Glacier Ridge Gazette

August 18, 2023

November 1 2024

DR. KURTY'S CORNER

Fostering a Positive Self-Concept in Children

Part of PAX is to identify the characteristics and behaviors that leaders exhibit. Being a PAX leader does mean a leader in the traditional sense of being the person in charge. Rather, it is the belief that we all have the capacity to act as a leader and demonstrate kindness, empathy, and respect for others. We want a whole school of PAX leaders.

A phrase that educators often say to encourage positive behavior is, “I like how Billy is ready to learn, at his seat, and looking at me.” You can fill in the action that Billy is doing with any desired behavior to publicly praise him and encourage others to do the same.

Research says that praise and encouragement strengthen desired behaviors. However, PAX, which is a research-based behavioral management program states that using the phrase, “I like how…” is not necessarily the phrasing that we should use. Intrinsic motivation is good. However, to behave out of motivation to please others, is not always good. We want students to be PAX leaders because they believe they have the capacity to lead, know why it is good to be a PAX leader, and identify as a leader. Our goal is to develop good human beings, not compliant students.

The article, Should Parents Stop Saying, ‘I’m So Proud of You’ or “Good Job’?, talks about how a slight change of language helps students build their own identity of who they are and fosters leadership and positive self-concept without doing so out of a desire to be liked. In a world with social media, which only increases its impact on a child’s self-efficacy as they get older, developing their positive self-concept is significantly more important in the younger years than it was previously.

I want my own children to know that I’m proud of them and that they did a good job at various times. However, I want them to know that I’m still proud of them when they make mistakes too. I also want them to know that even in failure, there are things they did that are good. They may have tried hard, but the outcome was not perfect. Effort, planning, and hard work are all things that I want to encourage, and saying good job for the outcome or without identifying what was good is not effective.

Just like E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome), we can’t control the E or the O, but we have complete control over the R. Controlling the R has an impact on the O, but not complete control. Therefore, we want to praise the R, which is often the amount of effort they put in.

In the article above, it addresses some language to use and exactly what to praise. A great starting point to have with your child is to have a discussion about who they think they are as a person. If you ask them, “What kind of person are you and how do you know,” you may be surprised that they already have developed a beginning of a self-concept. However, it is important for them to know that they have the power and control to be who they want to be. They control their actions and identity, not others. This also helps build resiliency, especially when they make a mistake.

To do this, start by discussing the questions/topics below with your child. This can be for the school or home setting. Feel free to remove the word PAX and just use the words, leader or kind person instead.

What is a PAX leader?
What are some things a PAX leader can do to make the world/school/home better?
What characteristics of a PAX leader are you good at?
What characteristics of a PAX leader do you admire?
What are some ways that you can practice being an even better PAX leader?
Further discussion topics:

PAX leaders are not perfect. PAX leaders fix work to fix their mistakes
Adults make mistakes too. Practicing being a PAX leader is a life-long skill.
You decide the type of person you want to be. Others don’t control who you are.

Sincerely,

Pete Kurty, Ed. D

Principal

Three part series about how we inadvertently treat children differently Part 3: Parents are teachers too Expect growth, not perfection. My generation constantly heard the phrase, “There’s no such thing as perfection.” That concept is absolutely true. I’m not sure exactly why or where that phrase originated from. As adults, we certainly know that to be true. High achievers also know that perfection is an impossible outcome. I’m not a perfect principal, father, husband, or leader. However, we sometimes expect children to be perfect - especially during a time when they are just learning how to navigate life and new skills. Children make mistakes….a lot of them. Not only that, but they should make mistakes. That is how they best learn how to navigate life, problem solve, and build resilience for adversity. Teach, don’t tell: When my children were younger, it was much easier to tell them what to do and how to do it. They would often listen because they understood the authoritative structure of child and parent. However, now that I have two young teenagers, just telling them what to do because I’m the parent doesn’t work any more. Furthermore, telling someone something is not a good teaching strategy either. As parents, we are teachers. Telling and giving information is NOT teaching. When someone can understand the concert, apply the skill, think abstractly about it, and then apply it in a variety of new situations, that is the teaching and learning process. It’s easier said than done (especially with teens AND adults). However, that is the most effective process. Enforce growth & reflection, not outcome: Because we have navigated life for decades, we often forget that children are just learning how to do things for the first time. As a child, you are often doing many things in life for the first time. When doing something for the first time, being good at it initially is a rarity, let alone perfect (which is impossible). Instead of expecting perfection, look for growth and reflection. I have found that my children will often just want to do it the way they want to. Schoolwork is a common example. You would think that having my doctorate would make me an expert in teaching children. Regardless, my children don’t see it that way. Instead of portraying that I know what I’m talking about, I ask them reflective questions to get them to plan and explain what they think they need to do. I force them to reflect and plan ahead of time. What is your goal? What do you want from doing this or this way)? Why do you think this is the best way/plan? What are there things that could go wrong? I’m here to support you and I believe in you. What can I do to help you? Afterwards, regardless of whether the outcome was positive or detrimental, we try to reflect. This is often harder because the children are anticipating a parent lecture. So navigate this with caution and don’t force it. They often know their shortcomings and just don’t want to talk about it. I’m proud of you for carrying out your plan. Is there something I could have done differently to help you? (This shows that you are a team and support them in failure and success). What did you plan that went well? What would you plan differently next time? Feedback: Feedback is an important part of learning as well. Again, in the younger years, it is easier. However, that is what also allows adults to just give feedback in a way that we wouldn’t want as adults. If I try something new for the first time at work, I certainly wouldn’t want my boss to just give me constructive feedback. Instead provide balanced feedback and couple it with the reflective questions above. Teaching and learning is about growth and ownership. If someone just tells me what to do, I don’t have any ownership in it. Growth and change occurs more out of strengths than deficits. In other words, I’m more likely to build on my strengths and success than the things that are harder for me to change. Therefore, begin with the reflective questions above and then feedback about what was positive and successful. Follow that with the reflection questions about what to change and feedback. End with a supportive question to show your support and care. Don’t forget to incorporate conversation, questions, and feedback about their effort. Sometimes they have a great plan, but the outcome wasn’t as expected. Therefore, reinforce the amount and quality of the effort that they put in, and don’t focus solely on the outcome. We are growing and learning as parents, too. We make mistakes and it’s okay for our kids to know that. That allows them to see that making mistakes themselves is okay. However, we all must learn and grow from those mistakes. Ironically, it is better for them to know that a perfect parent doesn’t exist either. Sincerely, Pete Kurty, Ed. D Principal

