Kindergarten: The ability to plan and stick to a schedule is crucial for success. Kindergarten teachers start introducing this to students by using a daily schedule and a monthly reading tracker. Each teacher shares the plan for the day with students in the morning so they can be prepared and know what to expect. Students quickly learn how to read the schedule and are able to prepare for the next activity and know what to expect throughout the day. Doing this sets students up for success and introduces them to the concept of planning out one’s day. The monthly reading tracker allows students to see the big picture of their hard work. They log how long they read each day and are able to see the accumulation of minutes at the end of the month. This provides students with a sense of pride, while helping them build daily habits.

1st Grade: First graders are learning so much throughout the day. To help them focus on what that moment’s lesson is, they have been breaking down essential questions for each lesson. By doing so, they point out key words that popped out to them. As a class, we talk about what the question is really asking us. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to answer that question.

2nd grade: Story problems are tricky! 2nd grade has been using the critical reading process to better understand multi-digit story problems in math. Students have been following the 3-read protocol, paying attention to different aspects of the problem during each read and marking the text to show their thinking. This process helps students understand the question, which helps them set up an equation that matches the problem.

3rd Grade: Third grade is focusing on using academic language and discussion structures. As we begin our persuasive writing unit, the students will be working on forming and expressing opinions through language and writing.

RULER (Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, Regulate)

RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) that we have started to implement here at Stayton Elementary. It is designed to help students recognize the emotions they are feeling. To understand that we all feel lots of emotions. To teach students to identify where their emotions fall on our mood meter and how to shift from an undesired emotion to a desired one. Last month we talked more about leveraging your best self.

This month I want to talk about step 4, The Blueprint reflection worksheet. Because our students are so little, this is something students will complete with an adult. It may be their teacher, our Behavior Specialist Mrs. Alpough or our Dean of Students Ms. Cooper. The Blueprint is designed to give students the opportunity to reflect. They are asked to think about how they are feeling. What happened to make them feel that way and give students strategies to try to help them shift from an undesired feeling. If they are reflecting on an incident that happened between them and another student we ask for the student to reflect on how their actions made the other person feel and what actions they might do to make them feel better about the situation.

Our students are so young here at Stayton Elementary. Students are still learning how to interact appropriately with their peers. We spend a great deal of time teaching students the desired behaviors while here at school. Students are striving to understand and demonstrate our 3B behaviors: Being Safe, Respectful and Responsible. We believe in teaching and reteaching as many times as it takes for a student to find success and have healthy interactions with their peers. The Blueprint is just one of the many tools we use to accomplish this.

Order online at https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/

Enter school code 13170323. The price is $16 per book. Orders can only be purchased online.

Orders must received by April 24th. Yearbooks will arrive in June before summer break.

2nd - Spirit Day - Dress up in your fanciest clothes

3rd - NO SCHOOL

15th - Immunization Exclusion Day

16th - NSSD Board Meeting @ SES Cafeteria 6:00pm

17th - Spirit Day - Dress up in your college gear

20th - NO SCHOOL

22nd - School Bus Driver Appreciation Day