Nolan News

Dear Nolan Families,

As we end 2022, I would like to thank you for your commitment to the House of Love and to your ongoing belief in quality public school education. The success we have experienced since the opening of the school year is a great deal due to parents/caregivers and families like yours. I wish you a restful winter break and hope you enjoy this time with your scholar(s).

Our scholars and staff have accomplished a lot during our first few months of school. Professional development helps our teachers dive deeper into sound instructional strategies that lead to effective teaching of reading and math. Our student-centered vision is designed to use a child’s natural curiosity to drive their learning inside of the classroom. The standards help teachers design the best lessons and help scholars set goals for success. Our professional development focused on how to help teachers build an environment where scholars can effectively engage in a wide range of rigorous, content-rich conversations, in a safe, supportive and collaborative environment.

I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. School is closed beginning December 16th. During winter break there will be a myriad of opportunities to create a stronger bond with your scholar (s) and continue to support their academic growth and success. The holidays are good times for storytelling around the dinner table or routines like bedtime reading that cultivate connections between home and school expectations. Young scholars do best with regular schedules, and I encourage you to prepare for their return to school on January 4th by instilling in them an understanding of the importance of being rested and ready to learn.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from our Love T. Nolan School family to yours.

Yours in Education,

Dr. Brown, Principal

Vision screening:

Fulton County Schools has partnered with Vision to learn. Vision To Learn is a non-profit organization working in communities across the U.S. offering vision services to students in support of their academic achievement, free of charge.

Vision screenings will take place on Thurs. Dec. 1st for Pre-k-2nd grades

Fri. Dec. 2nd for 3rd – 5th grades.

If your child does not pass the 1st screening, she/he will be referred to the Vision To Learn mobile clinic to receive a basic eye exam by a trained and licensed independent optometrist. This will occur on one of the following dates: Dec 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, or 16th, 2022. The mobile van will come back again as needed on Jan. 9th and 10th, 2023. If you would like to opt out of this service, please return the Opt-out Letter no later than Nov. 30th. If needed, your child may also be prescribed glasses. The optometrist may also identify and refer students in need of follow-up vision care. Eye exams do not involve eye drops or dilation. Receiving vision services provided by the Vision To Learn mobile clinic will constitute a routine vision examination and – as needed – fitting of glasses and eyeglasses that may be billed to your child’s Medicaid benefits, if applicable. However, please note that a FREE eye exam and eyeglasses will be provided even if Medicaid cannot be billed. If your child receives a prescription for glasses: 1) she/he will choose a frame 2) Vision To Learn will order the glasses 3) a trained and licensed optician will dispense glasses at the school within 5-6 weeks.

I am Sheila L. Barlow, your proud new Dean of Students here at Love T. Nolan!! I have been an educator and community leader for over twenty-three years.I began my career in 2001 as a middle school counselor and I have had wonderful experiences working with several scholars, families and teachers where I learned a great deal from all scholars and families.

My twenty plus years of educational and community experiences include working as a community volunteer and building level educator serving students from pre-k through high school. I am the Owl proud recipient of Educator of the Year 2018, from Butts Men of Action and Educator of the Year 2019, from the NAACP. I have worked with many area Superintendents, Principals, Counselors, Teachers and an array of community members to provide researched based strategies to increase the high school graduation rate in several Georgia counties. I know my assignment has always been to work closely with the community to provide growth and development for our future scholars and leaders.

I expand my enthusiasm, professionalism, and motivation to serve and see scholars “SOAR” with high expectations!! I know and believe that all scholars can succeed if guided to the right path and provided with resources and support.

Please know that I am very passionate about empowering students and equipping them to succeed. I am here to help students define and address academic, social/emotional, and career goals. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me

at barlows@fultonschools.org

Each month will send positive affirmations for you and your scholars. Let’s begin our first focus on Affirmations for the Holidays.

Why are positive affirmations important? Positive affirmations are phrases you repeat to yourself to improve how you feel about life. The goal is to take away the negative thinking so that you can achieve all things. This month positive affirmations to practice...

• ● I am worthy of love and acceptance.

• ● Today, I will put all negativity behind me.

• ● Today, I will find joy in where I am.

