Weekly Principal Update

Hello Harmony Hills Family,

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the families who supported our Elf Shelf Holiday PTA Store. It was such a joy for both students and parents, and your involvement made it an incredible experience for all.

A special thank you to everyone who attended our PTA/Santa Night! We had a fantastic turnout, and it was wonderful to see our students enjoying the opportunity to meet Santa and share their holiday wishes.

We would also like to extend a huge shout-out to the Eisenhower Choir. Their beautiful Christmas carols added a special touch to the evening, and we are so grateful for their performance.

Once again, our amazing community came together to create a night full of holiday cheer, and we couldn't have done it without your support. Thank you for making this event one to remember!

PTA Lifetime Membership Awards were proudly presented to Coach Sanchez, dedicated volunteer Mr. Pepping, and our amazing parent, Marcia Garcia. We deeply appreciate your unwavering dedication and commitment to making a positive impact on our children’s lives. Thank you for all that you do!

Word of The Week- Peculiar- beyond or deviating from the usual or expected. "The dogs peculiar behavior worried the owner's."

As you know school safety is paramount as we head back to school. While some families utilize car-drop-off and others take the bus, there are many families who walk to school.

It has come to our attention from both staff and parents that traffic laws are not being heeded. Whether it's minding the speed limit or giving pedestrians the right-away, it is essential that we as a community make our roads safe.

Elementary aged children are small and more difficult for drivers to see, they are often unfamiliar with traffic laws, they tend to have difficulty judging speeds and distances, and they can be easily distracted. Therefore, it is critical for drivers to take special care throughout the school year. Please work with your child and plan for the safest walk to school possible whether you are accompanying them, or they are walking without adult supervision.

• To ensure your child's safety in our car pickup line, please clearly display your child's placard. If you don't have your placard, you need to come inside the school to show I.D. We take your child's safety very seriously.
• For safety reasons, please do not drop off your child before 7:15. We don't not have staff on campus until 7:15 to supervise kids.

• School breakfast is from 7:15-7:45. Please remind your child to go straight to the cafeteria upon arriving on campus. We want to ensure no child misses breakfast.
• If your child is a walker or gets picked up by car and you are on campus before dismissal, please do not hold conversations with them at the fence. When we see a student speaking with an adult not identified as school faculty, we take it seriously. Help us keep your child safe.

12/11 Reading Benchmark (3-5)

12/20- End of Second 9 Weeks

12/23-1/3 Winter Holiday

1/20 MLK Holiday

Healthy Ways to Cope With Holiday Stress

While we look forward to holidays and we may feel excitement and anticipation for them, the holidays can also come with feelings of angst or stress. The American Psychiatric Association recently conducted a poll and 1 in 3 Americans surveyed said that they expected to feel more stressed this holiday season than they were last year.

What leads to this stress? Many factors can contribute – financial strain as parents try to provide special moments for their family, traveling to see relatives can be difficult, exposure to family members with whom we may have complicated relationships, feeling obligated to host events in our home, or feeling obligated to participate in social celebrations that maybe don’t fit where you are emotionally. Some people also feel marginalized during the holidays when a dominant culture is being celebrated which is different from their own culture. Loneliness and grief can also feel more profound during the holidays.

Here are some coping strategies you can try if you feel overwhelmed by the upcoming holidays:

• Mindfulness and Meditation – there are apps and online videos to help you through guided relaxation exercises. Many are free.

• Saying NO to Prevent Burnout – it is OKAY to set limits on what you are willing to do. Prioritize what brings you joy and step back from what overwhelms you. You were asked to bring cookies to an event? You don’t need to bake them from scratch – storebought are just fine and it helps you take care of yourself instead of over-extending.

• Walk Away – if you find yourself in an escalating situation with family members, instead of contributing and letting a disagreement turn into a feud, walk away. Take a break. Consider the situation – perhaps they are saying things they wouldn’t normally say because they are also feeling higher stress levels. Our brains mirror what others are feeling – if both parties have high cortisol levels, our brains recognize this and release additional cortisol into our system as well. If you want to preserve your relationship, sometimes it is best to remove yourself from the conflict.

• Get Out in Nature – in the dark, cold winter months some people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder leading to feelings of sadness and apathy. Getting out in the sunlight helps our brain reset. Many studies over the years have shown that spending time in nature can help relieve stress, increase our ability to concentrate, lower inflammation in our bodies, and improve our overall mental health.

• Don’t Skip Out on Mental Health Care – if you are already in therapy or counseling, don’t skip out during the holidays. While we may be busier than normal, prioritizing our health care is important. If you will be out of town, ask your provider if you can have a telehealth session or a session over the phone if you need it. If you take medications on a regular basis, be sure to stay on that schedule. Skipping doses of some medications can cause more health issues and undesirable reactions.

• Acknowledge Grief or Loss – many people try to bury or ignore their feelings of grief during the holidays until they can’t ignore it anymore. Instead, try to find ways of honoring and remembering the loved ones you are missing. Share stories with family members, laugh, and try to continue the family traditions that you once did with your loved ones. Share the food and memories that made the holidays with them special to you.

• Don’t Overspend – holiday spending can leave you feeling stressed and taking on additional debt may be hard to overcome. Set realistic expectations with your children and yourself about what your family can, and cannot, afford. Focus on celebrating in ways that are budget friendly or even free. Instead of gifting all extended family members, try drawing names or do a Secret Santa. You could even start a new tradition of handmade or homemade items. Those thoughtful, heartfelt gifts just may end up being someone’s most treasured gifts.

Thank you,

Kimberly Varner, M.Ed.,CSC, LPC-A

Kimberly Varner, M.Ed., CSC, LPC-A

Licensed Professional Counselor Associate # 94958*

School Counselor

Section 504 Campus Coordinator

At-Risk Coordinator

Trauma Informed Schools Point of Contact

Harmony Hills Elementary School

(210) 407-3826

(210) 407-3809 - fax

kvarne@neisd.net – best option for fastest response

*Supervised by Nancy Asher, LPC-S, RPT-S

Counseling Request Form

When at school, students are not only learning academics, but social behaviors as well. When your child is not here they miss out on both. Friendships are formed and nurtured, and academics are learned and practiced. When your child has formed a pattern of being absent, it is hard for them to come back to school and pick up where they left off. They have missed the social stories of what has happened in their friends lives. They have missed important classroom celebrations. They have missed the connection of group classroom discussions. The list goes on. In short, they no longer feel like they belong to our Hawk Family. The connection to school is crucial to maintain successful educational experiences.

Poor attendance can contribute to anxiety of a child when they face coming back to school. If your child has poor attendance, the healthiest thing you can do for them is get them to our doors and we will do the rest. A healthy routine of coming to school, so your child feels like they belong and understand what is expected of them, is an ingredient to a healthy state of mind. They deserve the best we have to give but they have to show up.

Of course when your child is ill, it is important for them to stay home and recover. If it is an extended absence due to illness, and you are concerned about your child coming back to school, we are here to help.They are our future!

Parents please be aware of our cell phone policy. Failure to follow the rules will result in your child's phone getting confiscated and/or discipline consequences. Please know your child is always able to come to the office if they need to contact a parent/guardian.

Carri Elliott

Principal

Harmony Hills Elementary School