Dear McKinley Family,

Gratitude was in the air this week, as we delved deeper into all of the things in our lives that we are thankful for. As I visited every class, one thing stood out to me and filled my heart with hope and joy: When asked, our children consistently and overwhelmingly stated that they are grateful for other people in their lives- parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, school staff, friends, etc. This tells me a few things: You are raising children who value relationships and connection; our children/students have depth; and we have an amazing group of youth who are going to heal and improve the world that they inherit from us. For all of these things, I am truly grateful.

As we move into this holiday season, I hope the magic and simplicity of connection fills your homes and hearts, and rejuvenates you. To get you started I've included a few upcoming events (see Creating Time to Connect -below).

Warmly and gratefully yours,

Mrs. O (Ormachea)

McKinley School Counselor

Overview of Resources:

1. Definition of Gratitude

2. Video- The Science of Gratitude- in case you missed it last week

3. Gratitude Scavenger Hunt- A great way to connect with your family and learn about what they are grateful for... You might just be surprised.

4. One Short Video, One Song, and One Meditation About Gratitude

5. Links to Parent Resource Letters (English and Spanish) re Gratitude

6. Our McKinley Schoolwide Expectations Chant- I'm going to be handing out Duck Bucks to

students who have it memorized