Bur's Banter

Working together..... to keep everyone safe!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Kerby students recently participated in the annual Thanksgiving Sing. It was a wonderful way to celebrate as a community ALL that we are thankful for. As we begin this busy time of year, it is important that we work together to keep everyone healthy, happy and SAFE!

Last month, we began our distribution of Kerby 'parking tickets' which contain reminders for drop-off/pick-up parking procedures:

Beaupre parking is for Kindergarten parents with a current parking pass ONLY. These passes are to be used only during the session their child attends (i.e. AM or PM). This area is a NO PARKING ZONE for parents that do NOT have a Kindergarten student.

Please note for the safety of our students there is no parking in the drop off/pick up lane or parking lot during the hours of 8-9 AM and 3-4 PM.

Do not under any circumstances encourage or allow your children to walk throughout the parking lot.

The entire Kerby Student Body and Staff THANKS YOU for continuing to practice patience during drop off/pick up times and remembering to Be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe.

For those of you who have not received one, thank you for making 'safety first' decisions!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

A Time to Reflect...

Our annual Thanksgiving Sing is Friday, November 20th at 2:45 in the gym. The doors will open to parents and other family members at 2:30. This is a wonderful way to start the holiday season and is one more example of the many things we have to be thankful for.... The Kerby Community!

As many of you know, Parent-Teacher Conferences will follow a schedule similar to last school year, consisting of a morning session, an afternoon session, and two evening sessions. The purpose for this is two-fold: to provide an opportunity for parents to attend conferences based on what works best for their schedules, and to better balance the number of instructional days between the AM and PM Kindergarten sections. The challenge lies in the schedule- we only have 20 minutes per conference allotted due to the number of conferences that each teacher must accommodate in the 4 sessions. We truly appreciate your cooperation with being on time and respecting the time that the teacher has available for your child's conference. Our goal is to work with you as a team in meeting your child's educational needs. We know that this can only be accomplished through open and frequent two-way communication. The schedule for the December PT conferences is:
Wednesday, December 2nd: School for students (8:25 to 3:38)
PT conferences (5:00 to 8:00)
Thursday, December 3rd: No School for Students
PT conferences (8:30 am to 11:30 am)
(12:30 pm to 3:30 pm)
(5:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
Most parents signed up for conferences at Back to School Night and conference invitations were sent home in October. If you have not yet received your conference invitation, please contact your child's teacher. Please leave younger siblings home so that you can devote your full attention to your child's conference. We look forward to partnering with you as your child continues to engage in a school year filled with challenge and lessons learned.

It Takes a Village!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:10:00 +0000

Teamwork and cooperation are such an important part of the learning process. Although we still pay attention to individual progress and academic achievement, we emphasize the importance of working together to accomplish great things. Research shows the importance of empathy and social skills in the workplace, school and in relationships with family and friends. We all have strengths to share with others and we need to recognize the strengths and talents of others. Throughout our school day in our classrooms we make our best efforts to help teach students skills that will help them work together productively and take responsibility for their own learning. These are valuable life-long skills.

In order to promote team-building and build a stronger school community, we are going to meet monthy to have a whole school 'Go Green' assembly for students and teachers. Although the assemblies will be relatively brief, we will provide time to recognize outstanding behaviors, celebrate successes, share skills and talents, and strengthen our school community across the grade levels and throughout the years. We are looking forward to spending this time together, getting to know each other and creating lasting memories at Kerby.

Looking forward to another GREAT year!!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:04:00 +0000

Welcome Back!

September is such an exciting time..... filled with new beginnings in which every student and staff make a fresh start and build upon the lessons learned in previous years. There has been much activity over the summer and we are looking forward to a year filled with many successes. We were able to obtain a document camera (purchased through the 'Gaffney demonstration grant" for every classroom. The Kerby library also has new computers, a 'SMART' board and a portable computer lab which allows our students and staff to use these instructional tools to support teaching and learning in every classroom.

We are also adopting PLC Mondays for teacher collaboration. These meetings will be scheduled with late-start and early dismissal on Mondays for elementary students, consistent with Grosse Pointe secondary schools' current practice. The common time will allow teachers at all grade levels the opportunity to examine school improvement initiatives focused on best practice and student achievement.

There are many great things happening at Kerby and we are ready for another great year!!

