Bobcat Buzz "News to Know"
Volume 2, Week 33 May 5, 2019
Welcome to Our House "Where Character Matters"
Botsford Families,
Over the next several weeks you will likely hear your child mention NWEA, DIBELS, DRA or even the M-Step.Tests can bring anxiety, stress, and self-esteem issues. Help your kids understand they are MORE than a test score.
Put Tests Into Perspective
- Test anxiety is often triggered by adults overemphasizing the importance of end-of-year testing. You want your child to perform well, but making the test a big deal will have the opposite effect.
- Encourage children to do their best, but remind them that one test won’t make or break their future. In addition, make sure your child knows that no test can’t measure her intelligence or worth.
- The test is just a snapshot of where they are in their learning journey. Students learn to explain, debate, create, defend, and analyze, then take one multiple choice test meant to evaluate what they’ve learned all year.
- It doesn’t define your child as a student, and it certainly doesn’t define her as a person.
- Tell your children that they will be loved and valued no matter what test score they earn. You may think they already know this, but children still need to hear it. Often, children’s anxiety is rooted in a desire to please parents and other adults.
- Explain to your child that this test will provide helpful information about what she’s great at and what she still needs to practice. You can then use this information to improve in the future. That means as long as she does her best, the test is contributing to her learning and growth.
- If you’re feeling anxious about the test, be sure to calm yourself before attempting to defuse your child’s nerves. If needed, remind yourself that the test can’t fully represent a child’s learning or potential. Everything will be okay regardless of the outcome.
Educationally Yours,
Christine Teff
Focus of the Week: OPTIMISM
This week during morning announcements we focused on the idea of expecting a positive outcome, or being cheerful about the world around us. Students discussed these ideas and more in our community circles. We have included a fun video below about raising optimistic kids-ENJOY!
- Seeing the glass half full instead of half empty.
- When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.
- Every cloud has a silver lining.
- There is light at the end of the tunnel.
- Hang in there.
Staff Appreciation Week May 6th-10th
Please be sure to honor and celebrate your child's teacher and other significant staff members during the week. Our BEST PTO group is hoping to do something SPECIAL each day of the week. Please reach out to Jason Pipgras or Amy Young if you can support this project in any way.
A huge thank you to Betsey Prested for making our staff appreciation gifts. Each staff member was invited to personalize their own necklace or keychain. These will be gifted to them this week.
Summer Kick Off Event
Kindness Pole Pics
Nomination Forms in the Office
Acceptable Use Policy for Technology
The Clarenceville School district expects staff and students to conform to ethical and legal standards in the use of technology. This includes student use of Ipads, chromebooks, tablets and personal cell phones.
Students unauthorized use of Youtube to include videos that show and talk about drinking, violence, guns, drugs and sex is NOT allowed. This usage is in clear violation of the contract parents and students agreed to when they signed the technology policy.
Per policy 7540.03: Users who disregard this policy and its accompanying guidelines may have their user privileges suspended or revoked, and disciplinary action taken against them.
Parents should expect that students will NOT be using personal cell phones during the school day. Any unauthorized use of a cell phone may result in user privileges being revoked. Cell phones are only to be used outside of school hours or should remain at home. In 4th and 5th grade cell phones are kept in the classroom in a highly visible location. This is in an attempt to monitor the use of and prevent theft of the device.
May BEST Meeting is Tuesday the 21st for VOTING
Beginning Monday, May 6th information about each candidate will be posted on Facebook.
Botsford Field Day
Please be sure to have your IChat form on file in our office!
Friday, Jun 7, 2019, 09:00 AM
19515 Lathers Street, Livonia, MI, USA
Safety is at the Heart
- All doors in the building remain locked during the day. You must enter at the front and be buzzed in by our office staff. The cameras offer us a view of our visitors but sometimes you may be asked to stand back and show your face before being allowed to enter the building.
- Everyone needs to sign in and get a YELLOW sticker before walking to the classrooms. We pull a gate across the hallway at arrival and dismissal but it does not stop folks from walking right on by. You will be asked to return to the office for your sticker if you do not have one on.
