Schoolnotes mockup (1) by Alachua County School Notes

december 2014

› WORK OUT TIPS FOR WORKING MOMS › WHY YOU NEED A MISSION STATEMENT

alachua county a community partnership publication

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december 2014

This magazine is not sponsored or endorsed by The School Board of Alachua County

THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS

IS LOW SELF ESTEEM CONTAGIOUS?

WORKOUT TIPS FOR WORKING MOMS

SETTING LIMITS ON TECHNOLOGY

12 NON-TOY GIFTS FOR CHILDREN

SUPERINTENDENT’S NEW GOALS

KEEP THEM SAFE

WHY YOU NEED A MISSION STATEMENT

SIX COMPONENTS OF READING

PIZZA PARTY / ART CONTEST WINNERS

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THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS: Remembering children for whom it’s less wonderful BY JENN PETION DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, PARTNERSHIP FOR STRONG FAMILIES

The holidays are a time when we as parents, grandparents or caregivers get to enjoy the wonder in our children’s eyes as they experience the magic of the season. The lights on the tree, the carols, the spirit of the season and what it represents. Yet it’s also an opportunity to teach them gratitude for everything they have, starting with a safe and loving home or even presents under the tree. Many children in our community who’ve experienced abuse or neglect would not have these things this holiday season if not for a Partner Family (foster home) giving them a safe place to stay or a generous community partner who has sponsored them for the holidays. One of my favorite things about the Wish Upon a Star program our agency coordinates every holiday season is when parents use it to teach their little ones about giving and having empathy for their classmates who may not be able to be home for Christmas because home is not safe. For many of the children in our care, having a few presents under the tree lets them know that despite whatever trauma has occurred, there is someone in the community who cares about them and what they are going through.

As you enjoy this holiday season whether your family does it big or small - take a moment to reflect on the children who are living with relatives or licensed caregivers and don’t get to enjou the comforts of home of the peace of knowing where they will live in the future. Then think about what you can do in the New Year and beyond for these children. Perhaps that means sponsoring them next year for Christmas, or just maybe that means welcoming one more pait of pajamaclad feet and eyes full of wonder into your home next year. To learn more about foster care and how to help children in our community who’ve experienced abuse or neglect, visit www.pfsf.org.

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IS LOW SELF ESTEEM CONTAGIOUS? BY KATIE HURLEY CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPIST, MOM & WIFE WWW.PRATICALKATIE.COM

Parenting can be a journey full of ups and downs. We all experience unexpected obstables at times, and it isn’t always easy to remain brave and positive when the hits just keep on coming. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that while positive reframing from friends and loved ones can enhance self-esteem in people struggling with low self-esteem, consoling a friend with low self-esteem can be exhausting and can make those doing the consoling feel worse about themselves. This suggests that self-esteem can actually be contagious. The flip side, of course, is that psoitivity can also be contagious. So what can parents do when low self-esteem and negative core beliefs have a trickle-down effect? You can start by taking care of you.

Parental emotional health is as important to the kids as it is to the parents. Parents are the lenses through which children catch a first glimpse of the larger world around them, and that glimpse can be very powerful. While it makes good sense to attempt to protect children from adult stressors that are beyond their developmental level of processing, it’s nearly impossible to hide in plain sight when you are struggling with your sense of self on a daily basis. TALK ABOUT EMOTIONS.

Talking about emtions in kid-friendly language helps children understand that all people struggle at times and that ups and downs are both normal and to be expected. It also opens the door to close communication and discussion of feelings and emotions as kids grow. TALK ABOUT COPING STRATEGIES. Low self-esteem can feel like a bottemless pit of negativity. Once you get stuck in the loop, it takes hard work and mindfulness to break the cycle. Kids feel helpless when they see their parents struggling in silence. They tend to internalize the negative emotions in the room and often engage in self-blame.

Breaking the cycle of negativity begins with identifying emtions and establishing adaptive coping strategies. Talk about what helps lift your own mood and sense of self and then discuss what might work for the kids. Create a family list of “self-esteem boosters” to hang on the wall. Revisit them when low self-esteem emerges. PRACTICE ASKING FOR HELP.

