Carbon School District Press Release
Recently, the parent liaison retired from the Bruin Point Elementary School. Her responsibilities have been divided between Samie Howell, the school’s secretary, and John Behn, the music specialist and intervention aide at the school.
“John has taken over the student leadership, and he has run with it. He has the student leadership all fired up working on new and exciting activities,” said school principal Dina Wise.
This year on Veteran’s Day, Behn asked if the school could do a flag retirement ceremony on the school grounds. Two veterans, Leroy Erickson and Philip Pendleton, assisted in burning the flags, which is the preferred method for retiring flags that are no longer usable. Student leaders gave a history of the American flag and the respectful way to retire one. The aforementioned veterans, along with veterans from the audience, stood lined up at the entrance of the building. As the students came in from the ceremony, they shook hands with the veterans and thanked them for their service. After the retirement ceremony, Erickson, Pendleton and Bob Wells (also a veteran) visited each class to talk with the students about their military service and answer any questions.
The school also held their second family night of the year on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
“It’s wasn’t a turkey dinner (ham was the main fare) but it was a nice sit-down dinner with kids and their parents,” stated Wise. “Afterward, we shared information about our school improvement plan and some of the things we are doing different concerning behavior at school.”
The school-wide expectations were shared with parents. The new school counselor, Chrissy Bishop, has worked to create posters with visuals of the expectations. The playground expectations have changed, so parents and students were informed of these changes as well. The main focus of the plan is to teach expectations and then encourage and celebrate students as they meet the expectations. Even with all the teaching, re-teaching, and encouraging, there will be times when a student will have to meet with the principal because of their behavior. The school’s PBIS team has created a flowchart that shows at what point a problem is handled in the classroom or the office and when parents will be called in for concerning situations. The purpose is to make all stakeholders aware of the expectations and how misbehavior will be handled consistently for all students.
“We spent time telling parents about this, so they know what has gone on before they get a phone call,” explained Wise. “We also want them to understand that we are also celebrating good behavior as well.”
Bruin Point has had a morning meeting with all the kids in the lunchroom each day for a long time. Wise said this year they have upped that meeting and sing a school family song each day.
“Doing that really changes the wiring in people’s brains. People need to have connection, unity, touch and a playful situation; and you can just see the kids connecting with each other,” she concluded.