First Quarter Progress

We have reached the end of the first quarter of the year for all tracks. Looking back, I think you will agree that we have all accomplished a great deal! Most importantly, we have become a school community. Do you remember the anticipation of Kindergarten Orientation or Meet the Teacher? How about the first day of school? Getting to know new families, friends, teachers and administrators as well as learning new school routines and procedures took all of us out of our comfort zones. I thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone and embarking on our first year journey at Banks Road Elementary. Together we will continue to move forward with a common goal in mind- making Banks Road Elementary the very best school for our students! Parents have already done so much to support this goal. Helping students with homework, reading with your children at home, volunteering at school, or serving on a PTA or SIP committee are only a few examples. Some ways that teachers and staff are working to achieve this goal include our School Improvement Plan, Professional Learning Teams and Student Support Team. Our School Improvement Committees have formed and are beginning to meet regulary as they guide our continuous improvement efforts. Teachers are meeting weekly as Professional Learning Teams and are improving learning and teaching through focused collaboration. The Student Support Team has developed effective tools for progress monitoring and is working closely with teachers and parents to help students succeed.

Banks Road Elementary teachers, parents, staff, and students are building strong relationships as we work together for our students. I am extremely proud of how far we have come since starting the school year. I look forward to all that will be accomplished in the coming weeks and months as we continue the journey to success at Banks Road Elementary!

Next Steps

Thank you for the tremendous support of our Vision Parades! These parades were a great way to involve students in the identification of core values and the development of our mission and vision at Banks Road Elementary. Last Wednesday, September 2, the class banners were all placed in the cafeteria for the staff to view and reference during school improvement planning sessions. In these sessions, staff members provided input into the development of our school's mission and vision. I will soon be communicating with parents to gain their input into the development of our mission and vision. These are the next steps in the creation of our School Improvement Plan (SIP). SIP Committees focused on academics, family and community involvement, and school culture wll be meeting during the last week of each month to identify goals and key processes that will drive our work at Banks Road Elementary. SIP updates will be provided throughout the year. Again, I thank you for your overwhelming support of Banks Road Elementary as we work together to blaze trails to success for our students!