The Reed Times
Reed PTA Newsletter January 2019
Important Dates
Jan. 4 Spirit Day
Jan. 11 NPS Delayed Opening
Jan. 11 Reed Movie Night 6:30
Jan. 15 Lunch and Learn
Jan. 17 Snow Date Lunch and Learn
Jan. 21 No School
Principal's Corner
We are very grateful to the Reed Intermediate School PTA for sponsoring the Holiday Shoppe again this year. Students were delighted to shop for holiday gifts on their own. The shopping rooms were abuzz with a true feeling of excitement and joy. It is a huge undertaking to stage this so thank you to all who contributed a helping hand.
Probably one of my most favorite days of the school year is our annual Day of Service. Students and staff came together in community to do something meaningful for someone else. As I walked throughout the building I was filled with a sense of pride at the thoughtfulness of the projects and the degree of caring demonstrated by our students. The following are some of the projects as well as the names of organizations that benefited from completed of projects:
Hearts of Hope
Operation Hope
Honoring Sandy Hook Fire Department
Pinecone bird feeders for Fairfield Hills
Positive messages on cup sleeves
Knitting hats for NICU units at local hospitals
Creating tug toys for area animal shelters
Creating t-shirt bags with school supplies, games and books for
a CT school recently relocated due to mold
Creating holiday poetry for the elderly
Students Rebuild: Ocean Challenge
Painting Ben's Bells
Writing letters to elementary teachers
Kindness cards to bus drivers
Kindness coupons
Kits for the homeless & cards for Walter Reed Veterans
Letters to service men and women
As we approach the break, please note that school will be out of session for 11 days so please encourage your child to keep reading! We have many avid readers at Reed Intermediate, but a fair number of reluctant ones as well. If you are the parent of a reluctant reader, try to entice your child by finding books on topics of interest and by reading together. The long break might be a great opportunity for a family read aloud!
On behalf of the entire staff, we thank you for entrusting your terrific kids to us each day.
Warm regards,
Anne Uberti, Principal
Library News
A great BIG thank you to all of the families who have clipped and sent in their BoxTops! Each BoxTop that we submit to General Mills earns us 10 cents...and that really adds up quickly. With that money, we buy books for our awesome Reed Library! So, please keep clipping and sending them in all year. The homeroom with the most wins a prize.
Counselor's Corner
Thank you to our Reed community for your generous donations to support Reed families in need this holiday season. Our Staff donated $890 from the Harvest Soup Days in the fall and our students and their families donated $896 from our Holiday Helpers Hat Day on Friday, November 30th. In all, we collected $1786 to help support a number of Reed families this holiday season!
The Reed Intermediate School counselors,
Jenny Grustas, Amy McGoldrick and Jen Welton
Wellness World
Wellness World: A peek inside the Health Classroom
Hello Reed Families! Trimester #1 is in the history books. In Health Class with me, your children are working on stress management. Ask them to teach you what they learned. Sixth grade students now understand the stress response (Fight, Flight, and Freeze), the Zones of Regulation, how to identify their stressors, and most importantly how to, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Your children also learned how to breathe for relaxation and visualize. They went on a virtual vacation; they practiced yoga poses and progressive muscle tension and relaxation techniques.
The fifth grade students just started the stress management lessons for their emotional wellness. Next, the sixth grade students will begin the Substance Use and Abuse Unit. They will be taught the stages of addiction and most importantly, techniques to avoid using drugs and alcohol for stress management. Reminder: the entire Newtown K-12 Health Curriculum is on the main District webpage under the “Parents” tab. Once there, click on the link for “Curriculum.” The Health Curriculum is nested under “Physical Education.”
All Reed students will keep a self-reflective health journal (it counts as their mid-year and final exam grade). This journal is completed and kept in class. It is not homework. Speaking of homework, if your child is ever out of school on a day he or she has Health Class, he or she will have class work to make up. Please contact me via email to inquire after missed lessons.
Remember, your sixth grade students are Behavior Change Plan (BCP) experts now. If you anticipate making yet another New Year’s Resolution, ask your sixth grade son or daughter to teach you how to make a BCP instead.
SAFETY TIPS: If out on the ski slopes, don’t forget sunscreen. Don’t skate alone and NEVER skate on thin ice. NEVER drink and drive. NEVER text and drive. The life you save could be your own or someone you love. If you celebrate, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Fondly,
Michelle Y. Failla