Falco Newsletter Nov. 29 - Dec 12th
2021-22 Newsletter for Five Oaks Middle School
A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Falcon Families,
I hope you enjoyed time to relax and reconnect this past week. After two years of virtual celebrations (we did zoom Thanksgiving last year), it was nice to be with some people we don’t get to see as often and reminded all of us how grateful we are for family and chosen family.
We have a lot happening in the next three weeks of school including opportunities for students to reflect on their own gratitude and connect with each other and our staff. We will be spending a lot of time Monday coming together to build community (safely with protocols) and will continue to focus on that through the next few weeks. The three weeks between Thanksgiving and WInter Break can be challenging for many people, both staff and students. There is a heightened level of excitement and also anxiety for many. Long school breaks can bring some unknown for many students that causes “big feelings” leading up to time off. Middle school students especially manifest those feelings in different ways including; mood swings, unpredictable or unusual behaviors, outburst, tears, and even anger. Often when asked about their feelings their response is “I don’t know” or “nothing. If you’re noticing your middle schooler seems out of sorts, it’s ok to name what you’re seeing and talk to them about what they may be feeling as they don’t always have the words - even at 11-14! We have lots of people on staff who help students navigate those conversations and feelings every day and are a great resource for families as well.
Please visit the PTO website for volunteer opportunities and look for info about the upcoming book fair (great holiday gifts)! We are so excited about all the fun activities and learning students will do in the next few weeks. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns kelly_laverne@beaverton.k12.or.us
Familias de Falcon,
espero que hayan disfrutado de un tiempo para relajarse y volver a conectarse la semana pasada. Después de dos años de celebraciones virtuales (hicimos zoom en Acción de Gracias el año pasado), fue agradable estar con algunas personas a las que no podemos ver con tanta frecuencia y nos recordó a todos lo agradecidos que estamos por la familia y la familia elegida.
Tenemos muchas cosas sucediendo en las próximas tres semanas de clases, incluidas oportunidades para que los estudiantes reflexionen sobre su propia gratitud y se conecten entre sí y con nuestro personal. Pasaremos mucho tiempo el lunes reuniéndonos para construir una comunidad (de manera segura con protocolos) y continuaremos enfocándonos en eso durante las próximas semanas. Las tres semanas entre el Día de Acción de Gracias y las vacaciones de invierno pueden ser un desafío para muchas personas, tanto para el personal como para los estudiantes. Hay un mayor nivel de emoción y ansiedad para muchos. Los descansos escolares prolongados pueden traer algo desconocido para muchos estudiantes que causa "grandes sentimientos" que conducen al tiempo libre. Los estudiantes de secundaria manifiestan especialmente esos sentimientos de diferentes maneras, que incluyen; cambios de humor, comportamientos impredecibles o inusuales, arrebatos, lágrimas e incluso ira. A menudo, cuando se les pregunta sobre sus sentimientos, su respuesta es "no sé" o "nada". Si nota que su hijo de secundaria parece estar de mal humor, está bien nombrar lo que está viendo y hablar con él sobre lo que puede estar sintiendo, ya que no siempre tiene las palabras, ¡incluso a los 11-14 años! Tenemos muchas personas en el personal que ayudan a los estudiantes a navegar por esas conversaciones y sentimientos todos los días y también son un gran recurso para las familias.
¡Visite el sitio web del PTO para oportunidades de voluntariado y busque información sobre la próxima feria del libro (excelentes regalos navideños)! Estamos muy entusiasmados con todas las actividades divertidas y el aprendizaje que los estudiantes harán en las próximas semanas.consi tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud Comuníquesenosotroskelly_laverne@beaverton.k12.or.us
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December
7 - Sealants
16 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00pm
20-31 Winter Break-No School
diciembre
7 - deSelladores
16 - Reunión del PTO a las 7:00 pm
20-31 Vacaciones de invierno-No hay clases
Words From FIve Oaks Library
DECEMBER 6-10, 2021!
The book fair will be a little different this year due to social distancing rules, but everyone will have a chance to buy some great reads! Students will be visiting with their Language Arts Classes in the following order:
Monday, December 6: Robb
Tuesday, December 7: Hains
Wednesday, December 8: Ezell
Thursday, December 9: Inglett
Friday, December 10: (Students who were absent on their assigned day may visit the fair.)
