Sunday, May 19, 2013
Good To Great - Reflection #4
At this point you should be over half way through Good to Great. When you take a look back for some of you a few months and others only a few days since you joined the Brilla Team I want you to think and answer this question. EVERY organization sets out with inspirations to become great and while we have done a ton of work already to set ourselves apart and get ahead what our some ideas you want to see Brilla do to make our school not just good but GREAT. I want to gather a ton of ideas of what all of you amazing people have built into your heads for amazing ideas. It could be related to anything: academics, culture (dances, discipline systems), sports, parent involvement ideas, traditions you had at your own school growing up, ways field day should be run, anything that you could put out there for us to consider.
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There are a few items over the past year in seeing all 150 different schools and thinking back to my childhood I would love to see:
ReplyDelete- Field Day: making a huge deal of it
- having a cheerleading and dance/step team that performs at all functions
- have a talent show
- Brilla Ball (formal dance) for the entire family to join as our spring HUGE event
- Pledge of allegiance every morning
- our values being used all the time in class and the hallways: courage, justice, wisdom and self control
- Fluency singing/reading with the words to a fun song
- Public speaking with famous poetry weekly the students memorize and perform
- Very active parent involvement committee
- Father's day celebration with dad/males leading an activity for students
Staff:
- Daily shout outs that do not need to only be saved up and said at PD.
- Staff bringing their friends and family to work for events and just to hang out
- Staff wanting to attend staff extra curricular functions without being forced =)
- Staff playing in a sports league together
- name a teacher of the year
- reward staff for going above and beyond
Community:
- Have each semester a BIG event where Brilla reaches out to the community and invited everyone (block party, clean up, etc)
- Have a handful of our field trips be in our community and show our students how so much is right in their backyard
- Bring in speakers for our students to hear
Bring in WS's for parents from the community for parent WS days
- Partner with organizations to hold a fundraiser and give back tot he community teach our students about giving back
Long Term:
- an actual baseball and soccer team/s for our school where we actually have so many kids we play each other
- Mentor program with community members and students
I could go on forever as I have a ton of ideas and have seen a lot but you must let them sit and filter the best ones out and take the approach of doing a few AMAZING rather than a ton ok.
Mr. Gillaspie, I love your ideas about how to connect to the community. I think naturally when thinking about new ideas for a school teachers automatically think about events for the student (or staff); and I think connecting to the community is crucial, especially for a brand new school opening up. When thinking about giving back I also thought of St. Marys so close to us, and getting involved in cleaning up the park/planting trees/flowers. So many ways to get involved!
DeleteWhen considering ideas the first thing that came to mind was a mascot. I hope we select one. Below are some ideas I came up with, remembered from my days in school or borrowed from schools where I have volunteered.
ReplyDelete•Health club for kids: learn about healthy eating habits, exercise, and hygiene
•Math competitions: each class hosts a competition the last week of the month during first semester, each class rep competes for school title during second semester.
•Spelling bee
•Speech club
•Crazy hat day (could be a class fund raiser)
•Dance team
•Character Champ day: students and teachers dress up as favorite characters from a book they have read, parade to celebrate reading, parents invited
•100th day of school: integrate the celebration to class topics in math, history, science, reading, etc.
•Caring workshop for students: teaches students how to identify bullying and handle bullying situations in a positive way
•Reading buddies: older students learn to give back by reading to younger students
•Annual family fun night
•Friday night Dinner and a movie: kids come in their pjs and bring a pillow, stuffed animal or favorite blanket. Sale of pizza, drinks, chips, candy, and school mascot stuffed animal with discount for advance purchase the week of the event (could be a school fundraiser).
•Digital story writing
•Student day: recognition of hardest working students and their achievements
Staff
•Save what’s left: recycling and environmental awareness
•Brilla nights: attend an event (sports, comedy club, etc.) for release of stress and fun outside of work
•Hot coffee machine in teacher’s lounge
•Support/training conferences with guest speakers: i.e., NYPD on safety, Apple on new technology, Communication (connect to schools/students in other countries), etc.
