Christensen Courier
April 2020
Christensen Elementary
Email: rschenk@fpschools.org
Website: https://christensen.fpschools.org/
Location: 10232 Barnes Lane South, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: (253)298-3300
School is closed for the rest of 19/20 school year
A message from the principal
Hello, Christensen Families and welcome back from spring break. The good news is that you are doing a great job of staying home and staying safe. The bad news is we will have to keep it up for the rest of this school year. Your teachers and the rest of their support staff want you to know how sad we are that we will not be able to bring all of our students back together again this year. With schools closed for the rest of this school year we now need to plan for how to support our students continuous learning for the next 10 weeks. So many of you have been active online doing the work your teachers have assigned and checking in to class meetings. More of that is to come so please keep checking your Canvas pages.
There are many questions and we are working on the answers. You can expect to continue to get updates from teachers and messages from me as we create the best possible learning for your children. Also, be sure to check out the Christensen Facebook page on Monday evening for my weekly Hope at Home message. I will be doing shout outs to recognize students who are staying engaged with their teacher by joining class meetings and getting work done from home.
I know I speak for all the Treasure Hunters at Christensen when I say we really miss being with students and we hope that we get to see you online a lot over the next couple months. Please stay safe and keep in touch!
Dr. Enfield
IT Support
A message from our Nurse
Hand washing is an important prevention
Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here are some tips to help keep your family safe.
Follow these five hand washing steps every time.
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Tips on staying healthy at home
Eat well: Eating healthy is important not only for our physical health, but also our psychological well-being. Try to avoid processed foods and reduce your sugar intake. Purchase cut-up veggies and dip them in hummus or ranch. Dip apple slices into peanut butter for a tasty snack.
Sleeping soundly: Sleep is essential for our bodies to repair cells, clear toxins, improve our memories and process information. There's good evidence that not enough sleep can have major impacts on our health. Going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day can help maintain a sense of normality, and help you follow through with plans.
Exercising enough: Exercise releases chemicals in the body that make us feel good, and it's also been linked to better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved memory. Going for a walk, playing outside, riding your bike, or doing an on-line exercise routine are good ways to stay active. Also, dust off your treadmill or stationary bike & get the heart pumping.
Social Connection: Not all social interactions have to be face-to-face to be meaningful. Try recreating them through video calls, or just connecting with family and friends through phone calls. Take a friend on a virtual walk or do a housebound activity together, like crafting, rock painting, baking together or drawing.
Calming activities: What do you usually not have time for? Drawing, reading, gardening, cooking, puzzles, crafting, or playing board games?
Positive attitude & laughter: Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. When it comes to relieving stress, more giggles and guffaws are just what the doctor ordered. Laughter stimulates many organs, activate and relieve your stress responses & soothe tension. Try watching a funny movie and you will feel the tension dissipate!