Bear Tracks
Bear Tavern Weekly information - April 8, 2016
A Spring Break Edition? You Better Believe It!
Note from the Principal
Happy Friday Bear Tavern Staff,
I have to be honest. I originally intended to take a break from Bear Tracks this week. But I was doing a lot of thinking and really wanted to connect with you before we got back. I hope that everyone is having a tremendous break and feeling recharged and energized.
Now I know the Bear Tracks audience and "avid college basketball fans" is not one of the main characteristics of our staff as a whole. But I want to touch base on something very important. Regardless of how closely you follow college basketball, this week was a thrilling one for our area. Villanova, a somewhat local team, won the NCAA National Championship. To make it more special, they won in what many experts are calling the most exciting ending to a championship game ever. With just under 5 seconds to go a North Carolina player hit a seemingly impossible shot to tie the game and eliminate Villanova's lead. With 4.7 seconds left, Villanova's captain dribbled down the court and passed the ball just in time for the shooter to put up a three pointer at the buzzer, that went in for the win. It was wild.
While a last second, championship winning, buzzer beater seemingly has nothing to do with Bear Tavern, I'd argue that there is a lot that we can learn from it and a lot that we can think about.
What makes the Villanova team special is that there is not even one player that experts are projecting to be a successful NBA player or even to be selected in the first few rounds of the NBA draft. So how can a team with no superstar athletes win a championship? In fact, in the semifinal game, the player that many feel was the best in the country, who normally averaged 29.9 points per game, was held to only 9 points!
The reason for their success was teamwork, unselfishness and a sense of family. The article of the week this week is not academic in nature, but talks about the team. I firmly believe that there are many parallels between sports and life. It specifically relates to us as educators that when we really commit to humbly trying to improve (no matter how good we are), and really work to bring the best out of everyone around us (this is the hard part because it requires a ton of flexibility and patience), we can see such tremendous growth and success for our school.
As a swim coach, teacher, dad and principal, I have seen first hand, people achieve things that they originally didn't think were possible. They did it by believing they could (and should) accomplish goals based upon the team, and the support around them. I see people step up and help and support each other all of the time at Bear Tavern, and I want that to be the backbone of what we do for years and years to come. I am confident that we are capable of being an extraordinary school where people rise to help and support each other. I'm very proud of the work you do and am excited to see it continue.
Have a great break. You have earned some rest. I'm really excited to see you next week.
Sincerely,
Chris
Quote of the Week:
Article of the Week:
Special Reminders & Upcoming Dates
Information & Reminders:
- IMPORTANT - Please see the following two documents from Mr. Suozzo regarding the Annual Process as well as SGOs & PDPs. (click here for annual process) (click here for SGO / PDP). Please take a moment to read (and save) the documents.
- Report Cards - Check your email from Mr. Suozzo from 3/31/16. Marking Period ends 4/15 and Report Cards are due 4 pm Friday 4/22/16. Please see these helpful resources:
Printing & Viewing Report Cards
- PARCC - The PARCC is coming up! We will have a training during the faculty meeting on 4/18, but please see the basic facts below:
- We will be testing grades 3, 4 & 5 on the same days (4/25 - 5/3)
- We will use a special schedule on testing days, similar to last year
- ELA will test Mon 4/25, Tues 4/26 & Wed 4/27
- There will be NO TESTING on Thurs 4/28 (Take Your Child to Work Day)
- Friday we will do an ELA Field Test (it will not count toward scoring - every district has to do it over the next 3 years, we were just lucky enough to be picked for this year)
- Math will test Mon 5/2 and Tues 5/3.
- Resources:
Test Administrator Basics Guide (by Jill Basco) Very helpful!
More info to come
- Pre-Service Teacher interest for next year - Click Here
Dates:
Looking Ahead:
Monday 4/11 - Grade Level Meetings
Tuesday 4/12 - RTI Meeting
Wednesday 4/13 - Life Touch Pictures
Wednesday 4/13 - Principal's Cabinet
Friday 4/15 - End of 3rd MP
Friday 4/15 - 3rd Grade Footprints
Friday 4/15 - Science Fair
Monday 4/18 - Faculty Meeting
Tuesday 4/19 - OW training Grade 1
Tuesday 4/19 - Bus Evac Drills
Wednesday 4/20 - OW training K
Thursday 4/21 - OW training Grade 2
Thursday 4/21 & Friday 4/22 - 4th Grade to Ground for Sculpture
Friday 4/22 - Report Cards Due
Friday 4/22 - 3rd Grade Footprints
Friday 4/22 - Staff Lunch (Gift from a PARENT)
Friday 4/22 - Bear Tavern Night at Trenton Thunder
Monday 4/25 - Tues 5/3 PARCC TESTING (no testing 4/28)
Thursday 4/28 - Take Your Child to Work Day
Friday 4/29 - Preschool Colab Day