MS Week Ahead: June 8 … Last Week

It’s here!  The last week!  Hang on for the final ride 🙂

Monday, June 8
Day 3 BCDA, Special Schedule
Key Events:
9:30-11 8th Grade Promotion (Grade 6 and 7, seating from back to front – parents and Grade 8 in front)
1:30-3 Admin Mtg
3-3:30  Optional meeting:  Run down of the logistics for Splash Day and process for checking out (if you want to run through this information, please join me in the library)

Tuesday, June 9
Day 4 FGHE, Special Schedule
Key Events:
8-8:25 Yearbook Distribution
12:50-3 Splash Day

• 12:50 – Meet on Field in Advisory Group
• 12:55-1 – Meet on Field; General instructions
• 1:05-1:25 – Station 1
• 1:25-1:40 – Station 2
• 1:40-1:55 – Station 3
• 1:55-2:10 – Station 4
• 2:10-2:25 – Station 5
• 2:25-2:40 – Station 6
• 2:40 – get in place for 5th Grade Bridge Crossing (all)
• 2:45ish-2:50 – 5th Grade Bridge Crossing
• 2:50-3:00 – Dismiss for changing and clean up

3:15-4:30 MS Leadership Team Meeting

Wednesday, June 10
Happy Birthday Sanny!
A-H Schedule, Special Schedule
8-8:30 Advisory – final locker clean out and lock collection (see directions from Sang below)
3:15-4:30 Full Faculty Meeting, Auditorium
4:30-? MS Faculty Gathering (Burger Abode, see map below)

Thursday, June 11
Special Schedule
Key events:
8-9:30 Team/Advisory
9:30-10:15 MS Assembly, Auditorium
10:40-11:50 Team/Advisory or Optional MS Event in MS Gym (see below)
12:15 Ice Cream Social in Plaza (as kids are leaving)
Remainder of Day for Check Out Items

Friday, June 12
8:00-8:45  MS Breakfast Meeting in faculty lounge
8:45-12:00  Work Time
12:00-1:00  Team Meeting (location determined by Team Leader)
1:30-4:00  Final Farewell (lunch in Plaza, stay as long or as little as you like)

Grade 8 Promotion Ceremony Information
The Grade 8 kids and team have been working hard to prepare a great ceremony.  When you arrive with your advisory, please note the following seating plans:  Grade 6 and 7 will fill seats starting from the back; Grade 8 will fill seats starting from the front on one side; Parents will fill seats starting from the front on the other side.  We will dismiss from the Ceremony to Block C after kids have had a few minutes to enjoy the snacks.

Splash Day Information
Thank you to the committee (Gregor Berger, Greg Jardin, Robert Appino, Zach Post, Bonnie Bertoia, Helen Thompson) for organizing a great Splash Day!  We are following the same format as last year where advisors rotate with their advisees from station to station helping to wrangle kids, make sure they get really wet, keep track of points, and have a fun time with your advisees!  We will have station leaders who will explain the activity at each station (they will have parent volunteers to assist them as well).
Key Information:

• We will need to start at 12:50 (right at the end of lunch).  I’m asking kids to change during lunch into their suits/clothes they want to get wet).
• The Grade 5 Moving Up Ceremony is happening at the same time as our Splash Day.  They would like to continue the new tradition started last year of Crossing the Bridge.  After our last rotation, we will move to Building A to greet the rising 6th graders as they cross the bridge.  I think the easiest way to arrange this is to have us lining the hall on the 3rd floor 2nd floor (on both sides) creating a cheering line along the hall to the back stairs.  I’m not sure how long the line will be so it may need to run down the stairs (should be wide enough) and into the 1st floor hall.  Let’s have Grade 6 on the 2nd floor closest to the bridge; then Grade 7 down the hall and stairs; then Grade 8 down the stairs and hall on the 1st floor (depending on how much space we all take up).

Here are the documents that provide more details:
Splash Day Schedule and Rotation Plan
Splash Day Station Directions

Locker Clean Out and Lock Collection
This is happening Wednesday morning from 8-8:30.  Please be encouraging your students to clear out their lockers prior to Wednesday.  On Wednesday, here is a check list of what needs done.  If you have questions, please see Sang:

• direct students to put paper in the approp. trash can / other items in the approp. trash cans
• direct students to wipe down lockers with rag / spray
• visibly check each locker (empty, clean, no stickers/writing/etc.)

