Dear Bolinas Stinson School Families,
WELCOME ~ ED MANN ~ OUR NEW INTERIM WOOD SHOP TEACHER!
Please join me in welcoming Ed Mann as the new interim/substitute Wood shop Specialist. He has recently joined our team of outstanding art shop teachers. The students are excited to have the wood shop program up and running again in Ed’s capable and creative hands.
You may already know Ed, as he has a long history in the town of Bolinas and with our school. Ed was born at home on the Bolinas Mesa in 1971 and attended the Bolinas- Stinson School, beginning as a Kindergartener in the 1970's. His two daughters, Bella and Sadie also attended Bolinas-Stinson School.
Ed has a deep love for the local environment. He enjoys surfing with his daughters, fishing, and rowing the traditional wooden boats his father built. He learned woodworking, building, plumbing, pipefitting, and sprinkler fitting first from his father, and later from a host of other crafts and trades people. Ed shared that he was “raised amongst makers, artists of every sort, craftspeople, potters, jewelry makers, painters, poets, dancers, musicians, performers, writers, scientists, farmers, fishers, arborists, activists, creative thinkers, builders of homes, boats, and everything else one needed. “
Ed enjoys learning about different cultures, traveling, camping, photography, meeting new people, and learning new things, but most of all he enjoys teaching. Ed recently shared with me how excited he is to be working at our school, “It is such a pleasure to be back on campus instructing in the Wood shop. I am so grateful for all of the people who have over the years helped to make this such a special place. Having just turned fifty, I am so happy to be here now.”
BSUSD CORE ENRICHMENT PLAN UPDATE, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 5:00 PM
Please join us at the Board Meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, October 12, at 5:00 PM. The Core Enrichment Committee will be sharing ideas and a draft of the BSUSD Core Enrichment Plan with the board to get their input. This important work is the culmination of many hours of discussion and research by dedicated committee members. After presenting and getting feedback from the board, the committee will be sharing and gathering input from staff, parents and students. Use the link below to join the meeting virtually:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8598...
Meeting ID: 859 8829 9482 Passcode: 874765
Hope to see you there!
USING OUR NORTH STAR TO GUIDE OUR WORK
What is our North Star and how does it differ from our school’s Mission and Vision Statements? Our school community has identified key qualities that we want to nurture in our students to help them become their best selves. We have been actively using the information we gleaned from our North Star Event to help guide our work as a school community. Below is an explanation of our schools guiding principles.
Our Mission ~ Is our “Why” and drives everything we do. This is our purpose and our reason for being.
“We are committed to engaging students with cooperative and creative problem solving, providing them with the tools they need to become independent thinkers, and lifelong learners. We promote a culture of respect which values diversity and the whole child.” BSUSD Mission Statement.
Our Vision ~ Is our “What.” It describes what we strive for and what we want to achieve.
“We educate students to be inspired critical thinkers, confident of their creativity and motivated to achieve academic excellence. Essential learning, grounded in sustainable community and environmental stewardship, prepares each student to successfully pursue the opportunities of life.” BSUSD Vision Statement.
Our North Star ~ Is the “Who” we want our children to be.
These are the key qualities that we want to nurture in our students to help them become their best selves for a better world.
Cultivates positive relationships
Kind, empathetic, respectful, able to resolve conflicts
Independent Life Long Learner
Curious, confident, growth mindset
Appreciates diversity
Advocate for social justice, empowered to create change, able to see from multiple perspectives
Aware of Self
Mentally & physically healthy, resilient, responsible, self-disciplined
Creative
Able to explore solutions to problems, able to express self many ways
The “How,” is how we are working to accomplish our mission, vision and North Star.
This is the thread that is woven throughout our day to day activities. This encompasses school services and programs, curriculum, discipline, field trips, enrichment activities, recess activities, professional development, how we talk and relate to each other (staff, parents. and students), and most importantly, our mindset as we engage in all of these activities.
Highlights of the work we are doing to achieve our Mission, Vision & North Star
Monthly Staff Development and Community Culture building ~ We are working together to shift mindsets, build trusting relationships, and develop better communication.
Working to improve our school wide discipline to be more responsive, restorative, and reparative. ~ We are currently working on a RRR Discipline draft and will share it with the larger school community soon.
Implementation of proactive scheduling ~ We developed a schedule to provide students with downtime or quiet time to recalibrate and recharge during the day. Warm welcomes, and thoughtful farewells combined with homeroom check-ins throughout the day to help nurture and students social emotional well being.
Principal Advisory Committee ~ To promote staff coherence, improve school wide communication, and encourage grade level articulation in all areas. This team is a mix of certificated and classified staff with the primary focus to support the principal with leadership decisions and guidance as well as facilitate cross-grade and school wide continuity.
More Frequent All Staff Meeting and Collaborative Shared Agendas ~ By meeting more frequently, we are able to better address school and staff needs and work together collaboratively to find solutions.
Return of All School Assemblies and Cross Grade Experiences for Our Students ~ We are working to improve our student experience and connection through cross-grade level events and experiences. This is a fun way for our students to get to know each other better and meet different teachers and staff.
- More Environmental Education and Exploratory Field Trips ~ We know that our students thrive in the great outdoors and all grades are actively involved in learning about their local environment through hands-on activities, exploration, and observation.
Stay tuned for much more!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions. Wishing you and your family much love and laughter!
Warmly,
Michelle