RM Bacon Weekly: April 2016

Friday, April 29, 2016

May 2 - May 6, 2016

Bacon Bears,

The word above says and means so much. During his time here at Bacon, Ryan Hudson has given it and gotten it...and it was well-earned. And so, without further delay, we kick off this week's blog with a special Coach's Corner.

Coach’s Corner by Mr. Hudson

I want to first start off by saying, “Thank you to the students, parents, and staff of R. M. Bacon School family!” This is my final blog post as a member of the Bacon School family. Starting on May 9th, I will be at Lakeside as the 8^th grade vice-principal. I will always remember my 11 years at Bacon School and never forget where I began my career. Bacon School has helped me grow as a person, father, and as an educator.

To the students, thank you for letting me be myself. Throughout my time at Bacon, we laughed, played jokes on one another, and grew as a school family. Words cannot express how thankful I am that I had a chance each and every day to learn from you, just as you learned from me. I wish each of you nothing but success and look forward to seeing you in a few more years at Lakeside. Please continue to be awesome!!

To the parents, thank you for allowing me to work with your son/daughter. I can honestly say, it was my pleasure. I hope when your child looks back on their educational journey they can say that I was able to have a positive impact in their life. I appreciate all of you the support you gave me throughout my time at Bacon School. You can trust me when I say, your children are in great hands with the staff at Bacon School.

To the staff, I cannot begin to thank you for all of your support that you have given me throughout my career. The relationships that I built with you has helped me develop into the educator I am today. I always felt welcomed and came in the next day more excited than the previous. The memories from Bacon School will stick with me forever. This school truly allowed me to be myself and share my passion for education with everyone. I will miss laughing with you all and being a part of the Bacon School family. From the bottom of my heart Bacon School, I will miss you and wish you nothing but the best!!!!

Thank you, Ryan. You have truly made a difference here at Bacon, and we all know you'll take your energy and talents to Lakeside and do great things. We wish you continued success and happiness - you deserve it.

Bacon school had another successful week. PARCC is finished, the staff are back to creating awesome lessons and learning environments, and the students are engaged and learning.

The 5th grade class had a blast at the Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts and Levoy Theater for Multicultural Week presentations. Special thanks to Robert Trivellini for coordinating this wonderful event, and a huge thanks to the fine people at the arts center and theater for sharing their time and talents with our students. Also, a big shout out to all the students from the Millville Senior High School who taught our 5th graders about history and culture. Great job to all involved!

Eggs, eggs, and more eggs hatched and hatched here at Bacon. The students have been doing a fantastic job caring for the newly hatched chicks, and they even got to learn about science and nature while doing it.

Butterflies that took up temporary residence in a 1st grade class were released to the wild this week. They were initially cared for as caterpillars, and the students were able to see their metamorphosis into beautiful butterflies. Since they were released into our school's butterfly garden, we hope they will stick around for awhile.

This week, Bacon also successfully completed a fire drill evacuation and a school lock down drill. The students were superb, they took the exercises seriously, and the staff ensured they quickly and orderly followed the protocols for each drill. Excellent job, everyone.

In other news, on 5/2 (this Monday), we will be having some special guests here at Bacon. First responers from our city and county will stop by and eat lunch with the students. We are looking forward to spending time with the men and woman of our community who help keep us safe.

Please note - Bacon Alumni Night has been postponed until 5/20. If you are interested in attending, please sign up ASAP! Call the school or contact us on Facebook by clicking here.

Pictures from around the school

Learning origami at the arts center

Giving a medieval shield replica a test run

Art and History lesson from a senior high student

Making musical instruments

Happiness

Joy

Wonder

Contentment

Nature!

Birthday Selfies!

Harmony Froding

Prophettes Johnson-Adams

Weekly overview (be sure to check the official school calendar)

Monday: D day - "May Day" lunch with the first responders, healthy schools zumba with Mom (after school)

Tuesday: E day - National Teachers' Day

Wednesday: A day - Bear Bucks Store

Thursday: B day - Another great day a Bacon

Friday: C day - Wear Bacon gear

Friday, April 22, 2016

April 25 - 29, 2016

Motivation...inspiration...dedication

Bacon Bears,

Being positive, being yourself, being the best you, helping others, being awesome, not giving up, enjoying the moment, embracing today, realizing that YOU CAN DO IT...these are things we embrace here at Bacon. The bulletin board pictured here is near our cafeteria, so every student has a chance to read it. What a great reminder to continually strive for excellence, authenticity, and optimism in all we say and do.

These things matter because everyone has influence, and everyone is being influenced. Once we realize and come to terms with this, the questions then become...

Will I surround myself with people who have a positive influence on me?
Will I be a positive influence on those around me?

Our Bacon family embodies the power and persuasion of being a positive influence, and we hope to always remember how important these truths are as we interact daily with our students.

And so...

This was another busy but great week here at Bacon. The PARCC test was in full swing, and Ms. Spanbauer and Mr. Hudson kept things on track. An extra big shout-out to all the students and staff for helping to make these days of testing go smoothly. Great job!

The students vs. police floor hockey game was held on Wednesday. It was back and forth, but the students ultimately gained and kept the upper hand. A great time was had by all, and we are grateful to the officers who came out to play and bond with our students. Thank you to all the players, parents, and officers who made this possible.

The police kept it close, but the Bears held on!

Thank you, Millville PD!

Earth day was Friday, and it was great seeing so many lessons have an Earth theme. From the weather and nature to Earth's geothermal properties, a lot of ground (or should that be Earth?) was covered, and many classes ended the afternoon in an Earth Day scavenger hunt outside. The teachers thoughtfully planned the day's activities, and the students had a great time learning about our planet.

Coach’s Corner by Mr. Hudson

This week fourth grade finished up their PARCC testing and third grade started theirs. Students have been working hard and making their teachers proud. Next week, PARCC will continue for third grade on Monday-Wednesday. Also, make-ups will be going on throughout the week. Ms. Spanbauer and I want to thank the parents for continuing to get our Bears to school on time.

In addition to that, I was able to observe several awesome activities in the classrooms. Mrs. Gandy’s class were building circuits and using inquiry to discover how magnets work. The discussion the students were having about magnets and circuits made me think I was in a room with electricians.

In Mrs. Bingham’s room, I was able to see a guided reading lesson. The students were reading a book called, “Baby Animals.” Mrs. Bingham provided the students with time to showcase their knowledge on different baby animals prior to reading the text. The students seemed to have a lot of background knowledge about different baby animals. The group seemed very excited to read this story. Knowing Mrs. Bingham and her love for nature and animals, these students will be reading more books about animals and learning about their habitats.

Pictures from around the School

Book fair - so many options

Minecraft + Cheez Its = high engagement!

Student using the SMART board to find the area of a shape

Students working together to find the area using Cheez Its

We are always growing in one way or another!

Birthday Selfies!

Alex Gomez

Ava and Jayden Morales

Joshua Novitsky

Weekly overview (be sure to check the official school calendar)

Monday: D day - 3rd grade PARCC testing

Tuesday: E day - 3rd grade PARCC testing

Wednesday: A day - Workout Wednesday, GT trip to Cape May, 3rd grade PARCC testing

Thursday: B day - Group pictures, take daughter/son to work day, PARCC make-up testing

Friday: C day - Wear Bacon gear, PARCC make-up testing

Saturday, April 16, 2016

April 18 - 22, 2016

Bacon Bears,

Mr. Coyle talking with some 3rd graders

This week, PARCC testing got underway here at Bacon. The 5th grade tested Monday-Thursday, and the 4th grade began their testing on Friday. A big thanks goes to Ms. Spanbauer and Mr. Hudson for their exceptional planning, organization, and support leading up to and during the test. Also, a huge thank you to our wonderful 5th and 4th grade teachers for their help and support during this process. They helped ensure that everything went smoothly and orderly. Our students did a great job, and the students in other grades who didn't test were cooperative and respectful during the PARCC sessions. Great job, staff and students.

Ms. Anton's kindergarten class and Mrs. Sinone's 3rd grade class each presented the new principal, Mr. Coyle, a to-do list. The issues ranged from how much facial hair he should have (if any) to how we as a school can keep them safe. Mr. Coyle met with the classes and went over each item on their lists. It was a great chance for him to share a few laughs, listen to the students as they told him what's on their minds, and answer questions on how we can make sure Bacon stays a great place of learning.

Next week, the PARCC test continues as 4th grade finishes their testing and 3rd grade begins theirs. Good luck, students.

Also, thanks to all who participated in the Bacon Bytes Technology and Learning Conference. A lot of networking took place as educators from around the area shared their thoughts and best practices on teaching, technology, and leadership.

There will be no Coach's Corner this week (due to PARCC and setting up for the Bacon Bytes Technology and Learning Conference), but Mr. Hudson wanted to extend his personal thanks to all the students and teachers for a successful week of PARCC testing. Mr. Ryan is proud of the students for their hard work, and he is grateful to the staff for their support and dedication.

Pictures from around the school

100% achievement on the Reflex Math Fluency - great job students

Mrs. Rohaly and the Bucket Drumming Club - a.k.a. Rohaly's Rhythm Section

Birthday Selfies!

John Matthews

Zy'liyah Nock

Jayden Collins

Jocelin Pinero

Carlos Rosa-Colon

Daniel Selleck

Darion Bowser

Neviyah Johnson

Weekly overview (be sure to check the official school calendar)

Monday: D day - another wonderful day at Bacon, 4th grade continues PARCC testing

Tuesday: E day - HSA meeting at 7

Wednesday: A day - workout Wednesday, last day for 4th grade PARCC

Thursday: B day - 3rd grade PARCC begins

Friday: C day - wear Bacon gear, Earth Day

Sunday, April 10, 2016

April 11-15 (new principal, new things, new blogger!)

Bacon Bears,

Thank you for an amazing and unforgettable first week. Monday was my official first day as your new principal, and it was just the beginning of a great five days - a full week in which I saw great things happening in a great school. You all went above and beyond to make me feel welcome, and for that, I am humbled and grateful.

What a great welcome. Thank you!

I am a new person (to you) in a new environment. I have new systems to figure out, new names and faces to sort out, and new things to learn about. All of it is...new. But some of what is happening at Bacon feels familiar. I know what sincerity looks and feels like. I know what a positive environment can do to the people in it. I can tell when people really like kids...and each other. And though I am new to the school, I'm certainly not new to these concepts - and these are exactly what I see, feel, and hear at Bacon. This is a family who loves where they are and what they do. It is my honor and privilege to now be principal of this school. PLUS, I even get to take over the blog! And so, join me as I briefly reflect on my week...the first week of a new principal.

Monday

Dr. Cook showing me the ropes

Dr. Cook was gracious enough to spend most of the day with me. We talked shop for awhile - some nuts and bolts of school operations, and some heart and soul of vision and direction. I am grateful to him for giving me access to his knowledge and wisdom.

This pic was not staged. Promise!

Tuesday
In addition to spending time in classrooms and watching our awesome staff members and students do what they do, I got to enjoy my first smoothie. We here at Bacon strive for greatness AND healthiness.

Wednesday

Dr. Cook told me about this thing called "Workout Wednesday," and he advised me to dress accordingly. With some skepticism, I did, not sure what to expect. It's real. It's so real that I worked up a good sweat before the day even began. Kudos to the staff and students who show up early each Wednesday to get their cardio on! There are no pictures of me doing this, but trust me - it happened. Besides, you really don't want to see me working out.

And since I was dressed for it, I decided later to head out to the playground and teach the 5th graders a thing or two about kickball.

When I wasn't sweating in the gym or kicking home runs on the blacktop, I was spending time in the classrooms. In one room, I saw this quote, and it seemed appropriate. There is a lot to be said in preparing to do something. Preparation is important - very. But there is also something to be said for just jumping in and doing it. This is where I am in my growth - I'm learning, asking, observing, reflecting...but part of learning and growing is simply doing.

Thursday

What a day! We had a staff meeting in the morning, and I was able to briefly relay my experience so far at Bacon and share my guiding philosophies on education, what we do as a school, etc. The meeting also served as a reception (by the way, thank you!) in which I was welcomed as their new principal. I was able to speak with some staff members in a relaxed and informal setting.

In the afternoon, we played our annual floor hockey game in which the staff defended their winning streak against the students. For reasons I don't understand, I was placed in goal for the 3rd period...and I almost blew it. After giving up two quick goals, I finally settled into a rhythm. With a little luck and a lot of help from the offense, we were able to hold on (barely) and secure the win. The students played tough, but wisdom and experience won the day (even though my lack of hockey experience almost got me benched!).

Friday

The week culminated in more classroom visits where I got to spend time with the teachers and students. In the afternoon, some reps from NutriBullet were here to take vitals on the students who participated in the smoothie program. I loved seeing our school take healthy living seriously, both among students and staff alike.

And so concluded my week, the first of many. Again, thanks to everyone who helped me ease into my new home. I'm looking forward to the great things we'll do together. Next week's blog will take on the more familiar feel of highlighting school events and staff/student achievements. Thanks for allowing me to have a more personal tone this week.

It is truly great to be here.

Coach’s Corner by Mr. Hudson

This was our first week back after a long Spring Break. The students and staff jumped right into learning. On Tuesday one of our favorite spring projects kicked off. (Eggs) Bacon School was given 28 chick eggs that will hopefully all hatch on April 26^th. The students will be learning about the life cycle of a chick and watching their classroom incubators rotate the eggs for the next 21 days.

Another great accomplishment was that our school chronic absenteeism has continued to stay under 10% which is one of our school goals. As of March 24^th, Bacon school chronic absenteeism is at 8.3%. This is a testament to the parents and guardians in making sure that students are coming to Bacon School each day to continue to learn. Keep up the great work!!

The final thing that I saw this week that I wanted to share was a student who is admirable. The student below name is Ronnie Clifford. He approached me outside one morning and said, “I am scared to take my hat off.” I immediately began to talk with him about why he felt that way. His follow up was what amazed me. Ronnie informed me that one of his family members didn’t receive a haircut to his liking so they had to shave all of his hair off. From what Ronnie told me, the family member was upset and crying. What Ronnie did was truly inspirational to say the least. Ronnie asked to get all of his hair shaved off to make his family member feel at ease about his own haircut. The power of Ronnie’s decision is what amazed a lot of teachers and students this week at Bacon School. GREAT JOB RONNIE!!!!!