Time flies......

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:02:00 +0000

It is unbelievable that this is the last post of the 2008-09 school year! I'd like to thank the entire Kerby Community for all that you've done to make it a successful, engaging, fun-filled school year for all our students. This year, parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and community members have spent approximately 3,751 hours volunteering to help make the experiences students receive at Kerby the best they possibly can be.

I sincerely hope that each of you have a relaxing, safe and fun-filled summer!!

See everyone in September!

Looking Ahead...

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Kerby teachers and I will soon be making plans for classroom assignments for the 2009-10 school year. We will work as grade level teams to assign students to a particular classroom group. Our teachers have worked with your children throughout the school year and have gained valuable insight regarding the social, academic, and emotional needs of your children. We will consider the following factors as we prepare classroom assignments for the next school year:
Academic abilities
Cluster groupings
Gender balance
Student personality and interaction
Student behavior
Class size
Social mixture
Individual learning styles (auditory, visual, hands on)
Students benefiting from being together or separated
Student social/emotional needs
Information provided from parents on the student information form.

Our main objective is to produce the most positive classroom environment that enables students to achieve their greatest potential!

At this time of the year we are trying to firm up our Kerby enrollment so we can plan for the number of sections in each grade level and the number of teachers we will need to teach these students. With this in mind, we really need your help. If you plan on moving before the start of the school year, it is very important that you let us know by calling the Kerby Office.

You can help us out by approaching neighborhood parents, whose children may be of kindergarten age or first grade and new neighbors who may move in over the summer. Please have them give us a call or contact the Office of Residency and Enrollment at 313-432-3083.

What a Wonderful Community!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:28:00 +0000

Throughout the years I have learned many things, but there is one thing that has been reinforced daily— the Kerby community is committed to its children and is willing to give freely of its time, energy and talents to make sure that our students continue to thrive. This commitment is evident as this year’s Kerby Auction, ‘Dream Big… The World Awaits’ is about to become a reality. An event like this takes hours and hours of time, collaboration, and commitment by everyone involved. The Kerby family is filled with generous, caring, talented individuals that are willing to work together to make a difference in the lives of children. My thanks to our community members who donated services and products to further help our cause– our children! Finally, I’d like to thank all of you for attending or contributing to the evening in any way. I know if I made a list, it would be never ending.

There is no doubt that the Kerby community works together! It is your generous support that will ensure that our students will step into the future complete with the tools necessary for success. I am once again reminded of the following quote:

‘Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’
~ Margaret Mead~

Your vision for excellence and willingness to partner with us will make our dreams a reality. Thank you for your participation in this extraordinary event!

March is Reading Month!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:24:00 +0000

It’s hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner, but after the amount of snow and cold, windy days we’ve had, I know the warming winds of Spring will be a welcome change! As we begin to celebrate March is Reading Month, I thought I’d share 25 ways to Promote Reading in Your Family:

Spend 30 minutes a day reading to your child
Keep reading materials visible and available in your house
Talk about the story as you read
Give books as gifts
Have a family reading time. DEAR– Drop Everything And Read
Sing songs, say nursery rhymes and poems together
Read environmental print with your child– food labels, signs, posters etc.
Follow a recipe with your child
Exchange refrigerator messages with your child
Make reading together a happy time
Take your child to the Library once a week
Encourage your child to write and make books
Establish a routine time for daily reading
Read favorite books over and over again
Encourage your child to ask questions about the story
Take books and tapes in the car. Read while traveling and waiting for extracurricular activities to begin
Make lists together
Talk about the pictures in the books
Make cards and send them to family and friends
Look at the book cover. Encourage your child to make predications about the book
Let your child see you reading for enjoyment
Make a writing box for your child. Select a special place for writing
Read the mail with your child
Talk about the story after reading it. Encourage your child to retell the story.
Read, Read, Read, Read, and then Read some more!!

Over the next few weeks at Kerby, we will have a “Read In”, “Assembly with Author Lisa Wheeler”, “Get Caught Reading” and time to “Read Together”. Next time you are in the building be sure to take a look at the “How do We Read at Kerby” bulletin board across from the gym. Many thanks to Anne Maurer, Kerby’s Media Specialist, for all of the time and effort she has put in organizing these special activities.

Where has the time gone?

