https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=12524
Hi Everyone,
This week is National School Counselor Week, so I wanted to take a moment to recognize our school counselors Darla (who’s still unofficially helping out) and Eli (who’s officially here for the rest of the year). You fill an important role here at Holt and we would not be able to function as a school without you. Be sure to give Eli and Darla a thank you sometime this week!
Seventeen items of note for this week:
• SPED EA Hire, Laura Peterman – Please welcome Laura Peterman as our newest 4-hour SPED EA! This is a new position that was added to support students in the primary grades. Laura comes to us from the Salt Lake City area, where she was a SPED EA at the elementary level since 2015. Before that she was the Entertainment Production Coordinator at the MGM Grand, so I can’t wait to hear some of her stories from there! Please welcome Laura to the Holt Team!
• REPEAT: Bertha Holt Birthday Celebration, February Plans – Last year students earned $1 that grade levels pooled for a donation through Holt International, but this year we will focus on acts of kindness and service. Here’s the plan:
• Teachers will read the Bertha Holt picture book or show a video about our school’s namesake (let me know if you need a copy)
• Second graders get a book to take home
• Students will record acts of kindness and service on cut-out hearts (or something TBD)
• Act will be posted on a hallway display and grow over the course of the monthI’ll run an article in Monday’s Quick News about this and we’ll also make an announcement about it Monday morning.
• Monday Morning Announcements Plan – I’ll test the intercom first thing Monday to see if it’s working, but if it’s not I’ll make a video of the morning announcements and will email staff an unlisted YouTube link you can show your class.
• Literacy Coach at Holt M/W/F – Leah Willow is once again available to help staff with whatever you need related to ELA. She’ll be in the building this week Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She’s planning to check in with teams and teachers to fine tune next steps and create a schedule for this coaching cycle, but feel free to reach out to Leah before then.
• Friday PD: Upbeat Survey Results – The Friday PD on February 10th was originally a Building Based PD day, but district admin ar having principals review with staff the survey results from the Upbeat Survey staff filled out a few weeks ago. I met with an Upbeat Coach last Tuesday who shared with me the Upbeat Survey Results. Looking at the results, there are some that are more district controlled, but there are other areas that are within our control and should take a look at. My plan for the meeting will be:
1. Open the Meeting – Share the purpose of the meeting and survey
2. Describe the Data – Make factual statements about the data.
3. Make Interpretations – Share opinions and interpretations in response to data.
4. Identify Possible Solutions – Brainstorm possible next steps to improve results.
5. Develop an Action Plan – Select solutions and devise an action plan.
6. Close the Meeting – Summarize commitments and timeline.The areas most in need of improvement were Professional Development, Work/Life Balance, and Compensation & Career Path. We exert some control in these areas we may want to discuss, but of areas more within our control, the standout areas we may want to discuss are Diversity and Cultural Competence.
I do have an online tool from Upbeat that allows me to drill down a bit more into the data, so let me know ahead of time if there is anything, in particular, you’d like me to have ready to share at the meeting.
• Report Cards Sent Home, Monday, Feb. 13th – A reminder that report cards are to be sent home with Monday Mailers next week on Monday, February 13th. On a related funny note, and probably don’t actually use this, you may have read in the news how studnets are using AI to write essays for them, but for teachers someone built an AI Report Card Comment Generator!
• Team Meetings Feb. 15 – The first two Wednesdays of the month on non-Staff Meeting weeks are dedicated Team Meeting times. Teams should:
– Meet in their wing so specialists can connect if needed
– Take care of any needed team business
– Complete the Team Meeting Minutes Form (make a copy) and email it to holt_staf@4j.lane.eduThe Team Meeting Minutes Form can also be found on the Holt Staff Dashboard.
• Artist in Residence Schedule: Feedback Due Wednesday – Lesli emailed a Draft Artist in Residence Schedule for when Larry Meyers comes to Holt February 21 – March 16 for his Ceramic Tiles residency. Let Lesli know if you see anything that needs to be changed. After Wednesday we will consider the schedule finalize and will share it with Larry.
• BEST Update (not this year) – I shared earlier that downtown was deciding whether to start BEST at Holt or Willagilespie, but a decision was made not to open either program this year. This email says the plan is to try to open both programs next fall.
• Eugene Emeralds Reading Challenge Kick-Off Assembly, March 10th – This is quite a ways out, but I scheduled a kickoff assembly with the Eugene Emeralds for their Home Run Reading Challenge for Friday, March 10th, 8:10-8:40. If you’re not familiar with the program, kids track a reading goal set by the teacher on an Ems Bookmark and if they meet their goal earn two free tickets to a Eugene Emeralds baseball game. This assembly is optional if teachers would prefer to share about the reading program yourselves or skip it altogether, but it’s usually a pretty entertaining assembly.
