Cardinal Connection
Max Larsen Elementary School - January 2023
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From the Principal's Desk
Happy New Year! 2023 is here and we have lots to look forward to as we move forward! Before looking forward, the new year always brings time for me to reflect. I remember prepping for the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year and thinking how far off the mid-point of the year seemed to be. And then here it is!
For all of our Max Larsen families, these years at our school are the first school experiences of many more to come. This first semester of the school year lays the foundation for so many important things, particularly building a sense of community so that we can provide the best academic, social and emotional learning as possible. A goal we continue to strive for is to make sure that each student feels that he or she belongs. Recently, we focused on The Little Spot of Belonging with students. The Little Spot book series is a tool we use to help build a sense of community schoolwide. Belonging is a feeling you get when you have a great friend, when you are part of a group, or when you are part of a community that supports you. My wish for 2023 is that we - students, staff and our families - find moments where we can say with certainty that we belong!
We continue to monitor the growth of our students with some middle of the year benchmark testing that will happen in January, and will continue to adjust our teaching to meet the needs of our students. Your child's report card will be coming home on Friday, January 6. We have worked hard to try to make this a useful tool to give you more information about your child's progress. If you have questions, please reach out to your child's teacher for more information. I'm looking forward to the next few months and all that is to come. As always, my door is open for questions and conversation. Stay warm!
Mrs. Farmer
Look what's happening around the school!
Dates to Remember
Dec. 17th - Jan. 2nd - Winter Vacation
Jan. 11th - Hungry Howie's Night
Jan. 16th - No School for Students (Professional Development for Staff)
Cold Weather
Reporting An Absence
Popcorn
Hungry Howie's Night
Contact Information
Friendly Reminder
Day and Time Schedule
- Regular school hours are 8:45 - 3:55. Doors open at 8:25, please do not drop students off before this time as there is no supervision.
- Early Release Wednesday's are 8:45 - 2:40.
Curbside Drop-off
Transportation changes
Keeping ill children home
Drop off / Pick Up Procedures
Pick up: When picking up your child from school in a car you must use the car line. Any students that need to be picked up early will need to be picked up by 3:25. Anything after that, the child will do their normal end of day transportation. Again, the staff parking lot is reserved for staff and bus use. Please do not pull into this parking lot. Thank you again for your help with this.
Message from Miss Epp
Now that we are in the winter season, it is common for many people to miss the warmer weather and the sunny skies that come with it. At times, people may experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is also known as seasonal depression. This can affect people during specific times of the year, often during the winter months due to the brain’s response to the changes in daylight.
Some signs and symptoms of SAD may include:
Changes in mood
Negative thinking
Lack of enjoyment
Low energy
Changes in sleep patterns
Changes in eating
Trouble concentrating
If you are concerned that you or your student may be experiencing SAD, it would be beneficial to speak with your family doctor regarding your concerns, who may recommend some of the following options to address SAD:
More light exposure
Light therapy
Talk therapy
Medicine
Here are some ways that you can support your student, if you suspect that they are experiencing SAD:
Speak with your family pediatrician about your concern
Explain to your student what may be happening and why
Encourage your student to spend time outside and to exercise
Be patient and understanding when your student shows low motivation and low energy
Encourage healthy eating habits
Establish a sleep routine
Take it seriously. If you have questions or concerns, or if you would like more information regarding SAD, please contact our building social worker, Ms. Epp at epps@ccscards.org
Lyness, D. A. (Ed.). (2020, January). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (for parents) - nemours kidshealth. KidsHealth. Retrieved December 11, 2022, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sad.html
Message from Mrs. Machan
Vocabulary tip from Mrs. Machan:
One of the very best ways to build a child’s vocabulary is through reading and discussions. After reading picture books to your child, have them practice talking about the story. Who are the characters? What is the setting? Was there a problem and how was the problem solved? Have your child tell some events of the story in order, using words like: first, next, then and last. Then have your child tell you about any connections they have to the story. Does it remind them of another story they have heard or anything that has happened in their own life. Here is a visual to help guide the discussion:
Message from Mrs. Jent
Happy Winter Break from Mrs. Jent, Max Larsen’s Physical Education teacher!
I always love this time of year because you can get outside and do some different activities. Take a look at the list below to see the fun you can have outside this winter! I would also like to share that when we return to school after our winter break, our Physical Education classrooms will be going outside for class every other week. Therefore, please ensure your child has appropriate clothing to play outside. We will be outside for 25-30 minutes as long as the weather is not below our allowed temperature for going outside. Students will need the following:
Boots
Hat
Gloves
Winter coat
Snow pants
Extra change of clothes in their backpack (just in case).
Ensure ALL clothing and accessories are labeled.
Thank you for your cooperation in advance. It is not only good for students to experience ‘play’ in various weather conditions and play on grass and different terrains but the fresh air will hopefully help decrease the amount of viruses students are exposed to.
I wish you all a very happy, healthy and active holiday! If you have any questions, please contact me at any time!
Happy Winter Break! Sincerely, Mrs. K. Jent jentka@ccscards.org
Extra Clothes
Inclement weather/2-hour delay days
- You will receive an automated call if school is cancelled or delayed. Please be sure that your current phone number is listed in Skyward!
- If there is a 2-hour delay school will start at 10:45 and doors will open at 10.25. Breakfast is not served at school on 2-hr days.
- Delays and cancellations will be broadcast on: AM 1590 & FM 95.5 WTVB, WIN 98.5. TV stations are WWMT News channel 3 & CW7, WOOD-TV 8, FOX 17, WILX-TV 10 and CCStv.
Max Larsen Elementary
Email: farmerj@ccscards.org
Website: coldwaterschools.org
Location: 25 Parkhurst Avenue, Coldwater, MI, USA
Phone: (517) 279-5960