Tiogue's Weekly Family Newsletter
October 5, 2019 - No.6
Monthly Newsletter from our local Coventry Resource & Senior Center
Negative Lunch Balances
I will be meeting, on Tuesday, with our Sodexo Director, Mr. Richard Leso, to come up with a plan of action. At this point in the school year, Tiogue Families owe approximately $2300.00.
Please do not be surprised when Richard and I reach out this week.
As always, if you need help filling out Federal Free/Reduced Lunch forms, we are here for you. Mrs. D'Aguanno, Mrs. Lyons, and I are here to help. We keep any/all communications confidential.
Thanks for your attention to this matter.
Important Information at Tiogue
Tiogue is proud to again be a Title One, Feinstein Leadership School!
Hours: 8:40am - 3:10pm
Students may come to school when supervisory coverage begins at 8:20am
October 2019
-October 7 - K-2 Fire Prevention Assembly w/our Local Fire Dept.- Thanks, Mike DeRosa
-October 14 - NO SCHOOL, Columbus Day
-October 18 - PINK OUT EVENT at Tiogue! $1 donation or bring in a canned good to help to fight breast cancer and hunger! Possible Trunk or Treat Event (5:30pm depending upon Mosquitos/Frost)
-October 20 - Possible Trunk or Treat Event (1:30pm)
-October 21 - PTA Mtg. (5:30pm in the Tiogue library or cafeteria)
November 2019
-November 5 - LifeTouch Picture Day
-November 18 - PTA Mtg. (5:30pm in the Tiogue library or cafeteria)
PTA INFORMATION and Meeting Schedule:
10/21/19 at 5:30pm
11/18/19 at 5:30pm
12/16/19 at 5:30pm
1/13/20 at 5:30pm
2/10/20 at 5:30pm
3/16/20 at 5:30pm
4/13/20 at 5:30pm
5/18/20 at 5:30pm
6/8/20 at 5:30pm (Last Mtg. of the year)
School Store information:
PTA School Store will begin shortly. Last year, school store was open every other Wednesday during student lunch/recess times. More information to follow.
Our Mission and Motto:
At Tiogue School, we believe that students can achieve their personal best and become responsible and productive citizens by embracing all learning opportunities each day.
"Everybody is somebody at Tiogue"
SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 18th, Tiogue's Annual Pink Out Day
Very Important Links for Families:
Sodexo Food Service in Coventry: Click here
Important Lunch Pricing Information
2019-2020 Free and Reduced Lunch Application
Bus Information: Click here (Some Routes and Times have changed as of this past week)
RI Broadcaster's Association: Sign up for weather and school closing alerts here
SIGN UP FOR OUR CodeRED Alert System: Sign up here
Coventry Public Schools Website: http://www.coventryschools.net/home
School Website: http://tiogueschool.squarespace.com/
Parent Information on our District Website
School Dept. 2019-20 Calendar: Click here
Coventry Curriculum Resources: Click here
Safe Snack List: Click here
Health & Wellness Letter: Click here
Our Nurse's Corner:
News From the Health Office:
Hand, foot, and mouth us a self limiting virus common in young children. Cycles of the virus often show in elementary school populations. Hand washing is your best prevention and protection measure. Please review with your children the importance of good hand washing.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/hfm.html
HEARING: The Hearing Center came Friday 9/20/19 to conduct hearing screenings. You will receive a phone call and follow up letter from me if your child is referred for further evaluation.
VISION: The local Lions Club will be here October 3rd and 4th to conduct initial vision screening on all students in grades 1 through 5. If you do not want your child vision screened please notify me by phone, or email BEFORE October 3rd. In addition, you must provide me with an equivalent vision screening b a practitioner.
DENTAL: If you have not sent in a dental card, or notification that your child has been seen by your private Dentist please forward this to my office. If you do want your child screened by our school Dentist Dr. Gordon please notify me by phone or email.
Here is our Flu Clinic Information for our School Dept.:
Thursday 10/10/19
4:00-6:30 p.m.
AT
ASFMS, 15 Foster Dr., Coventry, RI 02816
Monday 11/4/19
4:00-6:30 p.m.
AT Coventry High School, 40 Reservoir Rd., Coventry, RI 02816
Register online at
Registration recommended but not required.
If you have insurance, bring your card.
No out-of-pocket cost
for anyone; no money
will be collected.
-Gina D'Aguano MS, MEd, RN, CSNT
A message from Mrs. Lyons, our School Psychologist
Parent Corner
I have a seven year old boy who has always enjoyed video games. To be honest, my husband and I do too. Lately, my son, has been asking for some of the more popular games and sometimes he wants to play with other people through the internet. I was talking about this with some of the other parents. About 50% of us think it's fine, it’s an electronic world now. But the other parents feel strongly that it will damage kids. What do you think?
