https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=12358
Howdy Everyone,
Just three weeks until winter break!
Fourteen items of note for this week:
• Staffing Updates – Two Staffing Updates:
• New SPED EA, Denice Mellor – Please welcome our newest SPED EA, Denice, who comes to us from Chavez, where she was also a SPED EA. We hired Denice about a month ago, but Chavez put a hold on her starting until they could hire her replacement, but she will officially join us starting this Monday, so please welcome her to Team Holt!
• UPDATE: Temp Job Posting, 1st, Music, PE – Our temp 1st Grade, Music, and PE Job Postings were extended another week and will now close on Tuesday, November 27th.
• Book Fair Evening Event & PJ Day, WEDNESDAY – To help bring awareness to the Book Fair evening event this Wednesday, we’re holding a special mid-week PJ Day! Get your kids excited to wear their comfy pajamas this day and also remind them about the book fair, which will close Thursday.
• REPEAT: Holt Staff Annual Gingerbread House Event, THURSDAY – The Staff Gingerbread House Event is this Thursday from 5:30-8:00ish. Come if you have a team or if you just want to socialize! The gathering is at Katies’ house. Address is on the Staff Zimbra Calendar. See Debbi’s Email for details.
• UDPATE: Staff Workload Relief Day, FRIDAY – Downtown revised their guidelines for the workload relief day that only licensed staff may work from home (if you notify your principal ahead of time) and that classified staff are to work your regular hours on-site (unless you are using appropriate leaves)
December 2nd – This transition day should be treated much the same as a grading day for licensed staff. Licensed staff may work from home on this day, but should be available to team members. Any licensed staff that intend to work from an alternate location, will need to let you know their intentions. In that communication licensed staff should also identify how they will communicate with their colleagues on this day. Licensed staff that have not communicated a desire to work from an alternate location will be expected to work on site. As a reminder, our classified staff are wage and hourly employees and need to report to their building or use appropriate leave.
• Need any EA Help this Friday? – If teachers can use any help with prepping materials or with other tasks, add your name and the task to the Workload Relief Day Tasks Spreadsheet. EAs should also add your name to the tasks you’re willing to take on.
• Book Nook Starts Dec. 7th – See Jenny’s Email for details, but here’s the quick version:
Start: Wednesday, December 7th.
When: Every Wednesday
Where: Cafeteria
How: Send kids at the beginning of morning recess (not before).
How many: Send up to 5 kids each time.
Other info: Please do not send them with a snack (unless it can stay in their pocket)
What next: A Book Nook staff person will walk kids out to recess after they are done choosing a book. The book will be delivered to the table outside your classroom with a sticky note with the child’s name on it.Make sure they bring a Book Nook Recess Pass, plus their Book Nook currency, which is one of the following:
• 5 Zaps
• 1 Instant Winner
• 1 Book Nook free book coupon
• $0.25
• A used book from home to trade in• REPEAT: Friday PD, Dec. 9 – Building System – Leadership discussed doing a review of all of our support systems, with a particular focus on behavior support systems. With many new staff members and with systems having changed and morphed over time, here are the system I’m planning on reviewing, but let me know if there are other you think we should go over:
• Major/Minor Referrals
• PBIS Tickets (Zaps, Orange Tickets, Spirit Tickets)
• PBIS Videos & Resources
• Behavior Supports Available
• Voice Levels
• Recess/School Rules
• Request for Support – Academic/Behavior
• Request for Support – Student/Family Needs
• Family Resource Coordinator Supports• HOLT Cozy Blanket Essay & Drawing Contest, ENTRIES DUE Dec. 12 – In place of the annual Winter Coat Drive, we’re trying a Cozy Blanket Drive. See Ashely’s Email, Staff Flyer, and Entry Form for details, but here’s the short version:
What?
Instead of the yearly coat collection, Holt will be having a fuzzy blanket giveaway for kids who would benefit from a warm and cozy blanket if their own.When?
Contest forms are due on Monday, December 12. Winners will be announced at the assembly on Friday, December 16th.How can teachers help?
