Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain
Dear Pirate Nation,
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday break filled with friends, family, counted blessings and full tummies. As we embark on these last few days of November and dive head-first into December, I would challenge you NOT to jump on the “Countdown to Christmas or Winter Break” bandwagon, but instead settle into the thought of being present—like really engaged—and find the joy in the moment and the little things that many times get overlooked during this frenzied time of year.
Over Thanksgiving break, I read an article that challenged its readers to find time to be still. Be still? Like not move? (Kidding!) But honestly, my first reaction was “how can I be still when there is always so much to do?!” The author went on to say how she defined stillness as slowing down and mentally breathing, taking it all in. Instead of the allowing the ticking of the to-do list run in your brain, mentally slow down and find the joy—even when completing a physical task. Doing the dishes after dinner? Be mentally still and reflect on the conversation at dinner or find gratitude in providing a hot meal to your family. Struggling at the grocery store? Be mentally still and smile at the stressed-out mom and the baby in front of you at the check outline or pick up the inexpensive bouquet of flowers just to brighten up the kitchen at home.
I STRUGGLE with being mentally still. In being truthful and vulnerable, it is probably the reason I have been able to attain professional success while paying the lack of mental stillness through high levels of long-term anxiety. So, as we round out the semester, let’s not count how many days left until break, but rather, let’s count how much time we engage with our loved ones and ourselves. I challenge you to practice mental stillness. Enjoy the crackle of a new winter candle, the opportunity to give a warm bubble bath to your toddler, or the exhausted feeling of accomplishment of a day well lived. This holiday season, I am going to focus on giving presence versus presents.
Proud to be a Pirate!
Dr. Jessica Dain
Superintendent of Schools
Exterior Door Signage
You may have noticed new purple signs on the doors of our schools. As part of our increased efforts for safety and security, over Thanksgiving Break, the Facilities Department worked to label every building exterior door. These door assignments were assigned in a clockwise fashion starting with the front door. Each room/door was assigned a number followed by the direction they faced. The purpose of these is to assist first responders (fire, police, ambulance) that would need to respond to the building in the case of an emergency.
Piper Parents as Teachers Now Enrolling - Serving Piper families Birth to Kinder
Personal Visits: Parent Educators share age-appropriate child development information, address parenting concerns and engage the family in parent-child activities.
Group Connections: Group Connections provide opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development.
Screenings: Annual developmental, health, vision and hearing screenings provide for early identification of delays that could interfere with learning.
Resource Network: Parent Educators help families identify and connect with needed resources and overcome barriers to accessing services.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: All children are enrolled free of charge in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and receive an age-appropriate book mailed to their home each month.
To enroll or get more information, click here.
Nicole McDaniel
Parent Educator
816.805.2461
December Board of Education Meeting
The next Board of Education Meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 12th at 6 PM in the Board Room located in the Library at the CTE Building (Formally known as Piper East Elementary School.) Community Members who would like to present to the Board of Education need to sign up one week in advance of the meeting by contacting Mr. Mitch Nutterfield, Board Clerk, at mnutterfield@piperschools.us.
Piper PTA (Parent Teacher Association)
The Piper School District has a strong PTA that is extremely dedicated to caring for the students, teachers, and parents in the community. They currently are not requiring formal membership for PTA--anyone and everyone is welcome to participate regardless of paid membership.
Parents frequently ask if there is a district platform for parents to collect money from other parents for to utilize for teacher gifts or fundraising in planning for future Project Graduation celebrations. Please remember that PTA is a pivotal partner in keeping parents’ funds fiscally safe and they are happy to help parents create “Class” accounts in order to provide checks and balances with parents’ gracious donations.
Lastly, all parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend District PTA Monthly Open-House Meetings. The meetings begin at 6:30 PM and take place in the Piper Prairie Library. The dates are as following:
- January 10
- February TBD
- March TBD
- April 11
- May 9
Questions? Please contact PTA President, Morgan Rentie, at piperpta203@gmail.com
COVID-19
We will continue to have COVID-19 tests available should your child become ill at school, and you wish to provide consent for them to be tested. If your child is exhibiting 2 or more COVID-19 symptoms, our nursing staff would highly recommend having them tested. As always, best practice is to keep your child home if they are feeling unwell.
Should your child test positive for COVID-19, we will be following CDC recommendations for exclusion. The date of the onset of COVID symptoms will count as day zero and your child will need to remain home for five additional days beyond the date of symptom onset. Your child may return to school as long as they are fever free for 24 hours without medication.
Upon return to school, your child will have 2 options regarding masking per CDC guidance. Option 1 is to wear a mask through day 10 following the onset of symptoms. Option 2 calls for testing on day 1 of their return and day 3 of their return. If both tests are negative, mask-wearing can be discontinued following testing on day 3. Please visit with your school nurse if you wish to pursue the testing option.