Lincoln Family Newsletter

Our BPS Mission: "Empower every learner to thrive."

Our BPS Vision: "Together, our strong relationships build inclusive, collaborative, and innovative environments that create agency and inspire a passion for learning, excellence, and discovery."

We are committed to continuous school improvement and value your feedback in this process. Each month, we will be asking for your input on the same key questions to help us track progress and address any concerns.

This month's survey focuses on two areas:

1. School Environment: We want to know how you feel about the implementation of our school rules, emergency management systems (such as severe weather and fire drills), and whether you believe Lincoln Elementary is a safe and orderly place.

2. School Success: We’d also like your thoughts on how effectively we are celebrating student success, including recognizing students with Sparks, Lightning Bucks, Bolts, and other achievements through positive phone calls home, celebration assemblies, and the BOLT wall in the foyer.

Your input is crucial as we work together to create the best possible environment for our students. Simply click the link below:

November Family Insight Survey

This November, our school-wide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) theme is respect, and students will be exploring ways to show respect in their actions, relationships, and community. We will begin the month focusing on gratitude, teaching students to express thankfulness and appreciate what they have. In the second week, we’ll highlight inclusion and diversity, helping students understand the importance of embracing differences and ensuring everyone feels welcome. Next, we will focus on patience, where students will learn how waiting calmly and being understanding reflects respect for others. Finally, we will end the month with integrity, encouraging students to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. We encourage you to talk to your children about these values and celebrate their hard work throughout the month!

As the holiday season approaches, it brings a mix of excitement and, for many families, added emotional and financial stress. To help ease this burden, several community programs are now accepting applications for assistance with holiday meals and gifts, but deadlines are fast approaching.

If you need help obtaining winter gear, we encourage you to reach out proactively before the colder weather arrives.

For more details or to apply for any of these programs, please contact our School Social Worker, Mrs. Katie Richter, at 701-323-4310 ext. 2755 or via email at katie_richter@bismarckschools.org. Keep in mind that these programs typically operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so early application is essential.

Lincoln Elementary school will serve as a voting site for the upcoming election on November 5. While BPS is proud to participate in this important process, we also are committed to ensuring the safety of students and staff. We have carefully planned to implement a range of safety measures designed to minimize disruptions and make certain our students are in a secure environment throughout the day.

These measures include:

• Increased supervision: Additional staff and supervision will be in the building to provide extra oversight and security
• Voter access to building: Our gym will be used for voting. Voters will enter through Door 8 (North side of gym) and exit through Door 9 (East side of gym). Voters will only be allowed in the gym. Gym classes will be relocated for the day.

• Parking: The back (East side) parking lot will be exclusively for voters. Voters may also park on McCurry Way.

• Arrival and Dismissal: Buses will be using the main loop (Southwest side of campus). Our three buses will drop off and pick up students on the West end of the loop (nearest the new addition). We have made a schedule adjustment so our bus students are loaded and buses gone before our Kindergarten students are dismissed.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Please feel free to reach out to administration if you have any questions or concerns.

Here at Lincoln Elementary, our school-wide behavior plan is centered on promoting and recognizing appropriate behaviors. These are actions that reflect being responsible, respectful, safe, and kind.

The purpose of this plan is to:

• Provide a common approach to discipline
• Establish clear school-wide expectations
• Teach these expectations directly to all students
• Encourage and reinforce appropriate behavior
• Discourage inappropriate behavior
• Collect and utilize data to continually improve our approach

Below you can read about the different aspects of our school-wide behavior plan.

Sparks are given to students for meeting/displaying schoolwide behavior expectations which are tied to the Lincoln Beliefs and/or Second Step lessons. Each classroom teacher develops a plan to assist students in responsibly collecting their Sparks. Bi-monthly, each classroom will visit “The Storm Cloud” to redeem their Sparks for prizes.

Students who go above and beyond expected behaviors will receive a Bolt from the staff member that witnesses the behavior. Bolts are a carbon copy certificate which is filled out by a staff member. The student will keep the original and the carbon copy is turned into the principal. The student is recognized at the monthly Student Assembly. Students receive a Lightning Pin for the first Bolt they receive each school year.

Traveling Trophies are awarded each month during the Schoolwide Celebration Assembly to classrooms that display exceptional behaviors in their specials, at recess, and in the hallways. Teachers will nominate the winners each month and the class with the most votes for the month will be recognized and receive a traveling trophy at the monthly schoolwide student assembly.

During the monthly schoolwide behavior celebration, all classrooms will meet in the gymnasium to celebrate positive behaviors. Students who have received a Bolt will be recognized in front of the school, earning a pin for their first Bolt of the school year. A fun activity, often involving students and teachers, occurs each month, special awards and announcements are shared, and the school song is led by the classrooms which receive the traveling trophies from the previous assembly.

At Lincoln Elementary, when students make a behavior mistake, they may receive a "Fix-It" as part of our reteaching process. The goal of the Fix-It is to help students reflect on their behavior and learn from it. During this reteach, the adult works with the student using the STEP process, which is a problem-solving method taught in Second Step lessons across all elementary grades.

