ACS Athens Elementary School Monthly Newsletter October 2018
Elementary News Kalo Mina! (Happy New Month!). Welcome to the first edition of the “ACS Athens Elementary Monthly Newsletter”. Every month, we will send this short newsletter. In it you will find the Character Trait of the Month, which is a character trait we focus on each month. Mr. Passons will talk about this character trait throughout the month during the Morning Meetings. Mr. Pelidis will echo this by visiting classrooms to reinforce lessons on the monthly character trait. We would also like to introduce to you “The Essential 35.” Each week, Mr. Passons introduces an essential rule. These rules often go hand-inhand with the Character Trait of the Month. We hope you that you find this newsletter both informative and useful as we work together to help our children become outstanding citizens.
Essential 35 Week of:
October 1 – It is important to be responsible with your trash no matter where you are, and to be sure not to litter. October 8 – Do not show disrespect with body language and facial features. October 15 – During morning assembly, do not speak or call out to friends. October 22 – You must read and complete your homework every day.
Character Trait of the Month- Responsibility The month of October we will focus on teaching Responsibility for our Character Trait of the Month. Here are 6 ways you can help teach your child responsibility at home. 1. Let Them Help You Do not grumble when it is time to do housework. Smile and invite your child to help, even if this makes the job take longer. It is team work and precious time with your child. 2. Model Responsibility And talk about it. Banish a tableful of dirty breakfast dishes with the line: "Now we put our plate in the sink", as the meal ends. Use the same inclusive "we" phrases over and over. 3. Praise Them Kids love to help. They want to help. To them, chores do not feel like work. Keep up positive vibes by offering specific praises for actions. For example, “I like the way you rinsed your plate and put it in the dishwasher.” 4. Manage Your Expectations When you ask a five-year-old to make the bed, it may still be lopsided. Do not criticize. Recognize a job well done. The next time you make your own bed, invite your child to watch. 5. Avoid Rewards At least at first. There is a time and place for rewards and allowances, but experts agree that being responsible is not it. Do not assume a reward system has to be in place for your child to learn responsibility. Specific and positive praise is a great way to start. 6. Provide Structure and Routine Kids thrive on order. Instead of offering rewards to get them to meet responsibilities, set up a morning routine with a positive end result. This is a great way to show completion of a task. 1