Lions Ledger
Patriot Elementary School December 2018
A Message From Our Principal
Dear Parents and Families,
What a great time of the year! It is exciting to see the joy in the faces of elementary school students during the holiday season. Due to the busy nature of the season, sometimes schedules and added responsibilities can cause stress. Concerts, parties, family visits and so many other events seem to be packed into a limited amount of time. Scheduling becomes an issue and we always seem to be looking for ways to complete our to-do list. Our upcoming choir concert offers the opportunity to slow down and enjoy a little holiday cheer. The choir concert on December 19th will both be held in the gym at 5:00. Students have been working really hard to showcase their special talents. Please come; everyone is welcome!
As the holiday season approaches, please give your child the gift of extra time. Put an I.O.U. for a special event or activity in his/her stocking. When students are asked to write about a memorable event in their lives, it isn't a special gift they usually choose to write about, but a particular experience they have had with someone special. During this season of the year we would like to say thanks to:
· Parents and guardians who diligently check their child’s homework; who are seated beside them as they complete their homework; and spend quality time with their child.
· All the volunteers who give countless hours to make Patriot Elementary a better place for students and staff.
· Community members and parents who organize the PTO and book fair.
· All the people in our school community who are committed to giving their best to your children every day - custodians, food service staff, bus drivers, school nurse, secretaries, teachers, district office, and members of the school board.
· All of you who are doing your very best to send your child ready to learn every day.
I am proud of how much our community gives during this time of the year. We always welcome and appreciate your support in all the endeavors we take on. Hopefully years from now, during the holiday season, you and your child will remember many wonderful times spent together.
On behalf of the staff and administration at Patriot Elementary, have a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Canon, Principal
Reading and Attendance
Keep Your Child Reading Over the Holiday Break! Holiday break is not a time just for worksheets and textbooks, but your child should continue to learn. The best way is just to read a little bit every day. And that means reading more than text messages.
Here's how:
· Link movies to books. Your child like many others, may enjoy watching movies during winter break. Encourage him/her to watch at least one based on a book--and read the book first.
· Give books for gifts. If your child will receive a gift this month, consider giving her a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Suggest this to other family members as well.
· Read for a purpose. Practical reading--the kind you do to learn a skill--is both fun and informative. If your child enjoys cooking, he/she could read a recipe and try it out. If he/she likes gadgets, she could read the instruction manual and put one together. If he/she likes sports, he could check out the newspaper for a look at how her favorite teams are faring.
~Take a look at your child’s attendance - December usually contains a winter break from school. And once your child returns in January, the school year will be about half over. This is a great time to review the first part of the year and make plans for the next. Looking at your child’s school attendance should be part of this important process. Did your child attend school every day unless she was sick or there was a family emergency? If so, congratulations! Let her know you’re proud of her strong attendance. Help her keep up the good work for the rest of the year and beyond. Strong attendance is one predictor of success in school.
If not:
· Remind your child that regular school attendance is a priority.
· Emphasize the need for rest, nutrition and exercise to stay healthy and stay in school.
· Consider the reasons you take your child out of school. Can you make some appointments outside school hours?
Peer Conflict, Mean Behavior, and Bullying. What is the Difference?
Talking with our children about these differences is very important in teaching how to handle these situations.
Click on the provided link to read more about the difference between peer conflicts, mean behavior, and bullying behavior.
Wise Words from Patriot Counseling
Teaching Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness
Growing up I learned all about giving back to the community from my mother. She was an avid volunteer. I also taught my three daughters about the joy of volunteering. Teaching children about community service not only helps children develop a strong positive self-esteem and work ethic, but it is a great way to teach compassion, empathy, honesty, kindness, and gratitude. I currently volunteer for two organizations and feel an immense pride in what I do to help make the world a better place.
A great way to teach compassion, empathy, and kindness is by volunteering along with your child in the community. This time of year people think of volunteering to help others have a warm and wonderful holiday, but volunteering can be a year round project. Not only does it teach strong values, but it can also help foster a wonderful parent/child relationship. I hope you and your child will make some time to volunteer.
Some volunteer ideas are:
· Help clean up a public park or recreation area.
· Volunteer at the local animal shelter.
· Share your time at a homeless shelter. You can help in many ways from serving meals, to teaching a craft to the children who live at the shelter.
