Discovery Specialist Spotlight

The term “Specialists” refers to the teachers your student sees in Music, Library, Movement, Fitness and SKIP. Specialists see every K, 1 student at Discovery! A five day rotation schedule is followed by your student’s class.

Specialists had a great time with students at the Movement Madness Fundraiser where we received donations close to $18,000. The decorations, gym track, lights, and music made it fun for all. We were also active in the book fair, conferences, Trunk or Treat, the Veteran’s Day assemblies, food drive , crazy hair day and Apple Cup day. Specialists take the lead in many of the all-school activities.

This newsletter focuses on how to include some of each specialist area into experiences to enjoy during the winter season and possible gift ideas. The Specialist Spotlight will be sent home four times throughout the school year. This is edition #2. This is one way we are connecting with the families of Discovery students. You are always welcome to contact any of us concerning your child and our programs.

So far this year we have been working on hula hoop skills, ball skills, scooters, bean bag tricks, and juggling scarves. Students have been working on setting personal goals in these areas. Students have been seeing how long they can hula hoop on the hips and other tricks. As far as ball skills, students have been working on using the pads of the fingers to dribble with their right and left hand continuously. Students have been working on cascade style juggling starting with one scarf, then two, then three scarves. The more practice the better! A perfect Christmas gift would be a jump rope, a hula hoop, a ball, beanbag, and/or juggling scarves or cubes.

The pictures below show us engaged in balancing skills.

Discovery Students are becoming more and more tuneful, beatful, and artful every week in our Music Station! Ask your first grader or kindergartner to sing “There Are Many Things I Am Thankful For” or the action song, “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”

We’ve also been getting ready for our whole school sing-along on the last day before break. The holidays are a great time for the whole family to share songs and sing together.

Small, simple instruments could be great stocking stuffers or gifts for your growing musician. In the Music Station we use hand drums, tambourines, sand blocks, and bells as we learn how to make music together.

We have recently changed our theme from Castles and Dragons to Pets and Vets. Our imaginative play and art projects are changing from noble Kings and Queens and fire breathing dragons to learning to care for animals and household pets. Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Get Out and Play - check out the Tacoma Children’s Museum

SKIP Challenge: As a family, do a random act of kindness for someone you do not know!

The last few weeks we have been learning to jump rope in class. Jumping rope is a great way to stay fit and healthy as kids get older. The longer kids jump rope the harder their heart and lungs have to work improving the cardiorespiratory system. The jumping and landing strengthens muscles and bones. My expectation is for kindergartners to be able to jump over their rope either forward or backward one time. For first graders, the expectation is 10 jumps in a row forward or backward. Of course kids can exceed these expectations. If students are able to jump forward and backward 20 times, I will introduce jump rope tricks to them. If you are still thinking about gifts for your child this year, I’d recommend a jump rope ;-).

There are less daylight hours, colder temperatures, and at times non-stop rain! It’s a perfect time to stay in and do some reading. Data shows that reading out loud to your child contributes to their reading success. Countdown to Christmas with a different Christmas story read each evening before going to bed. Also, this is an excellent time of year to get some real life, meaningful writing practice from your child. Have them make a Christmas wish list to post for all to see, plus include the list in a letter to Santa; and don’t forget to write thank you cards/notes after the gift giving ends. Concentrate on letter sounds to spell out the message. When gift buying this holiday season, please include at least one book! It is an excellent way to show that you value reading and support your child learning to read.

Exciting news!! Kindergarten begins library book check out in January. Please look for a note from the library about our procedures. Students need to be able to tell us their first and last name in order to check out a book. Make sure your student has mastered this skill.

Remember, students select their own library book. Parents usually have to read it to them. This reading time can be used as Read & Lead minutes. The due date is stamped on the white sticker on the front or back of the book. There are no late fees, but check out is suspended until their current library book is returned. You will be charged the book price for any lost or damaged books. Make it a fun, positive time reading the library books! READ, Read, read!!!

Both first grade and Kindergarten students have completed all their Kelso’s Choices lessons and are now considered Kelso Kids. They all received a frog charm for the AIM ring and a Kelso’s Choices Wheel to take home. Kelso’s Choices is a problem solving curriculum where kids learn 9 options to try if they are having a small, kid size problem like trying a Kelso’s Choice then going to an adult if help is still needed. For big problems (dangerous, sick or hurt) students are taught to go get an adult. This is called reporting. Kelso’s Choices works any where. Give it a try at home!

The food drive this year was a great success! Discovery families contributed over 6,000 items to our Family Resource Center (which is open in the portable on the south side of Discovery on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) and Mountain View Community Center!

The counseling center was able to offer 9 small group experiences during October-December. Topics of these groups included social skills, emotional regulation, citizenship and leadership, body awareness, and Discovery rules and expectations. New groups will be forming in January - for more information, or to refer your child for counseling/group services, please visit the Discovery Counseling website .

Coming in January: Love and Logic Parenting Classes. Classes will be held on Thursdays for 6 weeks beginning January 14th. Classes are from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. $30.00 includes your workbook, snacks, and childcare. It is facilitated by a former teacher with over 30 years of experience teaching at Discovery. Scholarships are available. Contact Endeavor Counselor, Jesse Smith at 253-517-1400 or jsmith@fifeschools.com for more information!

Winter gift ideas to support social-emotional learning at home: books, books, books! Stories that show characters learning about topics such as personal space, regulating emotions, being mindful, showing kindness, etc. can be a great conversation starter with your kids! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler! by Margery Cuyler

• One by Kathryn Otoshi - a book about kindness and standing up to mean behavior

• Any books written by Julia Cook - she has books focused on live events, hygiene, mindset, emotions, you name it!