https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=8279
Hey Roadrunners,
Twenty items of note for this week:
• Required ALICE Training for Untrained Staff – If you have not been trained in ALICE, let me know by the end of the week. In October, 4J is holding a training for staff, both classified and licensed, who have not previously been trained in this emergency procedure. For those who do not know, ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate, and is a response training in the event there were an active shooter situation or other smilier emergency.
• DATE/TIME CORRECTION – Robinson Family Baby Shower Oct 11th! –
Wednesday Oct. 10th at 2:45Thursday, October 11th at 2:30 in the library will be the staff baby shower for Matt and Becky. Linked here is the their Baby Registry and their Target Registry.
• PTO Meeting Updates – There was a nice turnout for the first PTO meeting of the year. Thank you Ashley and Katrina for attending as staff representatives. Linked here is the September PTO Meeting Presentation. Here are a few highlights:
• PTO Teacher Funds – The PTO slightly upped the 2018 PTO Teacher Funds this year ($20.96 per student from $20.50), but earmarked part of that money for enrichment activities as they did last year when they exceeded fundraising expectations and gave additional funds to classrooms. Specialists will again get $125 each and classroom teachers will get $10 per student and grade levels will get $10.96 per student for enrichment activities. As was last year, the two criteria for accessing the enrichment funds are:
• Enrichment – The funds are to be used for an enrichment activity. This can be a field trip or it can be brining a presenter or other guest into the classroom to lead an enrichment activity.
• Grade Level Agreement – The funds are for a grade level activity and are not to be different classroom to classroom. For example, all classes at a grade level don’t all have to go on a field trip the same day, but they do all have to be going on the same field trip.
• New PTO Board Members – We have a fully staffed PTO Board. Here are the our fabulous parent volunteers:
• President – Bethany Freimuth
• Vice President – Amelia Starr
• Secretary – Paige Walker
• Treasurer – Tichelle Carlson
• Communications Mgr Manager – Julea McKinney
• Volunteer Coordinator – Beth Moir / Holli Breshears
• Fundraiser Coordinator – Brande Trumbull/ Abbie Stillie
• Parliamentarian – Christy Garland
• Staff Liaison – Christina Wagner• Committee Work – The PTO currently has committees working on the Tech Trot, Popcorn Fridays (starting Oct. 5), the Holiday & Spring Bazaar (12/1 & 5/4), Community Nights (11/14, 1/25, 5/10), Penny Wars (2/4-2/8), Read-A-Thon (March), McTeacher Night (Feb.), Carnival (6/8/09 Sat.), and Staff Appreciation Week (May 5-10)
• Informal Observations Next Week – Not this week, but next week I’m going to start informal observations of Probationary and Contract Year-1 licensed staff. I’m planning to use the Classroom Practices Observation Tool, which is essentially the self evaluation form teachers completed at the start of the year during the Behavior Framework Introduction. Please know this is not meant as a “gotcha” and I realize teachers employ a variety of effective student management systems, so I do not expect all classrooms to look the same. The main pieces I’ll look for are an orderly physical arrangement, how classroom rules/routines are posted and stated, as well as use of active supervision (moving, scanning, and interacting), and teacher interaction with students (i.e. positives-to-negatives, clearly and positively stating expectations, responding to negative behaviors, etc.). I’ll most likely do these in the mornings, but teachers can let me know if you have a specific time you’d prefer I come by. Let me know if you have questions on this.
• Fire Drill Thursday @8:25 – The September Fire Drill is this Thursday at 8:25. Linked here is the Building Evacuation Map (a higher resolution version is on the Team Drive). Evacuation procedures can be found in the Howard Staff Handbook, the rainbow tabbed Emergency Procedures Manual that should be hanging in every classroom (let me know if you classroom doesn’t have one and I’ll get you one), or just ask a wily Howard veteran. Let me know if you have any questions.
• Friday Early Release Meeting @2:30 – As mentioned in an email earlier, this Friday’s Early Release meeting will be Part 4 of the PBIS Behavior Framework. This meeting is for all licensed staff. Next week’s meeting will be Part 5 of the Behavior Framework.
