Birdneck Briefing
May 24
Upcoming info and dates
May 23 - Staff Meeting (Cafeteria) 3:00
May 27 - School Closed Memorial Day Holiday
May 30 - Reading Teacher of the Year Awards
May 31 - Last day for library books for students
June 4 - Final PAC meeting
June 5 - Oceans of Success Fieldtrip 9:30 Aquarium
June 6 - Robotics Competition at Convention Center
June 6 - LTI/PTA Spring training
June 7 - End of Year Staff Party
June 11 - Kindergarten Awards Program (cafeteria) 9:00
June 12 - Last day of specials and PE
June 13 - Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony 9:00 am
June 14 - Last Day of School/End of year staff luncheon/retirement (ALL STAFF)
June 21 - Report Cards Mailed
SOLs
May 14 - Grade 5 Reading Day 1
May 15 - Grade 5 Reading Day 2
May 16- Grade 4 Reading Day 1
May 17 - Grade 4 Reading Day 2
May 20 - Grade 3 Reading Day 1
May 21 - Grade 3 Reading Day 2
May 22 - Grade 5 Math Day 1
May 23 - Grade 5 Math Day 2
May 24 - Expedited/Make up Testing
May 28 - Grade 4 Math Day 1
May 29 - Grade 4 Math Day 2
May 30 - Grade 3 Math Day 1
May 31 - Grade 3 Math Day 2
June 3 - Expedited/Make up Testing
June 4 - Grade 5 Science
June 5 - Grade 5 Virginia Studies
June 6/7 - Expedited/Make up Testing
This is your Captain Speaking!
Hello Birdneck Family,
Even though we are giving end of the year summative assessments it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the end of the year. We need to Finish Strong. As we proceed to the close of the 2018-19 school year, I want to reaffirm with you that the division expectation that high quality instruction based on the VBCPS Teaching and Learning Framework continues in every classroom. As the school year draws to a close and many instructional units have been completed, teachers are encouraged to utilize instructional time to engage students in inquiry based learning experiences that integrate content and foster the 5 Cs. Teachers may wish to utilize the many curricular embedded suggestions and resources for performance tasks and Problem Based Learning. Promoting student agency through the Teach disposition will ensure an environment highly conducive to student learning.
In the past, parent calls have expressed concern that students “watch videos” or “just play” the days after testing is completed. These final school days should be productive learning days for students.
Best wishes for a good and productive school closing as we work to “Finish Strong.”
Captain Out,
RV
BIRDNECK MISSION
Mission: We build relationships to encourage, inspire and empower students and each other to meet the challenges of today and to foster the love of learning.
BIRDNECK VISION
Vision: We are dedicated to nurturing an inclusive environment to ensure engaging, student-centered learning resulting in confident independent learners.
End of Year Schedules
Retiring?
Shout Outs!
If you would like to give a SHOUT OUT to a colleague, it is as simple as sending an email to RV to be added to our Shout Outs each week!
Awesome job to all of you for being so perserverant and working hard to ensure your kids are succeeding academically, and social-emotionally.
Kuddos to Heather, Ally, Courtney and Nick kicking off testing and problem solving all of the glitches.
Hats off to our cafeteria staff for always putting on a smile and serving our students each day.
Mr. Fox...... Enough said. Thank you.
Shout out to Nikki Beck for planning the happy hour on May 9th! Thanks for helping to make that day a success!
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!
Timika Jones and Kim Scott and Angie Vilches are still out on leave. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pink and Blue Cards
Pink and Blue cards will go into boxes on May 20 and will need to be ready for us to meet for class placements by May 31. We will be meeting with grade levels the first week of June to create classes.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING DESIGN FELLOWS opportunity
Let RV know if you are interested:
The Office of Professional Growth and Innovation is providing an opportunity for teacher leaders to engage in collaborative learning and thinking that will foster the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) strategies into classroom instruction. The Design Fellows will use a variety of SEL learning strategies that support and promote the five core SEL competencies.
