if you start on 1 you’ll go to 2 and so on. We are providing popsicles at the end of each Field Day session. If any classes are missing your morning recess and want to make it up, please have your classroom join your Buddy Classroom’s recess time, which should cover most all missed morning recesses.

• REPEAT: “Grab & Go” Sack Lunch Schedule, 6/18 – For lunches on the last day of school, students will enter the cafeteria as usual. They will put together their own sack lunch, assembly line style. As students pass through the line, they should form a new line at the an exit door of the teacher’s choosing. Once all the students have gotten their lunches, teachers can walk students back to class. This process should takes about 5-8 minutes.

10:00 KG grade
10:10 1st grade
10:20 2nd grade
10:30 3rd grade
10:40 4th grade
10:50 5th grade

If staff not supervising students are available to help during this time, that would be terrific!

• REPEAT: End of Year Ice Cream Celebration, Tuesday at 11:30 – After kids leave on the last day of school, at 11:30 we’ll have our annual end-of-the-year ice cream celebration in the cafeteria. There will be root beer floats, ice cream sundaes with all the fixings, and it will also be a chance for us to wish well those staff members leaving us, which is a fair number of folks this year, with Becca, Carolyn, Erin, Helene, Katrina, Patricia, Peggy, Suzanna, and Zach. See all you all there!

• 2019-2020 Leadership/Building Rep. Positions – The following staff members have volunteered to take on the leadership positions listed below:

• Behavior Teacher Leader – Mellissa
• Equity Leader – Imelda
• IPBS Co-Leaders – Mellissa & Matt
• PBIS – Rae
• Site Council – Shelly & Jessy
• Social Committee – Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?
• TLT – Angela

• Alder Springs Apartments & Enrollment Info – If you’ve been wondering, The Alder Springs Apartments going in off North Park, they are set to open in late September. All of the apartments are 2-bedroom and are going to rent at a lower rate than ECCO Apartments, so I expect we’re going to see some new families moving into our attendance area in the fall. On a related note, I’m still pestering downtown for an update on a timeline regarding a decision on additional staffing. Our current K-4 enrollment should entitle us to an additional 1.5 FTE, which I’d add a fourth 2nd grade class and a 0.5 facilitating teacher for 5th grade. And our kindergarten enrollment for next year is already 59 students, so I’m also putting this on downtown’s radar since they only projected us for 57 kindergartners.

• EEF Grant Updates – We were awarded two of our grant applications for next year, the $1,000 “EEF Book Love Grant” written by Julie for up to date non-fiction books for the library and the “EEF Current Events News Subscription Grant” written by Carla that will get grades 3-5 a subscription to myOn (i.e. the company that bought out News-o-Matric). Thank you Julie and Carla!

• Report Card Notes – Three report card notes:

• REPEAT: Report Card Printing/Stuffing– Teachers print two copies of the report card and deliver those to the office (also return your envelopes if you’d like us to stuff them). SPED reports under four pages and ELL reports should also be turned in to the office. See Brooke’s Email for details.

• REPEAT: Ready to Print – Principals were given the option of closing out attendance earlier than the last day of school if teachers wanted to print report cards before June 18th, so teachers can now print report cards a soon as you are ready. Just know the attendance count will be off by 1.5 days.

• REPEAT: Report Card Resources – Remember the 4J Elementary Report Card website, which has information on comments (smaller space so make comments individual and not generic), the Report Card Bridge Document (matching the math CCSS to each section of the report card), tips on report card printing, and info on Synergy Grade Book.

• REPEAT: 4J Instructional Framework Pilot – If you’re interested in helping pilot 4J’s Instructional Framework as a replacement for the current rubric in TalentEd, please follow this Instructional Framework Pilot Survey Link to officially indicate your interest for next year. One nice thing about the pilot is teachers we only use part of the rubric instead of the entire rubric as we do in TalentEd. The teacher chooses four sub categories and the principal chooses four sub categories.

• District Admin Updates – Lots of district admin updates! Kyle Tucker, is the new district Chief Operations Officer overseeing the bond projects underway and forthcoming over the next several years, and the position will be partly bond-funded. Kyle also will oversee the district’s Facilities, Transportation, and Technology Departments, while our Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services will focus primarily on Human Resources, Finance, and Support Services. Kyle is currently the assistant superintendent of South Lane School District and is also the husband of Howard’s very own Ann Tucker! David Jacobson, principal at Willagillespie, has been selected as the new Federal Programs Administrator, replacing Jeff Johnson. Jeff and Brooke will serve as our Directors of PreK–8 Education starting July 1. To help align and streamline general education and special education supports and contacts, Jeff and Student Services administrator Tom Horn will work with North and Sheldon region schools, while Brooke and Seth Pfaefflin will work with the South and Churchill region schools. SSD will also undergo a one-year restructuring process. Announced earlier, Leila Schuck will become principal at Fox Hollow and Joyce Johnson will move downtown to support the regional work at more of a systems level. KC Clark will continue with truancy/attendance (which falls under SSD) and assistance with evaluation work.

• Get the Most Out of Summer – See this Edutopia article for eight tips on incorporating relaxation and intentional planning for the year ahead into your summer so you can return to school refreshed.

• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Google Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the rest of the year:

June 17 (M)
8:30-10:00, K-2 Field Day (Track)
10:15-11:45, 3-5 Field Day (Track)
1:15, KG (Sugar) Ocean Open House (RM2)

June 18 (T)
Last Day for Students, Early Release

Last Day for 192 & 196 Day Classified Employees
Last Day Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
8:30-10:00, Sugar to Emerald Park
10:00, Grab-n-Go Sack Lunches (Cafeteria)

“Grab & Go” Sack Lunch Schedule
10:00 Kindergarten
10:10 1st grade
10:20 2nd grade
10:30 3rd grade
10:40 4th grade
10:50 5th grade

11:10, K-5 Dismissal

11:30, Staff Last Day of School Root Beer Float & Ice Cream Sundae Party and Staff Farewell Celebration (Cafeteria)
1:00, Allan to Parent Meeting (Conference Room)

June 19 (W)
Grading Day/Last Day for Teachers

June 21 (F)
Report Cards Picked-Up by 4J Courrier

June 24-August 1
ESY using bottom floor classrooms
8:00-2:30, ESY-Life Skills (6/24-7/3, 7/5)
8:00-2:30, ESY-Life Skills, ESY, DHH (TWH 7/9-8/1)

July 25 (H)
Elementary Principals Report Back

August 5-9
Gym Floor Refinish

August 10 (M)
Elementary Secretaries Report Back

August 25 (T)
Licensed Staff Report Back

August 28 (W)
192 Day Classified Employees Report (most classified staff)
Howard Back-to-School Staff Meeting

August 29 (H)
District Staff Back-to-School Events/Meetings

August 30 (F)
District PD Day

September 1 (M)
Labor Day – No School

September 2 (T)
1:00-2:00, Meet Your Teacher (Supply Drop-Off)

September 3 (W)
Classes Begin

It’s almost summer and if you need any ideas for what to read this summer, see below!

Allan

Staff Summer Reading Picks!

Allan

You Can’t Win (Tramp Lit Series Book 1) by Jack Black, Joe Coleman – A friend recommended this as a fascinating autobiography of a depression era self-described “criminal hobo.”

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield – Another recommendation form a friend about a fictional famous author who has written many versions of their past and is now ready to reveal the true story. Sounds a bit like one of my all-time favorite books, Mother Night that questions what is the true self.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – A fictional 70s rock biography sounds like Almost Famous meets Fleetwood Mac.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – Circus dramas have always been a fascinating of mine, whether it’s Burt Lancaster in Trapeze or Tod Browning’s Freaks, I love them all.

The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra by James DeMonaco – Children’s book by the writer/director of the very dark horror Purge Films.

Ashley

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide  by Karen Kilgariff  & Georgia Hardstark

Becca

I don’t have a summer reading list yet, but just finished the book, Less by Andrew Sean Greer. It’s a satirical comedy. The beauty of its writing becomes apparent in the final few chapters.

Corianne

I’m planning on reading Becoming Michelle Obama and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series (maybe not all the books, but we’ll see…. ;) )

Julie

As many OBOB Books as possible.

Highly recommend Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, Malala My Story of Standing up for Girls by Malala Yousafzai, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The Elephant Thief by Jane Kerr

WhatsHisFace by Gordon Korman

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai

Cod Word Courage by Kirby Larsen

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Yardsticks by Chip Wood

Hacking School Libraries by Kristina Holzweiss

The Book Whisperer by Donalynn Miller. comes highly recommended by my peers

Reviewing library curriculum and maker spaces books :)

Justine

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. (read and recommend)

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison (want to read)

Lupe

Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow by Gates Jr., Henry Louis and Tonya Bolden

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

Oldie but…. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

Mama’s Boy: A Story from Our Americas by Dustin Lance Black

Natalie

Patricia

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Forest Bathing by Julia Plevin

Wrap, Stitch, Fold and Rivet by Mary Hettmansperger (a former teacher/instructor)

Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler

A Basketmaker’s Odyssey: Over, Under, Around & Through by Lynn Slyer

Japanese Basketry Embellishments by Donna Sakamoto Cripin (a dear friend that recently passes away)

Shelley W.

This summer I am reading Sybil Exposed by Debbie Nathan. Apparently the author of the original book took some creative license in her depiction of this fascinating case. It looks like there is also some interesting info on the history of psychiatry. 

Suzanna

I haven’t read it yet, but I’m getting ready to start. I’ve heard from many people that it’s an eye-opening book detailing how accumulated stresses have physical effects on our bodies. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk From Google: “The effects of trauma can be devastating for sufferers, their families and future generations. Here one of the world’s experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for treatment, moving away from standard talking and drug therapies and towards an alternative approach that heals mind, brain and body.”

Suzy

Circe by Madeline Miller I read, and loved, Madeline Miller’s first book, “The Song of Achilles” and couldn’t wait for this one to come out last year. I didn’t think I would love it more than Achilles, but I really did. Even if you don’t know a lot about Greek mythology, or even if you do, you will love this book.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent This story is inspired by a true story of the last woman executed in Iceland in 1829. You will not only get to know the sad (and sometimes very dark) true story surrounding Agnes Magnúsdóttir, but also the landscape of north Iceland. Even though you know how her story ends, you keep hoping that it’s going to end differently.

A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles In 1922, a count is sentenced to house arrest in a Moscow hotel. A story told with humor and thoughtfulness. You will not forget the characters in this book anytime soon. A must read!

It’s OK that You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief & Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand by Megan Devine A very honest, and raw look at loss. There are too many quotes that resonated with me to list here. It’s a must read for anyone grieving, or knows someone who is.