It is not really about what I think, but more about what the research shows. You are 100% correct-we are an electronic world. You are also correct about how people feel in regards to this. Infant toys are now widely electronic when in fact, studies of the brain show that a $4.00 book containing pictures of black and white shapes encourages brain growth during the first month more effectively than the $50.00 electronic toys that are available.
Some video games have been shown to have multiple positive effects. Dr. Randy Kulman has researched the effects of non-violent video games on children with ADHD and Learning Disorders. Dr. Kulman, president and founder of LearningWorks indicates that children learn from play. This includes your first game of pee-a-boo with your infant to playing board games with your elementary age children. Learning the rules of a simple game have long lasting, positive effects on the brain.
“The latest research shows that play exercises the brain in much the same way that sports exercise the body. When a child plays soccer for fun, their body still benefits from the physical activity. Similarly, when a child plays games for fun, their brain still benefits from the cognitive tasks and challenges in the game”. Digital play can have the same positive effects on the brain as any other type of play.
According to Douglas A. Gentile, PhD. (Research on the Effects of Media), there are four major effects of media violence:
The aggressor effect: Watching a lot of entertainment violence tends to predict increased aggressive thoughts, increased aggressive feelings, and increased aggressive behaviors
The victim effect: Watching a lot of entertainment violence tends to predict increased fearfulness, increased beliefs about the likelihood that violence might occur, and increased self-protective behaviors.
The bystander effect: Watching a lot of entertainment violence predicts increased desensitization, both to other media violence and also to aggression in the real world
The appetite effect: Simply put, the more you watch, the more you want to watch.
Dr. Gentile indicates that the scientific issue is not whether there are effects, but which of these effects are most likely to occur. The effects will vary depending upon the type of media content, the individual characteristics of the viewer, when the individual is viewing.
Dr. Gentile states that there are at least five effects of violent video game play:
Increased aggressive thoughts
Increased aggressive feelings
Increased physiological arousal
Increased aggressive behavior
Decreased positive social behavior
It would be short-sighted to eliminate electronics completely because children are constantly exposed in our technologically advanced world. As we discussed, some exposure to appropriate video games can actually enhance brain growth. The following recommendations will help make sure that your children are able to live happy, balanced lives.
Using videos to get ready for bed is not a good idea even if it seems to calm your child. The body’s inner clock responds to light as the signal for waking and sleeping. An electronic screen generates as much light as the noon sun. Different types of electronics impact our sensory system and brain differently. Watching TV is passive whereas the IPad or video games are interactive. This stimulates the brain. I personally feel that all electronics should stop at least 30 minutes prior to bed. This is a great time to read or listen to quiet music.
Social interactions that are face to face are critical for a number of reasons. They teach children to observe non-verbal information such as facial expressions or body language. Vocabulary is typically enhanced because through conversation children learn new things and can ask directly if they do not understand. Verbal interactions also teach children how to listen, wait to speak and remain on topic. Marcia Eckerd, PhD, suggest that parents “limit screen time when children are young. Some researchers recommend limiting screen use to 30 minutes at a time, with a 5 to 1 ratio of non-screen time to screen time for very young children. Allowing unlimited screen time is like letting toothpaste out of the tube. You won’t be able to put it back. Setting limits early enables you to limit time later so your child will actually play with friends, be part of the family at dinner, and not binge during homework time”.
It is important to think about the educational value of what you’re allowing your child to see. Commonsensemedia.org rates games, videos, etc. in terms of educational value and appropriateness for different ages.
Make sure your child has electronics-free solo playtime. A child needs to learn to entertain herself. Children who are “addicted” to the immediate gratification of fast-paced electronics often complain of boredom when asked to rely on their own creativity or interests. It is also important to avoid electronics on play dates.
Many of us enjoy having a TV on in the background as we go about our day. This is not recommended. I have always had great success with music. You can sing and dance with your children while engaging in day to day activities.
Dr. Eckerd indicates that the most important consideration in this area is to monitor your own use of electronics. “Are you on your phone at dinner with your child? Are you attending to your child’s play or your text messages? With adults this is rude; with children this is deprivation. It is also bad role-modeling and poor parenting. No other words for it. In this electronics-driven world, we need to carefully balance children’s developmental needs with the lure of technology as entertainment, education, and babysitter. There are real reasons for caution—there are already 4-year-olds being treated for screen addictions. Children are using screens at a younger and younger age, so parents must think about what they will and won’t allow.”
Marcia Eckerd is an evaluator, consultant, and therapist who specializes in working with children with NLD and autism-spectrum disorders.
Consider following the principal on Twitter @domgiusti
About Us
Email: giustidomenic@coventryschools.net
Website: http://tiogueschool.squarespace.com/
Location: 170 East Shore Drive, Coventry, RI, United States
Phone: (401) 822-9460
Twitter: @domgiusti