Unfortunately, we will not be open before or after school. All proceeds help Five Oaks to purchase books for our own library. Online shopping will be available, too!
Take advantage of EWALLET
Kids don’t need to bring cash to school for the bookfair. All purchases can be made via eWallet. Take a look at the instructional video to see how simple this can be!
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/content/bookfairs/en/misc/bfc-ewallet.html
Find more information about online shopping and setting up eWallets here: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/foms
Happy Reading!
Winter Reading at Cedar Mill & Bethany Libraries
Join us for an all-ages Winter Reading challenge December 13-January 16 and help us Read for a Better World. Every hour you read donates 10¢ to the Oregon Food Bank, up to $1,000. Read a little and help us give A LOT!
Participate one of THREE ways:
Download the Beanstack app and track your reading on your phone or tablet.
Track your reading on a paper log from the library. Play BINGO and connect the dots as you read! Return forms to either library by January 16.
Log online using Beanstack at Library.CedarMill.org/read-now
What is AVID? (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
Inquiry: According to the Foundation for Critical Thinking, “Thinking is not driven by answers but by questions,” positioning inquiry as foundational to the higher-level cognition required for college success. AVID’s emphasis on inquiry focuses on the application of Arthur Costa’s three levels of “intellectual functioning,” whereby learning to ask progressively more complex questions is scaffolded, and students become progressively more metacognitive—aware of their own thinking processes. Using inquiry as an essential foundation for intelligent, productive cognition and discourse is crucial for academic achievement and college completion. Effective use of inquiry is even more important, however, for success in the workplace. Employers, according to Harvey et al. (1997), are “placing greater emphasis on hiring college graduates with inquiring minds and higher-level thinking skills,” in order to meet the challenges of the workplace. This is a position supported by national surveys of employers (Business/Higher Education Round Table, 1991, 1992; Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, 1992; Education Commission of the States, 1995). Teaching and learning strategies that stimulate inquiry are thus necessary to prepare college graduates to successfully contribute to economic prosperity, as well as to individual quality of life.
At Five Oaks teachers and students use the following inquiry strategies:
Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning
Students Ask and Answer Questions
Costa’s Levels of Thinking
Noticings and Wonderings
Philosophical Chairs
Socratic Seminar
AVID Handbook 2020-2021
Business/Higher Education Round Table. (1991). Aiming higher: The concerns and attitudes of leading business executives and university heads to
education priorities in Australia in the 1990s (Commissioned Report No.1). Melbourne, Australia.
Education Commission of the States. (1995). Making quality count in undergraduate education. Denver, CO: ECS Distribution Center.
Foundation for Critical Thinking. Retrieved from www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-socratic-questioning-in-thinking-teaching-amp-le/522
Harvey, L., Moon, S., Geall, V., & Bower, R. (1997). Graduates’ work: Organisational change and students’ attributes.Birmingham, UK: Centre for
Research into Quality, University of Central England.
Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. (1992). Learning a living: A blueprint for high performance. A SCANS Report for America
2000. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor
PTO Meeting – December 16th @ 7pm
Our next PTO meeting will be on Thursday, December 16th at 7:00pm via Zoom. Check out November’s meeting minutes here.
Fundraising
Support the PTO on Giving Tuesday, November 30th! Any donation amount is appreciated - click here to donate on our website. Intel and Nike employees who give through Benevity will get a double match!
Enjoy Papa Murphy’s pizza while earning us money! Order online with code GIVE30 at the Tanasbourne location on Friday, December 10th and 30% of sales will go to the PTO. Click here for details.
Volunteering
Art Lit is back! Five Oaks needs an Art Lit Chairperson and several classroom presenters to offer this amazing program to our students. Training starts in January for volunteers approved by the district. Click here for more info.
Earn money for your PTO and help our cafeteria staff! BSD will pay $10 a shift for volunteers approved by the District to assist students and staff daily in the cafeteria. Sign up through myimpactpage.com. Get to know Five Oaks students and staff - it’s easy and fun!
Let’s Get Social!
Stay up to date on all the latest PTO events and news! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Sign up for text messages from the Five Oaks PTO text @5oakspto to 81010