Gator Report
December 2020 Issue
Baby It's Remote Outside ...
Dear Dater Families,
Thank YOU! for a strong second start of all online distance learning. We appreciate your commitments, your sacrifices, and your flexibility this school year. Please continue to encourage your children to attend all of their daily google meets and keep up with their school/home work. I am SO proud of what this community was able to accomplish so far during this pandemic. It is an honor to serve this community and work with a staff that strives for excellence every day! As we approach the holiday season, let's all make a commitment to spread kindness everywhere we go. It is a choice to be kind! Choosing kindness is not only a blessing for others it is a good thing for you as well.
Research has confirmed that acts of kindness can reduce the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, all while increasing your self-esteem, energy, and optimism. And on top of feeling calmer and happier, it's good for your physical health too!
CPS announced this week, in the event of severe weather, there will be no snow days for students and distance learning will continue. Students are expected to attend their online classes and complete work as they would during a typical distance learning school day.
Reminder if you have tech issues/questions during the remote learning schedule...
Please call the helpline @ 513-363-0688 or you can email: fts@cps-k12.org.
Broken computers will still be able to be swapped out, just call the helpline to arrange a time to meet up with a tech from the district.
We now have a virtual tour available for prospective families for Dater Montessori, please come and view here.
Go Gators!
Operation Christmas
Every year our Girl Scout troop has adopted 10 families for Christmas. Due to Covid, we have had to adjust how we are able to help our families. We know that there is someone reading this now who is choosing between rent or Christmas and we want to help as much as we can.
In a time of uncertainty, we believe that we are the stability for most of our students. We are going to adopt 10 families this year. We cannot promise that all needs will be met, but we will surely make sure that we can provide items.
If you are a family that is need. Please fill out the form link here. All applications must be in by 11:59 December 4th, 2020 . If we receive more than 10 families we will pull from the lottery to select them. The remaining will go on a waiting list and notified if we are able to bring gift. Those families selected will be notified of pick up time. We are not wrapping gifts, but will do our best to provide wrapping paper.
Families, if you are able to donate. We will be posting an amazon wish list of specific gifts that can be delivered to the school. Below are items that we are looking for right away:
- Wrapping paper
-Tissue paper
-Gift boxes
- hats
-gloves
-Scarves
- Scotch tape
- Coats assorted sizes { children small - adult XXL boy and girl )
** ALL drop offs can be made to Dater Montessori M- F 8 am - 2 pm**
***Edit update: December 8, 2020****
Please shop our Amazon wish list here please make sure to check that the address for Dater Montessori is 2840 Boudinot Ave. Cincinnati Ohio, 45238 is linked to your purchase. If you chose to buy a gift instead and drop it off. ** All donations can also be dropped off between 9- 2pm M-F. Please place gifts in a blue bin in the breezeway located at the front entrance. If you have gift cards, please ring the bell and give them to security or staff. *** We need all purchases delivered or dropped off by 12/18. Please keep in mind to look at the estimated shipping date. If you are finding that items are going to be delivered after 12/18, please try a similar item or purchase in store for drop off.
General Items for Adopt a Family
Gift wrapping paper Stocking stuffers
Tissue paper Acrylic paint set
Gift boxes Kids make up kits
Twin sheets (girl and boy) Full size comforters
Full size sheets Queen size comforters
Queen size sheets Gift cards
Twin comforters winter clothes (sizes infant-XL)
Thank you for supporting our community
If you are looking for safe ways to participate in festivities click here for Kwanzaa crafts. We also have some celebration ideas here for Hanukkah.
Message from Nurse Kisha
Hello all,
I will be in the office Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm for medication pick up, COVID testing for students if needed, immunizations and/or immunization record updates, and for any other questions or concerns you may have. While we are on this break, please continue to wear your masks and keep 6 feet distance while in public. Wash and/or sanitize your hands frequently and wipe down frequently touched items such as your purse, wallet, cell phones, car keys etc. Our children did an excellent job wearing their masks, keeping their distance when there were more than one of them in my office and using hand sanitizer when entering and exiting. I am so proud of them! Let's continue to do our part in stopping the spread!!
