Hollywood Headlines

Dec. 16

• Holiday Theme Week - Grinch

Dec. 17

• Mileage Club

Dec. 18

• Holiday Dress Up - Dress like the Grinch or a character from The Grinch
• Delayed Start, School Starts @ 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 19

• PTO Christmas Party

Dec. 20

• Holiday Dress Up - Wear your favorite Christmas Pajamas
• Popcorn Friday
• Mileage Club

December 23rd - January 3rd

• Christmas Break

Jan. 6

• Welcome Back!

Every year we ask parents to provide us feedback on how we are doing with our Capturing Kids Hearts processes. The questions get at the root of the climate and culture here at Alamo Elementary. We then take a look at these results to celebrate our accomplishments and learn in what areas we need to grow. This survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for filling out the survey!

Positive Attitude

• Adalynn Heaney
• Hudson Rudolph

• Ellanah Clemens
• Parker Mattis

• Annabelle Hileski
• Zeke Busscher

• Scarlett Carter
• Nikola Gregor

• Kaleb Longstreet
• Adrian Estrada

• 1:40 - K

• 2:00 - 2nd

• 2:20 - 3rd

• 2:40 - 1st

• 3:00 - 5th

• 3:20 - 4th

We’re collecting gently used holiday and winter-themed books to stock our Little Libraries for kids to enjoy over winter break! Thank you for helping us spread holiday cheer and the gift of reading!

Please please make sure your child dresses for the weather. Coats, gloves, and hats are pretty much a given from now on and before you know it your child will also need snow pants and boots.

Whatever you send to school with your child, please LABEL!! There could potentially be 23 pairs of black snow pants in your child's classroom and finding their items will be easier if they are labeled.

Our WatchD.O.G.S. program will officially begin for the 2024-25 school year in October. “Dads” (or dad-like figures) who are interested in signing up to volunteer for a full or half day should contact Natalie Trumley (ntrumley@otsegops.org) or Nicole Knight-Lucas (nknight-lucas@otsegops.org) via email to schedule a date.

When you volunteer, you will receive a schedule for the day that allows you to help out in different classrooms doing a wide range of activities (reading a story, working with a child 1:1 on work, playing a game with a small group). You will also have scheduled time on the playground and lunchroom to interact with students and be a positive role model for them. We need a current background check on file before you are able to volunteer.

Growing Responsibility

The month of December is all about responsibility here at Alamo Elementary. We are challenging your students to do their part by owning their thoughts, words, and actions. Our thoughts, words, and actions have a lot to do with how we feel. If we have big feelings and do not know what to do with them, it can cause our bodies and minds to feel a little out of control. Here are a few calming techniques you can try with your kiddos at home:

1. Rainbow Breaths: Sitting up straight or standing, have your child place their arms at their sides. Then guide them to stretch their arms overhead as if in the shape of a rainbow over themselves. As they stretch overhead, breathe in, hold, then breathe out, and they return their arms back to their sides. Repeat.

2. Hot Cocoa Breaths: Have your child imagine they are holding a warm cup of hot cocoa in both of their hands. However, it is still too hot to drink but smells so yummy. First, they will smell the cocoa, breathe it in, and hold it. Then explain they need to blow on it to cool down. Breathe out, hold. Repeat three times: breathe in, smell… breathe out, and blow. Some students may state that they could feel the steam on their faces.

3. Arm squeezes: Have your child wrap their hands around the tops of their biceps, squeeze to the count of three, then relax. Next, have them move down to just above their elbows, squeeze and count to three, and relax. Then their forearms squeeze for three, relax. Last, their wrists for three, relax.

4. Rollercoaster Breaths: Have your child hold up one hand, fingers spread apart. With their other hand, use their pointer finger to trace along the edge of each finger, tracing their hand. Each time they trace up a finger, breathe in. Each time they trace down a finger, they breathe out. Encourage them to do this one slowly, even though it’s a ‘roller coaster.’

Recently the Behavioral Health team took part in a Restorative Practices training. During this time, we were challenged to think about how we already use this approach with our students on a regular basis and how we can improve. You may be asking yourself what this means? Restorative Practice is a way we can strive to build a school atmosphere that is relationally strong, has genuine conversations and clear agreements. These ideas are important in elementary as we handle peer conflicts on a daily basis. Not only do we want this for our staff, but we are trying to teach our students this as well. As the Alamo School Social Worker, I have worked with many students during conflict on how to solve it with kindness and understanding. There are five key questions that are asked during a restorative practice conversation.

1. What happened and what were you thinking about at the time of the incident? This question allows your child to tell “their truth” about the situation without blame and interruption.

2. What have you thought about since?

3. Who has been affected by this and how? This question challenges them to think about how they are affecting their teacher and peers.

4. What about this has been hardest for you?

5. What do you think needs to be done to make things right?

Each party involved in the conflict is asked these questions with the social worker as the facilitator. More often than not, by the time the conversation is over, the students want to apologize to each other without even being prompted!

You are also invited to join us any Tuesday or Friday (weather permitting) during your child's lunch recess time. Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes these days.

Here are the recess times for each grade level.

Alamo PTO needs you! The PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) is a wonderful way to become involved in your child's education and to get to know other parents and teachers. The PTO has many activities throughout the school year that you can help with by volunteering. The PTO meets once a month at 4:10 p.m. in the Alamo Media Center. Listed below are the dates for this year's meetings. We would love for you to attend!

Meeting Dates

Jan 13

Feb 10

March 10

April 14

May 12

June 9

If your child is absent and the absence is unexcused, you will receive an automated phone call reminding you to report the absence. Please remember to report your child’s absence, before 9am, by calling our attendance line at (269) 694-7680.

Join Alamo Parents REMIND

Would you like to receive text updates on important dates and activities taking place here at Alamo Elementary? REMIND is a safe and efficient communication app designed for teachers/schools to communicate important classroom/school information. If you are interested in receiving updates from Alamo Elementary via text, text this message @alamopare to the number 81010 or click on the link below.

Email: nknight-lucas@otsegops.org
Website: https://alamo.otsegops.org/
Location: 8184 North 6th Street, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
Phone: (269) 694-7600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/415538888654020
Twitter: @otsegoschools