GLACIER RIDGE INFORMATION

National Pink Shirt Day - Next Thursday

Pink Shirt Day is an annual event against bullying, held in Canada and New Zealand. Participants wear pink shirts and attend or host informative events to raise awareness about bullying, particularly in schools. Pink Shirt Day was started in 2007 in Canada, and now occurs all around the world. The United Nations celebrates Pink Shirt Day on first Thursday of November.

We encourage students to wear pink on Thursday, November 7th.

Cough Drop Policy

As the cough and cold season continues to invade our community, we want to remind families of the district cough drop policy.

Students are not required to have a medical provider's order for students to have cough drops at school; however, they do require a parent signature. The parents are responsible for providing the cough drops and they must be kept in the clinic with a note that gives permission to administer with the parents signature. When the student needs a cough drop, they should be sent to the clinic.

Please feel free to contact the clinic with any questions or concerns.

Candy Take Back - Benefitting Feed the Kids Columbus

As we have supported in year’s past, we will be accepting unwanted and leftover candy beginning November 1st thru the 8th. Your donation will support Feed The Kids Columbus. FTKC is a non-profit working to serve and advocate for children in Central Ohio with food insecurities, including students in our own district. Your treats will be added to food bags which are distributed to students in need.

Bins will be located in the main lobby at GRE for easy drop off. If you have any questions, please contact glacierridgepto@gmail.com.

Veterans Day Project: Monday, October 28th - Wednesday, November 6th.

Families are kindly asked to bring in supplies to support our troops serving overseas. Boxes will be in front of the library in order to collect: toothpaste, toothbrushes, decks of cards, magazines, hard candy, powdered drink mix, chap-stick, baby wipes, and small toys such as balls and yo-yos.

Also, if you have a family member currently serving overseas, we would like to send them a care package. Please email Mrs. Gould at (gould_angela@dublinschools.net) their APO address or fill out this Google Form.

Thank you for supporting our troops!

Sona, Marie, Madelyn, Lydia, Lillian, and Mrs. Gould

GRE Student Leadership Veterans Day Committee

Veterans Day Celebration 2024

The students and staff of Glacier Ridge Elementary are excited for our annual Veterans Day Celebration. This year our celebration will be held on Monday, November 11th at 9:50 AM. Veterans, as special guests of our Glacier Ridge students and staff, are invited to attend. We will honor our veterans with an assembly, followed by a brief reception in the commons. GRE students are encouraged to invite a family member who is a veteran.

In preparation for this day, we ask that anyone in our GRE family who would like to bring a veteran, please RSVP by completing this form by Tuesday, November 5. This will allow us to properly plan for and recognize each of our guests.

Registration is necessary in order to plan appropriate seating and support. Family members are welcome to attend along with our veteran guests; however, seating may be limited for additional family.

*** PLEASE NOTE - The assembly start time is later this year than in the past. Our students and staff will be ready to greet you upon arrival starting at 9:40 AM. Please do not arrive earlier than 9:40 as students will be in class until that time.

Artist/Author Visit - Book Ordering Nov 1 - 8

Glacier Ridge Elementary is excited to be visited by cartoonist and teaching artist,

Jerzy Drozd! During his visit, Mr. Drozd will host drawing games in which your favorite GRE teachers will compete, showcasing their creativity with prompts provided by your students!

