Stoller Weekly
May 1st, 2020
Good afternoon Stoller families,
I hope you and your child/children had a great week. I was able to talk to many of our teachers and hear about all the innovative ways they are trying to engage students. As you can imagine, this is also difficult for our teachers, as they would rather be at school with their students. That being said, they are dedicated to doing their best for your children, given the current circumstances.
Please see the PTO article below (under “8th Grade Families”) regarding the 8th grade celebration and ordering t-shirts. Following district guidelines, events cancelled this year will not be made up. We are hoping to coordinate a dedicated day for 8th graders to come pick up t-shirts and yearbooks. We will try to coordinate some form of goodbye/send-off for them.
We are working on a plan to have students pick up locker items. As soon as we have a plan in place we will send you the information.
Please take a minute to read the article below from District with an updated message about Synergy Gradebook below.
As some of you may know, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Considering the circumstances, it’s difficult to find ways to show teachers how much they are appreciated and valued. If you are able, please email a note of gratitude and show your support to our amazing teachers who have shown incredible flexibility and perseverance while juggling multiple roles.
Thank You,
Veronica Galvan
Principal
Important News
Synergy Gradebook - Update from District
The Oregon Department of Education recently directed all secondary schools (grades 6-12) in Oregon to report class grades using only a Pass or Incomplete scale. As a result, BSD has updated our processes so that any class grade on any transcript for the Spring of 2020 will be displayed as a Pass or Incomplete. The Pass indicates credit earned while the Incomplete communicates that additional evidence of learning is required for the credit. Neither mark has an impact on students’ Grade Point Average (GPA).
In addition, beginning Monday May 4, 2020, all grades displayed in the Synergy Gradebook will be calculated using only the Pass or Incomplete Scale. Teachers will continue to provide feedback on assignments using written, verbal, and numerical methods. Teachers will use the standard rubric scores (1-4 or 1-8) for numeric feedback. However, all overall (calculated) grades will be displayed as Pass or Incomplete. The minimum threshold for a Pass is 1.6 on the 1-4 scale and 2.0 on the 1-8 (International Baccalaureate) scale.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
We are appreciative of all the feedback we have received from you. We are doing our best to tailor our weekly social emotional learning (SEL) presentations to what we hear many of you are needing.
This week's theme will combine the previous two week's; self-awareness and management. The attached SEL video highlights the theme and objectives of this Friday's SEL lesson found each week on Canvas. Each lesson is filled with information and resources, as well as optional activities to do and share with your friends, family and/or your counselors. We would love to see and hear about what you have done. Please feel free to reach out to your counselor if you have any questions about this content or anything else.
We are committed to providing support for all our students and families. We are here for you and we miss you!
Warm regards, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Damiano, Mrs. Dell, and Mr. Everson
Zoom Office Hours - Safety Tips
Stoller Scholars,
Here are the expectations that all students will commit to moving forward with digital remote learning. We know most students are already abiding to respectful and thoughtful behaviors. Thank you for engaging and learning through this new platform.
How to enter Zoom office hours:
Reminder: Please do not share your login email address or password with anyone. If you share this information and someone impersonates you, you are as accountable as the individual who does so.
For teachers who choose to use Zoom for office hours(not all teachers will use Zoom), they will email you a link to the Zoom office hours. Click on this link using your Chromebook. Do not share this link with anyone.
You may be prompted to install a Zoom extension. Click install.
Select “join with computer audio”. You can use headphones to listen, or you can listen through your computer.
Only use your first/preferred and last name as identifiers.
If you have a question during Zoom office hours, raise your hand by selecting “participants “and “raise hand” or send your teacher your question through the chat feature.
Attend office hours where you can sit, think, and work.
Set aside distractions: pets, side-conversations (digital or live), tv, devices, music, toys, food, wild movements, etc.
No guests to Zoom office hours (siblings, pets, parents/guardians, etc.)
Protect the privacy of your peers - do not take photos or recordings of anything in Zoom office hours.
Parents and Guardians - please honor the privacy of our students. These office hours are intended to be for students only.
Have a growth mindset -- it is new for ALL of us!
What if you do not follow the guidelines for Zoom office hours or Canvas discussions?
Teachers will be locking, freezing, blocking and not admitting students who are disruptive, crude, obscene, or not following the above rules.
Parents/Guardians will be notified of any obscene or disruptive student behavior, once the individuals are identified.
Also know that we are able to work alongside the Beaverton School District Instructional Technology team and our Washington County School Resource Officer to:
1.Track individual login and logout times for all individuals in a Zoom meeting through IP addresses. You may use your personal device, but once you log onto our system we have a record of your device within the Zoom meeting log that is kept for all meetings.
2. Identify students who use false names or pretend to be other students.
3.Turn your information over to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for impersonating another, using pornographic images, or bullying and harassment, if the behavior warrants.
Any misuse of district technology or software application will be documented with a discipline referral in accordance with policies outlined in the
Student Help Desk Information - Please Read
8th Grade Families
8th Grade Celebration
As it has been mentioned in previous Stoller Weekly’s the 8th Grade Celebration originally planned for June 12th has been canceled. Even if businesses such as King Pin are allowed to operate on a limited basis by June 12, there is no way to safely gather almost 600 students and staff together for the celebration to take place as planned. The celebration will not be reschedule for a future date.
