Lions Ledger
Patriot Elementary School May 2019
A Message From Our Principal
Dear Parents,
Thank you for another wonderful and productive school year. I can’t thank everyone enough for your endless hours of volunteering, chaperoning, reading, organizing, donating and doing whatever was necessary to support Patriot students—both at home and at school.
Please take note of the following days as May will be a busy month:
May 4th, Saturday Patriot Safety Summer Day 9:00-11:00
May 10th Homework Club Ends
May 14th Patriot Town Hall 1:00-2:00
May 17th Field Day 8-10:30 (K-2) and 11:30-2:00 (3-5)
May 20th *Back up Field day if it rains
May 21st !st – 4th grade Awards Assembly 8:00-9:00
May 23 Fifth Grade Graduation 8:00am
May 23rd Kindergarten Promotion 1:00pm
May 24th Last Day of School – HALF DAY 11:30 students dismissed
A final word to Patriot students: Thank you for all your hard work throughout the school year. I am so honored to be your principal; you make me proud to be a Patriot Lion. You keep me laughing and young at heart. I am grateful for your joy, astute insights and amazing talents. Best wishes to our graduating fifth graders, whom I will miss greatly—please come back and visit. Everyone have a safe and happy summer break.
Prevent the Summer Slide:
Many children, especially struggling readers, forget some of what they've learned or slip out of practice during the summer months. Try these strategies to help your reader improve her reading during the summer and beyond:
Six books to summer success: Research shows that reading just six books during the summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing. When choosing the six, be sure that they are just right — not too hard and not too easy. Take advantage of your local library. Ask for help selecting books that match your child's age, interests, and abilities. Libraries often run summer reading programs that motivate kids to read, so find out what's available in your area. Also check our book lists for recommendations.
Read something every day: Encourage your child to take advantage of every opportunity to read. Find them throughout the day:
· Morning: The newspaper — even if it is just the comics or today's weather.
· Daytime: Schedules, TV guides, magazines, online resources, etc. For example, if your daughter likes the food channel, help her look for a recipe on the network's Web site — then cook it together for more reading practice.
· Evening: End the day by having your child read to you from the book he is currently reading (one of the six books, above). Have him rehearse a paragraph, page, or chapter before reading to
you. Rereading will help him be more fluent — able to read at an appropriate speed, correctly, and with nice expression.
Keep reading aloud: Reading aloud benefits all children and teens, especially those who struggle. One benefit is that you can read books your child can't, so she will build listening comprehension skills with grade-level and above books. This will increase her knowledge and expand her experience with text, so that she will do better when she reads on her own.
It's hard to keep up a reading routine in a season packed with distractions and diversions. These suggestions will fit into a busy schedule and make reading fun!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Canon, Principal
Patriot Elementary Mission:
“For every student to become a lifelong learner and a confident, productive member of society by providing an engaging, safe, and supportive academic community.”
Wise Words from Patriot Counseling
As a former military spouse, I became quite adept at saying good-bye as either we or our friends PCS’d to a new duty station. I also lost my father while we were stationed in Germany, just months after he visited and shared stories of his time stationed in the very same area. The key to getting through it all and helping our kids stay strong, is having a support system of wonderful people. Below are some other helpful ideas to ease the pain of letting go and to help you keep strong.
Letting Go & Keeping Strong
1. Build a strong support system of family and friends to lean on.
2. Make time for yourself to have fun
3. Do not dwell on sadness, instead take a “sad break” in which you allow yourself time to feel the sadness, or to cry, and then after the allotted time (1 - 5 minutes is plenty) you stop, collect your thoughts and continue with what you were doing.
4. Be open and honest about what you need.
5. Never take the people who support you for granted, let them lean on you too.
6. If you find yourself slipping into depression, do not be afraid to seek outside counseling.
“Always do what you are afraid to do.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
~Holly Niewinski, MA, LSC, LPC, NCC
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
May
5/2 STEM competition
5/2 Pancakes with the Principal (K-2 invitees)
5/3 Pancakes with the Principal (3rd-5th invitees)
5/4 Patriot Summer Safety Event 9-11am at Patriot Elem.
5/10 Homework Club Ends
5/17 Field Day!!!!
5/21 Grades 1st-4th Awards Ceremony 8 am
5/23 5th Grade Graduation 8:00 am
5/23 Kindergarten Graduation 1:00 pm
5/24 Last Day of School--Students released at 11:30 am
Join the PTO or SAAC
**Childcare provided in the gym; meetings will be in school cafeteria
SAAC/DAAC: Do you want to help plan a Vision for Patriot Elementary? Join the SAAC/DAAC Committee. Please contact Mrs. Canon for more information.
PATRIOT + PARENTS = SUCCESS
We Need You!!
Title 1
BOYS TOWN Education Model at Patriot
May-- Loyalty
Be loyal to all the Boys Town Skills and work on those through the remainder of the school year.
Peer Conflict, Mean Behavior, and Bullying. What is the Difference?
Talking with our children about these differences is very important in teaching how to handle these situations.
Click on the provided link to read more about the difference between peer conflicts, mean behavior, and bullying behavior.
Box Tops for Education
Box Tops are an easy way for our school to earn FREE money!
PLEASE keep those Box Tops and students can paste or tape to Box Top Sheets.
PTO will collect at the start of the school year.
Patriot Elementary School
Website: www.ffc8.org/Patriot
Location: 7010 Harr Avenue, Fort Carson, CO, USA
Phone: 7193821460
Facebook: facebook.com/PatriotElementaryFFC8
P.A.W.S
The PAWS Pledge is promised each day during morning announcements: "I am a Patriot Lion. I show my pride by using my PAWS--Personal Best, Act Responsibly, Work and Play Safely, Show Respect to All; I am a Patriot Lion let me show you my PAWS! ROAR!!!
--Patriot Elementary School colors: Red, White, Blue
--Patriot Mascot: Lion