Greene Notes

Welcome to the E.H. Greene Intermediate School Newsletter! We will share important information and highlight the great things our students and teachers are doing at our school. You can expect this in your inbox each week on Friday afternoon.

Attendance Line: (513) 686-1756

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR:

Friday, October 19 - Report Cards Distributed

Thursday, October 25 - Parent Teacher Conferences - 3:30 - 7:30 pm

Thursday, October 25 - Book Fair - 3:30 - 7:30 pm - Media Center

Friday, October 26 - No School for students

Friday, October 26 - Parent Teacher Conferences - 7:30 - 3:00 pm

Friday, October 26 - Book Fair - 7:30 am - 3:00 pm - Media Center

Monday, October 29 - Friday, November 2 - Book Fair - Media Center (see below for times)

Thursday, November 1 - Parent Teacher Conferences - 3:30 - 7:30 pm

Saturday, November 3 - Miami University/Greene Math & Science Conference - 8:45-11:45 am

at Greene School (see registration form below)

We want to share some reminders about arrival and dismissal. Please keep in mind that there are around 850 students coming in and going at once during these times. We ask you to be considerate to those in our school community and work with us to ensure students are safe.

Arrival

We encourage all students to ride the bus. If you are going to drive your child to school, you must drop them off in circle drive. Do not drop them on Aldine or by the White Wing doors. Please make sure your child has their items gathered and ready to exit the car as you get to the unloading zone. Pull all the way up so we can unload three vehicles at once. Our custodial supervisor, Mr. Mappes, is out there to assist with flow. Parents should not get out of their car. No cars should be in the main lot after 7:45 am. Be aware that as temperatures drop, we see an increase in the number of car riders. You may need to arrive earlier than normal to make sure your child is on time to school. Students need to be in homeroom by 8:15.

Dismissal

If you are picking your child up, you will need to park and come in through the cafe entrance to sign them out. Please have your ID ready. When leaving with your child, please be aware of moving vehicles. We must be considerate of pedestrians who are coming in to or exiting the building. If you would like to come in the building beyond the cafeteria, you will need to come in through the main office and sign in. You will need to make an appointment with teachers prior to coming if you would like to meet.

Parents,

If your child is NOT currently in Accelerated Math and/or Advanced Language Arts, but he/she has scored in the 95th percentile or above on the MAP Test in reading or math within the last year, you can register your child for the upcoming CogAT Test for possible gifted placement in 6th grade.

If your child IS currently in Accelerated Math and has scored in the 98th percentile or above on the MAP Test in math, you can register your child for the upcoming CogAT Test for possible placement into Double Accelerated Math in 6th grade.

The CogAT Test will be administered to all 6th graders and REGISTERED 5th graders on Wednesday, November 7. You must register your child by October 19. Use this link to register for 5th grade CogAT.

Greene gifted requirements can be found here.

Who couldn’t use a little help around the house? Research indicates that children who have chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school. Chores are a great way to teach those life-skills they will need as adults. In addition to being responsible for their schoolwork and materials, 5th and 6th grade students can also be responsible for their own equipment or items needed for extracurricular activities.

A couple of tips for kids doing chores! 1. Don’t forget to teach your child HOW to do the task! “Go clean your room” isn’t going to work! Most kids will have no idea what that means or how to begin that task. You may have to do it with them the first couple of times. You may have to make them a list. 2. Giving them a reasonable deadline works well! “You need to have the dishes dried and put away, and the trash taken out before you go to bed tonight.”

Here are some suggestions for age-appropriate chores for all ages. Have a child who is reluctant to do chores? Here are some tips that might help you! You can tie completion of chores to a reward if you’d like, or just make it part of the expected family responsibilities. Either way, your child is going to learning valuable life lessons! Next week, we will look at how to “Be Safe” at home and in the community.

Did you know our Staff Appreciation Program organizes dinners for our hardworking teachers during conference nights? Please consider contributing so our teachers can grab a quick dinner the night of conferences.

Click on the links below to see how you can help:

Link for the October 25th-Mexican Night: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A8AF2BA2F58-mexican

Link for the November 1st-Chili and Potato Bar: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48A8AF2BA2F58-chili

WHAT: After the rousing success at Maple Dale with their therapy dogs, we were able to get in contact with Peggy Schmidt and her dog Fritzie. Fritzie is a certified and insured therapy dog. Ms. Schmidt currently has Fritzie doing therapy work at a children's home (St. Joseph's) and a hospital. Ms. Schmidt is a former teacher at Blue Ash and Montgomery. She would like to work in the schools with Fritzie. So, after we met and cleared the necessary hurdles....WE NOW HAVE A THERAPY DOG THAT WILL BE COMING TO GREENE!

