Bear Blast
February 2019 Edition
Message from Jeff & Fatima
It has been wildly windy, wet, and wickedly cold outside! But March is around the corner and so is a busting calendar of exciting events and opportunities not only at BSE but all around our district. We know the next few weeks may feel stressful and anxiety is creeping in as you are anticipating team changes.
How do we encourage our students to give empathy towards a moving friend or model acceptance of a new peer that joins us from a very different environment? As adults we actually struggle more with change than our students. Thank you for keeping your focus on why we show up each day and looking ahead at all the time we still have with our current teammates and current learners. If we worry so much about what is down the road, we are missing out on right now.
Please know your admin team is on this journey with you and we are keeping all adults and children in mind as we make decisions. Do not hesitate to provide us feedback as you feel necessary. We also ask that you allow us to remain focused on this current quarter of learning as we continue to navigate classrooms and evaluations. It is our goal to continue cruising classrooms and being present with you and your students.
Bring positive energy to yourself, your families, and your students. Make positive phone calls. Spread kindness. There are examples all around. You choose your attitude and you choose what type of energy to spread.
February is typically the highest month of discipline and with this comes reminders about safety. Play with your students. Model digital citizenship. Encourage. Be direct. It is February and never too late to review classroom procedures and norms. How are you doing as a family? How are your community meetings going?
We have seen a lot of patience and flexibility across all hallways. Thank you for this. We are a village and each one of us needs the other. Continue to lift your neighbor up when they are down and ask for help when you need a lift. There is sunshine in our future...
Jeff & Fatima
We've got this!
Important Dates
February 21: Staff Meeting @ 7:45 Media Center/ Family Fun Library Night 6-8 PM
February 25: Bear Breakfast/RTI one on ones all day/PLC
February 26: RTI one on ones PM only
February 27: RTI one on ones PM only
February 28: CPR Recertification (registration required) @ Media Center
March 18-22: 3rd Grade IREAD Testing
Evidence Based Classroom Management Practices Spring 2019
Evidence-Based Classroom Management Practices with Dr. Greg Eaken
Spring 2019
A three-part series on evidence-based classroom management practices will be offered this spring for HSE staff. Participants will be required to complete a self-evaluation of their classroom management practices prior to beginning Session 1 (March 21). Data from this self-assessment will be used to develop a plan to improve areas of need within their respective classroom. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all three training sessions as a sequence of skills will be reviewed. Upon completion of the three sessions, participants will have an understanding of basic theory underlying good classroom management practices. Participants will also have tools to increase structure, collect data, implement effective behavioral strategies to increase desired behavior, and enact consequences needed to fluently correct misbehavior. Separate sessions will be available for secondary and elementary/intermediate staff. See times and dates listed below.
Part 1: Behavioral and attribution theory, classroom structure and teaching expectations/classroom procedures.
Thursday, March 21, 2019: 4:30-5:30pm – Elementary/Intermediate Level
Part 2: Building relationships, increasing positive interactions with students, and increasing student engagement
Thursday, April 25, 2019: 4:30-5:30pm – Elementary/Intermediate Level
Part 3: Collecting data and fluently correcting/addressing misbehavior.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019: 4:30-5:30pm – Elementary/Intermediate Level
Silver Spoon Program
The students are excited to hear when they have earned a Silver Spoon over announcements! We have added a second spoon in the rotation so your class does not need to wait so long to have the spoon! Please check your calendar on when and who to pass it to next so no one deserving is left out! Thank you for your diligence and team efforts with this! Please see any of the cafe staff with suggestions or feedback.
Larger spoons are being attached to your plate once you have earned 5 spoons. After that, your total will continue to change on the large spoon. For example, if you have filled your plate 3 times your spoon will read 15. Keep up the great work and encourage safe feet, responsibility and doing your part!
RTI One on Ones
IF you have students that fall under RTI and are being progress monitored or would like to add a student to RTI please click on the link below and sign up for anytime Monday or Tues/Wed afternoon.
- Please sign up for one slot (20 mins) unless you have 5 or more students. In this case, please sign up for a double slot back to back not exceeding 40 mins.
- A sub will be available to cover your time.
- Please have independent work occurring at this time in order for us to remain on time to be respectful of schedules best we can.
What to Bring:
- Updated data including F&P, EDM Unit Tests, etc.
- Update all progress monitoring data in Aimsweb.
- Updates to child's story up until this point.
- Last parent communication.
- Personal noticings of patterns.
Restorative Practices @ Peace Learning Center
Level 1 Training Dates:
March 13, April 9, April 24, May 2
Level 2 Training Dates:
March 19, April 10, May 8
Visit Peace Learning Center's Website here.
If approved, Marabeth will need a pink sheet completed in order to coordinate your sub. It is beneficial to find others on other grade levels to attend together.
How to Avoid Power Struggles
Getting frustrated with the same individual daily?
Does being present with the same person over and over increase your anxiety?
Click here to read quick tips on how to avoid power struggles.
Documentation
How are your students telling their story of deep learning?
What control have you given up lately?
What photographs can you update outside your walls in the halls?
It is time! Flowers are about to sprout outside and so are the stories from inside your classrooms into the hallway walls. Need help? Just ask Kussy, Mohr or Rich! Check out a teammate's bulletin board. How are their students telling their story?
How is your self - care?
Thank you to all the donators that continue to bring in candy and snacks as you have extra!
What else can we do to show kindness and check in on one another to ensure we are all holding ourselves accountable of self - care?
What time do you arrive in the AM?
How late do you stay at night?
How productive are you during breaks?
Do you call for assistance when you or a student is in need of a break?
When you are talking with colleagues is it positive or negative energy being passed?
How are you taking care of you? How is your home/work life balance?
Exercise, Breathe, Mindful Moments, Yoga,
Leave your laptop at school, Don't work on weekends!
Congrats to our ISTE Participants!
Allison Haltom
Maria Kussy
Erin Mohr
Kayleigh Arndt
Fatima Rich
This crew will be traveling to Philadelphia the same week as Teachers College in June to learn more about Innovation and how to wrap best practices around HSE21 and BSE.
Community Circles
Click below to learn specifics from the actual research behind Responsive Classroom.