Falcon Flash
December 2nd, 2022
Dear Falcon Friends and Families,
Happy December! It’s hard to believe 2022 is coming to an end already. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Often the three weeks between the holiday breaks are the most productive, and students and staff are working hard teaching and learning right up to December 16th.
I must share the highlight of this past week was definitely our Falcon Student Council (FalCo) elections. We had thirty three fifth grade students run for a FalCo office and each one campaigned and delivered a speech in front of the entire fifth grade class. The quality and delivery of these speeches impressed everyone. Elections immediately followed and students chose Bennett Brasch as president, Elise Bills as vice president, Ezra DeMayo as secretary, Juliet Weber as treasurer, and Billie Powter as historian. All students that participated in the campaign and delivered a speech are also part of FalCo as “at large” members. Today all participated in a a very fun half day leadership training in our library facilitated by a grandparent volunteer and former school principal Pam Mitchell. THANK YOU PAM! Mrs. Dawn Young and I are also FalCo advisors.
I am so excited to have the opportunity to provide leadership opportunities for our students here at Forest Hills and look forward to expanding these opportunities to other grade levels in the future. It’s just another piece in realizing our vision for student experience - “Empowering Students for a Lifetime of Learning and Belonging.”
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
Jim Mangan, Principal
SAVE THESE DATES
12/2 - Family STEAM Night 5pm - 8pm
12/8 - Early Release 2:00 pm
12/15 - Early Release 2:00 pm
12/19 - 1/2 - WINTER BREAK
1/3 - Classes Resume
12/18 - PTO Meeting 8:30 am at Forest Hills -RIGHT AFTER DROP OFF!
Family STEAM Night - TONIGHT
Please join us TONIGHT, is Family STEAM Night from 5:00-8:00 pm in the school gym. Volunteers are still needed for short shifts to help run the STEAM stations and clean up. This is a great opportunity for older siblings and 5th grade leaders. Please sign up HERE.
Food Allergy Notification for this event
Wreath & Poinsettia Order Pick Up
Please pick up your wreath and poinsettia orders this Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00am - 2:00pm under the covered area of the blacktop. A small amount of wreaths and poinsettias will be available to purchase at the pick-up event.
Volunteers will be saying thank you for supporting the 5th Grade Fundraiser with complimentary coffee, cocoa, donuts and candy canes. Anyone is welcome to stop by for the treats, even if not picking up an order.
Volunteers are still needed to help distribute orders and clean up. Please sign-up HERE
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
This month’s Social Emotional Learning focus is EMPATHY.
One way to think about Empathy is “understanding and connecting with other people’s feelings.” Empathy is a practice that can help us grow strong relationships.
Empathy is one of three traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students learn to Be Kind. Throughout the school, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.
Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Empathy. Here are three “PurposeFull Pursuits” for you to complete together, if you wish.
As a family, create your own poster showing different emotions. For example, you could use emojis to represent different emotions and label them. Hang your poster in a central location. Each day, designate a time that your student will do an emotion check-in and tap the feeling they felt the most that day. This reminds your student of the emotion vocabulary they are learning at school and gives you insight into how they are feeling. Understanding other people’s feelings can help us grow in Empathy.
Review Empathy as a family. Remember that Empathy is understanding and connecting with other people’s feelings. Schedule a family movie night so that you can specifically watch for feelings and emotions. Let everyone know that you’d like them to point out how the characters in the show are feeling and that you will pause periodically to discuss Empathy. As emotions are identified, invite one another to Empathize by sharing about a time they felt that way or imagining how they might be feeling in that moment.
Find a time to sit in a circle together and celebrate all the ways you have seen each other practice Empathy. Take turns sharing responses to the following prompts or make up your own. Remember to practice Empathy as you listen to each other.
What is one way a family member has shown you Empathy lately?
Share about a time someone was a good friend to you.
Share about a time when you felt like someone really listened to you.
Share about a time you worked with a family member to resolve a conflict successfully.
Share about a time you stopped to look at a situation from someone else’s point of view.
Share about someone you think is a good leader. What can you learn about leadership from that person?
Thank you for your partnership! It’s an honor to watch our school community grow with Empathy!
