Principal's Corner
Welcome to the Principal's Corner. My name is Lauren Amrhein, principal of Bernice A. Ray Elementary School. Each week I post a message here to keep you updated on important topics that are happening at our school.
My weekly posts can also be found in the weekly Ray of Sunshine newsletter which I highly encourage you to view. I also happen to have a twitter feed (in column to the right) where I like to post things that are happening throughout the day. I hope you find all of this information helpful, informative and fun.
Regards,
Lauren
Most Recent Post:
Week of September 3 - 6
Dear Families,
Another fabulous four days in the books! Across the school, students are practicing routines and expectations in their learning spaces, sharing their hopes and dreams for the school year, and learning about their classmates and the adults that teach and support their classrooms.
One of the many ways we build our school community is through a school-wide designated Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting block. For kindergarten and first, second, third, and fifth grades, this block is the first part of the day, 8:00-8:30am. For our fourth graders who start the day with specials, Morning Meeting occurs right after their specials time.
The goals of Morning Meeting include:
-
Set a tone for respectful and engaged learning in a climate of trust
-
Create a positive community by creating a designated time and space for students to belong, make connections, feel significant, and have fun
-
Model and practice social and emotional skills
These goals are accomplished through four Morning Meeting components:
-
Greeting: Students and adults greet each other by name, often including a handshake, singing, movement, or another activity.
-
Sharing: Students and adults share some news or information about themselves and respond to each other, making connections and creating opportunities for other discussions during the day.
-
Group Activity: The whole class does a short activity that builds class connection through active participation and movement.
-
Morning Message: This is a warm up for the day where the adults in the room write a daily note that often includes information about the schedule and plan for the day.
All adults and students in the building participate in a Ray School Morning Meeting. Whether assigned to a classroom for the year or supporting various classrooms, we start our days together in an active, inclusive, positive way. This is one of the many reasons why arriving at school on time each morning is important.
We are in our third year of implementing the Responsive Classroom approach school-wide, which includes a set of specific practices and components. Throughout the year, we will share more about the Responsive Classroom approach and the RAY Way!
Have a wonderful weekend, we will see you on Monday!
Sincerely,
Lauren Amrhein
Principal