Falcon Flyer
January 2019
Riverview Elementary
Website: http://re.usd232.org/pages/re
Location: 21550 West 47th Street, Shawnee, KS, United States
Phone: 913-441-0808
Twitter: @riverviewfalcon
Greetings from the Principal:
Dear Falcon Families,
Happy New Year! Hopefully the first seven days into your New Years' Resolution is going well! If you did not make any New Year's Resolutions, you might consider looking into Covey's Habit 4: Think Win-Win. We are half-way through learning The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Habit 4 Think Win-Win will be the start to developing more effective interpersonal skills. The awesome part about the 7 Habits is that they are not only important for students to learn and practice, but they can be powerful in adults' lives as well!
By now, you probably know Covey’s first three habits like the back of your own hand:
1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
If you think about the using the 7 Habits as represented by a tree, Habits 1-3 are the roots (what others cannot see) that create the solid foundation needed for healthy branches and leaves (what others can see). Habits 4-6 are all about collaboration and positive interactions with others.
Students will learn about Habit 4 during the month of January, which is “Think Win-Win.” It’s a paradigm shift that will take you from seeing life as competition-driven mentality (I Win, You lose) to instead seeing life as cooperation-driven (I Win, You Win). When people base their self-esteem on comparing themselves to others, or seeing everything as either/or, there isn’t much incentive to get along with others or find agreeable solutions.
Stephen Covey says it best -- It's all about the Win-Win attitude when faced with conflicts: "Many people think in terms of either/or: Either you're nice Or you're tough. Win-win requires that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that--to achieve that balance between courage and consideration--is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.”
As your child learns more about Habit 4, when conflicts or upsets occur at home or here at school, remind your student to Think Win-Win to solve the problem. Consider coaching children by asking how both sides can “win.”
- For younger children, if they are fighting over an item, this may involve turn-taking or setting a timer where both friends/siblings get their “win.”
- For older children struggling with work completion/study time, this may involve writing a contract for how much time they should study each week, or writing up a daily schedule for when to do chores, homework, and play. If the contract is followed, your “win” as a parent is work completion and academic progress, and the student’s “win” is to have a predictable time they can play or be with friends.
Think Win-Win in January and Beyond!
Beth Mildren
Principal
Parents Night Out!
Riverview 2019 "Parents Night Out"
Due to the outstanding success of last year's Barn Bash, The Riverview TLIM Committee and the Riverview PTA are teaming up to host the second annual event, "Parents' Night Out" which will have a Mardi Gras theme this year! Speaking of Win-Win, funds raised at this event will benefit Riverview and be dispersed evenly between The Leader In Me and the PTA, and will be on Saturday March 2! Tickets will be going on sale soon, please save the date and find a sitter! The collaborative student artwork was extremely popular, and will be back this year!
If you or your business are interested in donating any goods or services, please email the Riverview TLIM Committee at RiverviewTLIM@gmail.com or reach out on Facebook @Riverview TLIM.
For more information about this event, follow Facebook @Riverview TLIM.
Keeping Kids Safe Online-Sunflower House Presentation
Time: 6:30-7:30 pm
Location: Mize Elementary (7301 Mize Road, Shawnee)
Topics in online safety, fake social media accounts, online peer abuse, and prevalence of sexting.
Please click on the link for more information: https://www.usd232.org/Page/6741
After School Clubs begin again in January
Kindergarten Round Up is March 7
Kindergarten Round Up - Thursday, March 7, 2019
****BRING YOUR INCOMING KINDERGARTNER!!!****
****BRING YOUR INCOMING KINDERGARTNER!!!****
****BRING YOUR INCOMING KINDERGARTNER!!!****
6:00 PM in the Riverview Cafeteria
Our staff places a high priority on providing a nurturing environment where children thrive - academically, socially, and emotionally. We really care about your child, and we want to meet your Future Falcon EARLY!
This year, parents will be a part of the Kindergarten Information Night & Enrollment, and Incoming Kindergartners will go with Kindergarten Teachers and other Riverview Staff to participate in kindergarten activities!
Although Incoming Kindergartners are invited to come to the Round Up, please leave all other siblings at home. Childcare for other siblings cannot be provided.
Going to Kindergarten in the fall?
- Make plans to attend Kindergarten Round-Up with your Incoming Kindergartner on March 7 in the Riverview Cafeteria.
- Parents will have the opportunity to begin the enrollment process, ask questions, and meet staff.
- By Kansas statute, children must be the age of 5 on or before August 31 to be eligible for Kindergarten enrollment.
- Parents will also learn about Before/After School Care offered through a partnership with Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department.