Community
•Multicultural festival: parents, staff, and community showcase culture with food, dance, art, poetry, books, and traditional garments
•Parents Advocacy Committee: volunteers, patrol/crime watch,
•Open house for future applicants
Ms. Ortiz - I loved the idea of celebrating the 100th day of school. I remember doing that in my elementary school and it was always one of the most memorable days of the school year. The Parents Advocacy Committee is also a great idea, it's important to connect the parents to our mission and vision.
DeleteHere are some ideas from my Elementary/Middle School days!
ReplyDelete- Kindergarten Orchestra: Very simple instruments for all the students and a performance at the end of the school year.
- Kindergarten Science Fair: Students were assigned a "science project" and demonstrated it at the yearly science fair.
- "Love Bags": The parents/families/friends of the students decorate and fill a big brown paper bag with letters of love, support, photos and special memories for the student.
- Each class decorated their own banner to be displayed throughout the school. This banner was complete with all of the students' names.
- "Rain Forest Tour": In our school, the 3rd grade class would decorate their hallway to resemble a Rain Forest. Prior to the "tour," the students would learn about different animals/elements of the Rain Forest and then lead the other students in the school through the Rain Forest Hallway.
- World Folk Dance Day: Every other year, each grade would be assigned a country and then learn their traditional dance. The dances were performed in celebration in front of the entire school.
- State Project: Similar to a science fair, each student was assigned a state to research and report on at the State Fair. Every student was responsible for making a "state hat," "state food," and a diorama representing the state.
- Spirit Week! Every day during Spirit Week had a different theme. Some days were crazy hats, crazy socks, or crazy hair. We also had "Penny Wars" during Spirit Week, each class collected pennies, but the pennies could be cancelled out by other classes if they donated nickels, dimes, or quarters. The class that successfully raised the most pennies donated their money to an organization of their choice!
- "Greece and Rome Day": After researching a certain ancient figure, the students would come in dressed up as their character and report on who they were and why they were famous. We would also celebrate with Greek food!
These were some of my favorite events growing up! Also, each event really added to my confidence in public speaking and the development of my creative nature- which I believe is an integral element to a students' success.
Ms. Clair,
DeleteI adore the idea of having "love bags" made! It's such a wonderful feeling to have those words of encouragement and support. It reminds me of another feel-good, confidence booster I've used before. I call it the "warm-fuzzy jar". It was literally a fuzzy jar (Easy DYI project) which we use for one student each week. Everyone in the class writes a little note (anonymous or not) to the Student of the Week. At the end of the week the Student gets to read all of the warm fuzzy notes! It's definitely a heart warming smile getter!
Ms. Clair,
DeleteI like the orchestra idea and having students learn an instrument. I was at Horace Mann this week and say and 2nd grader play a concerto it was amazing! I want students at Brilla to be able to play concertos and learn instruments. I believe this is something that should be made available to our scholars.
Here are some ideas to really create a very communal sense to Brilla:
ReplyDelete3rd grade retreat/sleepover: A celebration/trip students will look forward to when getting to 3rd grade. We can do a road trip or even an over night slumber party in the school.
Daddy/Daughter Dance: A recognition dance for all dad's and father figures in our student's lives. It will be a great way to involve families, especially those father figures that play a huge role in a little girls life.
Bake Sales: We can make this a Mott Haven event to raise funds for the community and school.
Fashion Shows: Since students will always be wearing their uniforms during the school day, it would be fun to have them showcase their favorite outfits or traditional wear and make an event out of it.
As far as staff goes, team work and really bonding events are will make a huge difference in the way Brilla progresses. Being a new school, we all need to be on the same page and really uplift each other. So game nights, happy hours, sports teams and monthly events that will bring us closer and unite the Brilla team.
The idea of a father/daughter dance sounds lovely and endearing, especially to involve father figures directly. However, do you think it could cause issues if a child doesn't have a father figure around? What kind of implications could this have? By trying to be inclusive, we could end up excluding people. I really like this idea though, and the thought that goes behind it!
