North Side Family Flyer

December's vocabulary word is "GENEROSITY". Teaching generosity to children is a very important social skill. Many may struggle with generosity, or sharing, due to the impulse control portion of their brain being underdeveloped. Once children learn generosity, they will be more empathetic, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and become more involved in the community, which can include their school.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to help teach and model generosity to children through the joy of giving. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Write letters to the military and send

2. Volunteer to ring the bell for the Salvation Army

3. Volunteer to play games with residents at a retirement home

4. Offer to help elderly family members decorate for the holidays or clean

5. Write thank you notes to people in your life who have done something to help you

6. Play cards or games with family

7. Using your talent, teach someone how to do it (play music, draw something, play a sport)

8. Organize a drive to collect items for a cause you are passionate about

If your family is willing to share your experience of generosity with a short paragraph and a few pictures sent to my e-mail during the month of December, I would love to spotlight you on our North Side Facebook page. My e-mail is sleasure@eastnoble.net.

Yours in education,

Stephanie Leasure

Monday, November 27th - MOY Fountas & Pinnell Benchmarking begins...

Tuesday, November 28th - Mr. and Mrs. Claus visit North Side classrooms to kick off PTO's North Side North Pole

Monday, December 4th - 8th - MOY iReady Benchmarking begins...

Monday, December 4th - Tuesday, December 19th - Dress-Up Days (See the calendar below)

Tuesday, December 5th - Thursday, December 7th - North Side North Pole Shopping (see schedule below)

Wednesday, December 6th - Winter Music Program for grade K, 2, and 4, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, December 13th: Reindeer Run for grades 5th and Kindergarten

Thursday, December 14th: Reindeer Run for grades 2nd and 3rd

Monday, December 18th: MOY Benchmark Principal Challenge Reward (AM)

Monday, December 18th: Reindeer Run for grades 4th and 1st

Tuesday, December 19th: Last Day for Students before Winter Break

Wednesday, December 20th - Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024 - Winter Break

Wednesday, January 3rd - 1st day back to school after break

Coat season is officially here!!! Please make sure to send your child(ren) to school with coats, hats, and gloves, if needed, for recess. Students will go outside for recess unless it is raining or below 10 degrees.

*Illness season is here. Please make sure to call your child(ren) in sick to school. You may call before school hours and leave us a message, if needed. Our number is (260) 347-1354. If we do not hear from you, we will call to check in on your child. Please remember the 24 hour rule, they should be fever free, vomit free, and diarrhea free for 24 hours before returning to school.

*Please make sure to call our office BEFORE 2:00 p.m. if you need to change your child's transportation on the way home for that day. This allows us time to share this information with both the teacher and your child before dismissal begins at 2:40 p.m. Your child's safety and making it home is our #1 priority. We appreciate you helping us with this!

Please make sure that you have an updated background check on file if you wish to volunteer in the classroom or at school. This is also needed for field trips. Please stop in the office for a volunteer form if you still need to complete one.

As the holiday season approaches, we are filled with excitement and joy, anticipating the festivities and quality time spent with our loved ones. This time of the year provides a wonderful opportunity to not only celebrate traditions but also to incorporate literacy into our family activities. By weaving literacy into our holiday traditions, we can create meaningful experiences that promote learning and bonding. Here are some creative and enjoyable ways to infuse literacy into the holiday season:

Holiday Storytime:

• Encourage the love of reading by incorporating holiday-themed books into your family's reading routine. Whether it's classic tales like "The Night Before Christmas" or new favorites, gather together for a cozy story time by the fireplace or holiday tree.

Write Holiday Letters:

• Encourage your children to express their thoughts and gratitude through handwritten letters. Whether it's a letter to Santa, a note to relatives, or a thank-you card, this activity not only enhances writing skills but also fosters a sense of connection and appreciation.

Recipe Reading and Baking:

• Turn holiday baking into a literacy-rich activity by involving your children in reading and following recipes. This hands-on experience not only improves reading skills but also introduces them to the world of measurements, fractions, and procedural texts.

Create a Family Holiday Journal:

• Start a family holiday journal where everyone can contribute by writing about their favorite moments, traditions, and experiences. This journal becomes a cherished keepsake, documenting memories and providing an opportunity for reflection and expression.

