Lilja Lions
Your Weekly Update from Lilja Elementary School
Dr. Marscher's Message
Social Emotional Learning Update
Lilja Lions continue progressing through the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, Everyday Speech. As part of the first unit, our students increased their awareness about who they are, their feelings and background. They are continuing their learning about how to react and manage their feelings, take ownership of their behaviors and choices and set goals for themselves.
As part of our transformative SEL work in Natick, we are introducing the DESSA-mini screening tool, which we piloted last year. This user-friendly tool is completed by classroom teachers and used to screen for social and emotional strengths of our students and determine which students need additional support though our SEL curriculum.
This year, all Elementary schools will complete the DESSA-mini as a universal SEL strength-based screener. In the future, this will continue twice per school year, once in the Fall/earlyWinter and once in the Spring.
The competencies assessed align very well with the Everyday Speech curriculum as well as the CASEL™ framework and include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, goal directed behavior, personal responsibility, decision making, and optimistic thinking.
Five Things You Need to Know
1- INCOMING KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WINDOW OPENS 2/3/23
Incoming Kindergarten families will receive an email next Friday, February 3rd with specific directions on how to enroll their students for the 23-24 school year. The directions will walk you through the process and will outline the onboarding activities planned to orient you to Kindergarten at Ben Hem. We look forward to meeting you all soon.
2- 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!
Tuesday, February 7th will be our 100th day of school!! Many classes will be doing place value and number sense related activities to celebrate this milestone.
3- EARLY RELEASE!! WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH
4- SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK: HELPING STUDENTS DREAM BIG
National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week of February each year, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. Our school counselors support the social and emotional well being of our students by supporting social skills, creating safe and supportive relationships, and giving students the unconditional positive regard that provides the foundation for the social and academic risks that build confidence and competence.
THANK YOU MS. SIMONI AND MS. MCMILLAN!!!
3- GROWTH MINDSET!
A growth mindset means that you thrive on challenge. You don’t see failure as a way to describe yourself or your mistakes, but as a springboard for growth and developing your abilities. Your intelligence and talents are all susceptible to growth. This mindset means that you believe in your ability to strengthen your skills through hard work, perseverance, and help from others.
When children have a positive attitude and growth mindset about learning, they are more likely to persevere when work becomes challenging and have an “I can” attitude rather than an “I can’t.” In the classroom we often talk about the Power of Yet: I can’t do it, yet. I don’t understand it, yet. This reminds children that although they may not be able to do something right now, they will be able to do it with effort, practice, and persistence. A growth mindset and positive school disposition does not just happen though; it needs to be fostered consistently over time in school and at home. Check out this 3-minute video introduction to get started!
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- Title I: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title II
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title VI
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Title IX
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
- MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5