The Hawkeye
Montclair Elementary Weekly Newsletter ~ September 15, 2016
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT~ TONIGHT, 9/15, 6:30PM
Leverty Letter
· Words, words, words
· Dismissal process becomes more efficient daily
· Being mindful to our neighborhood partners
· Cafeteria and newsletter changes are welcomed
· A-Okay on water testing for Montclair
· New playground takes recess to a new level
Recently I had the opportunity to meet with students to discuss language, specifically defining words, as I assisted teachers with giving the Independent Reading Language Assessment (IRLA). The IRLA is a metric tool that district teachers are using in place of our former DRA, so as you meet with your teachers you’ll be hearing about this new tool. The IRLA can provide a more accurate assessment of where students’ reading levels are and what gaps they might have in their English language acquisition. This opportunity provided a wonderful chance for me to listen and learn from our students, and talk about language in a way we don’t usually engage, as well as providing a delightful insight into our students. I’m pleasantly surprised each day by how articulate and learned Montclair students are, and how much information they absorb from their surroundings. Students need to build their lexicon as they grow and learn, so I encourage you to help them learn new words and expand the multiple meanings behind common, familiar words. Providing a rich tapestry of language is the foundation to future success.
Dismissal Process:
First let me express my sincerest appreciation to everyone demonstrating patience and flexibility as we refine our end of day dismissal process. Change can often be challenging and as we strive to make the best of our very small, logistically challenged parking lot it is important to invest in practices that support the overall success for everyone. One way you can help is to make sure you are using alternate modes of transportation to and from school, such as using school bus access if it applies to your family, encouraging students to bicycle or walk to school, and car-pooling with neighbors. In addition, the school has developed systems to support drop-off and pick-up procedures. Using these systems effectively will mitigate frustrating parking lot scenarios. I would like to review the PM dismissal system, as that is something new this school year:
· For those families still wanting to park and collect their child(ren) please meet them on the east end of the building outside of the Library.
· For those families that will be using the car pick-up system, please do not arrive at school until 3:15 PM, so that we give the buses time to depart.
· After bus departure, cars should use the curbside lane to line up towards the east end of the building (between 3:15-3:30 PM).
· Drivers must remain in their car.
· Drivers must display a school provided sign (safety measure) in their windshield on the passenger-side.
· As cars pull forward Montclair staff will call your child(ren) from the staging area to your car.
Arranmore Consideration:
As mentioned above, our parking lot is an area of Montclair life that can lead us to become creative or inventive in picking up or dropping off our child(ren). While I completely understand the reasoning behind this practice, I also want us to consider our neighbors, the Arranmore and Woodlake Apartment neighborhoods. As a school community we should be making sure that our school related reality does not impact these neighborhoods in a negative or dramatic manner. Please be mindful that we are not parking in these neighborhoods, and that we are conscientious of how we cross through these neighborhoods so as to be respectful to these property owners. We have a symbiotic relationship with these neighborhoods, by the mere fact our school property is where it is, so making sure we recognize our impact is important.
We’ve Listened:
It is Montclair Elementary’s mission to listen and learn how we can serve the community more effectively, and that is why we’ve made some changes this school year. One area of school life that often experiences broad conversation is with regards to lunch. Last year we changed the lunch schedule so that students ate after their lunch recess time, and this has worked in our favor so that students are eating more and less focused on getting outside to play. Students also asked for a change in the hand cleaning process, so we’ve listened and provide more eco-friendly sanitizer that meet their needs. As always students have the option of washing their hands in the bathroom. Finally, we’ve extended the kindergarten/first grade lunchtime so that our littlest tikes have sufficient time to open their food containers and eat their lunch. Additionally, we were asked to consider improvements to our Hawkeye Newsletter’s digital format, and our office has taken that charge to heart. We hope that you like the new newsletter format? We continue to seek feedback and listen to our community so that we can serve in an efficient and effective manner. Keep your great ideas coming!
Water Testing:
Pertinent to the phenomena that is happening all across the United States, lead in drinking water is a hot topic, so Beaverton School District has been very proactive in making sure both the community is informed and our schools are safe. Of the 57 schools in the District, 37 have had their water tested. I am very pleased to announce that Montclair was one of the 37 schools tested and our results came back in our favor. There was no further action that needed to happen to Montclair’s plumbing system, which should provide comfort to our families. Thank you for your patience as the District conducted testing.
Playground:
Finally, I would like to thank the community for our new playground! Without your support and the previously approved bond, we would not have had the opportunity to improve and make more safe our Montclair playground. Student feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive and excited. It has been wonderful seeing all K-5 students explore the new challenges offered, test their confidence and physical abilities in new ways, and experience more options during their free play time. Thank you Montclair community!
