Lion Pride News

Monday, May 4, 2026

• No Color Day
• HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
• 5th/6th Grade Transition Meetings at BMS-Ms. Cacciavillani room A312-ELA Mrs. Wenger room A310-Math, Mrs. Harvey, Music BMS Conference Room, and Mrs. Lease PE, BMS Media Center. Prek-Kindergarten Meetings At Bearcub Preschool, Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Stolen you will be guided to the room for your meetings. These meetings will take place from 8:30-10:00.
• 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th grade teachers can meet to talk about transition to the next grade level, if time allows 2nd/3rd can visit as well.
• Annual SBPS Budget Meetings, 10:15-10:45-Bearcat Community Room at the SEC Building
• Lunch-10:45-12:00
• PD Meeting, 12:30-3:30-In Mrs. Stolen's room
• Dairy King at LH-1:30-We will stop our PD and go out to the Dairy King trailer that will be parked out front.

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

• Blue Day
• Start your day the 90's way-cereal and cartoons-LH Workroom
• Cinco De Mayo
• Facility Team Meeting, 11:30-12:30-Mr. Behnke
• 4th and 5th Grade Program at SHS- 4th and 5th Grade Program Altered Schedule
• ASP 4th Quarter Meeting-3:30-4:15-Mr. Behnke

• Green Day
• Slice, Slice, Baby, Book It Party-Pizza Hut and Dominos Pizza-LH Workroom
• Elementary Principal Meeting, 8:30-10:00-Mr. Behnke and Mrs. Rodriguez
• 4th Grade Field Trip, 8:30-2:45
• IEP, 10:00-11:00-Ms. Broussard, Mrs. Ruzicka, and Mr. Behnke
• 5th Graders Tie Dying T-Shirts, 1:00-2:30
• MDT/IEP-3:15-Mrs. Patton, Mrs. Craig, and Mrs. Rodriguez
• Retirement and Recognition Ceremony, 4:30-6:00-Mr. Behnke at SHS

• Red Day
• Sugar, Sugar, How'd You Get So Fly-90's Favorite Snacks-LH Workroom
• FastBridge Testing, Kindergarten and First Grade and 2nd and 3rd/SPED and IRIP-Conference Room, 8:00-3:30-Testing Team
• LH MDT Meeting, 8:15-8:35-LH SPED Team, Mrs. Rodriguez, and Mr. Behnke

• Blue Day
• Arby's In the LH Workroom for Lunch
• Summer Reading Program Presentation in the Conference Room- Summer Reading Program Schedule
• IEP, 1:15-2:15-Mrs. Petersen, Mrs. Craig, and Mr. Behnke
• 3rd Grade Tie Dying, 1:20-3:00
• Lion Pride Awards and LH Tattoo Parlor
• LH Parking Spot, 5/4/26-5/8/26-Ms. Aspyn

Thank you for the gifts, notes of appreciation, and words of encouragement! We are a great team at Lincoln Heights. It is fun working together to serve our students, each other, and our Lincoln Heights community!

Please have your Student Of The Quarter entered into the document I shared by the end of the day on Wednesday, May 6th. Thank you!

Be an Over-Believer today! Believe in yourself and believe in others. It's amazing what your team will accomplish when you believe in them.

When we have a program or any type of assembly I will call individual classes down to the gym.

5/5/26-Fourth and Fifth Grade Performance Altered Schedule staff and students to attend at SHS

05/14/26-Kindergarten Graduation, Altered Schedule

Go to Pg. 180 in Making Good Teaching Great and take the Final 20-Day Reality Check Survey!

Before learning takes place, students must feel safe and have a sense of belonging. In elementary school, consistent opening and closing routines are a key element of classroom culture that helps build that safety and belonging.

In an effort to be efficient, I’ve created “ready routines” that take little effort to plan and update each week, saving me time and cognitive load for the more complex tasks I need to attend to as an effective educator.

Daily Routines

In elementary classrooms, morning meetings are essential. Planning greetings and activities is a fun way to get creative. To reduce time and effort on this task, I use a simple, repeatable formula that still allows for daily connection and joy.

