From the Principal’s Desk
Season 1, Volume 1
I am going to try to write something like this every month. The purpose of this is to keep you informed and also maybe you can learn a few things from an old parent (whose kids are 27 and 24). Parenting can be very rewarding but also very hard. I never felt like the perfect parent…there were things I did right and then things I regret.
I can tell you this though…your time with your child will fly. I always see something that says you are your kids “go to” person for the first ten years of their life. After that, they find others (like friend groups, etc). Help them build a strong foundation now.
Monthly Focus:
Elmwood’s 5 Golden Rules
Drop off/Pick Procedures
Attendance
Assessments
Raising an Independent Child
Suicide Prevention Month
The Anxious Generation
The Morning Show
Upcoming Events:
9/16-9/19 First Grade field trip to Harmon Fields
9/22-926 Book Fair
9/25 2nd Grade Donuts with Dudes
9/30 PICTURE DAY
10/3 Fire Safety Assemblies
Elmwood’s 5 Golden Rules:
I will keep my hands, feet and body to myself.
I will use appropriate voice, gestures and manners.
I will respect other people and other people’s property.
I will take pride in the building and grounds at Elmwood Primary School.
I will follow directions.
Drop-off Procedures:
In the mornings, students cannot be dropped off until 8:25 AM.
All students dropped off by parents need to use the back doors by the gym. Mr. Patterson will be in the back to greet students.
As you are waiting in line, please make sure your student is prepared to exit when you stop to keep the line moving (so Shawnee Road stays clear).
Pick-up Procedures:
Please call by 2:30 pm if you want to put your child on the pickup list.
Gym doors unlock at 3:20 pm to enter and pick up your child.
Please make sure to wait in the line with your student and check out with the
Staff member at the front of the line so we know your child is accounted for.
Attendance:
Attendance at school is important for many reasons. At this level it is most important, we are building foundational habits and trying to decrease learning gaps. That is why we need your student at school. It helps their success because they maintain positive routines and structure. Please read this carefully, it is pulled from our student handbook (page 5).
A student is permitted to be absent seven days per semester (excused/unexcused/vacation). Beginning the 8th day of absence and thereafter, the student will need to provide a medical excuse or another form of proof for absences under the “Excused Absences” section of this policy. If not, the absence will be considered “Unexcused.”
*Vacation absences past the seven semester days may be approved by the principal/assistant principal.
If you have attendance questions, please call the office at 419-998-8100. Overall, I (Mr. Cox) am the person responsible for upholding the district’s policies and following Ohio attendance laws.
Assessments:
Last week teachers began pre-assessments with students (Acadience and MAPS). The purpose of these assessments is to gain
benchmark data to guide instruction and intervention decisions. The assessments are taken three times a year. Be on the lookout for reports from these assessments.
Raising an Independent Child:
These are things you can work on at home to improve your life as well as your student’s life here at school.
Teach them to unwrap their food. To do this, slow down while eating and teach your students to look for strips that tell them where to open their package. Also, model for them how to open chip bags and twist off tops. What we do here at school is always ask them to try opening the package before you do it. I know this takes patience but it will help in the long run.
Read to your child or have your child read to you. Encourage them to ask questions or ask them questions about what they are interpreting is happening in the story. (Don’t overwhelm them with questions…just a few). This helps comprehension but will also raise students who are aware of how situations can make other people feel (emotional intelligence).
Suicide Prevention Month:
This is a hard topic to talk about but I have been in the upper levels of the school system and have had help students with suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety. September is “National Suicide Prevention Month”. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. Please click here to navigate to the 988 Lifeline website for information on helping someone that is suicidal.
The Anxious Generation:
Something on my mind as I read the book, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.
There are two points the book makes early.
The first is that the earlier a kid got a smartphone, the worse their mental outcomes (higher negative impacts like suicidal thoughts, detachment from reality, increased aggression and diminished self-worth). I don’t believe that too many K - 2 students have phones but the attachment to screens begins the process of craving a screen. Please limit kids using screens (moderation is a good principle to practice in many things).
The second cause of a more anxious generation is that parents are doing too much for their kids. Then, when the kid has to think or problem solve they become paralyzed not knowing what to do. I read this and believe it to be true. Doing things for your child may help your self-esteem (as a parent) but it does not help your child’s.
The Morning Show:
The morning show is our announcements in the morning. It is broadcast from the make believe studio here at Elmwood from W.H.E.P.S (What’s Happening Elmwood Primary School).
You may have heard your student talk about KC. KC (the Kave Creature - I know the spelling is off - I tell the kids I got him before I knew how to spell correctly - message being… it is okay to try and make mistakes) is a puppet that helps me make announcements