Meeting the Needs

The second week of the month is always a busy one for teachers, as many of us lead or attend  meetings around the district.  This past week, we bounced from curriculum council and liaison meetings to a school board meeting, from a technology committee meeting to a PTS meeting, and then a building staff meeting.  In addition, there were a handful of special education meetings sprinkled throughout the week.  Each of these meetings has its own individual purpose, yet each discussion and decision always contributes back to the overall mission of the school.  That mission truly wraps all these meetings together.

Two key parts of the mission of Benzie Schools:

1. "...provide a safe learning environment..."
The staff and students at Betsie Valley Elementary School conducted a Code Red Lockdown drill on Wednesday afternoon.  We have a detailed plan which requires the cooperation of everyone on staff as well as the students to maintain safety in the event of an emergency posing an immediate physical threat in or around our building.  A huge "Thank You" to you if you were a part of this drill.  The crisis plan is consistently being adjusted and updated to ensure we are always doing everything within our control to assure everyone's safety while at school.

2. "...motivate all students to reach their highest potential..."
We try to help students to understand that knowledge is important, and that the key to knowledge is learning.  When students understand this, their motivation comes from within themselves.  This is called intrinsic motivation.  However, when this kind of motivation wanes, like we all know it can on occasion, students need extrinsic motivation for learning.  Students don't always see the big picture, or understand why "this" is important to learn.  At other times, they may not understand a new concept, and that can lead to frustration.  Therefore, we strive to always make learning exciting, use technology, develop hands-on lessons, and make the lessons relevant to their lives.  We strive to consistently involve both sides of the brain in this process, catering to the many different learning styles that students exhibit.  Betsie Valley truly is a great place for students to learn and grow!!


Here are some great things I noticed during the past week at Betsie Valley Elementary:

Every student was given an opportunity to shop for gifts to give their family members at the Christmas Bazaar.  Several families donated gently used items.  Other families donated some new items.  Still other items were purchased by our PTS.  A group of parents volunteered their entire days wrapping those gifts.  This year's Bazaar was especially made possible by Michelle Tinoco and her "extra mile" efforts.  Thanks Michelle!

Fifth graders demonstrated great servant leadership this week as they helped wrap presents for 1st graders at our Christmas Bazaar on Monday.  They were not asked to help.  They simply saw a need and then helped meet it.

Snow blanketed the playground early in the week, providing a new element of fun for kids at recess, especially those continuing to play Four Square!

Mrs. Sauer invited kids to sit in her chair and chat as she wrapped the Christmas gifts they bought for their brothers and sisters at the Bazaar.

Mrs. Dodge's new kindergarten classroom is looking great and coming together in a hurry!  Mr. Fekete finished painting the walls and put the cabinets in, and Mr. Zelinski hung the smartboard and replaced the bathroom sink.

Students in Mr. Kelly, Mrs. Travis, Mr. Cox, Mrs. Corey, and Mrs. Gramzow's classes are all utilizing the set of Title I iPad's to enrich what they're learning in their reading and writing lessons.

Savannah, in fourth grade, was reading so quickly, accurately, and fluently for Ms. Herban during partner reads, that it became a challenge for Ms. Herban to keep up and to track it on Savannah's graph!  Great work, Savannah!

I got mobbed with hugs in Mrs. Erfourth's 1st grade class...again.  They come out of nowhere!

Here is the schedule for Tuesday's PLC meetings: (Click on image to enlarge)

Articles Worth Your Time:

You're doing better than you think

Very Short Stories That Will Make You Smile

Videos Worth Your Time:

Lost Generation - (Watch it all the way through)