I use the same greeting each day. We simply wave around the circle and say good morning to each other. It is a boisterous 20 seconds and gets everyone talking, looking around, saying and hearing those most welcoming words. Then we answer a question. There is a specific question for each weekday, which allows for connection and vulnerability to evolve throughout the year. I always answer the question. For students, it’s optional—they may pass. We use a talking piece so we can stay focused on the speaker. Passing it allows for micro-movement while we sit in the circle and helps students develop their listening skills. The weekly schedule is:

Monday: What’s the news?

Tuesday: What makes you feel _____?

Wednesday: What’s on your mind?

Thursday: What is something that has been fun this week?

Friday: What are you looking forward to?

The Tuesday question changes each week to provide a safe space for sharing and personal reflection about all types of emotions. Words I’ve used include happy, worried, proud, annoyed, strong, sad, joyful, grateful, frustrated, and excited. I use a clean graphic to support students needing a visual to refer to, which provides consistency and calm.

Next comes a quick, friendly message from me with reminders and the statement “I believe in you,” ending with a riddle and an emotion check-in. Finally, we review our classroom norms, which we cocreated at the beginning of the year. We do this daily, since it’s critical to begin grounded in agreements about the kind of classroom we envision and how we want to treat others and be treated.

Similarly, I have a consistent and simple closing routine. It fosters reflection and joy for my students and me, and allows us to end the day on a positive note, even on the most challenging days. In a circle, sitting, we gather and answer the question “What went well today?”

Students share excitedly, and it opens up a window into their day and what stuck with them: recess, learning or personal growth, or simply fun. Whatever is shared, it connects us in a positive way and reminds us what worked in our day. Smiles spread. For me, this is a time of day when, despite decision fatigue and the daily cognitive load of being an educator (and tired feet), I am reminded that the work I am doing matters so very much, and there’s always joy to be found at the end of my day as a teacher.

Protocols for Sharing

One of my core beliefs is that students need to move, make choices, express ideas, and work with others to be truly engaged in learning. To provide movement opportunities and the chance to express thoughts and ideas in learning, I use protocols that support equity of voice in my classroom. Thinking, participation, and engagement are consistently high.

First, we “Pass a Thought.” Students gather and stand in a circle. We use a talking piece to share an idea about a topic. Since we use the same talking piece in multiple daily routines, students understand that it will allow participation by all. We pass the piece sequentially, and students may repeat or add to an idea they hear. If students need time, we wait. All ideas are valued, even those that take a few moments to surface.

I strategically choose volunteers to start in order to give other students—those who need time and ideas from others—the opportunity to be successful. This process accommodates all learners and helps students practice listening. Often, I find myself reassuring everyone that they will all have a turn to share.

We also use a non-sequential circle. Students stand in a circle, and I start by asking, “Who has something to say?” Hands go up excitedly. I give the talking piece to a student who volunteers, and they share their thoughts on the topic or their written work. When that student is done, they ask the same question to the group, give the talking piece to the student of their choice, and then sit down, so we can see who remains. We continue until everyone has a chance to speak at least once. I encourage the group by saying, “We really want to hear from everyone—your ideas are important and interesting.” Every student usually participates. And it works for all subject areas throughout the day.

I also use accountability partners. I pair students randomly (using ClassDojo Group Maker). Our protocol is to connect, compliment, and collaborate. Students find their partners and give each other a compliment. Then we watch a video, learn about a topic, or analyze student work, after which they share ideas. I ask students randomly, using sticks with names, what they discussed about the topic. Hands wave wildly to participate. It works so well!

These routines all ensure equity of voice. Once students learn and internalize the routines, they are always ready. Relying on ready routines has helped me build predictability and reduce my planning time, something that benefits both students and me.

Upcoming Events

***Please let me know of upcoming events, so I don't miss something!

• Please make sure you are looking at all IEPs for your students this year. The accommodations that each of you has is a great place to start. Please make sure you know that every student you are teaching this year has what they need in regard to their IEP.