• Tech Trot Info – Next week on Wednesday, October 3rd will be our biggest fundraiser of the year, the annual PTO Tech Trot, which besides a snacks, drinks, a balloon arch, and music will also include a giant bubble machine! Three items of note:
• Tech Trot Running Details – The same as in the past, kids will run the track for 30 minutes and will collect colorful bands around their wrist as they run/jog/walk around the track to keep count of their laps. Drinks and snacks will be provided for students at the end of the run. Grade levels should line up on the track behind the balloon arch so we can start the times below:
• 8:15-9:00, Grades K/1
• 9:15-10:00, Grades 2/3
• 10:15-11:00, Grades 4/5• T-Shirt Distribution – Howard t-shirts will be delivered to classrooms the day before the Tech Trot, but DO NOT give shirts to students until the day of the event.
• All-School Photo @2:00 in Gym – I want to continue our tradition of an all-school photo in our new purple Howard t-shirts. We didn’t fit very well in the courtyard last year, so we’ll move the all-school photo back into the gym. See the linked K-5 All-School Photo Map for where classes should go. All staff and students should be in their spots by 2:00 PM. Students and staff should wear their NEW purple Howard t-shirts. And please keep an eye out for any funny faces, tongues sticking out, dabbing, or stray middle fingers (offenders will be PHOTOSHOPPED!).
• Grade Level PLCs Mon. & Tues. – See last week’s announcements for details, but I wanted to say that although PLCs are admittedly “one more thing” they do have the potential to be a valuable time for teachers to learn and share with one another. Principals were asked to not be a part of this first round of the PLC, so teams can come up with a focus that’s meaningful to you and your team without us meddling. PLCs are one of those things you’ll get out as much as you put in.
Monday. Sept. 24:
1st – 8:30-9:30
2nd – 10:00-11:00
5th – 11:15-12:15Tuesday. Sept. 25:
KG – 11:10-12:10
3rd – 12:15-1:15
4th – 1:25-2:25Below are the dates for all future PLC release days. Grades 1/2/5 will always be on Day #1 and grades KG/3/4 will always be on Day #2.
Sept. 24 & 25 (M/T)
Oct. 22 & 23 (M/T)
Nov. 26 & 27 (M/T)
Jan. 14 & 15 (M/T)
Feb. 19 & 20 (T/W)
Apr. 2 & 3 (T/W)
Apr. 29 & 30 (M/T)• Second Step Pacing Guide & Materials Sharing – Speaking of one-more-thing, a quick reminder to classroom teachers, Second Step Unit 1 (Skills for Learning for K-3, and Empathy & Skills for Learning for 4-5) is set to begin next week according to the Second Step Pacing Guide. And if grade levels would like me to scan your story cards and teacher guides, just let me know and I’ll drop them into the Howard Team Drive.
• Revised Optional SMART Goals – Classroom teachers, if you choose, can base your SMART goals off of your math PLC focus areas and can use the linked Optional 4J SMART Goals I shared last week. Based on some feedback, I revised the wording on these Sample Filled-In SMART Goals, which you can copy and paste wholesale from. Please let me know if I can be of assistant in helping anyone write your SMART Goals. All goals must be entered into TalentEd by Monday, Oct. 15th.
• REPEAT: Mission Statement Meeting, THURSDAY – If you are a wordsmithing type of person and are willing to help perfect the phrasing of the Howard Mission Statement, we’ll be meeting in at 2:40 in the Conference Room (I’ll bring snacks!).
• REPEAT: District & Howard Check-Lists DUE FRIDAY – The checklist acknowledgment forms (District and Howard) to indicate that you have read and understood the District Back-to-School Memo (PDF) and the Howard Staff Handbook are due to me this Friday. This is a requirement of all classified and licensed staff.
• DreamBox Tips & Reminders – A few dream box reminders and tips:
• Recommended Usage – It’s recommended you provide 20-30 minutes per session to ensure that students are able to fulfill their recommended usage per week, which is Grades K-2, 30-60 minutes (5-10 lessons) per week, and Grades 3-5, 60-90 minutes (7-8 lessons) per week. Note that some lessons may take up to 25-30 minutes.
• DreamBox Resources – The 4J Math Google Folder contains a DreamBox Resources Folder that includes docs on how to add students to your roster, the DreamBox Family Letter explaining how students can use it at home, how to create a class set of badges, how to create a single badge, and how to share students in Dreambox.
• Getting Students Started on DreamBox – It looks like most teachers have started using DreamBox with your classes, but linked here and also under resources on the DreamBox teacher dashboard after you’ve logged onto the site (you can log in through the 4J Clever Portal clicking “Active Directory” with your email username and password) is the DreamBox Learning Welcome Kit for Teachers. This is a nicely concise user-friendly 6-page document with all the DreamBox basics you need to know to get DreamBox started with your students.