· Bring your well behaved dog to be part of a “Paws to Read” program at your local Library.
· Host a party, and ask each guest to bring a bag of animal food to donate to the Humane Society, or 3 cans of food to donate to a local food bank.
· Crochet little hats for premature or ill babies in hospitals.
These are just a few ideas, don't stop with these.
“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others” Gandhi
Holly “The Dog Lady” Niewinski, your school counselor, can be reached at 382-1460.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
December
12/01 Polar Express for center based students and siblings
12/3-12/7 PTO Penguin Patch Store Open
12/04 New Family Meet and Greet with the Principal @ 7:30 am
12/10 PTO Meeting @ 2:45 pm
12/13 Pancakes with the Principals Kinder-2nd (invite only)
12/14 Pancakes with the Principals 3rd-5th (invite only)
12/19 Classroom Holiday Parties (time to be determined by grade)
12/19 Patriot Holiday Extravaganza Choir performance 5:00 pm
12/20 School Dismissal at 11:30 am; Winter Break Begins!!!
12/20 Skate City Winter Wonderland 3rd - 5th Grade
(younger siblings can go with their parents)
January
01/07 3rd Quarter Classes begin!
PTO Penguin Patch Gift Store
Preview Dates: 11/26-11/30
Shopping Dates: 12/3-12/07
PTO Meeting
Childcare will be available for school-age students.
Monday, Dec 10, 2018, 02:45 PM
Patriot Elementary School Cafeteria
Box Tops for Education
Box Tops are an easy way for our school to earn FREE money!
We are in our 2nd Box Top Classroom contest. PLEASE keep those Box Tops and students can paste or tape to Box Top Sheets. When complete sheets are turned in, students receive a small treat. Please contact the office for more sheets.
STUDENT COUNCIL
Spirit Days
12/20 Skate City 3rd-5th Grade
(while only 3rd thru 5th graders can ride the bus, please feel free to bring all siblings to Skate City and have a fun afternoon hanging out skating with family and friends)
BOYS TOWN Education Model at Patriot
December: Honesty
3-7 Accepting Compliments
10-14 Having A Conversation
17-20 Review Skills
Student Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures
REMINDER: Please do not drop students off before 7:00 am as Patriot Staff supervision does not monitor until 7:00 am. Students should be picked up at their flag with the oldest sibling. If walking, students exit through the east gate on the black top.
Please ensure that you are following the best practice procedures which can be found on our school website.
We expect all parents to promote safety for our students and community, and be positive role models in our parking lots. Changes to normal routine in child's departure should be communicated to the teacher.
Ever-Changing Colorado Weather
We encourage all students during the winter to dress in layers and always have jacket, hat and gloves in their backpacks.
In EXTREME weather we will send a message out about Red Flag dismissal process.
P.A.W.S
The PAWS Pledge is promised each day during morning announcements: "I am a Patriot Lion. I show my pride by using my PAWS--Personal Best, Act Responsibly, Work and Play Safely, Show Respect to All; I am a Patriot Lion let me show you my PAWS! ROAR!!!
--Patriot Elementary School colors: Red, White, Blue
--Patriot Mascot: Lion
Join the PTO or SAAC
Up-Coming Meetings:
11/5 Monday 6:00-7:00pm
12/10 Monday 2:45-3:45pm
**Childcare provided in the gym; meeting will be in school cafeteria
SAAC/DAAC: Do you want to help plan a Vision for Patriot Elementary? Join the SAAC/DAAC Committee. Please contact Mrs. Canon for more information.
PATRIOT + PARENTS = SUCCESS
We Need You!!
D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Schools) was created by Patriot Staff to promote dads and positive male role models of students to help at our school. We have reserved dates we can use individuals at drop-off and pick-up, reading to students, and helping at recess. Patriot encourages any participation and we will send out messages to ask for volunteers. Research shows the importance of fathers and father-figures in the school setting, and the positive impact it has on academic, social/emotional, and linguistic success. Contact Mrs. Polyefko for more information at kpolyefko@ffc8.org.
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Patriot Elementary School
Website: www.ffc8.org/Patriot
Location: 7010 Harr Avenue, Fort Carson, CO, USA
Phone: 7193821460
Facebook: facebook.com/PatriotElementaryFFC8