Put the contest forms in Monday Mailers. If you would like, you can give students time in class to complete the form if they want to enter. Miss Darla has also volunteered to help kids get forms complete in here room.• UPDATED: Elf Jr. Performance, Dec. 15, 9:00-10:00 – Thursday, Dec. 15th from 9:00-10:00 has been confirmed with Upstart Crow for our performance of the Elf Jr. Musical. Upstart Crow will begin setting up at 7:00, which will conflict with 3rd and 4th grade Music times. The 9-10 assembly time will also conflict with Kinder, 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade recesses. Those teachers can take their prep during the assembly and other staff will cover your class. Linked here is an Assembly Map & Directions. If Holt has used a different sating format for performances in the cafeteria, let me know and I can adjust.
• January 3rd PD Day Info – The following was sent to principals regarding the PD Day following winter break on January 3rd:
January 3, 2023 – With the various moving parts, please know that it has been confirmed that the Elementary Wit & Wisdom Language Arts PD that was scheduled for January 3, 2023 (4 hours) has been postponed. We recognize that many buildings were only planning for the 1.5 hours, however, that is now 5.5 hours with your staff (in order to absorb the 4 hours that Wit & Wisdom will no longer be leading.) This could mean that your building will have more time to address work that has been put on pause, in addition to focusing on what care and connection will look like as we welcome our students back on January 4. On this date, licensed staff members will need to be provided 2 hours for prep/planning (first thing in the morning or to end their day).
I’ll put this on the next Staff Meeting Agenda to see if there are PD topics staff would like to cover this day or if folks would rather make this a “Collaborative Team Planning Time” or some combination of the two. My initial thinking is there are a few topics I’d like to cover this day (CICO Review, Escalation Cycle Review, Equity Decision Making Tool, DHS Child Welfare Reporting Online Documentation, School-wide Problem Solving Student Strategies), but to make the bulk of the 5.5 hours collaborative planning time for teams.
• 4J Communications Survey Deadline Extended, Nov. 28 – The 4J Communications Audit has been extended to Nov. 28th, so doing miss out on your change to let district admin know how they are doing on communication.
• Standard Response Protocol (SRP) Slideshow – I’ve already covered this with staff earlier, but if you’re interested, linked here is a 4J Standard Response Protocol Slideshow that was shown to principals last week, covering Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.
• 20 School-Appropriate Funny Videos for Kids When You Have 5 Free Minutes – Here’s a funny WeAreTeachers Arcile that aims to help teachers when you find yourself needing to fill a few mintues. Why not fill that time with a video of a cat riding a Roomba?
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
November 28 (M)
Library Week #1 Classes
5th Grade Staff Room Duty
Book Fair Continues
Artist in Residence Continues
November 29 (T)
4:00-6:00, Allan to 4J IPBS Meeting (ATA)November 30 (W)
Picture Retake Day
Holt Spirit Day – PJ Day
Book Fair Evening EventDecember 1 (H)
Book Fair Last Day
9:00, Safety Committee Meeting (Office)
5:30-8:00, Holt Staff Annual Gingerbread House Event (Katie’s House)December 2 (F)
No School – Staff Workload Relief Day
8:00-11:00, Allan to LTRS Training (Zoom)
1:00-2:30, Allan to SPED Parent Advocacy Group Listening Session (Ed Center)December 5 (M)
Library Week #2 Classes
ELD/Speech/Counselor/Library Staff Room Duty
Artist in Residence Continues3:45-5:15, Allan to All Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)December 6 (T)
Sunshine December Birthday Coffees & Goodies!
2:45-3:45, Staff Meeting (Library)December 7 (W)
Monthly Walk+Roll to School Day
8:50-10:45, Book Nook, During AM Recesses (Cafeteria)
7:00-9:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)December 8 (H)
Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day2:45-3:45, IPBS Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)
5:00-6:00, Site Council (Library)
6:00-7:00, PAHS Meeting (Library)December 9 (F)
9:00-2:00, 4th Grade Salmon Fry Release Field Trip
1:25-2:25, Friday PD – Building Systems Review (Library)
4:00, Holt Friday @4:00 (TBA)
And if you’re a snow watcher, there is a very slight chance of snow Monday night!
Allan
