Energy Bus for Schools News
September 2017
Rocky Creek Elementary (SC) Principal: Brenda Nichols
Welcome to The Journey!
Dear Energy Bus Leaders,
We wanted to take a moment and welcome you aboard The Energy Bus! Get ready for the ride of your lives as we begin our journey to positive school culture.
By now, many of your teams have received training and are ready to implement. As you begin, here are a few things you should know:
1. In the first year of The Journey, we only reinforce the language. We will review only ONE principle per month and we will begin with Principle #1: You're the Driver. Remember, if we want positive culture we must have common values and the 7 principles will be your guide to align your students, staff, teachers, and families values, beliefs and attitudes.
In August, you will talk with students about what it means to become an Energy Bus School. Sharing that you are a positive school culture focused on demonstrating acts of kindness throughout your school.
In September, we will kick off our first principle- You're the Driver. You can reinforce this principle by:
o Introducing principle of the month on morning announcements or in student assemblies
o Teachers can discuss during morning meetings or afternoon discussions
o Language should be reinforced in the hallways, restrooms, cafeteria
o Reinforce by rewarding those students who are demonstrating the principle of the month with a certificate, pencils, wristbands, etc.
*Remember- the more you reinforce the more you will see the results of your actions, not only in student behaviors but in adult behaviors as well.
·
Using The Energy Bus for Kids book to Teach Principle #1: You're the Driver
Objective: Students will identify and apply the Principle #1 You're the Driver
- Book, The Energy Bus for Kids
- 7 Principles Poster
- Journal or writing paper
Day 1: Explain to students that your school is a certified Energy Bus School. This means that you have joined other schools from all over the country to create a "positive school community." Your school is a positive place to work and learn because you will learn and practice principles (behaviors/attitudes) that every person on your campus will embrace - students, teachers, staff, principals, and even parents.
Engage students in a conversation about "being positive." What does it mean to be positive? What are some ways we can create a positive classroom? school? home? community?
Day 2: Explain to students, that before they board The Energy Bus, there are two chants they must learn.
The first chant is: Yes! Yes! Yes! (Have students practice saying together)
You can’t get more positive than the word YES, so periodically throughout the day, let students know that you will be practicing this chant with them and will hold up one finger as a signal for this chant, Yes! Yes! Yes!
The second chant is: I Feel Great, Yes! (Have student practice saying together. When they say the word “yes” have them bring their elbow to their knee as a way to physically engage them. Continue by saying, It’s all about the stories we tell ourselves, so periodically throughout the day and throughout the year, you should ask something like, So, how are you feeling right now? And students will say “I Feel Great, Yes!” Hold up two fingers as a signal for students to repeat our 2nd Chant: I Feel Great, Yes!
Have students practice until you are confident they know the chants as well as the hand signals you will provide to produce each chant.
Day 3: Read The Energy Bus for Kids by Jon Gordon
Review your definition of the word "positive" from Day 1. Ask students to look for ways George was positive in the story. What are some things that happened as a result of George choosing the be positive?
Day 4:
Ask students to:
Close your eyes. Now imagine that you have your own bus. In order for you to take your bus wherever you want it to go who needs to be sitting behind the wheel? That’s right, You do!
Have students open their eyes and discuss: Where are some places YOU would drive your bus. (Students will probably come up with responses like to the beach, to the park, etc...)
Now let's think of this a little differently. Let's think about Your Bus as your thoughts and actions. Just like taking your bus to the beach or the park, YOU are also in control of where you take your attitude, thoughts, and feelings. You are in charge.
So when we talk about Principle #1: You're the Driver of Your Bus, we are saying that you are the leader of your life. You are responsible for your actions and attitudes. When you are the Driver of your Bus you don't blame others or complain, but you have the courage to take action and make change.
Have students think about the story, The Energy Bus for Kids and have them share ways that George demonstrated Principle #1: You're the Driver of Your Bus (showed Leadership). Write their ideas down on large chart paper.
Day 5:
Have students review the chart paper from the Day 4.
Have students think about ways they can be The Driver of their Bus and show leadership in the classroom, school, home, and/or community.
Have students write (or draw) ways in which they can show leadership.
Throughout the week, have one or two students share their writing.
