From the Desk of Mr. Yoshida
Birdneck Elementary 8/25/17
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, August 31: Meet and Greet 1:30 -3:30
Monday, September 4: Labor Day Holiday
Tuesday, September 5 First Day of School
Friday, September 15 5th Grade Airshow Fieldtrip to Oceana
Tuesday, September 19: Back to School Night 6:00 - 7:30 pm
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRINCIPAL
Hello Birdneck Community,
The excitement in our building is growing as we get closer to the first day of school. Classroom assignments have been mailed and will arrive soon they have not yet reached your home. I hope you are able to join us for Meet and Greet from 1:30 - 3:30 Thursday, August 31 to drop off school supplies and meet the teacher. If you are picking your students up at dismissal this year, please stop by the gym while you are here for Meet and Greet to register for parent-pickup and get updates about our new procedures.
We will also host Back to School Night on September 19, 2017 from 6:00-7:30. At 6:45 Mr. Yoshida will share school-wide information alongside our PTA in the cafeteria. At Back to School Night you will have an opportunity to learn more about programs, procedures and routines we have at Birdneck. Your child's teacher will share information about what students will be learning and other specifics regarding their individual classrooms.
Our teachers have been working hard in professional development sessions this week and are looking forward to begin the implementation of our School-Wide PBIS program. Our staff has been having powerful conversations about how we will build strong connections and relationships with our students and families. Please see below for information regarding PBIS.
School supply lists can be found on our webpage. http://www.birdneckes.vbschools.com/ I'm looking forward to an AMAZING school year and seeing each and every one of you soon.
Have an awesome day,
R.V. Yoshida
Changes in Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
This year we will be instituting a new daily parent pick up system. Parents who elect to drop off and pick up their students on a regular or daily basis will be assigned a car "tag" with a number matched to your child in the parent pick up database.
The tag must be hung in the front window of your automobile so that you can be identified as the parent. The main loop directly in the front of the school will be used as the drop off and pick up point. Staff will be at the curb to escort students to and from cars.
If you will be picking up your child every day after school please go to the gymnasium to register your child for daily parent pick up and drop off during the Meet and Greet on August 31. Should you not be able to make the meet and greet, staff will be outside at the curb the first day of school, September 5th, and will sign you up then.
Only students who are signed up for daily parent pick up will receive car tags. Any child who needs to be picked up early due to illness or an appointment will be checked out by the parent using the procedures at the front desk.
Also, should you need to come into the school for any reason, you must park in an allocated parking space as parking in the front lane is against the fire code. For daily parent pick up purposes we will allow two lanes of traffic to pull up in front of the school in order to make dismissal more efficient and safe. For safety reasons, do not pull up in the lane prior to 2:30 as the lanes cannot be blocked for long periods of time.
Please be patient with us as we get this new system rolling. After we get to know the students and their cars and work out any unforeseen issues, things should run quite smoothly. Our goal is to make daily parent pick up both safe and easier for everyone.
Join our PTA
Support Birdneck Elementary students by joining the PTA. Our PTA is AMAZING! We collaborate together to create opportunities for our students and community to learn and have fun in the process. 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/
Our goal is to have 100% participation!!!!!!!!!
Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports
What is School-wide PBIS?
One of the foremost advances in school-wide discipline is the emphasis on school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a piecemeal approach of individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in areas including the classroom and non-classroom settings (such as hallways, buses, and restrooms). Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining Tier 1 supports (universal), Tier 2 supports (targeted group), and Tier 3 supports (individual) systems of support that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making targeted behaviors less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.
Why is it so important to focus on teaching positive social behaviors?
Frequently, the question is asked, "Why should I have to teach kids to be good? They already know what they are supposed to do. Why can I not just expect good behavior?" In the infamous words of a TV personality, "How is that working out for you?"
In the past, school-wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective. Introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student's educational experience. Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding. The purpose of school-wide PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.
What is a systems approach in school-wide PBIS?
An organization is a group of individuals who behave together to achieve a common goal. Systems are needed to support the collective use of best practices by individuals within the organization. The school-wide PBIS process emphasizes the creation of systems that support the adoption and durable implementation of evidence-based practices and procedures, and fit within on-going school reform efforts. An interactive approach that includes opportunities to correct and improve four key elements is used in school-wide PBIS focusing on: 1) Outcomes, 2) Data, 3) Practices, and 4) Systems. The diagram below illustrates how these key elements work together to build a sustainable system:
- Outcomes: academic and behavior targets that are endorsed and emphasized by students, families, and educators. (What is important to each particular learning community?)
- Practices: interventions and strategies that are evidence based. (How will you reach the goals?)
- Data: information that is used to identify status, need for change, and effects of interventions. (What data will you use to support your success or barriers?)
- Systems: supports that are needed to enable the accurate and durable implementation of the practices of PBIS. (What durable systems can be implemented that will sustain this over the long haul?)
Education Connection Resources
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK MISSION
The mission of Birdneck Elementary is to dedicate ourselves to the success of all children, preparing them to meet today's expectations and tomorrow's challenges.
BIRDNECK VISION
Children are our future. We are dedicated to their success.
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
Facebook: facebook.com/birdneckes
Twitter: @BNESeagles