August... News You Can Use

There are so many amazing opportunities at Booth-Fickett K8. We have a lot of instruction and opportunities for fun growth. Each of our K-5 scholars have both PE and music every week. This is very exciting for us. Our opportunities to support each child are numerous with opportunities for children to get great instruction in reading and mathematics in order to support where they are and help them grow for more success in the future.

Our middle school students continue to have some of the best opportunities in the area for elective courses. These include band, art, PE, and even Lego Tech. We are proud to offer each of these courses to our scholars.

Please help us to help each child by keeping them in class for the full day. We know it is hard to schedule appointments, but when you can please have them to school on time and pick them up on time. We do keep track of the hour's students are in school, the more they are here the more support we can offer.

Thank you for your support! We will see you soon at our back-to-school night!

Liane Donovan, principal

Booth Fickett K-8

Home | Booth-Fickett (hoodviewgraphics.com) Order your school gear! (Thanks to PTO for helping with this!) The box will come to the office for distribution. Order today!

Wednesday, August 21, 2024; NO SCHOOL - teacher professional development

Tuesday, August 27, 2024; Back to School Night; starts at 5 PM in the library, snacks/nachos for purchase

Friday, August 30, 2024; GATE testing for 5th grade students during the school day

Tuesday, September 3, 2024; 4:30 - 5:30 PM, site council and PTO meeting

Friday, September 6, 2024, Family Movie and Game Night; 6-8 PM, snacks for purchase

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday September 18-20, half day, parent teacher conferences on Wednesday and Thursday, Scholastic Book Fair in library

Thursday, September 19th, 2024; Dine Out Night

Thursday, September 26, 2024; 6 PM; Middle School Music Concert (band/orchestra)

Friday, September 27, 2024; Picture Day

Friday, September 27, 2024; 4:00 - 5: 30 PM Middle School Glow Dance, cafeteria

Tuesday, October 1, 2024; 4:30 - 5:30 PM; Site Council and PTO meeting

Mr. Bennett. I am the K-5 Behavior Specialist. I support students who are having behavioral -emotional issues. I also provide teachers and support staff with ideas and plans so they can better support these students. I graduated from Alma College (Michigan) in 1973, and I have worked with children and adults with special needs my entire career. My last 29 years before retiring, were as President and CEO of a nonprofit agency providing residential support services to adults with developmental disabilities. After retiring in September 2017, I joined TUSD in 2018 and have been supporting students at Booth-Fickett ever since. "Favorite Treat: Dairy Queen Snickers Blizzard (light chocolate, please! 😁)

Favorite Color: Yellow

Favorite Number: Ten

Favorite Place: Our home

Favorite Pastimes: Reading, baking" "This year will be my seventh year.

I enjoy working here because the students teach me a great deal about myself. I feel like I have contributed and continue to contribute something that just may have a positive impact on even one student's life, either now or in the future."

Michelle Coyle, Special Education teacher K-5:Michelle Coyle Elementary Special Ed Resource Teacher "I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. I grew up in Tucson and went to all TUSD schools, so I wanted to work in this district.

I got a duel Bachelor's Degree from NAU in Elementary and Special Education and A Masters in Elementary Reading from GCU. This is my 9th year teaching and Booth- Fickett is the only school I have worked at; I even did my student teaching here. I have taught 1st -3rd grade and Special Ed. I love to teach students how to read and write. " My favorite color is pink, and my favorite food is Mexican. I play volleyball and I love to travel and read. This is my 9th year at Booth-Fickett, I am happy to be here because I know the teachers at Booth-Fickett make a difference in the students' lives.

Mary Davis; GATE: Hello, My name is Ms. Davis, and I am the G.A.T.E. Itinerant Teacher at Booth-Fickett. I have been an elementary and middle school teacher for 37 years. I have been a G.A.T.E. teacher for the last 6 years. My favorite color is blue, and my favorite place is Hawaii. This will be my 4th year at Booth-Fickett. I am very happy to be teaching here. I enjoy working with the students. They are creative, respectful, and enthusiastic learners. The staff is very friendly and supportive.

Jillian Mathews, ELD K-5; Jillian Mathews I have been a Elementary Teacher for twenty years. This will be my first year at Booth Fickett as an ELD Teacher. I love Mexican food. I enjoy eating chocolate. On my vacations I love to travel. My favorite place is the beach. This is my first year and I am happy to be at Booth Fickett for the new position and working with new staff members.

Kindergarten; Tiffany Albury. My name is Mrs. Albury and I teach Kindergarten., I am married with 3 daughters. I have been teaching for over 12 years in a school district. I have homeschooled my kids and taught internationally for a few years. I recently relocated to Tucson, Arizona from the United Arab Emirates in July 2024. I'm originally from Florida where I have lived most of my life. I have taught many grade levels and enjoy making learning fun., My favorite color is blue. I enjoy going to the beach and spending time with my family. I also like to learn about different cultures and taste their foods., This is my first year teaching at Booth-Fickett K8 School. I look forward to meeting new people and seeing the students grow academically as well as socially.

