The Flores Flyer
January 11, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 5
Happy New Year!
Dear Parents,
Happy 2019! It is hard to believe that we are almost halfway through the #BestYearYet! January always prompts people to reflect and establish resolutions or goals for the new year. If you are among the whopping 9% of people who stick to their resolutions for the entire year and don’t quit by February, congratulations! While the statistics show that New Year’s Resolutions are not very successful, this can be a great opportunity to set goals and teach our children the power of goal setting. Below are some resources that I have found helpful.
Big Life Journal provides Growth Mindset resources for educators and parents. They posted two different goal setting forms for kids and then one for teens. I really like the family goal setting activities included with the kids form. It matches well with our “Power of Yet” theme for the school year.
Another resource is Jon Gordon’s “One Word” concept. Leading into 2018, I read his book, “One Word that will Change Your Life.” For the second year, each staff member selected their “One Word." It has been a wonderful reflective and positive activity for our teachers. This concept can be used for both adults and students.
Finally, I ask that if you are making resolutions and they are about your body, please be mindful of the children that you are raising and the language you use around them. It’s reported that girls, as young as five, are self-conscious about their bodies. According to experts from the Mayo Clinic, moms are the most important influence on girls’ body image. As a mom and educational leader, this topic is an important one to me. In our house, I’ve already started conversations with my daughter about how we must fuel our bodies with healthy foods to help us do our best. We discuss our bodies being used as vessels to think, problem solve, treat others respectfully, play, and exercise. I love teaching concepts through the use of picture books. One of my favorite resources to support girls, specifically, is A Mighty Girl. The website describes itself as “The world’s largest collection of books, toys, and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls.” The website includes a lot of resources, but on the top right “Parenting” tab there are many books for girls of all ages focusing on different topics. The first one listed is Body Image/Self-Esteem.
The new year provides new opportunities for all of us. Remember that the Power of Yet begins with us and the mindset we model for our children. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or additional resources. Thanks for your ongoing partnership and support. I’m looking forward to continuing to work together to make this the #BestYearYet.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Flores,
Principal
“The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow!”
“It’s a hard knock life” for 60 of our upper grade students who have been rehearsing for months in preparation for our upcoming school musical. If you don’t have any plans the weekend of January 18, I strongly encourage you to purchase tickets to the Davis Magnet School’s production of Annie Jr. Under the direction of Sharon Jakubecy Klehm and with the support of a dedicated Davis Creative Team, comprised of parent volunteers and teachers, our students have been hard at work memorizing lines, practicing the choreography, and having a lot of fun preparing for the final production. The Arts are an important component to our school. I hope you and your family will be there to support our students. It will be a lot of fun and remember, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!”
You may purchase tickets by visiting the links below:
Friday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Costa Mesa High School
The Power of Yet: Developing our Growth Mindset - Written by Mrs. Madero, Kindergarten Teacher and PBIS Team Member
This month’s Growth Mindset focus is on “Gratitude and Praise”. Gratitude is the the quality of being thankful. Gratitude has scientifically proven benefits. These include improvements in physical and psychological health, enhancing empathy and reducing aggression, improved self esteem, and sleeping better. As parents, here are just a few steps to instill a mind-set of gratitude in your little ones:
Say "Thank you." When "thank yous" are instilled in our vocabulary at home, a lifelong practice begins, even if it doesn't stick at first.
Live it. Set an example and show appreciation by conveying you paid attention to real effort: "Your room looks so nice with the toys in their bins. I'm so happy that you remembered to put them away!"
Create daily or weekly routines. A regular question, "What are you most thankful for today?" can serve as a comforting routine at bedtime or a highlight of a weekly dinner ritual.
Set expectations when shopping. You can say today is a 'look' day. Just like going to the museum, we enjoy the beautiful things, but we aren't planning to buy anything.
Make giving and volunteering a habit. Set aside toys and clothing in good condition. Deliver the items to a deserving cause together. Talk about the process and why you care.
Praise is an important tool in raising confident children with a healthy sense of self-esteem. Some parents struggle with finding the right balance when it comes to praising their children. What is the right amount of praise? Is quantity or quality more important? Experts say that the quality of praise is more important than the quantity. If praise is sincere, genuine, and focused on the effort instead of the outcome, you can give verbal praise as often as you see fit. For a great article on how to praise your child click here.
Spotlight on 2nd Grade!
Each month we will shine a special spotlight on one grade level at Davis Magnet School. This month 2nd grade teachers, Mrs. Almeida, Ms. Lopez, and Mrs. Shepler share some of the wonderful things the 2nd grade students are doing.
Second graders are ringing in 2019 with goal setting and robotics! Students will be setting goals and tracking their progress throughout the trimester. Each student will meet with their teacher, Mrs. Almeida, Ms. Lopez, or Mrs. Shepler, and set goals. We are asking parents to encourage their child to work toward their goals and check in with their child on a regular basis to see how they are progressing. We are confident that all second graders will meet their reading goals and show steady progress in mastering their addition and subtraction math facts this trimester.
All second graders participate in weekly rotations on Tuesday afternoons. The students rotate through science, social science, and technology classes. Starting in January, the students will be learning about plants and their needs in science. In social science, students will continue learning about map skills, specifically map features and how to use a map. For technology, students will be starting robotics using Dash robots and Ozobots. Students will learn how to program the robots and complete challenges with them.
In January, we are looking forward to visiting Orange Coast College and seeing the performance of "Peter and the Wolf: Musical Stories Concert." At the end of February we will be learning about life long ago at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana. Children will have the opportunity to make butter, wash clothes by hand, and dress up like children did in the early 1900’s. It will be a great time!
We wish all families a very Happy New Year and we encourage everyone to make it the best year yet!
2nd graders making their own island maps in social science
2nd graders making their own island maps in social science
2nd graders making their own island maps in social science
Nutrition Nuggets - "A Plan to Live Healthy" By Pam Williams, NMUSD Nutritionist
Making New Year’s resolutions is a favorite tradition at the beginning of the year. We plan things like spending more time with our children, or cleaning out the closets just before spring. We also set healthy goals like packing more physical activity into our calendar or making healthier food choices.
This year why not make the Food Guide Pyramid a part of your healthy eating plan. This guide reminds us to eat foods from different food groups. Grains like brown rice, whole wheat and oats; and fruits and vegetables provide us with the energy, fiber, and the nutrients we need. Milk and other dairy products give us the calcium and vitamin D to help support healthy bones. Protein-rich foods such as meats and beans help build, maintain, and repair muscles and other parts of our body. Keep in mind that physical activity is an important part of our daily routine.
The Food Guide Pyramid also has a website to help us plan our total nutrient and calorie intake. It personalizes these recommendations and helps us track our nutrient intake.
This year, do something different. Plan a diet and physical activity routine that will help support good health all year long.
Parenting Tip: Museums FREE-FOR-ALL
Did you know that over forty museums in Southern California will open their doors to the public for FREE on February 2 and 3? This is a wonderful opportunity for a fun and educational family field trip. Check out this extensive list here and then let me know which ones you visited. More information may be found at SoCalMuseums.org.
Davis Magnet School
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Email: cflores@nmusd.us
Website: http://davismagnet.nmusd.us/
Location: 1050 Arlington Drive, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Phone: (714)424-7930
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavisMagnetSchoolDucks/
Twitter: @DavisMagnet