Hello Kennedy Cougar Families!
As I sit down to write this final newsletter as your principal, I am filled with a whirlwind of emotions. After 13 incredible years serving as Assistant Principal and Principal of Kennedy Elementary, the time has come for me to say goodbye to the remarkable Huntington Village community.
First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support, dedication, and trust throughout the years. Your commitment to your children's education and our school's mission has been the driving force behind every success we've achieved together.
Reflecting on the journey we've shared, I am immensely proud of the growth and accomplishments we've seen at Kennedy. From academic achievements to extracurricular victories, it's been an honor to witness our students flourish and thrive.
As I embark on this new chapter in my career, please know that the memories and relationships forged at Kennedy will hold a special place in my heart forever. While I may be leaving the role of principal, I am confident that the spirit of excellence, pride, and community that defines our school will continue to thrive under new leadership.
I want to thank you once again for your support and partnership over the years. It has been a complete honor and a privilege to serve as your Principal. I am eternally grateful for the memories we've created together. Wishing you all continued success, happiness, and fulfillment in the years to come.
With warmest regards,
Sara Caldwell
Outgoing Principal Kennedy Elementary 💖
Our character trait this month is Courage. Courage – to help our children be courageous and learn to conquer things that frighten or scare them. Children need reassurance that fear is one of our feelings and to help them understand that it’s okay to feel afraid. Courage isn’t fearlessness, but instead our ability to choose the right thing even when we are scared!
The definition we will be talking about is:
Courage: to choose what is good, right, and kind even when it is hard or scary.
Conversation Starters
Talk with your child about what used to frighten you as a child. Be open about how you courageously worked to overcome that fear. Talk about who helped you or what strategy helped you along the way.
Talk about the things that frighten you as an adult today. Open up an honest conversation about how you work intentionally to show Courage often.
Make a list over dinner about who are the people in your network that show Courage. How can you tell that they have Courage? Why is it important that they show Courage? How might their example help make your Courage stronger?
Questions You Could Ask
What is something that scares you? What do you imagine might happen if you do that thing? Who might encourage you to try it? What could someone do to help you?
Think back to a time when you showed or witnessed great Courage. What happened? How did it feel?
What are some strategies that have helped you feel calm even when you’re being asked to be brave? What have you learned in class about how to stay courageous even when it’s hard?
Activity
Encourage your children to document their experience this month as they conquer fears and gain Courage. This could be something as simple as a journal where they write something like this:
- I used to be afraid to/of __________________________ until I _________________________.
- Now I show Courage by ____________________________________________________.
- Celebrate their baby steps and milestones as they work to become their most courageous selves.
Bullying Information
In our previous newsletters, we learned the definition of what is considered bullying and discussed the difference between bullying and conflict.
Bullying includes all three of the following:
- The person is hurting or harming you with their words or behavior on purpose
- It happens repeatedly
- And you feel that the person has more power than you
We have also discussed what to do if you are being bullied, reporting bullying, the difference between reporting and tattling, when should you immediately report bullying, what is a bystander, and how do bystanders make a bullying situation better or worse? This time we will talk about how can bystanders help?
HOW CAN BYSTANDERS HELP?
If you see bullying happening, you can help out by doing the same things you might do if you were being bullied yourself. First, recognize that someone is being bullied. Second, help the victim refuse to be bullied. And third, report the bullying. We want you to be able to help someone being bullied. But remember that everyone needs to stay safe. If it looks like someone might get hurt, get an adult immediately. Here are some ideas to help someone being bullied:
- Invite the person being bullied to hang out with you and your friends. Bullies don’t have much power over a group.
- If someone is being bullied on the bus, you might ask him or her to sit with you so they don’t have to sit near the bully.
- If the bully is your friend, you could try to get that person to come do something else with you instead of bullying.
- Encourage the victim and all the other bystanders to leave the area and start a game.
But remember…DO NOT gather a group of people to “go after” the bully or to “get the bully.” If you do this, you have just become part of the problem.
Every child is unique and has their own way of responding to situations. That is why it is important for parents and guardians to understand bullying to create a meaningful dialogue and identify when a child needs help.
