The Badger Bulletin
Brandywine Elementary Monthly Newsletter
Message from Dr. Krosner
Season’s Greetings Brandywine Family!
This time of year, many people love to give each other gifts and celebrate with family and friends. Here are some ideas for some cool technology gifts for the young people in your life:
Chromebook- These can be purchased just about anywhere these days and are all pretty much the same. There are no moving parts on the inside so truly, it is a matter of choice. A decent Chromebook will start at around $200. Things to look for- Make sure it has at least 4 Gigs of RAM (preferably more) and is running either an AMD, Celeron, or Intel Processor. I would avoid the Atom processor. Brands to consider (In no particular order)- HP, Asus, Acer, Dell. As a general rule, if it is not a brand you have heard of, it is probably not worth the money.
Headphones- A decent pair of over-ear headphones can cost as little as $5 (at Five Below). Look for something that appears sturdy enough to withstand the use of a child. You may want to purchase a couple of pairs and dole them out one at a time. I would avoid earbuds or in-ear headphones because the young ear is still developing in sensitivity and earbuds are much more likely to damage the eardrum.
Bitzee Interactive Digital pet or Tamagachi (I know, they’re back). These cute little digital pets are great for teaching responsibility without having to pay additional vet bills. These run around $25 and probably will not keep interest for the long haul but are super cute and fun for kids.
Any Science kit- Science kits are sold at Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Amazon and many other places.
A Digital Camera- These are also fairly inexpensive and encourage kids to really look at the world around them.
Any type of logic puzzle game- Things like Rubics Cubes, Simon, Bop It! And others help children organize and recognize patterns in real time and see their progress.
Any of the VEX robotics stuff- They sell small kits at Walmart and other stores. These are great for discovery and experimentation.
Legos! Jigsaw Puzzles- These are great for focus, building and working with others toward a common goal.
I realize there are so many other great gifts (even tech gifts) out there that I didn’t mention. As a father myself, I always like to look for gifts that involve things that my kids will want to do with either the family or their friends. I try to avoid gifts that encourage isolation (one-player video games). Also, please keep in mind that any type of gift that connects to the internet probably needs you as the parent to supervise and make sure that the child is using the gift safely and responsibly.
No matter what gifts you decide on for this holiday season, the greatest gift is the time together with the ones you love. You are a valuable part of our Brandywine family and from all of us to all of you, Happy Holidays!
Love, Dr. Krosner
Upcoming Events in December
- Wednesday, December 13- Spelling Bee- *AM in Cafeteria
- Holiday Party Dates- 12-14 (K and 1st), 12-15 (2nd and 3rd), 12-18 (4th and 5th)
- December 19- Early Release
- December 19- End of First Semester
- December 20- Student Holiday
- December 21- January 2 Winter Break (Student Holiday)
From the PTO
The PTO will be bringing Reindeer Lane back for another year!!! Students will have the opportunity to shop for friends and family in our cute holiday shop the week of Dec.4. We need a lot of parent volunteers to make this happen. Please see the link below and sign up to help kids shop!!!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b044aafaf2aaaf58-reindeer5
Want to get involved with more events at Brandywine?
JOIN the PTO!!!
Go to https://brandywinepto.membershiptoolkit.com/ to learn more!!
Counselor's Corner
Here at Brandywine, one of our 7 Mindsets is Attitude of Gratitude. Having gratitude is about recognizing and showing appreciation for what is good in your life. When we feel grateful, we tend to be in a better mood, feel more optimistic & positive, & show more resilience in the face of obstacles and challenges.
How you can encourage and cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude with your kids:
- Teach “thank you.” Kids need help learning how and when to say “thank you.” As kids are learning, give them gentle reminders for when it is appropriate to offer thanks. Maybe even encourage them to make a Thank You card.
- Model gratitude. Kids need to see the adults in their lives show gratitude before they practice it. Use real-life situations to show how it’s done.
- Teach how things are made and where they come from. Having a better understanding of the process & where things come from, can help us all feel more grateful for the things we have.
- Acknowledge your kids’ feelings. It’s OK and natural for kids to want things. Help them focus on what they do have & use the opportunity to teach about others who have less.
- Start a routine for gratitude. Consider starting a daily gratitude practice where you share one thing you are grateful for at dinner or before bed.
- Think beyond “things.” Encourage your child to notice the good parts of life that money can’t buy.
- Give back. Bring your kids with you to volunteer in the community. Let your younger child help you sort toys, food or clothes to donate to other kids.
This month, our December Coffee&Conversations with Counselors was a big hit! We had a presentation from CHOA on Keeping Children Safe in a Digital World. Here's a sample of the program. See the attachment for the presentation notes.
Heritage Night is Coming!
Brandywine Elementary is hosting its 3rd Annual Heritage Night on January 25 from 6-8pm. Heritage Night will celebrate the diversity of our school including where we are from, where we have lived and places we are interested in.
In order for us to acknowledge the many countries represented at Brandywine, we need your help! If any member of your family was born, has ancestral ties, or is passionate about a country other than the United States, we would love for you to host a table at International Night. We need families with a passion and a vast knowledge of a particular country to share their knowledge with the Brandywine community.
Noche del Patrimonio / Herencia de Brandywine
Brandywine Elementary está organizando su 3da Noche Anual de Herencia el 25 de enero de 2024, de 6-8pm.La Noche de Herencia celebrará la diversidad de nuestra escuela incluyendo de dónde somos, dónde hemos vivido y los lugares que nos interesan.
Para que podamos reconocer los muchos países representados en Brandywine, ¡necesitamos su ayuda! Si algún miembro de su familia ha nacido, tiene lazos ancestrales o le apasiona un país que no sea los Estados Unidos, nos encantaría que organizara una mesa en la Noche del Patrimonio/Herencia.Necesitamos familias con una pasión y un amplio conocimiento de un país en particular para compartir su conocimiento con la comunidad de Brandywine.
Por favor, indique el país que le gustaría mostrar en la sección de comentarios de su inscripción.
Parent Information
- Verify your bus transportation by completing this form for students K-2 or students 3-5
- Would you like to celebrate a child's birthday at school? Let the cafeteria do that with you! Fill out this form to order treats for your child's class
Denmark Community of Schools Family Connect Night happens each month! Teachers will not assign homework and we encourage students to engage with their families without technology. Upload any fun pictures here so we can share!
Brandywine Elementary students are invited to an event called Block Kids on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024. This award-winning FREE event was created by NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF), a non-profit organization that focuses on construction education. The event began over 30 years ago and has grown to a nationwide success. This event features a lego-type building competition with cash prizes and an integrated discussion on what construction is. Students will also build a Home Depot craft with real tools and meet others who work in the industry. The Construction Education Foundation of Georgia will also be there to share future K-12 educational opportunities.