Noticias de Palisades
October 29 2021
This Weeks Updates
- A Message from Our Principal
- Fotos of our Recent Activities!
- Dates to Keep in Mind
- October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
- Welcome to My World
A Message from Directora Sarlos
We are all so grateful for the amazing support we are feeling from all of you for our special group of students and our strong staff. Nothing binds us together like discussing the strengths and challenges of the children we are all here for and food and celebration.
It was great to see so many of you turn out to help make the Move-a-thon a success! The kids had a blast dancing and slaloming with soccer balls and hula hooping. We know that many of you worked behind the scenes and made generous donations to our PTO who will in turn support classroom and team grants which make so many special things possible.
We have already had one virtual author visit this year which our school budget funded, but this is the kind of thing PTO can make possible in this pandemic time and of course we are patiently awaiting the day when we can have live author visits and field trips.
Then of course there are the food donations and the Ofrenda for the Dia de Los Muertos!!
As a staff, with our hectic schedules we are rarely together to eat, and if we are, we are scarfing something cold in the space of 28 minutes. For us to sit in small shifts and eat home cooked meals and have a moment to share as adults with our colleagues was glorious. We feel beyond blessed and our hearts and bellies are warmed by your generosity and your magical soup and stew making capacities! Not to mention the cakes and cookies!
The Ofrenda is looking so beautiful and there are so many antepasados y ancestros gracing it, as well as beloved pets who have also passed on. You are still more than welcome to come into the foyer and place photos or copies of photos on the Ofrenda. Please be mindful of masking up and coming in a few at a time to honor our protocols. Don't hesitate to take a moment to snap a photo of this beautiful tradition. Muchas fotos de los padres y abuelos de los Maestros ya están en la Ofrenda.
This Celebration is such a profound honoring of our ancestors and our combined histories as a community. This is exactly the kind of ritual we and our children need in this moment as we continue to build resilience through this pandemic. We look forward to enjoying an evening, outdoor socially distanced celebration of the Dia de los Muertos with you on Tuesday the 2nd from 6-8pm and then Pj day the next day on Wednesday.
My father's picture is not yet on the Ofrenda, but he will be. I still have to find the right photo. He was an immigrant from Hungary who survived the Holocaust there and then came here as a young man with nothing but the shirt on his back as so many of our ancestors have at one time or another. He enjoyed a fortunate life here. In Hungarian, one of his favorite words was Sirvavigadas- pronounced Sheervaveegadash! This word doesn't exist in English but expresses the importance of celebration even in the midst of grief. I share this with you as we are experiencing this sentiment as we work together to come out of the difficult times we have had to celebrate our strength as a community!
We are grateful to all of you for making this time feel like a celebration. A very special shout out to our indefatigable PTO president Abbey Haffner who seems to be here at 5am through 9pm and on Sundays!!
With gratitude and warmth,
Lilian
Fotos de Nuestra Ofrenda
(please click on each picture to enlarge and see all the detail)
Bring your Pictures In
If you need, we could even make a paper copy of your picture, in order to avoid any possible damage.
Dia de Muertos Posters
Move-A-Thon
Move-A-Thon Classes
El Salón de Maestra Krekorian
El Salón de Maestra Hill
El Salón de Maestra Leiva
Dates to Keep in Mind
11/3-Pajama Day
11/11-NO SCHOOL-Veterans Day
11/12-Picture Day
11/22-11/26- NO SCHOOL-Thanksgiving Break
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
What is Oregon’s State of Mind on Dyslexia?
Oregon developed its first legislative guidelines for dyslexia in 2015 with the passing of Senate Bill 612 followed by 1003 in 2017. By law each school is required to complete a universal screening on all kindergarten and first grade students to identify those who are at risk for dyslexia. This law also mandates that each K-5 school have an extensively-trained educator who is able to recognize the warning signs of dyslexia and support students, teachers, parents, and the community. LOSD currently uses Dibels as our dyslexia screening tool. We have also selected LETRS Literacy training to support our educators in meeting the expectations of Senate Bill 612. If you have more questions please reach out to your school’s literacy specialist.
There also are three major federal laws that directly affect children with dyslexia. They are the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Oregon Department of Education Dyslexia Resources: Oregon Department of Education : Dyslexia : Regional Programs and Best Practices : State of Oregon
Gifted and Dyslexic?
Some kids with learning and attention difficulties have exceptional skills in certain areas. These kids are often called “twice-exceptional” (2E) learners.
LOSD Student Services and TAG (Talented & Gifted) Services are both responsible and should work in cooperation to meet the needs of twice-exceptional students. The student’s abilities will determine appropriate instruction.
To read about twice exceptional students, visit UNDERSTOOD.ORG:
Twice-Exceptional Students | 2E Learners | Gifted and Learning Disabilities
Each week this month, we featured a message about dyslexia in this newsletter. If you have questions or concerns regarding our child’s learning, please call the school principal, TAG coordinator, and/or literacy specialist. You can also contact your school’s representatives for TAG-AC (TAG Advisory Committee) or SSPAC (Student Services Parent Advisory Committee). Please see here to learn how to contact your school representative.
We are here to help you and your child succeed.
Welcome to My World 2021
During the week of November 1st, our 4th and 5th grade classrooms will be engaging in an experiential learning event promoting empathy and disability awareness called Welcome to My World. Welcome to My World is a school-board approved program developed by the Special Services Parent Advisory Committee as an opportunity for students to experience what life might be like for an individual with a disability. The students will learn together with three stations: Speech and Language, Dyslexia, and Sensory Processing Disorder. At the end of the session, each class will reflect on their personal reactions to the experience, their thoughts about what it is like for students with a disability, and a plan for how to be a supportive community member to a peer who may be experiencing this disability. Ask your 4th or 5th grader:
What is person-first language? Why is person-first language important?
How did you feel during each station? (ie. frustrated, confused, successful)
How will you show empathy to fellow community members, especially those who may be experiencing a disability?