Madison Middle School

By gaston_e 　https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/madisonstaff/2019/11/04/november-4-2019/

We survived Spirit Week and Halloween! I loved seeing you all in your costumes and throughout the week. In repayment for last week, we get a short week this week. Fun fact – there is only week with 5 school days this month!

• Staffing Update – Our 1.0 position closed Sunday at 11:59pm. This week will review and rank the candidates and get interviews set up. Once a candidate is selected and accepts the position, we will begin planning which classes will be shifted based on the person’s licensures and staff input.
     
• Friday Early Release PD – Canceled this week due to comp time for conferences.
    
• Conferences Wednesday and Thursday & Family Reports – 
  • Wednesday conferences are scheduled from 5pm-8pm
  • Thursday conferences are scheduled from 8am-12pm
  • From what I understand, parents come when they want and visit the teachers they’d like to speak with. 
  • We just received Family Reports for our students. The reports include attendance and the past three years of scores for EasyCBM and SBAC. I can also print family reports with this year’s FastBridge data. It will show students’ scores compared to the national norms and their ranking in our school.
  • Peter and Erin will be available, so please don’t hesitate to text or call if you need us to answer questions or help with any conference.
       
• School-Based PD Thursday and Friday – We will send an email as soon as possible detailing the topics of our PD. We are scheduled to have PD from 1-4pm on Thursday and 8-12pm on Friday. 
      
• Comp Time Friday 12:00-4:00pm – In exchange for working Wednesday night, staff will have Friday afternoon off. Enjoy!
     
• EA Extravaganza Nov. 7th – For classified staff, conference days are regular work days. See Marlee Litten’s email and directions for a list of the workshop opportunities as well as the registration instructions. Follow this registration link and do a search for “K-8 EA PD.”
    
• Bus Videos in Focus– As required by OAR 581-53-002, all students must receive instructions on bus safety before the end of December. The intent of the rule is to teach the occasional riders who find themselves on a bus because of a field trip, activity trip, etc. Linked here is an updated Bus Training Info Sheet (English and Spanish) sent to principals, but all Focus teachers need to do is show one of the two 12-minute bus safety videos (the Newer Bus Evacuation Training Video or the quaint 1990s relic The Safest Way Out) and then document the date and your initials in this Google sheet. 
    
• Repeat: 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. It’s done! Linked here.
  • 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? 
       
• Repeat: 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.
       
• Repeat: 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/
       
• Measles Information from Lane County Public Health – Free measles shots for staff and dependents are available through many local pharmacies and the 4J Wellness Clinic. This immunization will be made available to staff at the Wellness Clinic regardless of whether your healthcare coverage is through Moda Health or Kaiser Permanente. Please call (541) 686-1427 to make an appointment. See the linked Health Notice for details.
      
• The Role of Emotion Co-Regulation in Discipline – Helping students regain their calm after misbehavior doesn’t mean there are no consequences – it ensures that the right lesson is learned. This Edutopia Article notes that it takes a calm brain to calm another brain – this co-regulation is something that students with ACEs may have missed out on. The article gives tips on how to remain regulated when student behavior may cause your own brain to escalate, which then helps calm students and help them feel safe and connected at school. The article that follows about boosting middle schoolers’ confidence was also very interesting!
     
• Schedule of Upcoming Events:

November 3 (Su) 
     Daylight Savings Ends (last change if Cali and WA agree)

November 4 (M) 
     12:00, Erin to Truancy Meeting (conference room)
     3:45, Erin to MS Asst Principal’s meeting (downtown) Canceled
     Anne teaching Naviance in 7th grade Language Arts classes

November 5 (T) 
     7:45, TLC Meeting (conference room)
     9:00, Peter to expulsion hearing (downtown)
     Anne teaching Naviance in 7th grade Language Arts Classes
     3:45, Erin to 6th grade General Staffing meeting

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

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

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

November 11 (M)
     Veteran’s Day – No school

November 12 (T)
     7:30, TLC Meeting
     9-10:30, Peter and Erin to All Admin Meeting (downtown)

November 13 (W)
     National Kindness Day
     3:45, Climate Team Meeting (Anne’s office)
     Anne teaching Naviance in 8th grade Language Arts classes

November 14 (H)
     7:30, Justice League (Anne’s office)
     8:15-11:30, Peter to MS Admin Meeting (downtown)
     9:30, Erin, Anne, & Dorothy Meeting re: student data

November 15 (F)
     BSU Field Trip all day
     2:45, Early Release PD – PLCs
     3:30, Grade Level Team Meetings