Parenting can be all consuming at times, and this results in superhero parenting. While it might feel like you can handle just about anything as long as you keep pushing forward, supressing feelings and emotions only leads to increased ressentment. This can

trigger that vicious cycle of negativity and low self-esteem once again. Give yourself permission to be a little less perfect and a little less heroic, and learn to seek help from friends and family. Asking for help isn’t an admission of defeat. Asking for help is proof that you take your own emotional health seriously and that you understand the power of adaptive coping strategies. It also teaches your children a very valuable life lession: United we thrive, divided we struggle. Choose to thrive. Your family will be better for it.

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WORKOUT TIPS FOR WORKING MOMS BY JACQUELINE VALDEZ ELEGANT BODY PILATES STUDIO

These tips will help working mothers squeeze fitness into their day. With the extra demands and more time restraints in can be difficult.

Decide that you must workout for your mental health as well as your physical health. Make exercise a priority. what time of the day you 2. Decide want to do your workout. Try getting a workout done first thing in the morning before the hectic day beings.

your family involved in 6. Get fitness. Plan walks, bike rides

exercises that can be easily 3. Do done at home. Yoga, Pilates,

or workout in the backyard. Playing sports iwth the entire family during the weekday or even the weekend is also a great way to get a workout in.

workouts that include 4. Discover the little one(s). Some gyms offer

Remember it’s important to take care of you. If you don’t take car of your own needs, including getting fit and healthy, you won’t feel well enough to do the things you need to do.

Cardio Kickboxing and walking are great examples.

“mommy and me” classes that you can both step into. time during your lunch 5. Take break to throw your sneakers

on and go for a brisk walk or do some body weight exercises for 15 minutes. Pushups, lunges and squats are an example of what can be done at break-time.

Give yourself permission to do what’s best for you. Devoting time to your own health will benefit everyone involved: your boss, family, and most of all YOU!

SETTING LIMITS ON TECHNOLOGY AND HOW THIS IMPROVES SCHOOL PERFORMANCE BY ELIZABETH PATTON, LMHC SCHOOL COUNSELOR, QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC ACADEMY

Video games and academic performace might sound like two opposite ends of a spectrum but when a child is under-performing in the classroom, he or she is likely attracted to the world of gaming. With the almost instant reinforcement afforded by most games and the sense of accomplishment that comes with each new level (gem, world, etc) achieved, it’s no surpise that some students would rather participate in an imaginary world where they feel some success.

By the time the student reaches the 3rd grade or higher, the pattern of avoiding academic work and spending most free time with electronic games has become entrenched. Instead of fighting about homework or time spent reading, the parent is likely to disengage from the battle. Most parents that have reached this point might feel out of control and have no idea how to being setting limits for their struggling student.

Taking small steps is the key, especially in the beginning. Begin monitoring the amout of time the child spends in front of a screen. Once you have a baseline, you can slowly decrease the time while adding in some basic incentives. One such incentive might be the idea of “earning” screen time by participating in chores. As the child adapts to this process, a next step might be to have the child read a short story and give you (verbally or in writing) one or more of the following: the main idea, one idea for improving the story, a character description, an alternative ending to the story, a new setting, etc. With each academic endeavor, the child may earn some gaming time. Spending time reading with your student might set the course for sucess. Of course, there are many academic programs on-line and these might be a good way to start for the more reluctant student. Teachers and guidance counselors

are an excellent resource for ideas as well. Screen time for children is a hot topic and many articles and research studies have been published suggesting guidelines. The american Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children over 2 years should have no more than 1-2 hours of quality entertainment media per day. Common Sense Media takes another angle and says that while no number fits every child. the biggest consideration should be the quality of the media and how it fits into the child and the family’s lifestyle. An important step in this process is to remove all screens from the child’s sleeping area. Achieving a sleep pattern that is free from distractions is one fo the best life habits that a child will learn. It is welldocumented that sleep deprivation can increase disruptive behaviors and decrease academic success.

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12 NON-TOY GIFTS FOR CHILDREN BY RACHEL JONES NOURISHINGMINIMALISM.COM

CLASSES. Music, dance, riding, drawing,

classes are a great way to encourage children in their interests and let them know that you pay attention to them and what they enjoy.