WHEN: Ms. Schmidt and Fritzie (a girl) are going to come in every other week for about an hour. A schedule is available for teachers to sign up. They will come in every other Wednesday from 9:30AM-10:30AM.

WHERE: Fritize and Ms. Schmidt will be based in our counseling center when they come, but will obviously adjust to the situation (going to a classroom, coming to an administrator's office, etc.)

WHY: As you well know, our social/emotion/mental health needs at this age are so prevalent. Also, this is an increasing need for this generation and all populations of students. This gives us a chance to help support this need. If this program is successful, we will look to build on it (possibly bring in another dog and/or look at the long-term option of a full-time therapy dog).

When you are going through clothing your child doesn't want or has outgrown, please remember we are always in need of pants and shorts in the clinic. Please elasticized waistbands only, no jeans. Thank you!

Our PTO is now accepting Requests for Funding (Projects) for the Fall and staff and Greene School families are invited to submit a request form. Please submit your form by Monday, October 29, 2018. The Project Committee will respond to your request by Monday, November 12, 2018.

Here is the link to access the PTO Fall 2018 Gifting Request Form:

https://goo.gl/forms/8gPUbL6XiCTwISOm2

Don’t forget to stop by the Media Center during parent/teacher conferences next week to check out the great selection of books we have this Fall.

The book fair is open as follows:

Thursday October 25: 3:00 - 8:00 during conferences

Friday October 26: 7:45-3 :00 during conferences

Mon - Thurs October 29- November 1: 7:45-3:00 PM

Thursday November 1: 3:00 - 8:00 during conferences

Friday November 2: 7:45-11:45 AM

Most students will be visiting the book fair during their Multimedia Explorations (MX) class. You can send money with your child or come during that time to help purchase books. Students can also get a pass from their teacher to come any time independently of their class.

You and your child will also have several opportunities to win $10 vouchers at the fair! You can enter the drawing if you visit the fair during conferences, if you make a purchase, or if you purchase from a classroom wish list.

Please stop by and support the book fair and get a head start on your holiday shopping! Prices begin at $1.99 with the average book costing about $6.00-$7.00.

In addition, we will be collecting spare change (or dollars) to buy books for Operation Give Back’s library, located in Blue Ash. Our goal is to buy $100.00 worth of new books for OGB.

All other proceeds from the book fair benefit the Greene School Media Center. With the proceeds, we will purchase new E-books, new audio books, new physical books, and new items for the students to use in our Makerspace.

Our Book Fair brings a wonderful selection of fun, engaging, and affordable books kids want to buy and read.

THANK YOU ! We hope to see you soon !

IT'S ONLY ONE WEEK UNTIL...

SYCAMORE JUNIOR HIGH'S 8TH ANNUAL AVIATOR FLIGHT FEST 5K/10K RACE & FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018 at Sycamore Junior High!

Join us for a wonderful community event ! Starting with a Race promoting health & wellness and a Festival immediately afterwards. An entertaining social event for Sycamore students and families to enjoy with food, games, prizes, a raffle, and a Silent Auction! Meet and mingle with current Sycamore Junior High students, their families, and teachers. Visit the the Junior High, whether it is a first time or your first time back since you graduated.

REGISTER FOR THE RACE & GET MORE AVIATOR FLIGHT FEST INFORMATION at WWW.AVIATORFLIGHTFEST.COM !

It's Not Too Late To:

• REGISTER for the race.
• Preview and Bid on SILENT AUCTION items
• Buy your RAFFLE AND FOOD/GAME TICKETS

Race registrations will be taken at Flight Fest right up until the Start of the Race!

SILENT AUCTION (formerly Bid-n-Buy)

Auction Is Live, Bid Now!

Go to www.aviatorfligtfest.com to see and bid on Flight Fest Silent Auction items. Auction Items will be displayed at Flight Fest. Bidding closes 1:30pm 10/20/18.

Follow us on twitter @avesflightfest to get race updates and information on new items added to Silent Auction.

