It is hard to believe that it is already February! Time truly flies, and as we reach the midpoint of the third nine weeks, it’s a great opportunity to check in on your child’s progress. Tomorrow marks the interim or midpoint of the quarter, and we encourage you to take a moment to log into PowerSchool to review your student’s grades and performance.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher(s). We are here to support both you and your student in any way we can to ensure a successful second half of the school year.

Thank you for your continued partnership!

Warm regards,
Catey Moretz

The months of January, February, and March can feel like a challenge for students, families and staff. With the major holidays behind us and spring break still a distant goal, motivation can start to wane. However, there are ways to help push through this midyear slump and make the remaining months more enjoyable and productive.

To maintain motivation, it's important to mix extrinsic and intrinsic strategies. Extrinsic motivation can come from rewards like a fun incentive day or spirit week, which encourages students to stay engaged. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is driven by personal interest and enjoyment. Allowing students time for passion projects or personal learning can inspire curiosity and innovation. Additionally, fostering determination is key—help students set attainable goals, develop problem-solving skills, and manage their progress to build resilience and perseverance.

A positive mindset is also vital. Encouraging small acts of gratitude or recognition can brighten the day and keep morale high, especially when negativity starts to creep in. While the winter months can feel long, focusing on genuine positivity can help everyone power through until we reach the lighter, warmer days ahead. Remember, this too shall pass, and soon enough, the end of the school year will be within reach!

This excerpt was taken from "How School Culture Can Fight the Mid-Year Slump (Canny)" https://www.skyward.com/blogs/ak12/2023/january/how-school-culture-can-fight-the-midyear-slump

PTA News

PTA Scheduled Events for the 2024-2025 School Year

2/3 - 2/7 Cookie Gram Fundraiser (Delivered: Friday, February 14th)

2/25 - Chick Fil A Spirit Night

*3/11 - Maker’s Market @ 6:30 PM

Skate Night: Friday, 3/14

*4/8 - Fine Arts Celebration @ 6:30 PM

Pancho: Thursday, 4/17

Tap House: June 2025

* indicates PTA meeting

We are seeing an increase in flu cases and the stomach bug at school. Here are a few helpful tips to remember.

• Try to have your child remove their shoes upon entering your home. We don't always think about all the little germs the bottom of our shoes pick up and then transfer across our home.
• Leave back-packs near the door to also avoid tracking germs through your home. A gentle spray of Lysol to the bottom of backpacks can also help.
• If you have younger children at home it can be a good idea to have your school age children wash their hands and change their clothing as soon as they get home to help stop the transfer of germs.
• If your child likes to wear hoodies in place of jackets, washing them daily during flu season is a good option. Washing coats weekly will also cut down on extra germs we pick up.

We at school are working hard to keep high surface areas wiped down. We are also using our sprayers in the evening after students leave to help decrease germs. If your child tests positive for flu please let our office know.

If you are a Kroger customer, please consider signing up for the Kroger Community Rewards Program to help support Buchanan Elementary School. You can even encourage your extended family to participate, regardless of where they live. It's a simple process: just log into your Kroger account, go to your profile, click on Community Rewards, and use our organization number JF994.

Thank you in advance for your support! It truly makes a difference for our students.