https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=10579
Howdy Team Holt,
This week is National School Counseling Week, so I wanted to take a moment to do a shout out to our rockstar counselor, Ms. Darla. Holt students, staff, and families are very lucky to have a school counselor who’s willing to go about e and beyond on a regular basis. We appreciate you, Ms. Darla!
Twelve items of note for this week:
• Hybrid Updates – Two items of note:
• Class Lists Postponed – If you missed last weeks 4J Family Newsletter, K-12 families are being given another opportunity in February to change their pathway. This means we should hold off on making class lists until those pathways are locked in. My suspicion is more families are going to switch to hybrid, which means we may end up with fewer online blends and more straight grades.
Additionally, this article makes me think downtown isn’t planning to start hybrid until after spring break, although that’s just my speculation.
• Classroom Set Up – I shared this way back at the start of the year, but linked here is Hybrid Classroom Capacity Info, which includes a sample classroom set-up for Holt classrooms that meet the 6-foot distancing requirement. There may be additional specifics in the future, but in the meantime if staff would like to move any furniture out of your classroom, you may place it outside your classroom or you can email Ryan if you’d like help moving any excess furniture out or help rearranging your classroom.
• Report Card FAQ – I’ve had a few questions this week about report cards, so here a quick FAQ:
• When do we email the report cards home? Anytime on Monday, Feb. 8 before the end of the school day.
• Can I put report cards into supply bags? Only do this for rare situations if there is a family who does not have email access or there are other barriers.
• When are specialist reports due? The staff agreement according to the Staff Handbook is that specialist reports (PE, Music, Title,
SPED, Parent Reports) are due to classroom teachers the Wednesday following grading day, which this year is Feb. 3. CORRECTION – SSD wants SSD staff to email SPED reports separately on 2/8.• How do I schedule email to go out? You can’t do this in Synergy, but you can in Zimbra. Instead of clicking the Send button, click the down arrow to the right and you’ll get the option “Send later…” where you can pick a date and time for them to go out.
• Celebrating Bertha Holt – BINGO Night, FRIDAY @6:30 – This Friday at 6:30, we will celebrate the birthday of our school’s namesake, Bertha Holt, with an extra “ULTIMATE” spirit day, a super fun Bingo Night. Bingo cards can be picked up a this Thursday’s Supply Distribution. Get your students pumped for this event!
Here are some links/ideas to celebrate Bertha Holt if you would like to use them:
Bertha Holt Book Reading YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/ASSY-MjYV4gBertha Holt TV Segment: The Woman whose big heart started an adoption agency with Rick Dancer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XLN9AVZlJIBertha Holt Celebration Bingo Zoom Link and IDs:
Meeting ID: 957 2668 7151
Passcode: BINGO• EA Extravaganza Feedback – Downtown is seeking EA Extravaganza Feedback. Click the above link to let them know how things went. They will use the information and feedback to improve future sessions.
• PAHS Holt Staff Appreciation Day 2/11 – Courtesy of our fabulous parent group, PAHS, on Thursday, February 11th, Holt staff are invited to go to the Coburg Road Human Bean (across form Costco) to order your favorite beverage. Just mention that you are a loved staff member at Bertha Holt to receive one free drink.
• Free Student Desks – I mentioned this at a staff meeting, but as a reminder, a Holt neighbor offered to build free student desks for any students in need of one. Just tell me their name and he’ll deliver them to school for families to pick-up.
• REPEAT: 2021-2022 Staff Survey, Due Feb. 15 – To help prep for 2021-2022 Staffing, please complete the linked 2021-2022 Staffing Survey by Feb. 15. All answers will be kept confidential and let me know if you have any questions.
• REPEAT: Feb. 4 Supply Distribution Sign-Up – If you are available to help with this Thursday’s Supply Distribution, please add your name to the Supply Distribution Sign-Up Sheet to help between 8:00-11:30 or 11:30-3:00. Staff can utilize trade time if you work beyond your normal hours this day.
• District Admin Update – Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Charis McGaughy, has decided she will leave 4J at the end of the school year, exploring options, possibly overseas.
• 2020-21 Statewide Assessment Waiver Update – ODE submitted a request to the Department of Education to waive state assessments for this year. It’s has not been approved and the testing window is still currently set to open March 4th, but I thought staff might be glad to hear this news. See the ODE Bulletin for details.
• Ways to Level Up Your Zoom Skills – By getting familiar with more advanced features of Zoom, teachers can encourage more interactivity and collaboration during online learning. See this Edutopia Article for tips on using nonverbal feedback and reactions, annotation tools, managing breakout rooms, and others.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
February 1 (M)
Black History Month
National School Counselor Week
Second Semester Beings
EOA Student Return
3:00-4:30, Allan to Elementary Health/Safety Meeting (Zoom)
5:30, This Week in Sports w/Mr. Cole (Zoom)February 2 (T)
12:30, Allan to Attendance Meeting (Zoom)
3:00-4:00, Staff Meeting (Zoom)February 3 (W)
8:30-9:00, Student Council (Zoom)
9:00-9:45, Virtual Coffee w/the Principal (Zoom)
9:30-10:00, KG Data Team – Tier 3
10:40-11:10, 1st Grade Data Team – Tier 3
12:00-12:30, 2nd Grade Data Team – Tier 3
4:30, Poetry Club w/Ms. Katharine (Zoom)February 4 (H)
8:00-3:00, Supply Distribution (Front Entrance)February 5 (F)
12:00-1:15, Lunch Bunch – KG 12:00, 3/4 12:20, 1/2 12:40, 5th 1:00 (Zoom)
6:30-7:00, Bertha Holt’s Birthday – Ultimate Spirit Day – Zoom BINGOFebruary 8 (M)
Report Cards Emailed to Families
1:30-4:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Zoom)
5:30, This Week in Sports w/Mr. Cole (Zoom)February 9 (T)
2:00-3:00, Leadership Team Meeting (Zoom)
6:30, Yoga Night for Kids (Zoom)February 10 (W)
9:00-9:45, Virtual Coffee w/the Principal (Zoom)
9:30-10:00, 3rd Grade Data Team – Tier 3
10:40-11:10, 4th Grade Data Team – Tier 3
12:00-12:30, 5th Grade Data Team – Tier 3
6:00, Family Engineering Night – Straw Rockets! (Zoom)February 11 (H)
PAHS Holt Staff Appreciation Day at Human Bean
2:30-4:00, IPBS Monthly CDL Meeting (Zoom)
5:00-6:00, Site Council Meeting (Zoom)
6:00-7:00, PAHS Meeting (Zoom)February 12 (F)
Friendship Day
9:00-10:00, Allan to Physical Distancing Monthly Meeting (Zoom)
12:00-1:15, Lunch Bunch – KG 12:00, 3/4 12:20, 1/2 12:40, 5th 1:00 (Zoom)
Have a good week and don’t forget to make your 10-15 second dance video for the Staff vs. Students Virtual Dance Battle!
Allan
