Month: January 2026

Hey All,
I can’t believe it’s February and we’re already half way through the year! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I know we’re all sending big love to Sara today and hoping for a speedy recovery!

Big thanks for the productive discussion about reporting on Friday, I’m feeling positive about the direction things are headed.

A few notes to get you rolling…
1) Variety Show launches today at 1:30 in the gym. Some important dates:
February 2-6: Planning week of all acts-what is the act, who’s in the act, what music and props will you need?
February 6: Must submit form for approval no later than this date, preferably sooner.  We will keep a central document of all acts–link will be sent to you.
February 12: Script must be locked in–only small changes after this time, students may not re-write the script.
February 20: Sub coverage so that teachers can pull students who may need extra support with their act.
February 23: Dress rehearsal.  All costumes and props are to be brought for this rehearsal

2) SIW this week–we dive back into our Neurodiversity learning. If you haven’t already read Sara’s email from last week, please do so!

3) Camp Amity on Thursday! Forecasted weather says it supposed to be a high of 60! Warmest Winter Camp Amity ever!

4) After the scorching hot day at Shevlin on Thursday, there is a staff gathering after school at Dogwood at The Pine Shed. Hoping many of you can join! Starting at 3:30pm.

5) Bread and Jam on Friday

6) Looking for folks to join my committee to follow up on the work we did on Friday. I’m proposing Thursday, February 12 from 2:30-3:15. Hoping at least of few of you can make it! Please let me know if you plan to join so I am not sitting alone in the dark waiting…

7) I’ll be out Friday, as will Frans and Ray. Brian is covering my duties.

Upcoming
February 2-6: Variety Show launch and planning week
February 5: Camp Amity!
February 5: Staff gathering, 3:30pm
February 12: Reporting committee meeting, 2:45-3:15pm
February 25-Variety Show, 5:30 doors open with show at 6pm
May 2-Auction

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Hey All,
I hope you had a fantastic weekend! We have 4 days with kiddos this week and then a work day on Friday.

A few notes to get you rolling…

1) Grades 3/4/5 have a special make-up Enrichment with Matthew on Monday:
8:15-9:15 3rd
9:45-10:45 5th
11:45-12:45 4th

2) Teacher Collaboration Time on Tuesday, 2:30-3:15. We’ll begin a discussion of standards-based reporting.

3) SIW this week is a Teacher Work Day–enjoy the time!

4) Cafe Amity on Wednesday, Grade 5 hosts.

5) ROAR and mClass assessments must be completed by February 4. Please email me when you are done with both. Thanks!

6) No School on Friday for students. As previously noted:
AM-(between 8am and noon) You will have the morning to connect with 3-5 families of students who have been receiving some extra support–whether from you or Sara and/or Haley. This is a time to check in and give families an update on progress. You can do this in person, by video, or by phone. Please reach out to families ASAP to schedule these meetings as many of them are likely making plans for the 3 day weekend.
PM-(1-3pm) We will be discussing standards-based reporting, and this will be a continuation of something we start at our Teacher Collaboration Time on Tuesday of this week.

Other SIWs/Meetings for January:
27th-Teacher Collaboration Time (2:30-3:15)
28th-Teacher Work Day
30th-No School, teacher work day

Upcoming
January 27: Teacher Collaboration Time
January 28: Cafe Amity, Grade 5 hosts
January 30: No students, work day
February 2-6: Variety Show launch and planning week
February 5: Camp Amity!
February 25-Variety Show, 5:30 doors open with show at 6pm
May 2-Auction

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

School-wide theme: Integrity and Responsibility

Hey All,
I hope you had an amazing 3 day weekend! I had a great weekend in Portland with two really good friends, and had a beautiful drive home by Mt Hood and over Government Pass.

A few notes to get you going…
1) DIBELS Tuesday! This will be all of K-2 and only selected kiddos in Grades 3-5.

2) As a reminder, mid-year ROAR and mClass assessments need to be completed by February 4. Let me know if you need help.

3) SIW this week is Educator Network–be sure you have signed up.

4) Fire Drill this Thursday at 10:35am.

5) Youth Truth: Thanks to all of you for taking the survey-we are at 100%. Much appreciated!

6) January 30th plan:
AM-(between 8am and noon) You will have the morning to connect with 3-5 families of students who have been receiving some extra support–whether from you or Sara and/or Haley. This is a time to check in and give families an update on progress. You can do this in person, by video, or by phone. Please reach out to families ASAP to schedule these meetings as many of them are likely making plans for the 3 day weekend.
PM-(1-3pm) We will be discussing standards-based reporting, and this will be a continuation of something we start at our Teacher Collaboration Time on Tuesday of that week.

7) I’ll be leaving early on Tuesday and Thursday to get to admin meetings. As always I’ll be available by text if needed.