Collect locks using Sang’s new process:

• Distribute the strips provided to your students (student name, lock combinations, lock series)
• Have students check and correct the name and combination (rewrite if not correct)
• Have the student bring you their lock when the locker is cleared; loop the strip through the locked lock (use the double sided tape on the strip to secure)
• Loop the lock through the class ribbon; tie the ribbon after all locks are looped

Grade and Comment Timeline (Repeat from Previous Weeks)
Here is the timeline for grades and comments.  You should enter the comments in the S2 bucket (with the exception of Exploratory electives for Grade 6 who will use the Q4 bucket):

• June 8 – Monday, 3:00; Grades and Comments completely entered; verification reports to be printed
• June 9 – Tuesday, 3:00; Verification reports checked and returned
• June 10 – Wednesday; Report Cards printed and sorted
• June 11 – Thursday; Report Cards (and other materials) sent home with students

Teacher Check Out
(Also being sent via email)
There are three documents related to checking out for the year (and a few more for staff who are moving on to new schools).  The list looks long … but it’s just really detailed.  Most of the things on the list are regular items (finishing with report cards, lockers, and the like), others may require you to complete something new (mostly completing the ICT items).  Here are the three documents and a brief description of each:

• MS End of Year Check Out Procedures 2015:  A form designed to assist with making the whole process run smoothly.  And a place for you to check off completion for yourself to track your progress.
• Check Out Form for Teachers End of Year 2015:  Master check sheet for all tasks related to clearance from a variety of departments around the school.  This is for your reference; but you actually don’t get to check things off on the form (the person responsible for ensuring the task has been completed checks it off).  Make sure you are looking at the 2015 sheet (2014 is there as well).
• Summer Information and Maintenance Form:  Google form for you to enter summer contact information as well as room maintenance requests.  Should take less than 5 minutes.

Facility Improvements over the Summer
The list of improvements to be made to Building A is quite long.  After an extensive review of the needs, we have developed the first stage of improvements.  By prioritizing certain items and then seeing how costs fit into the available budget for this year, we have arrived at the following list of improvements to be made this summer:

• Improve lighting in the hallways and corridors
• Remodel the student bathrooms including new counters, sinks, cabinets, tiles and toilet partitions
• Replace ceiling tiles and grids in hallways and corridors
• Paint hallways to match new color scheme (all 4 floors)
• Paint exterior of building and wash all exterior windows
• Install security cameras on all 4 floors of Building A
• Install wall mounted, adjustable basketball hoops in Bldg A gym (remove existing hoops)
• Install additional scoreboards in Bldg A gym (relocate plug for existing scoreboard on ES side)
• Repair volleyball standards in Bldg A
• Remove broken curtains in Bldg A gym and replace with 3M coverings
• Install blinds in hallway windows of Dance room (repair doors, storage area, and fix water stains on walls)
• Install new entry way signage for Bldg A (will match new signage for Bldg B)
• Removal of the temporary office on the first floor (used to be the Aquatics Director office)

As I mentioned, the total list of repairs and improvements for Bldg A is long and includes many high ticket items.  We will be working through the list over the next 2-3 years resulting in a full upgrade of Bldg A.  The amount dedicated to improvements in Bldg A for this summer is around $250,000.

MS Faculty Gathering (@ Burger House)
Before we scatter across the globe for summer holidays and new adventures, let’s ​get together for a final cheers and general revelry.

• When: Wednesday, 10 June after the Full Faculty Meeting
• Where: The Burger Abode (50 Nguyen Cao, also known as B32 My Tu 3)
• Why: Why not?
• What to bring: Drinks and some food will be provided, please bring a snack to share (chips, tortillas and salsa, veggies and hummus, fruit, avocadoes, gummy bears, cheesecake etc.)

Summer Reading for Educators
In the same vein as reading lists for students, ASCD put together a great list of summer reading for educators.  Check it out here.