February 10, 2022
from Renee Wright, Lower School Director
Thursday, February 10 is the 100th Day of School
Can you believe we have reached the 100th Day of School? That is certainly something to celebrate! One hundred days smarter and full of new learning experiences, hands-on activities, new friends, and exploration across many subject areas make these days extra special! All LS students will run under our 100th Day banner at recess to share their excitement. Kindergarteners will spend time doing 100-themed math and literacy activities. They will write 100 words, play the 100 tally marks game, eat 100 snacks, and have a dance party and joyfully dance and jump for 100 seconds. It will be a day to remember!
Valentine’s Day in Lower School
Lower School students are encouraged to wear valentine colors on Monday, February 14 in honor of Valentine’s Day. The colors for the day will be red, pink, white, or purple. (We will allow jeans on the bottom!) This will remind everyone that Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate friendship, love, kindness, and compassion.
We are extremely grateful that our MPA Parent Association will be presenting each Lower School student with a special treat bag. Sadly, our beloved annual party put on by the Parent Association will not take place this year due to COVID restrictions. We will have a special valentine story during Monday Morning Meeting from Ms. Lage and Ms. Petrich!
Classroom teachers will plan valentine activities in classrooms to make sure everyone experiences valentine joy and inspiration.
End Of Trimester 2 On February 18
It is hard to believe it is nearly the start of the final trimester of the school year. Trimester 2 ends February 18. The end of the trimester is a time to assess goals, student progress, social interactions, and work habits. Updates on progress and feedback come to you through a conversation during our winter parent-teacher conferences and through the LS report card. The report card will be sent to you via email on February 28. You may notice fewer comments on the report card this marking period due to parent-teacher conferences being held these past two weeks. However, if the report card prompts questions or concerns, make sure to contact your child’s teacher. Connecting with teachers and strengthening the partnership is essential in your child’s education. It brings us such joy to be part of your child’s educational journey. Your investment in your child’s education is honorable. Our teachers work hard every day to help your child DREAM BIG and DO RIGHT!
Changes To COVID Protocols
You should have received information from the Communications Office outlining the changes that are being made to COVID protocols. Most changes will be implemented next week starting on Monday, February 7. One very excited change you read about in the communication is the return to eating in the MPA Commons for grades K-4. PreK students will continue to eat in their classroom until further notice. We will stagger the return of grade levels to the Commons according to the schedule below. Parents should continue to order their student’s lunch for the next two weeks. Please note that students will be making lunch selections on their own once they return to the Commons. Continuing to order your child’s lunch for the next two weeks will allow us some flexibility if we need to made adjustments. Starting February 28, you will no longer need to order lunch through Sage Dining.
Gradual Return Plan
- Week of February 14-18
Monday: Third and Fourth Grade will begin eating in the Commons
Wednesday: Second graders will begin eating in the Commons - Week of February 21-25
Monday: First Graders will begin eating in the Commons
Wednesday: Kindergarteners will begin eating in the Commons
PreK students will continue to eat in their classrooms.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Parent Education: Neurodiversity
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Dr. Jonathan Miller presented an interactive dialogue on January 27 about neurodiversity and the many ways in which our children learn. His presentation provided a wealth of information and answered many questions about how the brain works. If you are interested in learning more, check out the list of resources below for parents, teachers, and students to answer questions or provide more information on this topic.
Books for Parents about Executive Functions:
- Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare.
- Smart but Scattered Teens by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
- Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning, by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel.
- That Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week, by Ana Homayoun.
- The Organized Student by Donna Goldberg
Books for Teachers (and parents) about Executive Functions:
- Helping Children Learn by Jack Naglieri and Eric Pickering
- Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom by Lynn Meltzer
- Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention (Practical Interventions in the Schools) by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
- Teaching Teens with ADD, ADHD and Executive Function Deficits by Chris Zeigler Dendy
- Unstuck and on Target!: An Executive Function Curriculum to Improve Flexibility for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2nd Edition by Lynn Cannon and Lauren Kenworthy
Books for Parents about Behavioral/Emotional Regulation:
- Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope with Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca
- Kids, parents, and Power Struggles, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
- No-Drama Discipline: The Whole Brain Way To Calm The Chaos And Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne-Bryson
- How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Julie King
- Raising Human Beings: Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child by Ross W. Greene
Books for Teenagers:
- Train Your Brain for Success: A Teenagers Guide to Executive Functions by Randy Kulman, Ph.D.
- Anxiety Workbook for Teens by Lisa Schab, LCSW and
- Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at School, and Everywhere Else, by Christopher Willard PsyD.
- Get out of your mind & into your life for teens by Joseph Ciarrochi, PhD, Louise Hayes, PhD and Ann Bailey, MA
Books For Children:
- Different-A Great Thing to Be! by Heather Avis
- ADHD Is Our Superpower: The amazing talents and skills of children with ADHD by Soli Lazarus
- What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews
- The Anxiety Workbook for Kids: Take Charge of Fears and Worries Using the Gift of Imagination by Robin Alter PhD CPsych, Crystal Clarke MSW RSW and Oliver Burns
- My Busy, Busy Brain by Nicole Russell
Dates To Remember
Join us for the SnoDaze All-School Nature Walk at the Dodge Nature Center, February 22, 3:45-5:45 PM. Kick off the week of SnoDaze, and celebrate the joy of winter! Their naturalist will take MPA Families on a winter exploration of the grounds. Families will end with some free time to gather around the bonfire to chat, as well as kick-sled across the frozen ponds. This is an all-school event so consider joining us! RSVP to Staci Banks, sbhehe42@icloud.com.
February 10: Conferences @ 3:30-7:00 PM
February 17: Trimester 2 Ends
February 18: No Classes (Teachers’ Professional Development Day)
February 21: No Classes/Presidents’ Day
February 22: Dodge Nature Center Event @ 3:45-5:45 PM (Off Campus)
February 23: CHAMP Assembly (Wear grade level colored t-shirt)
February 24, 25, 28 and March 1: Used Uniform Sale on Campus (In the Atrium)
7 AM-4 PM
March 7-18: SPRING BREAK
