Mondays From The Mesa # 23
Alta Mesa Parent Newsletter (12/14/20)
Happy Holidays!
We have made it to the halfway point of the year and the Holiday season! Hard to believe it's already here! It has been an up and down experience since March, but the Alta Mesa community has persevered through it all! As we finish out these last four days of instruction and head into Christmas Break, what a great time to reflect upon 2020. This is something I have been personally doing over the last few days. When reflecting, it's not about perseverating on all the negative that has happened but also strive to find the positives. Even through these hard times, I believe lessons can be learned, and joy can be found. I know that this year has given me a unique perspective on healthy living. Another blessing is the fact that I've been more intentional about relationships. I have connected with friends and family by phone much more so than I ever have in the past. I think we are all looking forward to the end of 2020 and starting fresh in 2021, but always remember to glean the wisdom and lessons found during challenging times.
Above all else Alta Mesa, I am thankful for this community. This school community has proven itself resilient, positive, and supportive. Alta Mesa is a special place, and I'm so happy to be a part of it.
Please remember that when we return from Christmas Break, we will have one additional week of Distance Learning from Jan. 5th-Jan. 8th. Monday, Jan. 4th is a staff professional development, so distance learning will begin on Jan. 5th.
Thank you for your continued partnership Alta Mesa Families! Stay Healthy! Remember to wear your mask!
Ryan Miller
Principal
Announcements and Updates
Christmas Drive-Thru
Meal Distribution
Christmas Break is Approaching
Alta Mesa Holiday Craft Show!!!
This is our final week of the Alta Mesa craft show! It's been fun to watch teachers and students participate in these projects even if there is a physical divide! This week we will only have one show. On Wednesday Mr. Havlina will once again be cooking. This time it's going to be a special "Havlina Holiday Surprise". Tune in to find out what it is! We will not have a Craft Show on Thursday as we will have our "Holiday Drive-Thru".
Counseling Corner
Dear Alta Mesa Families!
Generous giving, love, and gratitude are unequivocally associated with the meaning of Christmas. Nonetheless, we might not be able to access these experiences and feelings right now given all the personal hardship accompanying the pandemic. Even worse, we might feel guilty about it. No matter the challenging times, practicing generosity, love and gratitude can help us to promote our physical health, as well as lessening depression, anxiety or loneliness. These prosocial behaviors are more than gestures of kindness but they promote wholeness, well-being, and connection. The science of generosity is based on an extensive body of research, and there are many fascinating aspects about its origin and our human genetics. Did you know that toddlers at the age of 14 months already show acts of helpfulness and generosity toward each other? If you are interested in reading the entire and comprehensive paper of “The Science of Generosity” by the Greater Good Science Center in Berkeley you will find the link here: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Generosity-FINAL.pdf
Many children's books have captured the importance of practicing random acts of kindness, and how we can show our gratefulness to others. For example, this is a sweet little story for little children about the “Bear says Thanks” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUspp8k2Lh0
Here is the story about ‘what it means to be thankful’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXLhjE9J-EU
Practicing gratitude might include working on a gratitude journal. Here are tips for parents about how to get your child started:
Alta Mesa Elementary School
Email: rmiller@eesd.net
Website: altamesa.eesd.net
Location: 2301 Saturn Skyway, Redding, CA, USA
Phone: 530-224-4130
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/altamesaschool/