Bear Tracks
February 3, 2017
A Note From the Principal:
Dear Bear Tavern Staff,
Happy February!
I'd like to thank the Self Care committee for putting together the self care buddy challenge and the really useful and informative newsletter. Please don't forget to focus this month on making sure that you are taking care of yourself. This is such a broad statement that can be as simple as pushing yourself to drink one more glass of water during the day, or getting to bed a few minutes earlier, going for a walk or run, or even sharing a joke with a friend to try to get a laugh. I am drinking out of my favorite coffee mug as I type this and it says "Today I Choose Happiness." If we take a few minutes to concentrate on thinking of the good things that we have happening in our classes, our school and in our lives, it can help make us happier and healthier.
Enjoy your week and please take a look at "Key Information" below. There is a lot of info this week, but it is all very helpful and important. Please let me know if you need anything.
Keep working hard and great things are going to happen.
On a side note, putting this week's Bear Tracks was really powerful for me. There were quite a few people and committees that shared work and information for me to include. It really shed light on how many contributions that staff members make to the running of our school and our culture beyond their classroom and office walls. Thank you. Keep it up and stay involved; I really appreciate it. We have an exciting month ahead of us. Stay tuned for information on the Road to the Reading Final 4 - it is going to be a blockbuster and an unprecedented way to celebrate reading for ALL of our students!
Sincerely,
Chris
Key Information:
- Black History Month - To celebrate Black History Month, I'm inviting everyone to take part in a school-wide bulletin board. We are going to take down the "Our Time is Now" board for February and create a BT Black History Highlights board. It is easy to contribute - many classes are already talking or reading about famous African Americans who have had great impacts on our country. Please consider making one page bio posters in Google Docs and sharing them with me. Or just printing them and stapling them up. Just include: The person's name, years he/she lived (or when he/she was born if still living), a picture and his/her major contributions. You can do a shared bio as a class during a morning meeting, or have small groups do one each if you have older kids. Please just take a look a the list in the following link and be sure to put your name next to any individual for whom you will be creating a page. This is simply to avoid duplicates. Need ideas, CLICK HERE for a list of some well known influential African Americans. If you click each name, you will find a link for biography information. You don't have to use someone on the list, it may just help generate some ideas. CLICK HERE for an example that I will be hanging up (George Washington Carver). Please let me know if you have any questions. There is no deadline, but if we can have several up by 2/10 that would look great!
- Den Groups - We are going to start to warm things up for the "Road to the Reading Final Four" in Den Groups, as well as allow for our students to form bonds over some informal talk about picture books and reading. Please see the attached information. Thank you very much to those who provided input in our meeting. It will be fun! CLICK HERE for details. Classroom teachers, please talk it up today and Monday and tell students to think about what their favorite picture book is to make sharing ideas and information easier on Tuesday . 5th Graders will be encouraged to bring theirs in (if they can) and read it to the younger students...
- Self Care - Sign ups end TODAY for the Self-Care Buddy Challenge. CLICK HERE to see the Self Care Newsletter (nice job Beth!)
- St. Baldrick's TEAM BEAR TAVERN - CLICK HERE for information about Team Bear Tavern. CLICK HERE for a order form for a Team Bear Tavern T Shirt ($15). Please talk to your students, just so they understand what it is all about. Because we are using booster.com, the deadline for shirts is 2/16 even though the event isn't until 3/11. All money raised by shirts will be donated to St. Baldrick's to fight Childhood Cancer. We currently have 7 team members shaving heads, but I'm hoping to get a larger group and make a big impact!
- Principal's Cabinet Update - We talked about toys/cards at recess yesterday at Principal's Cabinet. Please see the following school-wide guidelines: Students should NOT have cards (Pokemon, etc.) or electronics at outdoor recess or during class time regardless of grade. Grade-level teachers will be asked to work together along with the lunch coverage teacher for that grade level to discuss grade-level expectations for indoor recess days. It is non-negotiable that cards are NOT to be traded, sold, lent or borrowed at any time at school. This includes before school on the blacktop or anytime that they may be allowed (i.e. indoor recess). Please reinforce this.
- TodaysMeet Followup - CLICK HERE to see the transcript from Monday's activity. Thank you for participating. Consider using TodaysMeet.com to engage your students in sharing ideas/information if appropriate.
2 Minute Tech Teaser (From Mandi)!
Upcoming Dates:
AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT/ACTIVITIES:
Mondays - Nano Bots (k-2)
Tuesdays - Advanced Circuits (3-5), Simple Circuits (K-2)
Wednesdays - 3D Printing (3-5), Magic Glass Art (K-2)
Thursdays - Aerospace Engineering (K-2), Yoga (3-5)
Friday - Aerospace Engineering (3-5), Drawing (K-2)
THE WEEK(s) AHEAD:
Friday 2/3 - Comprehensive TIP Meeting 8:30 - 3:30 (CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE)
Friday 2/3 - SPORTS JERSEY Day
Friday 2/3 - Report Cards Entered by 4 pm - click for resources: K-3 , 4 & 5
Monday 2/6 - Early Dismissal PD Day
Tuesday 2/7 - DEN GROUPS - PM Special Event Schedule
Wednesday 2/8 - Family Life (5th Grade) 8:40 am
Thursday 2/9 - Family Life (5th Grade) 1:30 pm
Friday 2/10 - Report Card Committee Mtg - 12:30 pm BOE
Monday 2/13 - Friday 2/17 - Jump Rope for Heart
Monday 2/13 - Bach to Rock Assembly 8:50 - 9:35 am (no special schedule)
Monday 2/13 - Family Life (5th Grade) 1:30 pm
Monday 2/13 - Grade Level Mtgs
Tuesday 2/14 - Valentine's Day [1st grade parties 2:30 pm]
Tuesday 2/14 - Olivia Wahl Grade 5 (HES)
Wednesday 2/15 - Olivia Wahl Grade 4 (Tollgate)
Wednesday 2/15 - Kindegarten APR 9 am - 100th DAY!
Thursday 2/16 - Olivia Wahl Grade 3 (BT)
Friday 2/17 - Pre K Collab Day