October 28, 2019

By gaston_e  

It’s Spirit Week and Halloween…are you ready? Also, did you know most kids at a middle school dance don’t actually dance? They stand around, chase each other, cry a lot, and stand around some more.   

  • Staffing Update – As Peter shared last week, we got the go ahead from HR to turn our full year .8 FTE into a 1.2 position for the remaining two trimesters. We will use .2 to add a class to Michael Kresko and will post a 1.0 position. Hopefully this will make our position more enticing to people, so please get the word out if you know anyone who would be a good fit.
       
  • Fire Drill Debrief – Great job on Thursday’s fire drill! We completed the drill in about 7 minutes, 15 seconds. Our drill next month will be an ALICE drill. We have to do a staff training first, then a student drill. I’d like to change how teachers report if they have missing students by holding up red and green cards. It’s a system I’ve used before and have been told Madison did as well. If you know why the system was changed to this one, would you please let me know? I don’t want to change something if there’s a good reason to keep it 🙂
       
  • Focus Lessons This Week – We have some important info for kids that needs to get shared this week. Please make time during Focus to share this info. Thank you!!!
    • Monday or Tuesday: Please review the Halloween costume guidelines with students. They are linked here. Some possible teaching points include:
      – Who is your audience for your costume? students, teachers, parents, community members
      – 
      This is a school. What may be appropriate or popular in pop culture may not be appropriate
      for a place of learning.
      – We are a community and we want students to consider how their costume choice might
      impact others within this community.
    • Wednesday: We are working with our nurse, Connie, to provide a lesson during Focus classes this Wednesday for all students. With Halloween on Thursday and a student with a life-threatening allergy, we wanted to share this information as quickly as possible. The lesson will include slides with information about what to do if they bring any nut-based items or candy to school and a video about living with allergies. Our goal is to inform students and empower them to help make our school safer for everyone who attends. We will email out as soon as they are ready. More in-depth lessons will be coming in the near future. We will likely do these in-depth lessons during one subject area to ensure all students get the same content and message.
    • Thursday: Anne will email out the info for the attendance lesson. Attendance percentages will be in your mailboxes and students will be identified by their student ID.
         
  • Friday Early Release PD – This week is designated for PLCs. We will use our 4 guiding questions to continue working on systems and AVID strategies to help students experience more success.
      
  • Spirit Week This Week – Here are the daily themes :

    • Mixed Up Monday – Mismatch, crazy socks, how far will you take it?
    • Twinning Tuesday – Get with your friends and come dressed alike OR twin with your favorite staff member
    • Way Back Wednesday – How far back will you go? Will it be medieval times, the 50s, or what you wore yesterday?
    • Thursday (Halloween) – Costumes
      • school appropriate outfits
      • no masks
    • Frumpy Friday – Come down from the sugar high by wearing your PJs or your comfiest clothes
         
  • iPad Updates – After last Friday’s team meetings, all grade levels agreed to keep 1:1 iPads and to manage student misbehavior. I will return iPads of kids who are currently on office managed plans with the exception of the two students who have lost iPad rights permanently. I am working on an update to our iPad plan so everyone is on the same page. Here’s quick rundown:
    • iPad carts can remain open and unlocked all day
    • Teams will manage misbehavior and put kids on plans as needed as was past practice
    • Erin will create and distribute a tiered behavior guide for iPad infractions (it’s almost ready!) for behaviors that are classroom managed and office managed.
    • Teachers will continue to use the infraction tracking spreadsheet to help identify trends and determine if students need limitations to iPad access.
    • Erin and Peter will look into purchasing extra iPads so teachers have a few in their rooms for kids who cannot have iPads all day.
    • Conversations to come: Do we want to keep documenting missing iPads at the end of each day? 
         
  • FBA Training – If any staff are interested in becoming trained in conducting Functional Behavior Assessments, please let me know. This training is helpful both to your own teaching and to our staff as a whole. Those trained are able to help conduct assessments of both gen ed and students receiving special education services to best identify student needs and develop plans to meet those needs. This year they are holding two different types of trainings.
        

    • TRAINING 1: NEW FBA TRAINING (FBA 1-3) – This training is only for staff who are new to the FBA process and/or who have some training, but limited experience in conducting FBAs in the school setting. Staff will be provided half day subs and must attend all three dates. The trainings are held in the Auditorium. Use the sub code PBIS and register using the following link: PBIS Training Registration.