Hayley Drimmel
Forest Hills Counselor
Warmth for Ukraine
I’m very grateful for the support Ukrainians have in our community!
Unfortunately war in Ukraine is going on. There are days when a hundred bombs a one day targeting civilian buildings and energy infrastructure fall on Ukraine. 40% of the country's energy infrastructure has already been destroyed. This is an urgent collection from the local non-profit organization Ukrainian Foundation, which organized a collection of warm things for Ukraine. We need specific things such as sleeping bags, warm thermal underwear, wool socks. We also ask that items be new or like new if we are talking about sleeping bags. If you are interested in details or have any questions, please contact me, Tetiana Zelyanovska, Mom from Forest Hill, advisory board of Ukrainian Foundation.
Thank You!
Sincerely,
Tetyana Zelyanovska (Tanya)
971 320 5692
REGISTER A TEAM FOR OREGON BATTLE OF THE BOOKS!
OBOB 2022-2023 - Sign up deadline: 12/6!
Sign up deadline: Tuesday December 6, 2022
What is OBOB? For grades 3-5. Part reading with buddies, part quiz show, and lots of fun! Students read and then compete with their team in book trivia “battles”.
What do I need to do? Form a team of 3-5 students and divide up reading responsibilities. Please note: no more than 4 students per team compete in each battle. Teams of 5 will have a rotating alternate.
What books do I read? Check out the 2022-2023 OBOB Book List! 3rd graders read 8 of the 15 books - these are noted with an asterisk in front of the titles. 4th-5th graders read all 15 between team members!
When is the competition? During the month of February, we will run battles during lunch/recess following official OBOB rules. Exact dates and times are to be determined. The Forest Hills 4th/5th grade champion team will go on to compete in OBOB Regionals in March. View the full timeline here: 2022-2023 OBOB Timeline & Overview
Here is a link to the 2022-2023 Google Sign Up for OBOB.
Please contact Lorri Wilson and Monica Bunch at foresthillsobob@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
TEACHER'S LOUNGE UPDATE
Your Forest Hills PTO has been putting donations to great use! Our lounge for teachers & staff was in dire need of an update, and we are happy to share that after ordering furniture in June, it is finally complete! Lots of teamwork to get this done with donations & discounts from the following:
Schoolhouse Electric - Union Pendants
JP Home Maintenance (call JP for your LO roof & gutter cleaning 503-560-3843)
Pottery Barn - Cline Bistro Dining Chairs
Wayfair - Coffee Tables & Teacher WorkStation
West Elm - Haven Sofa
Crate & Barrel - Babyletto Swivel Recliners
Crate & Barrel - Dunewood Whitewashed Dining Tables
Hello Falcon Families! November is already over.
Check out our website for updates and photos. K-2 families can check Seesaw for pictures of their child's work. 3-5 families can ask their students to show them their ePortfolios.
Are you cleaning out for the holidays? iLab would love some donated toys if you are getting rid of them. We would gladly take the following second hand donations:
-legos of any kind, especially the people
-magnatiles
-dinosaur, animal, or people figurines (only small ones please, no bigger than a hand)
These tools are great for lots of projects in the lab. Please send them in with your kiddos.
Got shipping materials from all those holiday deliveries? iLab will gladly accept the following:
- amazon gift bags cut into squares no larger than 12"x12"
- bubble wrap or bubble envelopes cut into squares or rectangles no larger than 12"x12"
Again, please send them in with your kiddos. Donations can be dropped off at the front office or given to Mrs. Jordan.
Winter i-Ready
This Winter, all elementary students will complete two online i-Ready assessments. Like Fall, one is for math and the other is for reading. i-Ready is a diagnostic that will help us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child where they are and provides us with data to inform and tailor instruction to accelerate growth. This is the second of three i-Ready assessments we give each year, and the results will be shared with parents.
Updated PTO Meeting Schedule 😀
We would LOVE for you to attend a PTO Meeting. Please note the new dates and times:
December - No Meeting
January 18th - 8:30 AM
February 14th - 8:30 AM
March 8th - 8:30 AM
April 11th - 7:00PM
May 10th - 8:30AM
WHO WAS? HISTORY BEE FOR GRADES 3-5.
