Principal's Corner
Launching Into Spring with Intention-February 2021
The Power of Intentional Actions (Caring for Self and Others)
As you all know, our PBIS goals help our students understand the important things that will help them be successful at school each day. As part of our Croc Pledge, our students are asked to be "Caring and Careful" in order to teach them the importance they have in both understanding their needs as students, as well as identifying how they can be caring in their thoughts and actions, as well as careful in the choices they make that affect themselves and others.
Through our teambuilding activities and Capturing Kids Hearts focus, they are learning at this time how to empower themselves and others through affirmations. Understanding the power of these affirmations is one of the things that builds connections in our classrooms and across our school community. So, we are grateful of all you can do to support creating opportunities to practice affirmations in your homes as well to model this at home.
We are so grateful for all you do to support your students at home as well! :)
Parent Engagement Topic- Creating GRIT "Grace, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity" in our Students to Help Support Their Goals
Challenging their Minds and Hearts
Building a Community of Kindness and Compassion
Creating a Chain Reaction in our Schools
Capturing Kids Hearts: Teaching Students be Empowered
Self-advocacy is an important skill for kids with learning and thinking differences to develop. You can help your child build this skill by giving him information and opportunities to speak up for himself. The process begins with helping him understand and talk about his needs and issues. Here are some tips for getting started.
1. Be open about learning and thinking differences.
Talk to your child about learning and thinking differences in ways he can relate to. If he has a diagnosis, he may not need to know the clinical term. But it’s important for your child to know that there’s nothing wrong with talking about it.
2. Discuss how his issues affect him.
Talk with him about how his issues affect him, and be sure to make it a discussion. You want to give your child a chance to tell you what he finds difficult. For example, you can say, “Your dyslexia causes you trouble with reading.” But your child might say, “I don’t like reading out loud because it’s hard for me.” Let your child practice ways of explaining those learning and thinking differences to other kids. (“It takes me longer to read, but I’m working hard at it.”)
Learn more about how you and your child may view learning and thinking differences differently.
3. Help your child discover his strengths.
Everyone has things that come more naturally to them than others. Your child probably can identify where he needs help, but it’s also important for him to be able to identify his strengths. It gives him a way to talk about what he’s good at. (“It takes me longer to read, but you should see me on the baseball field!”)
4. Practice what to say to teachers.
Your child may be nervous about asking too many questions or requesting accommodations. Remind him that his teachers are there to help. If he’s shy about advocating for himself, help him make a 3×3 card to share with his teacher. You can also practice self-advocacy sentence starters with him to help him learn to speak up for himself. And don’t forget to talk about when and how to ask a teacher for help.
5. Let your child be a decision maker.
Part of self-advocacy is making decisions about what you need and what works best for you. Give your child the chance to make some of those decisions. For instance, let him choose where he wants to study at home. (Take a look at the best places to do homework before giving him his choices!) Or ask him to decide what to have for dinner one night a week. Knowing his voice matters is important.
6. Remind your child that you’re a team.
In grade school kids are just starting to become self-advocates. Assure your child that you’re still going to advocate on his behalf. And let him know that not only are you a team, but that you’re learning how to be an effective advocate, too. Self-advocacy skills are something you can work on together.
Counselor's Corner-February 2021
If your child is in need of any additional support, Please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email Mrs. Helart @ ahelart@lhusd.org or Ms. Chandler @ schandler@lhusd.org. We are here to serve our families in any way we can.
Be sure to check out the "Counselor's Corner" to take a look at the resources available to you from our counselors.
Read Across America Day
APEX Returns-March 2021
Our Apex Event IS COMING SOON!
Our major fundraiser with #ApexLeadershipCo kicks off on Tuesday, March 2nd! We’re so excited!
Apex is a local company that provides a fun 2-week program where students will learn about important leadership habits and good character traits. Then the program wraps up with a celebratory, high energy Fun Run event. Families are asked to help our school by gathering pledges from family and friends for every lap their student completes at the fun run on Thursday, March 11th!
The funds we’re raising from this event will go towards technology and classroom resources. We understand that some of our families may not be in a position to donate, and that’s OK! If you can help, please know that no donation is too small. We’ll share more info about the Apex program and ways to support our school over the coming weeks.
#ApexMIGHTY #BuildingLeaders #FundingEducation
Jamaica Site Council Meeting Q3
We hope that you will join us for this meeting, If you wish to join the Site Council or simply take part in this meeting, please email me at ahelart@lhusd.org. The meeting link will be forwarded your way! We are grateful to all of our staff, families, and community partners for their input on our school based goals.