First Grade; Cameron Manjarre. My name is Cameron Manjarre, and at Booth-Fickett I am a 1st grade Teacher and Coordinator of the 21st Century Program., After high school, I attended Northern Arizona University seeking a degree in Elementary Education. Once I got my degree, my main goal was to get hired at Booth-Fickett; the school I once attended as a student. Six years later, I still do my best to help scholars learn, inspire them to aspire higher, and put my best foot forth to contribute to Booth-Fickett., During my leisure time, I enjoy going to the University of Arizona and watching the collegiate athletes play basketball, football, baseball, etc. I also enjoy playing pickup basketball games with my friends on the weekends. , This will be my 15th year at Booth-Fickett( 9 years as a scholar and 6 years as a teacher). I am happy to work at Booth-Fickett because I get to establish rapport with staff and the families, and watch scholars progress academically during their time at Booth-Fickett.

Second Grade; Cherise Brashear, Ms. My name is Ms. Reese. I teach second-grade. I have six years of experience as an elementary school teacher, holding a master’s degree in Elementary Education. My teaching focuses on creating a supportive, engaging environment that fosters a love of learning. I prioritize both the academic and social-emotional well-being of my students. My favorite food is tacos. My favorite color is green. My favorite place is anywhere outdoors. I often spend my free time gardening, reading, and listening to music. This is my fourth year at Booth Fickett. I’m happy to be here because I love the students and the relationships we’ve formed; my colleagues, quite often, feel like an extended family; and it is easy to see that everyone deeply cares about the best interests of our students and their families. It is a great place to be.

Third Grade; Rita Nicholson Ms. Nicholson 3rd grade teacher, I have been teaching with TUSD since 2004. After taking a year off to recover from surgery, I was transferred, luckily, to Booth-Fickett., My favorite color is blue, although green comes in a close second. My favorite foods are Mexican and Mediterranean. My favorite places are San Diego, I love the ocean, England, Australia, and the Riviera. I also love to travel., This will be my second year at Booth-Fickett. The staff is so warm, welcoming and friendly. I love coming to teach every day.

Fourth Grade; Chambray Colter-Carman: no response.

Fifth Grade: Heather Hernandez Hello I am Mrs. Hernandez and I teach 5th grade! I am currently in my second year of teaching. Previously, I spent 17 years in the role of a Training Manager. My transition to the teaching profession was inspired by my passion for fostering growth and learning in others. I made a conscious decision to extend my impact to a broader audience. I seized an opportunity to join the TUSD Teachers' Development Academy, which eventually led me to my current role as a 5th-grade teacher at Booth-Fickett.

About my favorites! My favorite colors are black and rose gold. When it comes to food, I enjoy Mexican food, Lemon Oreos, Pepsi, and Reese cups. In my free time, I love to read adventure books and indulge in painting. As for shopping, my favorite places are Michael's and Bookman's.

This school year is 2024-2025, and it is my second year here at Booth-Fickett. I am happy to be here because I feel supported by the staff, prioritizing a growth mindset for both colleagues and scholars. One of the reasons I enjoy being here is the understanding that family comes first. Additionally, I appreciate the easy rapport with everyone, sharing similar humor, and the special connection I have with the scholars who hold a special place in my heart.

A new school year is a figurative "Get Out of Jail for Free" card! The negative experiences working with children that we may have experienced last school year do not have to be experienced this school year. Start fresh by remembering these few things:

1. Provide students with POSITIVE verbal reinforcement immediately, frequently and with enthusiasm.

1. When you offer praise, mean it!

1. Give students an opportunity to talk to you when they are NOT in trouble.

1. Follow the adage: "Catch them being good". It's easy to do the opposite.

1. Practice "reasonable firmness"

1. Expect the best but make sure you are expecting each student's PERSONAL best; this may be different for each student

This school year will be a great school year if we work to support, encourage and believe in each and every student!

Richard Bennett, Behavior Specialist

Classroom teachers will allow students to eat breakfast in the classroom if the student is late.

• Classroom food will be given out and consumed at the discretion of the teacher.

• Classroom food that requires use of a microwave will not be honored by school staff to warm up for the student.

• Drinks other than water will not be allowed in classrooms

• Lunch will be consumed in the cafeteria only.

• PBIS food reward days are sporadic, and students will be allowed to eat in common areas or classrooms.

• Students are asked to refrain from bringing a cell phone/ear buds to school

• If the cell phone is visible in any common area, classroom, hallway, bathroom etc, the cell phone/ear buds must be surrendered to the staff member when requested.

• Electronic Devices (including cell phones and ear buds) are to be secured out of sight (not in pockets)

• 1st occurrence – warning, phone is collected, parent is notified, and electronic device is returned to the student by the front office at the end of the school day.

• 2nd occurrence – Device is surrendered and placed in the front office for parent pickup only.

• 3rd /4th/5th occurrence- Device is surrendered to the front office and is subject to the code of conduct. 4th and 5th occurrences require a mandatory device surrender each day the school is session.

• Cell phone/ear buds will be allowed before/afterschool and at lunchtime only if brought to school.

• Parents, call the school office and we will get a message to your scholar!

Can Schools Teach Self-Regulation?

