https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=12055
Hello Holt Bolts,
Hope you all are enjoying your final week of the summer.
Twenty-five items of note for this week:
• Staffing Updates – Three staffing updates:
• Head Custodian (Jeremy Rutledge) – Jeremy starts this Monday and comes to us from Awbrey Park where he was the lead custodian for the past seven years. I also learned that Jeremey graduated from Sheldon High School around the same time as Jackie. Small world! Please welcome Jeremey to TEAM HOLT!
• Librarian (Robbie Cortez) – I’m pleased to announce that Robbie, our current Library Assistant who happens to be a licensed teacher, was offered and accepted the position as our new licensed librarian. The school board intends to fund this position as a pilot for 5 years at Holt, Howard, and Chavez, so it’ll be great to have Robbie continue to be with us in the library!
• Title 1 EA, 6-hour (Job Posting) – Now that Robbie is in a licensed position, we are hiring to fill his classified hours, except instead of hiring for a library assistant, we’re hiring for a general education assistant position. The Job Posting is now up and closes Wednesday. I already know of three strong candidates who are applying who we interviewed previously this summer for other jobs, so I’m feeling confident we’ll find someone good!
• 22-23 Master Schedule – Linked here is the 2022-2023 Master Schedule and is also on the Holt Staff Dashboard. You may noice a new block at the end of the day labeled “SSHA” which stands for Science, Social Studies, Health, and Art, taking the place of last year’s Science/Social Studies/Art block. We took this from the 4J Content Minutes Schedule Guide I shared last year (which was just a guideline and not a requirement), but putting SSHA at the end of the day felt like a softer ending to the day for kids instead of Core Math or Reading. Grade level teams are, of course, free to shift time blocks around as you see fit, as long as they don’t move Title, SPED, or PE/Music pullout times.
We’re almost finished with the EA schedule, so watch for that soon.
• Who is A/B and C/D on the Schedule? – Grade level teams should let me know which classes will follow the A, B, C, or D schedules and I’ll add names to the Master Schedule and the PE/Music Schedule tab.
• Inservice Schedule – Downtown has made some updates to the Inservice Master Schedule Google Doc, but principals pointed out there are some overlaps on Thursday 9/1, so there will be some tweaks, but it is generally correct. The above linked doc also includes the PD schedule for licensed specialists (Counselors, Librarians, Music, PE, Title, SSD, and EL teachers) and a tab for classified staff (Gen Ed and SSD EAs). Zoom links and several of the in-person locations will be added later this week, so watch that doc for the official dates, times, locations, and links.
Classified staff should note you have district PD on Tuesday 8/30 (SSD EAs, 8:00-12:00), Thursday 9/1 (All EAs [KG, SSD, Title], 1:00-3:30, KG EAs 3:00-4:00) and Friday 9/1 (All EAs, 9:00-12:00).
I’ll keep the Holt Staff Zimbra Calendar current with what’s on the document. The dates/times at the bottom of this post are current as of Saturday night.
• K-5 Health Adoption – Downtown let principals know the K-5 Health Adoption Team selected The Great Body Shop as 4J’s new health curriculum to be implemented this year. Teacher Kits will arrive at schools soon for each classroom teacher.
Downtown is taking into account the new Language Arts implementation are planning a “soft start.” Instead of teaching all 10 units, they have identified 5 priority units for this year.
Downtown sent principals a GBS K-5 Introductory Slide Show that staff need to see before the 9/1 and 9/2 Health PD days. They suggested blocking out 20 minutes at our Back-to-School Staff Meetings, but since this doesn’t apply to all staff, I don’t want to take up meeting time and figure teachers can play it while you’re working in your classrooms. Downtown also shared with principals the linked K-5 Health Scope & Sequence if you want a preview of this info before the Health PD.
For more info is available on the 4J Elementary Health Website, including How-To videos to get started with The Great Body Shop, and more info will be added later.
• Holt Staff Fun Facts – Ashley has updated the Holt Staff Fun Facts Spreadsheet if new staff members can add your info or if there are other staff who want to update your info, such as what you want kids to call you (“Mr. Chinn”), your favorite coffee drink (almond milk hot chocolate extra hot), or your hobbies (Filmgoer, Video Games, Books, Comics, Bigfoot Enthusiast).
