Cub Courier
Crescent Harbor Elementary December 2023
IMPORTANT DATES
- December 1st - Family Fun Night 5 PM
- December 6th - End of trimester 1
- December 6th - Trimester Awards
- December 7th - NO SCHOOL (teacher work day)
- December 8th - NO SCHOOL (teacher work day)
- December 12th - PTA Meeting 3:30 PM
- December 12th - 3rd Grade Music Concert 6 PM
- December 15th - OHHS Choir performing for students
- December 18th - January 1st - WINTER BREAK
- January 2nd - SCHOOL RESUMES!
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
CHE Families,
We are fitting a lot into the short month of December at Crescent Harbor Elementary. This newsletter contains information on many events that the school, the PTA, and the community is sponsoring in December, while we celebrate a variety of holidays. We also know that this can be a challenging time of the year for students and families. If family members are not home for important celebrations, or if there are not sufficient resources to provide gifts that are desired, the “most joyful time of year” is not always so joyful. If your student or family is in need, please reach out to the school. There are many supportive and generous organizations in town who are ready to help out with food, presents, emotional support, and more.
The character trait for December is empathy. Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. This can be tricky for our young scholars, many of whom are still learning to understand their own feelings! Activities we lead with students help them to imagine the impact of their behavior and words on others and also to better understand their own feelings.
Here is a way you can help your student learn about and develop empathy. Next time you and your student see or interact with someone, ask your student to imagine how another person feels. Then, ask your student what they could do to help that person know you understand them, and how they might act to make them feel better. It is one thing to identify how someone feels, and it is another thing to respond in a caring way to those feelings. That caring response is what empathy is all about.
First trimester ends on December 6. December 7-8 are professional development days for our teachers (no school for students), and the last day of school before Winter Break is December 15. Final grades will be available in Skyward on December 14, and the school will mail home paper copies on December 15. Keep in mind that these are grades after 12 weeks of school, and that we still have 36 weeks full of learning for our students. If you have questions about your child’s progress or abilities, please contact their teacher.
I consider myself privileged to be the principal of your student’s school and to work with such a caring and skilled staff. Thank you for the opportunity to play a role in their growth. I wish you the happiest of holidays.
Sincerely,
Bill Weinsheimer
Principal
HOLIDAY HOUSE CHRISTMAS GIFT SIGN UP
CHE Families have the opportunity to sign up with the Holiday House directly this year. Please use the link below to fill out the form and choose a time to pick out Christmas gifts for your children this holiday season.
Holiday House North is sponsored by Oak Harbor Lions, in partnership with Toys for Tots along with other community organizations. Oak Harbor Public School partners annually with Holiday House by providing space during the month of December for families with financial need to come and select donated new unwrapped items for their children in a store-like setting. No money is involved.
Who do we serve: Birth-high school graduation-aged children
Dates: December 10-18 (includes Saturday and Sunday) 9 am- 5 pm
Scheduling: Parents/Guardians with financial difficulties sign up and select a date and time using the Google form on the website Holiday House North Sign-Up Form
Questions: Email- holidayhousenorthwhidbey@gmail.com
Help House Christmas Basket Forms:
If you have not already requested your Help House Christmas Basket Request Form, please print the link below and return it directly to the Help House at 1091 SE Hathaway Street by Friday, December 8th! Help House Christmas Basket Forms
PE NEWS
Notes from the Gym Closet
Yes that's right, parents and kids we have so much lost and found that it is over flowing into the gym. Mr Nurvic and Mrs. Vera are trying to hang lost and found items on the wall in the gym in hopes that your student sees a coat or sweatshirt and says "hey that's mine" and takes it home. Parents if you are at school, or pick up your child, please come take a look. Thanks
Cold outside.... Pe activities are focused on cooperative games and movement activities (large group) during the cold weather. Tag games, climbing wall and some gymnastics and tumbling mat were a part of November and the first part of December. Even though it is cold outside kids still need to be drinking water to stay hydrated. Be on the look out, the Grinch usually shows up in the gym this time of year.
Thanks
Mr. Nurvic
MUSIC NEWS!
Hello Crescent Harbor Family,
The 3rd Grade Classes will be putting on a Holiday Program on December 12th. "Bring on the Joy, Bring on the Fun, We're gonna celebrate!!" We have some really fun original selections of holiday music to present to everyone. Everything from "Rock 'n' Roll Snowman," to a "Hip Hop Reindeer." We even have a little bit of hoe-down music with, "Here Comes the Snow." Our program will include an old-fashioned holiday sing-a-long with all the favorite holiday music. The evening program will be at 6:00 pm for parents and guardians.