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Wow, Tuesday, February 10th is the 100th day of school! It seems like yesterday that the students were showing off their new school supplies and talking about the fun at the park or the places they traveled to on their summer vacations. This would be a great time for you to review the goals your child has set with their teachers and make a plan to accomplish them between now and June. Our students do such a great job each day that it is important to take the time to celebrate their hard work and remind them that we are in this together. Looking ahead to March, spring conferences will be held on March 12th and 19th. Parents will once again sign up for their conference times. The sheets will be available outside the office from February 23rd thru March 3rd.

Just a reminder that starting this month, we ask that you visit: http://gpschools.schoolwires.net/gpkerby/icalsw/calendar.asp?cal=em to view the online Kerby School Calendar since we are no longer sending home a hard copy.

On February 23rd we will offer a “Be A Pal” lunch table for students. This table is specifically for students with allergies and one of their 'pals' that bring a “nut free” lunch from home. Please help us by reminding your child to never to share food, eating utensils, food containers or water bottles with other students. Thanks for helping us keep Kerby a safe and healthy place to eat!

A New Beginning!!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:54:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe, restful, fun-filled Holiday season. It was great to see the smiles on the boys and girls faces and hear the laughter fill the hallways and classrooms as they shared their vacation memories with one another. Their energy and enthusiasm are truly contagious and are shining examples of why our school is the wonderful place it is. I truly look forward to the months ahead as we continue to work together to develop the skills that allow our students to be successful.

Working Together and A Time to Give Thanks!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:25:00 +0000

Our annual Thanksgiving Sing is Friday, November 21st at 2:45 in the gym. The doors will open to parents and other family members at 2:30. As I’ve said many times before this is a wonderful way to start the holiday season and is one more example of the many things we have to be thankful for!

Parent-Teacher Conferences will follow a somewhat new schedule this school year. In addition to the afternoon and evening sessions, we have added a morning session. The purpose for this is two-fold: to provide an opportunity for those parents to attend for whom a morning session works best and to better balance the number of instructional days between the AM and PM Kindergarten sections. To accomplish this, the traditional number of afternoon sessions has been reduced and a morning session has been added.

Students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade will not be involved in the fall conferences. 4th and 5th grade students will be involved in the conferences in most instances, but the amount of their involvement is determined by the individual teacher to best meet their goals for the conferences. Teachers also try to provide some time with the parent to speak privately without the student present. The difficulty lies in the schedule - we only have about 20 minutes per conference allotted due to the number of conferences that each teacher must accommodate in the 4 sessions. We truly appreciate your cooperation with being on time and respecting the time that the teacher has available for your child's conference. If you feel that you need more time to meet with the teacher following the conference, please schedule an additional meeting with him/her at a mutually convenient time. Our goal is to meet your needs for information about your child as well as to work with you in meeting your child's educational needs. We know that this can only be accomplished through open and frequent communication.

The schedule for the November Parent-Teacher Conferences is:
• Thurs., Nov. 6 AM School Only P-T Conferences 12:30-3:30 & 5:00-8:00
• Thurs., Nov. 13 PM School Only P-T Conferences 8:30-11:30 & 5:00-8:00
Setting goals truly does motivate children to do their best! Maybe they want to improve their grades, or perhaps they want to be the President of Student Council. Helping kids set goals is the first step to achieving their dreams. Here are some tips:
• Be specific: Saying, “I want to earn good grades” won’t get the job done. Help them be specific, “I will review spelling words 15 minutes every day.”
• Think high: The higher the goal, the higher the performance. There are limits of course. Help your child set realistic, achievable goals.
• Write them down: The difference between a dream and a goal is the written word. Post them where they will see them often!
• Review goals regularly: Help your child get into the habit of looking over their goals each day. Remembering that they have set a goal of passing the next math test with a “B” will make it easier to tackle their math first.

We look forward to meeting with you for the mutual benefit of your child. Please leave younger siblings home so that you can devote your full attention to your child's conference. Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to help your child become the best that they can be!

The 3 "C's" to a Successful School!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:35:00 +0000

Where has the first month of school gone? As we continue on the path towards another successful, enriching and rewarding school year I believe we need to maintain our focus on the 3 ‘C’s’: Communication, Curriculum, and Community.

