Robert Hunter Report
October 30, 2022
Robert Hunter Elementary School
Mrs. Jessica Braynor, Principal
Mrs. Lindsay Shirvanian, Interim Vice Principal
Website: https://www.frsd.k12.nj.us/Domain/381
Location: 8 Dayton Road Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 284-7620
Twitter: @RobertHunterES
Dear Robert Hunter families,
October has been a wonderful month filled with meaningful learning experiences and fun-filled activities. Our kindergarteners enjoyed a visit from firefighters to learn about fire safety, our third graders enjoyed special spooky stories with a staff storyteller, and we ended the month with another whole school meeting. Our fourth grade students in Ms. Jaye’s class and Ms. Drew’s class did a great job leading the meeting. They taught the school a new greeting and led a whole school Freeze Dance. They also led students in sharing about our whole school book for October, Growing an Artist.
We look forward to seeing families at the Robert Hunter Halloween parade on Monday at 10:00!
Have a great week!
Warm regards,
Jessica Braynor and Lindsay Shirvanian
The Week Ahead:
Oct. 31 - Day 2, Halloween Parade 10:00, Crazy 8s Math Club Grades 3 and 4
Nov. 1 - Day 3
Nov. 2- Day 4, Dine-out Buffalo Wild Wings, Crazy 8s Math Club Grades K-2, Game Club Grades 3-4, Cooking Club Grades K-2, Art and Social Skills Club Grades 3-4, Crafting Around The World Grades K-2, Literacy Club Grades 1-4, ESL Club Grades 1-4
Nov. 3- Day 5, Game Club Grades K-2, Cooking Club Grades 3 and 4, Robbie’s Runners Grades K and 1, Literacy Club Grades 1-4, ESL Club Grades 1-4
Nov. 4- Day 6, Robbie’s Runners Grades 2-4, Spirit Day - wear RH spiritwear or school colors!
Snapshots From The Week
After school art club
Inquiry challenge statement in 2nd grade
Fire truck visit for Kindergarten
Whole School Meeting!
Halloween at Robert Hunter
Our Halloween parade is tomorrow, October 31st. See the flyer below for important reminders. If you do not want your child to participate in the Halloween parade or the classroom party, please ensure that you have alerted your child’s teacher.
Governor's Educator of the Year
It is that very special time of year- time to nominate one Teacher of the Year and one Educational Services Professional of the Year! This is a New Jersey state program that is run each year to recognize amazing educators. Families- please consider nominating a Robert Hunter teacher and educational services professional who you feel should be recognized with this award. If you are not sure who falls under the category of Educational Services Professional, please click HERE.
The nomination deadline for this school year is Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 4:00pm. A panel has been assembled to select our two 2022-2023 Robert Hunter winners. We will announce winners on Friday, November 18, 2022.
Please fill out the nomination form HERE.
Yearbook Picture Permission
All students’ fall pictures will be included in the yearbook. Additional pictures of the children are also included. If you would prefer that your pictures of your child not be included in the yearbook, please email Mrs. Braynor at jessica.braynor@frsd.us.
Conferences
Counselor's Corner
Throughout the course of their day, Robert Hunter students will feel varying emotions that range from frustrated to silly. It is important for them to become “feelings experts” so that they can start working toward independent emotion regulation. We see that when students are able to identify and calm big feelings, they tend to have improved social and problem solving skills. This month we will be talking with students all about feelings!
In the younger grades we will be naming feelings and discussing who in their world has big feelings. We will discover that everyone gets angry sometimes and it is OK to be angry. We will also work toward learning what is a good way to handle anger and what is a way that could turn into a problem. In the older grades we will be discussing ways to “help your brain get back in charge of decisions” versus responding impulsively based on emotion when experiencing a big feeling. In every grade we will ask the students to think about the clues their body gives them when having specific feelings, as these clues may be different for everyone. Once we can identify what feeling we are experiencing, we can better respond accordingly to calm our emotions.
Good ways to continue the exploration of feeling at home include:
When watching television or reading a book ask what they think the characters are feeling at certain times. Highlight when the feelings have changed from a previous time in the show or story. Talk about the “clues” that show how someone is feeling. Ask your child to look at the character’s facial expression, body language and the recent events of the story to determine emotion. This also helps with developing empathy skills.
As adults, we often calm strong emotions automatically without even recognizing the strategies we are using or the internal monologue we tell ourselves. Take time throughout the day to identify the feeling you are having, whether it is a big or small feeling and what you are “telling yourself in your brain” or the self-talk you are using to control the feeling. When the feeling is calm, identify that the strategy has helped.
Another approach when you are having a big feeling is to allow your child to be the expert. This may sound like, “I am trying to drive safely but that other car just got close to us and I am frustrated. What should I do to calm down?” Possible answers your child may give include: Take a belly breath/deep breath, do 5 finger breathing, count to 10 or backwards from 5, tell yourself to “calm down” or other calming self-talk.
Play feelings charades- act out a feeling with your facial expression and body language and ask your child to identify the feeling. A bonus clue, especially for our older students, could be telling a time that you had that feeling. Then switch roles and have them become the actor as you are the guesser.
Use a mirror to identify the facial expression clues you and your child have for specific emotions. “Let’s make a sad face in the mirror when I say three. One, two, three GO!” Then as you both make a sad face, label what part of your unique facial expressions indicate the feeling. This often leads to a lot of laughs!
Finally, ask your child to teach you the techniques that are being shared every Monday on the Mindful Monday section of morning announcements.
Working together, our students will quickly become the feelings experts necessary to show empathy and tackle our next unit, problem solving!
Mrs. Fontanez and Mrs. Severino
PTO Updates and Reminders
Outdoor Learning Path contractor needed!
The PTO is looking for a Landscaping company/contractor that would be interested in working with the PTO to install a learning/walking path at RH. Please email roberthunterpto@gmail.com if you know of anyone that might be interested!
Dine out at Buffalo Wild Wings, November 2nd, 11am-10pm
See flyer below!
Order your 2022-23 Yearbook by October 31st and save 10%
Check out the Yearbook Flyer HERE!
Order now and customize your free personalized pages later in the school year!
Contact our Yearbook Committee at roberthunteryb@gmail.com with any questions!
Operation Jersey Cares Donations
In honor of Vereran’s Day, the PTO is collecting donations for soldiers. See more information here.
Show your school pride, order your Robert Hunter Spiritwear today!
Place your order online all year round at http://roberthunterspiritwear.com
View our spirit wear flyer below; more options available on the website!
We need Volunteers!
Volunteer to be help with a committee or volunteer for an event!
Our new volunteer form is up and running! We have a ton of opportunities to help out with events such as our Halloween Fun Night, Walk A thon, Picture Day, Book Fairs, Spring Fundraiser, Field Day and supporting Teacher Appreciation Events! Complete our volunteer sign up form on our Membership Toolkit portal at: https://roberthunterelem.membershiptoolkit.com/