Pick Up Your Registration Packet At:

Fleet Feet on Thursday, Oct 18 from 4-8pm

The Crossings Of Blue Ash, 9525 Kenwood Rd., Cincinnati, Oh 45242

Please contact Michelle Ciotola at avesflightfest@gmail.com with any questions regarding Aviator Flight Fest.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SYCAMORE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS!

It is time for the Blue Ash Elementary Haunted Festival! This is a fun volunteer opportunity. The Haunted Festival 2018 is Friday, November 2nd, 5:00-9:00 pm. There are 3 shifts: 1st Shift 4:50-6:30 pm, 2nd Shift 6:20-8:00 pm, and 3rd Shift/Clean Up 7:50-9:30 pm. Volunteers may choose the shift and assignment and may choose to work with a friend. We can provide a certificate for all hours worked. For additional information and to sign uphttps://tinyurl.com/HFvol18

Know! Not to Be a Lawnmower Parent

By this point, we’re likely all familiar with the term Helicopter Parenting, where parents keep an overly watchful eye on their child’s every move and then swoop in to save the day at the first sign of trouble. But have you heard of Lawnmower Parenting? And are you possibly guilty of it?

While the helicopter parent hovers and worries, the lawnmower parent takes it even further, stepping in to clear their child’s path of potential obstacles and challenges. This prevents their child from having to experience any feelings of pain, sadness, discomfort or disappointment.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you might be a Lawnmower Parent. (Keep in mind these examples refer to middle and high school parents.)

• You panic when you realize your child forgot his math homework on the kitchen table, so you run it right over to the school in time for class.
• Your daughter misses a day of school from illness, but instead of having your child follow up with her teachers, you reach out to the school to collect her makeup work.
• Your son has a dentist appointment that conflicts with next week’s baseball practice, but instead of having him communicate it to his coach, you reach out to the coach to explain.
• Your child is feeling really anxious about having to make a presentation in class, so you contact the teacher and push for an alternate arrangement.
  
  

While it’s normal and natural for us (parents) to want to protect our children, this type of parenting can have long-lasting, harmful effects.

When a parent constantly intervenes in a child’s life in this manner:

• It sends the message that, “my parents – not me – are the only ones equipped to make decisions and handle challenges in my life.”
• It creates youth who increasingly feel “entitled” and expect things to always go their way with minimal effort on their part.
• Most dangerously, this type of parenting shelters children from experiencing and dealing with any type of adversity. It’s only a matter of time before something goes wrong and it’s out of our control. –When that happens, our children need to have positive coping skills to deal with their situation, but lawnmower parenting doesn’t let them develop those coping skills. Instead, our children may act out aggressively, negatively internalize what they’re feeling, or possibly turn to substances in an attempt to get a handle on their emotions.
  
  

Another name being given to this style of parenting, which may paint an even clearer picture, is “Curling Parents.” Think back to the Olympic sport where the players slide a stone down the ice toward a target, but then rush just ahead of it to smooth and attempt to direct its path to success. Call it curling, bulldozing, snowplowing or lawn mowing—it all means the same thing, and it’s truly a disservice to your child. If we want our sons and daughters to become happy, healthy and successful adults, we must teach, encourage, and guide them to begin to think, speak, and make decisions for themselves. We need to let them learn from their mistakes and help them process and handle adversity appropriately and positively. If it comes time that they have done their part advocating for themselves and a situation remains unresolved, then we can step in to assist.

Source: Karen Fancher: Pittsburg Moms Blog - The Rise of the Lawnmower Parent. June 25, 2016. Ramy Mahmoud The Dallas Morning News: Arizona Daily Sun - Guest Column: The dangers of lawnmower parenting and preventing failure. August 30, 2017. Murphy Moroney. PopSugar.com: Worried You’re a Lawnmower Parent? Follow These Steps to Nip It in the Bud.September 13, 2018. WeAreTeachers.com: Life & Wellbeing - Lawnmower Parents Are the New Helicopter Parents & We Are Not Here for It. August 30, 2018.

Is your child looking to get involved in after school activities? Check out our Activities Brochure. We will announce to students before clubs start and how to sign up. This post will stay at the bottom of our newsletters if you are looking for it later.

Activities Brochure 2018-19

Website: http://www.sycamoreschools.org/Domain/10
Location: 5200 Aldine Drive, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: (513) 686-1750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EH-Greene-Intermediate-1777365652527973/
Twitter: @EHGreeneSchool