• Holt Staff Dashboard – I’ve updated the Holt Staff Dashboard for this school year, but also left prior year dashboards on separate tabs. For new folks, this is your one-stop-shop for the many links that get shared out by the district (Absence Management, Curriculum Links, District Phone Lists, etc.) and at the building level (Master Schedule, Class Lists, DHS Reporting Forms, etc.). Let me know if there’s any info you think we should add, change, or delete.
• Class List Email Friday Afternoon, Sept. 2nd – 4J is continuing the practice of emailing families class placement instead of posting class lists outside of the office (which did present privacy issues). Teachers should plan on sending a welcome letter to families of all students in your class the afternoon of Friday, September 2nd. We can decide at our BTS staff meeting on a general time teachers will send the email, but I’ll keep it vague with families, saying they will be emailed class placement info Friday afternoon.
• Friday PD Times – The Friday PD days this year that are not “Teacher Choice” or “Building Based” will be led by district TOSAs (on Zoom I’m guessing), which means the times are being dictated by downtown, but luckily the times they chose for early start schools is what we were already doing last year, 1:30-2:30, with prep happening 2:30-3:30. Downtown also told principals there will be more details coming regarding Staff Choice PD, which begins October 7 (September 9 is “Individual Educator Choice”), so I’m guessing there will be parameters around these days.
• Title 1 Groups 4 or 5 Days a Week? – Prior to last year, Holt has held Title 1 groups 4-days a week instead of the 5, where teachers kept their students on Fridays. This was brought up at the end of last year and I’m putting it on the back-to-school meeting agenda as a discussion item whether we want to go back to that or or keep it five days a week. We’ll make a final decision at the 9/16 Friday PD Day (I’ll steal some time away from the TOSAs). The rationale for this is to give Title 1 staff time to meet, to progress monitor, and to give classroom teachers a day for guest speakers, field trips, or bigger projects. Also, it doesn’t have to be the same for all of K-5, but it could be.
• Volunteers Need Admin Approval – I mentioned last week that we are continuing to limit visitors and volunteers, but also wanted to highlight that staff still need to notify me before your volunteer can start, so I can submit a Volunteer Screening Form to Risk Management before they start. Volunteers also have to complete the required 4J Volunteer Background Check before they start, which for now still includes a proof-of-vaccination requirement.
• Entered ALL Absences into Absence Management (even if you don’t need a sub) – 4J is in the process of revamping their system for staff to record absences, but for now all staff should continue to use Absence Management (formerly AESOP for us old timers) to enter all absences, including when you don’t need a sub or even if it’s just a few hours. If you cannot enter an absence by 6:00am for a sub, call, text, or email Allan and/or Melanie so we can get it entered.
• Back to School Family Newsletter – I’m going to finish the Holt Family Welcome Back Quick News later this Sunday and send it out Monday morning, but the link will be up on the Holt School Website before I email it if you want a preview.
• Second Step Digital Curriculum & Pacing Guide – Also on the Holt Staff Dashboard is a link Online Second Step curriculum materials along with the Second Step Pacing Guide for the year. If you’re not able to log on with your 4J email, let me know and I can resend an invite to connect you to Holt. Codes for your grade level will be in the front of your teacher guides, but let me know if you can’t find them and I can get you right codes.
• ALL Wit & Wisdom Material NOW Available – The missing K-2 Wit & Wisdom materials have arrived and everyone should now have a complete set waiting outside your classroom door. Let me know if you are missing anything. However, the module zero is still at the printshop, so that one is still coming (gold star to Candace for noticing that).
• REPEAT: Wit & Wisdom Online Access – All staff have digital access to Wit & Wisdom. Just visit the website and log on using the password: elafororegon
• REPEAT: Wit & Wisdom PD Notes – Katie Stiles, K-3 Literacy TOSA, had a few suggestions and notes regarding the PD on August 26th and 29th:
• Print Module #1 – It is available online, but she suggested printing the first model and bringing it to the PD.
• Review Student Text – She also said reading over the student text ahead of time will make staff feel more prepared.
• REPEAT: Report Back Dates, CLASSIFIED DATE CHANGE – Please note HR made a mistake on the Classified Work Year Calendar and you now report back one day later than what was originally on the calendar. Here are the report back dates:
• Licensed Staff – Friday, August 26
• Classified Staff – Tuesday, August 30 (196-day on 8/24)• REPEAT: Welcome Back Burritos, Coffee, & Supplies! Tuesday, 8/30 @8:30! – Join us for burritos, coffee, school supplies and socializing with school friends! Brought to Holt Staff by the amazing group at The Hope Project on Tuesday, August 30th at 3:30 in the School Garden!