DeleteFor staff: a clean, comfortable teachers lounge, time to eat together, frequent bonding events in a variety of formats (baseball game, cooking class, game night, etc.), easy access to office supplies, technology needs met, personalized acknowledgment for successes, swag, flexible scheduling for personal/sick days, frequent feedback, transparency in systems, GOOD professional development, fun ways to show appreciation for each other (ex. secret holiday gnome, secret leprechaun), secret activity that can happen during the school day that students dont know about
ReplyDeleteFor families: Systems to promote frequent communication and accountability, variety of opportunities to be involved, monthly events that teach skills OR events that build community (daddy/daughter dance, sock hop, book fair, uniform swap, teachers vs. families competition, tea party, multi-cultural day, dance, talent show, skate night, potluck, lock-in, field day, spelling bee, mathletes competition, art show, plays, performances) to keep relationships strong
For kids: easy access to a lot of books! tracking of student progress, guest speakers, frequent field trips/opportunities to experience different things, experiential learning activities,structured opportunities for socialization (clubs, out of school events), structured systems to recognize student achievement, computers!, MANY enrichment activities, explicit lessons in character, so much praise :), volunteer activities to increase their sense of civic duty, structured opportunities to interact with kids of different ages through mentoring, empowerment to take ownership of parts of the school (ex. class jobs, projects that let them deeply pursue an interest, fun days (crazy hair and socks, dress like a teacher, etc.), celebration of holidays, honor roll celebration, fun competitions like chant competition in HRs, door decorating contest, etc.
All: silly rituals and traditions that make Brilla unique! (Handshakes, chant, annual competitions/events, catch phrase), everybody decked out in Brilla gear like its the coolest thing EVER!!
Starting building traditions that students will remember and get excited for before even experiencing. For example:
ReplyDelete- 1st grade pancake breakfasts where they can bring in a stuffed animal and teachers make pancakes for their students.
- Halloween parade- one grade can dress up and the rest of the school gathers while each child walks in his/her costume
-Field day grade-wide race. Wrapping up field day, each grade races across the field as other grades and teachers cheer on
-Popsicle day
-5th grade buddies/Kindergarten: each fifth grader has a Kindergraten buddy that he/she "mentors". once every two months, teachers arrange for them to get together to play in the park or do a learning activity together. a great way to build a sense of responsibility in the older kids, and a time that both ages really look forward to.
-one grade can make lemonade and sell to students in other grades (parents will provide money) to help raise money to buy, for example, new soccer balls for the school.
Good News- each week, people can write good deeds that someone did for them. At the end of each week, they are read during assembly to the entire school. ex "Carly from 2A wants to thank Liz from 2C for helping her pick up a bin of markers when she dropped them in the hallway. Thanks for the helping hand!"
Compliments to classmates- each child has an envelope in the classroom where people can write compliments or thank yous on post its. At the end of each day, children can check their envelopes before going home.
Parents volunteer during library time to read to each class.
Diversity discussion/education for students
Students put on a performance for parents and rest of school
ex- Native American dance, traditional African dance, Immigration Simulation, Vocal performances
Community give back volunteer projects
Using music/lyrics to reinforce literacy
Show and Tell exhibitions (can be a reward for outstanding whole group behavior)
Class composition book paired with stuffed animal- each week a student can take it home for the weekend and write an entry in the class book about something they did with the stuffed animal (took it to the park with family, brought it to the grocery store,etc)
Photo blog of students throughout the school day for parents to enjoy
My Name Is board- each week a different student is featured. Student brings in photos of family, baby picture, and small items that are meaningful to him/her; presents board to class on Friday
Publishing Parties- students create books and parents are invited to "publishing parties" that are hosted by each class. Students get to read their books to their parents, and parents can leave notes for their children about their writing
Hi Ms. Wang,
DeleteYour ideas are so wonderful! I really love your idea of the community give back volunteer projects. I believe that this would be such an incredible way to engage the community in a positive way. I also adore your idea of diversity discussions for the students and also the Brilla community as a whole. I think being able to "break down" diversity and have dialogues about it at young ages is so important because it makes it easier having conversations about diversity later on in life. I wish my school had sponsored talks such as these!
