Counselor Connection

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing week catching up with family and friends. The energy is high here at school as we get ready to take on January! Some upcoming dates to keep in mind are listed below:

January 15 - No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

January 19 - PTO Movie Night (Second Grade)

January 26 - PTO Movie Night (Kindergarten)

January 17 - Incoming Kindergarten Registration 9-12

February 7 - PTO Movie Night (First Grade)

Are your kids excited about making a "New Year's Resolution"? Here are some easy, age-appropriate ideas for kids:

* Get outside for at least 20 minutes every day!

* Try 1 new food each week.

* Try to help someone every day.

* Drink more water.

* Try a new activity/sport.

* Start doing a new chore.

* Improve my manners.

* Make a new friend.

* Keep my room clean.

* Read every night

* Learn a new hobby

For some more ideas, you can check out these articles:

50 New Year's Resolution Ideas for Elementary Kids

Making New Year's Resolutions with Kids

Our social skills lesson focused on the SIZE of the PROBLEM. In each class, we talked about problems and we learned that our problems can be different sizes.

• Small problems - These are problems that we can solve on our own. We use our words and find a solution that works best for everyone involved. An example of a small problem is breaking a pencil, forgetting your lunch or getting cut in line.
• Medium problems - Medium problems may involve some big feelings or hurt feelings. These problems may take a little longer to solve and a grown up may be needed. An example of a medium problem is returning to the classroom from the bathroom and the class is gone. A student forgets if they are riding the bus or being picked up. These problems are easily solved, but may need grown-up help.
• Big problems - Big problems are problems that need adult help right away! Problems are big problems when someone gets hurt or may get hurt. Students should get adult help right away and then look for the "helpers" (teachers, nurse, doctor, police, fire fighters etc). An example of a big problem is smelling smoke, seeing someone get hurt, a car accident etc.

Yoga is very beneficial to children and because it involves music and movement, it can be easily incorporated as a fun activity! Some benefits of yoga for children are:

• improved concentration/focus
• stress alleviation/management
• self-awareness
• improved coordination and body awareness
• self-regulation

There are lots of children's yoga videos available on Youtube and other websites. Try out this yoga video from Cosmic Kids Yoga.

If your child borrowed clothes from the Health Office, please return them. It's very wet and muddy on the playground - please try to pack an extra pair of sweatpants/leggings and socks to leave at school.

The Ashland Recreation Department has many programs available to keep kids excited and learning throughout the year. Currently, the ARC is taking registrations for programs such as:

• Buildwave
• Backyard Discovery
• Kids Test Kitchen

Make sure to visit the Town of Ashland Recreation website to get more information and to register for programs. Stay tuned for information about summer camp registration too!