• ● I am grateful for my abilities and my gifts.

• ● Today, I have confidence.

• ● I am thankful for today.

• ● I am grateful for the joy and love that this day has to offer.

• ● My heart is grateful and my mind is at peace.

• ● I am full of positive, loving energy

  Have a wonderful HOLIDAY SEASON!

As we approach the holiday season, let us remember to spend time reading with our scholars. Here are some tips that can assist you with your child at home during our extended break.

1. Read, read and read again! Read to your child/children at home. Children who are read to by their parents/guardians benefit tremendously in their academics. They will gain stronger early literacy skills and have a larger vocabulary.
2. Teach children rhymes and songs. Nursey rhymes play a crucial role in language and literacy development. Rhymes help children develop an understanding of the patterns of language and understand sounds and blends.
3. Turn on the captions. When watching television, movies, and even videos turn on those captions. This will help children make connections with words they hear and words they are reading on the screen.
4. Talk to your kids. When we speak to our children, we are increasing their vocabulary. Use big words, explain the meaning if needed, and speak to them often. Children will pick up the meanings of big words through context.
5. Make reading easy for your kids. Your child/children should check out books from our Media Center to read over the break or even the public library. But if not, have books readily available at home, in the car, in their bedroom, and in the living room to read. Over time reading will become a habit and a favorite past time.

If you need assistance with any of the tips listed above, contact your child/children’s teacher.

Greetings,

As we move towards closing another calendar year, many of look backs on our accomplishments, reflect on our lives, and set goals to ensure a better year to come. The same practice should ring true for our scholar's educational journeys. This time of year is the perfect season to pause, reflect, and reset!

STEP #1: Pause

• Allow your scholar a few days during his/her Winter Break to relax, enjoy some family time, or other activities s/he hasn't been able to fully enjoy due to the busyness of the school year.
• Having your scholar read for at least 15 minutes daily as a way to keep them engaged is a perfect way to pause, unwind, and relax (especially if they are reading something they truly enjoy!)

STEP #2: REFLECT

• Sit with your scholar and reflect upon the school year thus far (What is going well? What could be better? What should we change?)
• Log into the Parent Portal and review your scholar's grades and attendance. These two areas are the perfect starting points for reflection. (Are there areas that need more practice? Do morning routines need to be revamped to get your scholar to school on time consistently?)

STEP #3: RESET

• After thinking about the happenings of the first semester, work with your scholar to develop 1-2 SMART goals for the upcoming semester. (See steps and explanation below)
• Parents, you can set SMART goals to support your scholars as well!

Make creating SMART goals a routine process in your home each week, month, quarter, or whatever time frame works best for you. Having a collective focus and ways to monitor progress creates the pathway towards success! Enjoy the rest of your month and we look forward to watching your scholar accomplish their goals and soar!!

Writing Belongs in Math!!

Writing in math is more common and important in elementary than ever before. Now, students are required and expected to write several sentences and even paragraphs explaining their math to justifying their answer. This is a critical component of learning in math and it should be done daily. This will deepen their mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. It will also allow the students to reflect on their understanding of a concept and clarify their thought process. This is powerful because it gives you a window into your student’s understanding or lack thereof. Writing can be incorporated through math journaling, math reflections, and through writing summaries of math literature. Spend a little time with your scholar and their thoughts to see exactly how they think!!

The December holidays are my favorite time of year. I get the chance to slow down and spend time with family and friends. When my girls were younger, we spent quality time together by reading books and drinking hot chocolate: Head to Toe by Eric Carle was our favorite book. There are several benefits of reading aloud to children:

• supports brain development
• improves language skills
• prepares children for academic success
• helps to foster a lifelong love of reading
• develops a bond between you and your child

As we approach the holiday season, if you are in need of books to read, please contact me at dawsonp1@fultonschools.org and I will provide you with some books.

Greetings Nolan family,

It is holiday season. A time for celebrations, traditions and creating new memories. While school may be out for the holidays, the learning does not have to stop. Our two weeklong winter break can be an opportunity to introduce some new family activities that will not only help improve reading skills but also be fun for the entire family. Here are a few suggestions to get through the holiday season.

