Our EME Focus
- Tier 1 Instruction
- Belonging
- Define what it means to be an Art Focused School
Thoughts of the Week
Throw Starfish!!
Yep, I am pulling out an oldie but goody. I may have even already used it… I love this story, especially this time of the year. We have a chance at a new start in anything we want to make change in. I recently presented to all the elementary admin team and one of the things I said to them, and truly believe in, is if you don’t like something change it. I realize that there is a student here that I do not like my relationship with because it focuses more on the negatives than the positives. I am going to change it! Will it be easy? No! Honestly, I will have to let some things go, give up my pride, and be the adult I am supposed to be. Ugh! But… I don’t like where this student and I are at right now and it needs to change. So… Ugh! and Uffda! How will you continue to make that difference in the new year? The two weeks off were sure refreshing, but I did miss the kids and can’t wait to get back. Please try to remember that not everyone’s break was wonderful for all of our student’s families or staff’s families. We have had both staff and students who experienced loss and financial hardship. We have students that have experienced trauma and neglect in the last two weeks. They are all coming back anyway, some for the stability we provide and some for the friendships they seek. Please make sure to love everyone in the building gently and share your grace and kindness freely! Without further ado, Throw Starfish!
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, what are you doing? The youth replied, throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die. Son, the man said, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of thousands of starfish? You can’t make a difference!
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, I made a difference for that one.
The Coming Week
MONDAY
- No School
TUESDAY:
- Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
- EME Sped Meeting 2:15-3:00
- 5-minute Standing Staff Meeting 2:20
- Elementary Leadership Meeting 3:00-4:30
WEDNESDAY:
- SIW – Training in the Media Center (Lori and Olivia)
THURSDAY:
- Julia’s Birthday!!!
- MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
- BAM (Beginning Admin Meeting) 5:00-7:00
FRIDAY:
- None
UPCOMING DATES
- January 8 – Fire Drill 8:00
- January 10 – EET Book Exchange
- January 12 – Earthquake Drill 8:00
- January 13 – Katherine’s Birthday
- January 14 – Sara’s Birthday
- January 15 – No School
- January 17 – Jill’s Birthday
- January 20 – Lea’s Birthday
- January 23 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
- January 29 – Dibels
- February 2 – No School
Updates from Downtown
Reminders:
- Student Services:
- Monthly REQUIRED inclusion EA Trainings: Contact Krista Hought or Stephanie Smith for info
- Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
- MTSS Tier 3 process
- Counseling:School Counseling Blog
- Wayfinder: This document shows how to mark a lesson/activity complete in Wayfinder.
- Safety: Updated SRO List as of 11/14/23.
- DEI: DEI/ICCL member should present this month!
- Family Engagement: Here is a great one-pager on Family Engagement
New Notes:
Ed Network Day: The SIW plan for Educator Network Day on January 10th from 1:45-3:15 will be lead by Admin/ICCL and will be dedicated to introducing and planning for the changes to the Oregon Math Standards. Please share this plan with your staff.
Translation/Interpretation: For any translation or interpretation requests that you’ll need completed/filled by the first week in January, please ensure you submit the request to Linguist Link before Friday, December 15th to avoid incurring additional costs you may be responsible for. For example, if you plan to send a family newsletter or email between Jan 2-5, please submit that document to translation before winter break. Please share this reminder with your staff.
Black History Month Save-the-Date: Our Black Family & Student Union is organizing a kick-off event to launch February’s Black History Month. The event will take place Wednesday, January 31st. Mark you calendar!
From Culture of Care Coaches: Parents may be interested in some of these events from the Parent Learning Series.
Raptor Student Safe: Raptor Student Safe is a new platform to enter, collaborate, and track data round NSSI (non suicidal self injury), suicidal ideation (suicide risk screens) and behavioral safety (threat) assessments for school teams.
At the January 10 Educator Network Day, the Student Services Team will train school counselors, school psychologists, student success coordinators and nurses on how to enter NSSI and suicide risk screens into this system. After this END training, school risk screening teams will enter these screens into this system moving forward and will be better able to collaborate and track student safety concerns in their buildings.
From Cascade: Please share this flyer with your families in TAG. It outlines Cascade’s TAG info night on January 10th.
From Sustainability: Please share this info about Forest Classroom with your teachers in grades K-2 that is coming up on February 8th from 9-3:30. Subs are covered by the Children’s Forest. Register here: https://forms.gle/vmer5ZAwNpzqCmPm9
From Curriculum, Instruction and Systems: Here is an activity in Wayfinder that is a fun activity to get staff moving and laughing. Direct Link to the PDF. Directions on how to find the lesson in Wayfinder
From TLC: December 13th Elementary TLC Update The update for this week is the shortest of the year and only includes: report card info, Wayfinder, and movement info. Have a wonderful and safe Winter Break! Reach out to your elementary support staff for any needs or supports.
The Good of the Green Team: BLS has green team leaders in all but 5 schools this year and they are doing amazing work. Here are a few updates. Summit High students partnered with Miller to collect usable toys and are hosting a gift give for families at Bear Creek. Northstar, Ensworth, and Buckingham students completed waste audits to get baseline data for waste reduction efforts. Amity Creek is starting the 2024 school year with plates. BSH put waste stations throughout the school and Caldera Green team is inspiring students and staff to bring reusables to their pancake breakfast. The High School Green Leadership Coalitions wants to remind you all to have a great holiday and to reduce waste in how we wrap presents.
Important Dates
- Jan. 2, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Miller Elementary
- Jan. 10. Educator Network Day, in your buildings from 1:45-3:15
- Jan. 15 No School in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Jan. 17: Office staff meeting 1:15-2:15 (plan for them to be away from 1-2:30)
- Jan. 23, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Buckingham Elementary
- Jan 31, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30