Each week, our teacher chooses a student who has shown true BISON behavior - Being Intentional So Others Notice! 

Our Bison of the Week receives a special brag tag for their keychain and this cool certificate (to match our classroom's surfing/beach theme)! Mrs. Mahar will also take his or her photo with our stuffed bisonand tell our viewers why that student was chosen as well as a little about the student.

Also, on our classroom window, we have an "MVB: Most Valuable Bison display. Pop over and see it!

Why is Leia the BISON?
Leia is always kind to others. She goes out of her way to show kindness by doing things like helping people with their belongings, holding open the door, saying "hello" and giving a kind smile. She also shows intention daily by ensuring she is focused, staying on task, and asks intentional questions when she isn't sure what to do on an assignment.

A little about Leia...
Leia enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She also likes having her "alone" time and spending time with friends doing things at their houses. She likes cooking, baking, art, and she collects stickers, knick knacks, and yarn.

Why is Olivia the BISON?
Olivia has worked really hard this year to learn English... and we can only imagine how challenging it has been for her. Despite her challenges, she completes all of her assignments and homework. Recently, she was told she could no longer use Google Translate to do her writing. At first, she was really scared about this (even though her writing in her native Traditional Chinese language is beautiful!). But, she has embraced the challenges and is thriving!

A little about Olivia...
Olivia likes to play handball with "the boys" (as she calls them), during recess. She loves cats, funny comic books, and writing fantasy stories. She is good at doing crafts and enjoys competing in swimming competitions. She moved here from Taiwan in August and loves being in our class.

Why is Madison the BISON?
Madison is dedicated to her school work, consistently staying focused. She puts her best foot forward and works dilligently. Madison is a responsible student and she is mindful of all of her classmates.

A little about Madison...
Madison loves her dog (but wants you to know she hates cats)! She loves spending time in her playroom because it's quiet and peaceful. She likes badminton and violin. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

Why is Aaron the BISON?
Aaron works hard in class, disciplining himself to check his brain in. He is kind and supportive of his peers. Aaron comes to class with a good attitude and is ready to learn.

A little about Aaron...
Aaron loves playing his Rubik's Cube, collects keychains and enjoys playing video games. He wants to be a soccer player when he grows up. He likes to help his mom cook and his family enjoys going out to eat different and unique foods. He has a little sister (Sarah) and an older brother (Elijah).

Why is Rylie the BISON?
School has its challenges for Rylie and she has been very intentional about increasing her effort, improving study skills, and showing more initiative in class and group discussions. In language group, she shares many ideas and really puts forth the effort to practice the language skills we are working on.

A little about Rylie...
Rylie loves ducks and thinks they're the most adorable animals ever! She loves sushi, saying that her favorite is salmon. She plays competitive volleyball and also enjoys doing jump rope. One unique thing about her is that she can do beatbox "rapping"!

Why is Abraham the BISON?
Abraham has been very intentional this week about making the best of his time. He's putting his head down and grinding out work with a positive attitude and immense effort! He has been a huge participator in class discussions, too.

A little about Abraham...
"Abe" loves basketball. His favorite player is LeBron James. He says if he was on a deserted island he would want to have a UHAUL truck full of water, a basketball hoop and a basketball, and a box where if you open it, it cooks something delicious for you everyday for a month! He loves the color pink and his pet guppies.

Why is Irene the BISON?
All year, Irene has exemplified what it means to be a BISON! She is an active listener. She takes in information, process it in her thought bubble and gets right to work. She has never once needed reminders to make good choices or to be asked how her actions are affecting others. She takes intentional choices to a whole new level!

 
A little about Irene...
Irene loves writing - and she's pretty great at it! She has a cat and a tortoise, but would love to have a dog! If she had her own YouTube channel, she would do arts and crafts or ASMR videos to entertain her followers! She wants to be a pharmacist when she grows up.

Why is Noah the BISON?
Noah was faced with a challenging situation this week, sitting at a table with a friend... and practiced really strong self-control in order to avoid getting involved in constant conversations. Additionally, Noah has worked really hard to get ahead in math this week and created intentional time to work on it during his own time.

 
A little about Noah...
Noah likes science, but not social studies. He loves burgers and says he could eat a burger 99 days in a row! He plays baseball and really enjoys it. He likes collecting crystals and trading cards, and enjoys playing video games.

Why is Allison the BISON?
Allison has intentionally chosen a positive attitude - even when things don't go the way she wants. She enthusiastically celebrates others during our weekly Bison Ceremony, even when she hasn't received a Brag Tag. This week in particular, Allison was very focused on making good choices despite chaos around her and was helpful when others needed help.

 
A little about Allison...
Allison is a competitive ice skater, loves the color pink, thinks tigers are among the most beautiful animals and enjoys reading! She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up and is proud of the fact that she and her little brother have a good relationship with each other and their parents!

Why is Soho the BISON?
Soho could have been chosen as the bison a dozen times prior to this because she is always intentional! She is a flexible thinker, a future thinker, works hard, shows empathy, and puts others first!