Extension: Create a You're the Driver Station and have students compile ideas/ways they can Be the Driver in their lives. Compile a binder or have a You're the Driver Bulletin for students to post ideas.
Congratulations! You’ve been assigned a Chief Principal Partner!
Please join me in welcoming our Chief Principal Partners!
Bethany Hill, Central Elementary Team: The Energy Bus Band
Maura Neville, Keystone Elementary Team: Peppy Principals
Jama Bennett, JT Alton Team: Positive Vibe Tribe
Windy Hodge, Clifdale Elementary Team: Positive Squad
Pam Sawyer, Hidden Hills Elementary Team: Principals with Purpose
This person will serve as another resource for you during your first year on The Journey. Please get in touch with your Chief Principal Partner as they can help support you as you get started PLUS you'll have an opportunity to collaborate and learn from other leaders on The Journey. We have 5 Cohorts (Teams) and you will have the opportunity to participate in team challenges throughout the year to ensure we are fueling one another’s rides with positive energy.
Principle #1: You're the Driver
Dear Energy Bus Leaders,
We are SUPER excited to have you join us on The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey!
By now, you and your team have been trained on the 7 principles that will guide our journey this year. Remember- we will review "one" principle per month. So in the month of September, we will discuss and reinforce Principle #1: You're The Driver.
Culture is the shared behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of an organization. With this in mind, It is imperative that you teach and introduce the principles in the order that we have presented to ensure your team's values are aligned. We always start with Principle #1 You're The Driver because if no one is sitting in the driver's seat then your bus is going nowhere!
When we teach our young passengers to be the driver of their bus we are helping them to embrace the idea of taking 100% responsibility for their actions, choices, and outcomes.
Here are a few ideas that will assist you with teaching and reinforcing Principle #1: You're the Driver:
· Cause/Effect. Help students make a connection between what s/he does and what happens by pointing out real-life examples. For example, you could say, "Because you completed all your assignments, you got an A on your test" or "Since you took personal responsibility, you are receiving our You're the Driver award." You can ask students to think of a cause or an effect for certain situations and model for them by sharing one of your own.
· Create a Safe Place. If you want your students to come to you with the truth (or admit to it when asked), make it a point to stay calm when discussing matters of poor behaviors and/or decisions. Creating a safe place to express mistakes or failures will help students embrace failures and learn from their mistakes.
· 4 Questions that will keep You (and others) in the Drivers Seat. Help students reflect on their decisions/behaviors when there is a conflict by posing the 4 Questions are teaching them to reflect on the 4 questions themselves. (1) What is the problem? (2) What is my role in the problem? (3) What did I do that led to this outcome? (4) What can I do next time to get different results?
· Tracking Their Own Learning. Giving students the responsibility of tracking/monitoring their own learning is a great way to put them in the Driver's seat this year. They could track reading fluency, math progress, or other assessments. They could also be responsible for coming up with strategies that will help them achieve their goals.
· Reinforce, Reinforce, Reinforce. Remember, you get more of what you focus on! Be sure to discuss and celebrate student's who are demonstrating Principle #1: You're the Driver! You could have monthly celebrations rewarding students who are taking personal responsibility or you could have student celebrate and recognize one another. The important thing to remember is the reinforce the behaviors you wish to see.
· Morning Announcements. Morning announcements are a great way to teach/reinforce the principle of the month!
By teaching students to be the driver of their bus and take responsibility for maintaining a level of academic and behavior performance, we are encouraging them to be in charge of their own success! Isn't that what it's all about?!
Sending lots of positive energy your way,
Niki
Check Out Our EB Hand Motions from Rocky Creek Elementary in SC
Please see cool examples of hand motions from our Team at Rocky Creek Elementary in South Carolina!
This is a fun yet effective way to engage our young passengers as we align our beliefs, attitudes, values – and yes movements! Please note that the slides have GIFs for Principles 1-7 with no sound. If you would like to have sound, you can visit YouTube and search #OneRCE for sound.
You are welcome to adopt these or to create your own.
This information has been included on our website under your school resources tab.
Coming In 2018-2019 - Two Routes to Certification
This year Lexington Middle School in NC lead by Chief Energy Officer, Sean Galliard, will be piloting Route 11 and will showcase the power of this amazing path as we offer schools a more affordable way to join The Journey! Stay tuned and watch out for amazing things to happen at Lexington Middle School!
