Turnaround Plan

1/9/25

To the Parents/Caregivers of CH Bird Elementary School: 

We are writing to update you on intensified continuous improvement efforts that are being implemented at CH Bird Elementary School. The CH Bird leaders and educators are working to provide a safe and caring school environment where all students learn every day.  Because this standard is not yet being achieved consistently, we have collaboratively developed a focused turnaround plan to increase the pace of improvement. 

This turnaround plan for CH Bird Elementary School captures our district’s concerted effort to address the ongoing challenges to the school’s learning environment. The plan has been developed using a collaborative approach with all district departments and includes expanded coaching support from our entire district leadership team and increased on-site support.

After assessing the school’s systems, we have developed a set of actions that will increase the rate of improvement, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed:

• Members of the district’s senior leadership team, including Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning, and Equity Stephanie Leonard and Assistant Superintendent of Operations Nick Reichhoff, will directly coordinate and monitor the plan to ensure progress.
• A seasoned principal with demonstrated ability to impactfully lead in a school with similar needs will serve as an on-site coach for the site leadership team on a half-time basis beginning Tuesday, January 21.  More information about this leader will be provided in the coming days.  
• Annemarie Engdahl, who recently served as the district’s Director of Student Policy and School Operations, will return to the district through February to provide direct assistance to CH Bird.  She will work with the school leadership team and the district’s Human Resources department to fill all vacant positions at the school. 
• Given Ms. Engdahl’s experience as a middle school principal in a school with similar needs, she will also respond to student behavior.
• Additional student services coordinator support will be provided to continue to onboard and deepen capacity building of the new special education and student services teams at CH Bird.
• District New Teacher Mentor Emily Pederson will be moved to the school full-time beginning Monday, January 13 to intensively support early career educators.
• Coaching from veteran district staff will be provided for all staff in establishing and maintaining safe and caring learning environments.
• Additional support by experienced district staff will be provided for educators who are engaged in leading a reset on school wide behavior systems.  

Communication with you, our CH Bird community, is a key component of our turnaround plan.  Next week we will further introduce you to Emily Pederson and Annemarie Enghahl and the roles they will play at CH Bird.  Information about the principal coach, and other staff members who will support the CH Bird team, will be provided as soon as it is available.    

Sincerely,

Brad Saron, Superintendent
Stephanie Leonard, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning, and Equity
Nick Reichhoff, Assistant Superintendent of Operations
Rick Mueller, Director of Elementary Teaching, Learning, and Equity

Jennifer Apodaca, Director of Student Services

Pang Khang, Principal CH Bird Elementary School 

Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal CH Bird Elementary School 

1/14/25

Hello CH Bird Families,
 

Our school week has been off to a great start. We are following up on last Thursday's communication about the intensified continuous improvement efforts implemented at CH Bird. We now have expanded coaching support from our district leadership team and increased on-site support. We would like to introduce you to a few of these people and their roles.
 

ROLE: Part-time, on-site coach for the site leadership team Nikki Harcus is a seasoned principal with a demonstrated ability to impactfully lead in a school with similar needs and will serve as an on-site coach for the site leadership team on a half-time basis beginning Tuesday, January 21.  This is her 11th year with the Sun Prairie Area School District and her 9th year as Principal of Westside.  Prior to coming to Sun Prairie, she spent 10 years in the Madison School District where she held various roles including Classroom Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Instructional Coach, and District Literacy Coach. You can learn more about her here.
ROLE: Coaching teachers with classroom management Emily Pederson has been a New Teacher Mentor in Sun Prairie for 7 years. Prior to that, she taught first grade at CH Bird for 14 years. Emily will be located on-site at Bird to support early career educators intensively.
ROLE: Hiring to fill our open vacancies and support school behavior Annemarie Engdahl, who recently served as the district’s Director of Student Policy and School Operations, will return to the district through February to directly assist CH Bird. She will work with the school leadership team and the district’s Human Resources department to fill our school's vacant positions. Given Ms. Engdahl’s experience as a middle school principal in a school with similar needs, she will also respond to student behavior.
ROLE: Interim part-time school psychologist Scott Malone is new to the Sun Prairie Area School District and started at Bird on Monday.  He will primarily be completing the special education evaluation component of the school psychologist role at Bird for the remainder of this school year.
ROLE: Part-time social worker Claire Bergman, who currently serves as our district Social Worker-McKinney/Vento Coordinator, will support Bird two days a week through January.

ROLE: Collaborate with our Special Education Team

Four leaders from different parts of our district will help support CH Bird's new special education and student services teams. They will work on building their skills and supporting programs for students with IEPs (Individualized Education Programs).

Communication will continue to be a key component of our plan. We will update you as more information becomes available. Meanwhile, please reach out with any questions you may have. 

We also encourage you to join our hybrid CH Best meeting tonight from 6-7:30 pm in the LGI room at Bird or virtually via this link: http://meet.google.com/mcv-qxhr-unn 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

1/17/25

Hello CH Bird Families,

It has been a great week here at our school. We are having so much fun teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors. We focused on THE BLUE JAY component of BE SAFE. This means that adults know or see where the students are when they need to leave the room to go to the bathroom or a different learning space. Students must have a PURPOSE PASS to be in the hallway. Ask your students what they noticed this week and how they participated in being safe.