The Social and Emotional Learning Design Fellows will work independently and collaboratively to identify and define the required knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teachers who effectively and explicitly integrate SEL strategies across content areas and grade levels. This work will be foundational to the development of the SEL Specialization, a personalized learning pathway designed to support the individual needs and interests of teachers across the division.
This is for teachers who demonstrate the motivation to support the social and emotional learning of the students they serve. The deadline to apply is May 31. The application requires both a completed teacher application and principal recommendation. Accepted applicants will be expected to attend a full day workshop in July and will be provided with professional leave for a full day meeting in October, as well as a half-day meeting in December. Teachers will receive license renewal points. Applications are to be done using the Google form. Principals also need to fill out a form if one of the staff members are interested so let Mr. Yoshida know if you would like to fill out an application.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYzb3RXR-qY05foptYSwkuXlsPdGECG-FDSrEryIJyWY4Jrg/viewform
Questions may be directed to Alli Sansone allison.sansone@vbschools.com or Angelyn Nichols angelyn.nichols@vbschools.com. Attachment
ec:
Timeline
May 31 Applications due via Google form
June 7 Applicants will be notified of participant selection
Laying the Foundation Summer Training
The Department of Teaching and Learning is pleased to announce the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) will once again host its Laying the Foundation Summer Training Conference in Virginia Beach. Delivered by expert educators, NMSI’s Laying the Foundation provides an opportunity for teachers in grades 3-12 to build and maintain subject matter expertise, enhance abilities to lead diverse classrooms, use new technologies and prepare students to be confident and creative problem solvers.
This event will take place at Landstown High School Tuesday, June 25 through Thursday, June 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, June 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost of the training is $800 per week per teacher. The first 150 teachers to register in Frontline will receive a code to register with NMSI and participate free of charge. Participants must cancel within 30 days of the event to avoid incurring charges.
Sessions are organized by the number of years participating in the program. Year 1 is for participants who have never attended NMSI training, Year 2 is for teachers who have participated in modules 1-4 and Year 3 is for teachers who have participated in modules 1-8 previously. A list of courses may be found below.
Elementary School
Grades 3-5: ELA/SS Math/Science
Please contact Monica Robinson, Ed.D, K-12 academic support programs coordinator at Monica.Robinson@VBSchools.com with any questions. Thank you.
End-of-year Library Media Services
Friday, May 31 has been identified as the final date for circulation of library materials to students. This will allow the library media staff sufficient time to retrieve books and other items checked out by students and complete necessary end of the year library processes. The following library media services will be provided through the last day of school:
• The library media centers will remain open for instruction, including lessons led by the library media specialist or other instructional personnel. Also, it will remain open for students to work in small groups or individually to complete assignments
• All print resources and equipment will remain available for faculty use. Circulation for faculty will continue until the last day of school, Friday, June 14.
Employee Assistance Program
The City of Virginia Beach and Virginia Beach City Public Schools understand that you're happier at your job and more productive when your personal needs are being met, and when your work and personal lives are in balance. That's why we've teamed up with Humana's EAP and Work-Life Services - to help you meet your unique personal needs and life events.
WHAT IS AN EAP?An Employee Assistance Program [EAP] offers short-term counseling, including up to five visits per issue per year with a licensed counselor, to help you and members of your household manage everyday life issues. Watch the video below, or keep reading for a quick overview.
WHAT DOES HUMANA'S EAP OFFER?
Short-term in-person and telephonic-based counseling - up to 5 sessions per concern per year
Confidential services at no cost for you or your household members [Retirees are not eligible for this service]
Saves you time & provides support when things are difficult like:
Everyday needs and life events
Relationship concerns
Loss of a loved one
Coping with a serious illness
Weight control
Family relationships
Eating disorders
Emotional issues
Sleeping difficulties
Workplace concerns
Referrals to your other benefits as appropriate
Legal and Financial Services*, including:
Free 30-minute consultation with attorneys and financial professionals regarding: Credit and debt problems, divorce, child custody, tax issues, real estate, adoption, landlord-tenant disputes, wills & trusts, estate planning, etc.
