Monday AM Notes, December 2

Welcome back! I hope you had an amazing week off. Yes, it says December! Yikes, how did we get here? I’m looking forward to the 3 week bonanza between now and our winter break…

A few (well, more than a few) notes to get you going:
1) Just a reminder, self-portraits for the auction are due before Winter Break.

2) PE Equipment. If you use any of the PE equipment please put it back in the cupboards. No one should have to spend any time searching for what they need or cleaning up what has been left out. Thanks!

3) SIW this week–we’ll be circling back to check in on our goals for the year. We’ll meet at 2pm in Ray’s room.

4) Fire Drill this Wednesday at 10:50am.

5) Cafe Amity this Friday, December 6–Grade 3 is hosting.

6) Field Trips this week:
*Grade 4 heads to Bend Science Station Thursday and Friday

7) EBISS next Wednesday, December 11. Please note the new schedule (result of no longer having 4/5 PE and Music on Wednesdays). Tonya will be here to cover your classes.
8:30-9:00: Grade 5 
9:00-9:30: Grade 4
10:00-10:30: Grade 2
10:30-11:00: Grade 3
12:00-12:30: Kinder (kids will have PE with Mindy)
12:30-1:00: Grade 1 (kids will have PE with Mindy)

8) I’m going to start meeting monthly with EAs as a group. The first meeting is Thursday, December 12 at 8:30am. We’ll meet for about 30 minutes. K and 1 teachers please plan not to have your EA during this time (Grade 2 will be in art).

9) Staff Appreciation Breakfast is on Tuesday, December 17 starting at 7:15am. Breakfast provided for the staff by the district administration.

10) Holiday Meal will be Thursday, December 19 and all families are invited! I’ll send info home soon.

11) NO Staff Meeting this week, I know you have lots to do!

12) Just want to be sure you have the Variety Show date in your calendars–March 5.

13) I have an Admin meeting today so will be leaving at 3pm.

14) Holiday Party is this Saturday night at Ray’s house. White Elephant gift exchange, so bring something wrapped. The gifts are not intended to be desirable to most, but could be desirable to some–should be fun! Remember to bring food and beverage to share. We’ll start at 5pm.

Upcoming
December 4: Fire Drill, 10:50am
December 6: Cafe Amity, Grade 3 hosts
December 9: Lion’s Vision Screening, starting at 8:30am
December 10: Shelter in Place Drill, 9:20am
December 10: Staff Meeting, 2:45pm
December 11: EBISS
December 12: Dental Screenings, K-2 starting at 8:30am
December 12: EA Meeting, 8:30am
December 19: Holiday Meal
December 23-January 3: NO SCHOOL–Winter Break!

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Monday AM Notes, November 18

Good Morning!
First, a BIG Happy Birthday to Jill this week (Wednesday)! We’re sliding in to the holiday time of year and I think we are all looking forward to Thanksgiving Break next week. This week is a great opportunity to discuss the importance of being thankful and giving kids that chance to share what they are thankful for in their lives.

A few notes to get us going:
1) Jake is adding hours starting this week–he’ll be here until 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Over the next few weeks we’ll work on how this time can best be spent.

2) Lockout Drill on Tuesday at 10:30. Lockout is when we lock all exterior doors and do not allow anyone is our out of the building. In your classrooms it’s business as usual. Patti and I will announce the beginning and end of the drill using the intercom. Please make sure you let your classes know about the drill.

3) We are in need of more teachers current on their First aid/CPR, and I think it’s best of everyone is up to date if possible. I will be taking the 4 hour course on Thursday, December 19 starting at 4:30pm. Hoping others will join. You can sign up in Performance Matters in the staff portal.

4) SIW this week is teacher directed. Please chat amongst yourselves and decide how what you’d like to focus on this week. Ideas to consider: Dyslexia follow up, Words Their Way discussion, Math discussion, Partnerships. This can be whole group or small group, it’s up to you!

5) Regular Tuesday PM Staff Meetings begin this week with our focus on kiddos needing support. 2:45-3:15 in Frans’ room.

6) At our December 11 SIW we will be re-visiting our discussion about Narratives, Portfolios, and end of year Conversations. I am re-sharing the link to the Google doc we started after our original discussion–please have a look and add some thoughts between now and Dec 11 :
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ared8RCHxqix6v61FZZKOszROU_l-MgtCqVM7D6cKUs/edit

7) Grade 5 is collecting non-perishables for the Bend Food Project all this week with the hope of filling up as many crates as possible. Please remind parents in you weekly communications. I’ll also include a note in my note to parents this week, but they tend to read all of your emails and only some of mine.

8) As we will all be away from school next week please be sure to shut down all electrical equipment in your room–projectors, speakers, lights, etc.

9) Plans are still in place to meet up with Stu on Friday. Time is still yet to be determined but I know Ray sent out an email trying to nail it down.