Best regards,
Sean Leverty
Early Release/Teacher Collaboration
Starting in September 2017, the Beaverton School District will implement a 90-minute early release on Wednesday afternoons to allow teachers time to collaborate and participate in professional development opportunities. The schedule change is a result of the new contract between the District and the Beaverton Education Association. The agreement adds nine student days over the next three years.
We recognize the impact this change will have on families and childcare may be a challenge. We are exploring opportunities for additional after school activities with the Beaverton Education Foundation and other community partners.
The District recognizes this fact and has already begun the planning process. Some of those steps include weekly planning meetings, conducting parent focus groups and regular communications about the change. Much of the work is focused on determining how to support families and students in the transition.
The District has developed an Early Release/Teacher Collaboration webpage. There is a link to this page on our school webpage in the “School Resources” box. The webpage includes an FAQ that may contain answers to many of your questions.
Planning for Early Release/Teacher Collaboration will continue to take place throughout the 2016-2017 school year. Please check the District’s BSD Briefs newsletter, our school newsletter and the Early Release/Teacher Collaboration webpage for updates.
Fun Run ~ October 7th
We are back to school and enjoying a renewed burst of energy. Montclair students and families, let’s get ready to channel some of that energy into our annual Fun Run!
On Friday October 7th students will have a blast running laps to earn prizes for themselves and raise money for their school.
All parents are invited to participate in this hugely popular event both on Fun Run day and in the coming weeks.
Your student will soon bring home information on how to safely collect pledges from family, friends, and neighbors. Over the coming weeks, please help your student to request financial support for their performance during the Fun Run.
On Fun Run day, parents get a chance to be part of the action by counting laps, handing out snacks & water, and cheering our Red Tail Hawk runners. This is a great way to meet your student’s new classmates and their families!
Go to the www.MyVolunteerPage.com website, enter the username and password that you created, then choose the morning or afternoon session (or both):
-Morning Session is from 0855-1140AM (3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade),
-Afternoon Session is from 1200-315PM (K, 1st & 2nd Grade.
Hurry! This popular event will fill quickly and your child will love to see you there!
CEYP Volunteer Opportunity
Counselor's Corner~ Anne Duncan
Welcome Back Montclair Families! I am so excited to be returning as the School Counselor for my second year at Montclair.
Resources:
We’re off and running with the 2016-2017 school year and I’m sure your family is gettling back into the school year routine. Speaking of routines, below are a couple of resources that can help you with your morning routine to get the best start to the new school year.
· Love this resource, you can print out your very own morning checklist for your students. That way they can take some responsibility in getting ready for school.
http://www.printablechecklists.com/checklist119.shtml
· This resource has some great information on routines for your whole household, it has a family approach that everyone can enjoy!
http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/parent/mod6/family_routine_guide.pdf
· Stress Free Kids website, a great resource to look at throughout the year. I know that the start of the school year can be stressful for both students and families and this resource can help alleviate some of that stress.
Parenting Class:
Nurturing Hope, a nurturing parenting seriesfor parents and their children with special needs and health challenges, ages 5-8.
· 12-week series
· September 20th -December 6th
· Tuesdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm
· Spanish Speaking Only
To sign up, please contact: Claudia Adler
(503) 846-0665
Once again welcome back and I can’t wait to partner with you to support your students this school year.
See you Soon,
Anne Duncan
School Counselor
Future Ready~Jo Fidler
Last year Montclair was selected as a pilot school to roll out the Future Ready Program in the Beaverton School District. Over the year we deployed 210 new devices, including 1:1 Chromebooks in 4th & 5th grades, shared Chromebooks in 3rd grade, and grade level iPad carts in 1st & 2nd grade. We are excited for our second year, of a multi-year plan, expanding our work in the areas of classroom innovation, library transformation, and technology integration.
Of course we can’t be successful without family involvement. Help guide our focus this year by completing our Parent Technology Survey [http://bit.ly/2co3zQK]. Thank you for your feedback.
Montclair Calendar
September 22 Future Ready Committee Meeting, 3PM
September 21 PTO Meeting, 7PM, Library
September 29 Parent Forum on Early release, 6:30pm, Library
October 7 Fun Run- Time TBD
October 13 Future Ready Committee Meeting, 3PM
October 14 Workday, No Students
October 19 Parent Teacher Conferences, after school, 3:30-8:00PM
October 20 & 21 Parent Teacher Conferences, No Students
Montclair Elementary
Attendance Hotline: 503-356-2191
Email: sean_leverty@beaverton.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/schools/montclair
Location: 7250 SW Vermont St, Portland, OR, United States
Phone: 503-356-2190
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/montclairpto/
Twitter: @montclair_bsd