 
A little about Soho...
Soho LOVES football... and we don't mean she "loves it". She is obsessed with football! She knows facts that most adults don't know and she's on a flag football team! She also loves to practice ballet, spend time at the beach (making sand castles and body boarding), and writing stories!

Why is Aiden the BISON?
Aiden worked so hard during our most recent chapter of math that he finished an entire math MAP in just a week! This showed intentional effort. He had a goal and he smashed it!

A little about Aiden...
He would love to have a sea otter as a pet because he thinks they're adorable. He likes to play games, hang out by himself, and play with friends. Aiden loves to dance with a ministry group and is proud of learning new moves.

Why is Daniel the BISON?
Daniel is just about always a bison... because he is always being intentional about his choices, his behaviors, and his words! He never says unkind things. He shows patience with classmates and you can never tell if he's frustrated. He's a great listener and gets seated, settled, silent, and started right away!

A little about Daniel...
Daniel is obsessed with all things related to soccer, reading fantasy, and eating Spam! He loves hanging out with his brother, who makes him laugh. 

Why is Aisa the BISON?
Aisa doesn't do anything half way. She doesn't even do it with 100% effort. Instead, she puts forth 200% effort into all that she does! She truly cares about being intentional with her words, her actions, her classwork, and with classmates and adults!

 
A little about Aisa...
Aisa loves writing! She writes a lot! She also does a lot of art (mostly on her iPad). She loves cats and enjoys being a cat owner. She says when she grows up she either wants to be an author, pilot, or real estate agent. She's super into the color pink (although she doesn't wear a lot of it), collects Pokemon cards, plays soccer, and likes video games.

Why is Haddon the BISON?
Haddon does a great job of paying attention, giving the speaker five, listening with his whole body (and his heart) and making good choices. He leads with his heart and is a caring classmate, often complimenting others for their positive attributes. He thinks about things before saying them - or writing them - and is intentional about his words. He's a bison through-and-through for these reasons, and more!

A little about Haddon...
Haddon loves anime, manga, and fantasy books. He loves to eat caviar, and says that he could eat it 99 days in a row! He considers himself a "foodie" and wants to have a YouTube channel rating restaurants and wants to be a food content creator when he grows up!

Why is Skylet the BISON?
Skylet has worked really hard to get her worked turned in on time and with great effort. She has been striving for excellence, but has set some healthy boundaries about what excellence looks like - and that it doesn't equal "perfection". She pays really careful attention to detail and is engaged during lessons, showing she truly is a scholar!

A little about Skylet...
Skylet loves reading, especially fantasy or realistic fiction. She said if she could have any pet in the world, it would be a horse! She loves salad and hates fish (to eat, but she has fish as pets)! She enjoys doing arts and crafts, cheerleading, and has tons of Legos! 

Why is Brian the BISON?
Brian works really hard to do what is right both inside and outside the classroom. He leads with his strong moral conscience, letting it guide his decision making. He's intentional with his words and actions and shows a lot of character! Great bison behavior, Brian!

A little about Brian...
Brian likes basketball and also playing video games. He is one of four boys in his family and is the second oldest. His favorite food is steak. He loves going to Oahu, Hawaii with his family every year.

Why is Aaron the BISON?
Aaron has been working very hard to be the best bison he can. He has been using his tools in his toolbox to help regulate his emotions and does a great job in advocating for himself when he needs a break or wants help with something.

A little about Aaron...
Aaron is an avid hockey player and he travels a lot to play games. He likes scary books because he likes monsters. He has a twin sister and a dog named Zoey. He likes to make comic books in his room and collects anime stickers.

Why is Wyatt the BISON?
Wyatt has so many stupendous bison qualities. He is intentional with how he spends his time in class. He asks intentional questions to ensure his own success. He takes initiative and doesn't wait to be asked to do things. He's really kind to others and is always willing to help a classmate!

A little about Wyatt...
Wyatt is an avid reader... and that's putting it mildly. He devours books at a voracious speed! When he's not reading, he'd love to be at Disneyland and he wants to be an Imagineer when he grows up. He says a good dad joke always gets him smiling.

Why is Ellie the BISON?
Ellie puts forth quality scholarly effort in all that she does. She sets goals and then works hard to reach them. During work times, she is able to be hyperfocused on her work, avoiding distractions and setting a good example for her classmates.

A little about Ellie...
Ellie likes the arts, volleyball, and her dog, Mochi. She enjoys taking photos in photo booths and collecting the photos it spits out. She has an older brother that plays volleyball, too. She wants to be a vet, a nail salon owner, or a hair salon owner when she grows up.

Why is Jaden the BISON?
Jaden has put in a lot of effort to learn and grow so far this year. In spite of being absent for an entire week, Jaden was able to keep up with all of his school work. He intentionally prioritizes tasks to make sure he's able to complete and submit work on time.

