Bridges Area Learning Center
Weekly Reflections, November 14th
Dear Team,
And that is a wrap for quarter 1! In previous additions of weekly reflections I have highlighted what I have seen as our success as a school, initiatives we have started and great student accomplishments. It was a great start to the school year in a lot of ways.
As a school these successes are not a coincidence or by chance. Highly effective teams come with commitment to collaboration and the systems that enhance learning, foster a caring and respectful place in all areas of the school and, especially at an ALC, are very mindful of the social emotional aspects of student learning. What better way to kick of American Education Week than acknowledging the great collective work done here by the individuals on our team!
Candi Jenkins, SPED teacher, has fostered such a positive environment for her students. Between her transitions class, anxiety support and small group break outs we are seeing great results! Chris Nelson, Art/Phy Ed teacher, has created a room where students can spend time in their day creating, innovating and growing. Andy Martin, projects/FABLAB/math teacher, has brought innovation and creativity to our school in immeasurable ways. Kevin Wagner, social worker, has supported many students social emotional learning so that they can be more effective as learners. Melissa Olson, English teacher, has brought a valuable understanding as to the nature of at-risk learners which has created powerful connections to school. Ann Collins, LADC, has helped students remove obstacles to allow them to move forward. Jenny Witt, guidance counselor and Work Program teacher, has created an increase emphasis on focus in school as a result of post-secondary planning. Alexius Serefeas's, biology and English teacher, connection with her students have been spectacular! Denise Schmidt, school secretary, has allowed all of us to focus on our classes and work areas with her attention to our system's details. David Lawson, social studies teacher, has created highly structured classes with great expectations. And, Cory Callahan, paraprofessional, has been incredibly valuable working one on one with students in classes and pull outs.
It is a pleasure to lead this program and staff - certainly a highlight of my career. I could not think of a better staff to team with during American Education Week.
Now, onward to quarter 2!!
#WeArePLSAS
#bridges1617
Warm Regards,
Dave
OUTSTANDING article in the PL American/Savage Pacer on the STRIVE program!
Week at a Glance - American Education Week!!:
- Q2 Start!
- Student intake @ 1030am
Tuesday:
- Mr. Brown @ District admin meeting @ DSC - am
- Frontline PD management review with Jessica McMahon
Wednesday:
- Senior Class meeting 3rd period in Ms. Nelson's room
- 1130am Optimist Youth Appreciation Luncheon - Erik A = Bridges rep!
- MN Student Survey review with Maggie Ekrem
Thursday:
- 730am BILT meeting
- School Board Visit = Mr. Wolf
- STRIVE
- 3pm IEP Meeting
- 315pm Student Intake
Friday
- 1130am Fire Drill
Teacher's Corner: Mr. Martin - Math, projects, FABLAB
It’s hard to believe this is my sixth year teaching here at Bridges, and its evolved so much since I started.
I’m glad to see the continued support of our school so we can provide an education for our at-risk students. This might be the busiest start to a school year I’ve had, but in a good way!
We’ve seen success in our overhaul of our previous ‘Work Friday’ concept, restructuring it to better help our students succeed. I had the privilege of teaching my Math Projects course again first quarter and the students love it. Sometimes it’s a struggle to keep students engaged at the end of the day, but getting them working on hands on projects does the trick. For example, my class collaborated with Mrs. Serefeas’s Bio classes to design and construct planter boxes. The Bio classes then used the boxes to grow plants. I look forward to another great year teaching at Bridges ALC.
This Week @ Bridges
Congrats Jonathon on GRADUATING!
Ending the Quarter with an all school meeting.
October Student of the Month - Jimmy! From one of his teachers: 'Jimmy is doing so well this year. He is keeping up with his work and doing quality work.'
Student focus on finishing the quarter successfully!
Bridges Staff and Assistant Superintendent Jeff Holmberg enjoying breakfast and colleagality during our work day ending the quarter
Hoisting a student generated polypeptide!
From the student support staff: Ann Collins, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Stinkin’ Thinkin’
We have all gotten a whiff of the stink that negative thought patterns put out. Not only from the students but from our own errors in thinking as well. Thinking errors are irrational patterns of thinking that can cause you to feel bad and sometimes act in self-defeating ways. By utilizing certain thinking errors we consciously or unconsciously blame other people for our mistakes or lack of judgement. It gives us an excuse for not taking responsibility for own bad behaviors.
This type of thinking is illogical and distorted but it helps a person in the following ways:
resist an unwanted opinion or demand,
avoid making a needed change,
repress unwanted emotional pain,
avoid responsibility for a harmful action,
manipulate others in the service of meeting the thinker’s own needs, or
give the thinker permission to do something that is not okay.
Although these thoughts are negative and not based on facts, they are often automatically used when one feels threatened by others or bad about oneself. Here are a few common examples that we may see with our students:
Victim Stance: being a victim by being helpless
· “I can’t do this.”
· “I am not good at this.”
Blaming
· “You made me do this.”
· “If you hadn’t done______, I wouldn’t have done _______.”
Making Excuses
· “I am too tired.”
· “No one will help me/tell me.”
· “I did not have the right materials.”
· “I did not know I could ask.”
Minimizing
· “This is not a big deal. So what she got hurt.”
· “I did not mean it; I was just kidding.”
· “Nobody heard what I said anyway.”
Denying or Lying
· “I did not do it (when the student actually did).”
Being Grandiose or Self-centered
· “I am not the same as others; I should not have to do ___.”
· “The rules don’t apply to me.”
· “I can get you fired.
Being Catastrophic
· “This is terrible.”
· “Everything is ruined.”
· “I’ll never be able to __________ again.”
Lacking Empathy
· “Why should she feel that way?”
· “What a cry baby.”
· “That doesn’t upset me, so why should (the other person) get so upset.”
Helping our students, and ourselves, to recognize when we fall into these thinking traps will help remove the stink and replace it with the sweet smell of success!!