Have a great weekend!
You guys have proposed some awesome ideas! I personally would love to see competitive sports become a part of our school's identity even at the K or 1st grade levels. Many of our kids in Mott Haven simply aren't exposed to a variety of sports and I would love to see them learn to internalize our four Cardinal Values through competition in sports.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to go along with Mrs. Martinez's daddy/daughter dance idea, I'd say we could organize a mom/daughter tea parties, father/son flag football or dodgeball competitions, etc...again with the aim of putting a focus on those parent relationships that are so vital to the long term stability of a child's upbringing.
For faculty I think we need to ensure that we plan regular happy hours, retreats, team sports and also open up opportunities for us to serve the community in extracurricular activities that make us visible outside of our school walls. Whether its cleaning sidewalks/streets together with all of us in our Brilla t-shirts or some other type of community service, I think it's important that the residents of Mott Haven not only know us collectively as "those guys from that school on 144th", but that they get to know us (and we get to know them) in meaningful ways outside of our responsibilities as an academic institution.
Mr. Martinez, I agree with your idea about sports! So many of our kids know basketball, baseball and football--and that's almost it. I would love for our scholars to be exposed to soccer, track, gymnastics, double dutch, handball, etc. Not only are sports fun, but they build so much character in students!
DeleteMr. Martinez, I'm right on board with you about making the Brilla staff a presence in the community besides just coming and going. Even our paertnership with Bronx Works to this point has been really great to build relationships and create a presence. I remember reading a long time ago about an "in-house" phone directory that a small community made whereby they were permitted to list their local businesses to encourage community members to go "in house" when looking for a local plumber, seamstress, babysitter, electrician, etc.! Your post got me thinking that that might be a cool way to help Brilla families connect with each other and be good for us too!
DeleteI love the ideas I have seen above already (and I thought about a lot of the same ones!). Here are a few more ideas that I had as well.
ReplyDeleteFor kids:
- Spirit Days: scholars get to dress up in some way (favorite story book character, pajama day, favorite athlete/singer, crazy hair day, etc.)
- Cultural Carnival/Potluck: A celebration with parents where student perform songs/dances/poems from different cultures and parents bring in food from their own culture
- Meeting an author: If possible brining in an author that writes various children’s books (Mo Willem, Kevin Henkes, etc.)
- 2-3 non-academic field trips (bowling/skating); and of course academic ones as well!
- Breakfast and books (every other month or so): parents come in a bring a small breakfast dish and sit with their scholars and just read together while they eat breakfast (an hour or so)
- Teacher Buddy (this would come later down the line): For students who may be struggling a lot behaviorally they can have a teacher buddy—someone they can hang out with outside of school (not their own teacher); and build a close relationship with—think Big Brother/Sister
For staff:
- College t-shirt Fridays (my kids loved seeing all the Penn shirts I owned; and they always asked about the different t-shirts/colleges other teachers were wearing—great way to promote different colleges)
- Team dinners
- Happy hours
- Book club
- Game nights
- (Overnight) Retreats (annually/bi-annually)
Lastly, I think it is very crucially that we think about norming a Behavior System that all teachers use versus on a class-by-class basis; of course with some students having an individualized plan when appropriate. This will make it easier for Specials teacher and also when we are working with other scholars. I think we need to think thoroughly on what kind of behavior systems work (Aaron, this is where your extensive knowledge/research comes in); to be able to build a positive culture that is academically demanding for our children and with set boundaries, but also a place where they feel comfortable and excited to come to school every single day and where kids can be kids.
I am excited for the fall!
Ms. Cuevas - I really liked your college t-shirt Fridays idea. One of our most important goals is to send every Brilla student to college, and give them the greatest education they can achieve. This is a great way to constantly connect Brilla's students to college and also rep our Alma Mater.
DeleteThese are some great ideas, here are some ideas and memories from elementary:
ReplyDeleteFor students:
-Big brother/big sister program: In our first year, we will assign a first grader to be a big brother or big sister to a K student. Every year, on the first day of school, each first grader will find out who their little brother/sister is (this is similar to the Greek system on campuses, where eventually you have long families).
