Here is the latest update sent out by Fremont Principal Mr. Lounsbery: Hello Fremont Families,
A couple weeks prior to Spring Break over 70 parents met and provided input related to student behaviors and how we can use current and future resources to support families when student behaviors arise at school. Each participant was given information related to newly implemented TSEL expectations related to Relationship Building and Responsible Decision Making, two key components that have been a focus of our professional development here at Fremont. Following the presentation of materials participants were given the opportunity to respond to each of of the three key questions in a round table format. Six groups of 8-12 parents shared for a little over 40 minutes and key takeaways from each group where shared to the whole group at the conclusion of the event. The detailed comments will be shared internally with Fremont teachers and staff to shape next steps in improvement in dealing with student behaviors. However, I feel it is important to share three key overarching takeaways with the greater Fremont community.
Key- Takeaways from the input included:
There is a need for increased communication about Social Emotional Learning efforts beyond what is presented at PTA meetings.
There is a need for resources for caregivers to support SEL efforts at home, and an increased awareness of what the current SEL issues are at Fremont.
There is a need for increased openness to the campus during the day for families and more evening social events for families in order to rebuild our Fremont Community.
Since the roundtable discussion staff and administration have been working to strengthen our existing program and make our expectations for positive student behavior more clear to our scholars. Upon our return from Spring Break the fourth and fifth grade teachers have implemented an Integrity Matters Program. A presentation on Integrity was given to the students in fourth and fifth grade, Link to Slides. The emphasis of the program is on living with integrity. In the presentation, we explored the meaning of Integrity, recent survey data that indicates we need to do better with Integrity, and we explored how one lives with integrity.
Key points to the presentation were:
Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no else is watching.
Fremont is experiencing a downward trend in several key components to integrity over the last year. Core Survey results showing this downward trend were shared with students.
Living with integrity can be accomplished through Guidelines for Success: Thoughts are Positive, Words are Powerful and Actions are Purposeful.
Given this presentation the students created a list of 5 Purposeful Act of Kindness they could do while at school. These lists are being combined to create the Fremont 100 Acts of Kindness that will be shared with the younger grades in the coming weeks as we expand the message of Integrity throughout the school.
We hope to continue the roundtable sharing in another opportunity, so please mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 31, at 6:30 pm. We are now learning details about the new SEL facilitator position and the newly adopted SEL curriculum for the upcoming school year. Once we have a little more information we will be able to share the focus for this event. Messaging will go out by mid-May, so please mark your calendars. We hope to see you at the end of this month as we continue discourse around improving our Fremont Elementary School.
In Partnership,
Principal Lounsbery