- Hey everybody.
I'm Connor. That's Doug.
And get your glow sticks and energy drinks.
'cause today we're going clubbing
- Connor.
Connor, we're not talking about clubbing,
we're talking about clubs like
after school clubs at schools.
So we can keep the glow sticks,
but let's lose the energy drink.
Today we're gonna be talking with Rocky Ridge Elementary's,
principal extraordinaire, Renee Beatty,
and we will talk about school clubs and a whole lot more.
But before we get to that, Connor,
were you involved in any clubs when you were a youngin?
- Oh yeah, I actually was. It was in high school.
We met on Saturdays. There was, if I remember right,
there's about five or six of us There was the brain,
an athlete, the basket case princess,
even criminal. It was really cool.
- It was because that's the plot
to the 1985 John Hughes Classic, the Breakfast Club.
- Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- That did you forget about it.
You're not supposed to do that .
- Well, okay. I guess I wasn't in a club then.
And that makes sense because I'm a big fan
of Groucho Mark's quote.
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.
What about you young Douglas? Any clubs
in your high school days?
- No, the closest I came to was I was in
orchestra after school.
I would head home and listen to my Aerosmith
and Van Halen CDs
and try to teach myself how to play guitar.
I wouldn't necessarily call that a club.
But if you could go back in time
and create a club for your young self,
Connor, what would you choose?
- Yeah, if I was gonna start a club,
it'd be called the Turkey Club
and we would , we'd make sandwiches.
Meatball sandwiches probably.
But , what about you Doug?
- I, I don't know if I'm gonna beat that answer
so I might just let it be.
Connor, you went over to Rocky Ridge Elementary
and talked to Principal Renee Beatty
and you started the conversation by asking her about some
of the new clubs that they have out there at Rocky Ridge.
Let's hear about that.
- Joining us today is Rocky Ridge Elementary School
principal Renee Beatty.
And Renee, you recently spoke at a school board meeting
about creating a sense of belonging at your school
through the use of clubs.
So to kick things off, can you tell me a little bit about
your running club and the d and d club in particular?
- Absolutely. So we'll start with d and d club.
That was one that was started actually last year by one
of our fifth grade teachers and one of our paras here.
And they noticed we had a lot of students
with some interest in roleplaying games.
So that's what d and d is.
It's a tabletop roleplaying game
where they use Dyson kind of.
They game a chance to create stories
and really it's only limited by their imagination.
So that really interests a lot of students
and as we're seeking to create that sense of belonging,
we're also looking at what are all the different interests
that our students have because while some students are
really interested in more the roll top
or the tabletop roleplaying games, we have other students
that's just not quite their thing.
So we looked at a girls on the Run club
and there's an organization that goes with it
and we just said, what else can we do
to help interest our other students
who have other varieties of interests?
And honestly staff as well.
We have staff who's really excited
to get that started as well.
So that's a new club that's just getting off the ground just
to incorporate more student interest into the the school.
- Yeah, those clubs are, are really amazing.
Such a great way for kids
to spend some extra time at school.
You also talked about social emotional learning
and a drop in minor behaviors.
So first, what are minor behaviors
and what kind of work have you guys been doing
to make sure you see less of them?
- So minor behaviors kind of refer to that category,
that low level behavior, low intensity,
oftentimes just those little behaviors that staff deal
with on a pretty regular basis.
But they can become more patterns of behavior
and can be more pervasive if we're not
very intentional about that.
So we work really hard here at Rocky Ridge
to stay focused on our tier one expectations and teaching
and reteaching those behaviors again
and again to support students.
And then balancing that with
that social emotional learning piece
and helping with self-regulation skills
and problem solving skills.
And by doing that combination, we've really been able
to support our students in successfully
meeting those expectations.
- So this is your second year leading Rocky Ridge in your
first you called a year of learning following that years
of great growth.
So tell me about your first year here.
What was it like being the new principal at a school?
- Being a new principal is a bit like learning to swim.
Um, you've gotta figure out the right strokes quite quickly
to keep your head above water.
But once you figure that out,
it's just about really starting
to build those strong relationships with staff
and learning everybody's ins and outs
and what makes them tick.
Um, learning the community and their families
and just really being ready to ask a lot of great genuine
questions and being ready to listen to what people have
to offer because people around here have a lot
of great knowledge and a lot of things to offer.
- So no one starts out in education as the principal,
I imagine you started out as a teacher or a para maybe.
Can you tell us a little bit about
what got you into education in the first place?
- I've always wanted to be in education.
I was the kid who was always playing school
with anybody who would join me.
And I remember my mom from a young age talking
about when I'm a teacher.
Um, and then as I got older when I'm a principal
and I've always had that encouragement and that passion
and that energy and just desire to be in education.
- Can you take us a little bit through your roles
that you've had in education
and maybe something that you got from each of those
that you bring with you?
- Yeah. I actually, I started
as a teacher at Cedar Crest Middle School.
I've been in Bethel my entire career.
This is a great place to be
and I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.
And so I started at Cedar Crest, um,
as a middle school math and science teacher.
And then I had the opportunity
to teach at Cougar Mountain doing the same thing.
And then from there I just was, felt like I was ready
for another step, another challenge.
