CMSS MONDAY MESSAGE...
November 7, 2016
R.E.A.L. Panthers
RESPECT, EXPLORE, ACHIEVE, LEAD
Message from the Boss...
In the front hallway I have created something that is suppose to look like a tree. This is going to be Middle School South's "Thankful-Grateful Tree!" You will find in your mailbox a stack of sticky-notes. For an advisory time next week have students write something they are "Thankful or Grateful" for and place on our "Thankful-Grateful" Tree. The sticky notes will be the leaves to our tree. Let's cover our whole tree with leaves of "Thankful-Gratefulness".
I am "Thankful-Grateful" fir being at Middle School South!
Hope you had a restful weekend!
Love you,
Casey Hanna
START A GRATITUDE HABIT...
Feeling grateful is good for us. Why not do something that is good for us?? From the article, research says counting your blessings has many benefits from better sleep to reduced depression. It helps us connect to others and be more optimistic and less likely to ruminate over the negative.
With November approaching and we all feel a little more "Thankful", I would like to use this time to not only for us to see what we are thankful for but to teach our students to be thankful as well. Here are a few things you can do with your class and I will reiterate "Thankfulness" over announcements and my own interactions with students:
- Think in 3's. Start each morning by identifying 3 things you and your students are thankful for. Try not to repeat things...and get more specific and detailed as you go. Chart your gratitude with your advisory class. Gratitude Circle. Begin or end the day sitting in a circle with each person sharing one thing that he or she is grateful for and why. Note: Younger students will need a lot of modeling to explain why they’re grateful for something.
- Write a Thank you note. Have students write a note to a family member, another student, special person, or teacher. This is an opportunity for students to practice and review friendly letter skills.
- Classroom Gratitude Book. Create a gratitude book to send home with a different child each week. Ask each student’s family to add a page of pictures and descriptions of what they’re grateful for. At the end of the year, be sure to celebrate your completed classroom gratitude book!
- Gratitude Photos. Have each student write what he or she is thankful for on a large piece of paper and then take a picture of the child holding up his or her paper. Frame the photo and send it home as a holiday gift.
- Gratitude Collage or Bulletin Board. Have children cut out pictures of things they’re grateful for and then use the pictures to create their own collage or to decorate a classroom gratitude bulletin board.
- Gratitude Paper Chain. Have children write what they’re thankful for on strips of paper and use the strips to make a gratitude chain to hang up in the classroom.
- Gratitude Spies. Play the “Spying for Gratitude” game. At the beginning of the day, have each child choose the name of another student out of a hat without revealing the name. Each student spends the day “spying” on his or her chosen person and then shares one thing that he or she is grateful for about that person during an end-of-the-day circle.
- Gratitude Graph. Have each child write one thing that he or she is grateful for on a sticky note and then plot it on a classroom gratitude graph. Categories might include people, things, places, actions, animals, etc.
- Gratitude Journals. Have each student create a gratitude journal or decorate the cover of a premade one. Once a week, have students write three things they’re grateful for and why.
- Gratitude Surprise Sticky Notes. Give each student one or more sticky notes to write something they’re grateful for about another person in the school community. Then have the students “deliver” the sticky notes by placing them where the person will see it.
- Gratitude Letters for the Community. Write letters of gratitude and deliver them to people in the greater school community, e.g., janitor, food staff, school administration. The letters can also include the local community, such as police, fire station. I can make sure they are delivered.
- Gratitude Quotes. Give students their own gratitude quote and have them reflect upon and write about what their quote means to them.
- Gratitude Research and Action. Share and discuss with your students the research that shows the tremendous benefits of practicing gratitude. Ask students to come up with ways they might incorporate more gratitude into their lives.
** (Interesting Fact) After hearing about the research on gratitude from their teacher, one group of 8th graders from a high-needs school took it upon themselves to form “The Breakfast Club”—a secret club dedicated to performing kind acts for the school staff.
CURB APPEAL
I still have some frames available- We need to fill them! The frame size is a 27 X 40.
There has been 8 frames added to the hallways for displays. We need clubs, team, or organizations to decorate these frames. If you create a pic college with Wal-green's you can add numerous about your club, team or organization.
Picture shows example of what they look like. If you are interested let me know.
IMPORTANT DATES:
NOVEMBER:
November 7th-11th TEAM PLC's
11- Veterans Day
November 14th-18th DEPARTMENT PLC's
14- Spelling Bee
15- PRIDE Program
17-Admin Meeting at CAO
Rockin' at the Hop
School Board Meeting 6:00
18-R.E.A.L. Panthers Assembly
21st-25th Thanksgiving Break
November 28th-December 2nd TEAM PLC's
29- ELO Begins
5th grade Science Interim Assessment
6th grade Cutie to Beauty
30- Hearing and Vision
Getting signed up for Remind 101
Text @cmssouth to 81010
For Parents and Guardians:
Text @mssparent to 81010
Cabot Middle School South
Email: casey.hanna@cps.k12.ar.us
Website: http://www.cabotschools.org/schools/cabot-middle-school-south
Location: 2555 Kerr Station Road, Cabot, AR, United States
Phone: 501-743-3570
Facebook: facebook.com/CabotMiddleSouth
Twitter: @CMSSouth