Community Lockdown Information

May 8, 2013

Dear Parents and Community of Banks Road Elementary School,

Because we want to keep you informed, I would like you to be aware of an incident in our community today.

At approximately 1:50 p.m., we received word from the Fuquay-Varina Police Department that the school should go into a community lockdown while they investigated a report of the sound of shots in the area. The lockdown lasted about 10 minutes.

In a community lockdown, exterior doors of the school are locked and no one is allowed to enter or exit the building until an all-clear announcement is received from police. The school operates “business as usual,” with the exception of no outside activities.

These steps are taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Once law enforcement officials gave us the all-clear, the lockdown was lifted.

We greatly appreciate the relationship we have with law enforcement and WCPSS Security in responding to such situations. They work closely with us to ensure the safety of our students every day.

If you have any questions or concerns, call the office at (919) 890-7333. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Carmen Graf, Principal          

Banks Road Elementary School        

Just sharing information from our WCPSS page regarding School Psychologists :)

For parents: How can a school psychologist help my child?

May 5-11 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and an opportunity to inform parents on the valuable services school psychologists provide to students at every grade level.
WCPSS employs more than 90 school psychologists who work as part of a team of student services professionals available in every school. Together with counselors, social workers and other staff, school psychologists help shape a school’s climate to help create a healthy learning environment, says Sarah Greene, lead school psychologist for WCPSS.

“Our main goal is to address students and put interventions in place so they can maximize the learning environment,” Greene says. “The services school psychologists provide all drive back to the mission and the purpose of the system, which is helping students be successful in school.”

What does a school psychologist do?
School psychologists provide regular training for teachers and staff on how to support students with emotional challenges, such as losing a loved one or coping with divorce. They play a critical role in responding to emergencies that affect school, such as the death of a fellow student or teacher. Psychologists also help develop a positive school-wide culture and systems for encouraging positive behavior, such as incentive programs and anti-bullying campaigns.
A lot of a school psychologist’s time is also spent working on one-on-one with students, Greene says. According to national statistics, as many as 1 in 5 students need mental health support throughout their educational careers.
“Our schools are a microcosm of society,” Greene says, “so students may be coping with a range of issues, such as depression and anxiety. It’s important for parents to know that we are here to help students have the best chance of success in school, and if we need to help them find additional resources outside of school, we can help with that, too.”

How do I get help for my child?
Support is available for any student from pre-K all the way up through grade 12. A parent’s first contact should be with the school counselor, who can help bring in additional resources as necessary, Greene says.

Helpful Resources
Tips from the National Association of School Psychologists

The role of school psychologists
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/handouts/sbmhservices.pdf
A primer for parents – how to identify depression in children and adolescents
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/nasp_depreng.pdf

Our school psychologist is Lisa Occhipinti.  She can be reached at locchipinti@wcpss.net or my calling 919-890-7333. 

Just a reminder...

Don't forget this Thursday, May 9th is our Kindergarten Orientation Parent Session from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. This session is for all parents of rising Kindergarten students for the 2013-2014 school year. We will share information about a typical day in a kindergarten classroom, curriculum information and basic information about BRES. You will also have an opportunity to meet our PTA officers. We will meet in the multipurpose room.

Friday, May 10th is our last Early Release day. We will begin dismissal at 1:15 p.m. If you plan to change your child's mode of transportation, please send in a note with your child or call the school at 919-890-7333.

Letterland is coming to Kindergarten and First Grade in 2013-2014!

Letterland will be the new literacy program used by Kindergarten and First Grade teachers in the upcoming school year. Over the next two months our teachers will attend trainings, collaborate with other teachers from the district along with curriculum literacy leaders to ensure a deep understanding of the program and how it will support our youngest Trailblazers in building a solid foundation of literacy skills.

Mr. Gordon, track 2 Kindergarten teacher and I were able to attend a special session with the creator of the Letterland program this evening, Lyn Wendon. We traveled to Timber Drive Elementary where the developer had spent the day visiting classrooms and talking with students.

Mr. Gordon and I were thrilled to have an opportunity to speak with Ms. Wendon and ask questions. Check out the picture of Mr. Gordon and me with Ms. Wendon!

Want to learn more about the program? Follow this link to the official Letterland website parent page: http://www.letterland.com/parents. ~ Mrs. Graf

Spirit Week is Coming Sponsored by the Student Council!

Our Student Council is hard at work.  They have planned a celebratory week for all students beginning with Track 1.  Please see below for important dates and events to celebrate a wonderful year or learning and growing!

Track 1 ONLY: May 28th- May 31st

    Tuesday: Backwards Day

    Wednesday: Wacky Tacky Day

    Thursday: Hawaiian Day

    Friday: School Spirit (5th grade Clap Out)

 

Track 2, 3, & 4: June 24th- 28th

    Monday: Black & White Day

    Tuesday: Backwards Day

    Wednesday: Wacky Tacky Day

    Thursday: Hawaiian Day

    Friday: School Spirit (5th grade Clap Out)

Banks Boomers Reminder

No Talent Show practice this week.

Banks Boomers Chorus practice is scheduled for Tuesday (tomorrow) this week at 8:00 a.m.

Please email lloftin@wcpss.net.  Thanks!

Lemonade Day Success!

Our YMCA Before and Aftercare Program conducted it's 2nd Annual Lemonade Day Contest this past Friday.  Students who participate in the program worked with counselors to plan a lemonade stand, lemonade recipes, and a sales/business plan.  The students worked in teams, practiced 21st century skills and "opened up for business" on Friday evening to teachers and parents of the Y program.  Check out the awesome picture below for a glimpse at the Y students gathered for a group picture!