10) We’ve tentatively set the date for the Staff Holiday Party–December 7–and Ray has offered to host. Please let me know if this date is going to work for you as I want to be sure as many people as possible can attend. This is for ALL staff!

Upcoming
*November 19: Lockout Drill, 10:30am
*November 19: Staff Meeting, 2:45pm
*November 25-29: NO SCHOOL!
*December 3: Staff Meeting, 2:45pm
*December 6: Cafe Amity, Grade 3 hosts
*December 7: Staff Holiday Party, Ray hosting

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Monday AM Notes (Tues), November 11

Team,
I hope you are enjoying the long weekend, seems like good timing given how busy we have been! Another busy, but fun-filled week ahead!

Quick note about the front entrance to school–it will be closed for at least the rest of this week. Parents must enter through the back door (parking lot)–they can exit through the back door or the Georgia Street door. They are still required to sign in and the sign-in machines have been moved in to the office. Korey has been hired to sit by the back door for the week to let parents in and out during the school day. If you have any tasks needing to be done (that she can do from her post) please let her know–she’ll be wanting things to do!

A few notes to get you going:
1) We welcome our new PE teacher Erin today! She will join us for Community Time and then have her first day of teaching at Amity. Please give her a hearty Amity welcome!

2) Tuesday PE schedule is the same for Grades K-3. Ray and Jeff, please remember that your new PE/Music time is Tuesday from 10-11am.

3) Picnic style lunch will be every Tuesday from now on–there simply won’t be time to get tables down after PE. We’ll have a few tables up for kiddos that don’t want to eat on the ground. When Spring comes we’ll be able to have PE outside so this won’t be an issue.

4) Staff meeting time–I have still not heard from most of you about preferred day–Tuesday or Thursday at 2:45. We will start next week so if you have a preference please share it with me via email.

5) Please remember that we start with afternoon Choice Time coverage this week–K/1/2 on Mondays and Tuesdays, 3/4/5 on Thursdays and Fridays. Please chat with your team.

6) Clothing Exchange this week on the stage, Wednesday through Friday. Kids need to be with their parent to “shop”, and only before and after school.

7) Family BINGO Night this Thursday from 5-6:30pm. This is a brown bag dinner event (families bring their own food). We are also selling pre-ordered pizza via Friends of Amity website–orders must be in by Wednesday at 5pm.

8) Frans, Jeff, and Ray will be at a workshop on Thursday all day.

9) Stewardship in the hallway. Just a friendly reminder to work with your class to help keep the hallway clean, especially at the end of the day.

10) SIW at 1:30 this week, Sara’s room. I’d like to use this time to check in on some ongoing work we are doing.

Upcoming
November 13-15: Fall Clothing Exchange on the stage
November 14: Family BINGO Night, 5-6:30
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break–yahoo!

Here’s to a great, short week ahead!
Andy

Monday AM Notes, November 4

Good Morning Team,
We’ve made it past Halloween and we’re in motion towards Thanksgiving! It’s a busy time of year, but it’s also a fun-filled–let’s embrace the fun!

A few notes to get you going:
1) Interviews for PE and EA tomorrow (Tues) from 2:45-3:45. I am hoping a few of you can participate. Thanks!

2) Borrowing or taking supplies from the studio? If so, it’s really important that you ask permission. Both Janelle and Julie are reporting supplies disappearing and not returning, often supplies they need and planned on using. I’m also checking in with Camp Fire, but they have previously been clearly instructed not to use any of our supplies. If you are in need of supplies, please work with Patti to secure them.

3) Per our conversation last week, I’d like to start booking a staff meeting time each week so we can dedicate time to talking about students needing extra TLC. We can do Tuesdays or Thursdays, 2:45-3:15. If you have issues with either day please let me know before a decision is made–by the end of the week. I look forward to this dedicated time!

4) SIW this week is district guided. Grades 3-5 will meet here and be involved in a webinar related to Dreambox (new on-line math program). The rest of you need to get on Performance Matters (portal) and sign up for a workshop.

5) Pastini Fundraiser Monday and Tuesday. We get to keep 50% of proceeds, including take-out. Parents have been informed several times but it would be great if you could include the info in any parent emails being sent home at the start of the week.

6) Cafe Amity this Friday! Grade 4 hosts.

7) I will be gone on Thursday and can be reached in emergency only. If there is an emergency please do not hesitate to contact me.

8) Sara and Amanda will be gone Thursday and Friday to attend the Dyslexia Conference in Portland.

9) Clothing Exchange on the stage November 13-15 (Wed-Fri). Community Time folks take note!

Upcoming:
November 4/5: Pastini Fundraiser
November 7: Picture Retakes
November 8: Cafe Amity
November 8: Veteran’s Day lunch–all Vets in the Amity Community (relatives included) are welcome to join for the free lunch.
November 8: Pie delivery
November 11: NO School, Veteran’s Day
November 13-15: Fall Clothing Exchange on the stage
November 14: Family BINGO Night, 5-6:30
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break–yahoo!

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy