Parent Night Notes

Greetings to everyone!

Here is an overview of topics discussed at the Wednesday, September 18 K-1-2 Parent Meeting:

Sleep Over/Space Out

Sept. 25th

Begins at 6:00PM with a potluck for all K-1-2 students! Sign up sheets for the potluck will be posted outside of the classrooms. Parents are welcome to join in the fun and chaperone event or if your kid wants some ME time that's cool too. There will be different activities in the rooms for your child to choose from or a movie in the multipurpose room. Bedtime or go home time is 8:30PM. Breakfast will be served in the morning for those students who opt to stay the night. If you plan on chaperoning or spending the night you must first fill out a criminal background check. Check with your child's teacher, if you have not filled one out already.

Jen a Naturopath and Trillium parent offered up her services to advise on nutrition and food intolerances. She passed out a hand out on nutritious lunchbox food.

A brief explanation of curriculum...

1. Everyday the children will have a class meeting.

2. Math and literacy menus

First and second graders have this time with Billy, Brian, or Beth.

Kinders have time with Whitney where they explore reading and math basics as well as art, music and garden.

3. Theme

The current theme is Space(hence the Sleepover and Spaceout). The theme changes throughout the year and is the subject of the 2 performance nights in December and May.

4. Reading Workshop

The first and second graders have this everyday after read aloud time. It is 30 to 45 minutes of time that they read to themselves, with each other, with a teacher or in a group. A time to learn to love books and to learn how to pick out books that are just right for their level current reading level.

5. Electives

These are classes that the kids get to choose themselves. Like dance or West African drumming, etc. The idea is that the younger and older kids will begin to be more integrated in some of these electives so that there is a more First thru 12th grade experience. Ask your child about their choice.

Communication

1. Liassons: these are parents who offer their time to attend TFT meetings, assist in teacher to parent communication, or help to coordinate social function within the individual classrooms. Basically, liassons try to support the teachers.

2. Emails and Blogs

In the upcoming newsletter their will be instructions on how to get set up on the Trillium listserve. This is a handy function as it offers a way to communicate with the school as a whole.

Soon all the K-1-2 teachers will have a blog, this is a great way to check in and see what's going on, if there's any homework for the week, or event details.

3. Go Home Files

Be sure to check these often! Located outside the classrooms, these are another way to further communication. This is how many things get sent home for the students: thematic homework, school newsletters or paperwork, even the occasioanal correspondance from Portland Public Schools.

Volunteer Opportunities

1. Reading Group

2. E Portfolio

All the students of Trillium will eventually have an online portfolio of their work. The younger ones will need help setting these up, ie taking pictures of their work and projects and uploading them to the web and reflection and typing up entries.

3. Copying!!!!

4. Drivers and Chaperones for field trips.

5. Taking dictation for student stories.

If any of these things are something you'd be willing to volunteer time for, talk to your child's respective advisor for details.