https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/chinn/?p=8553
Ahoy, Roadrunners!
Just two weeks until winter break!
Eleven items of note for this week:
• Friday Early Release PD – This Friday’s Early Release PD is scheduled for Math PLC work. Principals have not been given direction on what to present/discuss at this meeting, but there is an elementary principals’ meeting on Tuesday, so I may get direction then. I’m not sure, but the last PLC meeting format where teams had planning time may be the regular format for these Friday PLC sessions. I’ll email teachers the plan for Friday following the elementary principals’ meeting.
• Erin Subbing Tuesday and Informal Observations – Erin is going to rack up some admin practicum hours on Tuesday and will cover for me while I’m at the principals’ meeting in the morning. She’s also is going to cover for me in the afternoon, which is when I’m hoping to finish out informal observations for probationary and and contract year 1 teachers I haven’t gotten to yet.
• AESOP REMINDER: Licensed Subs 4-hour or 8-hour Jobs – Teachers, when you put in for subs, remember the EAST contract ensures subs get either a 4-hour or 8-hour work shift. Even if your own absence hours are less, make sure you enter either a 4 or 8-hour time frame for the “Substitute Report Time” in AESOP.
• Brooke Wagner Visits Howard Wednesday – Why do the district administrators always choose dress-up days to visit Howard? Wednesday is PJ day and Brooke Wagner, the Director of Elementary Education, will visit Howard this morning. If you didn’t know, Brooke is also a Howard parent, so it’s already not that uncommon to see her around the building, but I wanted staff to be in the know so you’re not surprised if you see her visiting classrooms.
• REPEAT: Wacky Wednesday – Pajama Day – This Wednesday is the December Wacky Wednesday and it’s Pajama Day, so plan your outfit and remind your students to wear their PJs!
• REPEAT: Natives Program Assembly FRIDAY – A Native American Storytelling Assembly will be this Friday, with the K-2 assembly 8:45-9:10 and the 3-5 assembly 9:20-9:45. See the linked Assembly Map and Directions for details.
• Winter Break Is Hard for So Many of Our Students – While most of us are excited and counting down the days to winter break, this WeAreTeachers article is a good reminder to be aware of how we talk about winter break with students and families, as this time of year can be very hard for many of our families.
• Is too much coddling making students fragile? – Educators and parents should “prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child,” write Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, authors of the book “The Coddling of the American Mind,” in this Scientific American article. They assert that students are too protected from experiencing harsh realities and that social media and other technologies are taking a toll on students’ mental health.
• Teacher to parents: About THAT kid (the one who hits, disrupts and influences YOUR kid) – This is and old article, but one that I was recently reminded about and thought I’d share. Written by educator Amy Murray, it’s a powerful open letter directed to parents about THAT kid, the one other kids go home and talk about, the one who is violent, curses and gets angry in class, the one who parents worry will hurt, disrupt and perhaps influence their own children.
• Nature Live Cams – I shared earlier some fun WeAreTeachers Classroom Screensavers, but for a dose of awe and wonder head over to Explore.org and choose from almost 100 live nature cams. There’s ocean cams, bears, gorillas, puppies and kittens, and other animal sanctuaries (this sheep barn can be pretty mesmerizing to watch when they’re in for the night). Never a dull moment.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events – See the Google Calendar for future events, but here are the events of note for the rest of the year:
December 10 (M)
9:30, Allan to Truancy Hearing (Office)December 11 (T)
Erin Subbing for Allan
8:30-12:00, Allan to Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
12:00-2:25, Allan conducting informal observations
4:00-7:00, Allan to 4J Assessment Adoption Workshop Group (Ed Center)December 12 (W)
Wacky Wednesday – Pajama Day
11:15-12:40, OBOB Lunches (Community Room)
1:30, Allan to Truancy Hearing (Office)December 13 (H)
National Cocoa Day
9:45-11:15, Niccum/Kreider Salmon Release Field Trip
4:30-6:00, 4J Science Teacher Leader Meeting (STEAM Room)December 14 (F)
Bus Safety Due to Lori
Title 1 Progress Monitoring Day – No Groups
8:45-9:10, K-2 Natives Program Assembly (Gym)
9:20-9:45, 3-5 Natives Program Assembly (Gym)
1:25, EA Supervisors Meeting (Title 1 Room, RM26)
2:30-3:30, Early Release PD – Math PLC (Library)
Licensed Interventionists (Title & SPED) PLC – Virtual MeetingDecember 17 (M)
3:45, Allan to Elem Report Card Committee Meeting (Ed Center)December 18 (T)
8:15-12:00, Allan to Elem Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
2:45-3:30, Staff Meeting (Volunteer’s Classroom)
4:00-7:00, Allan to 4J Assessment Adoption Workgroup (Ed Center)December 19 (W)
11:15-12:40, OBOB Lunches (Community Room)December 20 (H)
2:45-3:30, TLT Meeting (Angela’s Room, RM24)December 21 (F)
Winter Solstice
10:30-12:40, Birthday Lunches w/the Principal (Community Room)
1:30-2:30, PBIS Meeting (Rae’s Room, RM1)
2:30-3:30, Early Release PD – CANCELLED to comp for Thanksgiving missed hour of prep
And if you missed it, Howard was in the news this week as an example of a school better engineered to withstand an earthquake than older buildings, which was nice, although the media really should have turned out for all of the cool Hour of Code activities happening during Computer Science Engineering Week, but I suppose I shouldn’t complain since they’ve turned out for that in the past.
Have an excellent week, everyone!
Allan