“Can Teachers Increase Students’ Self-Control?” by Daniel Willingham in American

Educator, Summer 2011 (Vol. 35, #2, p. 22-27),

In this article in American Educator, University of Virginia psychologist Daniel

Willingham reports that over the last five years, cognitive scientists have increased our

understanding of “self-regulation” – people’s ability to inhibit an impulsive response,

control their emotions, pay attention, defer gratification, and plan and control behavior.

Here are three positive examples:

- A fifth-grader does his schoolwork despite the temptation to look out the window

at a construction crew pouring a new cement sidewalk;

- A 14-year-old girl practices piano in preparation for a concert even though she’d

rather hang out with her friends;

- A preschool boy’s carefully-built block structure is knocked over accidentally by

another student, but he methodically starts rebuilding it.

Not surprisingly, strong self-regulation is correlated with social competence, empathy,

and whether a student is liked by teachers, and lack of self-regulation is associated with

disobedience, aggression, and temper tantrums.

“This capacity turns out to have enormous consequences for academic and social

success,” says Willingham. “And, as teachers observe daily, children differ widely in

how much of this capacity they seem to have.”

Why are some children so much more proficient in self-regulation than others?

Willingham says it’s partly an inherited trait. But genetic tendencies are affected by

parenting practices and classroom factors. Here’s what recent research has shown:

• Parenting – Observational studies have identified the key factors as warmth,

organization, and predictability. When parents give their children meaningful praise and

encouragement, show affection, provide structure and routines with some room for

autonomy, are sensitive to children’s needs, and provide an intellectually stimulating

environment (books, questions, complex sentences), self-regulation flourishes. “The

bending of one’s own wishes to the rules of the house constitutes practice in self-

regulation,” says Willingham. On the other hand, when parents are critical, cold,

indifferent, and physically or verbally controlling, self-regulation withers. There’s also a

chicken-and-egg interaction between temperament and how parents react; a child with

weak self-regulation might elicit more controlling and punitive parenting, which further

stunts self-regulation.

• Classroom factors – Even children who enter preschool with weak or non-

existent self-regulation skills can learn at school what other children learned at home, and

the basics are the same: warmth, organization, and predictability. “Children learn self-

regulation through practice,” says Willingham. “A well-organized classroom requires that

children practice inhibiting their own moment-to-moment desires in favor of acting in

accordance with the pace set by the teacher.” Warmth is as important as organization and

routines, helping students learn empathy and emotional regulation.

Tools of the Mind is an early-childhood program designed to improve self-

regulation, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Its 40 activities include dramatic

play, collaborative turn-taking, and self-talk around self-regulation. Promoting

Alternative Thinking Strategies is another program for preschool and elementary

children. Both seem to make a positive difference, but Willingham says more research is

needed.

As for the impact of everyday teaching practices, the research is mixed, largely

because children who enter school with strong self-regulation aren’t changed by what

teachers do in this domain. But studies that focus on preschoolers and first graders who

enter with weak self-regulation show that certain instructional behaviors benefit the

children most in need:

- Teacher sensitivity – Defined as being consistent, positive, warm, and

appropriately responsive to children’s cues (versus being overcontrolling –

imposing a learning agenda on children without heeding their cues, or detached –

unaware of what children are doing and not supervising them actively enough).

- Classroom management – This includes planning and organization, consistency,

and focusing on developing students’ independent and small-group work;

- Understanding the role of negative emotions – When children are frustrated,

angry, stressed, or depressed (perhaps because of something at home), they’re

more likely to act impulsively, in the same way that adults who are upset are more

likely to eat too much, overspend, act aggressively, or engage in risky sexual

behavior. “Negative emotions seem to make people act in the moment, and to

disregard future consequences,” says Willingham. “[I]indulging provides short-

term relief from anxiety, and so seems rational in the moment... When a student

does act impulsively, a calm, warm correction and redirection of the student is

more likely to prevent further impulsive acts than a rebuke that makes the student

feel bad.”

- Dealing with lapses – When a dieter eats a brownie, it can lead the person to give

up on the diet. Successful classrooms try to keep impulsive students from “falling

off the wagon,” and when they do, provide warm and reassuring support that they

can successfully get back on the wagon.

- Removing cues – Impulsive behavior is enabled by temptations and opportunities,

in the same way that a recovering alcoholic’s resolve is undermined by being at a

party where drinks are being served. This goes back to classroom management –

structuring classroom routines to minimize opportunities for poor self-regulation

to manifest itself. Willingham describes a first-grade classroom that had just

acquired a rabbit as a classroom pet, providing a constant distraction to children

sitting nearby. The teacher placed an attractive wall hanging between the rabbit’s

cage and the area where children were sitting. Problem solved.

“Helping students better self-regulate is a daunting task because it seems such a

personal, permanent quality of an individual,” concludes Willingham. “But researchers

have shown that it is open to change, and they also have shown that good self-regulation

is associated with a broad spectrum of positive academic and social outcomes, and that

poor self-regulation is associated with greater risk of correspondingly bad outcomes.

These facts highlight the urgency for teachers to do all they can to help students grow in

this area.”

© Copyright 2015 Marshall Memo LLC