From the Desk of Mr. Yoshida
Birdneck Elementary 12/03/2016
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRINCIPAL
Hello Birdneck Community,
Thank you to all who joined us on Thursday night for our Cocoa with Santa Event. Thank you also to our staff and volunteers who made the night such a success. Being involved with our school and spending time with your children here at Birdneck is a great way to ensure the children are being successful. We look forward to seeing you at future events.
Have an awesome day,
RV Yoshida
Principal
Upcoming events:
December 7: Dress Your Best Day
December 7: SCA Meeting, 3:00PM
December 16: Parents’ Night Out
December 21: Pajama Day
WELCOME MR. RINGLING
We are pleased to introduce Mr. Josh Ringling as the newest addition to our administrative team. Josh Ringling is originally from Pittsburgh and moved to Hampton six years ago. He is the oldest of four and has two sisters and one brother. He enjoys reading, watching sports (Steelers), riding his bike, and taking his Boxer dog Roxy for walks.
Before coming to Virginia Beach and Birdneck, Josh was a reading specialist in Hampton City Schools. He was also a 4th and 5th grade teacher during his time in Hampton. He is extremely proud to be at Birdneck Elementary and hopes to help students, teachers, and parents as much as possible. Josh currently has endorsements in Elementary Education K-6, Reading Specialist, and School Administration and Leadership. He is working on his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at ODU and hopes to be done by next year. Please give him a warm welcome if you see him in our halls.
HELPING YOUR CHILD SUCCEED AT SCHOOL
Twenty Ways You Can Help Your Children Succeed At School
As a parent, you are your child's first and most important teacher. When parents and families are involved in their children's schools, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school. In fact, many studies show that what the family does is more important to a child's school success than how much money the family makes or how much education the parents have. There are many ways that parents can support their children's learning at home and throughout the school year. Here are some ideas to get you started...
- Develop a partnership with your child's teachers and school staff
- Support your child academically
- Get involved with your child's school
- Get informed and be an advocate for your child
- Support your child's learning at home
To read more, go to http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/twenty-ways-you-can-help-your-children-succeed-school
PTA Updates
-Holiday Lights at the Beach.... Only $8.00. Tickets on sale at Birdneck!
-December 15th Winter Musical and announcement of Reflections Contest Winners
Thank you,
Your PTA
READING ROCKS!
Reading aloud to your child is still important
Even though your child may be able to read on his own, it doesn’t mean you should stop reading aloud with him! When you read stories that are slightly above his reading level, you expose your child to new vocabulary and ideas. It stretches his imagination and his understanding of the world.
To make reading aloud to your child a positive learning experience:
• Make it a routine. Children look forward to having special time with their parents. Plus, once you’re both hooked on a book, you both will be looking forward to what comes next!
• Be willing to repeat books. Repetition helps children learn, especially when it’s a favorite book. What’s more, you know your child will like it!
• Take your time. Stop to talk about what you’ve read and make predictions.
• Have conversations. Ask questions, but don’t quiz your child. Give your child time to think and answer thoughtfully.
• Read with enthusiasm and expression. Your child will be hooked on your reading!
• Choose a variety of materials, such as picture books, chapter books or magazines, that appeal to both you and your child.
© 2015 The Parent Institute® www.parent-institute.com May be reproduced by Building Readers® newsletter subscribers
MATH MATTERS
TenMark Tips for Parents
Have you heard your child talk about the online math program Ten Marks that we use here at Birdneck? Has your child asked to get on the program at home? As teachers we recognizes that parents play a crucial role in their child’s academic success. Here are a few ways that you can work with your child to increase his/her excitement for math and boost his/her math skills using TenMarks.
ALLOW FOR “STRUGGLE TIME”
Kids need time to think about a difficult concept all the while knowing there is a safety net. If you are working with your children at home, tell them that you are going to give them some time to work through a tricky problem. Allow them to use hints and videos if they are stuck and then have them talk you through the process s/he went through to get to the answer.
HAVE STUDENTS REFLECT ON HIS OR HER LEARNING
After students complete an assignment, have them choose a problem that they got wrong or struggled with. Using this problem, have them reflect on the following questions:
· What question did I miss?
· What was the error I made?
· What can I do to fix it?
SET GOALS!
Set goals with your children! Goals are powerful motivators for children. Some examples of what goals in your house might look like include:
• Do one personal assignment per week
• Spend 30 minutes a week at home using TenMarks
• Have students work on Jam Session for 5 minutes a day or 25 minutes per week
• Working through TenMarks problems slowly and carefully
REMIND STUDENTS THAT EFFORT MATTERS
“If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning.” – Carol Dweck
• Don’t focus exclusively on student scores
• Congratulate and praise students for figuring out what they did wrong and getting it right the next time.
• Praise students for doing what it takes to succeed: effort!
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