Comet Chronicle, Jr.
March 26, 2021
Round Up
Spirit Week
Behavior Support Assistant
Literacy News
It is our hope that everyone has enjoyed March is Reading Month! We sure made some incredible memories here at school reading together and talking about Fern, Wilbur, and Charlotte! We started the month with the exciting vending machine and book reveal. Throughout the month we have had the opportunity to do trivia questions about the book, design Wilbur a new home, the classes participated in a door decorating contest, and we have gotten to hear staff members read each chapter of the book.
Next week we will be finishing strong as we head into Spring Break. We hope that you have been following along with us and reading at home. We have just a few chapters left to go!! Remember to keep encouraging your child to read and send in their minutes… we are digging in here at school so we can reach our goal of reading 100,000 minutes. Don’t forget that next week is our Dr. Seuss themed Spirit Week with Coloma Intermediate. On Friday the classes will spend part of the half day celebrating all our hard work with a Charlotte’s Web movie watch party.
Make sure that March isn’t the only time you focus on reading at home!! Students need to be reading and talking about books all year long. We will be sending information home next week on how your child can use their reading skills to help provide meals to families facing hunger over Spring Break and all through April!
-Mrs. Wheeler, Literacy Specialist
-Mrs. Vanderboegh, Title I Teacher
School Social Work Scene
Anniversary dates of traumatic events can reactivate thoughts and feelings from the actual event, and survivors may experience peaks of anxiety and depression.
Stephanie Grant, PhD says, “When we talk about trauma, we’re talking about an event that is deeply distressing to someone whether that’s physically or psychologically. So, having experienced a trauma event is not all the same thing as being traumatized. Traumatization is the body and the brain’s response to that event and specifically response that doesn’t go away even with some support and a little bit of time.”
“If you had asked me a year and a half ago before this hit, ‘what are the top three characteristics of trauma events that make it much more likely to be traumatizing?’ I would have told you that there are three things: that if those events felt uncontrollable and inescapable, if we had no idea if or when the event was going to end, and if they somehow separated us from our relationships and our community and our support systems that would normally help us buffer those events.” Stephanie says that the COVID-19 pandemic has ‘checked all of the boxes’ that define whether something is a traumatic event, and that experts are calling this “a collective trauma.”
Around the anniversary of a traumatic event, people are likely to remember events clearly and many will feel emotions more intensely than usual. Reliving the emotions is a very natural part of the healing process. But just as there is no right way to feel, there is no one right way to heal. Try not to compare your reactions to those of others. Each person is different, and each individual will find their own way of coping.
The past 12 months have affected all of us in very different ways. But, Stephanie says, “It’s not over because honestly nobody has had time to grieve...It will not look the same for everybody. We have a lot of stuff to heal from.”
❤ ~Mrs. DeMercado, School Social Worker
Reading At Home
Coloma Public Library Offerings
Outdoor Recess
If there are snow gear that your student needs, please reach out to your child's teacher and we will do all that we can to support!
Dropping Off and Picking Up Reminder
- Pull all the way forward so that we can unload/load as many students as possible. This will make the process more smooth and efficient.
- Do not attempt to make a left turn into the car rider lane. Traffic is often backed up down S. West St. for drivers making a righthand turn into the lane. Instead, join the back of the line and make the righthand turn.
Late Start Wednesday
24 Hour Rule
Mask Care
School Messenger
CARE Expectations
- Come ready to learn
- Always respectful
- Responsible
- Exceptionally safe
Stay Connected!
- Follow us on Facebook.
- Make sure the office has your email address on file so we can communicate via SchoolMessenger.
- Read the Comet Chronicle, Jr. (twice a month).
- Read your classroom newsletter.
A Common Question
One of the most commonly asked questions is: “How long will someone have to quarantine if there’s a case of COVID-19?" Our response is:
“The health and safety of our students, families, and staff is and will always be our primary concern. We have been working diligently over the past several months to prepare for the safe return to school for our students and staff—implementing sanitization and social distancing protocols across the district. In the event of a COVID-19 situation in one of our buildings or classrooms, we will work with the Berrien County Health Department to assist in contact tracing to determine who needs to quarantine and for how long as every COVID exposure is unique. Ultimately, the BCHD will provide specific guidance related to quarantining and isolation.”
Coloma Elementary School
Inspire to Achieve - Empower for Success
Email: jklein@ccs.coloma.org
Website: https://ces.coloma.org/
Location: 262 South West Street, Coloma, MI 49038
Phone: (269) 4682420
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colomaelementary