-Art Showcase: over the course of the school year, students will work on different art projects that will then be showcased one night to the community, families, etc.
-Science Fair: similar to the art showcase, but something that shows passionate scientific exploration of a topic.
-Service Day: this can be on one of the 1/2 days, where we will split up into different service projects across the city (or just the Bronx) and volunteer.
-"Mascot" of the Week: If we choose a mascot, say the "wildcats" for example, they would be the wildcat of the week. One student from each classroom would be chosen and highlighted by having their picture/bio on some section of the school wall. By the end of the year, each person will have been highlighted.
-Parent/child event: I like a lot of the events discussed above, basically some way to bring together a parent and the child in the school setting.
-School captains: This idea would be to divide the school into 36 (or however many weeks of school there are) groups. They would wear a pin, badge, or some symbol to show they are the captain of the week. They'll remind other students of having bubbles while in the halls, tie their shoes, help pick up trash, etc. The cool part of this will be, for example, 5th graders respecting K-grade captains, building a sense of community, respect & leadership.
-Sports: organized sports would be huge for Brilla, as the idea of teamwork, leadership, and character are deeply embedded.
For Community/Parents:
-Mott Haven celebration: one saturday, we can hold an event celebrating the culture, history, etc of Mott Haven/the Bronx. Students will help spread news of the event, and it will be similar to a block party (maybe mid-June).
-Events to showcase our students: spelling bees, science fairs, etc.
-Community volunteers: help out with our sports, volunteer for after school programs, come in for a monthly speaker series, etc
For Staff:
-Retreat, or multiple during the year
-Friday happy hours
-A formal event with a nice dinner, etc
-Service day: similar to students, but a Saturday of only faculty volunteering collectively at one site
-Teacher lounge
-Monthly outing: could be to a baseball game, museum visit, etc
-Brilla Staff Softball Team: this would just be a lot of fun. We can take on KIPP.
Finally, for staff, I think it's important to start these new traditions, something that can be passed on year after year.
Mr. Larson, Your idea of assigning big brother/sister is awesome. When children help each other they develop a support system that helps them build a long lasting relationships. It is a great way for them to learn the importance of giving back and the wonderful feeling that comes from it. I wish we had this program in my elementary school.
DeleteHere are my ideas!
ReplyDeleteAcademics
At the end of every year (in June, after testing), have a Unit of study where scholars get to explore music/art/culture/etc. My school had this growing up, and in middle school/high school the unit program took us overseas. It was amazing!
For Students and Families
-Community meeting where scholars are celebrated
-Scholar of the week in each class
-Holiday Potluck
-Family dinners/dances
For Staff
-Seasonal sports teams
-Holiday dinners/parties with friends and family
-Secret Snowflake
-Birthday celebrations
-Cross-grade teams that are competitive/fun :-)
-Standing Friday Happy Hour
I'll post more when I think of them!!
Ms. Barry
I agree with Ms. Barry that we need to have a standing Friday happy hour!!!! So good for morale and a great opportunity to vent / brainstorm / build relationships outside of the work place. We need to find a convenient, CHEAP go-to bar! On the double!! :)
DeleteSome ideas I would like to see at Brilla now and in the future:
ReplyDeleteStaff
-Daily shout-outs via email or in person
-Fun PD days once a month
-Intermural sports
- Secret Santa
-Friday College Swag shirts
- Teacher and office staff appreciation
- Special coupons
-Holiday Party
-Retreat
Community/Parental Involvement
-Monthly Parent Nights
-Community Service Projects
-Math/Science Fair
-Spelling Bee
-GED Classes
-Summer Family Picnic
-End of School fair
- Health Summits
-Summer Camp
-Influential members from Mott Haven to speak
-College Tours
-College Speakers
- 3rd/4th Grade Class Trip
- Brilla Homecoming
- Brilla Hoops Team
- Brilla partnership with local universities
- Parterning with Universities School of Education
-Brilla Robotics Team
-Brilla Football Team
-Brilla stepping up day
There are more ideas that I have, but I believe this is a good start and something we can put in place this year.