A little about Jaden...
Jaden loves macaws, I Survived chapter books and playing board games with his mom. He says if he had a You Tube channel, he'd make videos of folding origami. He has a cockatiel (bird) named Peter, 10 beetles, and a maltipoo.

Why is Oliver the BISON?
Oliver has put forth a lot of INTENTIONAL effort in the past few weeks to work hard on his assignments, complete all of his homework, and participate in class more! He's been really brave, as sharing aloud is not necessarily "comfortable" for Oliver! We are so proud of him, using his voice to share ideas and valuable thinking!

A little about Oliver...
Oliver loves coding and computer science. He plays a lot of soccer and says the "pitch" is his favorite place to be because it's where he feels the most stress free. When choosing something to share about himself, he says he is definitely introverted, but that he does enjoy spending time with friends playing harmless (small) pranks!

Why is Daniel the BISON?
For weeks now, Daniel has been noticed on task, making good choices when he's done with his work, focused on the speaker, and engaging in so many Bison behaviors! When Mrs. Mahar gives a quiet signal, he's always one of the first to respond and quickly stops working, whipping his head towards her voice! He's a great role model to his classmates!

A little about Daniel...
Daniel is a fan of reading biographies and most enjoys reading in his room because it's quiet. He likes cats because they don't require a lot of care and he likes to write about lions when he gets to choose an informational topic to write about. He loves basketball and when he grows up, he wants to be an NBA star and he also collects NBA trading cards.
(PS: Daniel says he doesn't like to smile for photographs.)

Why is Chloe the BISON?
Chloe embodies what it's like to be a BISON and she does so at all times. She is a "Fabulous Fiver" and is always giving the speaker "5" (listening eyes, listening body, listening ears, listening mouth, and a listening brain that is checked in)! She sets a great example for others in class and is a true role model for BISON behavior!

A little about Chloe...
Chloe is a big fan of "the arts". She loves music, dance, theater, and art. She is also a competitive ice skater! She knows lots about ice skating says if she had a YouTube channel, she would either be doing ice-skating demos or reading books to kids. She loves sea otters and says she wishes she could have one as a pet. Sweet snacks and hugs from her mom cheer her up!

Why is Evan the BISON?
This week, Mrs. Mahar was looking for "heart listeners" and students with their "brains checked in". Evan is always focused on the speaker and uses great listening strategies to ensure he's hearing people (and making them feel heard)! Also, there was a situation in which a classmate owed him an apology for something and Evan showed a lot of compassion, grace, and understanding towards the student when he received the apology.

A little about Evan...
Evan really loves his geckos (he has three) and also has a tortoise and says that if he could publish an informational book, it would be about reptiles! He plays hockey, loves the color black, says his brother makes him laugh, and also angry!

Why is Arin the BISON?
Arin stands out as a student who is eager to learn, happy to participate, and helpful in class. She eagerly volunteers to share ideas, read aloud her writing, and to help others. She is intentional about her learning, making an effort daily to be a true scholar.

A little about Arin...
Arin loves to golf, play video games, and go to school. She says she loves school to be with her friends, but also to learn something new everyday. She has a dog named Asic and loves spending time with him!

Why is Connor the BISON?
Connor has worked really hard this week to have a positive mindset! It has paid off. He has been an eager and enthusiastic participator in class. He showed grit and perseverance with our root word "Mega Challenge" and spent two hours at home trying to find a word to bring to class and share with us all! His eagerness to learn and effort to grow are exactly what BISON are all about!

A little about Connor...
Connor really loves ramen and sushi (and wasabi)! He plays basketball, collects trading cards, and has two turtles - Googway and Foogway (and a dog, Roki). He has two older brothers, too. He wants to be a lawyer when he grows up.

Why is Jessie the BISON?
Jessie embodies what it means to be a "BISON". She intentionally focuses on whomever is speaking and is a true "heart listener". She compliments others when they do something great and she is always willing to lend a classmate a hand. She has a positive mindset, is cheerful and agreeable, and shows that she really believes in the power learning by putting her best food forward.

A little about Jessie...
Jessie would love to have a baby lamb as a pet so that it would bond to her and she'd always have a little friend following her around (plus her zodiac sign is a sheep, so there's that connection). When she is not at school, Jessie loves spending time with her family, playing board games and card games. She loves noodles (she could eat them 99 days in a row if she had to) and loves baking. In fact, when she's older, she wants to own a bakery!

Why is Joshua the BISON?
Joshua was chosen as our very first BISON of the week this week for intentionally choosing a positive mindset. During our weekly line competition, the line that he has been the leader of, fell behind in points one morning. He said, "Aw man, we're losing," and then he immediately shifted his mindset and said, "It's ok. We got this guys. We are only down one point!"

A little about Joshua...
Joshua loves legos, fantasy books (like the Warriors series), and his dog, Rex. When he grows up he wants to be a scientist or a "You Tuber". He is proud of himself for learning not to procrastinate last year as a fourth grader and says one thing he wants to work on is his writing.