And so I sought the opportunity to um,
be the the district's secondary mathematics tosa.
And so I did that for a few years
and again went, alright, what's next for me?
How can I continue to have that impact
and continue to grow my skills?
And that's when I decided to go into administration.
Um, and I had the opportunity to work
with Christophe Green out as the AA out at Pioneer Valley.
And he was an amazing mentor for me
and kind of sealed my fate as my career in administration.
And so then I was at back at Cedar Crest
as an assistant principal
and now I had the opportunity
to be here at Rocky Ridge as the principal.
- Yeah, what a journey. And so in that presentation you gave
to the school board, you talked a bit about a portrait
of a graduate, yet you are an elementary school principal.
Can you tell me about what the connection there is?
- Yeah, there is definitely a big connection
that in elementary school we're laying that foundation.
So the portrait of the graduate really helps
to define those skills that students need to have developed
by the time they graduate to be successful.
And let's be honest, a world
we don't know what it's gonna be.
We don't, we haven't imagined that world yet.
We don't know what careers are
going to be out there at that time.
So starting to develop those skills early in elementary
school so every level
beyond us can build on those is a critical step in
growing all of our students.
- Absolutely. And the equity team at your school is also
doing some amazing things with the help
of equity specialist Michael Dwyer.
How are you bringing equity into the
classroom here at Rocky Ridge?
- Yeah, together we've been really working on
what they call the both and lenses.
And it's really a dualistic way of thinking
and thinking about how are we asset based in what we do
and the way that we approach things.
And so when we're thinking about bringing equity in our
classrooms, yes there's some specific strategies we might
take a look at or other opportunities like that,
but really what we're thinking is, is how do we have
that both and mindset,
and it doesn't always have to be either or,
but how are we working together
to make sure we're asset based for our students.
- You're also doing some really cool stuff surrounding MTSS
here at Rocky Ridge Paraeducators are now part
of the teacher's PLC planning conversations.
Tell me about that connection
and the work being done there. First
- And foremost, we generally be believe here at Rocky Ridge
that all adults in the building are
teachers regardless of their title.
And so we are just really seeking to take that
to the next level that we rely on our amazing paraeducators
to provide services for specific groups of students
and oftentimes our neediest students.
And so they need to be part
of these conversations at the ground level on why we're
doing certain things for specific groups of students
and then how we can do that together.
So we are very lucky
and we got a grant from OSPI this year, um,
to help support us in that work.
And so we have been able
to invite paraeducators into those PLT times
that they normally wouldn't be here for.
And they have just been an amazing part of those teams
and they just have, um, dove right into that work.
- Yeah, I love that. And a lot of people don't know
how important our paras are here
and they really, the schools couldn't function without paras
and it's so great to hear about you
including them in that way.
So all of our schools are unique
and we love every single one of 'em.
What's something you see here at Rocky Ridge and you smile
and you say, okay, only at Rocky Ridge? Yeah,
- The biggest thing that stands out
to me is everyone's willingness to just jump in
and help whenever needed.
I've had the opportunity works
with some pretty amazing staff throughout my years in,
in Bethel and in education,
but Rocky Ridge really stands out as one of those ones
that it truly is about the teamwork
and we truly do it all together
and we could not do it without one another.
And there is never a shortage of people stepping up
to help out whenever we need something.
- Love it. Team raccoons.
Circling back to the top, we're talking about clubs.
If you could create a club to join
or lead, what would it be and why?
- Well, we're just getting our, uh,
running club going, so that's the next one.
And after that, gosh, I'd really love
to see some sort of coding club.
So thinking about like the sense of belonging
and student interest.
We don't have anything like computer based,
technology based, science based, like that.
So bringing in something in
that aspect I think would be a great next step.
- Absolutely. And I know just down the road at Cougar
Mountain, they have a girls who code club,
so you'd be in good company
and you'd be sending them down the road
and actually even getting more of that.
So hopefully you can pull that off.
Well Renee, thank you so much for joining us.
Really appreciate it and good luck
the rest of the year. Thank
- You.
- Really great interview.
I love hearing from our school leaders about the innovative
things they're doing to make the educational experience
for our students the best that it can possibly be.
That's gonna do it for us everybody.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Doug,
you think I'm letting you off the hook?
That easy? I was hoping our listeners need to know
- .
- They're a needy bunch. - Our listeners
will not sleep tonight until they know
what your imaginary club would be.
So tell the good people so they can rest.
Give them peace, Doug.
- Well, I don't want anybody's insomnia on my conscience,
so I guess I'll model my hypothetical club here.
After the DIY club?
- No, you mean the Greek philosopher?
- Yes. Nice job, Dr. Google Fingers.
Anyway, the Diese Club is actually from Sherlock Holmes.
His brother Mycroft went to this club called the DIY Club.
Sherlock would visit him from time to time
and in this club, it's this
mahogany everywhere leather chairs.
The people there would just sit and read
and silence was enforced.
You would get kicked out of the club if you spoke that.
That's the kind of club I think
I'd like to head to right now.
- Not bad, not bad at all.
It's elementary, my dear Douglas Elementary.
- Well, for more on elementary schools and high schools
and middle schools, join us again next week.