• Guest Teacher Tickets – Want to help your subs have a better day? Guest Teacher Tickets are given by guest teachers to students for doing a great job. If a student receives a ticket, they should take it to the office for a Book Vending Machine Gold Coin! Students should go straight to the good vending machine to redeem their prizes. Tickets should be in your Sub Folder, but let Kim know if you need more tickets.
On a related note, there’s a pretty one-shot good lesson in the Caring School Community class lessons on preparing your class for a substitute.
• Guidance for SpEd Referral Packets – Principals received an SSD Email that reviewed the SPED Referral process. I may take time in the future to review this at a Staff Meeting, Friday PD, or Building Based PD Day, but linked here are the latest versions of the Referral Packet Coversheet and the 4J SpEd Referral Packet 2022-23.
• CAUTION: Icy Curbs – I hope we’re past the below-freezing temperatures, but it was suggested at our last Safety Committee Meeting I remind folks that the curbs around the building can be VERY slick on icy mornings since they are not textured surfaces.
• UO International Student Free Presentations – The UO ICSP (International Cultural Service Program) is offering in-person and virtual cultural presentations to schools. See the linked UO ICSP Brochure and UO ICSP Website for student profiles, presentation topics, and how to request a presentation.
• REPEAT: Feedback on 2023–24 Proposed Calendar – Downtown is seeking feedback on a proposed 2023–24 Calendar. The biggest changes are the school year starts a week earlier, Thanksgiving Break is now 3 days, and Conferences are the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving Break (schools would still decide their conference schedule), and added non-contract days in September. Click the Feedback Survey Link to share your thoughts. My own thoughts are that the early start will work fine for high SES schools, but low SES and high mobility schools are going see a lot of kids enrolling after the school year has started, missing out on the vital start of the year community building and school routines. I’m also not a fan of all the non-school days in September. This month is when school routines are established and having only one week that’s a full 5-day week seems like bad planning. I’d rather see short weeks in May, or if these dates are for the start of the year PD, move them to October instead. I’d encourage staff to weigh in on the proposed calendar before it becomes official.
• Connecting Black History to Joy – Black History Month isn’t only about pain—it can be a full-fledged celebration of accomplishments that have shaped America. See this Edutopia Article for details, but one of their suggestions is that every educator and every student should be able to do the following:
• Name five Black history figures unrelated to the Civil Rights Movement
• Name at least one Black community tradition
• Name at least one Black historical music pioneer or genre
• Name one pop culture trend from the Black community that has gone mainstream (e.g., high-fiving)
• Name at least one Black millionaire• 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 6 (M)
Winter Benchmarking Continues
National School Counselor Week
Library Week #2 Classes
3rd Grade Room Duty
12:00-1:00, OBOB Tournament Practice (Library)
2:45, New Student Planning Meeting (Michael’s Room)
3:45-5:15, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)February 7 (T)
Birthday Drinks & Goodies in Staff Room
International Clash Day 20238:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Heinrich)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Ayres)
2:45-3:45, Staff Meeting (Library)February 8 (W)
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Parks)
8:50-10:45, Book Nook, During AM Recesses (Cafeteria)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Lovato)
12:00-1:00, OBOB Tournament Practice (Library)February 9 (H)
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Heinrich)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Ayres)
5:00-6:00, Site Council Meeting (Library)
6:00-7:00, PAHS Meeting (Library)February 10 (F)
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Parks)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Lovato)
12:00-1:00, OBOB Tournament Practice (Library)
1:30-2:30, Friday PD, Upbeat Survey Results (Library)February 13 (M)
Winter Benchmarking Continues
Report Cards Sent Home
Library Week #1 Classes
4th Grade Staff Room Duty
12:00-1:00, OBOB Tournament Practice (Library)
4:00-5:30, Allan to Elem Principals Meeting (Zoom)February 14 (T)
Holt Friendship Day
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Heinrich)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Ayres)
2:45-3:45, PBIS/SEL/Equity Meeting (Library)February 15 (W)
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Parks)
8:50-10:45, Book Nook, During AM Recesses (Cafeteria)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Lovato)
12:00-1:00, OBOB Tournament Practice (Library)
2;45, Grade Level Team Meetings
7:00-9:00, School Board Meeting (Zoom)February 16 (H)
Winter Benchmarking Closes
Holt Night Out Fundraiser – Handel’s Ice Cream (tentative)
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Heinrich)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Ayres)
2:45-3:45, Leadership Team Meeting (Library)February 17 (F)
8:15, Fire Drill
8:15-9:15, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Parks)
9:20-10:20, 5th Philosophy with Paul Bodin (Lovato)
1:30-2:30, Friday PD, Building Based – Equity Survey Results (Library)
We’re now officially halfway through the school year!
Allan
