What is Happening at School?
Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire Schools
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
The Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire Schools both use the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports system for behavior management. Behaviors that are expected are taught at the beginning of the school year and re-trained at the beginning of each semester. Students earn Titan Bucks to buy goods at the Titan store. Good behavior is celebrated quarterly with special activities. Interventions are used for problem behaviors.
GT School-wide Expectations
The school-wide expectations are taught. The Graettinger-Terril District uses TItan Time: Be at the Right Place, at the Right Time, Doing the Right Thing, With the Right People.
Terrific Titans
GT Elementary Students are recognized for being Terrific Titans for following Titan TIme and showing good citizenship.
RA School-wide Expectations
The school-wide expectations that are used at the RA School follow: Respect The Titan Way. Respect Yourself, Respect Others, and Respect Property.
Support from Prairie Lakes AEA
The Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire Schools receive support from the AEA Literacy Coach, Tricia Christopher.
Modeling Guided Reading
Here Mrs. Christopher models a guided reading lesson for staff and students.
What is Guided Reading?
Guided Reading is small group instruction that meets the needs of students in the areas of phonics, decoding, fluency, accuracy, and comprehension.
Meet Miss Zylstra
Miss Zylstra will be teaching middle school math and science at the Graettinger-Terril Middle School. She is pictured here assisting a 7th grader with math. Welcome Miss Z to GTRA!
S.M.A.R.T. Room
The Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire elementary schools have a room called the S.M.A.R.T. room. In this room, students practice balance, increase body awareness, cross-lateral movements, and work on eye convergence. S.M.A.R.T is based on the principle that movement anchors learning. In a world dominated by television, computers, and video games, children are spending more time sitting down, indoors, and staring at video screens than ever before. At the same time, more children are being diagnosed with learning disorders and development delays. The best way to help these kids is to get them moving! Children who develop learning readiness skills through S.M.A.R.T movement activities have shown an increased attention span, ability to focus, and improved reading scores!
Crawling and Rolling
Crawling and rolling help with the lateral movement the brain needs to read, write, and comprehend.
Convergence
Students trace a line to allow their eyes to work as a team by looking at a point.
Balance
Balance, posture control, and symmetry help students to develop skills for future athletic abilities.
RA 8th Graders are introduced to DNA
Ms. Beisell displays four different types of lobster for the students to discuss "I notice" and "I wonder". This activity hooked the students into learning about the differences in the lobster. She brought into the discussion prior knowledge that the students had learned about acquired traits. Students then shared what they already know about DNA to make the connection to new learning.
Kindergarten Addition
These kindergarten students display 3 + 5 = ?
Writing the Problem
This kindergarten student writes the problem 3 + 5 = ? on the board for his classmates.
Number Bonds
This kindergarten student is creating number bonds to display how numbers are parts and whole in addition and subtraction.