LES Weekly Staff Newsletter
“In the
desert of life, you are my oasis.”
(I thought this “desert” camel was more
appropriate to our situation this week!) By Kate
Retzel on March 8, 2018
I will be out for the full week next week. I know this is not the typical
behavior of Principal not at a conference or for medical reasons nor will some
of you appreciate the “do as I say and not as I do” quality of the whole thing.
Over your reactions, obviously, I have no control. I have decided to be honest
as I have absolutely no poker face and I want to sleep next week and thereafter
so I have to come clean.
Also, I think this can inform our practice of a Heart-Centered Learning
environment as it is not a notion just for the students in the building.
So...at different points in the past four years, I have been dually-diagnosed
with Vicarious Trauma and Seasonal Depression. I do have symptoms of anxiety at
times, but it’s not considered clinical anxiety. I have been and continue to be
in the meds, healthy living and counseling course that we so often fight so
hard for our students to access. I was quite possibly at a “3 or above” on our
beloved 5 Point Scale for many of these prior school days. Did I breathe my way
through? No. Did I make sure I move enough? No. Was I in the moment? No. Did I
ask for help or accept help offered? No. Did I practice self care? Only a
little. Fast forward to last year where “empty nest” x 2 happened and the added
bonus of one bird flying the nest was a deployed soldier. The former a typical
40-something occurence and the latter not your typical experience as much
anymore. You all know what happens when
a child already functioning at a 3 encounters a typical stressor - Kablooey!!!! I have entered “Fives”ville
way too many times over the past years, especially last year, and need a break
with all my family intact to recoup. Lesson learned - I have let the absence of breathing,
moving, living in the moment, seeking help, and practicing self care go for too
long. Therefore, I need a break and thanks to the US Army I have
to take it now rather than just wanting one at a school vacation time.
Also, I
would have preferred one that doesn’t include relying on my colleagues to
cover for me, missing my peanuts at
school, and abdicating responsibility for a week. I say all this not for sympathy, but to give a needed explanation to
staff for which I am responsible. Also, this is a time where possibly I can
implore fellow staff with diagnoses and without to learn from my poor example
and breath, move, live in the moment, seek help, be healthy and practice self
care so our arguably highly stressful job doesn’t consume us!!! Normalizing the
struggles of humankind is what our school culture is all about. Recognizing what we all need habitually is
the key so we can want a break more than we need one at colleague and student expense. Thank you for trying to understand.
THIS
WEEK’S
TOP STORIES
DR. SUESS invades LES!
Despite
the snow day, fun was had at LES in the preparation for the big day!
Much appreciation to our planners,
Lori, Mia, and I’m sure a few additional
“Thing 1s and Thing 2s!” Much appreciated for their tireless work and
enthusiasm year after year to make this day meaningful and a key yearly event. More Dr. Suess fun coming on March 16th - STAY TUNED!!!
LES Meets
National Public Radio!!!
Word has spread that we are passionate
about creating a trauma-sensitive community aka a Heart Centered Learning at
LES. I spoke to a reporter
yesterday who is doing a story about Berkshire
County’s trauma work and we will be the featured school of the
county. She is going to come visit us on April 4th to record what she can to
represent our work. Recordable options
in my mind are Facilitated Play, mindfulness or movement/brain breaks, food insecurity work and a fair amount
of interviews with staff, students, and maybe a parent or two. I will be making a schedule of
suggested times and places she can be.
Please
let me know if you are a willing victim… I mean participant.
Summer School Is
Once Again A Go
“Fish, fish, we got our wish”.
Summer School is once again in our budget and our toolbox for keeping kids
growing - all in time to
catch parents as summer plans are being made. I know I have already begun
mentioning it in SIT meetings and will post the teacher openings for it
momentarily. I have included transportation and LYA sponsorship in the cost so
we can minimize any barriers to access.
This is a huge relief and blessing, once again.
Below
are Meetings, Presentations, and Assemblies:
*****The following is the most up to date information concerning coming
events that I have. I am hoping there are not any major conflicts, but do let
me know if you notice anything. Feel free to share events back to me.
Thursday, March 15th - Coffeehouse Performance (by bands chorus students)
- 7-8:30 pm - LES Cafeteria
Monday, April 2 - MCAS testing begins
(Final schedule coming
- doing a last
check with LMHS so we don’t overload
the system on any given days)
Tuesday, May 22nd - 3/4 Spring Concert - 7pm in the “Z”
- 3-6 SRSD Writing Training - Day 1
Wednesday, May
23rd - Field Day for some.