Parents should plan to bring the following 3 documents with you to Round- Up:
1. Certified copy of child's birth certificate (required by Kansas Statue)
2. Copy of immunization records (from Pediatrician)
3. Proof of residency (copy of current utility bill, real-estate contract, etc.)
Preparing your child for Kindergarten - Resources for Parents
Help Wanted!
MHED Substitute Teacher Staffing Solutions is looking for Substitute Teachers for all schools in the De Soto School District!
If you enjoy working with children, getting paid every week and having the freedom to choose your own schedule, this is a terrific opportunity for you.
Check out the requirements to become a substitute teacher with MHED, or call 866.923.6433 to get more information.
MORE Help Wanted! Paraprofessional Substitutes needed!
USD 232 is in need of paraprofessional substitutes who are flexible and willing to substitute throughout the district on an as needed basis. Stay-at-home parents make great substitute paraprofessionals! The ideal candidate is caring, compassionate and dedicated to the students’ success by looking for ways to support the teacher and making a positive difference in the lives of our children.
If you are interested in becoming a substitute paraprofessional for the district, please speak with your Principal or contact HR at the USD 232 District Office at 913-667-6200.
On Deck: Upcoming January Events
Monday, January 7- Grade cards posted
Friday, January 11- 6:30-8:00 pm PTA Sweetheart Dance, please RSVP if attending
Friday, Jan. 11 - 6:00 pm - Spring (2/13 and 2/14) Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up Links sent out
Monday, January 21- NO SCHOOL-Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Sunday, Jan. 27 - Falcon Family Fun Day @ Snow Creek
Wednesday, January 30-7:30 am All Pro Dads Breakfast
From the Diversity Team: Celebrate the Chinese New Year!
The Chinese New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays on the globe with over 20% of the world’s population enjoying the festivities! It’s the most important holiday in China and to Chinese people all over. Here are some interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about Chinese New Year.
- Chinese New Year ranges from January 21 to February 20. This year, it occurs on February 5th based on the lunar calendar. You can also call it the Lunar New Year, because countries such as North and South Korea and Vietnam celebrate it as well.
- In China, you'll hear it being called chunjie (春节), or the Spring Festival. It’s still very wintry, but the holiday marks the end of the coldest days. People welcome spring and what it brings along: planting and harvests, new beginnings and fresh starts.
- Chinese New Year is a day for celebrating ancestors. The Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to gods for a good planting and harvest season. As an agrarian society, the harvest was everything. People also prayed to their ancestors, as they were treated as gods.
- According to one legend, there was a monster named Nian. It would come about every New Year’s Eve. Most people would hide in their homes. But one boy was brave enough to fight him off using firecrackers. The next day, people celebrated their survival by setting off even more firecrackers. And that practice became a crucial part of the Spring Festival. In the myth about Nian, firecrackers are supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck. So people stay up on Chinese New Year’s Eve and set off firecrackers at midnight. In the morning, firecrackers are used again to welcome the new year and good luck.
- The most important part of Chinese New Year is the family reunion. Everyone should come back home for the New Year’s Eve dinner. In modern China, most elderly parents live in rural villages while their children work in the cities and go back home for this vacation, and it causes the largest human migration in the world. The earliest you can buy train tickets is 60 days before. It leads to a mad rush of literally fighting for tickets. In 2015, statistics showed that around 1,000 tickets were sold each second.
- No showering, sweeping or throwing out garbage allowed! Showering isn’t allowed New Year’s Day. Sweeping and throwing out garbage isn’t allowed before the 5th. This is to make sure you don’t wash away the good luck! On the other hand, there’s a day before the Spring Festival dedicated to cleaning. This day is to sweep the bad luck away and make room for the good.
- The Chinese decorate everything red for Chinese New Year. Every family will deck their homes in this color. Do you remember the story about Nian? Firecrackers aren’t the only thing that scared the monster away. Red is also an invaluable weapon, and used in nearly all Chinese New Year decorations. Red is China's favorite color and it's pretty obvious during Chinese New Year. The Chinese will hang up red lanterns and strings of chili peppers, paste red paper onto doors and windows, and more! New clothes are also believed to bring good luck and start over fresh. People will add new red clothing to their Spring Festival wardrobe too.
- Chinese New Year ends with the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the (lunar) year. Though family is still important, it’s still a night of partying and freedom and it’s known as Valentine’s Day in China.
*All information gathered from chinesenewyear.net
AWARD WINNERS READING PROGRAM
All students K-5 can participate in the Award Winners Reading Program here at Riverview! Each quarter students who turn in a reading log to Mrs. Hallier with the 10 books they have read will be recognized at our Student Recognition Assemblies. More information can be found on Mrs. Hallier’s website at https://riverviewlibrary.weebly.com/ or on the front side of the Award Winners Reading Log 2018-2019 at https://riverviewlibrary.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/2/8/19287083/reading_log_2018-2019.pdf Happy Reading!
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