Cougar Chat

Dear Kennedy Families,

As we move into the month of November, this is a special time for us to start thinking about ways we give thanks to our family and friends. We've been in school for four months now, and I am so proud of how hard your children have been working to accomplish their goals.

We have a lot of fun activities planned in the coming weeks, and the Kennedy staff would love to have your participation. Your involvement means so much to us and helps make these events even more special for our students.

Also, don’t forget to join us for our monthly Chat and Chew with the Principal. It’s a great opportunity to hear the latest updates on our school’s progress and connect with other parents in our community.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Queridas familias de Kennedy,

A medida que avanzamos en el mes de noviembre, este es un momento especial para comenzar a pensar en las formas en que damos gracias a nuestra familia y amigos. Ya llevamos cuatro meses en la escuela, y estoy muy orgulloso de lo mucho que sus hijos han trabajado para alcanzar sus metas.

Tenemos muchas actividades divertidas planeadas para las próximas semanas, y al personal de Kennedy le encantaría contar con su participación. Su apoyo significa mucho para nosotros y ayuda a que estos eventos sean aún más especiales para nuestros estudiantes.

Además, no olviden unirse a nosotros en nuestro Chat and Chew con el Director cada mes. Es una excelente oportunidad para conocer las últimas actualizaciones sobre el progreso de nuestra escuela y conectarse con otros padres de nuestra comunidad.

¡Gracias por su continuo apoyo y espero verlos en nuestros próximos eventos!

Our character trait this month is Gratitude. Make sure to join us on November 7th by wearing blue to spotlight our character trait as we continue to support social emotional learning, SEL, with our students. The dictionary defines it as: “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”

The definition we are using in class is: Gratitude: choosing to notice and appreciate things in our life, things in others, and things in the world.

We want to make sure we share with students that Gratitude is 1) a choice that we get to make over and over again on where we put our focus and 2) doesn’t always have to be about something positive. We can feel grateful even for tough or challenging things in our life! There is plenty of research that shows a strong connection between Gratitude and reduced anxiety, increased happiness, and better relationships.

Conversation Starters

Talk about why you were grateful for the teachers and mentors in your life then ask your children why they are grateful for theirs. Have they had a favorite teacher? If so, who? What makes that teacher a favorite? If they haven’t had a favorite yet, find out what makes a great teacher in their eyes.

Gratitude takes practice! What can we do as a family to work on expressing Gratitude more regularly to each other and those around us?

Discuss why you are grateful for your child. Be specific: who are they? How do they make you feel? Ask them what they are grateful for about your family, your home, your neighborhood, etc..

Questions You Could Ask

Has anyone ever said, “What do you say?” when they want to remind you to express Gratitude? Why do you think that saying “thank you” is so important? Why do you think we refer to it as one of our “magic words” when we’re trying to teach you to say it?

What if you woke up tomorrow and only had the things you expressed Gratitude for today? What would you still have? What would disappear? How can you express Gratitude daily?

How do you know someone is grateful for you? What do they do? How does it feel to receive Gratitude? How does it feel to give Gratitude?

Activity

Start a Family Joy Journal where you keep an ongoing list of gifts (people, places, things) that you are grateful for and how you showed your Gratitude for that thing. Try to write in it each day for 30 days. Write as many things as you can think of for that day as possible. How many days until you reach 100? How about 1000?

In our previous newsletters, we learned the definition of what is considered bullying and discussed the difference between bullying and conflict. Bullying includes all three of the following:

• The person is hurting or harming you with their words or behavior on purpose;
• It happens repeatedly;
• And you feel that the person has more power than you
• This time, we will discuss what to do if you are being bullied.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE BEING BULLIED

Always determine if it is bullying or conflict. Once you have determined that it is bullying. The first step is to tell the person to stop, using a calm body and voice, but before you say anything, you will need to decide if it’s safe because sometimes it’s not a good idea to confront a bully on your own. The following are examples of when it would NOT be a good idea to confront a bully on your own.

• The person bullying you is older or bigger than you are.
• More than one person is ganging up on you.
• You have no friends who can help you.
• No adult is nearby.
• You feel trapped.

In these cases you need to get out of the situation as quickly as possible and report to an adult. If you decide it’s safe, you can refuse to be bullied by taking these steps:

• Look straight at the bully with your head held high.
• Speak respectfully and use a calm, clear voice. Say, “That’s bullying and you need to stop.”
• Walk away calmly.
• Keep in mind that bullies are less likely to target people who are in a group or those who walk tall with their heads held high.

If it’s happening at recess and you’re just not sure if it’s bullying or a conflict, you can always ask an adult to help you decide.

Every child is unique and has their own way of responding to situations. That is why it is important for parents and guardians to understand bullying to create a meaningful dialogue and identify when a child needs help.

Important Announcement for Parents of 3rd and 4th Graders

We would like to inform you that our 3rd and 4th grade students will be participating in their Reading assessments on November 12 and their Math assessments on November 14. To ensure a focused testing environment, there will be no visitors allowed on campus during these days.

Please ensure that our Cougars get a good night's sleep before the testing days and have a nutritious breakfast in the morning. Our school doors will open at 7:15 AM, allowing students ample time to enjoy breakfast before their assessments. Thank you for your support!

World Kindness Day will be celebrated around the world on November 13 and was first introduced in 1998. World Kindness Day supports the recognition and positive impact of small acts of kindness. In honor of World Kindness Day, we encourage everyone to spread positive "tee” by wearing a t-shirt with a positive message on November 13th.

Attention Kennedy Parents!

Show your appreciation for our wonderful teachers by donating items to our coffee bar. We welcome donations such as K-cups, creamers, sugars, or gift cards in any amount (even $5 is appreciated!). Your generosity helps us express our gratitude for all the amazing things our teachers do for your children. Thank you for your support!

Early checkout must be complete before 2:30pm. Please be mindful that early release is considered a part of day school absence and interferes with instruction.

When checking out a student, please follow the steps listed below:

1. Please call the school ahead of time to notify the front office.
2. Have your picture ID readily available for the front office staff to confirm identity for accurate check out. The adult picking up the student must be listed on the registration card.
3. Sign the campus leave form. Wait in the front office for your child, then promptly exit the building once he/she arrives.