Here’s what STEP stands for:

• S: Say the Problem without blame
• T: Think of Solutions
• E: Explore Consequences (good and bad)
• P: Pick the Best Solution

The purpose is to help students think through alternative solutions, understand the consequences of their choices, and determine how they can handle similar situations in the future. Depending on the severity of the behavior, additional consequences may be applied.

Additionally, it is the expectation of our team that parents will receive a phone call if a student needs to work through a reteach with a Lincoln staff member. These phone calls will come from the classroom teacher, student support services, or administration. This ensures that families are informed and can partner with us in supporting their child’s growth.

At Lincoln, when a major discipline issue occurs, it is documented through what we call a "Bottom Line." A Bottom Line is issued when a student exhibits behavior that violates BPS policy, and it comes with appropriate discipline measures.

In these cases, parents will always be informed with a phone call to ensure they are aware of the situation and can support their child in making better choices moving forward. This approach helps us maintain clear communication and ensure students understand the importance of responsible behavior.

At Lincoln, students can earn Sparks for demonstrating positive behavior and following schoolwide & classroom expectations. Once they collect ten Sparks, they can exchange them for one Lightning Buck. Every other week, classrooms will have the opportunity to visit our Storm Cloud, where students can spend their Lightning Bucks on a variety of fun prizes from our prize buckets.

Students also have the option to save their Lightning Bucks for higher-valued rewards, encouraging them to set goals and make thoughtful choices. Shopping at the Storm Cloud has been a big hit with our students, and they’re really enjoying the chance to earn and spend their Bucks!

We want to share some important information regarding the bus conduct report process. There may be times when bus conduct reports are delayed due to the number of steps involved in getting the information to us. Here's how the process works: the bus driver submits the report to Harlows, Harlows forwards it to BPS, and BPS then sends it to Lincoln Elementary. While we understand this may feel less than efficient, please know that our commitment to ensuring the safety of all students is unwavering. Even with a delayed response, we WILL address each report thoroughly.

Here’s the information shared with students regarding consequences for bus misconduct:

• If a student doesn’t follow bus expectations, they will receive a reminder (often multiple reminders) from the bus driver.
• 1st Bus Referral: Mrs. Hurt or Mrs. Schaff will reteach bus expectations (a fix-it) and notify parents.
• 2nd Bus Referral: Another reteach will occur, parents will be notified, and consequences (could include bus suspension) will be given.
• 3rd Bus Referral: Reteach, parental notification, and additional consequences.
• 4th Bus Referral: The student will be suspended from bus service for two weeks.
• 5th Bus Referral: Possible suspension from bus service for the remainder of the school year.

Please note that Mrs. Hurt and Mrs. Schaff reserve the right to initiate disciplinary action at any level based on the severity of the behavior. We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to ensure a safe journey for all students, every day!

At Lincoln Elementary, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where all students can thrive. An important part of this is helping students understand the difference between bullying and conflict. Bullying involves repeated, intentional harm with an imbalance of power, while conflict is a disagreement between individuals with equal power.

Our dedicated staff and counselors use resources like the Second Step Curriculum to proactively address both bullying and conflict, teaching students the skills they need to resolve issues respectfully. We also encourage students to be allies—standing up for one another and reporting bullying to foster a positive, inclusive school community.

For more information, please refer to the attached BPS "Bullying vs. Conflict" brochure, which is also available on our Lincoln Elementary School website. Additional resources can be found on the BPS website.

Please attend this month's PTO meeting November 5th at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will last one hour (or less) and will take place in the Lincoln Elementary Collaboration Room. Come in door 1 and take a right. The door to the collaboration room is immediately around the corner! See you there!

November 5, 2024 Meeting Agenda (draft as of 11-1-24)

This month will be Fridays (November 1, 15 and 22) from right after school until 5:00. $45 per artist for the month of November. Creativity is encouraged! If bringing an after school snack it needs to be a single serve prepackaged snack and nut free. Sanitizer will be available. If suffering any symptoms the artist should refrain from coming to class. Class size limited to 25 . Please pre register at November Art Club

NOVEMBER

1 - Red Ribbon Week - Wear Peace Signs or Tie Dye

5 - Election Day (Gym will be utilized for voting)

5 - PTO Meeting (6:30)

8 - No School (Parent Teacher Conference Day Off)

11 - No School (Veteran's Day)

14 - 4th Grade (Karch, Merriman & Olson) Music Performance 6:00

14 - BPS School Board Meeting (5:15)

15 - End of Trimester 1

25 - BPS School Board Meeting (5:15)

28 - No School (Thanksgiving)

29 - No School (Thanksgiving)

DECEMBER

3 - 3rd Grade (Bales, Thompson & Weisz) Music Performance 6:00

3 - PTO Meeting (6:30)

9 - BPS School Board Meeting (5:15)

20 - Last Day before Holiday Break

JANUARY

2 - School Resumes after Holiday Break

7 - PTO Meeting (6:30)

Email: melissa_hurt@bismarckschools.org
Website: www.bismarckschools.org/lincoln
Location: 3320 McCurry Way, Lincoln, ND, USA
Phone: 701-323-4310
Facebook: facebook.com/LincolnElementaryBismarckPublicSchools

Any third party non-school district events in this newsletter

are not sponsored/endorsed by Bismarck Public Schools.