Bulldog Weekly Update
October 4th - October 8th
Culture of Achievement
Notes from the Principal's Desk
Take pleasure in the small wins. We are working hard and managing a lot but in the process students are learning, they are finding mentors and coaches in us, their teachers and leaders. Nothing can replace the trust you build with a child, and nothing can surpass the communities of belonging you foster in your classes. Thank goodness for these wins and how they anchor us in the work that we do and the impact that we have on those around us.
Please see a few notes from my desk below.
Progress Reports - Will go home on October 18th. X2 posting is open from September 30th - October 13th at 10 am.
NEED YOUR HELP- We have para positions still open, if you know anyone please let me know.
Week at a Glance
Monday 10/4
9:30 - School Operations Meeting
Tuesday 10/5
- 8:30 Student Support Team
- Laura Casna PD - SPED Team 3:10- 4:30
- PTO Meeting
Wednesday 10/6
Early Release (students dismissed at 12:50, teachers meet in the auditorium at 1:10 - 4:00)
Pool testing
Thursday 10/7
- WIN Advisory Meeting - at 3:15
Cross Country Meet 4:30 Shedd Park
Friday 10/8
Fun FriYAY! Wear your favorite superhero t-shirt to channel your teacher superpower or wear your Butler Pride gear
Quick Reminders
- October 16th - Family Welcome Back Cookout
ILT Updates
Discussions around inclusive practice and culturally responsive teaching continue to find their way into formal and informal conversations among teachers and admin. An environment focused on fostering a sense of belonging within our students has ignited and is catching across the school. While Butler has always held among its core values a priority of holistic, 360-degree development for its youth, we are now collectively and uniformly addressing the need to create learning spaces that provide psychological and emotional safety. Kudos to the learners and leaders out there at BMS who are diving into culturally responsive practice with an open heart and mind.
RJLT (click Bulldog to see video)
Creating a culture of communication to resolve conflict
"Rules without relationship inspire rebellion".
Taken from Amplify RJ
If you want a rabbit to get into a hole, you smack it with a stick. You can also use motivation and dangle a carrot over the opening until the rabbit is tricked and falls into the hole. But neither of these teaches the rabbit the value of going into the hole. Neither method makes the rabbit actually want to go into the hole. Further, both tactics are a bit unfair; the rabbit doesn't see the hole until he falls into it. Likewise, our current systems either force or incentivize students to change. They don't teach the students the reason for the change - and they don't ask why the students were acting the way they were in the first place. Simply put, we must find a way to make students want the change, instead of forcing it on them. We need to hear what they're trying to tell us through their behavior and use that to guide them in a different direction. By saying "Let's Talk" and by asking questions, we demonstrate that this meeting is not a punishment it is a conversation.
See Lori Casey for SEL assistance.
PBIS
Routines and Rituals are essential to building classroom community. See your PBIS grade level representative for assistance
"Go to https://tinyurl.com/butlerpawsshop to take a sneak peek at the Butler PAWS shop, coming in Q2!"
Coaches Corner
iReady Wrap-Up
iReady testing has wrapped up this week. A sweeping thank you to everyone who helped to coordinate and to those who provided additional support in times of need, particularly when the building was experiencing connection issues at on Monday. In the coming weeks, Grade Level CPTs will follow up by examining assessment data and discussing student needs as well as available resources for ELA and Math.
Scholastic Highlight
Students in 5/6 Adjustment worked especially hard on their writing these last five days. At the start of the week, students worked cooperatively composing a fictional story where each contributed several lines, in an alternating format, to the composition of a single plot. Once the first three-quarters of the story arc was complete, students then worked independently on an ending. These endings were shared individually in the class, highlighting each student’s creative and unique contribution, and a final ending was collaboratively voted upon for the final.
Midweek, students completed an “All About Him/Her/They” for someone close to them. Many selected a parent or grandparent and shared the individual’s characteristics and traits with the class. Their choices represent mentors, coaches, friends and people whom our students love and trust. We look forward to getting to know those forces behind the scenes who mean so much to our kids.
DESSA Update:
Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) assesses eight social and emotional competencies and is intended to help educators plan instruction, document students' strengths and areas of need, inform progress monitoring, and evaluate program outcomes. This assessment will be done by homeroom teachers 3 times this academic year.
The platform has been changed and updated to make accessibility easier. ALL staff is required to watch the following videos
Time will be provided during Admin CPT on Wednesday, October 13th for all teachers to be able to review these videos.
The DESSA window will be open: October 18th- October 29th. Staff will be provided time to complete their ratings during Admin. CPT on Wednesday, October 20th
Monthly Motivation
It's always great to start on an inspiring note.
Staff Birthday Shoutouts ~ August & September
Geraldyne Colon - 9/26
Josalyn Burgess - 9/27
Adrianna Anstiss - 10/3
Colleen Farrell - 10/3
Mae Watkins - 10/4
Chelsea Ewing - 10/8
Kevin Gibson - 10/14
Fernanda Lopes - 10/15
Gerry Manolopoulos - 10/19
Karen Tanguay - 10/20
Butler Community
Email: jmoody@lowell.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Domain/10
Location: 1140 Gorham Street, Lowell, MA, USA
Phone: 978-937-8973
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lpsdbutler/