Union Weekly Staff Update
Volume 10- October 11, 2015
Our Mission
A Message from Jen
Two of Addy's comments from Dads Club Campout on Friday night sum up the weekend:
"Mommy, I LOVE your school!" and (while laying awake in our tent) "So, is this our new home?" While she did not quite grasp the concept of camping, she did have a blast! With the Campout on Friday and then PTO Fall Spruce Up today, I am sure many of you also felt like you spent more time on the Union campus than at your own home this weekend. Thank you for being ambassadors of our school and for supporting our parent organizations. I am so proud to be part of a community that is so involved and willing to pitch in wherever there is a need- event if it is pulling weeds during Sunday football.
Have a wonderful week and remember at the end of it, you will be rewarded with some much deserved time off!
School Safety Update- Important information about drills this week!
This week we will be conducting several safety drills. Please read the information below regarding details for each. If you have any questions, reach out to Erin, Maggie or me.
ALICE Drill on Tuesday
Now that we have completed all student and staff training, we will practice what we have learned with a lockdown drill. We will review two different lock down scenarios. During each, we will give you time to process with your students and then take action based on the information that is given.
Earthquake Drill on Thursday
Along with schools across the Midwest, we will be participating in the Great Central US Shakeout. On Thursday, I will give the following narrative on the PA. Please review with students how they should respond in this type of emergency situation.
This is the Great Central US ShakeOut. We’re practicing now so we’ll know how to protect ourselves during a real earthquake.
This is an earthquake drill. Right now, stop what you are doing…drop, cover, and hold on. If you’re standing during a large earthquake, the ground might jerk strongly and throw you down. Take cover under something sturdy to protect yourself from objects beings hurled across the room. Hold on to it until the shaking stops. If you can’t get under something, stay low and protect your head and neck with your arms. Try to remain calm while the ground shakes.
The shaking has stopped and the drill is now over. Quietly and calmly get up and remember that aftershocks may occur after an earthquake.
If this had been an actual earthquake, we would exit the building once given the all clear. All persons would exit the building via the fire evacuation routes for their location and we would assemble outside, just as we do in a fire drill.
Bus Evacuation Drill on Friday
In the morning, we will be conducting our annual bus evacuation drills. We will need extra adults out to support students this morning, so if you are available, your help would be appreciated. Expect announcements to run slightly later than usual this morning.
As we think about empowering our kids, and think about bus evacuation drills, you might consider reflecting with students during “community circle” sometime on Friday. These are just suggestions:
- . What would you do if someone became angry with your bus driver while stopped to pick up students? What would you do if this person continued yelling and stepped onto the bus?
- What would you do if your driver became suddenly ill and stopped on the side of the road… and was unable to answer your questions?
- . What would you do if you noticed a student on the bus who appeared very ill, unable to sit-up or just didn’t appear like himself/herself?
This Week's Events
Monday, 10/12-
ZEF Grant winners visit today
Cyneka Out
Parent Meeting, 8AM in conference room- Ruthsatz, Roy, Ioannacci, Raycroft
Initial CC, 9 AM in conference room- Duhn, Ioannacci, H. Smith, Roy, Meyer
PTO General Meeting, 9:15-10:15 in project room
ACR, 12PM in conference room- Dunn, Andrus, Van Curen, Swenson, Lockhart, Raycroft, Loutzenhiser
School Board Meeting, 6PM at ESC
Tuesday, 10/13-
ALICE Drill today in AM
STEM and Lit PLCs, 8 AM
Reeval Mtg, 9AM in conference room- Duhn, H.Smith, Meyer, Van Curen, Raycroft
Pie 5 Lunch order delivered today
Wednesday, 10/14-
Dads Club Fourth Grade Breakfast, 8 AM in cafeteria
Meeting at ESC, 9:15- Jen and Erin
Star Student Lunches, 10:50-12:30 in Conference Room-Jen
Thursday, 10/15-
First Grade to NIFS
Office Meeting-10:00
Earthquake Drill in AM
PTO Staff Appreciation Lunch
Friday, 10/16-
Running Club Breakfast, 8AM in cafeteria
Teresa Out
Fall Parties
Grades due by 8 AM (able to be viewed by parents on 10/17)
ABM Meeting- 10:00
Lit Coaches Meeting at Union, 12:00-2:30 in conference room
Saturday, 10/17 through Sunday, 10/25-
FALL BREAK!
Relax and enjoy time with family and friends!
Building Your Professional Learning Network
I know that many of you are dipping your toes into the waters of Genius Hour/Passion Projects with your students. I have shared these with some of you already, but here are some interesting blogs I have come across on the topic that give tips on avoiding potential pitfalls.
http://ajjuliani.com/5-things-to-remember-before-you-start-geniushour/
http://geniushour.blogspot.com/2014/08/passion-based-learning-ready-set-go.html