Hi Mr. English,
DeleteThank you so much for your thoughtful ideas! I especially love the ideas involving the "Community/Parental Involvement." Being able to offer GED Classes or Health Summits would potentially impact the Mott Haven community more than Brilla would ever realize. Also, bringing in influential members from the Mott Haven community would be hugely important for the community. I think this would offer a great source of hope and faith in the students' bright futures!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteReally like the idea of stepping up day; seeing those proud smiles of children, parents, educators..
DeleteLove the idea of competitive sports (although I hope Mr. English can handle it if we lose! LOL).
ReplyDeleteHere are some other ideas that I don't think were listed:
Students/Families
-Poetry publishing parties
-Family vs. Staff kickball game, basketball game, etc.
-Colonial school visit (this was my favorite field trip, not sure if they have that around these parts)
-Culture Studies
-Reading night
Can't wait to see some of these ideas implemented!
I like the idea of a culture studies program. I know that we're a classically based institution and I think a program that takes into account other cultures and experiences, especially in such a minority based area, would be ideal.
DeleteMrs. Maxwell,
DeleteYour idea of Family vs. Staff games brings back fond memories for me. This is the only time I could talk a little trash to my teachers without getting in trouble:) I really love the idea very much. I did this growing up and it was something that became a tradition at my elementary school. We looked forward to big game every year.
Here is a list of my absolute favorite experiences at school:
ReplyDeleteWorld Fair - Each classroom is given a country. All subjects incorporate the country throughout the semester. At the end of the semester each classroom is decorated with everything to do with the country. The students and teachers bake/cook dishes from the country. Students become such experts on the country that they're prepared to teach students from the other classes about their country. I remember truly taking ownership of our work and so proud to present. Not only did we have so much fun learning about our country, we also got to have friends from other classes teach us about their country. It is one of my fondest memories and I can still tell you about France at age 24!
Field Day - Parents and Teachers plan events for the students to participate in throughout the day. It was one of the most exciting days of the year. Competing is so much fun for kids and they don't even realize its exercise!
Student of the Week - Having the spotlight on you is always a great feeling. Giving each student the chance to shine in front of the entire class will raise confidence while students learn about one another! We can have the student bring in pictures of their family, friends, and favorite things. We can easily squeeze five minutes in each day for the Student of the Week to be interviewed by the class, like a celebrity. They could choose to tell a story about themselves or explain their pictures - whatever they choose! It will be their favorite week ever.
Show and Tell - The best!!!!! This could be one day a week. Like Student of the Week, it doesn't need to be too long. Two students a week? Every Wednesday? That makes a Hump Day something to look forward to!
Presentations - Public Speaking is serious business these days. The more exposure our students have to public speaking, the more confident they will become. When I was in elementary school the best presentations were when parents were invited to come in and watch. You're so proud of your work that you want to show the world!
Career Day - Whenever a professional walked into our school students are in awe. My father is a firefighter and I was ever so proud when he'd come in and tell our class about his job. My classmates would instantly want to be a firefighter after they learned about what he does on the daily. There are so many wonderful careers our students may not even know exist! Lets teach them about the real world in the best way possible!
Ms. Mann, World Fair is a great idea. In our school we had International Day. We did it close to Thanksgiving. we had each family bring a dish from their country and then we all sat down and had our own school Thanksgiving. We put on skits and played cultural music extra. It has always been a day filled with great joy and appreciation of our diverse cultures.
DeleteMs. Acosta,
DeleteThat's an even better idea! Allowing students to explore and share their own culture with their classmates is exactly what Brilla is all about! Students will have such pride and confidence in their backgrounds if we show they how important it is. What a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing!
International Day would be very fun for students and a great learning experience as well.
DeleteI also love the idea of a career day. We are gearing up our students for college, so why not start by extending that to the professional world? People have jobs and careers, and it's never too early to be exposed to how these jobs contribute to the community.
