What’s New Around Our Hive
Greetings Parents and Community Members- Welcome to Bland’s Buzz! At our last staff meeting, I discussed the importance of these next three months. From MLK to Spring Break is really the most critical time of year and a time where our students can show the most growth. We hope they can be here each day healthy and ready to learn. Once we hit spring break, the calendar begins to fill up with schoolwide happenings, state testing and, of course, end of year activities…so the time to hunker down is now!
The highlight of last week was seeing ALL of our 1st and 2nd graders receive their very own IPads with an opportunity to take them home soon. Through a generous APS grant, our students now have access to dozens of free reading apps and the MyBackpack application where they can easily access grade level work (ex: MyLexia, BeanStack) among many other items. Don’t forget to log those reading minutes! Opt out letters for taking the IPads home will be coming out shortly! We’ve also begun our Child Protection Unit across K-5 which is paired with our 2nd Step curriculum and SEL initiatives. The Child Protection Unit is a state required curriculum that is managed and delivered by our homeroom teachers. Letters and information should have gone home to all families with the option to opt out, if needed. Additionally, over 30 staff members have completed their Orton-Gillingham course facilitated through our partnership with The Schenck School. This would not be possible without your generous donations and our schools Foundation support.
We have welcomed back twelve North Atlanta seniors who have started a reading program at our Primary Center. One morning a week these students can be seen reading to our Kindergarteners. This is what I call “cluster collaboration” at its finest! I am especially proud of our students (and families) who collected and donated enough food to provide over 3,500 meals for those in need. Thank you to Kindergarten para Sharon O’neil for your hard work in organizing this effort! Last but not least, I want to recognize our students, Triston Willis and River Rumley, both Brandon 5th graders who participated in the APS Technology and Innovation Fair. Their team project in the category “Project Programming” won first place! These students exemplify everything we want out of our students; risk takers and reflective students that represent our school well!
I’m also very excited that we are bringing All Pro Dad’s to Morris Brandon! All Pro Dad’s has chapters countrywide. From our coordinator Brian Love, “We are a group of dads (or any caregiver) dedicated to strengthening our relationship with our kids and we would love for you to join us. Our first meeting will be held at the PC in the Cafeteria from 6:45 to 7:30am on February 21st. While this is a tad early, the goal is to end so that MC kids can get to class on time.”
APD’s is open to all grades (K-5) and you don’t come alone…your student(s) attend with you! There will be Chick-fil-A biscuits to buy ($3), coffee, and juice and of course all students can enjoy a free breakfast in the cafeteria just after our meeting ends. Please contact Brian Love if you are interested in volunteering at brianwlove@gmail.com. While the meeting is titled “All Pro Dads” moms, mentors, grandparents and others are invited and encouraged to attend. Please spread the word and invite Dads to our meeting – more information can be found here
On the horizon we have our 2nd quarter HIVE rally, Scholastic Book Fair, Tall and Small Ball, Read-a-Thon and a NAPPS meeting next Tuesday at the Primary Center. While I begin the important work of staffing our school and budgeting for the 2021 school year, our staff continues to support the social, emotional and academic needs of our students. We have our team IB planning days coming up! All teachers in our school will be off campus one of three days in the upcoming two weeks to plan and work together. Collaboration is the key to our success!
Until next time,
J