Attica Elem. Newsletter - Feb. 26

As we wrap up February and our focus on kindness, we are so proud of the many caring actions we saw throughout our elementary school. Students and staff demonstrated kindness in big and small ways—helping classmates, including others at recess, using respectful words, and showing patience and understanding each day. These moments remind us how powerful simple acts of kindness can be in creating a positive school community. As we move into March, we encourage our students to continue spreading kindness and carrying these habits with them all year long.

Our Students of the Month for the month of February were:

• Prek - Levi Ripstein & Weston Schadt
• Kindergarten - Alese Czesak
• First Grade - Lettie Burry
• Second Grade - Edward Francis & Norah Vetter
• Third Grade - McKenna Henry
• Fourth Grade - Rose Hulme

Congratulations to each of these students, and all that were nominated this month!

A special shout out to Miss Allein's first grade class and Mrs. Allein, Mrs. Weber, and Mrs. Clark's third class - they braved the cold temperatures to "Honk for Kindness" in front of the elementary school last week. This is a great way to get our community involved in spreading positivity and kindness!

Can you believe we have already been in school for 101 days? It's true what they say, time flies when you are having fun!!

Our theme for the month of March will be SELF-CONTROL:

• We can stay calm when we feel upset or frustrated.
• We can think before we act or speak.
• We can follow directions, even when we don't feel like it.
• We can make good choices, even when it's hard.

Teaching elementary students the skill of self-control is an important part of helping them grow both academically and socially. Self-control allows children to pause before reacting, manage big emotions, stay focused on learning, and make thoughtful choices—even when something feels frustrating or exciting. In school, we support students by modeling calm behavior, practicing problem-solving, and giving them strategies like deep breathing, positive self-talk, and taking short breaks when needed. With guidance, consistency, and encouragement from both school and home, children build the confidence and self-regulation skills they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

Here are some practical, parent-friendly strategies to help build self-control at home:

🧠 1. Practice the “Pause”

Teach your child to stop and take a deep breath before reacting. You might say, “Let’s pause and think,” and model taking 3 slow breaths together. Practicing this when they’re calm makes it easier to use during tough moments.

🎲 2. Play Games That Build Self-Control

Games like Simon Says, Red Light/Green Light, Freeze Dance, Uno, or board games help children practice waiting, listening, and handling winning or losing appropriately.

⏳ 3. Build Waiting Muscles

Create small opportunities to wait—like delaying dessert for a few minutes or waiting their turn in conversation. Praise their effort: “I noticed how patiently you waited—that’s great self-control!”

💬 4. Teach Feeling Words

Help your child name their emotions: “You look frustrated” or “That was disappointing.” When children can label feelings, they are more likely to manage them.

📋 5. Set Clear, Consistent Expectations

Simple, predictable routines and clear rules help children feel secure and reduce impulsive behavior. Follow through calmly and consistently.

🌟 6. Praise the Skill, Not Just the Outcome

Instead of only praising success, highlight the behavior:
“I’m proud of how you stayed calm,” or “You worked really hard to make a good choice.”

🧘 7. Create a Calm-Down Space

Designate a cozy spot with books, a stuffed animal, or coloring materials where your child can reset—not as a punishment, but as a strategy.

❤️ 8. Model It Yourself

Children learn most from what they see. Narrate your own self-control:
“I’m feeling frustrated, so I’m going to take a deep breath before I respond.”

With patience and practice, self-control grows over time. Every small moment of guidance helps children build lifelong skills.

Pre Kindergarten enjoyed reading and learning about fairy tales during the month of February. During center time, students build strong chairs for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, wolf-proof houses for The Three Little Pigs, and magically baked and tasted bread just like The Little Red Hen. Students sharpened their scissor skills by cutting Goldilocks's hair, used forks dipped in brown paint to create a bear, and collaborated on creating a house for pigs. The theme continued into math and reading as students practiced counting, writing numbers, rhyming and writing letters with story characters.

Kindergarten celebrated the 100th Day of school on February 23rd. They participated in lots of hands on activities centered around the number 100!

First grade got into the spirit of the Olympics with their very own Measurement Olympics!

Our second graders have been diving into geometry with lots of hands-on exploration! Students are using tangrams, pattern blocks, spaghetti, toothpicks, and marshmallows to build and compose a variety of 2D and 3D shapes. Through these engaging activities, they are strengthening their understanding of attributes, vertices, edges, and how shapes can be combined and decomposed in different ways.

Throughout the month of March, the third grade team is excited to continue the planning of our Wellness Day for our students, which will be held during school on April 1st! The students are also continuing to improve their reading and writing skills by diving deep into the meanings of poems, along with creating a poem of their own. For Math, the third graders continue to work on the attributes of shapes and finding the area of shapes as well.

The 4th graders recently completed the NYS Science Investigation “Cloud in a Bottle.” Through this hands-on activity, students explored the steps of the water cycle and learned how changes in pressure and temperature play an important role in the formation of clouds. It was a fun and engaging way to bring science concepts to life!

March = A Long Month with Big Feelings 🌷

March can feel like one of the longest months of the school year. The excitement of winter holidays has passed, spring break may still feel far away, and the weather often keeps us guessing. For many elementary students, this time of year can bring big emotions, low energy, and shorter patience — both at school and at home.

At school, we are placing an extra focus on social-emotional learning (SEL) this month (specifically self-control). Our goal is to help students build the skills they need to manage feelings, solve problems, and stay connected to one another in positive ways. These skills are just as important as academics and help children thrive in all areas of life.

