"Bucket Filling" School Wide Character Development Program

Good afternoon! Hope everyone is staying warm in this "winter-like weather" ;). Our school is starting a new character program to help students develop higher self-esteem and become more considerate toward each other. Below, is a letter from Ms. Ruebsam, the head of this program. Please contact her with any questions:)

Dear Parents,

            We would like to inform you of a new character-development program that will be kicking off this February at Liberty called Bucket Filling.

            Bucket filling is the concept that everyone has an invisible bucket and inside the bucket is where we hold our happy thoughts and feelings.  When a person’s bucket is full it means they are happy and when it is empty the person is sad.

            How can a student fill another student’s bucket?  Students can fill their peers’ buckets by doing and saying nice things.  For example, being considerate, caring, respectful, and saying thank you.  However, students can dip into students’ buckets by being disrespectful, inconsiderate, or by not using their manners.

            Starting in February, Liberty will be starting the Bucket Filling program.  We will be encouraging bucket filling at school and at home.  Each week teachers will be asked to provide tickets to the students who are consistently filling other students’ buckets.  Those tickets will go into a weekly raffle for prizes.  Liberty is excited about this program and looks forward to developing a more positive atmosphere.

Jaclyn Ruebsam

Guidance Specialist, MSW

jaclyn.ruebsam@fayette.kyschools.us

Updates!

Good afternoon,

DON’T FORGET THAT JANUARY BOOK REPORTS ARE DUE TOMORROW, 1/31!!!

Also, I still have a few students who have not turned in their permission slips for the skating in P.E. Please, make sure you send in the permission slip tomorrow so students will be able to participateJ

Graded work will be sent home tomorrow and possibly Thursday. I don’t know how many times I will say, “Thank you for your patience,” until my two classes end mid-April, but thank you for your patience. It takes a very long time to put thoughtful comments on all 23 papers, but I want your student to know I value their work.

I will send current grades home sometime next week so your student will know where they stand half way through these nine weeks.

Any questions or concerns? Please don’t hesitate to call or set up a meetingJ

Have a wonderful evening!!!!

New Pictures!!!! Explorium Field Trip and More!

Here are some new pictures from the past month or so:) I am so bad about forgetting pictures are on my camera!!! Enjoy:)

Finally!!! Pictures from Raven Run:)

Here is the link to the album with photos from our Raven Run field trip! It was so much fun and I cannot wait until our next field trip!!!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/117468328572685742736/RavenRun2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Updates!

Good afternoon!!!! The following include important information about the coming weeks:

                                   Carnival!!!!

The Fall Carnival is October 7th 6-9. There will be a “Spirit Week” leading up to the fun evening!

    Mon 10/3– Hat Day!

    Tues 10/4– Team Spirit Day!

    Wed 10/5– Backwards Day!

    Thurs 10/6– Crazy socks/shoes day!

    Fri 10/7– Liberty Day!!

GRADED WORK FROM LAST WEEK WILL BE SENT HOME TOMORROW!!!!!!!

Things your student is responsible for TOMORROW, Friday the 30^th:

-          Reading/Pronoun Packet

-          Math workbook pages 21-24

-          Reading Log

-          Library books to return or re-check out

-          Studying for spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests tomorrow

Book reports were very well presented!!!!!

Please let me know if you have any concerns or questionsJ

Have an amazing weekend!!!

Graded Work, Infinite Campus, and Reminders for Tomorrow

Things your student is responsible TOMORROW, Friday the 9^th:

-          Reading/Noun Homework packet

-          Math workbook pages 6-10

-          Reading Log (only 3 nights required because no school on Monday)

-          Library books to return or re-check out

-          Studying for spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests tomorrow

Graded work went home TODAY!

Coming home in the student orange folder should be the following:

-          Morning Work Test 3

-          Spelling Test

-          Reading Log

-          Reading and Social Studies Homework with the Math Homework Grade also written on it

-          4 Morning Works with “Week 3” at the top

-          Spelling sort on notebook paper

-          Plant lifecycle cut and paste with descriptions

The vocabulary tests are now taken on the clickers, so those grades will have to be entered into Infinite Campus.

Remember, reading and math homework receive one “glow” comment (what the student did well) and one “growth” comment (what will help the student grow as a learner). I put a lot of time and thought into these comments because I want each student to accomplish amazing progress this yearJ

Infinite Campus is still giving me troubleL I hope to meet with Polly Cox soon to get it straightened out but am afraid it will be next Monday or Tuesday before that is possible. As soon as I get it set up, I will enter grades, and then send home a copy of your student’s current grades in each subject. That WILL go home next week.

Homework and Graded Work

Good afternoon everyone!

We have started off this week on an excellent foot, and I am very excited to see how hard everyone works this week!!

Just a couple things…

Homework packets were sent home today! They should have the spelling/vocabulary cover sheet, a goods and services sheet, and the reading example and blank copy. We went over directions for all pages today, so students should be pretty well preparedJ Unfortunately, I forgot to hand out Math Workbooks at the end of today; so those will go home tomorrow. I am so sorry for any inconvenience! If you or your student has any questions over the homework, please ask before Friday morning. Friday is when everything is due, and is therefore, too late to ask questions.

Also, you may have seen in your student’s planner that the first batch of graded work will be sent home tomorrow. Infinite Campus is not currently set up for this school year due to the mass number of students that must be entered into the system. For now, you will just be able to view your student’s progress through the graded work. I will enter grades into Infinite Campus as soon as it’s set-up. The items that should be coming home include: the “Me Project” scoring slip, 2 reading logs, the spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests from last Friday, 8 morning works from the past 2 weeks (graded by the individual student in blue pen for self monitoring and then receiving participation points with a blue highlighter checkmark from me), and one spelling sort. Once Infinite Campus is working, I will also be entering participation grades from daily observations made during hands-on activities.

If you have any questions about homework or graded work, please do not hesitate to ask! I hope everyone has a wonderful nightJ