Birney Buzz
Aug. 31- Sept. 4th 3rd Edition
5th grade Ambassadors
Buddy System
Empowering students
We love volunteers! Anyone interested in volunteering regularly must complete the district's volunteer process and receive approval from site administration and the volunteer coordinator, Jesus Diaz-Jimenez, before participating.
There are two volunteer clearance levels: Level B is for volunteers with little to no unsupervised contact with children (Tk/ K parents' morning support) and requires a government-issued ID, application, Code of Conduct, Megan's Law check, and TB clearance. Level D is for volunteers who may work with students unsupervised, such as field trip chaperones, and requires a government ID, application, Live Scan, TB clearance, and Mandated Reporter Training.
Volunteer packets will be available starting August 26th (paper copies). Or print your own HERE. Parents who already hold Level D clearance will still need to complete new paperwork, renew TB clearance if it's more than four years old, and finish the newly required Mandated Reporter Training, which is completed online.
After submitting paperwork, the school will begin processing. Please allow a few weeks or more for clearance, depending on the number of packets that are submitted. Volunteers can confirm their status with their child's classroom teacher. Garden volunteers are especially needed. Any cleared Level B volunteer is welcome to help with morning support for our little Birney Bees (Kinder / TK).
Thank you! It takes a village.
Don't worry, we have linked the BIRNEY BACK TO SCHOOL SLIDES HERE. The teachers will be sending out their presentations to families in their class, so no one misses out. We know some parents have work, and it can be challenging to get to school at that time.
Also, meet our new mascot! Bee is nameless, and it's up to our students to come up with a fun name. We will start that process in the class and make it a schoolwide thing. So every student has a say.
Some ideas so far.... Buzzy, Stripes, Bro, and more to come.
Take a look at the new merch! Orders are live and you can order directly on the web: Families can shop at birneybees.org/merch. Fridays are Birney Spirit days. Don't forget to wear your Birney gear!
1.) Ms. Morias - Rm. 210 - PERFECT ATTENDANCE
2.) Ms. Flanders - Rm. 208- PERFECT ATTENDANCE
3.) Mr. Peterson- Rm. 211
4.) Ms.Esparza- Rm. 305
5.) Ms. Brown- Rm. 22
🐝 September Learner Profile: THINKER
At Birney, we encourage our students to be Thinkers by asking questions, solving problems, making thoughtful decisions, and considering different ideas and perspectives. Families can help children develop these skills at home by giving them opportunities to think independently, make choices, explain their ideas, and work through challenges.
TK–Kindergarten students, being a Thinker can be as simple as asking, “What do you think will happen?” before reading a story, helping them figure out how to build or organize something, or asking, “What could we try?” when they encounter a problem. Give your child time to think and try before stepping in to solve the problem for them.
For students in 1st–3rd grade, encourage your child to explain their thinking and come up with more than one way to solve a problem. Ask questions such as, “How did you figure that out?” “What is another way you could solve it?” or “Why do you think that?” Puzzles, board games, building activities, reading together, and everyday problems at home are great opportunities to practice thinking skills.
For students in 4th–5th grade, encourage deeper thinking by asking your child to consider different perspectives, use evidence to support their ideas, and think about possible solutions to real-world problems. Ask questions such as, “What makes you think that?” “What evidence supports your idea?” or “How might someone else see this situation?” Encourage your child to reflect on mistakes and think about what they could do differently next time.
As families, we can help our children become strong Thinkers by being curious alongside them, asking questions, and giving them the time and space to develop their own ideas. At Birney, we want our students to be confident in their ability to think, problem-solve, and approach challenges with curiosity.