Students in grades 3-5 have the opportunity to participate in The Who Was? History Bee. Reading and participating in the Bee is a fun way to learn and test knowledge about history. The Bee will start with a classroom competition the week of November 28. The winners will then move on to a school competitors-only bee the week of December 12, and the finalist from the school will write an essay the week of March 20 to compete in the Western Regionals. The winning regional champion will win some terrific prizes including scholarship money and books for their school library. Check out (whowashistorybee.com) for study information.
1.Classroom Bee Week of 11/28
2. School Bee Week of 12/12 (10 students from graders 3-5)
3. Finalist - 1-1 Week of 3/20
SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING AND VOCABULARY BEE
The 4th and 5th graders will have an opportunity to participate in the Scripps National Spelling and Vocabulary Bee. Classroom competitions will be the week of January 3. The top scorers from each class will move onto the final competitors-only bee the week of February 6. Since Scripps study lists are not to be published on the web, students will be sent links for spelling and vocabulary study sheets from their classroom teacher.
1. Classroom Bee Week of 1/3/23
2. School Bee Week of 2/6/23 (10 students from grades 3-5.)
3. Regional Bee for Finalist: 3/2023
Did you know we have a school directory?
Do you need
The Forest Hills school directory is found on DirectorySpot. Access your account in 3 easy steps:
1. Download the DirectorySpot app to your smart phone:
iPhone - http://goo.gl/5U2Tzq or Android - http://goo.gl/iBK9lY
2. Launch DirectorySpot, enter your email address as your Username, and click on "Reset Password."
3. Click on the link in your email to set your password, relaunch the DirectorySpot app, and login with your username and password.
Once your account is set up, be sure to bookmark the URL for easy web access:
https://www.directoryspot.net/schools/foresthillselementaryportland/
Oregon State Assessment Opt-Out Form
Each school year, Oregon students take assessments to meet federal requirements. The purpose of these assessments is to provide data that schools can use to ensure that every child is on track and achieving learning goals.
State law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the State Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of the math and English Language Arts assessments for the current school year. Should you wish to opt out your child, fill out the form and submit it to the main office at your child’s school. Please note the submission deadlines listed on the form. Meeting the deadline will help the school with planning and preparation. If you wish your child not to participate in the science assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11, submit this request in writing to the principal of your child's school.
If you have questions or want more information about state assessments, please contact your child’s principal or teacher(s).
Click here for opt-out form for Math and English Language Arts.
Nurse Notes
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR STUDENT HOME FROM SCHOOL.
VISION SCREENING: Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation will soon be conducting their
annual vision screening of K,1,3,and 5th grades.
IMMUNIZATIONS: Is your child up to date? Check here and be sure to update school records before you leave for Winter Break.
New Application for School Volunteers
For the safety of children, volunteers are required to have an approved background check when volunteering in schools.
To help streamline compliance with state and school board policies, which require that all volunteers have background checks and knowledge of other board policies -- as well as state-mandated proof of vaccination (or a qualified exemption) -- we are introducing a new all-in-one volunteer application and approval process through ou Raptor Visitor Management System.
Submitting an online application initiates the background check process. Once submitted, applicants will receive an email upon approval of your background check and you will be given access through the onsite Raptor System at all schools. Please allow up to three weeks to process your approval.
Volunteers need to submit only one application for volunteering in all LOSD schools. Applications need to be submitted annually to capture changes in background checks, policies, and/or vaccination requirements.
Volunteer Application for LOSD
Thank you for applying promptly, and for your service to our students and schools. We are grateful for our volunteers.
DISTRICT/COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Elementary School Student and Family Handbook
CONTACT THE OFFICE FOR ILLNESSES, VACATIONS, APPOINTMENTS
Ms. Susan is our new Attendance Secretary!
Subscribe to LO Schools App
Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.
Stay in Touch with the PTO
Stay in touch with the PTO on social media!
Instagram #foresthills.pto
https://www.instagram.com/foresthills.pto/
Facebook Forest Hills Elementary PTO
About Forest HIlls Elementary School
Email: merinon@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://or01813384.schoolwires.net/Page/9
Location: 1133 Andrews Road, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: 5035342350