Falco Newsletter May 29 - June 12th
2021-22 Newsletter for Five Oaks Middle School
A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Falcon Families,
I have been heartbroken this week with the news from Uvale, Texas. I know that we all have different views on events like this and how to prevent them or what our response should be, but I think we can all agree that this was a major tragedy and terrifying for parents and educators alike. It’s incredibly challenging to know what to say to kids when school shootings happen. It’s hard to reassure them that they are safe and that they can relax enough to engage in learning. It’s hard to know how to answer their questions. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to make sure to provide space for students to process. Tuesday evening and before I left for work on Wednesday, I asked my four boys (7th grade, 5th grade twins, and 4th grade) if they wanted to talk about what we saw on the news. They had incredibly thoughtful things to say and some really hard questions that I honestly couldn’t thoroughly answer. We also talked about what to do in case they ever encountered something like this and I was struck by their responses around how they would help their classmates and how they know to be quiet, etc. Part of me felt relief, but as I reflected during my drive, I was thinking about how to show up for my staff and students. I chose to spend the rest of the week looking for joy amid chaos and sadness. I spent all day Wednesday and Thursday looking for students being in community, adults showing up for one another and our students, and for acts of kindness all around us.
What I discovered is that I saw more good than not. Our staff was thoughtful and caring towards students and continued to plan and deliver engaging lessons. Spaces were offered for students to process if needed with support from trained adults. A community member delivered treats for the staff to say “thank you” and “you got this.” I saw students show empathy and kindness towards each other. Wednesday ended with our first in person band concert in two years and I was struck by how the community came together and showed their excitement and joy over student success, hard work, and collaboration.
Memorial Day is a great opportunity to reflect. It is a time to honor those who have given the greatest sacrifice for this country through their service in the armed forces. I would like to challenge all of you, especially students, to spend time reflecting this weekend, not in a sad way but to reflect on joy. It’s a good time to think about those who have passed and the joy they brought to our lives and the lives of others. It’s a good time to reflect on how we cultivate joy in ourselves and those around us. It’s also a good time to reflect on how looking for joy can change our perspective and outlook. This is not to say that there’s not time for solemnity or introspection, but coupling that with joy will help us find positives even in the darkest moments. My students - your children - helped bring me joy this week in some very dark moments. I am so grateful for that and to you for sharing these gifts with us.
Familias de Falcon,
he estado desconsolado esta semana con las noticias de Uvale, Texas. Sé que todos tenemos puntos de vista diferentes sobre eventos como este y cómo prevenirlos o cuál debería ser nuestra respuesta, pero creo que todos podemos estar de acuerdo en que esta fue una gran tragedia y aterradora tanto para los padres como para los educadores. Es increíblemente desafiante saber qué decirles a los niños cuando ocurren tiroteos en la escuela. Es difícil asegurarles que están a salvo y que pueden relajarse lo suficiente como para participar en el aprendizaje. Es difícil saber cómo responder a sus preguntas. Lo más importante, en mi opinión, es asegurarse de proporcionar espacio para que los estudiantes procesen. El martes por la noche y antes de irme al trabajo el miércoles, les pregunté a mis cuatro hijos (7° grado, mellizos de 5° grado y 4° grado) si querían hablar sobre lo que vimos en las noticias. Tenían cosas increíblemente reflexivas que decir y algunas preguntas realmente difíciles que, sinceramente, no pude responder a fondo. También hablamos sobre qué hacer en caso de que alguna vez se encontraran con algo así y me sorprendieron sus respuestas sobre cómo ayudarían a sus compañeros de clase y cómo saben que deben estar callados, etc. Una parte de mí sintió alivio, pero como reflexioné durante mi impulso, estaba pensando en cómo presentarme ante mi personal y mis estudiantes. Elegí pasar el resto de la semana buscando alegría en medio del caos y la tristeza. Pasé todo el miércoles y el jueves buscando estudiantes en la comunidad, adultos que se presentaran unos a otros y a nuestros estudiantes, y por actos de bondad a nuestro alrededor.
Lo que descubrí es que vi más cosas buenas que malas. Nuestro personal fue atento y atento con los estudiantes y continuó planificando e impartiendo lecciones atractivas. Se ofrecieron espacios para que los estudiantes procesaran si era necesario con el apoyo de adultos capacitados. Un miembro de la comunidad entregó golosinas para que el personal dijera "gracias" y "lo tienes". Vi a los estudiantes mostrar empatía y amabilidad entre ellos. El miércoles terminó con nuestro primer concierto de banda en persona en dos años y me impresionó cómo la comunidad se unió y mostró su entusiasmo y alegría por el éxito, el trabajo duro y la colaboración de los estudiantes.
El Día de los Caídos es una gran oportunidad para reflexionar. Es un momento para honrar a aquellos que han dado el mayor sacrificio por este país a través de su servicio en las fuerzas armadas. Me gustaría desafiarlos a todos, especialmente a los estudiantes, a pasar tiempo reflexionando este fin de semana, no de una manera triste sino para reflexionar sobre la alegría. Es un buen momento para pensar en aquellos que han fallecido y la alegría que trajeron a nuestra vida y la vida de los demás. Es un buen momento para reflexionar sobre cómo cultivamos la alegría en nosotros mismos y en quienes nos rodean. También es un buen momento para reflexionar sobre cómo buscar la alegría puede cambiar nuestra perspectiva y perspectiva. Esto no quiere decir que no haya tiempo para la solemnidad o la introspección, pero combinar eso con la alegría nos ayudará a encontrar cosas positivas incluso en los momentos más oscuros. Mis alumnos, sus hijos, me ayudaron a traer alegría esta semana en algunos momentos muy oscuros. Estoy muy agradecida por eso ya ti por compartir estos regalos con nosotros.