Other SIWs/Meetings for January:
21st-Educator Network
27th-Teacher Collaboration Time (2:30-3:15)
28th-Teacher Work Day
30th-No School, teacher work day

Upcoming
January 20: DIBELS
January 22: Fire Drill at 10:35
January 27: Teacher Collaboration Time
January 30: No students, work day
February 2-6: Variety Show launch and planning week
February 5: Camp Amity!
February 25-Variety Show, 5:30 doors open with show at 6pm
May 2-Auction

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

Hey All!
I hope the weekend treated you well and that you were able to get out and play a bit. I skied into Todd Lake from Dutchman for the first time-oh my! Can’t wait to go back!

A few notes to get you going…
1) It’s time for the Winter ROAR Assessment–you can start any time. As you will recall, this is available on student’s iPads. Note: K/1 should be waiting for some info from the district as there were issues with those assessments.

2) SIW this week is a Teacher Work Day–enjoy the time!

3) Cafe Amity this week, Kinder hosts.

4) Visiting artists start this week during Enrichment: Bree Beal will be working with Kinder, Grade 1, and Grade 2; Matthew Gwinup will be working with Grades 3-5

5) I know some of you are curious what we’ll be doing on the January 30th Teacher Work Day, so I wanted to give you a little info. We’ll be focussed on 2 things: 1) connecting with 3 to 5 families as a mid-point check in between our October and March Conversations–more details coming in an email soon; 2) exploring a shift to standards-based reporting and what that could look like for Amity in the future–also more details coming soon. We’ll also check in about the launch of the Variety Show.

6) I’ll be away from school on Friday–Brian and Brad will be covering for me.

Other SIWs/Meetings for January:
21st-Educator Network
27th-Teacher Collaboration Time (2:30-3:15)
28th-Teacher Work Day
30th-No School, teacher work day

Upcoming
January 14: Cafe Amity, Kinder hosts
January 19: No School in honor MLK–what do you plan to share about MLK with your class?
January 20: DIBELS
January 27: Teacher Collaboration Time
January 30: No students, work day
February 2-6: Variety Show launch and planning week
February 5: Camp Amity!
February 25-Variety Show
May 2-Auction

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

Happy New Year!
I hope you all had an amazing, relaxing, fun-filled break! What an incredible reset we get each year at this time!

As we head into 2026 I feel tremendous appreciation for our amazing school community, and to be able to show up each day at school and spend my days with all of you. You are all such wonderful, loving, caring, compassionate, and down right fun people and I don’t take for granted the privilege we have at Amity. Sure, there are rough days, but I look forward to coming to work every day, it’s just so much fun with all of you! I’m looking forward to an extraordinary new year and I look forward to lots of new memories with all of you!

A few notes to get you rolling…
1) Returning from Winter Break is always a good time to reconnect with students, remind them about reentering the school community, and remind them about our overarching mantra–Take Care of Yourself, Take Care of Each other, and Take Care of This Place. As we know, adjusting back to school life after this long break can be challenging for some of our kiddos-please let me know if there is anyone showing signs of needing a little extra love and attention. I’m here to help!

2) SIW this week will be focused on 2 things: Amy Yillik returns for part 2 of her presentation related to our work with Neurodiversity (1 hour) and we need to talk about the Variety Show roll out! We’ll dive back into our book study at our February 4 SIW.

Other SIWs/Meetings for January:
14th-Teacher Work Day
21st-Educator Network
27th-Teacher Collaboration Time (2:30-3:15)
28th-Teacher Work Day
30th-No School, teacher work day–info to share about how we’ll spend some of this time coming soon.

3) Amity Eats is this week at Pastini on Wednesday, January 8. I already shared this date with families before the break and will remind them first thing this week.

4) New Visiting artist reminder:
*Bree Beal will be working with Kinder, Grade 1, and Grade 2 during Enrichment for 3 Tuesdays in January–starts next week.
*Matthew Gwinnup will be working with Grades 3-5 during Enrichment during January and February with an eye towards performances at the Variety Show. Grades 3-5 will get to work with Bree later in the year.

5) New Buddies and Theme as we start the new year:
*New Buddies-K/3, 1/2, 4/5
*New school wide theme: Integrity and Responsibility
*Hallway bulletin board-Frans

Upcoming
January 7: SIW with Amy Yillik, Variety Show conversation
January 8: Amity Eats at Pastini
January 14: Cafe Amity, Kinder hosts
January 19: No School in honor MLK–what do you plan to share about MLK with your class?
January 20: DIBELS
January 27: Teacher Collaboration Time
January 30: No students, work day

Save the dates:
*February 25-Variety Show
*May 2-Auction

Here’s to a great first week of January 2026!
Andy