Online tools, including wills, calculators, and moreID Theft Protection and Response program and ID Theft Emergency Response kit60-minute consultation with expert fraud resolution specialist100% post-contact follow-up*This is a separate offering from Legal Resources and Identity Theft Protection Plans.
The Leaders Library Card Challenge
The purpose of this memo is to inform you of a project, The Leaders Library Card Challenge, the school division and the City of Virginia Beach have undertaken. The purpose of this project is to ensure that every student in the school division has a library card and knows how to use it to access the learning resources available at the Virginia Beach Public Library that are not provided by the school division.
This program will be available for all kindergarten through grade 12 students beginning May 1. The highlights of the program include:
•Every student will have a virtual library card. No hard copy cards will be provided.
•The library card number will be the student's identification number preceded by an “S”. The card's PIN number will be the student's birthday in MMDD format.
•Students will have access to all online resources.•Students may still have a regular library card.
Working with the City of Virginia Beach, library media specialists will receive professional learning regarding this program implementation. We are excited to provide these additional resources to every student at no cost to the division.
VB Education Foundation Grants 2019-20 and Amazon Smile
For the 2019 – 2020 school year, $150,000 will be awarded to Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) in Virginia Beach Education Foundation grants. VBCPS staff members are encouraged to apply for these grants if they have ideas for innovative projects they wish to implement to engage students in hands-on learning activities not already funded by the school division.
The Innovative Learning Grant (up to $2,000) and Schoolwide Grant ($2,001 to $5,000) applications are available on vbcps.com under Hot Topics—Education Foundation and are due May 10, 2019, by 4 p.m.
In order to fund these projects, the Education Foundation board raises money to include a percentage of sales for Amazon.com purchases made through AmazonSmile. An email was sent to you with brief instructions to share with staff how Amazon purchases benefit the Education Foundation and ultimately our teachers and students.
Thank you for sharing these opportunities available through the Virginia Beach Education Foundation. For more information, contact Debbie Griffey at Debbie.Griffey@vbschools.com
Special Education Endorsement Initiative
Due to the tremendous success of this initiative, another cohort is planned for the upcoming school year. Depending on the availability of funds, it is anticipated that the new cohort will begin in August. Teacher assistants and general educators interested in this training opportunity can learn more about the endorsement program by attending one of the meetings at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center, Room 247, Tuesday, April 23, or Wednesday, May 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Parking will be permissible in Lot 3. Attendees will be provided specific information about the program requirements and staff from ODU will be available to answer questions. Additionally, teachers from the current T.R.Y.I.T. cohort will be present to share information about their experiences.
I highly encourage teacher assistants and general educators to consider T.R.Y.I.T. as an opportunity for professional growth and enrichment. If there are questions regarding this memorandum, please contact Dr. Roni Myers-Daub at 263-2400 or via email at roni.myers-daub@vbschools. Thank you. /na
2019-2020 Professional Learning Program (PLP) Information and Registration
The purpose of this memo is to provide information regarding the essential professional learning sessions of the Professional Learning Program (PLP) and the registration process for 2019-2020. The program reflects a commitment to support teachers through relevant and sustained learning opportunities that are high quality, differentiated and flexible. As part of the PLP, the Department of Teaching and Learning has identified and planned essential professional learning based on curricular or program needs. These sessions will vary based on teaching assignment. The attachment lists the essential sessions by teaching assignment. While most sessions are intentionally planned during the summer to provide teachers time to prepare for new or updated curriculum or programs, there are some sessions that occur during the school year.