1. Play board games with spelling or reading components (Boggle, Scrabble)
2. Write letters/holiday cards
3. Use recipes to cook and bake
4. Have a hot chocolate reading marathon
5. Journal about the holidays

Enjoy this wonderful time of the year

Dawn Thomas, 3-5 Literacy Coach

5 Tips for Cultivating Empathy

“Empathy is at the heart of what it means to be human. It’s a foundation for acting ethically, for good relationships of many kinds, for loving well, and for professional success. And it’s key to preventing bullying and many other forms of cruelty.” (The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2022).

In simple terms, empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand what they are feeling. Sounds pretty simple right? It is not as simple as it may seem. Many individuals are able to see other perspectives, but empathy requires us to look through the scope of value and compassion when trying to understand others.

• Model empathy for others and for your child.

  Witnessing empathy in action can help children truly understand what it means to value others and their feelings. When they see that you are treating others kindly, it empowers them to do the same.

  
  

• Provide your child with opportunities to practice and learn empathy. Children need guidance and support when learning how to be empathetic to others. Encourage them to be empathetic toward peers and provide praise when they show empathy toward others. Be intentional when addressing behavior that lacks empathy and discuss with your child ways to change their response in the future. Support your child in understanding the feelings that may be stopping them from empathizing with others. At times, feelings like anger, frustration, and other emotions challenge a child's ability to empathize with others at that moment. Work with your child to establish strategies to cope with negative emotions.

  
  

• Support your child in understanding the feelings that may be stopping them from empathizing with others.

  At times, feelings like anger, frustration, and other emotions challenge a child's ability to empathize with others at that moment. Work with your child to establish strategies to cope with negative emotions
  

• Help your child recognize moments where empathy can be used with family and friends.

  
  

• Read books that focus on empathy.
  

How can I use media to teach my kid empathy?

According to Common Sense Media, many parents worry that cyberbullying, trolls, and rude behavior have taken over the internet. While it may seem that the online world has worn away our empathy, many studies show that kids and teens develop strong, supportive online bonds both with known friends and those they've met online. And there are plenty of examples in which an outpouring of empathy has swept through pop culture, the internet, and other mass media.

• Seek out books with diverse characters and backgrounds.
• Encourage kids to express their feelings after watching TV shows and movies.
• Encourage siblings to respect each other's feelings about shows. Seek out movies and TV shows that promote empathy.

  
  

Here's how you can use media to teach kids empathy: Movies, TV, and Books:

• Look for games and apps that switch among characters' perspectives. Choose games and apps that rely on and reward collaboration among players.
• Start teaching positive online communication as soon as your kids start using the internet.
• Encourage kids to find positive online environments that are warm and welcoming.
• Ask kids how they would feel if they were cyberbullied. Encourage your kid to stand up for people who are victimized online. Train kids to think through the impact their posts might have on others.
• Join in hashtag campaigns that support people
• Try it at home. Here's a book you can read along with your child to begin to practice empathy.

  
  

• Watch the read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBFHr6Zj39g

The purpose and intent of this article is to give you Read tips while reading to your scholar at home.

"6 Oral Reading Tips for Parents"

https://www.kumon.com/resources/6-oral-reading-tips-for-parents/?doing_wp_cron=1667321188.8793540000915527343750

Volunteer Opportunities

All persons interested in volunteering in the Fulton County School District are required to re-register/register by completing the new online volunteer registration/application process. The registration process can be found by clicking on the Volunteer global icon. Applicants should be prepared to spend about 10-15 minutes on the training and application process. In accordance with State Law, all volunteers must be current with the Child Abuse Reporting Protocol Training before being allowed to volunteer in our schools. All applicants must wait 24 hours after applying for application processing and approval.

SHOUT OUT to you for your attendance so far at our curriculum nights and workshops. It has been a pretty good turn out, but we still have a lot of space left for those who haven't made a meeting. Assessment Night is coming up next on December 15th. If you're reading this and have a child in 3rd -5th grade we need to see you there!! Join us to learn about the importance of testing. The next workshop is STEM Night which is open for all grade levels and you don't want to miss out on all of the hands-on fun!!!

Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/135
Location: 2725 Creel Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 4702547950
Facebook: facebook.com/None
Twitter: @WeAreNolanOwls