Tabernacle Elementary School and Olson Middle School faced upgrades over the summer months.
Now that summer break has come to an end and school is back in session, the students of the Tabernacle School District have a lot to look forward to.
Substantial efforts to enhance Tabernacle Elementary School and Olson Middle School have been made over the past few months.
Construction improvements have been made to each school, including boiler upgrades to the middle school, waste water management system upgrades, new cement walkways and well pump upgrades at the elementary school.
All elementary-aged students will have access to laptops/tablets — students in pre-k, kindergarten and first grade will share Chromebooks and iPads, second- and third-grade students are provided Chromebooks and fourth graders are provided MacBooks as a means to keep up with technology and reduce paper waste.
Students and staff at Olson Middle School are invited to enter the “zen den,” which is supplied with yoga mats, providing everyone at the school a chance to de-stress and work through mindful practices during health and physical education courses, or students can stop by for a “brain break” whenever needed.
The goal is to lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression, and there are plans to bring certified trainers into the district to eventually lead to the certification of students themselves.
In addition to the “zen den,” all staff members in the district were provided with a free subscription to the Calm app, allowing them the chance to unwind throughout the day.
To ensure the safety of the students, another app has been provided to all staff members, called Share 911. This app can be used during lockdown drills, or in the event of an emergency, as a way to confirm their location and safety status, while also providing the police with a map of the schools.
Superintendent Glenn Robbins said security is a main priority, which led to the installation of upgraded security cameras. Additionally, both school principals have attended the state required five-day security workshop and they will also hold monthly meetings with parents and board members to share views on safety procedures.
As far as professional development, multiple conferences were held over the summer to improve the quality of lesson plans.
Robbins and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Barry Saide worked together with the Education Foundation of Tabernacle Township to host an international conference. With sponsorship by OnCourse Systems for education, support from EFTT and volunteer presenters, the conference will be at no cost to the district. On Oct. 5 and 6, educators from Hawaii, Texas, Pakistan and Scotland will be in attendance, as well as all staff members for at least one of the two sessions.
The conference is called Rewire, with the goal of rewiring ways of thinking into the most accepting and diverse way possible, led by educators from across the globe.
“It’s about bettering the world for the kids and the staff. It’s at no cost to the district, but at the same time it’s making a substantial investment to the district,” Robbins said. “The goal is for students to feel good about themselves leaving here, for them to be self-confident and for them to know that they were loved and appreciated for who they regardless of their background. They’re getting the best education we can provide.”
For more information or to get involved in the conference, visit www.rewireyou.org.
