Plan, Don't Panic: Learning at Home

PBIS Positive News March 2020

PBIS Positive News February 2020

PBIS Positive News January 2020

PBIS Positive News December 2019

PBIS Positive News November

HAWKS ARE STRONG TOGETHER AGAINST BULLYING AND DRUGS! 

October is an important month—it contains both National Bullying Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week.  To celebrate both, this year our students will be challenged to be STRONG TOGETHER against bullying behaviors and drug abuse.  Students will be challenged to flex their kindness, physical, creative and bravery muscles to stop bullying before it can happen, and to protect themselves and their friends against drug abuse. 

Throughout October guidance counselors Lisa German and Shawn Einarson will visit classrooms to conduct lessons in recognizing, stopping, and preventing bullying behaviors and in avoiding drug abuse.  As part of these lessons, each classroom will sign a pledge to show that they, as a class, will be STRONG TOGETHER against bullying and drugs.   

Here are some other ways we can be STRONG TOGETHER to prevent bullying this fall: 

• On October 1st, students, teachers, and staff will wear red white and blue to show that we are strong together against bullying.  Colorful shirts, nail polish, socks, hair accessories and bandannas are encouraged! 

• Each week in October, students will receive a specific challenge designed to encourage them to practice inclusion and kindness, and to stand up to bullying. 
• Students will sign mini pledges—also perfectly sized as bookmarks—as reminders that they can make Hawks Rise a bully-free school. 

Here are some ways we can be STRONG TOGETHER in learning about drug abuse prevention. 

• Celebrate Red Ribbon Week: October 28th-November 1st 
• Monday is Strong Together Against Drugs! (Wear red) 

• Tuesday is Sock it to Drugs! (Wear silly socks) 
• Wednesday is Team up Against Drugs! (Team shirts) 
• Thursday is Say "Boo" to Drugs!" (Character book dress up day) 
• Friday is Friends don't let Friends do Drugs! (Wear school shirts or Nest colors) 

Families, we would love for you to join us so that we can be even stronger together against bullying and drugs.  Ask your child what he or she learned about stopping bullying in the classroom.  Remind them that growing bodies and minds deserve to be drug free.  Join us in teaching your child that kindness, inclusion, and courage can help us all stop bullying and drug abuse from happening not just in October, but all year long. 

PBIS POSITIVE NEWS September 

Welcome back to school, Hawks!  Our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) focus this month is CONFLICT RESOLUTION.  Teachers in every grade will conduct 10 lessons on topics such as friendship skills, inclusion, kindness, patience, attentiveness to others, self-control, and cooperation. Students will learn the Hawks Rise Expectations and practice them daily.  Mastering these positive character traits will lead to increased success in school, at home, and in the community, because when we follow the expectations, we are free to learn and grow! 

Have Respect * Act Responsibly * Work Hard * Keep a Positive Attitude * Stay Safe 

 Coming in October:  Bully Prevention Month, Red Ribbon Week, and Positive Character Traits. 

Congratulations families, you have made it to the last nine weeks of the 2018-19 school year!  Your child has been working, eating, playing and putting up with the same classmates for nearly eight months, and chances are, they all feel like siblings at the end of a long car ride:  cooped up and maybe a little touchy.  This is the time we see an increase in the “she looked at me” or “he took my seat” complaints, and if we are prepared, we can help our kids remember that they are still friends, even if they are growing a little too close for comfort. 

To avoid the “long car ride” scenes, teachers here have been using the Sanford Harmony curriculum, which helps our students connect in positive ways.  In some classrooms, students are paired with buddies for discussion and projects.  Your child’s “buddy” changes frequently and will often be a student outside his friend group.  This encourages students to engage in positive interactions with every single member of their class over the course of the school year.  As students become better acquainted, empathy, kindness, and tolerance should grow.   

If your child is looking for fresh start, encourage her to try talking with a new “buddy” and learning how that child can become a friend.  Remind her that it is good practice to tell friends why you care for them, and to enjoy spending time with both old and new friends. 

Here’s to a harmonious end to the 2018-19 school year! 

PBIS NEWS:  Marching Forward  

Hello Hawks!  Spring Break is coming soon which often means shifts in bedtimes, meal times, and if your family travels, possibly even time zones.  All that fun can be stressful unless we are proactive and anticipate a few bumps in the road.  This year, consider preparing your children for the activities of the week by using these tools. 

1. Create visuals.  Many children feel calmer when they know what is coming and when.  in addition to telling your children about the day ahead, make a check sheet with words or pictures so that they can easily see what is coming next. 

1. Design distractions.  Before embarking on an activity that may present frustrations, challenge your child to a game of I spy, state license plates, 1 2 3 mouse, silly walks, or another game to keep them occupied. 

1. Anticipate delays.  Pack snacks, quiet games, or small surprises and treats for those minutes or hours you may spend in line at the amusement park or at the gate at the airport.   

1. Maintain rituals.  If you tuck your child in with a story at bedtime, or watch a cartoon with breakfast, continue this practice through your vacation.  In a day of excitement and new experiences, old familiar habits can be soothing. 

1. Look for the behavior you want to see.  When your child sits through a long dinner or remains calm during delays, notice and praise their success.   

We hope you savor the extra family time this month, make happy memories, and finish the break feeling refreshed and ready for the last weeks of the school year.