Central Connection
Central Elementary's Monthly Newsletter
Office News
Schedule
School Hours 8:19 am - 3:27 pm.
8:04am students getting breakfast can enter building.
8:09am all students can enter building
8:19am bell rings to start class.
Students arriving after 8:20am must be signed in by an adult in the office.
4th Grade Lunch 11:20 - 11:50 am
Recess 11:50 am - 12:20pm
5th Grade Lunch 12 - 12:30 pm
Recess 12:30 - 1:00 pm
Social emotional wellness corner
Managing the holiday season
It seems almost impossible that we are getting ready to celebrate the holidays and reflect on how fast another year has come and gone. Students are excited to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, to have time away from the classroom, and to find the magic of the season. As much as we all enjoy this time of the year, there can be a little thing called stress that may creep up on us. The holidays are a reminder that we need to balance our stress load along with our mental well-being so that we can enjoy the season!
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), they recommend these tips to balance the stress this holiday season.
Take time for yourself. Sometimes self-care is the best thing you can do; plus, others will benefit when you’re feeling less stressed. Reflect on aspects of your life that give you joy; go for a long walk; or take time to listen to your favorite holiday tunes. All of us need some time to recharge our batteries. Be mindful and focus on the present rather than dwell on the past or worry about the future. It is important that we pay attention to our own needs and feelings during the holiday season. We can find fun, enjoyable and relaxing activities for ourselves and our families. By keeping our minds and bodies healthy, we are primed to deal with stressful situations when they arise. Consider cutting back television viewing for kids and getting the family out together for fresh air and a winter walk. Physical activity can help us feel better and sleep well, while reducing sedentary time and possible exposure to stress-inducing advertisements
Volunteer. Find a local charity, such as a soup kitchen or a shelter that needs volunteers, and offer to help. Alternatively, participate in a community giving tree program or an adopt-a-family program. Helping others may lift your mood and help you put your own struggles in perspective.
Have realistic expectations. No Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or other holiday celebration is perfect. View inevitable missteps as opportunities to exercise your flexibility and resilience. A lopsided tree or a burned brisket won’t ruin your holiday—it will create a family memory. If your children’s wish list is outside your budget, talk to them about realistic expectations and remind them that the holidays aren't about expensive gifts.
Remember what's important. The barrage of holiday advertising can make you forget what the holiday season is really about. If your holiday expense list is running longer than your monthly budget, scale back and remind yourself that what matters most is loved ones, not store-bought presents, elaborate decorations, or gourmet food.
Strengthen social connections—We know that strong, supportive relationships help us manage all kinds of challenges. So, we can view the holidays as a time to reconnect with the positive people in our lives. Accepting help and support from those who care about us can help alleviate stress.
Initiate conversations about the season—It can be helpful to have conversations with our kids about the variety of different holiday traditions our families, friends and others may celebrate. Parents can use this time as an opportunity to discuss how some families may not participate in the same holiday traditions as others. Not everyone needs to be the same. It is important to teach open-mindedness about others and their celebrations.
Keep things in perspective—On the whole, the holiday season is short. It helps to maintain a broader context and a longer-term perspective. We can ask ourselves, what’s the worst thing that could happen this holiday? Our greatest fears may not happen and, if they do, we can tap our strengths and the help of others to manage them. The holidays also give an opportunity to express gratitude for what and who we have in our lives.
With this chaotic year mostly behind us, it is more important than ever to practice kindness, and to do our best to remain present during this special time. Wishing each and every family a warm season, healthy homes, and joy to last throughout the season!
The Adventures of Belle the therapy dog.
This portion of the newsletter will follow Belle's adventures each month, as told by Belle.
November got pretty exciting as I got to go to classrooms pretty much every day. Ms. Elmer, Ms. Welch and Mrs. Barber have their students teaching me how to read. With the amount of stories I get read, I think I'm getting pretty good at it. I also got to help clean out the outdoor classroom space with some parents. There was so much to smell and get into. I know the students are going to have a lot of fun there. I had so much fun rolling and sniffing that Mr. Culver had to give me a bath before he would let me go to the school board meeting. I also got to experience my first Thanksgiving. It was fun to hear all things everyone is thankful for. I'm thankful that I get to see all these kids every day, and for turkey because it's so tasty.
Outdoor Classroom Update
Clean up time. Thank you to our volunteers!
Ground is tilled and ready for seeds
Pathways and classroom space is planned out.
Principal's Challenge
Thank you to all the students that took part in our November Principal's Challenge it made for a great collage of loved ones that we could honor for their service to our country.
For the month of December our Principal's challenge is an opportunity to celebrate winter and the holiday season. 2 sections of the hallway next to the office will be designated for each grade level. Students will be tasked with creating an image of themselves doing one of their favorite winter/holiday things and placing it on the wall. It could be a bitmoji that they printed off of them sledding, or a picture they drew of having dinner with their family, reading a book near a fireplace, etc. If they'd like to add some additional paper snowflakes, or decorations to make their part of the hallway fun they are welcome to do that too. I'm looking forward to seeing all the things your students love about this time of year.
Positivity Project
For December Creativity (you like to find new ways to think about and do things) is our character strength we'll be focused on. We will also be working on an ongoing theme of having an other person mindset, this time through the thought that our Words & Actions can help or hurt others and our relationships with them.
Creative people can look at the world in original ways. They are open to new experiences, and have an imaginative and independent thought process. They generate lots of different ideas and can pursue them with energy and enthusiasm. Creativity is a process that takes courage. Anytime you share your original ideas with the world, you risk being criticized or even ostracized.
On a group level, creativity is vital. It helps us solve seemingly impossible problems, create something we never knew we wanted, or simply see the world in a new way. Technological examples include the printing press, refrigeration, electricity, automobiles, and the internet. Just think of what we’d be missing without Renaissance art, Enlightenment thinking, Harlem Renaissance jazz, or hip-hop emerging from the South Bronx in the 1970s and 80s.
To practice and encourage the character strength of creativity with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Upcoming events
The follies are coming up fast and support a great local cause. Central staff has been working hard to put together a great skit. We hope to see you there.
Make sure to be on the lookout for our student council members and Belle Linden's Holiday Happenings parade on Dec. 1st.