Open and honest communication is a vital ingredient in nurturing the environment which encourages all students to strive to be the best they can be. Throughout the school year on the first Wednesday of each month, the Kerby Cougar Newsletter is sent home (electronically or with the ‘youngest only’). Kerby staff send home classroom newsletters and also have Web pages that help maintain the link between home and school. Our school Web page continues to be updated; two new additions are the district’s revised Code of Conduct and our Annual Report (PA 25). Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the information.

There is quite a buzz around the newly adopted math program, Everday Mathematics and the new Social Studies curriculum. We will continue to focus on writing as a school and the integration of concepts that allow students the opportunity to take ownership of the material and apply lessons learned as they develop a solid academic foundation.

The Kerby community of students, staff and parents is second to none with their commitment to academic excellence. We are fortunate to have a dedicated and talented professional staff working with our students. Each day students are encouraged and challenged as they gain new insights and skills that will be used throughout their academic careers. In order to provide these engaging academic experiences we are also fortunate to have the unconditional support of our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). All families at Kerby who volunteer their time and talents, donate materials, attend PTO and/or school events or participate in fundraisers are key players in this organization.

As we’ve all heard before: “It takes a village to raise a child,” so allow me to say THANK YOU for being part of the Kerby Village as we partner in the education and development of 344 children!!

Smiles All Around!!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:05:00 +0000

Wow! What a great start to the school year! It was so exciting to see all of our students with a gleam in their eye and a skip in their step as they came back to school today. As I visited classrooms and talked with students and staff, I realized once again that they are the ones who truly make Kerby come alive! I am looking forward to a year filled with exciting new challenges and am eager to partner with students, staff, and each of you as we strive for the excellence in education we all value.

I’d like to thank Mrs. Marino and Mrs. Lightbody who worked extremely hard to assemble and distribute the beginning of the year materials. They were instrumental in this process and it couldn’t have been done without them. They have also been working extremely hard updating and inputting all of the new student information on file. Please remember to update phone numbers and/or emergency contact information as needed throughout the year. Mr. Dillon, Mr. Bartoszewicz, and Mr. Meier also worked hard to make sure that the building was ready for “opening day,” and in my opinion they did a fantastic job!

As we are settling into the routines of the school year, I’d like to remind everyone of the drop off/pick up procedures:

Do NOT double park at any time when dropping off or picking up your child.
· Please do not enter the parking lot to drop off or pick up your child.
· Parking on Beaupre is for Kindergarten parents with a blue parking pass only when dropping off or picking up a kindergartner.
· There is no parking in the Kerby cut area. Please do not leave your car, and continue to pull forward to help the traffic flow smoothly as you are dropping off or picking up your child.
· In an effort to decrease congestion in the halls, we are also asking that parents and older siblings do not drop off or pick up the children at the classroom doors. Please wait outside or in the entrance ways during inclement weather.

I’d like to thank everyone for their cooperation in making safety-first decisions. I am confident that as we all work together we can ensure the safety and well being of everyone in the Kerby community.

Since we are still gathering email addresses from parents who would like to receive the link for the newsletter electronically, the youngest child in the family will be receiving our first edition in hard copy format. If you haven’t done so, please return the form indicating how you’d like to receive the newsletter each month. In an effort to help cut copy costs, we would like to send newsletters out to as many families as possible via email. It would also be helpful if you notify us if your email changes during the year.

Ready, Set, Go!

Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org (Maureen G. Bur) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:36:00 +0000

Welcome to Bur's Banter! The 2008-09 school year represents my 6th as principal of the best elementary school in the state! Our teachers and staff are a dedicated group of professionals committed to providing a rich and rewarding atmosphere in which all students are given the opportunity to succeed. We are fortunate to have wonderful students and parents who are willing to partner with us as we strive to make the school experience the best it can be.

August is such a busy time as we get ready for the smiling faces of 343 Kindergarten thru 5th grade students to open the doors to another successful year. 2008-09 promises to be an exciting time and I am delighted to welcome everyone (back) to our school. I look forward to helping to make your child’s time with us a memorable one. We are devoted to providing the finest educational program possible for your child, and invite you to become actively involved in your child’s school experience. Enjoy the few remaining days of summer vacation! If you are new to the area or school this year, please make sure you register your child at the Administration Building on St. Clair Avenue.