Mr. Drozd will be available on author visit day to sign copies of his new graphic novel, The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue, which School Library Journal named “...easily one of the best graphic novels of the year.”

You can see more information about the artist visit HERE.

Click here to order your child a book

SIGN UP & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Parent/Guardian Volunteer Background Check

VOLUNTEERING: Dublin City Schools takes the safety of our students and staff seriously and requires a background check for all volunteers interacting with students. In order to attend field trips or volunteer in the classroom, you much go through the background check process. The process is free and easy and takes only a few minutes to complete. This is required for any parents or caregivers wishing to volunteer with students.

Background Check Sign-up

Morning Tiger Student Announcements

Would you like to start your day saying “Hello!” to everyone at Glacier Ridge in the morning? Are you in 2nd thru 5th grade? Then sign up to read the morning announcements! If you would like to find out more about this opportunity and sign up to be a Tiger Student Announcer then go to the sign-up link below.

Students can sign up only 1 time per week.

Morning Tiger Student Announcements Sign-up

Glacier Ridge Student Greeter Team

Glacier Ridge Elementary believes in creating a caring and comfortable environment for it's community of learners. This begins as students enter the front doors of the school in the morning. Sign up your child to be a greeter. Students gain confidence, become leaders, and learn how to present themselves in a positive way.

Click on this link to find out more specific information.

Student Greeter Sign-up

GRE EVENTS

Upcoming GRE Events

November 1st- Feed the Kids candy collection begins

November 3rd- Daylight savings day

November 2nd- PTO cookie dough & pastry sale begins

November 5th- No school (staff professional day) Election Day

November 27th-29th- No School Thanksgiving Break

Subscribe to the GRE Google Community Calendar

DISTRICT UPDATES

Fall Back

Please remember to change your clocks and “fall back” one hour. Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 3.

No School - November 5

There is no school on Tuesday, November 5 due to a Teacher Work/Professional Development Day.

Rising Pneumonia Cases: What Parents Need to Know

We’ve seen a rise in cases of pneumonia across Dublin City Schools, and we want to ensure parents stay informed. Pneumonia, an infection that inflames the lungs, can lead to a variety of symptoms, including cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. Early recognition is essential, especially as these symptoms overlap with other seasonal illnesses. For more information on pneumonia, please refer to What is Pneumonia from the NIH and our pneumonia fact sheet from the CDC, which provide insights into prevention, symptoms, and when to seek care.

From the City of Dublin

Shred It! Document Destruction This Weekend

Document Destruction Day is back at the City of Dublin Fleet Building, 6351 Shier Rings Road, this Saturday! Shred and recycle your old documents the safe and sustainable way Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. Use our list of accepted items to start packing your five boxes.

Honoring MLK with Project Warmth

Be part of the MLK Civic Service Series, a community initiative to serve others! We’re making tie fleece blankets Nov. 3 to donate to One Dublin and Nationwide Children’s ahead of the cold weather. Sign me up.

Election Day Reminders

Countdown to Nov. 5: Election Day is next week! The City of Dublin’s resource page has all you need to know before you go, including polling locations, sample ballots, election sign recycling and more. What you need to know.

Dublin City Schools Home

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

To help students discover their interests and enrich their learning, Dublin City Schools partners with local businesses and community organizations to offer After School Activities outside of school hours. These experiences, which vary in content, time, location, and cost, are taught by course instructors employed by a sponsoring business or organization.

Activities List & Registration

Going to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade? What To Know Get ready for Dublin's St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 9! Plan where you'll watch by checking out the parade route and accessible parking. The City is also partnering with Central Ohio Safe Ride for discounted Lyft rides to or from the parade and Downtown Dublin. Get the Lyft code and find your spot. Dublin Is an Exceptional Community Because of YOU You’re invited to the State of the City from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at The Exchange in Bridge Park. Hear from your City Council, public servants and fellow neighbors about Dublin’s successes and what’s to come this year and in the future. All are welcome to attend. RSVP today! We Need Your Input on the DCRC Refresh Join us for the third and final DCRC Refresh Engagement Session from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the Dublin Community Recreation Center in Talla 1. A presentation from the designer will begin at 6 p.m. Guests will have an hour after the presentation to walk around, see different design renderings up close and ask questions in an open house-style session. Can't make it? Share your feedback here.

GRE CONTACT INFORMATION

Attendance

If your child will be absent from school, please email our attendance line at gres_attendance@dublinschools.net.

Glacier Ridge Elementary

Email: glacierridge_info@dublinschools.net
Website: https://glacier.dublinschools.net/
Location: 7175 Glacier Ridge Boulevard, Dublin, OH, USA
Phone: 614.733.0012
Twitter: @greDCSD

Glacier Ridge Elementary Home