Morning Matters @ Gibbs

Mornings Matter@ Gibbs

Teachers embrace the Gibbs Family environment every morning, every day, every student!

By Erika Irwin, Principal Gibbs Elementary students and staff start each morning by eating breakfast together in our classrooms and spending time as a classroom family. Our student leaders practice with teachers as they prepare to lead our entire building. Our third-grade student leaders share essential information with our school family such as what is being served for lunch, the weather, and any exciting events that need to be shared. Our morning announcements time is a great way to kick off the day. We are all able to be in the same place at one time by using our smart televisions in the classrooms. Each homeroom classroom has a morning meeting every day right after morning announcements. On Friday our morning meetings are led by a member of our PBIS team where BARK rules are reviewed as a student body. Staff and student shout-outs are given to Gibbs family members who are noticed for being kind, working hard, following BARK expectations, and many more wonderful things. Recently we brought back the famous ice cream sandwich award. Any staff member who sees a student doing something extra kind, picking up trash, or reaching a goal immediately gives them a certificate to bring home and a pass to go to the office and get a treat. All students who receive this award have their names announced on Fridays. Ask your student what they can do to earn this coveted award! At Gibbs Elementary we believe that starting our day off with a morning meeting is essential for a good start to the day. Our mission statement at Gibbs Elementary is that we all make students and staff feel safe and loved every day. One of the best ways to help everyone feel safe and loved is to create connections. Morning meetings are a great way to build teacher and student connections. Each teacher has a unique way of conducting morning meetings. Some teachers have STEM bins that students can quietly use while listening to announcements. Other teachers have circles where students can share their favorite food, color, sports team, or pet. Students are engaged in the conversation and are eased into their day by a calm and slow start. Each classroom teacher is working through a morning curriculum where lessons are age appropriate and have topics such as self-confidence, how to calm down when frustrated, and how to share your feelings when upset. Teachers are given time every morning to focus on essential skills that will help students be successful in their academics. Learning to share feelings in an appropriate way, teamwork, and conflict resolution will prepare students to be ready to learn and eliminate distractions. Another large part of our meeting time is eating breakfast together. Our fabulous cafeteria staff led by Mrs. Hawkins greets each student every morning with a smile and a warm breakfast. Our Gibbs Family is thankful for the hard work that our cafeteria does every morning so that our students have a nutritious start to their day.