Weekly Forecast for January 24th-28th

Monday the 24th

SUN Begins

SIT @ 3:30

Tuesday the 25th

Staff Meeting @ 3:30 (Asynchronous w/ PAT Time)

Wednesday the 26th

Equity @ 3:30

Thursday the 27th

Last Day of 2nd Quarter

Leah & Emily in Trainings/District Meetings 1-4:30 (Virtual)

Friday the 28th

Workday/Grading Day (Leah @ District Meeting for the day, Emily in building in AM)

Comments needing translation DUE

Lunch Duty-Benson, Kempster, Kunz, Jarvis

The weather has been beautiful this weekend. I  feel so much more productive when there is some sun. I hope you were able to set aside work and spend time doing something that refuels you. I am smoking a brisket today and can not wait until dinner tonight! 

At the end of this week we have made it halfway through the year. In so many ways August seems like SOOOO long ago. We are still standing and again, I want to thank you for your work and service. 

• SUN Winter Term begins tomorrow. Here is a link to what days students will be in classes. I believe Ellen has shared this out with individual teachers, but it is nice to have it as we know students and families may forget or need some reminders. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KJfQ7orrBylUe7FzUg5PrI6Xa4juakJU3wbBvMp41QY/edit#gid=0
• We have started to see some scheduling issues arise on the playgrounds. Please ensure you are not taking your classes out if it is another grade levels scheduled recess time. While we are no longer "strictly" contact tracing, however we are trying to limit cohorts exposure. Additionally, too many students on the playground tends to create a bit too much chaos. Additionally, in the event you are taking your students outside of your classroom (other than specials and regularly scheduled times) during the school day please ensure you have called the office to let them know your whereabouts. The office has noticed an uptick in time spent searching for students/classes who are not in classrooms. This creates some tension when parents come to pickup students and we can not locate them.  Here is the schedule for the playgrounds:

Small Playground

11:12-11:45 (K/1)

1:10-1:25 (1st)

1:30-1:45 (2nd)

1:45-2:00 (Kinder)

Big Playground

11:25-1:26 (Lunch Recesses)

1:30-1:45 (5th Grade)

1:55-2:10 (3rd Grade)

2:30-2:45 (4th Grade)

• As you are most likely aware the district has decided to forgo contract teachers evaluations as well as many PFSP members. Probationary evaluations are still due by March 1st. Emily and I have scheduled these out and been in contact with staff members who are still being evaluated. Over the next month we will be wrapping these up. 
• Along the same lines the district has also said non essential committees may be suspended for the year. At this time we have: SIT, ASERT (attendance), Equity, Safety, ILCT. I will be checking in with these teams for input, but feel these committees are needed. Please feel free to reach out to me with questions, concerns, etc. 
• SMART Goals have also been suspended. 
• This has been communicated out several times, but continues to come up. In the event you are not feeling well please put in for a sub as early as possible. If you are in the building and begin to feel unwell we can test you, but you will need to go home regardless of the test results.  If your test is negative you will need to use your  own sick time. If the test is positive it would fall under quarantine pay. Please be sure your emergency sub plans are up to date. I would add it would also be a good idea to have a general outline of your week/plans just in case you do have to be out for several days. This is not being mandated by any means, but will alleviate some stress and confusion in the event you do have to isolate and remain at home. My hope is that no one contracts COVID, but we also know what the reality is. In some cases people have felt like they could work and are able to put together plans etc, but in other cases they are very ill and can not. My mantra is prepare for the worst and having a general outline for the week, will be helpful if you are out. 
• Tuesday's staff meeting is being put on by the Equity Team. There is time for PAT as well. More information will be available by Tuesday.
• Theresa sent information out to K-5 teachers in regards to grades please be sure to ask questions if you have them. Here are some key dates: 

1/28 - Record Keeping Day - Comments needing translation should be completed 1st. This makes it so our translation team has as much time as possible to complete all comments. 

1/31 - ESL and Elective teachers' grades need to be complete in Synergy. Last day to add translated comments.  (This day will be set aside primarily as a teacher workday.)

2/1 - Reading, Sped, and ESL - Give a printed copy of comments to classroom teachers, as needed.

2/2 - Classroom Teachers - Give printed copies of report cards and comments to the office for record-keeping.

2/4 - Report Cards sent home by the classroom teacher.

• Friday is a work day and no meetings will be held. I know some staff will ask if they can work from home. My answer to that is if the work you need to accomplish can be done at home then I will leave it up to you to make that decision. Some staff are not able to accomplish their work from home and will need to come into the building. PFSP there are multiple trainings taking place on Friday virtually. If you did not receive this information please see me. Emily will be in the building on Friday morning, but will be leaving around midday. I have a principal's meeting at another site on Friday and will most likely not make it in. 
• Next Monday has been set aside as part planning and part collaboration time. I will be sending out invites to grade level teams and other teams in the building for next Monday soon. These meetings will be held virtually. You can plan to have approximately one hour of collaboration time in the form of checkins/meetings and may have some other work geared toward climate, alignment and student supports that can be done at your own speed on Monday. I imagine this will account for about 90 minutes. The rest of the day is yours for planning. More details will be out before Friday. 
• We will have another "loaner" Campus Security Agent this week. I am not sure who it will be. Justin from George may return or we may welcome Khari from Tubman. Either way we are thankful for the support!
• I haven't done an update on the SEGC for a bit. Things are moving forward and it looks like our K-5 students, along with a single strand of Mandarin Immersion, will be at Clark beginning in the Fall of 2023. Creative Science is still looking for a location, but in my opinion Bridger seems to be where they will land. Still up for discussion is WHO will populate Harrison Park Middle School. There are a few proposals on the table with two more coalition sessions scheduled. The concern I have is it is looking like HP will be under enrolled. I have been talking with several PPS superintendents about concerns and possible solutions. I am hoping to get input from staff, but am also trying to be mindful of your limited time. I will be scheduling time to meet with our families in the next two weeks for their input as well. This is increasingly taking more of my time in the form of meetings, phone calls etc. I now have a weekly facilities meeting to discuss the "conversion". It is looking like our building will be closed during the summer as they begin some of the work over the summer. I am going to being looking at what this means for summer programming etc. Along these lines, we have not heard anything about Summer School/Acceleration, but I am sure we will soon. 
• I am hoping to spend a few hours today going into my backlogged emails. Tomorrow's Nightly News may be a bit longer as a result. I usually forget something in the Weekly Forecast!