Birdneck Briefing 2019-2020
March 16-20
Tentative: Upcoming Dates and Events
MARCH IS MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH
Mar. 17 - Donuts and Dunks
Mar. 19 - Spring concert grades PreK, K, and 3 9:00-10:00 am
Mar. 19 - Spring concert Grades 4 and 5 1:30-2:30 pm
Mar. 19 - Music in Schools Concert 6:00-8:00 pm
Mar. 20 - Grade 3 MOCA visit
Mar. 23 - Gifted Testing for Grade 1 applicants.
Mar. 24 - Grade 5 Field Trip to Jamestown
Mar. 24 - Grade 1 (Hartman, Taylor, Adams) Field trip to Aquarium
Mar. 25 - Grade 1 (Bishop, Gregory, Gentry, Leidel) Field trip to Aquarium
Mar. 27 End of 3rd Quarter
Mar. 30 - Grade 2 begins swimming class at Seatack Rec. Center
April 3 - Report Cards issued
This is your Captain Speaking!
We have some new faces that I'd like to introduce:
Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Barbara Gordon who will be filling in for Lucinda Johnson this month. She is an experienced bookkeeper who recently retired from Seatack and is excited to be here helping out. Any order requests should be going to her. If you have any payroll questions or concerns, please see Heather Mcveen until Lucinda returns.
I'm very excited to introduce Jake Barella to our staff. He will be helping out as a special education assistant and comes to us live from NY where he worked with students with autism spectrum disorder.
If you haven't met Joy Graham yet, she has been serving as our new custodian and has been doing an excellent job! Please introduce yourself to her if you haven't done so yet.
Captain Out,
RV Yoshida
Meet and Greet info
•In accordance with School Board Regulation 4-12.1, we will be considering priority and voluntary transfers simultaneously again this year. Teachers who are on Performance Improvement Plans are not to be selected as priority transfers and do not qualify for voluntary transfers.
•The “Transfer Meet and Greet” event is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2020, at Green Run HS from4:30-5:45 p.m. Registration for principals will begin at 4 p.m.
•Teachers who have been designated as priority transfers and those who are eligible for consideration for voluntary transfers may attend.
•Classified employees who have been designated as priority transfers and those who are eligible for consideration for voluntary transfers or promotions may also attend the Meet and Greet.
•During the week following the Meet and Greet and thereafter, please grant interviews to priority transfers who indicate interest in vacancies at your schools.
•Only teachers who will be on continuing contract during 2020-2021 (currently P3, PC, or C) and who are not on Performance Improvement Plans are eligible for voluntary teacher transfers.
•A teacher who receives a voluntary transfer must spend three years in that assignment before being eligible for another voluntary transfer. (A teacher accepting a voluntary transfer for the 2020-2021 school year will be eligible for a transfer in fall 2023.)
SHOUT OUTS!!!!!
Thank you Lyanne Firmino for all that you did for our staff and students at Birdneck. You will truly be missed.
Kuddos to our READING TEAM for facilitating and providing such amazing opportunities during reading month!!!!!
Ms. Wagaman - great job keeping your classroom running like a well oiled machine.
Our school counselors and our behavior intervention specialists have been doing an amazing job of supporting our kids in crisis. Thank you for all that you do.
You Make a Difference
From his fun shirts to his galaxy high tops shoes Mr. Taylor has brought his first year at Birdneck some wonderful support for all the students and staff. When he was first subbing for classes, Mrs. Lutturell's students really enjoyed his help and always wanted him to come and visit them. Now, with him being in Gym they get to see him everyday and he does not hesitate to really help the students learn things in gym. He is very caring and shows a lot of patience and interest in the students when they are having trouble or need a person to talk too. Thank you Mr. Taylor for being a fun and positive role model for the students here at Birdneck, we all really appreciate you, you truly make a difference.
Yearbook Quotes
Speaking of Yearbook....
Thank you.
Schoology
National School Social Work Week 2020
We are celebrating School Social Workers this week with a different theme each day and a description of what the school social workers role is in school.
Monday's theme is: “Lighting the Way for the Whole Child”
School Social Workers enhance the learning and success of students by focusing on the whole child and offering hope for a better tomorrow.
They:
• Promote the social and emotional development of students
• Consider barriers to learning and value relationship building
• Value student self-determination and honor confidentiality
Annual Mandatory Employee Traning: AMET DUE FRIDAY MARCH 6
DUE FRIDAY: March 6, 2019 deadline for training is quickly approaching.
Check your email for the attachment of information on how to use and access the VBCPS Annual Mandatory Employee Training Program. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Steve LePock in the Office of Risk Management (263-2460). Thank you.
Nominations for the 2020 Standards of Learning (SOL) Item and Test Review Committees
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Assessment Development is seeking nominations for the 2020 SOL Item and Test Review Committees. The committee meetings will be held in Richmond, Virginia. Approximately 15 members are needed for each of the committees, and the school division may nominate one or more representatives for each committee.
If you are interested in serving on these committees please see RV or visit website below for information:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/assessment_committees/index.shtml
All individuals who wish to serve on these committees, including those who have previously served, must submit an online application found on the SOL Assessment Committee web page. The application requires a professional reference and division approval. Completed applications are due to the Virginia Department of Education by March 6, 2020. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all required parts of the application are complete by this date. Committee members may not use membership on a committee or information gained through the review process to write test items, author or co-author textbooks or professional journals, or any such publications related to the Virginia Standards of Learning for personal financial gain or for the financial gain of any organization.
