Happy Fall Bears! I can't believe I am actually saying that! What a change of weather we have had in the last few days. Here are things that are happening or have been happening as October has gotten started.
All of our students have been assessed using the iReady diagnostic screeners. Data has been analyzed by our teachers and Title team, WIN groups have been formed in Literacy and Math, and groups started running on Monday the 2nd. The Literacy diagnostic is new to us so we will be watching our students closely to determine if we need to shuffle groups to best support their needs.
After school tutoring also started on Tuesday of this week. While not every teacher is tutoring, please reach out to your teacher if you are interested in having your student participate. We will do our best to see if we have a group or staff member to support them. Tutoring happens on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30-8:00 AM and/or from 3:40-4:10 PM depending on the teacher's availability.
This month during our Character Strong time, grade levels are learning about Responsibility. The various grade levels will be focusing on the following:
Kindergarten--knowing what following directions looks like, sounds like and feels like, practicing those skills in a variety of tasks/activities, learning how to ask questions for understanding and practicing using 2/3 step directions with a partner.
1st grade--learning ways to practice responsibility with their hands, feet, ears, eyes, and mouth, exploring what it feels like and looks like to manage distractions, learning to focus, and how to self-monitor during important tasks.
2nd grade--learning what a responsible circle looks like, determining actions that demonstrate responsibility at school, and demonstrating how specific responsibility impacts others.
3rd grade--identifying how they can show responsibility in specific situations, exploring TOP goals and creating one for themselves, practice flexible thinking and identifying obstacles to their goals, and creating skits to practice and show their learning.
4th grade--learning the importance of organization and the 3T's model, putting time management skills into practice, determining the importance of organizing their thoughts, and learning how to organize tasks to achieve their goals.
5th grade--exploring TOP goals and create a TOP goal poster, working in groups to create a plan for achieving their responsibility goals, evaluating their time management and building time management skills, and creating goals with accountability partners.
Conference times were pushed back later in the fall which gives us a greater opportunity to get to know your students. In the Upcoming Events you can see our conference dates. The conference sign up link will become live on Oct. 9th at 4:00 PM. We are fortunate to have extra interpreters from the district on the 17th only. Letters will also go home in Thursday folders soon. Here is the link you will use at that time: www.myconferencetime.com/bryant
We continue to need your help with morning drop off for students that are eating breakfast. As a reminder, only students that are eating breakfast should enter school through our front entrance, UNLESS, they are late for school. The curb out front has been painted red and is a no parking zone. There is also a no parking sign out front to help remind you of this. When you pull up, you should stop long enough for your child(ren) to get out of the car and close the door. Then you should drive away. If you want to make sure your child makes it in the front door, please park in a parking space and walk your child(ren) in. Watching from the drop off line slows down the traffic.
Last year we found through conversations, student surveys, attendance data, and anecdotal records that we have a growing number of students who are not allowed to participate in Halloween. While we agree that is a parent decision, we determined that it was enough of a presence in our school that we were going to try something different this year. In addition, the later conferences and Red Ribbon week add challenges to our school celebration days. Below you will see visuals for both Homecoming dress up days as well as Red Ribbon Week dress up days. Both will come home as flyers as well so you can see them in their totality. Our schedule for the last two weeks of October will be as follows:
Oct. 23rd No School due to Conferences
Oct. 24th Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Day #1
Oct. 25th Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Day #2
Oct. 26th Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Day #3
Oct. 27th No School due to being a Conference Exchange Day
Oct. 30th Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Day #4 and a Special Event
Oct. 31st Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Day #5 and a Special Event
Nov. 1st Special Event
Nov. 2nd Special Event
Nov. 3rd Fall Parties (Please reach out to classroom teachers if you would like to volunteer to help with their classroom party)
You will notice above that there are several fun opportunities for students to participate in which will take the place of Halloween costumes and the parade we have had in the past on Oct. 31st.
Thank you for partnering with us in your child's education.
Dr. Holcomb