MEMBERSHIPS. Zoo, science museum,

children’s museum, YMCA membership, etc. These are particularly great for family gifts! Many young families want to enjoy day outings but afforing them can be a challenge, so you give them the gift of a yearly membership.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. Kids enjoy getting things in the mail. Why not encourage their reading by getting them a magazine subscription for something they are interested in! EVENTS. Movie tickets, tickets to a play, concert or sports event are really exciting! Having an event to look forward to makes the rest of life more enjoyable. ACTIVITIES. Mini golf, bowling, skating

rink. These are so much fun! And a big part of the fun is going together. Children love spending time with the adults in their lives, they want to see you enjoying your time as well as enjoying them.

Kids love cooking wtih their parents. Baking something special or cooking dinner is an ideal time to spend together and learn life skills. Print out a recipe, purchase all the ingredients and set a date for cooking together.

RECIPE

AND

INGREDIENTS.

CRAFTING DATE. Our daughter loves

making crafts. I do too, I really do enjoy the creative aspect. But I rarely take time out to do it with her. These crafting dates mean the world to our creative little girl. Keep a basket of craft supplies and get out a book for inspiration. We like this book. ARTS AND CRAFT SUPPLIES. If your

craft box is running low, stock up a little on things you need. Add in something fun the kids haven’t used before. A gift of art and craft supplies often brings on the imagination and kids can’t wait to get to work!

COUPONS. An envelope of coupons that they can “spend” at any time: I’ll do one chore- no questions asked, movie and popcorn night, you pick the movie! 1:1 game of cards or basketball (whatever the child’s interest is in), sit and read a book with me, Stay up 1/2 hour past bedtime. GIFT CARD. Dinner, ice cream, coffee, cupcake- whatever suits their fancy! Give them the freedom in inviting whoever they wish: it may be mom or dad, grandparent, aunt or even teach that they would like to spend more time with.

RESTAURANT

DRESS UP CLOTHES. These do need to be limited, but 2 dresses and couple play silks can get hours and hours of play! OUTDOOR SUPPLIES. If you are an

outdoorsy family, giving the kids their own fishing tackle or gardening equipment can be a big deal. IT’s also something that gets left on the shelf in the garage, so you always know right where to find it.

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SUPERINTENDENT LAYS OUT GOALS FOR ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Superintendent Dr. Owen Roberts has begun laying the foundation for a series of strategies aimed at boosting student achievement at all schools. In his ‘100 Days Report’ before the School Baord and about 500 community members, Roberts laid out his goals for the next five years. They include all students graduating from high school ready for college or careers and with an appreciation for the arts, healthy lifestyle habits and their role in society. “I want all students prepared to be productive members of our community and society,” said Roberts. “Every child, regardless of background should have that opportunity.” In a nod to NASA’s sucessful launch of spacecraft that is ultimately destined to take humans to Mars, Roberts referred to his five-year plan as the district’s ‘MARS Mission—Moving Alachua to Reach the Stars.’ During his presentation, Roberts also outlined some the the strategies he is implementing to help the district reach its goals, including five goals he calls ‘transformative.’ They include an early childhood education initiative that will provde all children from birth to grade 3 with health, educational and other services they’ll need to succeed in school and beyond. They also include a renewed focus on laguage development. Work has already begun on a STEAM initiative (science, technology, education, arts and math) that will promote academic

achievement, emotional development, creativity and other skills necessary in the 21st Century. He’s proposing the development of a Parent Academy to rpovide parents with the skills they need to more effectively help their children. Roberts also plans to establish a Global Studies magnet program that would offer students in kindergarten through 12th grade the opportunity to learn new languages and cultures and develop a sense of social responsibility. Roberts has already begun reaching out to local civic, business, advocacy and social service organizations to work with the district on some of those strategies. “Schools are an important catalyst for change, but they cannot do it alone,” he said. “I belive we have the capital and the capacity and the commitment in Alachua County to make transformative changes in our schools and in the broader community.” Roberts also presented facts and figures about the current state of the community and schools, including those areas facing significant challenges, such as poverty, teen pregnancy, child abuse and other crimes. He stressed that addressing those challenges will benefit everyone. “We are not safe, successful and free unless all of us are safe, successful and free,” he said. Roberts’ ‘100 Days Report’ in Powerpoint is available on the district’s website at www.sbac.edu. A video of the full presentation to the School Board and the community will be posted to the same site.

