Thank you from USS Theodore Roosevelt
(sorry I cannot get this to post vertically for some reason)
Off campus for Pine Ridge visit on Monday
On Monday I will be off campus in the morning for a visit to Pine Ridge as part of my commitment to our Design Team Trio (Ensworth, Pine Ridge and us). I should be back by lunch time and I a not that far away.
Go Team Sawyer!
Alicia’s class connecting with Sawyer and Finn. COMMUNITY & Kindness you can cut with a knife!
Snow Recess – Revisited from 12/4/17
Here is what was shared earlier in December:
We are going to approach our Snow Play differently this year. We would like to embrace the snow when it comes and enjoy the experience whenever possible. This means there will be times when we allow students to play on the snow berms. This will create some ambiguity as we will need to adjust where and how students can play in and on the snow as conditions change, but it just doesn’t feel right to constantly tell them to get off the snow. Snowball fights will still not be permitted.
Some further clarification;
We would like to find ways to say “yes” rather than “no”.
When students ask to climb on the snow berms – respond with something like this, “as long as you can do it safely” OR “How can you do it safely?”
When students ask to throw snow – respond with “where can you throw it safely without hitting somebody” (I will sometimes give them a target and say you have 2 minutes to hit that target.)
When students ask to do the sliding game – send them to Lorin. (=
One last point; the rule of not allowing students not the field without boots does not really make sense and I think it really does not honor our student’s right to make their own choices. The blacktop can be just as snowy, muddy and icy as the field we need to be a little less controlling of that behavior. We can probably hold the line with the kinders and 1st graders but I think we need to let the older students make their own choices and consequences when it comes to their clothing.
Culture of Safety Document
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9sJRluBirgOGpjQ1MwRUoyeWc/view?usp=sharing
Please take a moment to review the linked document. These requirements are guiding our efforts to provide a safe and secure environment.
Print Shop Rebate
I don’t usually share the monthly printing costs reports with you because I feel you as a whole team do a really good job of keeping our printing costs manageable and I would rather you not be concerned about whether or not to make copies of something you need. I do want to share with you the rebate of $4,692 which we received for our budget next year. This rebate is based on the savings you earned by using the print shop versus the copier and the copier versus individual printers (library, etc.) It’s our reward for every time we plan ahead and send things to the print shop rather than print here in-house. Thank you!
Health Curriculum
If you would be interested in joining a district team to review and select a district health curriculum please let me know. Skip Offernhauser will be leading a team on this task starting this spring.
Visiting Teachers
I know this is a little early but I would like to put this on your radar now. We will have some more teachers visiting us from Sherwood on Monday, May 21st. They plan to drive out on the 20th stay the night and then spend the day here. I am hoping we can provide another restructured day to allow them to see several grade levels and classrooms throughout the visit.
Yearbook Reminder
This is a reminder to be thinking about your class yearbook photos.
Please put them in the google folder before April 2nd.
Here is a link to the google folders for yearbook pictures.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14JMuQ68jWPUQ9d6bxlOexhQVSTfyFPPN?usp=sharing
Recorder Fun
I watched Rob lead one of our 4/5 classes in the recorder practice with computer game on Thursday and it was really impressive. The kids were 110% engaged in trying to improve their skill with some friendly intra-class competition. I have heard thousands of recorders in my career and I have never heard this many in sync in such a short time. I highly recommend you drop in and check it out sometime.
Just for fun:
I love how the 2/3 team provides some support to each other in remembering recess duty! (sorry I cannot get this to post vertically for some reason)
Calendar
Please take a moment to glance at the calendar so you are informed of our upcoming meetings. – Calendar Link