More information about both routes will be shared soon!!
Positive Energy Circles
To start, you (the teacher) should think about how students will physically gather while conducting these sessions. . We recommend students stand or sit in a circle. If this is your first time, you want to provide students with "why" you are conducting these meetings and then explain "what" they are. You also want to create (along with students) expectations/commitments that will be upheld during these brief get togethers.
A few could be:
- Be Respectful of the Speaker (talk about what respect looks like)
- Each person will be provided up to 1 min (or less) to share
- Members do not have to share - they may pass
You (or a student leader) should review your expectations/commitments daily until they become common to everyone. These expectations/commitments should be placed in an area that is easy for students to visually access as a reminder throughout the school year.
Prior to conducting a "real" meeting, you should practice do's and don'ts so that the students become accustomed to the process.
They could start like this:
Teacher: Today we're going to start our Positive Energy Circles. Remember, our positive energy circles is a great way to begin our day as we think about how we can make positive contributions to our community. We want you to feel safe so we do not laugh or make fun of others that share with us as our job is to be a good listener and a great classmate.
Each of you will be asked to share how positive you feel today on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being in a VERY positive mood. You will share your rating and then "why" you feel that way. We will always end with you being the driver and if you're not a 5 - you will think of one way you can make your day more positive. This helps put you in the Driver's Seat and YOU can take your bus wherever you want it to go!
So let's get started!
The Teacher will always begin by modeling for students until they feel comfortable with the process. Once students are comfortable, students can take turns leading the positive energy circles.
It is important that the teacher is always a part of this process to demonstrate how important it is.
If you need more information or would like to discuss Positive Energy Circles further, please reach out to Niki for more information.
If you have a class that is conducting these meetings and can be a model for other Energy Bus Schools, please send a video (3 min or less) modeling a Positive Energy Circle in action!!
Positive Energy Circle IN ACTION from Central Elementary, Principal Bethany Hill
Ms. Coyle's 4th Grade Class
Have You Formed An Energy Bus Task Force?
This group works much like a culture committee or sunshine committee- they are the group that helps with celebrations such as birthdays, holiday parties, and other events as they work to spread positive energy throughout the school year.
This group should plan to meet at least once a month to discuss how and assess the implementation of The Energy Bus on their campuses.
Once you've formed your groups, if they need guidance, please reach out to me (Niki) and I'll be happy to schedule a phone or video conference with your team.
We are looking forward to an amazing year on The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey!!
ENERGY BUS DRIVER OF THE MONTH!! Mrs. Brittney McGraw from Star City Schools
Parents as Partners on The Journey
Information on how to join these sessions will be provided to school leadership soon!
2017-2018 Certified Energy Bus Schools
Cabot Public Schools (AR) Central Elementary, Bethany Hill
Capistrano Unified School District (CA Hidden Hills Elementary, Academy of Technology
Elementary Pam Sawyer
Chester County School District (SC) Chester Park Elementary School of the Arts, Ruth Anne Pitt
Conway Public Schools (AR) Florence Mattison Elementary, Stacy DeFoor
Conway Public Schools (AR) Ida Burns Elementary, Cynthia Thacker
Conway Public Schools (AR) Theodore Jones Elementary, Tammy Woosley
Crosby ISD (TX) Crosby Elementary, Christy Erb
Crosby ISD (TX) Crosby Kinder, Jennifer Roach
England School District (AR) England Elementary, Jeff Adams
Ennis ISD (TX) Dorie Miller Intermediate Lindsey Wood
Fort Bend ISD (TX) Anne McCormick Sullivan Elementary, Donna Whisonant
Franklin County Schools (NC) Royal Elementary, Dominique Teasley
Garden City Public Schools (KS) Abe Hubert Elementary, Martha Darter
Gold Arrow Camp (CA) Gold Arrow Camp, Audrey Monke
Hardin County Schools (KY) Heartland Elementary, Emily Campbell
Hardin County Schools (KY) J. T. Alton Middle School, Jama Bennett
Hilliard City School District(OH) Hilliard Station 6th Grade School, Lauren Schmidt
