April Parent News
Buckingham Integrated STEM Elementary School
Principal's Message
Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students and enthusiastic parents with high expectations.-Bob Beauprez
Parent-teacher conferences will be held the second week in April. This practice of parents and teachers meeting together is critical for the success of students. The best method of communication is always in person. In our age of technology, we use e-mails and websites to communicate efficiently, yet in person we can forge positive relationships and clarify questions, concerns and celebrate learning and growth.
This time together is devoted to working as a team to create understanding on how to best support individual students. Our teachers want to hear from parents' insight and also want to share ways to support at home. A conversation and two way communication is vital to a healthy partnership between school and home efforts. Please make sure to attend conferences on April 8th & 9th.
A parent survey will help us gather parents' perspectives on our school's growth and achievement. Please make sure to visit our computer lab and take a short survey to provide feedback on how we can improve and grow as a school. Thank you for being an important part of Buckingham's culture of growth and excellence. I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with parents who believe in the power of education and who support their child's success.
While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about. -Angela Schwindt
Warm regards,
Sunshine Dandurand
11:45-12:00 Dismissal on April 1st
Parent Conferences
Thurs., April 9th from 8:00-8:00.
Fri., April 10th No School
Parent Coffee
No School
Friday, Apr 10, 2015, 08:30 AM
Home
Kindergarten Round-up
Wednesday, Apr 22, 2015, 02:00 PM
Buckingham Elementary School
STEM Forum
Wednesday, Apr 29, 2015, 06:00 PM
Buckingham Library
The Giving Letter Fundraiser
Raising $ for our STEM Education
“Wow! That was so much fun, I can’t wait for my next design”
“I am going to go home and engineer some more!”
“I’ve never seen students so engaged and interested in what they are doing!”
“I have been teaching for 25 years and I have never been so excited to teach, as I am today to be a part of STEM education.”
In April, there will be a Giving Letter fundraiser to ask families for $47.50. If this amount is contributed by each family, we would be able to fund all of our Project Lead the Way training and materials and provide teachers and students the opportunity to be engaged in project based integrated STEM learning and participate in meaningful field experiences. We understand that all families can not afford $47.50, so please only donate what your family can afford. It may be $10, $20 or more, yet if every family contributes something, we will be able to meet our goal. Thank you!
STOP - WALK - TALK
If you would like to learn more about our bullying prevention program click on the link above. Bullying is defined as an aggressive act of an imbalance of power that is repeated.
9:00 Start Time - Please Do Not Be Late!
Lost & Found is Growing
Compass Commercial will give money to Miro for medical expences, if we volunteer hours. If you and your child volunteer, please fill out the form below and submit to our school's office.
Honesty is April's Character Trait
Tips on Teaching Honesty
Lessons about honesty are learned differentially, depending on the child’s age. If you start the teaching of honesty early on, you can continue to support this virtue, as your children get older. Use words that they can understand at their ages.
Teaching Honesty By Example
Teaching honesty by example is very effective. “Do-as-I-do” is a better motto than the proverbial, “Do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do.” Be honest with children at a level that they can understand. When deciding what to tell a child about a given situation, take into account the child’s age and maturity, and to what extent it is in the child’s best interest to know whatever it is you are considering telling him. Talking about personal adult issues with a child does not necessarily teach honesty, but may raise anxiety levels instead.
A "No-Shaming" Policy
Use a no-shaming policy when children mess up. Children will be more likely to revert to dishonest behaviors if they fear being shamed. Approval is a strong motivator. Non shaming disapproval can help to teach, but shame dissolves strength of character, and tends to elicit the behaviors you want to extinguish. Respond rather than overreact when children lie or dissemble. It is natural for children to test. Your response will teach them to be honest, or to hide. Keep consequences for transgressions equal to the “crime,” and always as consistent as possible. Short consequences work best.