Grant School Principal's Newsletter
May 2, 2016
New/Used Refriferator needed for Grant!
Author Visit on Wednesday, May 4
Thank you Mrs. Crysdale for organizing this visit and reading the book to students before it even is released!
Here is a little about her:
Author of young adult fiction whose popular works include The Internet Girls series, The Winnie Years, and the Flower Power books. Her novels, ttyl and ttfn, both appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. She studied English and psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later received graduate English and creative writing degrees from Colorado State University and Vermont College, respectively. Her debut novel, Kissing Kate, was chosen as one of the ALA Best Books for Young Adults in 2004. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, with two sisters and three brothers. Her younger sister, Susan, also became a writer.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age on Wednesday, May 11 at Boulevard Cinemas beginning at 6:30 p.m., doors open at 6:00 p.m.
In partnership with Cinema West/Boulevard Cinemas and Grant School along with the film’s production company, PEF will welcome guests to this community event offering a Question & Answer session with fellow attendees following the approximately 60 minute documentary. Tickets are available by visiting the event posting on our website pefinfo.com where you will be linked to our Eventbright ticketing page.
Thank you for your supporting PEF in this way and helping us promote this event. We are hosting this screening in hopes it will be an opportunity to connect all of us and offer all the chance to engage in this timely topic. Numerous local and national media outlets have featured this film. If you would like to see a short trailer for this movie please visit: http://www.screenagersmovie.com
Visit www.pefinfo.com for more information on the Petaluma Educational Foundation contact PEF Executive Director, Maureen Highland, at Maureen@pefinfo.com- 707-778-4632. Or PEF Student Intern Blake Patrick at 707-778-4632.
How much screen time is OK for my kid(s)?
Kids are spending more time with screen media -- and at younger ages -- than ever before. But there really is no magic number that's "just right." What's more important is the quality of kids' media and how it fits into their -- and your family's -- lifestyle.
The notion of screen time as a one-dimensional activity is changing. Computers, tablets, and smartphones are multipurpose devices that can be used for lots of purposes. Designating their use simply as "screen time" can miss some important variations. The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens identifies four main categories of screen time.
- Passive consumption: watching TV, reading, and listening to music
- Interactive consumption: playing games and browsing the Internet
- Communication: video-chatting and using social media
- Content creation: using devices to make digital art or music
Clearly, there's a lot of difference among these activities. But as valuable as many of them can be, it's still important for kids' overall healthy development to balance their lives with enriching experiences found off screens. These tips can help:
- Pay attention to how your kids act during and after watching TV, playing video games, or hanging out online. If they're using high-quality, age-appropriate media; their behavior is positive; and their screen-time activities are balanced with plenty of healthy screen-free ones, there's no need to worry.
- If you're concerned about heavy media use, consider creating a schedule that works for your family. This can include weekly screen-time limits, limits on the kinds of screens kids can use, and guidelines on the types of activities they can do or programs they can watch. Make sure to get your kids' input so the plan teaches media literacy and self-regulation, and use this as an opportunity to discover what they like watching, introduce new shows and apps for them to try, or schedule a family movie night.
Finally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) -- one of the only established organizations to make recommendations on screen time -- offers guidelines that put limits on media exposure. Studies have shown a link between heavy media use and issues such as obesity, lack of sleep, academic challenges, aggression, and other behavior difficulties. However, the AAP will be issuing new recommendations in 2016 emphasizing that not all screen time is equal and that take into account the many different kinds of activities that occur on screens (for example, watching TV is not the same as video-chatting with Grandma). The reality is that most families will go through periods of heavy and light media use, but, so long as there's a balance, kids should be just fine.
For more information, please go to commonsense.org
Information from commonsense.org
Grant Elementary School
Email: etodd@petk12.org
Website: http://www.grantelementary.org/
Location: 200 Grant Avenue, Petaluma, CA, United States
Phone: 707-778-4742
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grant-PTA-Petaluma/100243750022291?fref=ts
Twitter: @grantshamrocks