Principally Speaking
December 2019
Alamos Elementary School
Main Office Number: 951-294-6760
Attendance Line: 951-294-6761
Main Office Fax : 951-294-6770
Alamos Preschool: 951-294-6771
Website: https://www.tvusd.k12.ca.us/aes
Location: 38200 Pacific Park Drive, Murrieta, CA, USA
Phone: 951-294-6760
Facebook: facebook.com/AlamosElementarySchoolPTO
Tis the Season!
December 4, 2019
Dear Alamos Families,
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way! May the sounds of the season delight you through the December days. This is such a magical time of the year for children and there is no other place quite as joyful as an elementary school in December! Our halls are decked with the arts of the season and we are excited to share this joyous time of the year with you and your children. I hope this last newsletter of 2019 finds you and your family happy, healthy, and of good cheer!
The holiday season, most usually a wonderful time of the year for most, can be difficult for many of our families. Regardless of the reason, many of our students bear the brunt of what is going on at home and come to school tired, sad, stressed or angry. It is usually around this time of the year that we see an increase in student misbehaviors and a rise in disciplinary referrals. One of the most serious and timely issues we face as educators are student bullying. The term “bullying” is often thrown about carelessly without truly understanding what it is and what it is not. The following article is an excellent tool to help our school community decipher what bullying means. Perhaps by having a more comprehensive understanding of what bullying is, we are better equipped to prevent it.
Bullying is a serious issue and it is my hope that we can combat it together. One such way is teaching good ole’ fashioned kindness! I take every opportunity possible to reiterate to our children the importance of being kind and paying it forward. If everyone lived by the golden rule, oh, what a happier place our world (and school) would be! In this newsletter, I have included a December Kindness Calendar for you to enjoy with your child. It is a great opportunity for you and your child to actively participate in daily acts of kindness.
It is a privilege to serve this community as Principal, and I wish you and your family a beautiful and safe Holiday Season. I look forward to your return on January 7, 2020!
Fondly,
Jenniffer Aynesworth
What is Bullying vs. What is NOT Bullying:
There are no innocent bystanders. Everyone is impacted by bullying. The majority of us have experienced some part of bullying at one point or another; some more severe than others.
It is our duty as peers and adults to set not only a good example for our youth but to educate ourselves and our children about what bullying is and what it is not. It is also our obligation to recognize that “bullying is peer abuse that should not be tolerated under any circumstances” (Dr. Olweus – Olweus Bullying Prevention Program).
Several different agencies have defined bullying: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Olweus Bullying Prevention, and the US Department of Education.
All of these organizations have well-defined explanations of bullying. To properly define bullying it needs to meet three conditions:
· The action is unwanted and aggressive: The intention is hurtful in nature and the behavior is unwanted by the victim.
· The action can or is repeated over time: The action occurs more than once or the person or group of individuals target the victim repeatedly.
· An imbalance of power or strength exists: The victim feels powerless to do anything.
What does NOT constitute Bullying?
· Simply disliking someone is not an act of bullying: It is human nature to not like every person you encounter. While it may not feel good to know someone doesn’t like you, verbal and non-verbal messages of “I don’t like you” are not acts of bullying. It is important to remember that while you may not like everyone, everyone deserves to be respected.
· Exclusion: Exclusion can be very unpleasant but, just like you won’t like everyone you encounter, it is normal for people to gather with their friends or play a game at the playground with just their friends. However, acts such as shunning, alienating, and leaving someone out on purpose can be considered acts of bullying (Pacer).
· Making a joke about someone: Occasionally being teased is not uncommon and when everyone involved is not offended it is not considered bullying. However, when the intention of the act is to be hurtful or harmful it becomes bullying (Pacer).
· Arguments: People disagree about a variety of different things. However, when a power imbalance exists or the intent is to be mean or control someone else that is bullying. (Pacer) So, in situations when a power imbalance does not exist or both kids do not perceive a power imbalance this is not considered bullying (StopBullying).
· Isolated acts of harassment, aggressive behavior, intimidation, or meanness: Even though bullying and harassment go hand in hand, not all harassment is bullying or vice versa. The federal civil rights law states harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a protected class that is severe, pervasive, or persistent and creates a hostile environment (StopBullying). So, unless the behavior is severe in its harm, a single incident does not typically constitute bullying.
National Bullying Prevention Center
Message from Alamos PTO
Hello Alamos Families,
We hope that you all had a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends. As we roll right into this holiday season, we would first like to thank you all for your support you have given PTO through this first half of our school year. We really appreciate all the time and support you have given.
We have some very exciting events coming up this month. December 11th- Grab a book and then some dinner at our Barnes and Nobles Night, 4 P.M. – 8 P.M. along with two options for dinner fundraisers at Raising Canes and Chipotle. All the money raised from the night for all three will be given to our school library. This event is in place of our book fair we had to unexpectedly cancel at the beginning of the school year. We are really excited to have our choir sing at the event and welcome a very special guest in a red suit who will be reading and taking pictures with our students. Please remember to mention Alamos when you check out at any of the three places. Thank you in advance for your support.
December 16th – 20th we will be holding our Holiday Boutique where our students are given the opportunity to do some holiday shopping of their own for their loved ones and friends. More information will be coming home soon. If you have any questions please email us at alamospto@gmail.com, please do not call the front office.
December 18th- our choir will be singing for all the students at Alamos in three different assemblies throughout the day.
Thank you again for all your support. The PTO Board would like to wish you all a very special and happy Holiday Season.
Tis the Season, for giving!!
All you have to do is make sure you are logged in at smile.amazon.com
(select Alamos Elementary School PTO the first time)
and 0.5% of your purchase amounts will be given back to our school.
Select "What are you looking for?" and then "Order your Yearbook"
Enter Order Access Code: 0000216YB (zeros & capitals)
Enter your email, your child's name and add book to cart.
For the Teacher field, please type in Teacher's Last Name only.
Website:
https://alamospto.wixsite.com/alamoselementarypto
TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH UPCOMING EVENTS, SPEICAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ENJOY PICTURES ALL YEAR LONG!!
Box Tops
A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT BOX TOPS ARE DUE MONDAY, DECEMBER 13TH
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN CLIPPING AND SCANNING SO FAR!!
AES Disabled Person Parking Spots
Please Do Not Park in our Disabled Person Parking Spots unless you have a window placard or license plate. We have multiple families at our site that need these spaces for the extra width they provide.
Thank You - AES Staff