Moreau Heights Parent Newsletter
December 2015
Contact Information
Email: suzanna.haugen@jcschools.us
Website: www.jcschools.us
Location: 1410 Hough Park Road, Jefferson City, MO, United States
Phone: (573)659-3180
Twitter: @JCMH_tweets
Message from the Principal
It is an exciting time of year! Although the temperatures aren't helping get us in the Christmas spirit, the decorations and lights sure are!
This is always a great time to reflect on the year and all the things for which we are thankful.
- I am thankful for our students who come to school, ready to learn and do their very best every day!
- I am thankful for supportive parents who are willing to partner with us to see that their child makes the progress he/she is capable to making, learning academically and behaviorally!
- I am thankful for a staff of professionals who give this job their ALL every day to see our students grow!
- I am thankful to be part of the Moreau Heights family and the chance to make a positive difference each day.
So much for which to be thankful this season! I am looking forward to all the possibilities that 2016 will present as we prepare to begin a new year.
Thank you for your continued support of your student, our staff, and our school!
Sue Haugen
Principal
Follow us on Twitter at @JCMH_tweets
Calendar of Events
Friday, December 18
*Spirit Day
*Grades 3-5 PBS Assembly 8:30
*Kindergarten - 2nd grade PBS Assembly 1:20
Tuesday, December 22
*School-wide Sing-A-Long (students only) 10:00
*Classroom Holiday Parties 10:30 - 11:15
*Early Dismissal 12:15
Wednesday, December 23 - Monday, January 4 Holiday Break
Tuesday, January 5
*Classes resume
Thursday, January 7th
*Papa John's Pizza Night
*2nd quarter grade cards go home
Wednesday, January 13
*Early Release, students dismissed at 1:15
Thursday, January 14
*Skate Night at Sk8 Zone 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Monday, January 18
*Martin Luther King's birthday, No School
PBS Update
Thank you for your support of positive behavior choices in your conversations with your child!
Important Information
1. The temperatures are cooler and students will have recess each day. Please send your child with a coat to wear in case of cold weather. We will go outside for recess unless it is raining or the wind chill reaches below 20 degrees. Please have your child dressed appropriately with a coat, hat, gloves/mittens.
2. Still interested in getting involved in PTO as a way to make a positive impact on our school and contribute to the Moreau Heights community? See the PTO link on the Moreau Heights website (http://www.jcschools.us/Domain/13)
3. Remember that if your child has a fever of over 100 degrees, is vomiting, or diarrhea, he/she needs to remain home until he/she is symptom free for 24 hours. Thank you for doing your part to keep your student and others healthy.
In addition, if you visit the doctor and receive a diagnosis of strep throat, flu, etc, please let us know so we can track cases in the building. This also helps us to know when an extra deep cleaning is needed for a classroom space.
Attendance Update
We continue to focus on improving our attendance. We appreciate families seeing that students are in school each day, ready to learn.
Do you have a hard time getting your child out the door to school in the morning?
- Are there steps that can be taken at night to make the morning go more smoothly (clothes set out, backpacks prepared, lunch already made, etc.)?
- Would it help to adjust the alarm to 15 minutes earlier to make for less of a crazy pace in the morning?
- Can you challenge the family to make it out on time for a full week? What would be a fun incentive that you could do together as a reward for a more peaceful morning? (Activities or privileges are the best incentives, not purchases or tangible prizes.)
We currently have 95.1% of our students in attendance at least 90% of the time. Thank you for all you to do have your child at school each day, ready to learn!
Focus on Parenting
The following excerpt is taken from Love and Logic and focuses on helping children cultivate a sense of appreciation. This is an especially important character trait during this holiday season.
"I grew up in a family where enough food was hard to come by. My father, a very good and honest man, left school during fourth grade. His family was falling apart after his dad had a serious accident and could no longer work. Those were the days before any kind of public assistance or welfare were even heard of. As a result he became a street child.
I don't remember how he made it to adulthood but he was a hard worker who provided the best he could on a fry cook's salary. As kids, my brothers and I wished for the things that many other kids had, and one of those things was a bicycle.
Knowing this, a kind neighbor gave me a bike that was mostly worn out, but to me it was the most beautiful thing I ever had. As soon as I could get the tires to hold air, I was ready to give it a test run, but no! My mother called me into the house and asked, "Do you think you deserve that bike?"
"Well, yeah," I answered.
"I don't think so," she said. "Sit on that chair until you figure out why you don't!"
All that I could think of was all the things I'd done that she didn't know about, and each time I gave her a reason, she kept saying that I hadn't figured it out yet. That was one of the longest days of my life.
It finally came to me. I had not thanked my neighbor for the bike. Being thankful was a really big deal in our family. My mom and dad couldn't provide stuff, but they made a big deal about giving us character.
Is appreciation and character a big deal in your family, or are your kids on the path to entitlement?"