Rocket News
November 2019
Promoting Student Wellness at Reynolds School
Reynolds Playground Updates- Navigating the Playground with Confidence
As Mrs. Slacin and I gathered student feedback each month from our Recess Buddies, we began to think about ways we could support students further during recess. Mrs. Slacin will be teaching the students about the purpose of our new benches and how they can be used to promote student independence and wellness. We are very excited about this project and look forward to sharing more about this new initiative in the weeks to come.
Social Emotional Wellness - Updates to the Reynolds School Counseling Program
Social emotional wellness starts at a young age. Many children look to their families and school specialists for comfort when they are angry, upset, or worried. During the month of October, Mrs. Slacin visited with each class to talk about the role of a School Counselor and how she can support students with their feelings and help them solve problems when they are at school.
Throughout the year, Mrs. Slacin will continue to teach whole class lessons that support the Star Power Words of the Month. These Star Power Words align with our Open Circle Program and focus on topics, such as: calm, compliments, problem solving, etc. This year, we are adding a new component to our school counseling program at Reynolds School. All K-2 students will have the opportunity to get to know Mrs. Slacin in the School Counseling Office through an individual meeting. They will have the opportunity to learn about social emotional wellness and explore the many tools available to them in a safe and comfortable environment.
In November, Kindergartners will have an opportunity to visit with Mrs. Slacin to learn about feelings. In December, first graders will come to learn about positive self-talk. Finally, in February, second graders will have a chance to talk about the concept of including others or feeling excluded with Mrs. Slacin.
We are excited to offer this new component to our counseling program and will continue to look for opportunities to support student wellness in school. If you have any questions regarding our school counseling program, you can reach out to Mrs. Slacin directly at 201-961-6311.
Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting is an engaging way of starting the day to help build communities in our classrooms. Morning Meeting, which comes from the Responsive Classroom, teaches students to acquire knowledge, skills, and habits that will enhance their social and emotional development.
The Morning Meeting encourages discussions of classroom topics, opportunities to make connections, and strategies to work together. This is a wonderful way to incorporate wellness into our day in addition to our Open Circle curriculum.
Tips from the Reynolds Learning Lab
Literacy:
Expose your child to rhyming through books, songs, poems, nursery rhymes, etc. and play rhyming games with your child. Play when you are in the car or anywhere!
Numeracy: Work on concepts of more, less and equal using a variety of words that convey the same meaning (ex. more, greater, heavier, taller, older, etc; less, fewer, shorter, lighter, etc,; equal, the same as, ). Do this in a fun way, for example, at meal times, you can ask questions like, “Do you have fewer carrots or chicken nuggets?”
A Glimpse into Reynolds School
November Dates to Remember:
November 6th- Election Day
November 7th & 8th- No School (NJEA Conference)
November 13th & 14th- First Grade Field Trip
November 15th- Picture Retake Day
November 22nd- Get Active Day- wear sweats and sneakers
November 27th- Early Dismissal- (12:20)
November 28th & 29th- School Closed (Thanksgiving Recess)
Please see the November Calendar for additional dates.