Hero Headlines: Introducing Our Hero Houses And Competitive Charitable Giving!

Safe. Respectful. Responsible.

Greeting, Meadow Brook Partners!

Last summer our “Be A Meadow Brook Hero” culture-building initiative was born out of an idea generated at a PD planning meeting by Meadow Brook Staff.

Last fall the Meadow Brook PTA rallied around our “Be A Meadow Brook Hero” culture-building initiative by redesigning our logo and making sure that every staff member and student had a “Be A Hero!” t-shirt.

Last winter our “Chain of Hero’s” core values celebration tool came into being on the foundation of a student’s idea and design.

Last spring a Meadow Brook parent shared an article with me about how positively impactful the concept of “houses,” or small, collaborative culture-buidling/shared learning groups are for students in school communities.

That action inspired several months of reflective development and has now ended this fall in the introduction of our brand new Meadow Brook “Hero Houses!”

Next week all Meadow Brook students will be assigned to one of six “Hero Houses” though which they will engage in what we are referring to “competitive charitable giving.”

The seven MBE “Hero Houses” are:

  • Hero House Kindness
  • Hero House Gratitude
  • Hero House Optimism
  • Hero House Grit
  • Hero House Mindfulness
  • Hero House Courage
  • Hero House Creativity

We are thrilled to announce, in collaboration with our incredible PTA, that the first “House Happening” charitable giving campaign was thought of and developed by one of our first grade students and his family, and it’s all about today’s national ITP awareness day – and helping kids feel safe, valued, and respected!

Please take a moment to watch the following video and stay tuned for more information to come!

MBE Week At A Glance: The WAG 10/1 – 10/5

Monday, October 1

  • No Special Events

Tuesday, October 2

  • 4th grade OU Field Trip 9:30-1:30 p.m.
  • 1st grade Van Hoosen Farm Field Trip 12:30-2:00 p.m.
  • Rochester PAC Event: Demystifying Dyslexia (6 p.m. in the Harrison Room, RCS Administration Building)

Wednesday, October 3

  • 1st grade Van Hoosen Farm Field Trip 9:30-11:00 a.m.
  • 1st grade Van Hoosen Farm Field Trip 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 4

  • Tornado Drill 10:30 a.m

Friday, October 5 

  • Fun Run (rain date: October 12)

Update From The Office: Emergency Card Instruction

Greetings, Meadow Brook Partners!

If you have not yet filled out your online emergency card, please do so as soon as possible.

We use the information of this card to communicate, and to keep Meadow Brook students safe.

Click here for: Parents Online Emergency Card Instructions

Thank you for your attention to this important detail.

Please touch base any time we can help.

Your MBE Office Staff

We Need You To Volunteer For This Year’s MBE Fun Run!

Thank you for volunteering on behalf of all Meadow Brook kids!

Click Here For: MBE Fun Run Volunteer Sign Up

Our Fun Run is Friday, October 5 with a rain date of October 12. We have a variety of opportunities ranging from the classroom to the field. Each class will need help bringing children to the field, passing out bracelets at each lap, counting the lap bracelets to total laps per class, and handing out water. We also have volunteer opportunities at the water station, set up and clean up.

Please be sure to SIGN IN at the office first and then report to the classroom or to the field through the gym. We will email detailed instructions pertaining to your volunteer tasks closer to the date.

We couldn’t do this without you! We’re stronger together!

If you have any questions, contact Jill West at jillannwest@gmail.com or Kristine Ma at krma17@gmail.com.

FUN RUN SCHEDULE (see below for class times and volunteer reporting times)

2:03-2:12 pm       2nd grade running, KDG cheering (volunteers report by 1:40)

2:13-2:20 pm       KDG running, 2nd grade cheering (volunteers report by 1:40)

2:23-2:36 pm      3rd grade running, 4th grade cheering (volunteers report by 2:00)

2:37-2:52 pm      4th grade running, 3rd grade cheering (volunteers report by 2:00)

2:53-3:00 pm      1st grade running, 5th grade cheering (volunteers report by 2:40)

3:01-3:19 pm      5th grade running, 1st grade cheering (volunteers report by 2:40)

Thanks again!

Your MBE Fun Run 2018 – 2019 Team

MBE Safety First Update: Friendly Car Line Reminders

Car Line/Drop-off Safety Notes

1. Drop off officially begins at 8:40 a.m.; please do not drop your children off earlier than this as the volunteers are not ready to assist children until then.

2. Please do not exit your vehicle to help your child out of the car; volunteers can and will do that when you pull up. If no volunteer is available to help children out of the car (before i.e. before 8:40 a.m.) and your child needs assistance, please pull into the parking lot, park, then walk your child to the front doors.

3. Please do not let children out of the car until your car is in front of the door area of the school where volunteers can see and assist them. Many people are letting children out way down near the crosswalk at the beginning of the loop, and it is worrisome. We want to be able to see children so we know they are safely getting into the building.

4. Under no circumstances should cars be passing each other in the drop-off line unless you are directed to do so by a volunteer or staff member. It compromises the safety of children, other cars and volunteers.

If all of these guidelines are followed, the car line runs very smoothly and efficiently…and our kids stay safe!

Thank you for your partnership!

Your MBE PTA Car Line Volunteer Team and Mr. Berg

Hero Headlines: Doing Our Best!

Safe. Respectful. Responsible.

Greetings, Meadow Brook Partners!

My wife and I have four kids. We describe our seven-year-old as the creative explorer.

This personality type makes him incredibly interesting and fun to be around when he’s engaged in a project, or telling us about a discovery, or enthusiastically demonstrating a new skill. The same makes it challenging to support him when he’s frustrated.

He’s sensitive. When he’s frustrated he gets upset with himself and anyone else in the general vicinity. He shows his frustration with the same passion that he shows his enthusiasm with. It’s challenging to watch him frustrated. It appears almost painful, and as anyone reading this message knows, it’s challenging to see kids in pain, particularly our own.

We want to help and I think we can with this caveat – we have to be ok with the journey. Our help doesn’t always sink in right away. In fact, it usually doesn’t.

In education we say, “They don’t always blossom on our watch.”

We mean that the kids we serve each year don’t typically demonstrate that our interactions are pieces of their growth puzzles.  They are, though.

A few days ago I was reminded that we achieve peace when we understand that doing our best is good enough.

Let’s continue to remind our kids that we’re looking for effort over big wins, grit over high scores, creativity over lists of facts.

Let’s continue to remind them that doing their best is good enough.  Let’s encourage it.  Let’s support it.  Let’s celebrate it.

While they may not blossom on our watch, we have the power to contribute to peaceful, joyful, and fruitful learning journeys for each and every one of them.

They are each unique.  They will each take unique paths.  One thing they can each do is their individual best.

Let’s continue to do our best to intentionally support that.

Thank you for you patience and your partnership…in it together for the kids.

Here’s to another joyful Meadow Brook Week!

Wishing you a joyful weekend!

Seth

 

Seth E. Berg

Principal

Meadow Brook Elementary

Call: (248) 726 -4101

Click: sberg@rochester.k12.mi.us

My Reflective Journey: Berg’s Eye View

 

MBE Week At A Glance (WAG) 9/24 – 9/28/18

Monday, September 24th – PTA General Meeting in the Media Center 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 25th – No Special Events

Wednesday, September 26th – Kdg. Police Officer visit

Thursday, September 27th – Fire Drill 10:00 a.m.

Friday, September 28th – Half Day for students – Dismissal @ 12:10 p.m./PD Day