• REPEAT: Optional New Staff Orientation and Q&A, 9/6 @10:00 – I’ll be available Tuesday, 9/6 at 10:00 in the cafeteria to share some Holt nuts & bolts logistics, answer questions, and provide any assistance for new folks. I can get busy during inservice week, so I like to set aside a time when I’ll be available for new staff. You can also always text, call, or email.
• REPEAT: Meet Your Teacher, 9/6 @2:00 – In-person Meet Your Teacher is allowed this year and looking at past staff calendars, it was the Tuesday before the first day of school from 2:00-3:00, so that’s what I’m sending out to families. I’ve also scheduled Kona Ice to come at 3:00, so hopefully that’ll make it easier to chase families out of your classrooms when the event is over.
• REPEAT: 2022-2023 Class Lists – Here’s the link to the 22-23 Class Lists that were created last spring. As usual, there are quite a few new move-ins and move-outs, so some adjustments will need to be made.
• REPEAT: ArtSpark Artist in Residence Survey – Holt will get two Artist Residencies again this year funded by ArtSpark. I want to get your preferences early, so we can lock in an artist and date before the good ones are taken. Please fill out the linked Artist in Residence Survey to help start the conversation when we make a decision at our Back-to-School Staff Meeting. ALSO, I got a hot tip from another principal that Jen Hernandez’s Story Crafters & Comics was super good, making a kindness display across the school!
• REPEAT: Make Sure Your Voicemail is Set-Up – Ensure your 4J voicemail is set up and working. See the linked 4J Phone Voicemail Manual or this Quick Start Voice Mail User Guide for how to set it up. If you have questions, contact Rob, at 4jdesktop@4j.lane.edu or call (541) 790-7777.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
August 23 (T)
8:00-3:30, New Teacher Welcome Event – Day #1 (ATA)August 24 (W)
8:00-3:30, New Teacher Welcome Event – Day #2 (Churchill)August 25 (H)
8:00-3:30, New Teacher Welcome Event – Day #3 (Zoom)August 26 (F)
Licensed Staff Report Back
8:00-9:00, Time to Pick-Up Wit & Wisdom Materials
9:00-4:00, Wit & Wisdom ELA PD – Day #1 (Holt)August 27 (SA)
9:00-12:00, Holt Work Day 2022 (Front of School)August 29 (M)
8:00-3:00, Wit & Wisdom ELA PD – Day #2 (K-3 @Zoom, 4-5 @Holt)August 30 (T)
Protected Teacher Planning
Classified Staff Report Back
8:00-12:00, SPED EAs to SSD PD (Location TBA)
8:30, Welcome Back Burritos, Coffee, & Supplies! (School Garden)August 31 (W)
8:00-8:30, Breakfast Stacks & Socializing (Cafeteria)
8:30-12:00, Holt Back to School Meeting (Cafeteria)
4:30-7:00, Learn to Ride a Bike – Family Event (Ed Center)September 1 (H)
8:00-11:00, 4J Staff Back-To-School Gathering (TBA)
1:00-3:30, EAs (Title, SPED, KG) Wit & Wisdom PD (TBA)
1:00-4:00, Health for Grades K-2 (Zoom)
1:00-4:00, Math for for 3-5 (Zoom)
3:00-4:00, KG Teachers & EAs to Kidnerzone Meeting (TBA)September 2 (F)
9:00-12:00, Classified & Licensed Universal Design for Learning PD (SEHS Auditorium)
1:00-4:00, Health for Grades 3-5 (Zoom)
1:00-4:00, Math for for K-2 (Zoom)September 5 (M)
Labor Day – No SchoolSeptember 6 (T)
Collaborative Planning Time for Lang Arts Adoption
8:00-10:00, Staff Meeting – If Needed
10:00-11:00, Optional New Staff Orientation and Q&A (Cafeteria)
2:00-3:00, Meet Your Teacher
3:00-4:00, Kona Shave Ice Fundraiser (Hard Play)September 7 (W)
Classes Begin – First Day of School
7:00-9:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)September 8 (H)
Regular DaySeptember 9 (F)
1:30-2:30, Friday PD – Individual Educator Choice
See you all soon!
Allan
