New Manchester Elementary School

We are beginning the final nine week grading period. There is a lot of excitement with spring; however, we must remain focused on working hard and doing our best. Please help your child by continuing to stay involved in their education. Consider these “everyday strategies” to encourage your child to do his/her best. First, communicate expectations. Let your child know you expect him/her to work hard. Set goals with your child. Next, know what your child is learning. Utilize LiveGrades and Class DoJo, talk with your child’s teacher, and help your child review skills. Your curiosity will show your child that school matters. Finally, make time for reading. Reading regularly can help your child do well in all subjects and can develop a love of reading for a lifetime. This will also help to encourage your child to reach his/her AR goal for the final nine weeks of school. With warmer weather and spring activities, the days can become long and eventful. Remind your child that school is a priority, and let us continue to work together to help your child succeed and have a great final nine week grading period.

4/3 PTA Meeting with 1st and 2nd Grade Presentations at 6:00 p.m.

4/4 Report Cards

4/4 4th Grade visit to OGMS

4/4 AR Reward - The Magic Guy

4/7 Sarris Candy Pick Up from 1:00 - 4:40 p.m.

4/8 4th Grade Financial Literacy with HCSB

4/10 WVU Ext. STEM program with 4th Grade

4/15 OGMS Visits NMES 4th Grade for Scheduling of Classes

4/16 LSIC Meeting at 3:30 p.m.

4/17 No School for Students - Professional Learning Day and Faculty Senate for Staff

4/17 Pre-K Registration for the 2025-26 School Year - 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

4/18 No School

4/20 EASTER

4/21 No School

4/22 Earth Day

4/23 Class Pictures and Spring Make Up Pictures

4/24 WVU Ext. STEM program with 4th Grade

4/25 Family Read Aloud

Grab & Go and Lunch menus can also be found on our school website page under the tab "food service".

Our student recipients of our Crew Chief of the Month for April include:

Pre-K: Cole & Jacobe

Kindergarten: Riley, Brooke, & Leona

1st Grade: Emersyn, Gunner, & Charlotte

2nd Grade: Elona & Everleigh

3rd Grade: Leia, Charlotte, & Lyla

4th Grade: Connor & Harper

One student per classroom will be chosen each month by the teacher to be recognized for our "Crew Chief of the Month". The student will have their picture posted to our front lobby bulletin board, will be recognized in our monthly newsletter, and will receive a token of appreciation for their efforts at our PTA meetings.

Criteria for selecting the Students of the Month will include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Effort
  
• Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility
• Behavior and self-control
• Attitude toward others/learning
• Good citizenship
• Leadership and integrity
• Demonstrates responsibility.
• Respectful to peers and teachers
• Significant progress in the classroom and/or marked improvement in grades

In April, we will be focusing on COMPASSION as our PBIS Bearcat Challenge.

COMPASSION can be defined as sympathy and concern for others. Some would say that COMPASSION is putting empathy into action. COMPASSION is what drives us, as humans, to help others in need, even if we don't know the person personally. For younger children, compassion may look like sharing toys or understanding that our words have an impact on someone.

It is important to develop this life skill in elementary school. There are many ways to help children in and out of school understand COMPASSION in action. These can include:

• Rewarding acts of compassion through praise or extra attention
• Reading stories that teach about compassion and discussing the story
• Having a child write a letter to an elderly person or a service member
• Having a classroom (or at home) pet or stuffed animal that requires attention
• Engage a child in community service projects
• Model compassion on a daily basis

We challenge you to show COMPASSION as you never know what someone is going through.

Congratulations to Mrs. Cole, NMES Title I Teacher, for being recognized by her peers as the nominee for Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Cole will represent our school at the County level and will be recognized at an upcoming Board of Education meeting for her accomplishment.

Below is a "getting to know you better" paragraph about Mrs. Cole:

Mrs. Cole has worked in Hancock County for 7 years and has been in the Bearcat Family for the last 2 years. She has been married for almost two years. She has a son, four daughters, and a bonus son and daughter. Mrs. Cole loves to run and hike, planting both indoor and outdoor flowers, and shop. When asked what she loved most about her job, Mrs. Cole stated, "What I love most about teaching is sharing students' successes (both big and small) with students and their teachers." Mrs. Cole expressed that her favorite subjects in school, not surprisingly, were reading and creative writing. When asked if she could have a second profession what would it be, Mrs. Cole stated that she would like to own a small bookstore and write children's books because she thinks it would be rewarding to see children explore the bookshelves with wide-eyes and smiles. Mrs. Cole expressed that if she could visit anywhere in the world, she would love to visit a restored castle because she's always been intrigued by medieval times. She also stated that it would be even better if the castle was close to a beach!

Congratulations Mrs. Cole! This is a well-deserved honor! We will be cheering you on at the County Level!

Congratulations Ms. Lamp on being recognized by your peers as New Manchester Elementary School's representative for Service Personnel of the Year. Mrs. Lamp will represent our school at the county level and will be recognized at an upcoming Board of Education Meeting. We are so proud of Ms. Lamp's accomplishment.

Below is a "getting to know you better" paragraph about Ms. Lamp:

Ms. Lamp has been in the county for two years. This is her first year as an ECCAT. Her family includes Mike, Clay, and her dog, Moe. Ms. Lamp likes to hike and likes to eat yogurt and pizza. When asked about her favorite part of being an ECCAT she said she "likes the kids the most". Ms. Lamp's favorite subject to study when she was in school was Math. If she could go anywhere in the world, Ms. Lamp would love to visit Ireland. Did you know that Ms. Lamp has a fear of snakes and of the dark?

