Happy October! As the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change, we are entering one of the most exciting months of the school year. There’s a lot happening this month, and I want to make sure you have all the important dates marked on your calendar!
Parent Conference Week: October 7-10
Our fall Parent-Teacher Conferences are right around the corner! Conferences will take place the week of October 7th-10th. This is such a valuable opportunity to connect with your child's teacher, celebrate their progress, and discuss ways we can continue supporting their success. We encourage all parents to attend. Please check with your child’s teacher if you have questions about the date and time of your specific conference.
Fall Book Fair: October 7-10
In conjunction with conference week, we are excited to host our Fall Book Fair in the library! From October 7th-10th, students and parents will have the chance to browse and purchase books that inspire a love of reading. The book fair will be open during school and after school. This is a great way to support our school and help build your child’s home library!
Red Ribbon Week: October 28-November 1
At the end of the month, we will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week from October 28th to November 1st. This national campaign helps teach our students about making healthy, responsible choices. We will have fun dress-up themes and activities that reinforce the importance of living a drug-free life. Be on the lookout for more details about our Red Ribbon Week!
Fall Parade: October 31st
To close out the month, we’ll be having our annual Fall Parade on October 31st! Students are invited to wear school-appropriate costumes as we parade around campus and share in the fun of the season. It’s always a joy to see the creativity of our students, and we invite families to join us for this special event!
As always, we are grateful for your support and partnership. October is shaping up to be an exciting month, and we look forward to celebrating all the wonderful moments with your children.
Warmly,
Ms. McNeil
Principal at Maple Hill
October Hawk Character Trait: Self Control
Our SEL enrichment lesson this month will focus on the character trait of Self-Control. We will thoughtfully discuss self-regulation, coping skills, safety networks, and mindfulness. Our lessons will include engaging activities that build fundamentals on recognizing triggers and calming our bodies when we feel big emotions. I hope that your child will build a better understanding of themselves and how to keep themselves safe.
Here are some literature suggestions:
TK/K: When Miles Got Mad
1st-2nd: The Way I Act by Steve Metzger
3rd-5th: I AM YOGA Read Aloud Book For Kids
Family Activity Ideas:
Here are some activities you can do as a family that practice self-control and understand how our bodies can react to impulses. You can help teach your kids to develop the skills to have self-discipline and willpower to help regulate emotions.
- Simon Says: Give an instruction like, “Touch your nose,” but kids only follow the directive if the directive begins with, “Simon says.” For example, kids would not touch their noses if you didn’t say, “Touch your nose,” but they would touch their noses if you said, “Simon says touch your nose.”
- Red Light, Green Light: No materials are needed for this game! In an open space, play music. Kids will dance while the music plays, and when the music stops, they will freeze! If you want to add a layer of difficulty when kids freeze, have them strike a yoga pose.
- Jenga: The slow, controlled movements needed for Jenga are great for practicing self-control! Move too fast, the tower will topple. Forget to pay attention to balance, and the tower will come crashing down! Kids will have to slow down and focus on the task to play.
As we commence the school year, it's crucial that we all familiarize ourselves with the safety reminders. The safety of our students is our topmost priority. Please take a moment to watch the brief video below and share it with anyone who might be involved in picking up or dropping off your child at school.
Also, ensure your child knows who is picking them up each day and has a designated meeting spot so they are confident about where to meet. TK-1st grade students need to be picked up at the gate by an adult.
Please DO NOT encourage your child to wait at the park across the street. There is no adult supervision there. Instead, pick a spot in front of the school to meet your child. Any child who has not been picked up and is still on campus after 15 minutes will be brought into the office to call home.
Click on the video below to view our Safety Slides for more detailed information.
Mrs. McNeil- Principal at Maple Hill
Email: kmcneil@wvusd.org
Website: www.maplehillschool.org
Location: 1350 Maple Hill Road, Diamond Bar, CA, USA
Phone: 909-861-6224