KEEP THEM SAFE Our children are our most valuable asset. They are the future of America and hold all of our hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow. Protecting them should always be our number one priority as parents, teachers and other adults. Sadly, children are also the most vulnerable memners of society. It has become harder than ever to keep them safe form becoming victims of crime due to society’s addiction to soical meida and the World Wide Web. The same advances in computers and telecommunication technology that allow our children to reach out to new

sources of knowledge and cultural experiences are also leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and harm by computer-sex offenders.

INTERNET SAFETY TIPS:

• •

•

Never let your child(ren) have access to the internet unless you are in the same room. Talk with your child(ren) about safe practices online and let them know it is never ok to share personal information online without your permission. Remind your child(ren) to watch what they post because it is forever. Anything that is posted online can never really be removed and it can show up anywhere. Educate yourself on how they access the Internet, where they like to go, and who they talk with. The best policy is to never talk with someone you do not know in real life.

The Alachua County Sherriff ’s Office Crime Prevention Unit offers free internet safety presentations to children, parents, and groups. Please call 352.374.1800 to schedule a class.

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YOU NEED A MISSION STATEMENT BY STACIE NELSON MOTHERHOODONADIME.COM

IT GIVES YOU PERSPECTIVE. It feels

as though this season of your life is here to stay, but in reality, it is quickly passing by. When you’re in the midst of the diaper changes, the continual illnesses, the sleepless nights, the endless character training (your child’s... and your own), you need to know that what you’re doing matters (and it does matter tremendously)! Constantly reminding yourself of the purpose and mission you’ve been given can give you perspective.

IT ENCOURAGES YOU WHEN YOU’RE DOUBTING. In those moments when I

want to give up, I can look to the mission I’ve been given and be reminded that I am fulfilling my mission. My emtions often waver, but my mission is unchanging.

IT WILL GUIDE YOUR DECISIONMAKING. There are so many opportunities

and things people want you to be involved in. Most of them are good things, and so it becomes challenging to decide what’s best. If you’re like me, you’ll end up with too much on your plate. When that happens, you’ll eventually burn out, or you’ll wast your life doing things that aren’t meaningful to you (but you feel like you should do them because someone else wants you to). If you have a clear mission statement, you can evaluate opportunities in light of what is really important to you. You can say “Yes” to the things that fit with your purpose... and “No” to the things that are good, but aren’t the best. FORMING A MISSION STATEMENT

What are your passions? Take a few minutes and jot down the things in life

you are most passionate about. What do you just have to do? What inspires you? What makes you feel complete? What are your values? Not to be morbid, but imagine your own funeral. Really...take a few minutes to do this. What do you hope people will say about you? What are the things you value most that you hope others will see if you life? Even it it isn’t who you are now, write it down. Sometimes you need to begin at the end to even know where to begin! List your roles. Are you a mom? A wife? A daughter? Teacher? Business owner? Think about the many roles you have and just make a list. On all of these questions, write as little or as much as you want. As you look back through your writing, I’m sure you’ll find some overlap between questions—and that is okay. Look back through what you’ve written. does anything jump out at you right away? Do you see any “themes” in your notes? As you read through, you will notice one or two main missions, Then, break the general theme down into your life roles. Two points to remember when writing a mission statement: 1) Make it broad, but not too vague. Your mission statement encompasses your life, so in that respect it is goin gto be broad! But your mission statement is also focusing in on one or two main purposes, so it needs to have some detail! 2) Allow room for change. If you have written a good mission statement, it should still be applicable ten, twenty, or even firfty years down the road. However, life sometimes throws a curve and you need to make changes, so just remember it is not set in stone.