      • Wednesday, November 13 from 8:15-11:15
      • Monday, November 25 from 8:15-11:15
      • Thursday, December 12 from 8:15-11:15 
          
    • TRAINING 2: 4J PROCESSES AND FORMS – This will be a 90 minute after-school session for staff who have experience conducting FBAs in the school setting. We will provide updated information to staff on both 4j processes for conducting an FBA (including when to move to this step) and updated forms to use in the FBA process and when designing behavior plans. Dates and times are still in the works, but please let Erin know if you are interested.
         
  • Student Care Team Resources – There were a few resources that were shared at last week’s Student Care Team Meeting:
    • Section 8 Housing Opening Up, Nov. 12 – On Tuesday, November 12 at 8am until the following Tuesday, November 19 at 4pm. Terra will email a flyer to Allan Chinn, principal at Howard, who will distribute it when it arrives.
    • Energy Assistance – There are several energy assistance programs coming up:
      • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – Opens Nov. 1st at 9am at the Eugene or Springfield office of Catholic Community Services (CCS) or go online to https://lanecounty.org/LIHEAP. In Eugene, call (541) 345-3642. In Springfield, call (541) 747-8349. Applicants need to talk to a staff member and not leave a message to get enrolled. To get on the list, they have to talk to a human, apply online, or enroll in person. Last year the list filled in 15 minutes. This year they are opening it up on the first business day of every month.
      • EWEB Customer Care (ECC) – ECC is adding clients to a waiting list on the first business day of the month starting at 9am. People can apply by calling the Eugene CCS office at (541) 345-3642 or by going online at https://lanecounty.org/ECC
      • OLGA – Oregon Low Income Bill Assistance – NW Natural – Program is funded by Northwest Natural (NWN) customers who meet the income qualifications. The OLGA program provides a one-time payment that is applied directly to the applicant’s NWN account. To apply, in Eugene, call (541) 345-3642. In Springfield, call (541) 747-8349. Customers can also visit the OLGA website.
    • Dovetail – Dovetail Project (formerly known at Project 250) was developed for integrating services provided by the Department of Health and Human Services Divisions to achieve better outcomes for chronic clients (families, individuals, and veterans). Contact is Laurel O’Rourke, Social Services Liasion for Dovetail Program at Lane County Government, (541) 682-8778 or visit the Dovetail website.
    • Roseburg Therapy – Roseburg Therapy began as a provider in schools throughout Douglas County and is expanding into Eugene and Springfield schools, so children can access mental health services in their school without the obstacle of parents needing to leave their jobs or children needing to leave school. More information and the referral form (under “Services”) can be found at their website: https://www.roseburgtherapy.com/
         
  • The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home  – We all know this, but this Edutopia article serves as a good reminder that calling students’ parents or guardians with good news encourages more good behavior and creates strong teacher-student bonds. 
       
  • Identity-Affirming Schools Need Race-Conscious Educators – Inclusive environments are catalysts to students’ success. In this ASCD Express Article, an equity and inclusion specialist shares four steps necessary to foster belonging and dismantle systems that marginalize students, which are:
    1. The Colorblind Approach is Damaging
    2. Disproportionalities Send a Message to Students
    3. Singular Stories are Dangerous
    4. Students Want to Be Heard
         
  • Schedule of Upcoming Events:

October 28 (M)
     Spirit Week: Mixed-up Monday
     2:15, Erin to AVID Coordinator’s Meeting (downtown)

October 29 (T)
     Spirit Week: Twinning Tuesday
     7:30, TLC Meeting

October 30 (W)
     
Spirit Week: Way Back Wednesday
     Regular Day

October 31 (H)
     Spirt Week: Costumes
     7:30, Justice League (Anne’s office)

November 1 (F)
     Spirit Week: Frumpy Friday
     2:45, Early Release PD – PLCs

     3:30, Grade Level Team Meetings

November 3 (Su) 
     Daylight Savings Ends (fall back one last time for Oregon)

November 4 (M) 
     3:45, Erin to MS Asst Principal’s meeting (downtown)  

November 5 (T) 
     7:45, TLC Meeting (conference room)
     Anne teaching Naviance in 7th grade Language Arts Classes

November 6 (W) 
     8:00, Staff Meeting – Canceled
     8:00-4:00, EA Extravaganza and MANDT Training
     5:00-8:00, Parent Conferences

November 7 (H) 
     No School for Students
     8:00-12:00, Parent Conferences
     1:00-4:00, School-wide PD    

November 8 (F) 
     No School for Students
     8:00-12:00, School-based PD
     12:00-4:00, Comp Time for Certified Staff


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