https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=12369
Hey Everyone,
We are definitely on the countdown to Winter Break. This, of course, means we can expect extra stress among our students and families (and ourselves too), so be prepared for the unexpected and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Eighteen items of note for this week:
• Staffing Updates – Three staffing Updates:
• Temp 1st Grade Hire, Chastity Doty – We conducted interviews last week and have hired Chastity Doty for our 1st grade vacancy. Chastity has been subbing in this position for the past couple of months, so please OFFICIALLY welcome Chasity to Team Holt!
• PE & Music Update – We interviewed one Music and one PE candidate last Friday. I’m still checking references for our music applicant, but for PE we want to widen our pool of applicants and are reposting. To hopefully attract more candidates, we’re reposting the position as a 0.4 FTE position, pairing our 0.2 position with Howard 0.2 PE position they are also trying to hire for. If you know anyone good, please encourage them to apply!
• Darrin Heffington Leave Extended – Darrin’s leave has been extended through spring break, Abby Parks has agreed to continue subbing in this position, so we are lucky to have a strong reliable sub in the position.
• Computer Science Education Week Dec. 5th-11th – Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code are this week (it snuck up on me) and there were a few resources shared in the latest Library Lowdown and EdTech Update you could do with kids this week:
• The Hour of Code Games
⁃ Minecraft
⁃ Star Wars
⁃ Frozen
⁃ Angry Birds
⁃ The Grinch
• Google Hour of Code Activities
• Microsoft Hour of Code 2022 Carnival
• Minecraft Education Edition Hour of Code Escape Estate
• Khan Academy• REPEAT: Book Nook Starts WEDNESDAY – 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• Fire Drill, FRIDAY at 8:20 – This Friday at 8:20 will be our December Fire Drill. Linked here is the Building Evacuation Map and the Fire Drill Line Map.
• 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• REPEAT: 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.• Holt Night Out Fundraiser – MOD Pizza, Dec. 14 – Wednesday, December 14th is a Holt Night Out Fundraiser at MOD Pizza on Coburg Road! Remind your students to just bring the MOD Pizza Fundraiser Flyer when they order. To place an online order, use the coupon code MODF16980.
• REPEAT: 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.
• School Spirit Assembly, Dec. 16 – We’ll have our monthly School Spirit Assembly on Friday next week in the gym. The assembly will start at 8:15 and all classes should be seated at that time. Winners from the Cozy Blanket Contest will be announced at the assembly. Stay tuned for additional details!
• Friday PD, 12/16: Staff Choice – Principals haven’t gotten any details for Friday’s “Staff Choice” PD time next week on December 16th, but I’m guessing plan on doing whatever it is you signed up for on the Elementary Staff Choice PD Sign-up Form last time. I’ll let you know if anything changes.
• 4J PD Calendar Changes – District admin didn’t say anything (“timely communication”), but I checked the 4J PD Calendar and they have changed a number of the Friday PD Topics, adding a couple building based in January, adding some PD on Fridays for SPED teachers, tentative topics for future Staff Choice Fridays, and removed a couple Friday PD Days for a double prep due to a missed Golden Hour of prep on an adjacent Friday.
• Erin’s Law & Great Body Shop Curriculum – I’ve been asking district admin since the start of the year what we’re supposed to teach to meet the Erin’s Law Requirements and finally got an answer this week. We are no longer using the Second Step Child Protection Unit and district admin has determined that The Great Body Shop lessons will meet the requirement. Teachers are welcome to continue using the Child Protection Unit if you choose, but you’re only expected to teach The Great Body Shop Safety Units, which are spread across the units.
If you do teach the Child Protection Units, you should send home the Parent Notification Letter. A notification about The Great Body Shop was shared with families earlier in the year, which I believe will cover us for notification, but I’ll add this to Tuesday’s Staff Meeting agenda if we want to send a notice about GBS safety lessons school-wide or call it good.
• DRAFT 4J Discipline Process Flowchart Matrix – I shared earlier that downtown is working on an update of their Major/Minor Behavior Matrix with a more comprehensive Discipline Process Flowchart Matrix. This is still in draft form and the goal is to have it finished by the end of the year, but if you’d like a preview or have any thoughts on the draft document you’d like me to pass along, see the above linked doc.
• Transitional Kindergarten Postponed – SSD had planned to start a “Transitional Kindergarten” program focused on students needing significant behavior support, but they are postponing their plans for this program until next school year. Their reasoning is that they were unable to find any viable candidates to teach this classroom (though they didn’t listen to my suggestion of having each of the Regional Behavior Consultants teach a class).
• Emergency Sub Licenses Return – TSPC has reinstated the emergency substitute teaching license option, which only requires a high school diploma, but many requirements of the district including, paying applicant fees, submitting letters of support, and more. If you know someone worth consideration, let me know and I can connect them with HR.
• Free KWANZAA Materials – Lane AABSS recognizes that many winter holidays will be discussed and celebrated in the coming weeks as a way of honoring the diversity in our communities and schools. They are offering FREE materials and resources to educators. To receive these materials, just complete the linked form.
• Winter Break Bingo – From Just Two Teachers, use these bingo cards, whole group, to assist with management before the winter break. Kids complete a class-wide bingo board in the two weeks up to winter break by having good behavior both in class and around the building. Grids are available in several different color schemes. This actually pairs nicely with the December Kindness Calendar if you’re using that.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Holt Staff Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the next two weeks:
December 5 (M)
Library Week #2 Classes
ELD/Speech/Counselor/Library Staff Room Duty
Artist in Residence Continues
3:45-5:15, Allan to All Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)December 6 (T)
Sunshine December Birthday Coffees & Goodies!
2:45-3:45, Staff Meeting (Library)
4:30-6:00 Allan to Conscious Discipline PD (Zoom)December 7 (W)
Monthly Walk+Roll to School Day
Winter Break Food Box Sign-Up Deadline
8:50-10:45, Book Nook, During AM Recesses (Cafeteria)
1:50-2:10 KG & 3rd Orange Ticket Recess
7:00-9:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)December 8 (H)
Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day
1:45-2:10, 2nd & 4th Orange Ticket Recess
2:45-3:45, IPBS Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)
5:00-6:00, Site Council (Library)
6:00-7:00, PAHS Meeting (Library)December 9 (F)
8:20, Fire Drill
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)December 12 (M)
Library Week #1 Classes
SPED Staff Room Duty
3:45-5:15, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Holt Library)December 13 (T)
National Cocoa Day
2:45-3:45, PBIS/SEL/Equity Meeting (Kelsey’s Room)
6:30, Feed Hope Food Box Prep (Cafeteria)December 14 (W)
Holt Night Out – MOD Pizza
8:50-10:45, Book Nook, During AM Recesses (Cafeteria)
1:45-2:10, 1st & 5th Orange Ticket Recess
7:00-9:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)December 15 (H)
9:00-10:00, Elf Jr. Performance (Cafetorium)
2:45-3:45, Leadership Meeting (Library)
4:00-8:30, Holiday Shopping EventDecember 16 (F)
Holt Spirit Day – Cozy Sweats & Sweater Weather Day
8:15-9:45, School Spirit Assembly (Gym)
1:25-2:25, Friday PD – Staff Choice
10 days until winter break (unless we get a surprise snow day)!
Allan
