Blue Ash Elementary
December 7, 2018
Kindness
If you look around Blue Ash Elementary you will see signs of kindness throughout our halls and in our classrooms and offices. Not only do we see these beautiful phrases and reminders throughout our building, but we see our amazing students and staff practicing kindness every day. And when we have someone show us a kindness, it empowers us to show kindness to others. So go ahead and pass it on!
We are grateful for this incredible community. Thank you for being a part of what makes Blue Ash Elementary a kind and generous place to be!
Operation Give Back Collection Update
Mrs. Combs challenged the students to bring in more than 800 items and they did it!!
Many of these items are specifically requested items to be given as presents, so they will be very special to boys and girls in the near future.
An extra THANK YOU to Christine Katzman, Peggy Sobczak and Girl Scouts troop 49875 for their leadership, organization and energy to help make this happen.
We are yet again very proud and appreciative of our school community's generosity and commitment to serving others. Great job everyone!
Notes from our Nurse
Tips for Staying Healthy:
According to the CDC, good hand washing is one of the most effective way to prevent you and your family from becoming ill. Check out this link for more information on hand washing from the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/features/handwashing/ The CDC recommends Flu Vaccine for all individuals 6 months and older. The CDC also states the Flu Vaccine is the best way to prevent your chances from getting the flu. Check out this link for more information on the Flu and best prevention of becoming ill this season.
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FLU/
Holiday Safety Reminders:
Decorations are a wonderful part of the Holidays. Special care with decorations to avoid eye, skin or lung irritation. For example “angel hair is spun glass” and wearing gloves may help avoid eye and skin irritation. Spray snow or other aerosol type spray can be inhaled and cause lung irritation, especially for individuals with asthma. Keep children and pets away from the beautiful holiday plants that are poisonous such as poinsettia, mistletoe berries, Jerusalem cherry and holly berry. More safety tips can be found at .https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/Holiday-Safety-Tips.aspx
Attention Fourth Grade Parents Hold the Date: Blue Ash Elementary will host a Growth and Development preview night on March 13, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m in UCBA wing. This is an information meeting for parents only to preview materials used for 4th grade Growth and Development class held in April.
Health and Wellness
Gratitude at Blue Ash Elementary The BAE Health and Wellness committee’s initiative for the month of December is gratitude. Gratitude journals will be introduced school-wide. Each teacher will determine how best to incorporate gratitude journals in their classroom and/or in students’ take-home materials. What Is Gratitude? According to the Oxford Dictionary, gratitude is “The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Per kidsforgratitude.com, “Gratitude is one of many positive emotions. It's about focusing on what's good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. Gratitude is pausing to notice and appreciate the things that we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends, family, even computer access. It's taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are when something good happens — whether it's a small thing or a big thing.” Benefits of Gratitude Dr. Robert Emmons, a leading expert on gratitude, conducted studies involving gratitude journals and found that when people regularly engage in gratitude, they experience measurable psychological, physical and interpersonal benefits (https://www.parent.com/10-science-backed-benefits-of-practicing-gratitude-with-kids): Feel better about their lives overall Experience higher levels of positive emotions like optimism, enthusiasm, love, and happiness Are kinder and more generous to others Have fewer physical problems including pain Exercise more regularly and eat healthier Sleep better Visit the doctor more regularly for checkups Feel less stressed Able to cope with stress more effectively and recover more quickly from stressful situations Live longer–on average, being thankful adds 7 years to our lives! Keeping a gratitude journal on a daily basis helps students achieve the following(https://www.edutopia.org/blog/gratitude-powerful-tool-for-classroom-owen-griffith): Higher grades Higher goals More satisfaction with relationships, life, and school Less materialism More willingness to give back Gratitude at home and in the community There are many online resources to support further exploration at home: http://www.momentsaday.com/activities-to-teach-gratitude/ http://www.positive-parents.org/2015/11/20-gratitude-activities-for-kids.html https://organizeyourstuffnow.com/gratitude-activities-for-kids. And many more! Just search online for gratitude activities for kids For a copy of this document and/or a list of all wellness-related activities at BAE held by the BAE PTO and/or staff, please click here or go to https://www.sycamoreschools.org/domain/819 to review our wellness calendar. You can also find it on the Blue Ash Elementary website under Blue Ash Elementary Homepage>For Parents>Wellness Committee or via For Parents>PTO. The Wellness Committee is thankful for our Blue Ash Elementary community of families, teachers, staff and students!
Chess Club
Registration is now open for the spring session of the Blue Ash Chess Club starting in January. It will take place on Tuesday mornings just before school (from 8am to 9am) and is designed for 1st through 4th graders. Participants will learn all the basics as well as get ready to play tournaments if they desire. The program has a tentative start date of January 29th. The registration form is downloadable from the BAE Chess Club page here. Spots are first come, first served. However, if there is sufficient demand, there is a possibility of adding a second section of chess also on Tuesday mornings. Any questions? Please e-mail Evelyn Wagner at evelynabeles@gmail.com
Operation Give Back
~~ PTO INFORMATION ~~
PTO Minutes
We love having people attend PTO meetings however know that it is not possible for everyone to attend. If you are interested in seeing what is discussed at PTO meetings the minutes may be found at:
~~ DISTRICT INFORMATION ~~
Aves Hangar
Skate with the Aves
Skate with the AVES Come join your Sycamore High School Hockey team for a FREE night of skating
Who: All Sycamore students, staff, friends & family
What: FREE ADMISSION, bring your own skates or $5 skate rental
When: Saturday, December 22, 2018 6-8 pm
Where: Sports Plus 10765 Reading Rd.