Month: November 2022

Welcome Back Team!
I hope you had a fantastic break and that you feel fueled up for the next 3 weeks–yup, just 3 weeks until Winter Break!

Just an important reminder that our Staff Holiday Party is this Saturday starting at 4pm. There will be a food sign up sheet in the staff room, please take a moment to get yourself signed up to bring something tasty. Also, we’ll be having a Pirate Gift exchange (everyone draws a number, we go in order, things can get “stolen”, etc). If you want to participate, and we’re hoping everyone will, remember that the gift should be in the $20-25 range. Significant others are welcome to join! Ray will send out his address some time this week.

A few notes to get you going:
1) Fire Drill on Tuesday at 9:20am

2) I had asked that you stop by my office to sign your SLGG the week before break. If you haven’t done this yet, please stop by Monday to get it signed. Thanks!

3) Between now and December 15 we are collecting unwrapped gifts for kiddos in foster care. Please encourage your students and their families to join in the giving. We’re doing this through Every Child Central Oregon: https://everychildcentraloregon.org/eccogiftdrive/. Gifts are being collected in the wrapped box in the hallway near the office.

4) New request/requirement for cleaning up after Community Time. I know that it’s hard to remember to return to the gym to clean up on your Community Time days. The difficulty with not remembering is that the stage is often left a mess, and it interferes with others who are trying to use the stage during the day. Starting this week it is now required that you stay with your class in the gym after your CT and clean up. This way you won’t forget, the kids are involved in taking care of our communal space, and it assures the cleaning gets done in a timely manner. Please talk with your classes about this new protocol and explains the reasoning behind it. Your support is greatly appreciated.

5) El Sancho for lunch this Tuesday! This Tuesday is an Amity Creek fundraiser at El Sancho (west side only) where a portion of the profits for the day go to Friends of Amity. We’ll be encouraging families to eat at El Sancho (or get take out) on that day, but as side benefit all of you will get El Sancho for lunch on Tuesday compliments of Friends of Amity. Rob Cammilletti, Chela’s dad, works at El Sancho and is heading up this effort. He’ll be bringing fixings for tacos, along with rice and beans, so y’all can enjoy some good eats on Tuesday. In the meantime, please include info in your weekly note. Yes, we would have liked more time to get the word out, but it all happened kind of quickly. I sent out info on Sunday evening. Rob is hard at work lining up monthly events like this. Thanks for supporting the effort!

6) Picture retakes are this Tuesday. Info has gone home to parents already and I will send a reminder Monday afternoon.

7) SIW this week at 1:30 in Brian’s room. Look for an agenda tomorrow.

8) I have a meeting at the district office on Monday at 8:30am. Call or text if you need anything while I’m gone. I know, not a great time to be gone following a break but I’m just a call or text away!

Upcoming
November 29: Fire Drill, 9:20am
November 29: Picture retakes (new date)
December 3: Holiday Party, 4pm-whenever
December 19-January 2: Winter Break
January 18: Winter DIBELS
January 18: Family BINGO Night! Details to follow…

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Greetings Team,
I hope the long weekend was spectacular! I actually got out XC skiing twice over the weekend and it was amazing to be out in the woods on skis! We’re 5 days away from a nice week-long break and I’m looking forward to some time off–I am sure you are, too!

A big thanks to everyone for the discussion about mini observations/evaluations at our SIW last week–your input is greatly appreciated! Brian and I are working on incorporating your feedback and we will share the final version with you soon (I will be meeting with a student group this week to get their feedback as well). We will begin in January with the new format. I am excited to have something in place that is more meaningful and that supports our common goals, your professional growth and development, and the student experience.

A few notes to get you going:
1) Patti is out on Monday and Beth Thomas will be here to cover her duties. She will arrive around 8:45am.

2) Looks like we will all be together at Pine Ridge on Wednesday (you will each be with other teachers who teach the same grade) for the Educator Network from 2-3:15pm. We discussed the possibility of Happy Hour afterwards, and since we are going to be in the same place it makes it easier. For anyone who can make it, plan to meet for a drink immediately after the meeting. Location TBD.

3) We don’t formally have a staff meeting this week, but I’d love to meet on Tuesday with those of you interested in talking about School Themes. Specifically I’d like to take about how we can create a solid support system for rolling out the theme each month and the kinds of things we can do school wide, with buddies, with families, and individually. Just looking to take the next step forward! I know you are all super busy, but it seems like a good time to talk more deeply about this. 2:45pm in the Staff Room on Tuesday.

