Hello from the Bridge Team!
Welcome Back!!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Please take a moment to read through, as we have included Team updates and information
Check out GRMS Newsletter below for more!
Important upcoming dates/events:
August 11 – Students Report to Class
September 1 – Labor Day (No School)
September 10 – Interims Issued
September 19 – Teacher Inservice Day
October 10 – First Quarter Ends
Bridge Connect: Volume 2.1
GMRS office hours will be 7:00 am – 2:50 pm, Monday thru Friday.
General Announcements
We had a wonderful first week and are excited to welcome our two new students, as well as team members- Mr. Arnold, teaching ELA/MATH and Teacher Assistants, Ms. B [Bartlett] and Mr. Jones.
-Bridge Program Updates-
DOJO Points and Star Jar Rewards
We will continue using our DOJO points as well as GRMS PBIS incentives this year, all working towards filling our Star Jar for our Quarter 1 team incentive. Root beer floats!
How do student earn DOJO points? We focus on being seated and calm. Using kind words and not being loud! Being on task and participating. Transitioning in the hallways will be our final focus. These team “goals” will help students practice and implement affective and academic learning!
Phone Policy: TURNED OFF AND IN LOCKER/Backpack for the remainder of the day once on campus.
Students have done great with this new state law/school rule! Thank you, families, for your support with this!
Annual IEP meetings will begin at the end of this month. Please check your email that you have registered with HAC. Initial contact will be made this way. Please take some time and review the current plan with your student. This is a good opportunity to find out from their perspective what they feel is working, what they might need instead. Be on the lookout for an email in regard to meeting.
Questions? Please reach out!
ACADEMICS
Please check HAC (Home Access Center) grades are updated on Fridays for your child’s classes. December is a short month! Everything counts.
Fridays have been designated for summative assessments and for the chance for students to show what they know! Please check HAC with your child.
Social Perspectives
The focus of our program is to teach students alternative behaviors to replace challenging ones, helping students reach their academic and affective learning potential. The goal of the Bridge Program at GRMS is to gradually reintegrate students into the general education setting with minimal support.
Our social perspectives focus this week will be COMMUNICATION! Students this week will focus on different real-life situations where communicating, at times, presents very challenging. Together, we will work through options students have when they find themselves in similar situations.
Station Rotations
In Learning Strategies, we will implement Station Rotations, which the students really seem to enjoy in the past. This small group setting allows students to work with peers and adults to ensure they are getting the support they need. Students will rotate through a Learning Strats Station, focusing on study, organizational and independent functioning skills, a Novel Study Station and for our Kinesthetic Learners, a Get Up and Move Station.
The Bridge Program at GRMS supports students that have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that includes specific goals in the Social/Emotional Behavior, Independent Functioning and/or Communication domains. Many students also benefit from a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) and counseling services.
The focus of our program is to teach students alternative behaviors to replace challenging ones, with data collected to monitor their progress. The ultimate aim of the Bridge Program at GRMS is to gradually reintegrate students into the general education setting with minimal support.
Hello! My name is Jaci Racano, and I am thrilled to be a part of your child’s educational journey. I am originally from Union, New Jersey, in 2004 my family and I moved to Saint Augustine and have considered it home ever since! I hold a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
This is my 28th year in education, with over 10 years of experience in Exceptional Student Education. I am a proud mother of three sons, in my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my loved ones at the beach, reading books, and playing with our adorable puppies, Frankie, Dino and their friend George.
Should you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me anytime. [email protected]
Please consider donating to our class wish list:
I am looking forward to another great year!
Jaci Racano
Ms. Racano: History, Science, Learning Strategies and Social Perspectives.
Mr. Arnold: ELA, Math, Learning Strategies and Social Perspectives.
Ms. Becka, Ms. Leggett, Mr. Jones and Ms. B: Teacher Assistants
Mr. Cooper: LEA/Assistance Principal
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is composed of parents, educators, administrators, business representatives, and other interested community members concerned with the education of students with disabilities.
The purpose of the committee is to provide information to parents and input to district staff regarding our ongoing effort to continuously improve services for students with disabilities.
A link to join these meetings will be emailed prior to meeting date and will be posted on district and school websites.
For more information: Parent Advisory Committee – Exceptional Student Education (ESE) (stjohns.k12.fl.us)