We are following up on the communication about the intensified continuous improvement efforts implemented at CH Bird. On Tuesday night, we held a CH BEST meeting. Stephanie Leonard, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Equity, joined us as we discussed the additional support for our school outlined in our Turnaround Plan. 

We could not record our CH Best meeting on Tuesday evening due to the inability to arrange a high-quality recording with short notice. We have since recorded the presentation about our Turnaround Plan to share this important information with everyone in our CH Bird community.  You can access our presentation  HERE.

We will continue to update you on the Turnaround Plan on Fridays of each week. 

Next week, we are welcoming Amy Stanislawski.  Let us tell you more about her role.

We will host a Bingo Night on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 4:30-6:00 pm in the Cafeteria. Bring the whole family for some Blue Jay fun. 

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, where we continue to share our weekly events, school information, and positive behavior expectations to reinforce at home.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Hello CH Bird Families,
 

We are happy to say we had another great week at school.  We continue to focus on THE BLUE JAY component of BE SAFE, which includes the expectations for when students need to leave the room to access the bathroom or a different learning space. Students must have permission and a PURPOSE PASS to be in the hallway. We are reinforcing this with a school-wide focus by celebrating students with special shout-outs during our weekly Bird Zones. 

As a school we are tracking our goals on a large 100s chart. We have earned 42 points already! We will celebrate our students being safe once we get to 100 points. We are also finding opportunities to reteach the expected behavior for students who may need additional support during their lunch/recess time. 

We are making progress on hiring. We had interviews this week for our 5th-grade position, and we continue to recruit for our part-time (12 hours per week) Learning Strategist position, and a School Psychologist.  If you know anyone with a Reading License or a strong background in math, please email Principal Khang,

In collaboration with Jamie Racine, the Community Schools Program Coordinator,  Jenny Divney, the Community Schools Site Coordinator, has been working on a volunteer program called Bird Watchers. The program aims to strengthen school/family partnerships by inviting parents/caregivers to support the entire school. Volunteers will be trained before partnering with our teachers. There will be more information on volunteer opportunities coming out to the school community next week.

At home, please reinforce with your students the importance of staying in the classroom and leaving only with permission. Remind your student to use the bathroom during independent learning or their scheduled bathroom breaks. Students are allowed to bring a water bottle to school. Please let us know if your child could use one to minimize the hallway traffic.

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, where we continue to share our weekly events, school information, and positive behavior expectations to reinforce at home.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Message Title: Three Weeks of Progress

Hello CH Bird Families,

We are happy to say we had another great week at school. We are making progress together. Here are a few exciting updates to share with you this week. 

We have hired a 5th-grade teacher. Ms. Jacquelyn Weatherbee will join us starting on February 3rd. Mrs. Eldridge will stay on for the week to support the transition. You can read more about Ms. Weatherbee HERE

Behavior Data
We wrapped up January with the lowest number of daily office assistance calls yet! Our average dropped to 19 calls per day—nearly half of our peak in November, which averaged 37 calls daily. It’s incredible to see how our collective efforts in fostering safe, supportive classrooms are making a real impact. A heartfelt thank you to our parents/caregivers for partnering with us and reinforcing the BLUE JAY WAY at home!

Seeking Volunteers for our Bird Watchers Program
We are kicking off this new volunteer program. The program strengthens school/family partnerships by inviting parents/caregivers to support the entire school. Volunteers will be trained before partnering with our teachers. Volunteers are invited to join us on Thursdays and Fridays to provide support inside and outside the classrooms. For those assisting in the classroom, we encourage a fairly regular commitment so students can build familiarity and connections. However, if a consistent schedule isn’t possible, there are also special projects and other opportunities available to contribute. Please sign up for training HERE.

February Focus
Our focus for February is on using the Rest & Return. This supports THE BLUE JAY expectation around being safe, being responsible and being respectful. Please learn more about how we are teaching Rest & Return with our students HERE.

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, where we continue to share our weekly events, school information, and positive behavior expectations to reinforce at home.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello CH Bird Families,

As we wrap up this school week, we’re excited to share a 3-minute progress video featuring some amazing students and our latest data. 

Here are some key highlights:
✅ We’re making great strides in reading and math!

✅ Office assistance calls are decreasing!

✅ We continue to foster a safe and supportive environment for all students!

February Focus
Our focus for this month continues using the Rest & Return.  Shared below is what Rest & Return looks like for students to be safe, responsible, and respectful in the classroom.

Rest & Return expectations:
Be Safe
Stay with my class.
Keep the problem small.

Be Responsible
Use breathing strategies.
Get my “upstairs” brain ready for learning.
Share what happened with my teacher when they check on me.

Be Respectful
The voice level is at 0.
Go to Rest & Return to keep learning happening for everyone.