Congratulations Ms. Lamp! We are so proud of you and will be cheering you on at the County Level!

April is Autism Acceptance Month!

The Autism Society of America celebrates Autism Acceptance month in April with its "Celebrate Differences" campaign. This campaign is designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism. It focuses on providing information and resources for communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.

The Autism Society recognizes that the prevalence of autism in the United States has risen from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 54 children in 2020. Autism is a complex, lifelong developmental disability that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person's social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum condition" that affects people differently and to varying degrees. There are notable persistent differences in communication, interpersonal relationships, and social interactions across different environments in persons diagnosed with autism.

Parenting can be challenging and, at times, feel isolating. Parent coaching is here to provide support during those tough moments. Offered at no cost by your school district, parent coaching connects you with a coach and resources developed by therapists. Click here to sign up for ongoing support: https://cookcenter.info/coaching

Building Confidence and Self-Esteem in Children

Confidence and self-esteem are important qualities that help us feel good about ourselves and our abilities. For children developing these traits can lead to better learning experiences, healthier relationships, and a positive outlook on life.

Confidence is the belief in one's abilities to succeed in a specific situation. When children feel confident, they are more likely to take on challenges, participate in class, and try new things. It can be built through practice, encouragement from teachers and parents, and by achieving small goals. For example, when as a student they complete a difficult math problem, they may feel a sense of accomplishment that boosts their confidence

Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves as individuals. It involves recognizing our worth and value. Children with healthy self-esteem tend to have a realistic view of themselves, which helps them handle setbacks and criticism. Building self-esteem often involves celebrating personal achievements and developing a growth mindset, where children learn that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them - a constant theme in school.

Why Are Confidence and Self-Esteem Important?

1. Encouragement to Try New Things: Confident children are more likely to explore new activities, whether it’s joining a sports team or other extra-curricular activities. This exploration helps them discover their interests and talents.
2. Resilience: Children with high self-esteem can bounce back from failures and setbacks. They understand that mistakes are part of learning and that they can improve with effort.
3. Better Social Skills: Confidence and self-esteem can lead to stronger social skills. Children who feel good about themselves are more likely to make friends, express their feelings, and resolve conflicts in a positive way.

Ways to Foster Confidence and Self-Esteem in Children

• Set Achievable Goals: Help children set small, realistic goals that they can achieve. When they reach these goals, it reinforces their abilities and builds confidence.
• Provide Positive Feedback: Encourage children by acknowledging their efforts and successes. Positive reinforcement can motivate them to continue trying their best.
• Create a Supportive Environment: Foster an atmosphere where children feel safe to express themselves, share ideas, and support one another. This environment can enhance their self-esteem.
• Encourage Self-Reflection: Teach children to reflect on their experiences, both successes and challenges. This practice helps them recognize their growth and understand that everyone has strengths and areas for improvement.

In conclusion, confidence and self-esteem play a crucial role in the development of elementary school aged children. By fostering these qualities, educators and parents can help students thrive academically and socially, laying the foundation for a successful future.

April is Stress Awareness Month!

April is Stress Awareness Month! Stress in minor to moderate doses may be expected, as the body is equipped to handle these reactions. However, ongoing or unattended stress can have serious consequences. Chronic stress impacts the entire body and can harm well-being in the long term. Ongoing stress is a risk factor for heart disease, dementia, stroke, accelerated aging, depression, anxiety, insulin resistance, prolonged digestive issues, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition, chronic stress may impact your outlook on life, interpersonal relationships, performance in the workplace, and self-care.

Understanding the signs of stress may help you recognize them and find strategies that target the unique circumstances of your stressful situation. A few of these indicators are increased irritability and anger, a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, mental burnout, changes in appetite, changes in sleep patterns, gastrointestinal distress like nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion, loneliness, body aches, muscle tension, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, and headaches.

Powerful solutions for stress relief include spending time with others, breathing exercises and meditation, grounding activities, physical activities, addressing the root cause, hobbies, time in nature, journaling, cognitive reframing, and therapy. Practicing the activities listed and putting in the effort to manage stress in your life can be a significant way to celebrate Stress Awareness Month!

Roll a die to compete against another player to build a "bunny".

For example, if you roll a 1, you get to draw the bunny's feet.

If you roll a two, you draw the arms.

If you roll a three, you draw the bunny's pants.

If you roll a four, you draw the eyes.

If you roll a five, you draw a nose.

If you roll a six, you draw the ears.

The first person to draw a complete bunny wins.

You can adapt this by using two dice and adding things to draw such as a basket or a colored egg.

You can also adapt this with older students by either having to multiply or divide the dice that are rolled.

• • Two flowers that signify the month of April are the daisy and the sweet pea.
  • Noah Webster copyrighted the first edition of his dictionary in April.
  • William Shakespeare was born and died in the month of April.
  • The first April Fool's Day goes back as far as the 1600s.
  • April is a rainy month.
  • The Titantic sank in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912 killing more than 1,500 people.
  • Earth Day is celebrated on April 22.
  • National Burrito Day is April 1.
  • April is the best month to watch meteor showers.
  • After a 1,500 year break, the first Olympics of the modern era took place on April 6, 1896 in Athens.
  • The smaller animals that hibernate for the winter in the Northern Hemisphere usually start coming out of their burrows in April.
  • Ford unveiled their first Mustang on April 17, 1964 costing $2,368.

"It Takes a Team to Educate a Child"

Email: cyeater@k12.wv.us
Website: boe.hancock.k12.wv.us/NMES
Location: 128 Frankfort Road, New Cumberland, WV, USA
Phone: 304-564-3242
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Elementary-School/New-Manchester-Elementary-School