Week of March 5, 2018
Hello Shining Star Staff,
This week is Classified Employees Week. There are so many things to be proud of when it comes to our amazing classified staff. We have teachers among us who help children learn to read in two languages. We have office staff who welcome every member of our community with smiles each day.
We have custodians who have been at it longer than just about anyone else in the district and have served thousands of students with clean buildings day in and day out. Did you know that Craig has been an employee of the district since October 1, 1980? Jimmy Carter was president. Think about how many children he has served. We are talking about touching thousands of young people’s lives.
We have a set of computers and iPads maintained by classified staff that help our students learn things on their own device that works seamlessly with our TSS’s help. So many roles in our building and over 20 of the classified staff help us make school work each day. Thank you classified staff!
Thank you Margarita, Antonio, Lupe, Ingrid, B, Maritza, Peggy Lima, Peggy Vega, Dan, Craig, Alicia, Yasmin, Mari Carmen, Mari, Rita, Michelle, Pilar, Gloria, all the BEST Staff, all the bus drivers, and all the facilities staff that maintain our new building.
• Care Team Resources – The Student Care Team met last weekend here are a few resources of note that were shared at the meeting:
• Mentoring Program: A Family for Every Child – They offer a mentoring program and do an excellent job of finding mentors who are a good match for individual kids. They started as a program focused on foster children, but have expanded. They also offer a variety of other programs including a family preservation program and family support groups. They are on W11th and can be reached at 541-343-2856 or https://www.afamilyforeverychild.org/
• The Child Center Collaborative Problem Solving Classes – Free classes and dinner for parents of a children with challenging behaviors, who have tried everything with little to no success, and are frustrated and searching for solutions. The Collaborative Problem Solving Classes are an exciting model that teaches parents and children skills that will reduce meltdowns, increase positive relationships, and improve communication. To sign-up, call 541-726-1465 or visit http://www.collaborativeparent.com/
• Triple P: Positive Parenting Program – Parenting resources and online classes. The free monthly Triple P Newsletter features Triple P Online highlights, upcoming family events in Lane County, and the latest parenting blogs from the Triple P team. Triple P Online (TPOL) is an online learning program made up of sections, designed for parents of children up to 12 years of age and is free for families on the Oregon Health Plan. The newsletter and registration for classes can be done at the following website: http://www.lanekids.org/triplep/
• Success for Children and Families Project – Do you struggle with your child’s disobedience? Aggression? Fighting? Tantrums? Misbehavior in public? Help is at hand! To find out if you qualify and to get more information, call the Success for Children & Families Project at 541-434-1551, email at: success@ori.org, or visit on the web: http://www.ori.org/succes
• Revised STEP Brochure for SNAP clients (formerly SNAP 50/50) – Linked here is a revised listing of the SNAP Training and Employment Partnership (STEP) services and providers. This is for families who say they would like help with training or job search. This revision includes a few changes in the contact information. For DHS staff, primarily BEWS’s and Family Coaches, this document is used to alert SNAP clients about employment and training services available locally through a contract between the DHS central office and our local providers. It’s designed to be given directly to customers, and the customers are free to contact any of the providers based upon their employment and training needs.
• Building 4J’s Future, Online Survey – If you’d like to share your thoughts on the upcoming bond measure being considered by the school board, linked here is a new 4J Bond Measure Community Survey for community members to share their views on priorities and how to proceed on the potential bond measure for the November 2018 ballot.
• Assemblies will remain on Friday mornings.- After a survey and a review at PLT, it was decided to confirm our original decision to keep our assemblies on Friday morning. We had 4 votes to keep it Friday and 4 votes to change to Wednesday. There were also lots of thoughtful reasons on both sides to change it or keep it. Teachers and staff should be especially proactive to look for any breakfast or food taken into the gym. Do not allow it, especially juice boxes! Also, a small group of 4th and 5th grade students should help set up the Gym for PE each Friday morning. The principal and custodian will also help prepare the space for physical education learning.
•March 14th National Walkout Day- Some of you may be aware that on March 14th there is expected to be a walkout across the country in many schools to protest gun violence in schools. April 20 will also be the 20 anniversary of Columbine which some also plan to protest on. The district is working on formulating a plan to deal with the March 14 walkout. Brooke Wagner let principals know this last week that teachers and principals must remain politically neutral in the situation. If students were to organize and plan a walk out, I would want you to ensure that they were safe during the 17 minute walkout between 10:00 and 10:30 on March 14. I would want you to communicate with me if the students decided to walkout so I can provide some protection for them outside. Teachers, nor principals, should be promoting or endorsing this walkout as it is not politically neutral to do so.