CORONAVIRUS
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The recent news regarding COVID-19, or what's being called the coronavirus, has understandably caused worry. Please be assured that VBCPS is working closely with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in monitoring the status of the virus and current guidance from the VDH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
What is the coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a type of virus that were first identified in the 1960s. The most recently discovered coronavirus that we are hearing so much about is a new or novel coronavirus, officially called COVID-19. While its origins have been traced to a live animal market in China, the virus is now spreading from human to human globally.
There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Virginia at this time.
For more details on COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
I have a child in a VBCPS school. Should I be concerned?
According to the CDC, "For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low." There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Virginia at this time.
What is VBCPS doing to address the coronavirus?
There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Virginia. VBCPS is collaborating with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in monitoring the status and current guidance from the VDH and CDC related to COVID-19. We are proactively reviewing our plans and have a project team in place in the event the virus affects our community. We have also issued prevention reminders to school administrators and custodial staff on what they can do to help ensure a healthy school environment, particularly since this is still flu season. For example, VBCPS custodial staff is following cleaning guidelines as established by the CDC.
What can I do to help prevent the spread of illness?
Our school nurses and staff work with students to promote good hygiene and to keep everyone healthy and safe. We also work with our custodial providers to ensure our schools receive thorough cleaning every day. Parents are asked for help in reinforcing healthy practices at home with children. As a best practice for overall health in cold and influenza season, the VDH recommends that individuals get the influenza vaccination. VBCPS and the VDH also offer the following reminders to stay healthy:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Take flu antivirals if prescribed by your health care provider if you have the flu.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Will VBCPS close schools?
There are no plans to close schools at this time. The decision to close a school will be made jointly by the school division and the Virginia Department of Health, should that become necessary. This is a good time to update your contact information with your child's school (or if you are a staff member, on Employee Self-Service) for use in our AlertNow notification system.
Regarding whether or not schools should consider plans for conducting classes online if needed, at the moment the state has no such provisions allowing school divisions to do this and still meet statutory requirements for school attendance. We have spoken with officials at the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and understand this would be addressed on a case by case basis and then, should significant closures impact our or other communities, that possibility may be revisited.
Again, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Virginia.
Where can I get updates?
The CDC and VDH are updating their information regularly.
School-related information is available at www.vbschools.com/COVID19 and will be updated as needed.
What if I have additional concerns?
Medical questions may be directed to the VDH Hotline: 877-275-8343 (877-ASK-VDH3).
School-related questions may be directed to your child’s school nurse.
Please also see these memos from the VDOE:
Addressing Misinformation Related to the Coronovirus
MEMO 032-20 Attachment A: Novel Coronoavirus (2019nCoV)
Schoology Workshop Wednesdays
Career Teacher Application for 2020
The Career Teacher Application for 2020 will be available for downloading from the Intranet (Forms/Human Resources/Career Teacher Application) beginning Feb. 3, 2020.
The VBCPS Career Teacher Allowance is a three (3) year renewable allowance. Minimum requirements for eligibility of the Career Teacher Allowance are as follows:
• Hold an active Virginia Department of Education 5 or 10 year renewable teaching license, or a Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology license, or hold National Board Certification (NBC) issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; and
• Be on a continuing contract with the VBCPS; and
• Have completed 10 years of total teaching experience or hold National Board Certification (NBC) issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards regardless of the years of service; and
• Have received ratings of “Proficient” or higher for each standard on the most recent evaluation and have not been on a Performance Improvement Plan within the (three) 3 year career teacher activity cycle; and
• Have demonstrated balanced professional involvement over the course of three (3) years immediately preceding the initial or renewal application by earning a minimum of 100 points with having at least 20 points earned in each of the four (4) categories: Teaching and Learning; Building Leadership Capacity; Professional Development; and Community Relations.
Full program details including the full list of requirements can be found on the intranet, Career Teacher Allowance page.
Teachers requesting consideration for a Career Teacher allowance should:
• Complete the 2020 Career Teacher Application.
• Collect supporting documentation as directed by the building principal to verify actions in each of the four categories of the form. (Teachers should keep all of the supporting documentation with a copy of the completed application for their records.)
• Request the signature of the building principal on the cover sheet between Feb. 3, 2020, and the last day of school, June 12, 2020.
• If applicable to the application, include a copy of the National Board Certification if not already on file with the Department of Human Resources.
All applications must be submitted by a designated school office member via LaserFiche Forms using the Career Teacher Allowance Application Submission process. Once the successful submission of the application is complete, teachers should retain the original documents for their records. Applicants will be notified by email upon receipt of their application. Once the Career Teacher Application is reviewed and processed, the teacher will receive another email indicating approval or denial of the application.
Those teachers with questions about the Career Teacher Application, or those who need assistance with the completion of the application, may contact John Ogden, Human Resources Specialist, in the Department of Human Resources at 263-1062 or John.Ogden@vbschools.com.
Join our PTA
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Join the PTA! Our goal is to have 100% Staff participation!!!!!!!!!
Support Birdneck Elementary students by joining the PTA. 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/
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BIRDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Twitter@BNESeagles
BIRDNECK MISSION
Mission: We build relationships to encourage, inspire and empower others to meet the challenges of today and to foster the love of learning.
BIRDNECK VISION
Vision: We are dedicated to nurturing an inclusive environment to ensure engaging, student-centered learning resulting in confident independent learners.
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