Dearest Bethany Families,
We are back in our routines, keeping the familiarity of what has been working well, and always striving for improvement within ourselves and our systems. In the spirit of the New Year, I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you some of our beliefs and what I hope to model through my leadership on a daily basis.
RELATIONSHIPS MATTER:
- We want to know our students as readers, writers, mathematicians, and in all academic areas, AND we also want to know their interests, their strengths, their experiences, their backgrounds, their cultures, their hopes and dreams, and all the things that make EVERY child special and unique.
- We seek to build connections with families as partners in their children's education and understanding how we can be the most supportive in their success.
- We wish for families to connect and build relationships with one another and staff to feel included and loved as part of the Bethany School Community. ❤️
- We are a staff who care deeply for each other; celebrating our accomplishments and joy and providing strength and support when presented with life's challenges.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
- I've said many times in meetings, newsletters, and presentations that we (Bethany staff) are on the same team with families; ideally working in collaboration and partnership to ensure the best experiences, opportunities, and outcomes for every child. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, we want to know so that we can help solve it.
We appreciate grace and patience and the assumption of best intentions while we work together. We don't want children being hurt, excluded, or misunderstood. When there are conflicts between students, I want you to trust that the adults will do their very best to listen to children (and families), facilitate conversations, teach a lagging skill, or whatever may be necessary for students to learn and grow through the situation, repair any harm that was done, and have a positive plan moving forward.
- One of my favorite quotes is by Ruthie Lindsey, "If you see something beautiful in someone, speak it." Feedback doesn't always need to be a criticism or concern. Don't hesitate to send an email or personalized note to a staff member who has gone above and beyond for your child (and feel free to 'cc me on the message so I can acknowledge them too!). Notes of encouragement and appreciation go a long way in any profession that relies heavily on both skilled expertise AND emotional labor. Our staff think about, and even DREAM about, your kids. There is no way to truly separate "work" from genuine love and care for children.
ACADEMICS: WE UTILIZE HIGH LEVERAGE PRACTICES, including, but not limited to:
- Providing differentiated instruction to meet the various learning needs of our students
- Engaging in ongoing grade level and multi-disciplinary team collaboration
- Using formative assessments to analyze instructional practices, and make necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes
- Teaching cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence
- Using strategies to promote active student engagement and student talk
- Providing positive and constructive feedback to guide students’ learning and behavior
And Finally, A Note of Gratitude:
I have the privilege to see everything (well....most everything) that goes on at Bethany! I am FILLED with gratitude every day for the love and kindness that is on display among staff, students, and families. Here are just a few examples that I have witnessed this week:
- Children excitedly welcoming a new student to class and making sure he had someone to play with at recess.
- A student who held a door open for several students without being asked, just patiently and graciously waited for everyone else to go first.
- A committee of staff members who created a Wellness Bingo Challenge this month to encourage and remind the adults at Bethany to take care of themselves too (and who have planned lots of ways for us connect throughout the school year). 🙂
- Older siblings picking up their younger brothers and sisters at the end of the day, greeting them with big hugs and kisses. So heartwarming!!
- Volunteers giving of their time and dedication that help enrich our school in every way!
- A family sent a bag of coins to the office for students who may not otherwise be able to participate in the "Dollar Wars" fundraiser that is starting on Friday.
- Smiles and fist bumps and a joyful return to school!
I'm writing this on Wednesday...just two days into this week. Imagine if I crowd-sourced this list from every staff member after a full week at school? How many amazing small moment stories and anecdotes could I write? This is a COMMUNITY OF BEAUTIFUL SOULS and I look forward to our months ahead. ❤️
Sincerely,
Ms. Rosenquist
Calendar - Important Dates
- 3rd - School Resumes
- Jan 6-20 - Dollar Wars
- 12th - PTO Meeting
- 13th - No School, Staff Development Day
- 16th - No School, MLK Jr. Day
- 27th - Family Game Night at 6:30pm
Dollar War Starts Tomorrow
1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a Dollar War!
The Dollar War starts tomorrow, with 100% of the money raised going towards a new Crest Climber for the playground.
Here’s how it works:
Each classroom teacher and seven additional staff will have their own bucket in the lobby.
Add points to a bucket with copper (pennies) and gold coins (dollar coins) and paper bills. Subtract points from other buckets with silver coins (nickels, dimes, quarters).
1 cent = 1 point, 1 dollar = 100 points, etc. This year, students will each be given a Bobcat coin worth 5 points to put in the jar of their choice!
The 4 teachers or staff whose buckets have the most points at the end of the fundraiser on January 20 will have to wear silly hats on Friday, January 27 every time they leave their classroom. (For Example: To recess, lunch, the office, )
If we reach our fundraising goal of $3,000, every grade will get to enjoy music at lunch recess!
Questions? Please contact Heather at playground.improvement-lead@bspto.org.
Winter Staff Room Restock
Note from Staff Appreciation Committee:
We would like to take the time to appreciate our teachers and staff by providing snacks and drinks for their use in the staff room. We are hoping to collect beverages, salty snacks, sweet snacks, bars, fruit, yogurt cups, and candy. Please click on the Restock Sign-up link below to help.
Thank you
Leave a Lasting Print at Bethany Elementary!
With each $150 donation your personal message will be etched on a charm and permanently hung on the central fence of Bethany Elementary School Playground. The money raised will go towards funding playground improvements and future PTO projects!
Complete this google form to secure your charm. A member of the PTO will contact you to confirm your charm text and arrange payment.
Holiday Light Recycling
If you put up Holiday lights, did you find lights that no longer work? (Indoor or Outdoor)
Drop off your broken / old holiday lights and the Green Team will recycle them. There is a box in front of the main doors to collect them.
Overdue Library Books
We need your help! We have a LOT of overdue and missing library books from last year (and this year too). Ms. Hussain will be sending out overdue notices with the list of titles that your child(ren) have checked out.
PLEASE look around your homes, cars, Grandma's house, or anywhere a book may be hiding! 🙂 The books that have been marked as "lost" have fines attached. If this is a hardship for your family, please reach out to Ms. Hussain or Mr. Parker and we can work with you.
We would much rather have the BOOKS than the money to replace them. Let's see how many we can return before Winter Break! Thank you!!
Immunization Exclusion Day
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Please note that Immunization Exclusion Day is FEBRUARY 15, 2023. Your child's immunizations must be up to date by this day. According to Oregon state law, no student will be allowed to attend school if immunizations have not been completed. All absences will be considered unexcused.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact AnnMarie McLeod at annmarie_mcleod@beaverton.k12.or.us
Bethany Social Media
We are on Social Media! We have been posting fun pictures and videos, so be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can click on the links below and still see the posts without having these apps.
We are in the process of taking pictures from different areas of the school. We may post pictures or videos, but there will be no names associated with the pictures. If you would prefer that we don't publish a picture of your child, please send me an email to: Sue_Kropilak@beaverton.k12.or.us
Bethany Elementary School