10.4

Hi All, 

I hope that you all are enjoying this picture perfect weekend. We took the boat out yesterday for a foliage ride. Being in my favorite place with some of my favorite people is good for the soul. I'm feeling grateful for the beauty of the state we get to call home. I hope that you too got to do something that was bucket filling this weekend. This week's blog has a lot of information so please read carefully. 

I know last week was stressful (indoor recess...) and you all rocked open house. I wanted to take a minute to share a few Berlin stories: 

• There is a growing group of adults who are thinking creatively about community connected learning. Tyler and Amadeus are working hard to loop in community partners and make BES Disc Golf truly a community experience. As they are connecting with other teachers and supporters they are finding lots of enthusiasim and creative thinking.
• We have a wonderful plan with our Autumn Lee, our social work intern, she is already meeting with families and will be the lead on food supports for our community this year. 
• I am seeing teachers think about student supports differently. In a team meeting last week we uncovered some interesting strategies and supports for our students that we might not have thought about.  

Even when it feels stressful you all are thinking about students and working hard to think about things different and try new things. I appreciate that deeply. 

News and Announcements 

• Licensed Staff: I need you to set goals meetings with me ASAP. Thank you. Check in with Lori and she can find you a time slot. 
• Team Meeting Structure: 
• I've been thinking a lot about how to make our schedule and meetings feel most productive. Here's my proposal: 
• Grade Level team meetings happen every other week. 
• Your Grade Level Team meets on the week you don't have Wednesday morning meeting. Essentially, we'll operate on an A/B week schedule.
• My hope is that this will free up a little bit of time during your week and still provide us with a solid structure for moving professional work forward. 
• We will start this structure next week: 
• This week:
• we will have ONLY team meetings. There will be no Wednesday morning meeting for either grade level because I am out for a doctor's appointment with Rowan. 
• Next week: 
• K-3 meet Wednesday morning 
• 4-6 will have their team meeting
• The 4/5 Team Meeting has been changed from Tuesday morning to Thursday morning from now on. 
• All School Meeting: 
• We will have our All School Meeting on Friday afternoon from 2:50-3:20 
• Relocation Drill: 
• We are all set for our Relocation Drill on Thursday, October 8th starting at 9:30. The firehouse will have the trucks out of the bays for us. Here is the document for your review. We will have a few minutes at staff meeting to go over any questions you may have.  
• From PBIS:
• For the next week we are going to ask that each staff member picks one of the three focus areas to pick as a challenge for yourself/your class. There are supporting materials and links to help! 
• On Monday, you will be given a paw challenge cup. If every class fills there paw challenge up we will get a whole school celebration. Please return the "ticket" to the front office when your challenge cup is full. 
• We'd encourage you to pick an area that feels most sticky for your class right now.  
• Remember, clear and consistent is kind for our students. Practice, reinforce, practice, reinforce. 
• We will check in on progress at staff meeting on Wednesday. 
• Language Reminders: 
• Please make sure to keep adult conversations out of the presence of students. 
• Venting about other student behavior or about a specific student's behavior in front of the students isn't okay. 
• Ask for a "tap out" if you need it. Be mindful of your word choice "can't, won't, these kids..." etc. 
• Behavior Reminders: 
• In our building we respond to sticky behavior by: 
• Getting on the students level (side by side, or directly at their level if they are smaller than us) 
• We offer a calm redirection. "Try again, Show me, It helps the class when..."  
• We use a low voice. Low and slow when a student is escalated. 
• Ashlyn spent some time updating the Reading Resources page on the BES Staff Website. Take a peek! 

 Upcoming Events: 

• October 8th-- Relocation Drill 
• October 14th-- Library Night 
• October 21st-- Half Day Early Release 
• October 23rd-- Trunk or Treat 

Weekly Bobcat Beat

What's happening at BES?

Monday 10/5	HJC Meeting 8:15-8:45  Kindergarten Team Meeting 2:15-3:15
Tuesday 10/6	First Grade 12:10-1:10
Wednesday 10/7	Wednesday Morning PD (Group A) K-3 8:15-9:30 Third Grade Team Meeting 11:00-12:00 Staff Meeting- 3:10-4:45 Board Meeting 6:15-8:00 at EMES
Thursday  10/8	4/5 Team Meeting 8:15-9:15 Relocation Drill 9:30-10:15 Second Grade 12:10-1:10
Friday 10/9	Year of the Book Committee Meeting 8:15 Sixth Grade Team Meeting 8:15-9:15

Where is Celia?

Monday 10/5	Student Meeting 8:00  Bec and Celia Check in 10:00 Food Meeting 11:00-11:30  PK Team Meeting 11:30-12:00  Board Meeting Prep 12:10-1:00  K Team Meeting 2:15-3:15 Student Meeting 3:30-4:15
Tuesday 10/6	***Behavioral Threat Assessment Training*** I will be in and I will have the door closed much of the day for this state required training.  Student Meeting 8:15-9:00 1st Grade Team Meeting 12:10-1:10  Student Meeting 2:00-3:00
Wednesday 10/7	Celia Out until 12:00 (maybe earlier)  Nuts and Bolts 1:15-2:00 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Board Meeting at EMES
Thursday  10/8	4/5 Team Meeting 8:15-9:15 2nd Grade Team 12:10-1:10
Friday 10/9	6th Grade Team Meeting 8:15 Lunch Duty 12:10-12:40  BES SST 1:00-2:00 BEDC Check in 2:00