We empower each child to grow and become a well-rounded citizen,

because every child's future counts.

OES Families,

We had a great week at OES. Classrooms are completing the FastBridge Screening Assessments, our 5th Graders put on an amazing performance, Pirates, that showcased so much talent, and our students and staff participated in DECADES DRESS UP DAY! These activities in addition to our focus on learning within our classrooms helps us wrap up the month of January!

4th and 5th Grade Families, your student will be bringing home the results of the Smarter Balanced Assessment that they completed last school year. Please ask your child for this letter and reach out to your child's teacher if you have questions about this assessment.

We appreciate you taking time to read our newsletter each week and encourage you to have conversations with your student regarding what they are learning about, the fun that they have, and any challenges that they may have experienced at school.

For more information, please visit our website at: https://oes.cvsd.org/ and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OpportunityElementaryCVSD/ and Instagram at @opp.es

Best regards,

Mrs. Spence & Mr. Howard

Love and Logic’s Basic Principles

Many parents have told us how the principles of Love and Logic have helped them raise children who make good decisions, who are loving and responsible, and who are fun to be around. These principles are based on time-tested psychological concepts that are simple to implement, yet powerfully effective—they are the foundation of Love and Logic’s approach to parenting. Here is an overview of some of these principles.

Mutual Dignity. Love and Logic believes that mutual respect and dignity are critical for teaching children how to treat others. Children learn this by how we treat them, and by how we allow them to treat us. This requires setting limits that allow us to take good care of ourselves and the people around us, including our children.

Shared Control. Power struggles between parents and children are fundamentally about control. When we try to exert control over others, we lose it, but when we share control, we can gain it. Children become happier, more respectful, and stronger when they learn how to handle life’s consequences. They learn this when we allow them to learn how to make responsible decisions through having plenty of small choices and living with the consequences of their choices.

Shared Thinking. Enabling children to think about the consequences of their choices is a lifelong gift. By sharing the thinking process with them, they learn how to think on their own and solve their own problems at an early age.

Sincere Empathy. When we respond to children with anger and frustration, they will respond with defensiveness and defiance. When we respond with empathy, there is a much better chance that we will encourage them to think about their behaviors and consequences. Nothing works without empathy!

Let the Consequence do the teaching. Kids learn best when they make mistakes and experience the logical & natural consequences of their mistakes. Remember that genuine, sincere expressions of empathy must precede the consequence. Lectures about how much the child should learn from his/her experience cancel out the benefit of the consequence. It’s best to keep the old mouth shut. No need to rub salt in the wound.

Loving Relationships. By following these principles, parents will naturally develop a loving and mutually respectful relationship with their children. Kids learn to see their parents as both powerful and loving, and they are much more likely to grow up and become respectful, responsible adults.

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Charles Fay

Support our PTO's fundraising efforts by purchasing some Opportunity Gear. Lots of tshirts, sweatshirts, and hats for the whole family. Purchase on-line. Contact opportunitypto@gmail.com with questions.

15% of ALL February 11th sales that are placed with the McDonald's app or from the kiosk in the store will be donated to Opportunity PTO! We look forward to seeing you on February 11th. COME SEE YOUR OES STAFF BETWEEN 4:30 & 6:00!!!

We need volunteers to help with POPCORN FRIDAYS - if we cannot recruit help, POPCORN FRIDAYS WILL ONLY BE HELP ONCE A MONTH! Please email our PTO if you are available to help!OpportunityPTO@gmail.com

• Tuesdays/Fridays - Dynamic PANDAmonium Choir Practice @ 8:10
• Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays - 4/5TH Grade Yoga @3:15 pm
• Wednesdays/Thursdays - DANCE CLASS @ 3:15
• February 10-14 - ASB SMENCILS SALE
• February 11 - MCDONALDS DIGITAL FUNDRAISER
• February 14 - Valentines Day
• February 17 - NO SCHOOL - PRESIDENT'S DAY

Click the link below to access our PARENT HANDBOOK. This hand book will be linked in our newsletter each week for you to reference important information.

Email: lspence@cvsd.org
Website: oes.cvsd.org/
Location: 1109 South Wilbur Road, Spokane Valley, WA, USA
Phone: 509-558-3550
Facebook: facebook.com/OpportunityElementaryCVSD/