4) I have an admin meeting on Monday and will be leaving shortly before 3pm

5) I have the SLGGs ready to sign so put it on your list of things to do and find a time to stop by my office this week.

6) Save the Date: Staff Holiday Party on Saturday, December 3 at Ray’s house starting at 4pm. We will do a Pirate Gift exchange so if you want to play bring a gift with a value of no more than $25 ($20-$25 is best). This will be an adult only event and significant others are welcome (if you want to subject them to our brand of humor).

7) The canned food drive in support of the Giving Plate and Bend Food Project (who provide support for food insecure folks in our community) ends this Thursday. Please push this out to families in your class. Thanks!

8) I’ve tentatively set January 18 as our Family BINGO Night, and hoping it is a good night for all of you to be there. Please get this on your calendar.

Upcoming
November 15: Optional School Themes meeting, 2:45 in the Staff Room
November 21-25: Thanksgiving Break, No School
November 29: Fire Drill, 9:20am
November 29: Picture retakes (new date)
December 3: Holiday Party, 4pm-whenever
December 19-January 2: Winter Break
January 18: Winter DIBELS
January 18: Family BINGO Night! Details to follow…

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Happy Monday Team!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for the 4 day week (yes, Friday is a holiday!). Loved the visit from these masked wonders on Friday…

I will be out all day Monday on a personal day. I am available if there is an emergency, otherwise we can connect on Tuesday. Have a great Monday!

A few notes to get you going:
1) The school wide theme this month is Kindness. What have you done already or have planned to share this theme? I’d love to hear what’s going on, hoping you’ll share at SIW this week.

Also, please remember that we agreed at the last SIW that each class would create a Kindness Quilt (based on book that Lindsey has). Lauren and Ray, I know you were not at the SIW–did you get this info? If not, touch base with another teacher.

2) SIW on Wednesday this week starting at 1:30 in Brian’s room. Agenda coming on Tuesday. While you’re waiting for the agenda, start thinking of a song title that best describes you. “Highway to Hell”? “Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?”, “I’d Rather Have a Bottle in Front of Me (Than a Frontal Lobotomy)”. So many good titles, what will choose to describe yourself?

3) Secure Drill on Thursday at 9:20am. This is a simple one. We will announce that we are in a Secure Drill–this means we lock all exterior doors and it’s business as usual inside. This kind of protocol would be used if there was something going on adjacent to the school or in the neighborhood and we need to secure the building so no one comes in or out. An example would be that there has been a robbery in downtown and the police call us as a preventative measure to be sure our building is locked up.

4) Jammie Jam donations are rolling in and we could use your support in collecting envelopes as they arrive and then deliver them to Patti–envelopes are due back by Wednesday. If all the donations get collected we will have raised between $5,000 and $6,000. Not bad for the effort! Thanks for the support.

5) We are collecting canned foods between now and Thursday, November 17th. All food collected will be donated to the Giving Plate and shared with families in the Bend community. Please encourage students in your class and remind parents in your communications. I already shared with parents last week.

6) I want to remind you of one of our greatest resources–our instructional coach, Anna! If you have questions, want a thought partner, or need help in a particular academic area, don’t hesitate to reach out to her. She recently sent us all a very informative email full of great support.

7) Looking for a staff member or two to get re-certified (certified?) in CPR/first aid. We are under our needed quota and need at least one more staff member with an updated certification. This is a great opportunity to refresh your skills. Let me know if you are willing/interested. It’s an online and in-person hybrid (moistly on line at your pace).

8) After stopping by the kitchen on my way out of school last Thursday it seems to me we may need to institute a Kitchen Ninja (borrowed from REALMS) sign up. I think it’s time to get everyone signed up to take care of the kitchen each week. Will someone step up and be the Master Kitchen Ninja?

9) A big official welcome to Raquel who is our new night custodian! She’s been filling in for Vincent but he is moving on to Bend High.

Upcoming
November 8: Skip (my boss) will be visiting classroom
November 10: Secure Drill, 9:20am
November 11: Veteran’s Day, No School
November 21-25: Thanksgiving Break, No School
November 29: Fire Drill, 9:20am
November 30: Picture retakes

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy