January 30 - February 3, 2017

Bears,

Another week of learning and celebrating has come and gone. Let's recap...

Last week, we had our PBIS Pep Rally, and it happened to coincide with pajama day.  It was quite the scene.  The students had fun dressing "down" for school, and many of our staff members got in on the action as well.  Over 120 students received Paws Ups in the month of January.  That works out to just over 6 students a day were recognized as "caught being awesome."  Those Paws Ups were then entered into a drawing at the PBIS Pep Rally, and 30 students from those 120 received grab-bag prizes.  Thanks to all our Bears (both students and staff) for a great assembly.  Keep up the great work, and let's make February the best month yet!

Linda Santiago from the RAC team came to Bacon for two days last week to debrief the guided reading modeling that she facilitated the prior week.  She was available for questions and to help the teachers develop and modify the guided reading lessons they are currently doing. I'd like to thank her for her continued support of our teachers and our school.  She has been a great resources in helping Bacon become an even better place of learning.

Our Floor Hockey season is underway, and if you know anything about Bacon, it's a pretty big deal around here.  Mrs. Bingham is coordinating the efforts, and so far, we're off to a great start.

Mrs. DeVita will be placing the final orders for our spirit wear soon.  It won't be long before we are wearing fresh Bacon gear!

Finally, I'd like to thank Mr. Scott Sheppard for coming in for me last Thursday and Friday.

Everyone have a great week.  Remember, together we can.  Together, we will.

Mike

Pictures from around the School

Floor Hockey!

It's what we do

PBIS Pep Rally

Is that a...lion?  What's going on here?

We let this lion into the Bear cave for a good cause - Jump Rope for Heart.  But who was in the costume??

Ms. Berry drawing Paws Ups

Getting ready for the Jump Rope for Heart presentation

Grab bag madness!

We have a winner

There were many winners this month

The Bucks store is open for business

Decisions, decisions.

PJ day in full effect

Spending their hard-earned Bear Bucks

A great Pep Rally

Ms. Berry explaining the prize portion of the assembly

Congrats to Mrs. Fryling and Mrs. Lore (who was with us in spirit) on receiving math mini grants.

Learning about a new student behavior monitoring program

Green thumbing it

Birthday Selfies!

Weekly overview

Monday (1/30): No school - staff development day 

Tuesday (1/31): A day - Floor hockey (8 am in the gym), lesson plans due

Wednesday (2/1): B day - Dare to be Fit (8 am in the gym), Workout Wednesday

Thursday (2/2): C day - Staff meeting (8 am in the library)

Friday (2/3): D day - Wear Bacon Gear

January 23 - 27, 2017

Bears,

Weekly Recap

Another week has come and gone.  It's hard to believe the end of the second marking period is fast approaching, and the 2016-2017 school year will be half over.  Our staff is doing a wonderful job engaging our Bears and continuing to create an environment of learning.

Linda Santiago from the RAC team was here last week to demonstrate guided reading lessons to our staff.  Everyone involved did a great job. Teachers observed how a guided reading lesson could be done, and they were able to ask questions about the process.  Linda will be back next week to meet with each PLC (see weekly overview below) for a longer time of feedback and to answer any additional questions.  I'm happy to report that Linda had wonderful things to say about our school.  She loved our positive, can-do attitude and the fact that our staff felt comfortable asking questions. She was also impressed with how well our teachers know the needs of our students, and she admired the genuine family feel and caring atmosphere at this school.  Great job, Bears!!

At Thursday's staff meeting, we began the process of having teachers meet with their grades and other grade levels in order to make sure we are being consistent in our understanding of district expectations, benchmarks, etc.  This process will continue throughout the school year, and it will be a time for staff members to communicate with people beyond their PLCs in order to share best practices, analyze data, check-in with other grade levels, ensure we are covering the material we need to be covering, etc.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this takes us.

The Week Ahead

As mentioned, Linda will be here to debrief and provide feedback and information regarding her guided reading demo lessons.

Our SIP meeting will be Thursday morning, and Amanda DeVita will be facilitating.  Some of the things they'll be looking at are the SIP goals and reviewing our year-to-date progress in meeting those goals.

Our PBIS assembly will be on Friday. We have a little something special in store for those students who received PAWS UPs in the month of January.  Also, we'll be sharing some information regarding Jump Rope for Heart.