Hilliard City School District (OH) Ridgewood Elementary, Kevin Buchman
Hillsborough County Public Schools (FL) Crestwood Elementary, Diane Sanchez-Aliakbarian/ Justin Hutcherson/ Nicole Zamora
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District (AR) Pinewood Elementary, Karen Norton
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District (AR) Warren Dupree Elementary, Jamie Reed
Kenton County School District (KY) Taylor Mill Elementary, Melody Stacy
Keystone Local School District (OH) Keystone Elementary, Maura Neville
Lexington City Schools (NC) Lexington Middle School, Sean Gaillard
Lexington School District One (SC) Rocky Creek Elementary, Brenda Nichols
Little Rock School District (AR) Romine Elementary School, Suzanne Ray Proctor
Little Rock School District (AR) Western Hills Elementary, Teresa Richardson
Manchester City Schools (TN) Westwood Elementary, Melissa Glenn
Manchester City Schools (TN) College Street Elementary, Tom Jacobs
Manchester City Schools (TN) Westwood Middle School, Chad Fletcher
Newberry County School District (SC) Pomaria-Garmany Elementary, Lindsey Folk
Northhampton County Schools (NC) Willis Hare Elementary, Kimberly Scott
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (TX) Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School, Sue Gary
Onslow County Schools (NC) Meadow View Elementary, Kelly Clarke
Regis Catholic Schools (WI) Immaculate Conception Elementary, Renee Cassidy
Regis Catholic Schools (WI) St. James Elementary, Kelly Mechelke
Regis Catholic Schools (WI) St. Mary's Elementary, Carisa Smiskey
Regis Catholic Schools (WI) Regis Middle School, Suzy Sturz
Regis Catholic Schools (WI) Regis High School, Paul Pedersen
School District of Janesville (WI) Madison Elementary, Stephanie Filter
Spartanburg School District Three (SC): Clifdale Elementary, Windy Hodge
Star City School District (AR) Emilee Dutton
Star City School District (AR) Jimmy Brown Elementary, Jacob Lanehart
Star City School District (AR) Star City Middle School, Gina Richard
Star City School District (AR) Star City High School, Jason Williamson
Trumann School District (AR) Trumann School District Myra Graham
Trumann School District (AR) Trumann High School, Michelle Waymire
Trumann School District (AR) Trumann Middle School , Josh Byard
Trumann School District (AR) Trumann Elementary, School Michael Allen
Trumann School District (AR) Trumann Pre-K, Stephanie Patterson
Vance County School District (NC) Henderson Middle School, John Hargrove
Love Our Passengers in Texas
August 28, 2017
Dear Energy Bus School Leaders,
One of our guiding principles on The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey is Principle# 6: Love Your Passengers. The devastation from Hurricane Harvey continues to be felt throughout my great state of Texas and the rest of the country, as heavy rains and catastrophic flooding are expected to continue for days. Our hearts go out to those who have had to evacuate their homes leaving behind many of the things that are important to them. It is times such as these that we should come together and Love Our Fellow Passengers.
In the spirit of spreading and sharing positive energy (which is a core part of being an Energy Bus School) we would like to ask for each of our Energy Bus schools to put together a Love Our Passengers in Texas Care Package (LOPTCP) to send to The American Red Cross in Houston, Texas.
This should be a school-wide effort so that grade level or department will have an opportunity to make at least one donation to your school’s LOPTCP.
Please encourage your teams/students to donate unused items that will aid displaced families that have relocated to shelters throughout the city. Some ideas are: socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb/brush, deodorant, unscented lotions, diapers, diaper wipes, puzzles, and word search books.
Items should be collected until Monday, September 11th and shipped out by Friday, September 15th. Before your care package is sealed, you should include the LOVE OUR PASSENGERS IN TEXAS message (on the next page) to ensure that it is sent with care. Take a picture and post to our Twitter @EnergyBusSchools and Facebook-- The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey.
Please send packages to:
The American Red Cross
2700 Southwest Fwy
Houston, TX 77098
Let’s share a little positive energy with our passengers in Texas by letting them know that we’re thinking about them and their families.
Sending lots of positive energy your way,
Niki Spears,
Co-Founder/Chief Energy Officer
The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey
We Would LOVE to hear from you!
Please share with Niki! niki@jongordon.com