Bulldog Bark
Garfield Heights Middle School December Newsletter
FROM THE DESK OF MR. FORDING
I would also like to wish you a wonderful Holiday season. I know the Holidays are much different than ever before due to the circumstances. It has not been easy. Many of you have made many sacrifices, like not seeing family in person, and I know how hard that can be. Like many of you, I am optimistic there is light at the end of the tunnel so that we can return to seeing family and friends in person and get back to school as soon as safely possible. I know I look forward to seeing all of our students, staff and parents in person. Until we are able to do that, I wish you the very best Holiday season. Stay safe, healthy and take care of each other. If there is anything you need we are always a phone call or email away.
NEWS FROM THE OFFICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Make a space.
- Create a special, personalized corner of a room dedicated to learning, creating, and reading.
- Use movable boxes or crates to let them make the space special. Letting them get the space ready will help them to get ready to learn.
- Help them check daily messages from teachers and other students.
Set a routine.
- You can create a visual schedule they can follow. Older kids can use a calendar, planner, chalkboard, or digital organizer to keep track of what's happening each day.
- Have them follow a routine as if they're going to school (getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc.) instead of lying in bed in their pajamas, which could lead to less learning.
- Breaks are really important
Keep them close.
- When it's hard for your kid to focus, try to keep them close. Consider setting up nonverbal or one-word cues to help get them back on track.
- Depending on your circumstances, it may not be possible to keep your kid in sight all the time, but it'll definitely be harder to keep them on track if they're completely unsupervised. Try to make sure you or another family member has eyeballs on them as much as possible.
- Sometimes tweens and teens seem to have a "bad attitude" that's really masking insecurity, boredom, or anxiety. They're often hoping we'll help them through it, even when it seems just the opposite. Staying calm, not taking things personally, and maintaining a sense of humor can go a long way.
Parent Resources
- As we continue Remote Learning remind your students to sign into every class at the scheduled time, participate with camera on, and complete assignments.
- Important information about your child's schoolwork can also be found on each Team's Website- the websites can be accessed by clicking here!
- Student recognition highlights can be found on each team's website or on the Middle School district page. You can view these spotlights by watching the Bulldog Brag videos posted by clicking here!
Asynchronous Wednesdays
FROM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JANA JENKINS
All winter sports and activities are postponed until January 4. Please keep an eye on our website and social media for additional information.
NEWS FROM OUR GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
We are here to help if you need any assistance.
Please contact us:
Angela Talion (Guidance Secretary)
(216) 475-8105 ext. 53006
Kristen Richardson (School Counselor)
(216) 475-8105 ext. 53008
Mike Banyasz (School Counselor) (BDA)
(216) 475-8105 ext. 53007
For the month of December on-site office hours are as follows:
Kristen Richardson Every Tuesday and Thursday
Mike Banyasz Every Monday and Wednesday