Ashland Preschool Weekly Update

Hi, everyone!

Thank you all for your continued support as we transition into the school year! Our staff (PittCrew), students and families are all learning new routines and by working together, so we will have a successful year. Your continued patience is appreciated during arrival and dismissal.

All of our grown-ups are doing a great job following the procedures and creating a safe, supportive start and end to our day. Please keep in mind that the traffic flow is dependent on a quick goodbye and return to your car. We are already down to less than 15 minutes and are hopeful we can get it down to 10 minutes to start our day at preschool.

Thursday, September 14 is our first Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Bee day! Don't forget to wear your BEE COLORS — black and yellow! See the PBIS section below for more information. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Thanks,

Sara

Important Reminders for Arrival

Follow signage and staff directions.

Please do not use cellphones in the parking lot and line.

Do not unload until you're in the active loading/unloading zone (fire lane).

Once in the fire lane, park your car and turn the engine off.

Walk with your student all the way to the gate to cross the threshold.

Return to your car to wait until the line pulls out.

Do not pull out or around other cars. All cars in the active zone are to remain parked until directed by staff.

Take a right out onto Central St. as you leave the line.

You can also review this video to familarize yourself with our arrival procedure or check out this visual map for our drop-off procedure. Please note masks and social distancing are no longer required.

Important Reminders for Dismissal

Follow the same traffic pattern.

Place Name Card on dash.

Staff will call the name card placed on windshield.

Once you pull into the active loading/unloading zone, park and turn off your car and wait outside next to your car.

A staff member will walk your child to you at your car.

Buckle your child in and wait until the line of cars move.

Do not pull out or around other cars. Take a right turn out of the parking lot.

You can review this video to familarize yourself with our dismissal procedure or check out this visual map for our pick-up procedure. Please note masks and social distancing are no longer required.

What is PBIS?

PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. PBIS is a research-based framework for teaching and supporting positive behaviors for all students. This is a school-wide approach, which creates positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.

The benefits of implementing PBIS include behavioral, social, emotional and academic growth and a positive school climate.

PBIS in the preschool is based on two expectations, Be Safe and Be Kind.

Be Safe expectations include:

• Listening ears
• Walking feet
• Body to yourself
• Calm body
• Eyes watching
• Quiet voices

Be Kind expectations include:

• Use manners
• Use your words
• Use fair ways to play
• Body to yourself

Throughout the school building, you will see PBIS represented through our bee theme. For example, beehives visually illustrating expectations, beehive classroom reinforcement systems and “Bumbles” our PBIS mascot.

How are the expectations taught?

Students are taught what it looks like to Be Safe and Be Kind in every setting during the school day. Lessons are taught and reinforced throughout the school year. When students demonstrate the Be Safe and Be Kind expectations, they earn bumblebee tokens towards a classroom reward. The expectations go beyond the classroom, where students can earn bee stickers and stamps from teachers and staff throughout the school building.

As parents, you can support PBIS at school by doing the following:

1. Review the behavior expectations with your child.
2. Use the 2 Be’s at home.
3. Provide positive reinforcement at home by rewarding good choices with compliments or quality time.
4. Share your comments and questions with us!

Please refer to the Ashland Public Schools website for all district and building specific information. The Ashland Preschool program is at the William A. Pittaway School.

Don’t forget to visit ashland.k12.ma.us/Flyers where we feature announcements and events offered by organizations, clubs and teams throughout our community that serve to enrich the lives of our students, families, faculty and staff. The board will be updated every Friday, so check back frequently!

September 14: PBIS BEE DAY

September 20: Scholastic Books orders due

September 25: Yom Kippur observed; No school.