THE SIX COMPONENTS OF READING BY AMY SHOCKLEY ACPS DISTRICT LITERACY COACH

The National Reading Panel (2000) identified five essential components in the process of reading: Phonemic awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. To be a successful reader, children must develop in all of these areas. Below is an explanation of the five components of reading and a newcomer to the official list of essential componets is introduced. PHONEMIC AWARENESS: The strongest indicator for a child’s success in learning to read, phonemic awareness is the understanding that wrods are created from phonemes ( the small units of sound in language). Phonemic awareness may sound like phonics, but the difference is it pertains only to sounds. PHONICS: The connection between the

sounds and the letter symbols, and how they can combine to create words. Phonics turns a whole bunch of squiggly and straight lines that don’t mean anything into symbols

that are connected to sounds. Phonics is dependent on understanding and knowing the alphabet. Letter symbols must be learned so that the reader can ‘attach’ the sound(s) to each letter. FLUENCY: A reader’s ability to read words

with accuracy, expression, and speed. Many processes must com together at the ame time for fluent reading to occur. Whether reading orally or silently, fluent readers can adjust their rate of reading to address what is happening in the text. Fluency is crucial for comprehension to occur. A reader must

string the words together quickly to create sentences and paragraphs that provide the meaning of the text. If he is constantly slowing down to figure out words, or is reading so quickly that he is not processing the tet- the reader whill not be able to create meaning for himself. VOCABULARY: Recognizing and knowing

the meaning of words is crucial to the process of reading. Children begin to connect the words they know in their oral vocabulary to their reading vocabulary throughout instruction. Readers will develop and ‘grow’ their vocabulary throughout their lives. COMPREHENSION: The MAIN REASON

WE READ! All other components of reading work together to create comprehension of text for the reader. Comprehension is the most complex component of reading as it involves all comonents and requires the reader to apply thinking skills. It is the understanding of what is being read. But wait... there’s more! Reasearch has suggested that an influential part of the

foundation for reading, oral language, is another critical aspect in creating meaning from reading. Florida has broadened the scope of the fomula for success from 5 to 6 components of reading...oral language has made the list! ORAL LANGUAGE: Simply put, oral lanuage is listening and speaking. However, it involves many smaller pieces: developing meaning for words children hear and say, learning the fules of how words are linked together, understanding those small units of meaning can combine in wrods (ie. preschool- pre has meaning and school has meaning), understanding the sound structure of language, and finally the social use of language such as when to use ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. Oral language typically develops rapidly throughout preschool, lays the groundword for effective communication, and is the foundation for success in literacy. These six components of reading represent the pieces of the puzzle that must be put together in order for children to become scessful readers!

RIDDLE

BRAIN TEASERS RIDDLE

I have streets but no pavement, I have cities but no buildings, I have forests but no trees, I have rivers yet no water. What am I?

Which one is faster, hot or cold? Hot. You can catch cold. KNOCK, KNOCK JOKE

Knock, knock Who’s there? Philip Philip who? Philip the car, we’re out of gas.

WORD SCRAMBLE

Unscramble the letters to make words that make a sentence. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Het dre drib ustj tae a taf rowm BRAIN TEASER

PENCIL PUZZLE

A farmer has seventeen sheep. All but nince of them die. How many sheep does he have left?

Submitted by Ky Maske, Jordan Glen School

Answers can be found at alachuacountyschoolnotes.org

On a piece of paper, draw five straight lines like this: | | | | | See if you can use five more lines to make nine.

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JANUARYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THEME: WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS?

Write or draw about the dreams you have for your future. You can also include how you are going to make them come ture. Include specific detials and an awesome illustration. Please contact alachuacountyschoolnotes@gmail.com to find out the teacher and school. Make sure your child includes their full name, teacher and school on the back of their artwork. EMAIL YOUR WORK TO US BY JANUARY 17, 2015 AT ALACHUACOUNTYSCHOOLNOTES@GMAIL.COM OR BY MAIL TO PO BOX 141571 GAINESVILLE, FL 32614

Our main goal is to encourage, support and enhance full-time sequential art and music programs for all elementary students in Alachua County Public Schools. Fan of the Arts believe that Arts education is critical for the total education for all children. The friends of Alachua County Public School Elementary Arts Programs Fund managed by the Gainesville Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Our purpose is to promote and support quality elementary art and music education programs not covered by tax dollars. WANT TO ADVERTISE IN SCHOOL NOTES? CALL 352.328.4780