Pawsome News
Mill Creek Elementary School-December 2021
Generosity
"The heart that gives, gathers." Tao Te Ching
Vision Statement for Mill Creek Elementary School
Our students at Mill Creek will acquire literacies in multiple areas including English Language Arts, math, science, and digital media. They will become creators, problem solvers, and critical consumers of information. They will develop confidence, resilience, persistence, empathy, and compassion. Students will develop a love of learning through fun, challenging, and relevant learning activities. Their academic, physical, and social emotional growth will enable them to lead happy, productive, meaningful lives as contributing members of our democratic society.
Message from the Principal
We are getting many complaints of bullying from both children and their parents. Bullying has received a lot of mention in the press, and this is a positive thing because bullying can have life-altering consequences if it is not stopped. However, all conflict between kids is not necessarily bullying.
Whenever you are in a relationship with another person, whether it is a good friend or just someone who is in your classroom, chances are good that at some point you may have a conflict with that person. Kids may not be in agreement about what to play at recess or how to share limited resources, such as basketballs.
Conflict is a natural part of relationships. It can cause us stress and can hurt our feelings, but conflict is not bullying. Conflict happens between people who are equal in the relationship but have different opinions about what is going on. This can escalate into a disagreement that is so strong, people become very emotional and can feel very hurt. There could be strong words used and some pushing and shoving. And, it may take some time to sort things out. In conflict, the two people eventually want to work things out.
Bullying is done when the intent to cause harm is purposeful. The person doing the bullying wants to cause harm to the other person. The person being bullied has done nothing to deserve the bullying behaviors. Bullying behavior is usually repeated or threatened to be repeated. The bullying behavior is not always verbal or physical. The bully may exclude the other person from activities and may get others to exclude them as well.
At Mill Creek, we are intentional about teaching social/emotional skills. Our students participate in morning meeting as part of our Responsive Classroom framework, which focuses on creating positive community in every classroom. Every month, we publish information about our SWPBIS (School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) which teaches kids what our behavioral expectations are throughout the school day (including the bus ride). We ask for your support in helping your children understand what appropriate behavior looks like and sounds like.
All of us at Mill Creek wish you happy holidays and a peace-filled new year!
Dr. Vitella
News From the Office
News from the Nurse
Visit Neshaminy Mall - Bucks County-Operated COVID - 19 Vaccination Clinic Site
Locations open weekdays at Warwick Square (old Giant location) & Neshaminy Mall (enter through the food court). Vaccines available for ages 5 and older. These locations do not offer COVID-19 testing.
Warwick Square 2395 York Rd, Jamison, PA 18929 Hours: M-F 10am – 4pm Walk-Ins only Neshaminy Mall 707 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, PA 19020 Hours: M-F 10am – 4pm Walk-Ins only
All vaccines are free of charge at these two County vaccination sites including:
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine – ages 12 and older (as well as booster for those who qualify)
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine - ages 5 to 11 now available
Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine –ages 18 and older (booster on limited basis to eligible people)
Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine – ages 18 and older
Vaccines are safe, effective, and our best available tool for preventing illness.
Counselors' Corner-Ms. McDonald
The character trait for the month of December is generosity. Generosity is being willing to give and share what you have.
It is natural for our children to be primarily focused on their own needs when young. As children grow, it is important for them to learn to be more responsive to the needs of others.
Parents/guardians play a vital role in helping children learn to be generous.
Read books about people showing generosity. Here are some examples: “Rainbow Fish,” “The Giving Tree,” “Strega Nona’s Harvest,” “Thank you, Omu,” “What is Given from the Heart,” “Stone Soup,” “Llama Llama Time to Share,” and “The Invisible Boy.”
Limit the viewing of violent programs and games. A study at the National Institute of Mental Health found children tend to imitate behavior they see on television/video games. Here are some family movies that teach children kindness and empathy: “Tangled,” “Inside Out,” “Wonder,” “Kindness is Contagious,” “Imba Means Sing,” “Up,” “Remember the Titans,” and “Shrek.”
Praise generous deeds. Children will naturally do kind things for others. Positive recognition makes a child more likely to continue doing it. “I love how you helped me carry in the groceries!” “Look how happy the gentleman was when you held the door for him!”
Kids look to their parents/guardians for cues on how to behave. Setting an example of generosity in your own life shows kids you mean it. Volunteer at the school’s trunk or treat, help a neighbor rake leaves, or offer water to the mail person.
Families can get into the act of helping others by donating to a charity. Start a discussion about what each person values and select a charity that recognizes those qualities.
The goal is to make the process of helping others a natural part of your children's lives. When being generous feels personal and gratifying, you are more likely to continue to help others and grow into a kind and generous adult.
(Resource: Child Mind Institute)
News from Grade 2
Second Graders Care About Our Servicemen
Our second grade students at Mill Creek were excited to write letters to our veterans and make holiday cards for our soldiers. Children learned the sacrifices men and women have made and continue to make every day in order to protect our country. The children were interested in new vocabulary and military terms. We read books, watched videos, and had discussions on veterans and our active military members. Scholastic News had an engaging article that showed the children experiences of what life on a submarine is like on a typical day. The children are thankful and proud to support our troops. This is evident in their writing and art work. The second graders want to wish Happy Holidays to all servicemen and women.
SWPBIS News
The SWPBIS teams across the district have decided to focus on a character trait for each month. These character traits are the same and help show unity and cohesiveness as a district. At Mill Creek, teachers and staff will focus on these character traits during our assemblies by recognizing our PAWSOME students as those students who have displayed the character trait for the month before. Teachers will also discuss these traits during morning meetings; moreover, there is a bulletin board displayed in the school that focuses on the trait of the month as a friendly reminder. The character traits for this school year are as follows:
October: Respect
November: Gratitude
December: Generosity
January: Tolerance/Acceptance
February: Kindness
March: Responsibility/Work Ethic
April: Perseverance
May: Empathy