Burchfield's Bulletin
September 5-8 (Schools Days 11-14)
A Note From Me
I received an email from an educator at another school this week. I am thankful for that educator sending the email but I'm most thankful for what she had to say. She went on and on about how as a new teacher she is struggling to get everything done she wants to get done. (Why I'm crying right now? I do not know.) I'm sure some of you are feeling the very same thing whether you are a veteran teacher or brand new. But she heard through another teacher who had been on our campus how an Academy of the Arts teacher was doing exactly the thing she wanted to do but just couldn't get it planned out to start. As a principal, I'm proud. As an educator, I'm thankful. As a human, I am so hopeful. Thanks, JP for making a real difference in the life of a new teacher. Sending good plans and good lessons to another teacher, new or old, says that you care about all students' achievement AND the success of a peer. Friends, while there are times this whole thing sadly sounds like a competition, it's not. It's about the success of each of us and EVERY single child at the Academy of the Arts and every other school. Thanks again. (By the way, people are watching us and talking about what we are doing. I often wonder what they are saying about me.)
Speaking of other schools, I am so thankful for Jessica and the 5th grade team for researching and finding a school in the coastal area to adopt. I look forward to hearing what you do and how we as a campus can help you help them. These efforts are not easy and they require commitment beyond the regular day to be successful.
Speaking of the coastal area, thanks for encouraging your children to donate items to the Hurricane Harvey relief campaign. We will continue to collect as long as items are needed. This has been a great time to poke in lessons on things like Texas geography and weather as well as the effects of flooding on the land, the broad society, and our own humanity. This is definitely a current event that might or might not be part of Studies Weekly.
Speaking of Studies Weekly, I saw them in the building today. Yea! Dave said he was coming this weekend to get them to you by Tuesday if possible. If he changes his mind, reassure him you understand. He's had a full two+ weeks as well. Boy, did he hit the ground running. Thanks, Dave
Speaking of Dave.....Oh well I tried. Dave, you did great on the fire drill this week. So did everyone else. We were a little long at 3 min 55 secs. but for the first one of the year, I'll take it. Emptying the building quickly and safely went beautifully. Now we'll work on verifying locations of the "outliers." Always be ready for drills, my friends. It won't be the end of the month next time. Thanks
Well, Kinder has a win and now third grade has a win. Good attendance overall at 97.74% for the week. Keep encouraging and keep up the good job. Your phone calls to absent children can many times make a huge difference in when they will return. By the way, if you have read down this far, come by my office Monday morning for a treat. I want to remind you that when your grade level has three winning weeks for attendance, it is a jeans day for the grade level.
I know this week was pretty hairy as we made some more specific plans for our "Encore Clubs" after school. We have a good lineup for the clubs and great leaders leading them. I will create a calendar with club leaders listed and I will also add the tutors who will be tutoring. This calendar will be used to help the office staff keep track of what is going on each day after school. Please communicate your tutoring days with the office or send them to me so we can complete our schedule. As we start clubs and tutoring, week after next, I think we will find a significant decrease in students at regular dismissal (YEA!) but there will be a lot more communication with parents in the office if that is possible. Pray we can keep it straight.
I appreciate how many of you have worked together to create clubs that will expand the minds of our students. Many support creativity or public performance while at the same time building academic and/or artistic achievement. Wow, that says a lot about how you want our students to reach new heights this year. My prayer is that everyone will appreciate each other for the hard work, time, and dedication each of you show toward our students. I trust that we all will take the time to thank each other for doing what we all do.
Finally (finally), thanks for helping the kids stay excited about the BIG KAHUNA fundraiser. May feel like a pain some days, but we are so fortunate to receive the money to buy most things we need here at the Academy of the Arts at Bransom in large part due to this very fundraiser. (By the way, I haven't told Kendra about the 10s of 1000s of dollars she is about to start counting. Shhh) Looking at the Big Kahuna pic makes me think we need a Luau Day. Who is in?
Love you guys. I really do. (Mark's calling so I'm going home.) See you soon. Joy
A Note From Dave
Two weeks of the 2017 - 2018 school year are in the books and I am very proud of everything I am seeing in the hallways, during drills, and in the classrooms from both teachers and students. Are there going to be bumps in the road? Of course. Lucius Annaeus Seneca said,
“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
As long as we continue to do what is best for the kids, we will be successful in all endeavors.
One way to achieve this is by building relationships with your students and their parents. Please make sure you are keeping your parents informed of the good, the bad and the ugly that is taking place in your classroom and/or with individual students. Especially if the concerns are discipline and misbehaviors. It does not look good for us as a campus if I am the first person to make contact with a parent about their child’s classroom misbehaviors. And be sure to document when you make contact.
LPAC’s are coming and we will have training for all teachers next week.
Have a restful weekend and thank you for allowing me to be part of Bobcat Nation.
Counselor's Corner
Nurse's News
PEIMS PORTAL
SCHOOL CALENDAR UPDATES
BIG KAHUNA Fundraiser continues through September 20
Monday - Labor Day; No School for Staff or Students
Tuesday - PTO Executive Board meeting @ 6:00PM
Thursday - 5th Grade Camp Grady Spruce Parent Meeting @ 7:30AM
Friday - Summer Reading Awards Assembly @ 7:30AM
Upcoming Important Dates:
September 11 BISD School Board Meeting @ 6:30PM
September 11-15 - (Most) ENCORE CLUBS BEGIN; Scholastic Book Fair in the Library
September 15 - GRANDPARENTS' DAY
September 20 BIG KAHUNA FUNDRAISER ENDS
September 29 End of the 1st 6 Weeks Grading Period
A COUPLE OF REMINDERS
- Please be sensitive to some of our students have parents in the military. One for sure headed out today to help with Hurricane relief and not sure when he'll be home.
- Centerpieces for the table on Grandparents' Day will be needed from all classes.
- A new instructional para has not been hired so make sure plans are really for a sub with Chromebooks.
- MAP assessment practice and real assessment starts on Tuesday. Thanks for your flexibility and Connie and Lindsay's leadership in this new venture.
DUTIES, BIRTHDAYS, AND WATCHDOGS
DUTIES
da Vinci Hall: Carrington
Escher Hall: Schilder
Gym: Applegate & Possin
BIRTHDAYS
Sept. 3rd - Debra Applegate
Sept. 4th - Michelle Britton & Lori Rutherford
WATCHDOGS
None this week
Academy of the Arts at Bransom - The ARTS Make the Difference!
Website: http://bransom.burlesonisd.net/
Location: 820 S Hurst Rd, Burleson, TX, United States
Phone: 817-245-3600
Facebook: facebook.com/bransom
Twitter: @BransomBobcas