Exciting Times at Berrien Primary School

Whew! I can't truthfully say we have settled in completely, but as least we are together, under one roof, doing the thing we do best and love doing.........teaching children. Each August, when school starts, I am reminded why I love being a teacher and a principal. Our children, faculty, and staff bring such excitement into our building and make my job as Principal something I look forward to each day. I can truthfully say, Berrien Primary School has one of the most dedicated groups of people I have ever worked with and I am proud to be a part of this family. We work very hard to keep your children safe, secure, and engaged in learning. Please continue reading for some of the things we have been doing these first nine weeks of school.

Each school year, our faculty and staff plan for the current school year based on the test scores from the previous spring. We look at ways to improve our teaching ability, add research-based materials to improve curriculum, and ways to increase and improve our communication with our parents. Goals we set are written into our School Improvement Plan (SIP). This year we will be focusing on improving math and reading scores. Each grade level has implemented different strategies for this year. First and second grade will have the STEEP assessment three times per year much like the DIBELS assessment is done.

Last year two of our teachers piloted the Linda Mood Bell LIPS program with outstanding results. All of our kindergarten classes are now using this program to teach reading and literacy. This program teaches sounds using the feel and placement of lips and tongue when the sounds are produced. Instead of the sound of letters, you hear our Kindergarten children talking about "lip poppers" and "lip coolers.

Our first and second grades are given a timed math fact quiz every Friday and the class winner for each grade is announced on Monday. First grade uses word sorts to teach phonics, another proven strategy, as well as the Rigby program for reading. Second grade adopted Harcourt again and is placing emphasis this year on comprehension and vocabulary.

Smart Boards are being installed in our classrooms that will allow teachers to take children all over the world through virtual fieldtrips. Math and reading textbooks can be projected on the Smart Board as well as books teachers may be using for read alouds. Our Smart Boards will give our children "hands on" knowledge of 21^st Century technology.

So many exciting things and it is only October!