- If you are bringing in a backpack, birthday treats, gym shoes or a forgotten lunch you will be asked to leave them in the office for us to deliver. We attempt to limit the foot traffic in the halls during the school day.
Student Driven Learning
Botsford Learning Fair Thursday, May 23rd 2:00-3:30pm
Over the next couple of months as we lead up to our second annual learning fair you may hear your child talking about causes they want to support. Causes like supporting the Dearborn animal shelter, raising awareness around childhood leukemia, raising funds to support the Darian Locklear kindness project or collecting items for Hannah's care packages. Your son or daughter may also ask about bringing objects to school from home to enhance a project they are working on. This is all in an effort to allow students VOICE and CHOICE in their learning. Please stay tuned for updates regarding the culminating event scheduled for Thursday, May 23rd. We plan to invite our Bobcat families and Livonia community members to attend.
M-Step Testing Continues
We have 2 days of testing this week. 4th grade students will test TUESDAY and THURSDAY.
It is imperative that you AVOID pulling your child from school during these crucial testing periods. Students struggle when they have to take a test on a MAKE UP day. They are not with their peers and the pressure of "Am I missing something?" gets to them.
These are the M-Step testing dates:
4th grade: Tuesday, May 7th and Thursday, May 9th
3rd grade: Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday , May 16th
Choir Concert This Wednesday Evening
School Of Choice and Pre-Enrollment for 2019-2020 School Year
1."Schools of Choice" is for folks who do not live in the district but would like to enroll their child for the 2019-2020 school year. We welcome new families!
2. "Pre-Enrollment" is for incoming kindergarten families or new families that have moved into our district.
The Botsford office will reach out to you for additional documentation like residency paperwork and original birth certificates. If you have any questions please feel free to call the Botsford main office.
SIGN UP below for our 1st Ever "Lace Up, Clarenceville" Event
DRIVE THROUGH LOOP=NO PARKING
Please be aware of students at all times. Safety is our #1 Priority!
Learning Continues After 3:00pm
It has come to my attention that several students are ROUTINELY picked up from school between 3:00 and 3:30pm. This may be in an effort to avoid the dismissal procedures and large number of vehicles in our parking lot but PLEASE know that learning continues until dismissal. Our students need to be in school until the bell rings-EVERY MINUTE COUNTS. We do ask that parents sign their children out and each early pick up is recorded in our attendance database. These patterns are monitored.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
MAY:
- MAY 6TH -MAY 10TH STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK, NWEA Testing Continues
- Tuesday, May 7th 4th Grade MStep (Reading)
- Wednesday, May 8th KDG field trip to the Real Life Farm in Canton
- Wednesday, May 8th 1st-5th grade Choir Concert
- Thursday, May 9th 4th Grade MStep (Math)
- Friday, May 10th Dens and Gym Celebration 8:50-9:20
- Wednesday, May 15th 3rd Grade MStep (Reading)
- Thursday, May 16th 3rd Grade MStep (Math)
- Friday, May 17th "Teacher's Choice" Awards 9:00am
- Thursday, May 23rd "Learning Fair" and "Change Maker" Event 2:00-3:30 pm
- Friday, May 24th Dens and Gym Celebration 8:50-9:20
- Monday, May 27th NO SCHOOL FOR MEMORIAL DAY
- Tuesday, May 28th Spring Literacy Night 5:00pm
- Wednesday, May 29th 4th and 5th grade REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PRESENTATIONS
- Thursday AND Friday May 30th, 31st 5TH GRADE CAMP
- JUNE:
- Wednesday, June 5th JR KDG AND KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATION 2:00 pm
- Friday, June 7th FIELD DAY (SCHEDULE SOON), KONA ICE 1:00 pm
- Monday, June 10th Talent Show
- Tuesday, June 11th 3rd GRADE FIELD TRIP
- Thursday, June 13th Safety Patrol @ Botsford Pool
- FRIDAY JUNE 14TH LAST DAY=1/2 DAY, 5TH GRADE CELEBRATION
Please Connect With Us
Email: christine.teff@clarencevilleschools.org
Website: http://www.clarenceville.k12.mi.us/botsford/
Location: Botsford Elementary School, Lathers Street, Livonia, MI, United States
Phone: 248-919-0402