There are so many event ideas stated already, here are just a couple extra ones:
ReplyDeleteFor staff: Committees that handle specific tasks, shout out wall in the staff room, all day retreats, SWAG, and team builders
For students: Trips (the further, the better), dances, shows, movie nights, student of the week, recognition for showing the core values, character parades and other parades, monthly reading buddies, field day and STEM projects
For parents: Thanksgiving potluck, family movie nights, field day, class competitions, box tops competitions, coffee and pastries mornings, involvement in the classroom, chaperones for trips, and invitations to class events (like publishing parties or projects)
It'll be great to figure out where to put the events in the calendar so that there's not a whole lot going all on one week and that we maximize the time the parents and students are involved in the planning process. We should have events that we do every year to make them Brilla traditions.
Ms. Castillo, I love your idea of the Shout out wall!
DeleteThere are couple of ideas, programs and initiatives that I would love to see at Brilla. One being, parent and family engagement. This past December, I presented this very topic during Teach for America's Winter Workshop series in New Haven, CT. Many schools say that they would like to have parent/family involvement, but at Brilla, I would like parent/family engagement. There's a big difference between involvement and engagement. A school striving for family involvement often leads with talk only—identifying projects, needs, and goals and then telling parents how they can contribute. A school striving for parent engagement, on the other hand, tends to lead with its ears—listening to what parents think, dream, and worry about. The goal of family engagement is not to serve clients but to gain partners.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to our coffee and conversations, I would like for us to frequently host Muffins with Moms, Doughnuts with Dads, and Grits with Grandparents.
Some other ideas are:
* School Safety Patrols
* Real Men Read/Real Women Read Program-- this is a program where family members and community members come into the school and read to and with our with scholars
*Mentoring Program
*End of Year Grade Level field trips(meaningful and that ties in with that grade level's curriculum)
* Career Days(host these frequently and not just once a year)
I love all of the aforementioned ideas as well and cannot wait to see them implemented.
An idea:
ReplyDelete-Create a parent and community board to engage parents and others in Mott Haven
I think the ultimate success of Brilla is going to be directly linked to the community support we engender with those in the neighborhood. They need to be engaged and feel like they have a voice at the school.
Put up "Kindness Zone" signs at the entrances to your school and classroom to remind people to remember to practice Random Acts of Kindness.
ReplyDeleteHold a "Kindness Card Day." Everyone in the class writes something nice about someone else on a card. Distribute the cards and spend time reading what others wrote.
Have the students write a kindness note to all relatives and special friends letting them know why they are so special.
Family dance lessons: Ask a dance instructor to teach families how to waltz, two-step, salsa, line dance, or do the latest hip-hop moves. Follow up the lessons with a dance-off or your very own Dancing With the Stars contest.
Fitness night: Invite a fitness coach to teach kids and parents fun exercises they can do at home. Ask the school nurse to take blood pressure readings or measure body mass index, and offer healthy snacks.
School picnic/barbecue: Have a picnic on school grounds, with each family bringing its own food. Plan a few activities for the kids, but give them some free time on the playground while parents mingle.
Boo Hoo Breakfast for parents of kindergartners and new students—Be sure to have lots of tissues available. This is a great way to introduce new parents to your great PTA.
Have a mystery reader read a short story over the intercom. Have the principal disguise his or her voice or invite a local celebrity to read. At the end of the day, ask the students to guess who the reader was.
• Hold a book fair.
• Hold a pajama day and ask students to bring their favorite bedtime book to read.
• Have a “my favorite book” bulletin board.
Family Sock Hop
—Hire a disk jockey or a band to play 50s music. Invite families to dress up in 50s attire. Have a dance contest and a best-dressed contest. Serve cola or root beer floats
I loved some of the staff ideas!
Ms. Burgos-Castillo,
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of recognizing scholars who demonstrate core values and character. Values will be the moral compass that will guide students throughout their lives. We want to celebrate this as early as possible in their academic experience so that as they model for others they also learn to model collaboration, integrity, and perseverance. This is a great legacy for future scholars.