As of March 15th, donations to the 8th Grade Celebration totaled $2875.27. Since donations for the 8th Grade Celebration are funds the PTO can only use for costs associated with the event, the parents volunteering to plan the event feel a good use for those funds would be to purchase t-shirts for the entire class similar to the ones all previous 8th Grade Classes received. A form was emailed to the entire 8th Grade Class yesterday asking for T-Shirt Sizes as well as High School Plans. If you have not already filled out the form, please use this link to do so https://forms.gle/EmNbSLViCuyLDDMg8. This information will be used to purchase the t-shirts and have them available at Memory Book distribution.
Knowing that some Stoller families may be experiencing a financial hardship due to COVID-19 we are not asking for any additional donations, and would also like to give the opportunity for parents to request a refund of the 8th Grade Celebration contribution they may have previously made. If you would like a full or partial refund, please provide proof of payment to StollerPTOPres@gmail.com. This can be in the form of a canceled check or a credit card receipt for online donations. Also include your student’s name and ID number along with your mailing address. A check will be mailed to you as soon as possible. We will take refund requests until May 15th, 2020. At that point any funds left over from the 8th Grade Celebration fund will be used to purchase t-shirts for the entire class.
If you have any questions please email them to StollerPTOPres@gmail.com
Thank you,
Stoller PTO
2020-2021 Forecasting
Incoming 6th Graders (Current 5th Graders)
Dear 5th grade families,
Please see the following message that was sent via School Messenger on Tuesday afternoon:
The week before Spring Break our Stoller Counselors had planned on going to all of the Elementary Schools that make up Stoller's 6th grade class to have your student choose their encore classes for next year. As with many things, these plans had to be changed, and our method of gathering this information needed to be adjusted.
The link provided in this message takes you to an online forecasting form. where you are able to make these selections. Please fill this out and submit the form even if you have already turned in a paper form to your elementary school. This form allows us to gather the information in one place for all five of our feeder elementary schools and begin the planning process for next year.
If you are unable to access the online forecasting form. I have attached a copy of your forecasting form to print and return to Stoller via mail. Please, Only complete a hard copy of the form if the online form is not available to you.
If you have questions regarding the forecasting process, please reach out to Marcel Brooks (marcel_brooks@beaverton.k12.or.us), next year's 6th grade Counselor.
Current 6th Graders
Dear Stoller families,
Please see the following message that was sent via School Messenger on Tuesday afternoon:
We hope this message finds you healthy and safe. The week before Spring Break our Stoller Counselors had planned on going into your student's class to have your student choose their encore courses for next year. As with many things, these plans had to be changed, and our method of gathering this information needed to be adjusted.
The link provided in this message takes you to an online forecasting form. Please take a moment to read the attached course descriptions and follow all instructions to complete the linked form. We hope to have all forecasting information gathered by April 10, 2020.
If you are unable to access the online forecasting form. I have attached a copy of your forecasting form to print and return to Stoller via mail. Please only complete a hard copy of the form if the online form is not available to you.
If you have questions about the forecasting process, please reach out to your student's Counselor, Sue Dell (susanna_dell@beaverton.k12.or.us).
Current 7th Graders
Dear Stoller families,
Please see the following message that was sent via School Messenger on Tuesday afternoon:
We hope this message finds you healthy and safe. The week before Spring Break our Stoller Counselors had planned on going into your student's class to have your student choose their encore courses for next year. As with many things, these plans had to be changed, and our method of gathering this information needed to be adjusted.
The link provided in this message takes you to an online forecasting form. Please take a moment to read the attached course descriptions and follow all instructions to complete the linked form. We hope to have all forecasting information gathered by April 10, 2020.
If you are unable to access the online forecasting form. I have attached a copy of your forecasting form to print and return to Stoller via mail, or when school resumes. Please only complete a hard copy of the form if the online form is not available to you.
If you have questions about the forecasting process, please reach out to your student's Counselor, Gregg Everson (gregg_everson@beaverton.k12.or.us).
AVID Applications 2020-2021 - Update
Any current 6th or 7th grader can still apply for next year's AVID class at Stoller. The application deadline is May 22nd, 2020. The application window for high school has passed. For current 5th graders, contact your school counselor for information.
If 6th or 7th grade students have applications in process, please have them scan or take pictures of the pages and send them to allyson_king@beaverton.k12.or.us.
Alternatively, students can make a copy of the fillable Goggle form application, fill it out, and e-mail it to allyson_king@beaverton.k12.or.us.
Here is the application:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zbIs5y-ij1CpUhpuWybrA8_BAP2nkKi7L7O7YPpIing/edit?usp=sharing
Students also need to choose a teacher or their counselor to send a recommendation form to. Please e-mail the Stoller staff member of your choice this form with a polite request to fill it out. They should return it directly to the AVID Coordinator, and not the student.
Here is the recommendation form:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aEMeaWD1reUneCkcvJUHd8Z2qbikhESRVGdKwkSztec/edit?usp=sharing
All AVID interviews will be suspended for this spring, and if an interview is necessary, it will be conducted in the fall.
If a student submits an application, they will get a letter, via e-mail, in June indicating whether they have been accepted into the class or not.
Note, students currently in AVID should receive communication from their AVID teacher about how to apply for next year's class - do not fill out this application.
For any questions, please contact the AVID coordinator - Ally King at allyson_king@beaverton.k12.or.us.
Stoller Middle School
Website: https://stoller.beaverton.k12.or.us/
Location: 14141 Northwest Laidlaw Road, Portland, OR, USA
Phone: 503-356-2680
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stollermiddle/
Twitter: @StollerPOWER1