Happy Holidays Everyone.
Mr. Rawson
NURSE NOTES
Healthy Holidays.
Follow these 5 tips to boost your body's defenses:
- Fight germs. In the fall and winter, people tend to get sick with colds and the flu. And we're still dealing with COVID-19. So protect yourself: Get a COVID-19 vaccine and the annual flu vaccine, and wash your hands a lot. The holidays are all about sharing, but some things you'll want to keep to yourself: forks, spoons, and drinking utensils. People can be contagious before they know they're sick, so even just a sip from someone's drink puts their germs in your body.
Eat healthy and be merry. Holiday foods can be high in calories and low on the nutrition you need to battle germs and boost energy. Make it a priority to eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Choose the whole fruit instead of juice to feel full longer and avoid added sugar. Carry an apple or a bag of baby carrots so you always have a healthy snack available. And don't give your exercise routine a holiday. Exercise gives you energy in addition to burning calories.
Chill. "Can I afford it?" "Will it be perfect?" Even things we look forward to, like the holidays, can come with worries attached. If you feel stressed, stop what you're doing for just a moment. Take 5 deep belly breaths. Concentrate on each breath as you inhale and exhale. Walk over to a window and look out at the sky. Then go back to what you were doing, realizing that holiday drama will happen. Just hope it leaves you with some great stories to tell.
Beat the blues. Holiday depression doesn't just happen in songs. For some people, it's seasonal, brought on by shorter days, longer nights, and colder weather. Other people might feel down and lonely this time of the year. If you feel down, go outside, even if it's cold where you live. Sunlight and exercise are great mood lifters. Try a seasonal activity to put you in the holiday spirit. You can decorate, watch a holiday movie with family, or wrap gifts. And don't hesitate to talk to someone you trust, like a parent or teacher, about how you're feeling.
Get some ZZZs. Getting 8½ to 9 hours (9-12 hours for kids 6-13 years of age) of sleep a night during the holidays can help strengthen your immune system, give you more energy, and make you less vulnerable to stress.
Jen Wutzke RN, BSN (she/her)
School Nurse
PARENTSQUARE OUR NEW COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
Oak Harbor Public Schools and Crescent Harbor Elementary will use ParentSquare to communicate with you from your child's school, classrooms, and groups. ParentSquare provides a simple and safe way for everyone at school to connect. To sign up at ParentSquare.com Simply enter your email or phone number inside the Register square and then select Get Started.
Once you've signed up for ParentSquare, don't forget to download the ParentSquare Mobile App to send and receive school communications on the go! Download for iOS or Download for Android
HELP HOUSE HYGIENE KITS
CHE PTA
Hello families!
We would like to thank all of our amazing Turkey Bingo volunteers! It went great because of your help!
We will be hosting a Cookies and Crafts night on December 1st from 5-7. Come enjoy a cookie and hot cocoa while making an ornament! This event is free for all CHE students and families! We are still looking for a few volunteers to assist with snacks, set up, and clean up. If you can help please click here: Family Craft Night: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA5AE2CA7FAC25-holiday
Our December PTA meeting will be held on December 12th, at 3:30 pm in the library. Kids are always welcome!
We are hosting our second annual Staff Cookie Bar to thank our amazing staff. We are asking families to make/purchase cookies to send to school so our staff can get a goody box. All Cookies need to be dropped off on Dec. 6th between 12-3 pm. If you’d like to participate please click here to sign up: Staff Cookie Bar:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA5AE2CA7FAC25-staff3
Thanks again for all your support with our CHE PTA!
TEACHER FEATURE - LEARN 3 FUN FACTS ABOUT TEACHERS AT CHE!
Mrs. Forster 1st Grade Teacher
- The Navy brought us to Whidbey Island and we loved it so much we never left!
- I'm a big sports fan - Mariners, Seahawks, Kraken, and Gonzaga basketball are my go-to teams.
- My green thumb in getting better and better as I've started growing a cut-flower, flower garden. I love having vases of flowers in my house from Spring to Fall.
Mr. Spear 4th Grade Teacher
- My house is almost exclusively decorated with artwork created by myself, my wife, and friends.
- I will take any opportunity to be outside.
- I can write upside down legibly (probably neater) as quickly as I can write right-side up.
Mrs. Reed 3rd Grade Teacher
- I decided I was going to be a teacher when I was in 4th Grade.
- I was born and raised in Maine, and have lived in Hawaii, Florida, and now Washington.
- I have 2 children, a son in 8th Grade, and a daughter in Pre K.