Purchase this image
By Bill Toscano
One of the most successful programs at Granville Elementary School with Diane Dumas as principal was the school’s Positive Behavior Intervention System, which focuses on rewarding students when they are “caught” following the rules.
That’s not going to change under the new principal, Jane O’Shea, who is a certified PBIS trainer.
“We’re going to get right into it and have our PBIS assembly the day after school starts,” said O’Shea, who was hired as principal after Dumas transferred to Mary J. Tanner School. “We are going to have a BMX bike show in the morning that will focus on good behavior and on anti-bullying ideas.”
O’Shea has jumped right in at the fourth- to sixth-grade school, which opens like all other Granville schools on Wednesday, Sept. 5.
“We just want to set the tone for the year,” she said of the first week of school. “That tone is going to be very positive, and I am excited.”
O’Shea also has a strong special education background and her organizational skills are apparent in the way her office is structured and the amount of planning already done.
“One change will be that we will have a different schedule,” she said. “We rearranged the schedule to be more efficient,” she said. “There will be more time for academic lessons.”
O’Shea said she has been impressed with how hard her teachers have worked over the summer, whether it is in getting their classrooms prepared, taking in-service classes or collaborating with other teachers of the same grade to better prepare for the school year.
“The teachers are working really hard,” she said. “They have been diligent about working this summer.”
One of the things O’Shea is especially excited about is the school’s involvement in the BOCES Young Scholars’ program. Students in the school’s gifted and talented program will take part in the Young Scholars’ program on Thursdays.
“They are focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” she said, referring to a program commonly known as STEM. “That’s going to be a great opportunity for our students.”
The BOCES teacher is Nancy Wiley, who has taught chemistry, biology, general sciences and elementary education.
Comments
Read more in this week's Sentinel in newsstands now or click here to read right now with our e-edition.