-
3-6 SRSD Writing Training
- Day 2 Thursday, May 24th
- 5/6 Spring Concert - 7pm in the “Z” Friday, May 25th - MCAS testing
ends
MCAS Tryout Feedback:
Thanks for taking the time to try out the MCAS even
in the non-MCAS grades. Even though they
are not required until 3rd grade, awareness of needed computer skills and
curriculum begins way before they enter the third grade as you know.
The most noted feedback as “remarkable” during our
staff practice testing was the difficulty in maneuvering / unfamiliar symbols
and controls (bookmarking info.; scrolling through text; drag and drop;
magnifier; answer eliminator, etc.) - 14 feedback forms noted this. It is clear to me
that practice tests should be utilized with all grades not familiar at least
(grades 3, 4 and 6 - at least current 5 grade students have done it
once).
The following were suggested as easy changes to
practice for immediate use so students might be more prepared for the new
format and computer testing:
● Students should type out answers whenever
possible.
● They should
double check work.
● Have
lessons with tools (this was the most commented on).
● Use more
on-line tools in general if appropriate.
● Do the
tutorial feature on the DESE site with students.
●
Ensure no other access on the
Chromebooks while students are working on the test (this is not possible if the
test is still open).
●
Overall development of vocabulary whenever possible in lessons.
(This is a district-wide ELA
goal.)
●
This from teachers who have done STAR and also MCAS, we need to have a set exiting and resuming
protocol. (There were some nightmare issues last year for grade 4. DESE and
Marie and I became good friends!)
● Prepare
for headphones for students.
●
Keep overlays/backgrounds a standard
color unless an accomodation.
● Print the
practice test scores
and open responses to analyze data.
● Use a math reference sheet.
I am remembering the format being a big issue when
the MCAS came out in ‘97 on paper.
Schools spent time aligning materials to look like the tests and
schooling students on question formats. Also, overall, the scoring differences
and what they really mean being worked out is again familiar. I stand, as I did
then, with the believe that students taught standards and familiar with format should do great things on the
tests. They can do this.
PK Grant Sought
I know I sent an email about a PK grant, but it bears
repeating as this is a small town and misinformation can be threatening to
programs hearing untruths or disappointing to parents thinking it is coming
sooner than might be possible. The grant we applied for is to plan a potential expansion of PK services for our students - an
exploration of the perceived need for it based in facts and figures. It is a
partnership with LYA, South Berkshire Kids (Jess Maloney), United Way, and Lee
Public Schools endorsed by Smitty Pignatelli and Chris Ketcham from the Town of
Lee. The plan that comes from this enables us to move forward to apply for
funding for the said PK program, whatever it ends up looking like. Thank you
for not promising a PK program and joining me hoping to get the grant sure to
help us know our needs more clearly
and potentially be able to act on that information
for the betterment of services for the Lee families.
Department Head Meeting Highlights:
I won’t bore you with the details,
but our Department Heads have been giving input on budget questions and
priorities. I thank them for their input for sure. Fingers
crossed for a smooth passage and many things we need.
School Safety Check
Jake will be giving a district overview to the
School Committee Tuesday night about our safety plans. Our emergency books are
to be updated with ALICE information. Jake has proposed consideration of an
emergency bag containing necessary items for each classroom as well.
Where LES school safety is concerned, please
remember to lock doors at all times. Tim will be circling
the building starting
Monday and every morning after ensuring classroom
doors are closed and locked. If you see him quietly pull your door shut and
lock it, it isn’t a judgement. He is just ensuring
an existing barrier
to any intruder entering our building
is fully engaged/ one more thing to deter them. Never hurts to have a reminder
like this from time to time. Additionally, we will work with Officer Hopkins
and LPD to have a day where
an officer works
through preps for a day, brainstorming what lock down, barricade, and
escape may look like in the different settings of the school - not just
our classrooms. Also, I want people to know that Gregg is following possible
grants for products that may assist us in keeping kids safe in God-forbid an
incident here.
Some logistical comments in my absence:
●
Jen will be the Administrator on Duty every
day except Tuesday, where Tim will be the first contact.
●
Tim is covering the K Parent Night
for me. Thanks, Tim. He has also agreed to sing and dance for all the Community Readers
on
Friday. Just kidding. I am hoping he can represent
me there, though. Also, I would love to be supporting our band and chorus
students at the Coffee House Performances on Thursday night at 7 pm in our
Cafeteria. Maybe some teachers can make an appearance? (Hint, hint.)
●
I am available by email at all
times if you need me. I plan on checking at least early every morning. If it is
urgent, Jen and Tim are quite capable, but they have my number if a call needs
to happen directly.
●
Lea will be asking
for help to cover my lunch duty,
traffic duty, and morning
greeting out front. Please help if you can.
Thanks in
advance for your
help. Think, “NO MORE SNOW.”