Everyone have a great week.  Remember - together, we can.  Together, we will!
Mike

Pictures from around the School

Students watching the inauguration

Teachers sharing a historic moment with their students

Our awesome staff sharing and planning together

More planning and sharing

We have some comedians at Bacon (and a few people who don't like spiders)

Dare to be Fit!

Getting in shape

Having fun while staying active

An important lunch meeting

Students trying fresh honey

Testing the honey

"Bees make it best!"

Cooking with Candy

Healthy and fun

Ms. Candy and her helper Bears making it happen

She did a great job!

Birthday Selfies

Weekly overview

Monday (1/23): A day - lesson plans due, Linda from the RAC team to visit 1st and 3rd grade PLCs to debrief on guided reading demo, Board Meeting (7 pm at Culver)

Tuesday (1/24): B day - A Terrific Tuesday 

Wednesday (1/25): C day - Dare to be Fit (8 am in the gym), Workout Wednesday

Thursday (1/26): D day - SIP team meeting (8 am in the library), Linda from the RAC team to visit K, 2nd, and 5th grade PLCs to debrief on guided reading demo (Mr. Coyle will be at the SAMS conference -- Mr. Scott Sheppard will be in for him)

Friday (1/27): E day - Wear Bacon Gear, PBIS Respect the 29th Pep Rally and Bear Bucks Store (9:30 - 10:30 am in the gym)  (Mr. Coyle will be at the SAMS conference -- Mr. Scott Sheppard will be in for him)

**looking ahead -- Monday (1/30) -- District Staff Development - all schools will be closed 

January 16 - 20, 2017

Bears,

As we reflect on the life, leadership, love, courage, and sacrifice of Martin Luther King Jr., let's remember our purpose as a school in doing what we do.  Teaching is more than getting students to work through a division problem, or explaining to students the difference between nouns and verbs, or having students correctly rattle off  important dates in history.  Sure, those things are important and they certainly have their place.  But we all know that education encompasses more than rote knowledge.  As Socrates put it, "Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel."  Even further - it's about helping young people develop into good people - kind, caring, understanding, accepting, loving people.  Martin Luther King Jr. embodied these ideals, and he led and taught by example.  Let us not take his lessons lightly, and let us not take the roles we play in children's lives as anything less than the noble and just callings they are.  We can raise a generation of smart young people, but if we neglect the matters of character, what have we really accomplished?  MLK died for this principle.  May the spirit of his life and work be with us everyday and guide us into deeper areas of understanding.  May we as educators help our students realize the importance of developing the "content of their character."


Weekly recap and preview
Last week, some of our teachers attended a valuable meeting in which they analyzed data that will help them drive their instruction.  It was a productive and thought-provoking time, and we plan on using it as a springboard to greater things.  At this week's staff meeting, we are going to build on this information in order to help facilitate learning at the highest levels in all classrooms.  Stay tuned.

Linda from the RAC team will be here on Thursday to perform some demo lessons on guided reading and how to adjust instruction to meet the needs of all learners.  We look forward to having her here, and we can't wait to see how far our awesome teaching staff will go with this training.  

Also on Thursday, the Parents As Leaders Coalition will host their monthly meeting at Silver Run School beginning at 6 pm.  The meeting will not be at Bacon like usual.  Normally due to space limitations, the PALC meetings are open to those families who have already been contacted ahead of time.  This month, however, the meeting is open to all parents of 4th and 5th grade students.  This month's important topic: Internet Safety.  We hope to see you at Silver Run!

Everyone have a great week.

Pictures from around the School (and beyond)

Multiple Bear sightings at the Philly Zoo - they, along with their Girl Scout troop, enjoyed an overnight stay

Brightening up the cafeteria

 

Some of our awesome staff working on plans to make Bacon even better

Nurse Pruett knows how to have fun - at the Philly zoo

Birthday Selfies!

We were a little light this week on pictures - we'll make up for it next week!

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

Monday (1/16): Schools closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Tuesday (1/17): B day - Lesson plans due

Wednesday (1/18): C day - Dare to be Fit (8 am in the gym), Workout Wednesday, PBIS Tier 2 meeting (10:44 - 11:24, conference room)

Thursday (1/19): D day - Staff meeting/articulation (8 am in the library), Parents As Leaders Coalition meeting at Silver Run (topic: internet safety -- this meeting is open to all parents who have children in 4th or 5th grade -- 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm.  Please call the Bacon main office for more information).

Friday (1/20): E day - Wear Bacon Gear