Please feel free to call my office 513-363-0921
Remember to follow safety procedures by being the best GATORS:
Get your mask on
Always wash your hands for 30 seconds
Take time to sanitize items
Observe 6 ft. by staying a Dater gator away
Reduce the spread of germs
Stay home when sick
We are also accepting PPE donations and toiletry items for our pantry. There will be a bin in the front door entry way. You can come through and drop all donated masks, pantry items and PPE items. Click HERE for the list of items we are in need of.
Tech Talk with Julie Faller
December Newsletter--Online Distractions
Now that Dater Montessori families are back into full remote learning, the number one question I’ve been getting from parents is, “How do I keep online distractions from interfering with my child’s school day?” It’s not a new story. Anytime students are on computers, it’s easy for them to pull up many tabs and toggle between them. Teachers have been dealing with this reality for years, but this is a growing frustration for parents and caregivers at home. How can we ensure that students are following the agreements of the Acceptable Use Policy and making the most of the school day? How can we block the online distractions on school-issued devices? There are two schools of thought on this issue. The first one comes from a “Pick Your Battles” mindset and suggests that you only address this issue if the distraction is truly a distraction. For instance, if your child is getting all school work finished on time, understands the content being studied, and maintains good grades, then perhaps what you are designating as a “distraction” is really not as distracting to your child as it is frustrating for you. During this pandemic, there are certainly many other “battles” worth fighting and no energy is needed on this front. However, if you determine that the tab-toggling is a true distraction for your child and it is interfering with his/her education, then it’s time to employ the second school of thought~ Take Parental Controls! Did you know that you have parental controls on your router? Here is an article on making the most of parental controls on your router: Router Controls If there is a specific website that is continually distracting your child, you can contact Family Tech Support and request that the website is blocked. Block requests must follow a process and are not always granted, but if the website is a distraction to your child, chances are it is for others and your request may be honored. Word of caution: Please don’t request to block Youtube because it has only recently (within the last few years) been UNblocked at teachers’ requests due to the many educational resources that are housed at Youtube. If Youtube is the problem in your house, then look forward to the January newsletter where I look closely at the “Many Faces of Youtube!”Montessori Home Tip of the Week
Stay Connected
Staying Connected
We know that we are "socially distancing" but we can still get connected. We still have a wonderful Montessori Community that you can get involved in.
Here are our upcoming December events:
2 - Meal Hub Pick-up @ 7:00-Noon
3 - Parent / Teacher Conference 4pm
8 - Holiday Drop off for staff 5PM- 6PM
9- Meal Hub & Power Pack Distribution 7am-12pm
10- Holiday drop off for staff 5PM-6PM
10- FODM meeting
14- PTN 6:00 pm https://meet.google.com/bxu-fqbo-opv
16- Meal Hub & Power Power Pack Distribution 7am-12 pm
16 - End of first quarter
21- Winter Recess begins
Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
Teachers can still use your help! We are always looking for additional online support with working with small groups online, helping teachers prep work, virtual room parents, and more. If you are interested, please click here. We will be in contact soon.
Virtual Tutoring
Children are able to get free CPS Virtual Online Tutoring! This virtual platform offers, free, on- demand, online on one tutoring with qualified and approved helps. Please click HERE for more information.
A note from our mental health partner Beechacres
Did you know there is a direct link between mental health and success in school?
This holiday season may be different than any we have ever encountered before and with that in mind it is always good to pull from all of our strengths including kindness, love, and perspective. As a student at AWL said recently, “I was feeling really lonely and I was scared to ask for help. Then I talked with friends. I talked with my family. And you know what? They were lonely too!” Being the first to open up can cause anxiety, but it’s helpful to remember that you are also creating the opportunity for them to support you and ask for support in kind. We’re in this together – show your family and friends you love them and create the space for them to love you in return. December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month, and while that is certainly a tall order within the added stresses of Covid-19 and virtual learning, this general advice from Connie Harrison on how to Use Your Strengths to Navigate the Stressful Holiday Season is still timely and can help empower families to take steps to reduce stress. Speaking of Covid-19, be sure everyone in your household is joining the fight and taking time to best wash their hands! Afterall, December 1-7 is National Handwashing Awareness Week! Here is advice from the CDC on how to make handwashing a Family Activity.