Ask your student to tell you about the Rest and Return. You can reinforce this work at home by sharing the same language we use at school. Please learn more about how we teach it with our students HERE. 

We Value Your Feedback
We would like our families to tell us how we are doing with communicating. Please answer this one-question survey.

Volunteer Training for our Bird Watchers
This volunteer program strengthens school/family partnerships by inviting parents/caregivers to support the entire school. Volunteers will be trained before partnering with our teachers. Please sign up for training HERE. If you cannot attend the scheduled training, stay tuned for an upcoming training video. 

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, where we continue to share our weekly events, school information, and positive behavior expectations to reinforce at home.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Hello CH Bird Families,

Yeterday, we celebrated the 100th day of school. Students continue to demonstrate progress and understanding of the Blue Jay Way. Ask your student to tell you what the Blue Jay way is.

The Focus on Rest and Return
We're tracking how often Rest & Return is used by observing and collecting data to see how it makes a difference. This approach helps students take care of their social-emotional needs when they aren’t feeling ready to learn. Through breathing exercises and self-regulation techniques, students practice calming their minds so their "upstairs brain" can engage in learning. Watch the school-wide expectation about Rest and Return HERE.

Bi weekly Professional Development for Staff

We are excited to share that our teachers will participate in Love and Logic training twice a month on Wednesdays. This training provides them with effective strategies for classroom management, helping to create safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments for all students. Using Love and Logic techniques, our staff can foster positive relationships, encourage responsible decision-making, and enhance student learning experiences.

Universal Coaching Update
Next week, we welcome Kelsey Sorum and say goodbye to Amy Stanislawski. Amy has played a key role in supporting our educators alongside our internal coaches. This coaching cycle has given teachers valuable guidance, helping them grow professionally and improve student learning. We are committed to continuous improvement and are excited about the impact this will have on student learning. Thank you for your continued support!

will join us as we start our second 3-weeks of coaching, starting February 17th. This second round of coaching will be differentiated based on classroom metrics (observational notes, academic, and behavioral data). All teachers will receive coaching (observation, feedback, 1:1 modeling)  once a week, some teachers will receive targeted coaching twice a week, and some teachers will receive intensive coaching three-four times a week.

Let us tell you more about Kelsey.

Volunteer Training for our Bird Watchers
Last night, we had so much fun during our first Bird Watcher Volunteer Training. We connected on our shared experiences of having volunteers in our classroom. Our students can’t wait to see how we can maximize the impact of our volunteers across the school building. 

If you could not attend last night, please sign up for the next training on 2/25/25 HERE.

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, where we continue to share our weekly events, school information, and positive behavior expectations to reinforce at home.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal
 

2/21/25

Hello CH Bird Families,

It has been a great week at school. It was great to see so many families here for the Black History Month dinner and the Read Your Heart Out event this morning. 

More About our Focus on Rest and Return
Our Rest & Return routine provides students with a brief break to reset and refocus before smoothly transitioning back to learning. This process fosters independence, maintains a positive routine, and ensures students can rejoin their classes ready to engage.

All students will practice following teacher directions when directed to use Rest & Return. Our teachers are dedicated to identifying when students need a moment to reset and are proactively guiding them through this process to support a productive learning environment for everyone. To measure its impact, we are tracking its usage through observation and data collection, allowing us to better support students in managing their emotions and staying engaged in learning.

Tiered Coaching Update
For the next phase of our turnaround plan, we’ll continue focusing on studying teacher language to include concepts of rest and return, aligning with our positive expected behavior for the month. Please see the box below for additional details. Coaches will be tallying when students use rest and return as directed to reinforce our focus on Rest and Return. These tallies will be put on our school's hundreds chart for a celebration in March.

We want you to hear from our internal coaches about the work they are focusing on with our staff. This video allows you to meet Erin Fritz - Instructional Coach, Emily Pederson - New Teacher Mentor, and Jen Voight - Culture of Care Coach and PBIS Coach. 

Volunteer Training for our Bird Watchers
Our second in-person volunteer training this month will occur on Tuesday, February 25th. You can still sign up here to attend. During this session, we’ll discuss the crucial role volunteers play in fostering a positive learning environment and the necessary steps to get involved, including completing a background check. The training will cover volunteer responsibilities and ethical guidelines such as maintaining student confidentiality and reliability and following teacher instructions. Additionally, we'll review best practices, a classroom support checklist, and rules for appropriate conduct to ensure a safe and productive experience for students and volunteers.

Watch for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates. Please reach out with any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

2/28/25

Hello CH Bird Families,

It has been a great week at school. Seeing so many families at our CH BEST Dine-In Night at Culver’s on Tuesday was great. Thank you for stopping by to enjoy dinner and dessert and help us raise money for our school.

We hope that the conferences provided a valuable opportunity for you to connect with your student’s teachers in a meaningful way. These discussions are an excellent chance to gain a deeper understanding of your student’s academic progress, strengths, and areas for growth. We trust that you were able to learn more about how they’re performing in different subjects and gather insights into their classroom behavior, engagement, and overall development. Building a strong partnership between home and school is essential, and we’re grateful for your involvement in this process.

Positive Behavior Focus in March

When we encourage our children to take time for Rest and return, it’s important to help them understand how caring for themselves is connected to how their actions affect those around them. Rest and return help them return with a refreshed mind, a compassionate heart and prepare their “upstairs” brains for learning.

We’re teaching students that every action—big or small—can impact the people they interact with. This aligns with our school-wide Social-Emotional Learning goal of  “I understand how my actions affect others.” When students go to Rest & Return early and care for themselves, they are more likely to be kind, patient, and understanding with others. This helps create a positive environment where everyone can learn!

Teacher Collaboration Time through Professional Learning Team

We are excited to announce that we are increasing teacher collaboration time by introducing an additional strategy for grade-level teams once a month. After a successful trial run in February, where we received positive feedback from our teachers, we will officially begin implementing Dayaway PLTs (Professional Learning Team) planning sessions on Thursdays starting in March. These sessions will provide teachers with an uninterrupted 2.5 hours of additional collaboration time each month. During this dedicated time, grade-level teachers will work together to plan and focus on the four essential PLC (Professional Learning Community) questions:

• What do we want students to know and be able to do?
• How will we know if they’ve learned it?
• What will we do if they don’t learn it?
• What will we do if they already know it?

By focusing on these questions, teachers will be able to align their instruction more effectively, share best practices, and ensure that every student receives the support they need to succeed. This additional collaboration time is an important step in enhancing the quality of teaching and strengthening the learning experience for all students.

Staffing Shift in 4th Grade
Mr. Conor Attaway, will transition from his current role as a classroom teacher to a Math Interventionist. Mrs. Chris Koop will join the fourth-grade classroom as the lead teacher while we work to fill this vacancy. We are confident that Mrs. Koop will foster strong connections with the students and ensure continuity in their academic development. You can learn more about Mrs. Koop HERE.

Student Behavior Response Support
We have great news to share. Annemarie Engdahl, who has been working on hiring and student behavior support at our school, will now continue through March.

Volunteer Training for our Bird Watchers
“The heart of a volunteer is not measured by size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.” – Deann Hollis

We are thrilled to officially launch our Bird Watchers volunteer program starting on March 10th! We’ve shared updates during our in-person training, but if you missed them, please watch this video HERE to learn how the program will be structured.

Please note that next week (March 3rd-7th) will be the final week where volunteers can assist in classrooms for longer than an hour. Given the limited number of volunteers at Bird, we want to ensure that your time here has the greatest impact. The Bird Watchers program will provide a schedule for each day, where you’ll spend the first 30 minutes before and after your designated block of time in your child's classroom and the remaining time supporting other areas throughout the building. This is a wonderful opportunity to provide valuable support across the school and help learning spaces that need it most.

Bird Watchers (Volunteers) who have attended the training, starting March 10th:

1. Sign in at the front office as usual.
2. Receive your schedule for the day.
3. Follow the schedule.
4. Check out at the front office when you’re done.

Bird Watchers (Volunteers) who have not attended the training, starting March 10th:

1. Watch the training video HERE.
2. Complete the background check via the link on the District website.
3. After completion, you’ll receive an email from Raptor with the results.
4. If there are any concerns, HR will contact you for further information.
5. Check-in at the front office each time you volunteer and receive a badge to wear.
6. Wear a Bird Watcher vest during your volunteer time and return it when checking out.
7. Meet with Mrs. Jenny Divney, Community Schools Site Coordinator, to review the District's Code of Ethics for volunteers and receive your volunteer schedule.
8. Follow the schedule.
9. Check out at the front office when you’re done.

Thank you to all of our volunteers! Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, and please reach out with any questions. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Hello CH Bird Families,

We celebrated National Breakfast Week this week, and what better way to start the day than with a free breakfast on Wednesday? A healthy breakfast fueled our bodies and minds, setting us up for success.

We also celebrated our amazing social worker, Mr. Joel Lewis, and the incredible impact he has had on our students and staff. His dedication, kindness, and support make a difference every day, and we are so grateful for all he does! Let’s give him a big round of applause for his hard work and unwavering commitment to our school community!

Universal Coaching Update

As we move forward this week, we’ll continue focusing on the power of teacher language and using positive reinforcement to highlight the many great things happening in our classrooms. This approach is deeply connected to coaching, observation, and feedback, and we are thrilled to welcome our new instructional coach, Mrs. Elisabeth Berry, who will focus on enhancing our literacy interventions. Through ongoing coaching and classroom observations, we can celebrate the progress and positive behaviors of our students, making them feel recognized, motivated, and supported. The feedback provided to teachers will help us be even more explicit with our expectations, ensuring students follow them more consistently. By reinforcing positive behaviors and strengthening our literacy efforts, we are building a stronger, more supportive community where both students and teachers continue to grow and thrive together. Keep up the amazing work, everyone!

Let us tell you more about Mrs. Elisabeth Berry.

