A Message from GQES Administration!
GQES Vision: Thriving Literacy Community in a STEM School
GQES Mission: Chameleons RISE (Raising Intentionality by Strengthening Expectations)
GQES Belief: Chameleons Got HOPE!
Week 10: 10/14/24-10/18/24
Dear GQES Families,
Thank you for coming to our student-led conferences last week. Hopefully, you saw your child's progress and are excited to help your child keep learning! Here are some suggestions to help you help your child to continue learning and progressing:
- Please talk, tell stories, and ask questions in your native language. Language skills transfer across languages, so rich conversations strengthen children’s academic abilities.
- Please promote reading in the home language. Bilingual books (English + native language) or stories from online sources can enhance literacy
- Try to celebrate Small Wins: Praise effort, not just results, to build motivation and confidence
- Check-in Regularly with your child's teacher: Have weekly check-ins to see how your child feels about their progress.
- Give Positive Feedback: Focus on improvements, and offer encouragement even when challenges arise.
After one quarter of the school year, it's important to review how we as educators and you as parents or guardians can team up to equip our students with self-discipline. Self-discipline ensures children do what’s right even without supervision. “We want to teach children how to manage their emotions and responsibilities independently. It’s okay to validate feelings, but children must also learn that their actions have consequences.”
So, at home, parents, please.....
- Be consistent: Children thrive on predictable consequences.
- Create specific house rules: Ensure rules are age-appropriate and focused on behaviors (e.g., “We clean up our toys after playtime”).
- Explain the why: Help children understand how rules promote fairness and respect.
- Praise children not only for emotional awareness but also for following through with tasks, making good decisions, and regulating their behavior.
Model. Parents can teach self-discipline by modeling it in their own behavior. Encourage parents to talk through decision-making: “I really want to watch TV, but I need to finish the laundry first. Or, Demonstrate emotional control: “I feel frustrated right now, so I’m going to take a deep breath before we continue.”
Assign age-appropriate tasks—such as household chores—and teach responsibility and build independence. (Preschool: Putting away toys, setting the table; Elementary: Cleaning their room, helping with laundry).
Validate children’s emotions while holding them accountable. Here’s how:
- Empathetic Acknowledgment + Limit-Setting:
- “I know it’s hard to stop playing, but it’s time to finish your homework.”
- “You seem upset. It’s okay to be mad, but we don’t hit when we’re angry. Let’s find another way to express how you feel.
Our teachers have ideas on how to help foster emotional regulation as does our school counselor, Ms. Kate Yost. Please reach out to her for suggestions if you wish to have more help!
Red Ribbon Week 2025 is this coming week. This week affords us an opportunity for schools to promote drug awareness and encourage students to commit to living drug-free. This national campaign typically runs during the last week of October, with various activities and themes to engage students in meaningful ways. Please see below our Red Ribbon Week Plans.
If you have any questions or concerns, please each out to us at 540-662-3575. Thank you for partnering with us to help your child thrive!
Sincerely,
Joanie Hovatter, Principal
Jennifer DiMarco, Assistant Principal
Garland R. Quarles Elementary School
(540) 662-3575 (Phone)
(540) 662-8449 (Fax)
