Meetings:
- All Staff – Wednesday 3:00
- Grade Level Check-Ins;
- 6/1 Kinder – 1:00
- 6/2 Tuesday – 2nd/3rd -2:30
- 6/3 Wednesday – 4th/5th- 1:00
- 6/4 Thursday – 1st – 3:00
PTO Questions – Please take a few moments to complete this linked survey;
https://forms.gle/umVywZR3YzyZEHKE6
5th Grade Graduation –
- I will place about 15 small discs for staff placement around parking lot.
- We will also have 5 spaces along Nashville and 5 or so spaces along Harmon.
- Please bring a lawn chair, cowbells, etc.
- Please also bring some congratulatory signs to hold up.
- We can also hang signs or banners out of the music room windows if anyone would be interested in making these.
- You must be wearing a mask.
- Please be aware that you may need to take different shifts at the parking lot area to allow everyone a chance to be close to the table.
- We will be starting set-up at 8:00 a.m. and we will do our best to start right at 9:00.
If you are interested in some of the planning/preparation details please see the following list;
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16VoSKztD1LjAODAJYEpsvlXpdGHNdENqG-EODdegc2c/edit?usp=sharing
Final Pick up Information:
Here is what I know about your plans (please feel free to correct or add details and I will update for everyone’s benefit);
- K – Courtyard pick up
- Hildebrand – Tuesday 6/9 8:00-10:00
- Chambers – Tuesday 6/9 10:00-12:00
- Striegel – Tuesday 6/9 12:00-2:00
- 1st –
- Eriksson – Thursday 6/4 pm and Friday 6/5 am (bus drop-off)
- Fetrow – Friday 6/5 1:00-3:00 (bus drop-off)
- Gross – Friday 6/5 – 1:00-5:00 (west grass area by parking lot)
- 2nd/3rd
- Cross – Wednesday 6/10 – 12:30-2:30
- Therrian – Drive-up destinations and times TBD.
- Reisinger – Wednesday 6/10 – 12:30-2:30
- Greene – Wednesday 6/10 – 12:30-2:30
- Howard – Wednesday 6/10 – 12:30-2:30
- 4th/5th
- Staggered times and dates during last week still TBD.
Class Placements:
Thank you for your hard work on this process. I know it’s a big step to use this program in place of the cards, but as you can now see it is still entirely under our control. We can always revisit the lists now that you have had an opportunity to sleep on it for a few days. Please remember that lists are always subject to change and they are not complete until we post in August. I know I seemed a little antagonistic during these placements and I apologize if this offended anyone. I am doing my best to play devil’s advocate and call out some of our practices that contribute bias and threaten equity. Many of you are citing “expectations” that are driving this, but it’s important to remember that you cannot control the expectations of others. You, as the professional, can control practices. Right now you are in a cycle of practices feeding expectations and expectations feeding practices. My hope is you can work with me to de-personalize the issue and reel back this cycle and the potential for any inequity for students, teachers and parents.
Staffing Update:
While my staffing plan is still technically on hold, I will share some staffing updates that I feel are safe to share for the moment:
- Pat Stout will be retiring. Congratulations and you will be missed! Pat, I know you gave Highland far more than our allotted shared time and I cannot accurately express how grateful I am for your dedication and commitment to this staff and students.
- Asha Dicharry will be our new SLP. Most of you already know Asha; her daughter, Eva is now in middle school and her son Cole is with us now. Asha also did some training and sub work for Pat over the past couple of years. She’s a familiar face and I hope you will join me in giving her a wonderful welcome to Highland.
- I am pleased to let you know that Megan Truelson is returning next year as our school psychologist. Megan’s son, Walter, is also joining us as a Kindergartner next year. Megan joined partway through the year when Jim Mills left. Now that she is coming back to us, I feel she deserved another more formal welcome to the team.
- I am sure you will join me in disappointment as I share that Sara Striegel will not be returning next year due solely to her temporary status. Sara, I speak for everyone when I say we enjoyed your time and your contribution to our community these past two years. You will be missed and we wish you all the best.
- Although you probably already figured this out, just to make it more official; Anna Park will be returning to us after her two-year teaching experience abroad. I am sure you will enjoy reconnecting with her (in-person) in the next few months.
- And once again in the interest of making it official; Ukiah Yeager-Woock is rejoining us after her leave of absence for the past year. We will also look forward to welcoming her back to the team in the fall (summer).
- Heidi Thomas’s next step is still yet to be determined. I wish we could share more concrete information but the uncertainty with her position is tied to this budget uncertainty.
- Last but not least, I am bummed to share with you that Elizabeth Meskill will not be returning next year. This was a difficult decision for her as she loves working with this team, but after a lot of consideration, she is putting her family first which is something we can all support. We will be working on hiring her replacement in August.
All these changes, whether somebody is leaving us or rejoining us, are causes for celebration. I started to talk myself into hosting a backyard gathering because I feel so strongly we should be coming together to celebrate each other, however I simply cannot bring myself to risk it. It also did not help that I woke up the other night to a nightmare of Gerry the Principal and his opening line was the following; “Did you hur bout that Urogon Purncipal?!?! He infurcted his ‘tire staff jus cuz he wanted to throw a party!!” (If you have not already seen Gerry the Principal – then you need to stop and do a quick search for him on FB or youtube, then the humor of this statement will hit home.) Anyway, please know this is not how I would like to see closure to this school year and I sincerely hope we can make up for it in the future somehow.
Distance Learning Resources
Everyday Math Resources – Important!!
I might be able to fund a few people for the limited access for this – depending upon interest level. If interested and you are certain you will use it, please email me.
Virtual Learning Community – August 3-5– click here and scroll down a little for more details.
Julie’s Weekly Update from
May 29th Update
As you close out the school year think about what you have learned in the last couple of months. Take a moment to reflect and take several deep breaths!! What are some of the things you have learned that you will take with you as we move into next year? Take a minute to write yourself a note dated August so you can open it and remember the things you want to implement.
Summer projects in the works:
- The Choice Boards website is not quite ready yet. We will send a link that you can communicate with families by June 10th. K-2 Choice Boards are available now in PDF for schools to print for those that require a paper copy.
- Lexia and Dreambox will both be available over the summer. Here are links for professional learning to learn more about these programs: Dreambox and Lexia
- Please let families know if they need help with Dreambox or Lexia they will need to contact the phone numbers listed on the Family Letters for Dreambox and Lexia
- Power Up (middle school reading program) will no longer be available for K-5 students after June 30th. Please encourage use of Sora or the Deschutes Public Library.
Summer professional learning:
- The optional distance learning courses that will be offered for OSU Cascades credit will be available for sign up on Performance Matters next week. Here is a sneak peek at the options:
- Providing “just-in time” Instruction for Gaps in Foundational Early Literacy Skills (2 credits)
- Whole Brain Child Book Club (2 Credits)
- How Math Teaching Matters (2 Credits)
- Classroom 180 Book Club (2 Credits)
- SIOP Refresher (1 Credit)
- Sheltering Strategies for Remote Learning (1 credit)
- Meeting the Needs of All Students: Differentiation is the Key (1 credit)
- Daring Classrooms and Schools: Practicing Vulnerability, Relationships, and Dialogue as a Basis for Equity Leadership (Credits TBD)
- Other optional distance learning courses that will be offered without credit:
- Flip that Class
- The Virtual Classroom
- Mashup of Apps to Create the Perfect Screencast
Thank you,
Julie Walker