Concordia Middle School News
February 2020
From the Principal...
January and February can be stressful times for families when children aren't able to get outside to play and release energy. Instead of watching tv and playing video games for several hours, encourage kids to read books, play board games, or just visit with each other. Other ideas include cooking, putting puzzles together, or exercising if you have room. Kids are more likely to do these types of things if the parents get involved as well.
In February we will have our parent-teacher conferences on Monday the 17th from 10 am to 6 pm. Sign up information will be coming soon if it has not been sent already. Family Science Night is March 3rd. Although we don't have a lot going on outside of the school day, there are lots of great learning experiences taking place in our classrooms every day! We try to share these activities on our Facebook page and in our newsletters. We also have a Twitter account @CMSPANTHERS6690 where we share information and photos of our events and activities.
Thank you for your support!
-Larry Myers, CMS Principal
Students of the Month
6th Grade: Amanda Ryals
Pawsitive Counts Winners
6th Grade: Sara Lorenz
Pawsitive Counts Staff Member of the Month
Upcoming Events
February 3rd -28th Box Tops Competition
February 7th Middle School Fun Night 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
February 17th: Parent-Teacher Conferences 10:00 am to 6:00 pmMarch 3rd Family Science Night
Mayo Clinic Minute: How much screen time is too much for kids?
For some parents and caregivers, limiting their kids' screen time isn't easy. Dr. Angela Mattke, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician, says even though toddlers through teens may want to spend chunks of their day in front of a screen, too much screen time is not healthy.
In this society, screens are everywhere. But how much screen time is too much for kids? It depends on a child’s age.
"The recommendations are really to minimize screen time in children before age 2," says Dr. Mattke. "Between ages 2 and 5, we would recommend you keep the screen time to one hour or less per day. And in children that are older than 5, we recommend trying to minimize a recreational or enjoyment-related screen time to two hours or less per day."
Two hours or less a day applies to teens, as well. But the recommendations do not include educational-related screen time.
"I would use the screen time as a reward," says Dr. Mattke. "Try not to use it as a punishment, but if you’re using it as a reward, it’s something they’re earning throughout the day for good behavior."
In limited amounts, the social aspect of screens can help teens feel connected, Dr. Mattke says. Too much screen time may interfere with sleep, increase the risk of depression, and increase the risk of obesity.
“There is a research study recently that showed for every hour per week increase of screen time, they saw increases in the BMIs [body mass indexes] of preschool-age children.”
She says the best way to help kids manage screen time is to be aware and communicate with them.
Valentines Day Reminder
Due to the extremely high volume of deliveries and educational interruption, and more importantly in order to protect the social- emotional well-being of our students: CMS will not accept deliveries on Valentine’s Day (balloons, gifts, candy, etc.) If a Valentine’s Day delivery is made to Concordia Middle School for a student, the delivery company or parent will be notified to deliver it to the student’s home.
Concordia Middle School is following this policy and will be sending a letter out. This is the second year we are enforcing this policy which was put into place for the reasons listed above. We take great pride in protecting our students’ social - emotional well- being. The policy was approved in the CMS Handbook by the USD 333 Board of Education and was recommended by school administration, teachers and staff as well as being supported by our Site Council and BOE. Students may still participate in Valentine’s parties but they will not accept deliveries at school.
This policy will be in effect for each year so please keep this letter for future reference. Please call CMS Principal Larry Myers if you have questions.
Thank you for your continued support of Concordia Middle School.
Support CMS!
The Casey's Rewards app is a great way to help support CMS! Each time you purchase items at Casey's you can enter your number to help score points for our school.
Thank you for supporting Concordia Middle School and USD 333!!
Pride Classes
Box Tops Competition
How to scan your grocery receipts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWuXDKejVEg&feature=youtu.be
A word from Nurse Jennifer
Hutch's Holler
For 5th grade guidance, classes had lessons over managing frustration
and anxiety. Three simple steps can help students manage stress,
frustration, and anxiety. The first step is to stop, the second step
is to name the feeling, and the third step is to calm down. Students
can calm down by multiple strategies such as positive self-talk, deep
breaths, counting backward, or just finding a safe place to relax. 6th
graders had lessons covering values and relationships. When entering a
friendship, students should establish non-negotiable values that can’t
be broken. Healthy relationships are drama and judgment-free.