Staffing Updates
We are seeking support from our parents and community members to help fill our 4th-grade teaching vacancy. We are looking for a student-centered and equity-driven candidate—your referrals and recommendations are greatly appreciated! You can find the 4th grade posting HERE.

Behavior Support 
Mrs. Annemarie Engdahl has been working with the front office, admin team, greatness coach, instructional assistants, and on-call response team to improve our student behavior response systems and appreciates the structures already in place. Recent changes include creating a prioritized on-call list to help the front desk identify the right responder, streamlining radio communication for better follow-up on recess incidents, and implementing a daily 8:45 AM "standing huddle" to ensure tight communication among response staff regarding previous incidents. We hope these efforts lead to increased responsiveness over time.

Positive Behavior Focus in March

This week, we continue to focus on how our actions affect others and how we can use the strategy of “Rest and Return” to manage big emotions in a healthy way. When children experience frustration or disappointment, taking a moment to pause (Rest) before re-engaging (Return) helps keep small problems small. This skill allows them to make thoughtful choices rather than reacting in ways that might make situations bigger.

We’re also discussing how staying calm helps strengthen friendships and supports learning. When students feel safe and in control of their emotions, they can better connect with peers, solve problems peacefully, and stay focused in the classroom.

At home, you can reinforce this by asking:

🔹 How did you use “Rest and Return” today?

🔹 How do your actions affect others at school and at home?

🔹 What helps you stay calm when you feel frustrated?

Thank you for partnering with us in helping students build emotional resilience and positive relationships. We appreciate your support in creating a caring and respectful learning environment!

Volunteer for Bird Watchers Program
We are thrilled to officially launch our Bird Watchers volunteer program starting on Monday! We’ve shared updates during our in-person training, but if you missed them, please watch this video HERE to learn how the program will be structured.

Before developing this program, one key message we heard from parents and caregivers was the need to identify areas where the school would benefit most and create a team of volunteers to help bridge those gaps. Our goal is to ensure that volunteer efforts have the greatest impact across the entire school community. We understand this marks a shift from previous practices, and we deeply appreciate the dedication of those who have been consistently involved. In implementing these changes, we also recognize the challenge of balancing broad school-wide support with the understandable desire for parents to volunteer primarily in their own child’s classroom. We value your ongoing feedback and appreciate the conversations we’ve been having as we navigate this process together.

Please be aware that our current volunteer opportunities have changed. With a limited number of volunteers at Bird, we want to ensure your time is used in the most impactful way. The Bird Watchers program will provide a daily schedule that allows you to spend the first 30 minutes before and after your designated block in your child’s classroom, with the remaining time supporting other areas of the building. If you're unable to stay past the hour, you can also choose to support your child’s classroom for the full hour block. This is a great opportunity to contribute valuable support across the school and help strengthen the learning spaces that need it most. Thank you for your continued dedication and support!

Bird Watchers (Volunteers) who have attended the training, starting March 10th:

1. Sign in at the front office as usual.
2. Receive your schedule for the day.
3. Follow the schedule.
4. Check out at the front office when you’re done.

Bird Watchers (Volunteers) who have not attended the training, starting March 10th:

1. Watch the training video HERE.
2. Complete the background check via the link on the District website.
3. After completion, you’ll receive an email from Raptor with the results.
4. If there are any concerns, HR will contact you for further information.
5. Check in at the front office each time you volunteer and receive a badge to wear.
6. Wear a Bird Watcher vest during your volunteer time and return it when checking out.
7. Meet with Mrs. Jenny Divney, Community Schools Site Coordinator, to review the District's Code of Ethics for volunteers and receive your volunteer schedule.
8. Follow the provided schedule.
9. Check out at the front office when you’re done.

Thank you to all of our volunteers! Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates, and please reach out with any questions. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello CH Bird Families,

We had an amazing week spreading joy and building community with our underground staff dress-up days! Our Blue Jays had a blast guessing each day's theme, and we can’t wait to see their creativity shine next week during our school-wide Spirit Week.

We had an absolutely amazing time at Science Night! With 30 students proudly showcasing their science projects on Wednesday, the evening was packed with learning, excitement, and hands-on fun with snakes, morse code, rockets, rocks, and even fur skins! A huge thank you to CH BEST for organizing this unforgettable event and bringing such a fantastic experience to our school community!

Behavior Support Update

Our office assistance calls averaged 23.4 per day in January, increasing slightly to 25.5 in February. Meanwhile, instances of students leaving without permission decreased from 160 in January to 142 in February.

Support calls to give students proactive breaks (a walking break or zone check-in) saw a significant rise, from 5 in January to 23 in February, as a proactive approach to supporting students and managing challenges early. We remain committed to problem-solving and collaborating with parents and caregivers to better support students who need additional planning and interventions.

Positive Behavior Focus in March

Next week, we will continue to focus on helping students understand how their actions impact others and the importance of creating a safe, predictable classroom environment. Students will learn how big emotions can affect friendships and learning. We will continue to use the “Rest and Return” strategy, encouraging students to take a break and reset before rejoining the class, helping to keep small problems from becoming big ones. By practicing these skills, students are learning to manage their emotions in a way that supports both their own well-being and the classroom community.

