Week of October 1, 2018
Hi Everyone,
Tuesday is National Custodial Workers Recognition Day, so I’d like to take a moment to recognize the work of Craig, Larry, and Gary do to keep our building running smoothly and staying so light and bright. You do so much more than just keep our building clean. Your smiles and cheer go a long way for all of us.
Here are some important times for the week:
• LICENSED: District PD Day, Thursday, Oct 11th – This is a district-wide elementary PD day, but the PD will all be building based. The agenda for this day will be 8:00-12:00, which will be three topic areas. Both classroom teachers and licensed interventionist (SPED and Title 1) should attend this meeting, but interventionists are excused from the from the Math PLC and Math Design Time to instead attend a separate “Interventionists PLC” 2:00-4:00 at Chavez. CLASSIFIED STAFF: Please work in the building to prep for the coming week. Follow your regular schedule. If you have some trade time, or comp time, please come see me with your logs so I can approve them.
• 8:00-10:00, Fall Benchmarking (2-hours) – This discussion will replace our first Data Team meeting of the year, and will be focused primarily around looking at reading and math benchmark data in grade level and interventionist teams.
• 10:00-11:00, Math PLC Mission/Vision Work (1-hour) – This will be focused on developing our Mission Statement. We will focus on the Why. (The WHY. Why do we exist?) and then move on into our Vision (the WHAT. What type of school do we want to create?), and then into Collective Commitments (the HOW. What must the adults do to create our ideal school?) Classified are welcome to attend.
• LearnZillion/Math Design Time (1-hour) – Based on feedback from the August math PD, teachers liked having choice and hearing from peers, so grade level teams will get time to meet to collaborate (not individual planning) in an area the team chooses and then report back on your work at the next Staff Meeting. Topics might include:
• Task-based learning that “shifts the lift” to students
• Number Talks
• Planning for Major Work
• Language Routines
• Collaborative Structures
• Use of Games Resources
• Workshop
• Formative Assessment
• Explore New Web Resources
• State In-Service Day, Friday, Oct 12th – October 12th is State In-Service day. This is a regular work day for administrators and classified staff. For classified staff, this would be a good day to use any accumulated trade time (which officially is not supposed to be accumulated without first getting admin approval). For licensed staff, October 12th is a non-contract day, meaning you have the day off. If you’re ever wondering about work year dates, most all of your questions can be answered on the 4J Employee Work Year Calendars.
• Revised Friday PD Calendar – Due to contractual language, EEA and downtown have come to an agreement on revisions to the Friday Early Release PD calendar. To make up for the lost 1-hour of uninterrupted prep on several of the non-school Fridays, an equal number of early release PD days will have the PD cancelled. Linked here is what principals were given, and we were given flexibility on two of the make-up days which meeting to cancel, so I chose the dates that spaced our our meetings, so we’re not holding Friday meetings back-to-back. So for the following missed Fridays, this will be the plan:
Oct. 12 – State In-Service Day (Oct. 26 PD Cancelled)
Nov 9 – Conferences (Nov. 19-21, no after school meetings will be held [every attempt to not schedule IEP’s will be made])
Nov. 23 – Thanksgiving Break – (Dec. 21 PD Cancelled)
Feb. 1 – Grading Day (Feb. 15 PD Cancelled)
Mar. 15 – District PD Day (Apr. 5 Cancelled)
May 3 – Transition Day (May 10 PD Cancelled)
• Friday Early Release Meeting Cancelled – This Friday was originally scheduled to be Part 5 of the Behavior Framework. It will be cancelled.
• Safety Week, Oct. 1 – Oct. 5 – Remember that this week is Safety Week. I provided the information earlier in an email. Check back in your email for resources and also refer to the rainbow emergency manual if you have any questions about procedures.
•REPEAT: Grade Level PLCs Mon. & Tues. – Principals were asked to not be a part of this first round of the PLC, so teams can come up with a focus that’s meaningful to you and your team. The opinion last spring was to discuss language skills and math, and questing skills. PLCs are all about how you put in the effort with your team. I encourage you to go all in to ensure you and the team get a lot out of it. You will meet in the conference room with Reid Shepard.