A Glance at February:
The 6th-grade leadership group will have a lunch meeting in the
Holding Area on Thursday, February 6th. We are accepting new members
in this meeting so if your child is interested in joining the group
just have him/her come to talk to Mr. Hutchison or you can email him
at brandt.hutchinson@usd333.com.
Also, both the 5th and 6th grade will start their career exploration
unit in February.
Wind Energy Activities
Wind Energy Activities
Wind Energy Activities
Dan Whisler Visit
Dan Whisler visited out CMS science classes in January to discuss alternative forms of energy and other science topics. Students took part in lots of fun and interactive learning experiences! Dan also spoke to our entire K-12 faculty at our January 6th inservice day. He provided inspirational stories from his teaching career and shared many resources for our teachers to access. In the afternoon Dan visited with our middle school science teachers to discuss ways that he can provide support for our classrooms.
First Lego League
CMS Band Concert
Super Bowl Spirit Week
Creating a Reader-Friendly Home
A home filled with reading material is a good way to help kids become excited readers. What kind of books should you have? Ask your kids about their interests. If they're too young to tell you, ask your local librarian for suggestions about age-appropriate books. Also, you can visit Reading BrightStart! to find book suggestions for children from birth to age 5.
Here are some other tips:
Keep a Variety of Reading Materials
Collect board books or books with mirrors and different textures for babies. Preschoolers enjoy alphabet books, rhyming books, and picture books. Elementary-age kids enjoy fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus dictionaries and other reference books.
Kids can understand stories they might not be able to read on their own. If a more challenging book interests your child, read it together. Younger kids can look at illustrations in books and ask questions as they follow along.
Besides books, your kids might also enjoy:
- magazines (for kids)
- audio books
- postcards, e-mails, and text messages from relatives
- photo albums or scrapbooks
- newspapers
- comic books
- the Internet
- beginning reading and alphabet games on a computer/tablet
- magnetized alphabet letters
- e-readers or e-books
Keep Reading Materials Handy
Keep sturdy books with other toys for easy exploration. Books near the changing table and high chair can be helpful distractions for younger kids. Plastic books can even go in the bathtub. Keep books next to comfy chairs and sofas where you cuddle up so you can read after feedings and before naps.
Create a Special Reading Place
As your kids grow:
- Keep books and magazines on shelves they can reach in their favorite hangouts around the home. Make these shelves inviting and keep them organized.
- Place some of the books with the covers facing out so they're easy to spot.
- Put a basket full of books and magazines next to their favorite places to sit.
- Create a cozy reading corner, and encourage your kids to use it by setting up "reading corner time" each day.
Make it Inviting
Make sure reading areas have good lighting. Change the materials often — add seasonal books, rotate different magazines, and include books that are about topics your kids are interested in or learning about in school. Decorate the corner with your child's artwork or writing. Keep a CD or other music player nearby for audio books.
Encourage Creativity
Set up a writing and art center and encourage your kids to make books, posters, or collages that they decorate with their own pictures and writing. Kids love to read things they've written themselves or to share their creations with family and friends. Ask your kids to act out the story.
Think About the Reading Environment
Other ways to encourage your kids to read:
- Limit your kids' screen time (including TV, computer, smartphones, tablets, and video games) to make sure they have time for reading.
- Keep reading activities family-centered, and guide your child in reading activities and media. Even with today's high use of technology, you can decide how much print and how much media to allow into story time. Reading e-books doesn't have to mean giving up lap-time. Make sure to snuggle up with a story often, in whatever format.
- Read together. Read a book aloud or ask your child to read to you from a favorite magazine or book. Make a habit of sitting together while you each read your own books, sharing quiet time together.
(From KidsHealth.org)
Reviewed by: Kandia N. Lewis, PhD