PTO meeting is Thursday, June 16th at 7pm via Zoom
If you missed May’s meeting, you can read the minutes by clicking the button below. Our final PTO meeting on is Thursday, June 16th at 7pm via Zoom. We will be voting to approve next year’s budget and the nominees for the 2022-23 PTO board.
Fundraisers
Enjoy Papa Murphy’s take and bake pizza from the Tanasbourne location on Friday, June 10th - order online and 30% of sales benefits FOPTO!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteering
The librarian can use some assistance on Thursdays and Fridays with wrapping up things for this year - check out the Library Assistance shifts on myimpactpage.com.
Enjoy Gardening With 8th Graders every Tuesday in the school’s learning garden. Any parent/family member is welcome to work hands-on with Mr. Morrison and Ms. Hains and their students during various morning and afternoon shifts. Message volunteercoordinator@fiveoakspto.org for the details.
Celebrate the Last Day of School on June 21st! Volunteers are needed for Field Day for 6th and 7th graders and a Send Off Pizza Party and afternoon dance for our 8th graders. Message volunteercoordinator@fiveoakspto.org if you want to help out!
All volunteers must pass a background check that can take 2-3 weeks, be approved by the district and provide proof of a Covid vaccine. Click the button below to start the process! Approved already but new to Five Oaks? Email here to have Five Oaks added to your My Better Impact account. Get more info here or message volunteercoordinator@fiveoakspto.org.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MAY
30 Memorial Day - no school
31 Sealants
JUNE
20 Last Day For Students
21 All Grades Yearbook Distribution
21 8th grade Festivities
21 Last day of school/ Early Release
MAYO
30 Día de los Caídos - no hay clases
31 Selladores
JUNIO
Último día para estudiantes
21 Último día de clases/ Salida temprano
Words From FIve Oaks Library
IT’S TIME TO BRING BACK THE BOOKS!
All books need to be returned by June 10. Overdue notices will be going out soon. You may get them often. Consider this a gentle nag from your library media assistant.
Are you getting notices from books you believe have been turned in? Not a problem. Email andee_zomerman@beaverton.k12.or.us We’ll get the situation rectified.
Do you have a book you are sure is missing? This means you’ve looked under the couch, in the car, in the bathroom cabinets, etc… Contact me (Andee Zomerman) and we’ll work out a way to replace the copy.
Happy Reading!
What does college and career readiness look like?
No matter what post secondary path high school graduates choose, students must develop certain essential skills to design their own futures: critical thinking, collaboration, reading, writing, and relationship building. The development of these skills is rooted in belief in self. If students believe they are capable, there is a foundational confidence to learn and a resiliency to overcome setbacks. When educators believe in students, learning and confidence are activated. With teacher support for developing a growth mindset and the academic skills they need for future success, students grow to see their capabilities and find their own way.
What Educators Need To Do Teachers and other adults on a school campus play an important role in student success. AVID supports educators and transforms the learning environment into one where students are challenged, supported, and provided the tools needed to succeed. To do this, educators must: ∙ Insist on Rigor — Educators across the school provide learning experiences where every student is challenged, engaged, and develops a greater ownership in their learning through increasingly complex levels of understanding. ∙ Break Down Barriers — Educators are champions for equity who actively seek out and eliminate educational barriers that would limit or restrict students’ access to meaningful and challenging learning opportunities. ∙ Align the Work — Educators increasingly align their practices and beliefs to the common purpose of preparing all students for college and career readiness as well as students’ long-term success in college, career, and life. ∙ Advocate for Students — Educators consistently advocate for equity and access to challenging coursework for all and help students find their voice and achieve their aspirations through creating strong relationships and providing appropriate guidance.
AVID Handbook 2020-2021
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM - SURVEY FOR PARENTS
As you know, Beaverton School District’s Safe Routes to School program is required to get data on how students travel to school and what their parents think about the routes to school. Thank you for sending the parent survey links and information out to your school families. Due to receiving fewer than 10 responses, we would appreciate if you could resend the information or a reminder to your parents/guardians to fill out this survey, as the survey will close on May 31st.
Thank you for supporting our program, the health and safety of our students, and the valuable data needed to obtain improvements around schools.
Beaverton Safe Routes to School Parent Surveys
It’s data collection time again for Beaverton’s Safe Routes to School program. The purpose of this program is to make walking and biking to school safe, convenient, and fun.
Parent’s and guardian’s input into how students travel to and from schools and their impression of the safety of the route is valuable as the city and county prioritize needed improvements for our roads.
The following links will take you to a district survey and will be combined with classroom tallies to give us a good picture of how students are getting to and from schools throughout the district.
The district survey will be open for responses for four weeks from May 1st until May 31st.
We appreciate your help in giving us information to make the Safe Routes to School program effective for all Beaverton School District students.
Survey Links:
English https://forms.office.com/r/vaCpecR32D
Español https://forms.office.com/r/JmQH2Und5A
اللغة†العربي†ة https://forms.office.com/r/ZAgVPzjGrr
中文 https://forms.office.com/r/LScgXwFDRw
日本語 https://forms.office.com/r/fvpdNUsBhf
한국어 https://forms.office.com/r/hLvG4Qy0QU
Русский https://forms.office.com/r/AJ2W9P3ver
Soomaali https://forms.office.com/r/6TX3seUpFU
Tiếng Việt https://forms.office.com/r/CBbDtCvkLY