• If you are going to be gone from the building at anytime during the day, please make sure you let the front office know. Thank you.
• 5/4/26-PD Day-Transition Meetings for Pre-K and K, 5th to 6th- PE and Music, More Information to come
• 5/4/26-Annual Budget Meeting with Dr. D and Marianne Carlson at the SEC building in the Bearcat Community Room, 10:15-10:45, Lunch on your own, 10:45-12:00, PD in Mrs. Stolen's room 12:30-3:30.
• 5/4/26-5/8/26-Teacher (Staff) Appreciation Week
• 5/4/26-Dairy King Trailer to Lincoln Heights for a sweet treat, 1:30, We will stop our meeting to go and get a treat from the trailer
• 5/4/26-Incoming 6th Grade Student/Parent Student Orientation, 6:00-8:00 at BMS
• 5/5/26-Facility Committee Meeting, 11:30-12:30-Mr. Behnke
• 5/5/26-4th and 5th Grade Program at SHS, Start walking at 1:30, Program, beginning at 1:50-2:30 PM, we will then walk back around 2:30. All Students and staff will attend.
• 5/5/26-ASP Quarter 4 Meeting, 3:30-4:15 PM-Mr. Behnke
• 5/6/26-4th Grade Field Trip to the Monument, Rebecca WInters, and Chimney Rock, 8:30-2:45
• 5/6/26-5th Graders Tie Dying t-shirts, 1:00-2:30
• 5/6/26-Retirement and Recognition Ceremony, 4:30-6:00 at SHS
• 5/7/26-FastBridge Testing (K-1) (2nd and 3rd SPED/IRIP) 8:00-3:00, Conference Room
• 5/8/26-Scottsbluff Public Library at Lincoln Heights to promote the summer reading program, 12:30-3:10-We will have grade levels together like we have done in the past. Schedule will come soon.
• 5/10/26-Mother's Day
• 5/11/26-Through the Body. What does your body do? Kindergarten-1st Grade-12:00-1:00, 4th and 5th from 1:00-2:00, 2nd and 3rd Grade, 2:00-3:00-Out on the Front Lawn!
• 5/11/26-Student Of The Quarter Recognitions at our Morning Meeting, please contact parents to attend on this day. I have shared the SOTQ document with everyone.
• 5/12/26-Third Graders Snowy Bus for a students birthday
• 5/12/26-SBPS Orchestra Concert, Information has been given to 5th grade teachers
• 5/13/26-WEB Leaders from BMS at Lincoln Heights for visit with our 5th graders, 8:15-8:45 in the Lincoln Heights gym.
• 5/13/26-Lion Pride Day, 2:15-3:00-I will make a call on the intercom for Lion Pride Day to begin and end
• 5/14/26-Kindergarten Graduation, 2:15-3:00
• 5/15/26-Presidential Awards at our Morning Meeting for our Fifth Graders
• 5/15/26-Graduation Walk for Seniors who attended Lincoln Heights, 10:00-10:30
• 5/18/26-Elementary Track Meet, for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students
• 5/19/26-Make Up Date for Elementary Track Meet, If we have have the track meet on the 18th, we will have the the Field Day on the 19th.
• 5/19/26-Field Day, 3-5 in the morning, and K-2 in the afternoon-Schedule to come
• 5/20/26-NORMAL SCHEDULE, Specials included!
• 5/20/26-4th Grade Wax Museum, 1:30-2:00-K-3 Walkthroughs Mrs. Fults Room and Library , 2:00-2:50- Families-Mrs. Fults Room And Library
• 5/21/26-Talent Show, 9:00-10:15-Lincoln Heights Gym
• 5/21/26-Last Day of School, Dismissal at 11:20
• 5/21/26-Staff Appreciation Festival, 4:00-7:00 PM-YMCA Trails West Camp

1/2 Lion Pride Days and Lion Pride Days

5/13/25-Lion Pride Day

As a reminder kindergarten will have specials with second grade on Lion Pride Days. Kindergarten will watch their show before they all go to specials on 1/2 Lion Pride Days. 1st-5th will begin their show at 2:30-3:10. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Email: jbehnke@sbps.net
Website: www.sbps.net
Phone: 308-635-6252