
R.F. Pettigrew Panther Tracks
September 2023
From the Principal’s Desk
Mr. Kevin Dick
We are in the third partial week of school, and next week will give a full five-day school week a try for the first time, this school year. The Sioux Falls School District, for the past few years, has done a gradual start school calendar, with a 2-day week, then a 4-day, then another 4-day. This type of start has really proven to be successful for students who are struggling to make the transition to a regular school routine. It allows all of us, those that are struggling and those that are excited to finally be in the routine again, to gradually get into that regular routine.
This year, as you may have read in some of our earlier information we have shared about this new school year, we are unveiling a program at Pettigrew called PBIS, which stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. A committee of teachers and other educators from Pettigrew spent most of last year working on our implementation of this program. This group was tasked with creating several components, all the while gathering input and feedback from the rest of the staff,about what was needed for each of these components. And we came up with our Panther PAWS, which represent our Core Values—those being Positive, Accountable, Wise and Safe. Each of these core values was applied to all the important areas around the school, classrooms, lunchroom, hallways, playground, bathrooms, on the bus, and some important times of the day such as before school and after school. The application of these core values generated into a matrix of expectations in each of these areas. So, Positive, Accountable, Wise and Safe were applied to each of these areas, giving three expectations for each of these values in each of these areas and times around the school. This matrix of expectations then generated into a lesson plan for each of these areas around school. Teachers, in classrooms, started the year with instruction about our expectations in each area, and how it applied to PAWS.
Now, since the title of the program includes the words interventions and supports, these items are built into this system that we are implementing. Students have a chance to earn PAWS tickets for exhibiting these core values in any of the areas around the school. We have a school-wide goal for the first month of September, to have the students earn 3,000 tickets, total. We will count up the total tickets given out each week, and keep students updated on how many tickets we have earned as a class, each week, when we have a weekly announcement to the students. These announcements also remind students of our core values and one of the ways they can apply them in and around Pettigrew this week.
By means of interventions, we utilize SWIS reports, which basically serves to keep students accountable to our expectations, and when they need reminders or some sort of intervention, staff members can issue these reports, in the form of either a Minor or a Major. When these are issued, teachers communicate with the parents of the students, so they are aware of the incident and can help reinforce the positive or expected behavior from home, too. Major reports are reviewed by administrators, and may also result in an Office Referral, too. In an upcoming article, we will write about ways and ideas, parents can use the PBIS concepts and program components at home, too, to allow for this to be a consistent approach we are using, both at school and at home.
Other things to look forward to in the upcoming weeks at Pettigrew -- Picture Day is September 21, 2023.
We are going to be sending some Parent Connections instructions and a chance for parents to get connected on CANVAS with their teachers and their student’s accounts. Parents will be connected as Observers, only, and students maintain a different type of account. CANVAS is our online learning system that SFSD is now using Early Childhood through 12th grade. So, once connected, a family will stay connected as long as they have students in the school district. Look for these directions in Friday’s folders, Friday, September 15, 2023.
Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up in the second week of October, and we will be using Sign Up Genius once again, for parents to sign up to schedule these conferences. This will be available on Thursday, September 21, 2023.
And finally, we will be having a FUN RUN and related Fund Raiser activity. This will all kick off on Wednesday, September 27, and the FUN RUN will conclude this event on Friday, October 6, 2023. That will be a busy and short experience, that we will be sending more information about, and you will be hearing about these efforts from your classroom teacher, as well.
Fall is a great time to be at Pettigrew, and we look forward to partnering with you, the parents of our families, to pursue the educational excellence that we know each of our students is capable of!!!
PAWS
o Be Positive
o Be Accountable
o Be Wise
o Be Safe
Cultivating Our Future Together
By Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent
Summer is coming to a close and another fall is upon us. While students, staff, and parents settle in for the new school year, cooler temperatures and earlier sunsets remind us harvest is also right around the corner.
Each year, we select a theme to keep us grounded in our work. This year we are focusing on the word “Cultivate.” In so many ways, “cultivating” describes what happens in our classrooms every day. Like a seed ready for planting, students enter our classrooms with so much potential to grow. Staff nurture curiosity and introduce various tools to help students succeed on their educational journey.
One new tool students and families will become accustomed to using this fall is our Learning Management System called Canvas. The online platform helps students and staff organize homework and class expectations. Another technology tool you may be hearing about in the news is Chat GPT and artificial intelligence (AI). Ready or not, these online resources are here to stay. We believe it is better for students to learn how these innovative tools can be used to proactively sharpen their critical thinking skills and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
While tools are important, sometimes the greatest harvest is reaped just by cultivating consistency. This year more than ever, we are focusing on the need for students to attend school regularly. It is essential to recognize that good attendance is a shared responsibility. As parents and caregivers, you play a vital role in fostering a culture of regular attendance. Just like watering and fertilizing plants regularly, students also need this consistency. By prioritizing and emphasizing the value of attending school every day, you set the foundation for your child's commitment to their education.
Additionally, we are excited to open our Community Learning Centers (CLC) in elementary schools to encourage stronger connections and community engagement. With support from local organizations, businesses, and community members our after-school programs will offer tutoring, mentoring, and various enrichment activities. Parents and caregivers will have many opportunities to come alongside us in this endeavor. Your partnership is important to its success.
By attending school events, volunteering, voting for educational initiatives, or providing resources, we can cultivate a thriving educational community where our students can flourish and reach their full potential. We stand ready to support you and nurture your child every step of the way.
PTO Fundraisers and Events
School District and Community Wide Events and Information
Author Talk
September 11
6 - 8 p.m.
Oak View Branch
3700 E. 3rd St
605-367-8060
Author W. Bruce Cameron will engage with children about movie making, writing, and dogs. He’ll take their questions and give them insight into how every dog finds a purpose, and how important it is to be a reader in today’s world.
This presentation was created for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade, but all ages are welcome.
6 - 7 p.m. Presentation
7 - 8 p.m. Book Signing
About W. Bruce Cameron
W. Bruce Cameron is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author, columnist, and screenwriter. Cameron is most famous for his novel A Dog's Purpose, which spent 63 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is the basis for the movie version starring Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, and Pooch Hall. A Dog's Purpose is followed by a sequel called A Dog's Journey, which W. Bruce Cameron, along with Cathryn Michon, adapted into a film of the same name.
About Zeus: Water Rescue
Some dogs were born to lend a helping hand (or paw!). Zeus, a chocolate lab puppy, is one of them. With his courage, smarts, and strength his purpose seems clear: he’ll become a water rescue dog! When a young boy named Kimo is tasked with training Zeus, they quickly become best friends. But Zeus’ excitement makes training hard, and worse yet, becoming a working dog means being separated from Kimo. Can Zeus and his boy figure out how to stay together forever?
R.F. Pettigrew PTO
Email: rfp.president@yahoo.com
Website: rfpettigrew.org/pto
Location: 7900 West 53rd Street, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 6053623564
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RFPettigrewPTO/?ref=share