• NWCU Undergraduate Teacher Ed Student – Northwest Christian University is looking for a placement for an undergraduate education major this fall. The Assistant Dean of Teacher Education actually sought out Howard specifically because she knew there are so many strong teachers here. If you’d like to host this student, let me know and I’ll forward you name to NWCU.
• CLC 1:1 EA Interviews, Oct. 1 – Linda and I will be conducting interviews for a CLC 1:1 EA on Monday, October 1st from 2:30-5:00 in the Conference Room. Any and all staff members are invited to join us if you’d like to have some say in who will be newest member of Team Howard!
• Get Your Flu Shots Now! – Nurse Robin asked me to pass along a word of encouragement for staff to get your flu shot early this year. She said just last week she already had a student case of influenza. Another tip from Nurse Robin is to use the back of your forearms to itch noses if needed, instead of hands. District flu shot clinics are scheduled for Thursday, October 11th and Tuesday, October 16th, 3:00-5:30PM. Pharmacies also often have flu shots in stock. My own method for not getting sick, besides also getting a flu shot, is to wash my hands every chance I get and to never touch my face when I’m at school.
• UO Science Open House – We’ll send this out with the October School Newsletter, but feel free to let your students know that students/families are invited to the 8th Annual Science Open House at the University of Oregon. The purpose of the event is to help connect families and educators to science outreach programs on campus and in the community. All activities are completely free and open to the public. See the linked SPICE Flyer (in English and Spanish) for details.
• SWCD 2019 Poster Contest – The Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) sent principals an email about their 2019 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) poster contest. This year’s theme is “Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper”. Poster boards will be provided by the Upper Willamette SWCD, but are first come, first serve. See the email and their website for details.
• How You Can Really Understand White Privilege – White privilege is—perhaps most notably in this era of uncivil discourse—a concept that has fallen victim to its own connotations. Recognizing white privilege begins with truly understanding the term itself. This article explains the origin of the term, the difference between racism and white privilege, and what to do once someone recognizes their own white privilege.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Google Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the rest of the year:
September 24 (M)
Title 1 Groups Begin
Half-Day PLC
⁃ 5th – 8:40-9:40
⁃ 2nd – 10:00-11:00
⁃ 1st – 11:30-12:30
2:40-3:30, Site Council (Conference Room)September 25 (T)
8:15-12:00, Allan to All-Admin/Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
Half-Day PLC
⁃ KG – 11:10-12:10
⁃ 3rd – 12:15-1:15
⁃ 4th – 1:25-2:25
2:40-3:30, IPBS Meeting (Erin’s Room, RM22)September 26 (W)
BEST After School Program Starts
9:00-2:00, Kreider & Niccum Hatchery Field Trip
2:40-3:30, Student Care Team Meeting (Conference Room)September 27 (H)
8:25, Fire Drill
2:40-3:30, Mission Statement Wordsmithing (Conference Room)
4:30-6:00, 4J Math Teacher Leaders Using LibrarySeptember 28 (F)
7:30-9:00, Allan to 4JMAPS Meeting
10:30-12:40, August/September Birthday Lunches with the Principal (Community Room)
2:30-3:30, Early Release PD – Behavior Framework (Erin’s Room, RM22)October 1 (M)
PBIS Monthly Theme – Bully-Proofing
2:30-5:00, CLC 1:1 EA Interviews (Conference Room)October 2 (T)
National Custodial Workers Recognition Day
2:45-3:15, Optional Leadership Plan Development Meeting (Conference Room)October 3 (W)
8:15-9:00, Grades K/1 Tech Trot (Kelly Track)
9:15-10:00, Grades 2/3 Tech Trot (Kelly Track)
10:15-11:00, Grades 4/5 Tech Trot (Kelly Track)
2:00-2:15, All-School Selfie (Gym)
4:00-5:00, Allan to North Region Principals’ Meeting (NEHS)October 4 (H)
Regular DayOctober 5 (F)
PTO Popcorn Friday’s Start
Title 1 Progress Monitoring Day – No Groups
1:25-2:30, Recess Supervisor’s Meeting (Title 1 Room, RM26)
2:30-3:30, Early Release PD – Behavior Framework (Erin’s Room, RM22)
Have a groovy week, everyone!
Allan