Staffing Updates

We seek support from our parents and community members to help fill our 4th-grade teaching vacancy. We seek a student-centered and equity-driven candidate—your referrals and recommendations are greatly appreciated! You can find the 4th grade posting HERE. In the meantime, Mrs. Koop will continue as the 4th-grade teacher until a new hire is made.

Volunteer for Bird Watchers Program
A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers for your unwavering support and dedication! Your time and energy make a real difference, and we are so grateful for everything you do to strengthen our school community. As the Bird Watchers program takes flight, we’re beyond excited about the endless possibilities of having volunteers support the whole school. This volunteer program fosters a more connected and collaborative environment where everyone—students, families, and staff—can contribute to creating something truly special. Expanding volunteer opportunities means families can play an even bigger role in our school’s success, deepening our sense of community and shared responsibility. Together, we’re building a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere for everyone!

Mrs. Jenny Divney, our dedicated Community Site Coordinator, will contact current volunteers next week to review your availability and, if needed, review any training. If you're currently volunteering for more than an hour in one classroom, she will discuss opportunities for you to expand your involvement across the school. If you're volunteering for an hour or less, you are welcome to continue supporting one classroom and/or explore other volunteer opportunities throughout the school. We understand how important it is to balance supporting the school community with being involved in your child’s classroom, and we’re happy to accommodate your preference to volunteer up to an hour each day in that space.

If you are not currently volunteering but are interested, please contact Mrs. Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. We understand that lives and calendars are busy, and we are grateful for any time you can offer. 

Please reach out with any questions. 

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Hello, CH Bird Families,

Our first annual Bingo Night was a huge success, bringing the community together for an evening of fun, laughter, and friendly competition. Families and friends enjoyed playing bingo, creating lasting memories, and celebrating our shared spirit. The excitement continued with a fun-filled School Spirit Week, where students showed off their creativity by dressing up in themed outfits and embracing school pride. Adding to the excitement, they also learned the importance of keeping problems small by making shrinky dinks, a hands-on activity that reinforced positive problem-solving skills. It was a fantastic week of unity, enthusiasm, and school spirit!

As we head into Spring Break, we thank you for your continued support and partnership in making this school year a success. We hope you take this time to relax, enjoy time with loved ones, and make wonderful memories. We look forward to welcoming our students back refreshed and ready for the rest of the school year!

Have a safe and enjoyable break!

After Spring Break, Positive Behavior Support

Our school is committed to promoting positive behavior through the monthly focus: "Safe Three? That’s Me!", which encourages students to Stay Respectful, Stay Responsible, and Stay Safe. Respect is shown by using materials and furniture properly, responsibility by keeping hands and feet to themselves, and safety by ensuring their teacher knows their location. To reinforce these expectations, we are implementing a Classroom 50’s Chart, where students can earn up to three dots per day for demonstrating positive behavior. Dots are awarded at key times: before lunch and recess, after lunch and recess, and before dismissal. The first classroom to reach 50 dots wins a prize, fostering teamwork and encouraging good choices. Thank you for supporting our efforts to create a safe, respectful, and responsible learning environment!

Volunteer for Bird Watchers Program
If you are not currently volunteering but are interested, please contact Mrs. Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. We understand that lives and calendars are busy, and we are grateful for any time you can offer. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 3/30, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal 

Hello, CH Bird Families,

What an amazing first week back! Our school was buzzing with joy and excitement as we reunited with friends, shared stories, and jumped right back into learning and playing. From reading and math to writing—and even science and social studies for some grades—we’ve had so many opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge on various assessments.

As we continue testing through mid-April, let’s set our students up for success! A good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast will help them stay energized and ready to shine.

Positive Behavior Focus in April - Safe Three? That's Me!

We want to keep you informed about how we are teaching students to stay safe and be responsible in the classroom. Our "SAFE THREE? THAT'S ME" focus includes:

✅ Stay Safe - Use materials and furniture respectfully
Students are learning to take care of classroom items and use them properly to ensure a safe and organized learning space.

✅ Stay Safe - Hands and feet to self
We are reinforcing personal space and respect for others by keeping hands and feet to ourselves at all times.

✅ Stay Safe - Adults know or see where you are
Students are being taught to communicate with their teacher about their location, whether they are in the classroom, a different area in the school, or need to leave for any reason.

By practicing these expectations daily, we are helping students build a safe and supportive learning environment. Thank you for your partnership in reinforcing these values at home!

We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students at Bird. If a student consistently engages in unsafe behavior, we will take appropriate steps to ensure their safety and the well-being of others. This may include providing additional support, interventions, and consequences as needed.

Potential next steps may include contacting parents, arranging an in-person meeting within the week, and creating or assessing a supportive plan tailored to the student's needs. In certain situations, this plan might incorporate alternative learning arrangements to ensure the student's success while maintaining a safe environment for all. Our priority is to collaborate with families to foster each child’s growth and achievement.