DIY Holiday Cards:

• Instead of buying holiday cards, make it a family activity to create your own. This involves brainstorming festive messages, designing the cards, and writing personalized notes. It's a fantastic way to combine creativity and literacy.

Holiday Movie Night with Discussions:

• After watching holiday movies together, engage in discussions about the plot, characters, and themes. This helps develop critical thinking skills and provides an opportunity for your children to articulate their thoughts.

Visit the Local Library or Bookstore:

• Take a trip to the local library or bookstore to explore holiday-themed books. Allow your children to choose books that interest them, fostering a sense of autonomy and excitement about reading.

Literacy Around Town

• Look for holiday decorations as you drive through town with your child. Depending on the age of the child, you can do activities like ask what the beginning sound of the word is (wreath = /r/, tree = /t/, Christmas = /k/, etc.), how to spell it, what other words rhyme, or make up a story about the decoration.

• Sing holiday songs with your child, and give them a copy of the lyrics to help them sing along. Singing in this way supports reading fluency.

• Create family holiday break traditions of visiting a local museum, zoo, library, etc. and document your visit with pictures or journal entries.

By incorporating these literacy-rich activities into your holiday celebrations, you not only create cherished memories but also provide valuable opportunities for your children to develop and enhance their literacy skills. The joy of the holiday season, coupled with the magic of reading and writing, can make this time truly special for the entire family.

Wishing you a joyful and literacy-filled holiday season!

Attendance:

As I look at attendance from previous years, this year has been better! Thank you for getting your students to school. Please make sure to get notes turned in for any appointments that your child may have been seen for. This helps us in our process of sending out letters and taking the next steps in our attendance policy. Please reach out if you should have any questions!

Safety:

November was a busy month for safety drills. We participated in a Tornado drill, fire drill, and a shelter-in-place. We practice drills to make sure all staff and students are prepared in case we are ever faced with an emergency. The month of December will see your students practice a fire drill, relocation drill, lockdown drill, and any others that may come up. We take safety seriously and want to make sure your children feel safe while at North Side. If you should ever have questions, please feel free to reach out to me at jperlich@eastnoble.net.

As the days are becoming colder, please remember to make sure your child is wearing a coat to school. If your child does not have a coat and you need assistance getting one, please reach out!!! I have resources and would love to assist you in making sure your child stays warm this winter.

• Side note – be sure to write your child’s name in their coat, hat and gloves. These items are misplaced often. This helps us to make sure we can locate the owners of lost coats and gloves 😊

Friendly reminders:

• Your child must be fever-free, without fever-reducing medication, for 24 hours before returning to school. The same applies to vomiting and diarrhea.
• Please send a change of clothes in your child’s backpack for those occasional accidents or spills. I will do my best to provide your child with a change of clothes, but if I do not have the appropriate size, I will have to call home and ask for a change of clothes.
• If your child has clothes that they have outgrown, I am always accepting clothing donations!! This is how I keep my “extra clothes” stocked. I am always in need of pants and underwear, sizes 6-12. Don’t worry, clothes are always washed before I give them to students 😊

December is upon us and we are so excited to celebrate the season with you all! We will kick off the festivities by welcoming one of our many holiday friends, Santa Claus, on Tuesday, November 28th. He and Mrs. Claus will visit each of the classrooms to spread the message of love and kindness to all, while also gifting a little reminder of that message for the students to take with them throughout the season.

During school hours of the first week of December— December 5th, 6th, and 7th—the PTO will be running a gift shop for students. We have been working hard all year to find the best deals to share with all the students, so we wouldn’t have to use a third party company. This gift shop is a beautiful opportunity for your student to learn how to budget and practice showing kindness to others in a tangible way. No item is priced over $5!

Last, but certainly not least, the PTO is gifting teachers with school supplies as a gift for a mid year supply restock. Please consider helping us show our gratitude to our North Side Elementary staff by sending in unopened school supplies (crayons, markers, glue sticks, colored pencils, erasers, corded headphones, dry erase markers, notebooks, folders, etc) with your student and we will collect the items and distribute them on Tuesday, December 19. We will also take monetary donations to help us with this goal!

Our food service staff takes the best care of our students and staff. They serve up some of the students favorite meals and know what the students eat and drink. they REALLY know and love our kiddos!!!