However, you might consider these ideas:
- Students or staff can wear orange as a sign of support for peaceful schools; (This is protected speech for all.)
- Students and teachers can organize a sit-in or a teach-in before, during, or after school.
- Teachers can encourage students to write policy letters to organizations they support or opinions to the newspaper.
- Educators can also invite local elected officials to campus for discussions on mental health and bullying and create lessons plans on social justice that explore gun violence, how communities of color and those in poverty are affected by gun violence, and the history of student-led movements.
- Teach Tinker vs. DesMoines to help them understand their constitutional right to free speech. Here is a lesson plan that fits in intermediate grades. Tinker Lesson Plan
Noche Cultural is coming March 14th. – This is turning out to be a spectacular event. With several donations, we will be providing a top notch Baile Folkorico Group to come to Eugene. They will be playing at the event and it will be marvelous for our kindergarteners and 1st graders to watch and learn from. They will also perform during the day on March 14 for all students to enjoy. At minimum, it will be inspirational. There will also be several speakers at the event sharing ideas on the refugee and immigrant experience. Chavo, Lily, and David will send out an exact schedule this week with information on speakers in your classrooms, etc. 5:30-8:00 is the span of the whole event. Food Carts are coming too so there will be lots of food from around the world.
Please share this poster widely. We have 10 days until the event.
Racism Free Zone Tasks of the Week:
This is the original RFZ declaration. Start brainstorming ideas on how to make your own in your classroom with your students. I suggest using an “I” statement more than a “We “statement.
1.Classroom Teachers: Please begin having conversations about how to make a space safe for all students in your classroom. You should set aside 30 minutes in social studies time to discuss race specifically. The purpose of this lesson is to begin to write your own declaration of a racism free zone for your classrooms. We will be choosing and reformulating these RFZ statements for a school wide declaration. It is my hope that some classrooms of the school to have some of these posted in classrooms by March 14th when we begin the Noche Cultural.Please use the Tolerance.org lessons below.
2. All staff: Please read this article to think more deeply about race. It is beneficial to all of our students if we can talk about these issues.
Lesson plan resources from Tolerance.org:
Kinder through 5th Grade Lessons – All can be adapted for each grade level at our school.
Different Colors of Beauty– A Summary and links to all of the lessons.
Benito Juarez Celebration is this Friday, March 9th- Please go to celebrate with the Kelly Middle School students. Many of those student are our students. 5:30-8:30 next Friday. Don’t miss it!
Here are some of the events at school in the next two weeks:
March 5 (M)
Classified Employees Appreciation Week
ELPA 21 Testing Continues
March 6 (T)
8:00-11:30, Joel at Principal’s Meeting (Ed Center)
11:50-1:30, Joel in classrooms. (1st Floor)
3:00-4:00, Racism Free Zone Meeting (5th grade Commons)
March 7 (W)
2:00-3:30, 4J Elementary EA Behavior Workshop (Ed Center)
2:00-3:00, Staff Meeting
Agenda will include the final recommendation for staffing from teachers and classified staff and a short training on restraint and seclusion. All classified should attend including custodians and office. Close the office as soon as possible.
March 8 (H)
Joel, Nancy, and Jaime to the ELA Alliance Conference
1:00-2:00, Joel to Listening Session with ODE (Ed Center)
3:00-4:00, Equity Meeting (David Barnes Classroom)
7:00-8:30, School Bond Spanish Family Forum (Howard Library)
March 9 (F)
Joel, Nancy, and Jaime to the ELA Alliance Conference
PLT Meeting in the office conference room.
5:30-8:30, Kelly MS, Benito Juarez Celebration
March 11 (SU)
Daylight Saving Time – Spring Forward!
March 12 (M)
4:00-5:30, Joel to All Admin Meeting (Ed Center)
March 13 (T)
5:00-6:00, Site Council Meeting- Focus Parent Engagement Plan
6:00-7:15, Parent Group Meeting- Focus is on Fiesta and Noche Cultural
March 14 (W)
5:30-8:00, Noche Cultural (El Camino del Río)
March 15 (H)
Staffing Plans Due to HR
3:00-4:00, Guardians of the Galaxy (Conference Room)
March 16 (F)
Regular Day
Three weeks until spring break!
Joel
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