Volunteer for Bird Watchers Program
If you are not currently volunteering but are interested, please contact Mrs. Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. We understand that lives and calendars are busy, and we are grateful for any time you can offer. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 4/6, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

As we wrap up the second week of testing, we want to take a moment to celebrate the hard work and perseverance of our students and to thank you, our amazing families, for your continued support and partnership.

Your encouragement at home, attention to routines, and positive words make a big difference. Together, we are helping our students stay focused, confident, and ready to do their best. Let’s keep the momentum going!

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

As we continue our “SAFE THREE? THAT’S ME” focus, we’re helping students learn what it means to stay safe by treating classroom materials with care, keeping hands and feet to themselves, and making sure adults know where they are at all times. These are important life skills that help everyone feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging at school. We know parenting isn’t easy, and we truly value your partnership in reinforcing these expectations at home. If we notice behaviors that may be getting in the way of a safe learning environment, we will reach out to connect. These conversations are always meant to be supportive so we can work together to help your child grow and thrive.

PRINCIPALS COACHING UPDATE

Coaching has been incredibly helpful in allowing Tiff and me to grow as leaders.  We have been focused on guiding high-performing, collaborative, and inclusive teams, specifically within our grade-level Professional Learning Teams at Bird. Through this experience, we are gaining a deeper understanding of how to create a caring, supportive environment where our staff come together to address both academic and behavioral needs. We continue to work on fostering a responsive and connected school community, where every member feels valued and supported. 

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

Volunteering is a great way to connect with our school, meet other families, and most importantly, be a part of something bigger by contributing to the success of our entire school community. No matter how much or how little time you can offer, every bit of help makes a big difference.

If you're interested or would like to learn more, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 4/13, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families

This was a busy week filled with learning, assessments, and a celebration of some special students and families within our Bird School Community.  We were able to celebrate our Hmong and Arab American students and families on Tuesday night.  It was a fun-filled evening to learn about these amazing cultures and their traditions. The evening included a fashion show starring our students and staff, an opportunity to get a henna tattoo, taste some delicious food, and much more!  Thank you to all who were able to attend this special event.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We appreciate your partnership! Thank you for continuing to reinforce the focus behaviors at home. Ask your student what it means to stay safe by treating classroom materials with care, keeping their hands and feet to themselves, and making sure adults know where they are at all times. These are important life skills that help everyone feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging at school. 

LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

We realize that you received some pretty big news this week about Principal Khang moving to a role at SP East High School and the announcement that Principal Ketterer will be starting at our school in the coming weeks. Please know that we will keep our families updated when there are opportunities to meet Principal Ketterer and when more information becomes available.

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

Volunteering is a great way to connect with our school, meet other families, and most importantly, be a part of something bigger by contributing to the success of our entire school community. No matter how much or how little time you can offer, every bit of help makes a big difference. If you're interested or would like to learn more, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 4/20 and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We appreciate your partnership! Thank you for continuing to reinforce the “SAFE THREE? THAT’S ME” focus. As many of you know, each classroom has been doing their own data collection to reinforce students being safe-hands to self, using materials and furniture respectfully, and making sure adults know or see where they are. Each classroom can earn up to 3 dots per day! Stay on the lookout for these progress updates from your classroom teacher. We have many classrooms with almost 50 dots!

Student behavior has improved with this intentional positive behavior focus. Shared below is some data to celebrate their success! Office assistance calls remain significantly down from a peak in November of 37 calls daily. 

Week 1 (3/31-4/4)→ Average office assistance calls - 18

Week 2 (4/7-4/11)→ Average office assistance calls - 25

Week 3 (4/14-4/18)→ Average office assistance calls - 24

Week 3 (4/14-4/25 (2pm))→ Average office assistance calls - 20

Office assistance calls are support calls for students throughout the day. Some examples include:

• Students who need assistance processing their big feelings
• Students who have scheduled positive breaks
• Staff who need support with a student
• Students who may need an escort to the bathroom
• And other things that a teacher can’t support them in the moment

UPDATE ON THE TURNAROUND PLAN

We are working to create an event for families to learn more about the multifaceted work that has been happening as part of the turnaround plan. We will have a date and more information soon.

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

If you're interested in volunteering at our school, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 4/27/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

We have had a nice week at school. Thanks for continuing to reinforce school behaviors at home.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We focused on safe ways we can use our hands and feet. Students can walk away and do wall planks or wall push-ups. They can also sit where they are and squeeze their hands together. For safe feet, students can sit down and do leg swings or sit and stand up doing heel raises. It’s important to keep our hands and feet to ourselves.

As a school, we also collected over 100 dots in all our classrooms! We will celebrate in the coming weeks. Please stay tuned for that announcement.

TURNAROUND PLAN

Our school has been in a turnaround since January. We want families to have the opportunity to learn more about the different facets of that work. We will send more information soon.

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

If you're interested in volunteering at our school, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 5/4/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

Since January, our school has been on a journey of growth and improvement. We’d love for you, our families, and caregivers, to learn more about the important work underway and the progress we’re making together.