Monday, October 1
2nd- 8:15-9:15
3rd – 9:20-10:20
4th/5th– 10:25-11:35
Tuesday, October 2
KG – 11:45-12:45
1st – 1:00-2:00
• REPEAT:Get Your Flu Shots Now! – Nurse Robin asked me to pass along a word of encouragement for staff to get your flu shot early this year. She said just last week she already had a student case of influenza. Another tip from Nurse Robin is to use the back of your forearms to itch noses if needed, instead of hands. District flu shot clinics are scheduled for Thursday, October 11th and Tuesday, October 16th, 3:00-5:30PM. Pharmacies also often have flu shots in stock. My own method for not getting sick, besides also getting a flu shot, is to wash my hands every chance I get and to never touch my face when I’m at school.
• REPEAT: Caminata Info – Next week on Friday, October 5th will be our biggest fundraiser of the year, the annual Caminata. It is going to be a lot of fun.
• Caminata Running Details – The same as last year, kids will run the a course for 30 minutes and parents will help keep track of the laps. Drinks and snacks will be provided for students at the end of the run. Grade levels should line up in the covered play area so we can start the times below:
• Walk + Roll to School Day, Oct 10th – Remind your students that Wednesday next week is Walk + Roll to School Day, where students are encouraged to walk, skateboard, bike, scooter, or use another non-motorized mode of transportation to get to school. There will be small prizes for all students who participate (stickers, tattoos, and a raffle drawing last year)!
• Walk + Roll to School Day “Walking School Bus” – For the Oct 10th Walk + Roll to School Day, the Safe Routes to School Program Manager is organized a “Walking School Bus” where buses will park at The River Road RX Medical Center. Volunteers will be stationed along River Rod to Grove to Howard during the walk. A flyer went home in the October School Newsletter, including a link to a Walking School Bus Volunteer Sign-Up. Staff are welcome to help as well. Buses typically arrive between 7:58 and 8:08.
• International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) Presentations – The UO International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) is now open for the Academic Year 2018-19 and are accepting requests for their students to do presentations at schools. ICSP provides free presentations and classroom visits by specially trained international UO students. This year, we have 29 students from 25 different countries. They give educational and cultural presentations, participate in panel discussions, or introduce a wide array of activities such as music, dancing, storytelling, cooking, religious ceremonies, and martial arts. You can request ICSP presentations at this Registration Link and for more information visit the ICSP Website.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events
October 1 (M)
Safety Week
Office Meeting- 7:30-7:50 am
Safety Week and Bus Safety Lesson
PLC 1/2 day AM Session in grades 2, 3, 4/5
October 2 (Tu)
Erin’s Law Lesson
PLC 1/2 day session in PM in Grades k/1/
Staff Meeting- Present Leadership Plan, PLC Vision, Presentation on Natives Program
October 3 (W)
Fire Drill – Surprise time!
October 4 (Th)
Room Clear Practice and Stranger Danger
3:00-4:00, GOTG (Conference Room)
October 5 (F)
Lockdown Discussion (Not a drill)
Caminata 8:45-1:30
October 8 (M)
Indigenous People’s Day
7:30-7:50, Weekly Office Meeting- Office
Regular Day
October 9 (Tu)
3:15-4:00, Equity Meeting (in Room A200)
5:00-6:00, Site Council (Library)
6:00-7:15, Parent Group (Library)
October 10 (W)
3:15-3:45 PLT- (conference room)
October 11 (Th)
No School — Professional Development/Planning Day
8:00-12:00, Data Team/PLC/Math (A210)
2:00-4:00, Licensed Interventionists (ELD, Title & SPED) PLC (Chavez)
October 12 (F)
No School — State In-Service Day
Regular Workday for Classified Staff
Non-Contract Day for Licensed Staff
October 15 (M)
7:30-7:50, Weekly Office Meeting- Office
SMART GOALS DUE
October 16 (Tu)
3:15-4:00, Staff Meeting -PBIS meeting
October 17 (W)
3:15-3:45, PLT Meeting (Conference Room)
October 18 (Th)
PICTURE DAY- in Room A209.
10:18, Great American Shakeout- 10:18 on 10/18- Earthquake Drill and Disaster Preparedness
(No Evacuation)
3:15-4:00, GOTG (Conference Room)
October 19 (F)
2:00-3:00, Math PLC Meetings, Specialists and Classified excused from the meeting.
October 22 (M)
7:30-7:50, Weekly Office Meeting- Office
October 23 (Tu)
8:30-11:45, Joel at the Elementary Leadership Meeting
October 24 (W)
3:15-3:45, PLT Meeting (Conference Room)
October 25 (Th)
3:15-3:45, Equity Meeting (A200)
October 26 (F)
Early Release- No Meetings or PD
I am so impressed with all you do. Thank you for doing such an amazing job to create this bilingual space for learning.
Joel