PLP registration will take place using Frontline. Staff may access Frontline from any location with internet access. Links to Frontline are located on both the intranet and the Virginia Beach City Public Schools website. Beginning May 2, all instructional staff may access the online catalog and register for essential sessions. As a reminder, choice professional learning activities that are offered during the summer and next school year are published in the catalog on an ongoing basis.
Teachers should prepare for registration on May 2 by doing the following:
• Review the essential professional learning sessions for the teaching assignment (attachment).
• Read the PLP Overview and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document posted on the PLP intranet page.
• Check Frontline user profile to make sure it accurately represents the teaching assignment.
Without an accurate user profile, teachers will be not be able to see all of the activities targeted to the appropriate grade level and subject areas and will not be notified as new activities are added during the year.
Directions are posted on the PLP Intranet page. For assistance, teachers may call the Office of Professional Growth and Innovation at 263-6972.
Media and Stories for Our School!
Join our PTA
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Join the PTA! Our goal is to have 100% Staff participation!!!!!!!!!
Support Birdneck Elementary students by joining the PTA. Don't miss out on the benefits from joining the PTA. Receive over $300 in savings... all for just $5 for a membership. Check out the PTA website at http://birdneckpta.weebly.com/
Beach Employee Wellness (BEWell) support services
To ensure all staff are knowledgeable of available Beach Employee Wellness (BEWell) support services, the Office of Consolidated Benefits requests education on Critical Incident Response services and Employee Assistance Program and Work-Life services.
Critical Incident Response (CIR) services are a highly specialized individual and group session services designed to minimize the negative emotional and psychological impact of traumatic events. A CIR can begin as soon as two hours after the initial request and are available to all school sites with approval by appropriate CIR contact list personnel. The goal of the CIR is to enhance participants’ ability to transcend workplace trauma and resume focused and productive work activities. Utilizing CIR services make an immense difference to employees’ recovery process in the face of a crisis. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work-Life Services (WL) through Humana, are available to provide FREE and CONFIDENTIAL support to ALL School employees (full-time, part-time and temporary). Services are available, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Employees are happier and more productive when personal needs are being met, and when work and personal lives are in balance.
-EAP offers short-term in-person and telephonic-based counseling with a licensed counselor. Up to five in-person sessions per concern per year. Referrals are issued for longer-term concerns and additional benefits as appropriate.-WL offers services and resources that help with everyday needs. Humana assess the employee’s needs and then researches to provide referrals and resources that meet budget and requests.
Senior Staff, All Principals/Assistant Principals, All Executive Directors
-Supervisor Referral – In addition to offering assistance to employees and members oftheir households, Humana offer services and resources that are specifically designed toaid directors, supervisors, and human resource professionals with employee-related andpersonal concerns. Please note: In the case of a referral, Humana will only report backto the referring supervisor that the employee attended the session(s). Please seeattachment for more information.
-Humana professionals are bound by confidentiality laws and professional ethics. They donot report to BEWell and/or Virginia Beach City Public Schools on individual cases.Personal information about employee and household members remains confidentialaccording to all applicable state and federal laws.
If further information and/or clarification is needed, please contact, Matt Herman, consolidated benefits office, BEWell program, 757-263-6918 or matthew.herman@vbschools.com. Many thanks for your assistance.
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Twitter@BNESeagles
BIRDNECK MISSION
Mission: We build relationships to encourage, inspire and empower others to meet the challenges of today and to foster the love of learning.
BIRDNECK VISION
Vision: We are dedicated to nurturing an inclusive environment to ensure engaging, student-centered learning resulting in confident independent learners.
BIRDNECK BELIEFS
We believe in a collaborative community in which teachers, administrators, students, and parents work together for student success.
We believe in creating a safe, nurturing, and positive environment in which all students can strive for excellence and achieve their individual potential.
We believe we will prepare our students for success by providing 21st century learning and developing within our students critical thinking, effective communications and problem solving skills.
Website: http://www.birdneckes.vbschools.com/
Location: 957 South Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: 757-648-2120