SAVE THE DATE: Monday, June 2, between 5 and 7 PM.
Drop in anytime to explore a series of interactive stations where you can learn about our turnaround efforts, see our latest scorecard results, and connect with staff.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS
We focused on safe ways we can use our hands and feet. Students can walk away and do wall planks or wall push-ups. They can also sit where they are and squeeze their hands together. For safe feet, students can sit down and do leg swings or sit and stand up doing heel raises. It’s important to keep our hands and feet to ourselves.

Shared below is some data around office assistance calls since we started to focus on Safe Three? That’s Me! Office assistance calls remain significantly down from a peak in November of 37 calls daily. 

Week 1 (3/31-4/4)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 18

Week 2 (4/7-4/11)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 25

Week 3 (4/14-4/18)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 24

Week 4 (4/21-4/25)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 20

Week 5 (4/28-5/2)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 24

Office assistance calls are support calls for students throughout the day. Some examples include:

• Students who need assistance processing their big feelings
• Students who have scheduled positive breaks
• Staff who need support with a student
• Students who may need an escort to the bathroom
• And other things that a teacher can’t support in the moment

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

If you're interested in volunteering at our school, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 5/11/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

SAVE THE DATE: Monday, June 2, between 5 and 7 PM.
Drop in anytime to explore a series of interactive stations where you can learn about our turnaround efforts, see our latest scorecard results, and connect with staff. We will have more information available in the May 23rd update.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We continue to see a decline in significant disruptions as we continue to create support plans for our students!

We will reteach around using Rest and Return in the classroom to manage big reactions for the last three weeks of school. Students will learn to A.S.K. Every Day before leaving the classroom with permission. A.S.K. stands for Always Rest and Return, Stay away from others, and Keep Kool!

Shared below is some data around office assistance calls since we started to focus on Safe Three? That’s Me! Office assistance calls remain significantly down from a peak in November of 37 calls daily. 

Week 1 (3/31-4/4)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 18

Week 2 (4/7-4/11)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 25

Week 3 (4/14-4/18)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 24

Week 4 (4/21-4/25)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 20

Week 5 (4/28-5/2)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 24

Week 6 (5/5-5/9)→ Average office assistance calls per day - 18

BIRDWATCHERS - VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AT BIRD 

If you're interested in volunteering at our school during the last few weeks of school, please reach out to Jenny Divney at jadivine@sunpraireschools.org or call 608-834-7353. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 5/18/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

It has been a great week at our school. Blue Jays’ Night Out, our family engagement event, was amazing, with so many families in attendance. 

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We are in our final three weeks of our “Safe Three.That’s Me!” focus, with an intentional goal of using Rest & Return instead of leaving the classroom without permission. Students are taught to A.S.K. every day instead of leaving:

-Always Rest & Return

-Stay away from others

-Keep kool

Since implementing Safe Three. That’s Me!, we've seen a 43% decrease in office assistance calls from November to now.

UPDATE ON THE TURNAROUND PLAN

We hope you will stop by on Monday, June 2nd, between 5-7 pm. We will have several areas throughout the school where you can learn more about the work from the turnaround plan. There will not be a formal presentation; rather, poster stations featuring the various components of the plan. There will be staff at each station to answer your questions. This will also be a great time for families to meet Principal Ben Ketterer.

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 5/25/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

We have had a great week here at Bird. We have a few updates to share with you.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

Since implementing “Thinking About Leaving? A.S.K. Every Day!”, we’ve observed a 50% decrease in students leaving without permission compared to October. Check out this fun video HERE to see how we help students remember our schoolwide expected behaviors - Always Rest & Return, Stay Away From Others, and Keep Kool!

TURNAROUND PLAN POSTER EVENT

We hope you will stop by on Monday, June 2nd, between 5 and 7 pm. We will have several areas throughout the school where you can learn more about the work from the turnaround plan. 

There will not be a formal presentation; rather, poster stations featuring the plan's various components (Data, Coaching, Student Services, Family Engagement, and Community Schools) will be available. There will be staff at each station to answer your questions. This will also be a great time for families to meet Principal Ben Ketterer. And…did we mention there will be popsicles?

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 6/1/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal

Hello, CH Bird Families,

We want to thank the families and staff for attending the Bird Turnaround Plan Poster event on Monday night. If you were unable to attend, we are attaching the posters from the event HERE. We are proud of our students and our staff for their work this school year. Please see the Data Dashboard Outcomes below.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOCUS

We would like to give a huge shout-out to our amazing families! Your partnership in reinforcing our positive behavior language at home, collaborating with teachers and administration on student support plans, and celebrating positive choices with us is truly making a difference. Because of this strong team effort and consistency, we saw a 59% drop in office assistance calls last week! Let’s keep the momentum going and end the year strong.

This summer, a dedicated team of staff members is coming together to continue and strengthen our school-wide positive behavior supports for the year ahead. Our goal is to ensure that every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn—starting from day one.

We’re excited about this intentional planning and grateful for your continued partnership at home. 

Look for your Sunday night Blue Jay Updates on 6/8/25, and please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
Pang Khang, Principal
Tiffany Drogue, Associate Principal