It's a Blessing
What is a blessing box?
A blessing box is a neighborhood inititative to be able to give goods and non perishable items out to the community.
The motto "take what you need, leave what you can" is the only rules and requirements.
What goes in a blessing box?
These are the items most commonly donated and used to stock the Blessing Box:
- Canned food with ring-pulls
- Socks
- Mittens
- Hand warmers
- Crackers
- Toilet paper
- Non-perishable foods
- Bottled water
- Small snacks
- Toiletries, including hand soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Baby wipes
The Blessing box is located in the front circle of our school.
So far we have donated a breast pump, food, hygienic products, books, book bags, school supplies, and diapers. Please continue to support.
We now also have a little library. This is a great way to promote literacy for our young readers. You can drive up and pick a book up or donate one. Greater Literacy Network has sponsored our little library and will be coming to fill our book frequently. However, you can still donate to it as well. It is also located next to the blessing box in the front circle.
There are also community projects to do with our partners at Matthew 25 ministries please click here for more info.
Go Gators!!
Virtue of the Month
Justice
The definition of Justice is the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause.
Justice is often depicted as blindfolded and holding scales to weigh each side of an argument.
The word "justice" appears in many of the United States' most important documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Pledge of Allegiance. But for a word that's used so often, its precise definition is still a topic of debate for philosophers, theologians and legislators.
Justice is often used interchangeably with the word "fairness." In any situation, be it in a courtroom, at the workplace, or in line at the local grocery store, everyone should be treated fairly. People should not be judged more harshly because of skin color, shouldn't be paid any less because of gender, and shouldn't have to wait longer in lines because of the clothes they are wearing.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/justice.html
The Social Worker's Corner : Positive Mindset
Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become YOUR WORDS.
Keep your words positive because your words become YOUR BEHAVIOR.
Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes YOUR HABITS.
Keep your habits positive because your habits become YOUR VALUES.
Keep your values positive because your values become YOUR DESTINY.
― Mahatma Gandhi
Holidays can be stressful in a typical year, but 2020 has definitely thrown curve balls for all of us. It can be hard to not focus on all the negative things happening around us. But did you know that your experiences and how you respond create neural pathways in your mind? The more often you respond in that way, the deeper the pathway gets and the more likely you are to react that way the next time. This is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity means that new pathways can be created in your brain from your thoughtful response to people, objects, situations, and changes. If a person typically responds and thinks negatively, then the brain actually becomes hardwired to react/think/respond negatively the next time. The same is true for people who respond and think positively. This is really exciting because it means that our brains are changing and growing all the time with our thoughts and we have some control over this process with the thoughts we choose to think!
There are so many tremendous benefits to having a positive mindset including the ability
to see difficulties in life as a challenge that helps you rise to the occasion. We can all be mindful to try and turn something challenging or negative into a positive and focus on how we can grow from what we are facing. This takes effort, but if we do, the pathways in our brains will get deeper, it will get easier, and become our natural response.
Christine Miller, MSW, LISW-S
School Social Worker
513-363-0982
Wednesdays and Fridays, alternating Mondays
Freestore Foodbank Power Pack Meals
We are now partnered with Freestore Foodbank!!
We are now giving out Power Packs!! This is weekend food for high needs families.
If you would like more information or to share a success story, please contact
Teasha Tennyson
Email: tennyst@cpsboe.oh.k12.or
Niki Sherwood:
Email: sherwon@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
*** Pick up Food in the front Circle Wednesday December 9th 8:30 - 12:00 pm. We have limited food bags it will be a first come first serve basis. Please stay in your vehicle when approaching the front of the school, you will place your child(ren) name on the clipboard, before receiving food.
Dater Montessori School
Prek- 6th Grade, Elementary
Principal: Tony Greco
Assistant Interim Principal: Shelly Stein
Phone : 513-363-9000
Office Hours : Wednesday & Thursday 7:30 am - 2 pm
Website: https://datermontessori.cps-k12.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaterGators