Otter Family Newsletter Nov 2024

As we enter November, I find myself especially grateful for the students, families, and staff that make Rogue such an extraordinary place. Each day, I witness students arriving with smiles, eager to learn and connect. They are welcomed by caring staff who bring warmth and enthusiasm to everything they do. Walking through classrooms, I see dedicated teachers who work tirelessly to create engaging and impactful learning experiences for every child. Thank you for trusting us with your children and allowing us the privilege of being part of their educational journey. We are so thankful for each member of our Rogue family!.

Maggie Staley-Principal

In light of the focus of this season, it is important to focus on the benefits of incorporating gratitude into your life.

Studies show that expressing gratitude improves physical health, improves psychological health, enhances empathy, improves sleep, and increases self-esteem!

Below are three ways to create a habit of expressing gratitude:

1. First thing in the morning when you wake up, think of three things that you are grateful for- this will start every day off right!

2. Create a gratitude jar and drop a note in with something you’re grateful for every day. Go back and look at the notes in the jar every so often to remind yourself of all your blessings.

3. Keep a gratitude Journal where you express gratitude for ten minutes in writing several times per week.

Be prepared for how using these techniques will positively transform your outlook on life.

Did you know that Attendance Really Matters? Here are a few areas impacted by attendance.

Academic Success: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform better academically. Missing even two days a month can result in lower grades and reduce their chances of meeting academic milestones.

Building Habits: Consistent attendance helps students establish positive routines that will benefit them throughout their educational journey and beyond.

Social and Emotional Development: Regular attendance helps students build relationships, develop social skills, and feel a stronger connection to their school community.

Let's see how we are doing so far this year...

September average attendance last year

Kinder 93

First 94.74

Second 92.7

Average:93.48

September average attendance this year

Kinder 91.51

First 93.68

Second 94.27

Average:93.15

We are aiming for an average of 93% in attendance each month. Thank you for supporting us in maintaining positive attendance.

Incredible! We are so lucky to have such a supportive community. Our "Running of the Otters" Jog-a-thon was a fantastic success, raising an impressive $19,760.49! For our small school, that amount is monumental, and every dollar will go straight into enriching our students' learning experiences. These funds will support classrooms, provide resources for teachers, and help us work towards establishing a complete school library. On behalf of the entire staff, thank you for your generous support – it truly makes a difference, and we’re so grateful to be part of this wonderful school community.

Each month, Rogue Valley Farm to School partners with local farms to bring tastings of our Harvest of the Month. This month, we are exploring tangy and delicious cranberries at the cafeteria tasting table on Monday, Nov 18th! Learn more about Oregon-grown cranberries by checking out this fun interactive sheet (Spanish version). There you'll find recipes, videos, nutritional info, kids activities, and information about the local farms where the cranberries were grown! Rogue Primary is part of the Rogue Valley Farm to School partnership. To learn more about the partnership and Rogue Valley Farm to School click here.

Thank you so much to all the parents that sent snacks, created amazing activities and volunteered. We had the most fun day! Also huge shout out to the awesome Rogue Primary Staff, they did a fabulous job with their costumes!

Daylight Savings is this weekend, make sure to set your clocks back an hour.

Visitors/Volunteers

All visitors and volunteers are required to sign in at the office and obtain a visitor badge. Volunteers must submit an application and have it approved prior to volunteering.

Go Home Changes

If you must make a change to how your child goes home from school, please send it to school with your child in writing or call our office 541-494-6570. Please make sure to call at least 1 hour prior to dismissal.

Absences

If your child is going to be absent, please call our office. If you need to leave a message please make sure to include your child's name, date and the reason for the absence. You can also email respond to the ParentSquare attendance notification. School attendance is a powerful indicator of student success in school. Unless your child is sick it's important that they attend school daily.

SUGGESTED RULES TO LIVE BY

· 2 hours per day or less of total screen time—TV, non-school related computer, and video games

· No screen time during meal times

· No television sets in any bedrooms

· No eating while watching TV or Tablet

· No surfing—watch favorite shows only

· Limit viewing to specific days & times

TIPS FOR SUCCESS Use technology:

· Be a good role-model: Keep a check on your own TV/Phone viewing habits….kids will take their cues from you! Endure kids’ complaints. This may be a parent’s biggest challenge, but stick with it!

· Help kids deal with boredom: Be prepared to suggest other activities. Over time, kids will learn to entertain themselves.

Parent Café: Building Parent to Parent Connections
Join us for the Parent Café, an engaging opportunity to connect with fellow parents and guardians. This event is designed to foster meaningful conversations, create a supportive network, and find new ways to engage with your child. Parent Café is a space where you can relax, exchange insights, and build lasting relationships.
Event Highlights:

• Open Conversations: Discuss shared experiences and challenges in a welcoming environment.
• Community Building: Strengthen relationships with fellow parents and build a network of support.
• Engage with your child: Discover helpful tips and strategies to engage and play with your child.

This café will be focused on Engagement and Play. Dinner will be provided. Use the QR code below or click this link to register. Any additional questions may be directed to Jessica Stormberg at jessica.stormber@district6.org.

We look forward to seeing you there and strengthening our community together!

A friendly reminder: The most important way to prevent the spread of colds, Covid and the flu is practicing good hand and cough hygiene. Model and teach your children how to wash hands frequently and thoroughly throughout the day; before /after meals, after coughing or touching their faces, after toileting. Demonstrate how to “cough in your sleeve” rather than covering a cough with a hand to help limit hand-to-surface-to-hand spread of illnesses.

If your child has a temperature over 100.5 degrees, is vomiting, or is not feeling well enough to participate in school, please keep them home. The recommendation is fever below 100.5 (without fever reducing medication) and no vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school. Your child’s behavior is also important to consider-do they feel well enough to be at school, or feel “too” well to be at home?

Regular school attendance is very important for all of our children. Let’s work together to keep our school healthy.

Nov 6

PTO Meeting

5:30-6:30

RPS Commons

Nov 7

Vision Screening

Nov 11

Veteran's Day

No School

Nov 13

Picture Retake Day

Nov 14

Parent Café

5:30-7:30

Nov 22

Spirit Day

Pajama Day

Nov 25 & 26

Parent/Teacher Conferences

No School

Nov 27-29

Happy Thanksgiving

No School

Dec 4

PTO Meeting

5:30-6:30

RPS Commons

Email: maggie.staley@district6.org
Website: https://rogueprimary.district6.org/
Location: 600 S. 2nd St. Central Point, OR 97502
Phone: 541-494-6570
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RPCPSD6/