While we focus on SEL here at school here is how families can support their child at home:

1. Normalize Big Feelings - Let your child know it’s okay to feel tired, frustrated, or restless. Try saying, “March can feel like a long month. I wonder if that’s what you’re feeling?”

2. Create Small Routines to Look Forward To - A weekly game night, library visit, or special bedtime story can give children something predictable and positive to anticipate.

3. Practice Calming Strategies Together

• Take 5 slow belly breaths
  

• Go for a short walk outside
  

• Stretch or do simple yoga poses
  

• Create a quiet “calm corner” at home
  
  

4. Focus on Effort Over Outcome - Celebrate perseverance: “I noticed you kept trying even when that was hard.” This builds resilience and confidence.

5. Model Self-Regulation - Children learn by watching us. Narrating your own coping skills — “I’m feeling overwhelmed, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths” — teaches powerful lessons.

As we move through this long stretch of the school year, we are committed to supporting not just academic growth, but emotional growth as well. When school and home work together to support social-emotional development, children feel safe, capable, and ready to learn.

Thank you for partnering with us to help our students finish the winter season strong and step into spring with confidence! 🌼

Warmly,

The Mental Health Department

Miss Crowley & Dr. Marr

“Be the reason someone feels welcomed, loved, heard, seen and supported today”

Spring is right around the corner, and March is full of exciting events for our Attica Elementary families!

Thank you for continuing to show up, support, and make our school community so special.

Reading Week will be celebrated the first week of March! The PTG will be assisting in the celebration by giving every student a free book to help grow their home library and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

Valentine’s Grams Recap: Our school community’s generosity was AMAZING! Because of your support, every child received a Smencil. Thank you for spreading kindness and making this event such a sweet success!

Scholastic Book Fair Success: We are thrilled to share that we had almost $6,000 in sales at our recent Book Fair! Even better, our school earned $2,540 to spend on new books for our students! Thank you to everyone who shopped, volunteered, and supported literacy at Attica Elementary. Your support directly benefits our classrooms and library.

Upcoming Events:

March 10, 2026: PTG Meeting at 3:15 PM in the Elementary Library

Please join us to hear updates, share ideas, and help plan upcoming events. We love welcoming new faces!

March 17, 2026: St. Patrick’s Bingo (After School for 3rd & 4th Grade Only)

A fun afternoon of bingo, prizes, and festive excitement! More details coming home soon.

March 26, 2026: Someone Special Dance (6:00 – 7:30 PM 3rd & 4th Grade Only)

Please mark your calendars for a special evening of music, memories, and fun! More information to follow.

Thank You for Your Support, Families. From events to fundraisers to meetings, none of this happens without our incredible families, staff, and volunteers. We are so grateful for each of you!

Daylight Saving Time means more sunlight during the hours most of us are awake. But setting the clock forward or back also can cause sleep issues that can make for a lot of cranky kids and groggy teens.

Adjusting kids to Daylight Saving Time is all about managing their internal clocks before the "clock shock" hits. Since even a one-hour shift can trigger crankiness and bedtime battles, the best defense is a gradual transition—shifting naps and bedtime by 15-minute increments over the course of several days.

During the "Spring Forward" jump, using blackout curtains is a lifesaver to block out the extra evening sun, while "Fall Back" requires keeping the house bright in the morning to reset their rhythm.

Regardless of the season, prioritizing natural sunlight during the day and sticking to your usual bedtime routine helps their bodies adapt within about a week.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s health, please call Nurse Dispenza at 585-591-0400 extension 2238 or email at MDispenza@AtticaCSD.org

Welcome March! We are thrilled that Spring is right around the corner!

The cafeteria staff is gearing up for a month of delicious breakfasts and lunches for our students. This month’s menu features many favorite entrees such as Taco in a Bag, Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl, and Mac & Cheese.

The Elementary School is celebrating Reading Week March 2nd – 6th, and the cafeteria is so excited to be collaborating with meals inspired by books! Starting the week off strongly celebrating Dr Suess’s birthday, students will be enjoying scrambled eggs and ham, inspired by “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr Suess, along with a special birthday treat! On Tuesday, students will get to build their own sub, inspired by “Pete’s Big Lunch” by James Dean. Wednesday brings “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” by Judi Barrett, to be paired with Meatball Subs! On Thursday, while enjoying Taco in a Bag, students will be thinking of “Dragons Love Tacos!” by Adam Rubin. Finally, Friday will feature two entrees, Big Daddy Cheese Pizza or Homemade Cheese Pizza, inspired by “The Princess and the Pizza” by Mary Jane Auch. What a fun-filled week we will have!

Also in March, the Library and Cafeteria will be collaborating in Ag Literacy with the topic of Honey! Students will receive some excellent instruction on Honey and Honeybees and will see Honey appear in many food items throughout the month!

Questions or Concerns regarding your child’s lunch account can be directed to the food service manager at any time.

“Feeding Kids is a Work of Heart!”

Mrs. Kayla George

Food Service Manager

585-591-0400 ext. 1195

Kgeorge3@atticacsd.org

As a school district, we have established a committee to review our grading practices, why we grade/what we are measuring, and how we communicate student learning to families.

We are asking parents and caregivers to please take a moment to complete the following survey. Thank you for your continued support of our district and students!

Upcoming Events at the Elementary School:

• March 2-6 Reading Week
• March 6 - 4th Grade Hockey All Stars
• March 8 - Daylight Savings!
• March 9 - 3rd Grade Hockey All Stars
• March 10 - Pops Concert Dress Rehearsal (1:00pm)
• March 10 - 1st Grade Board Game Club (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 10 - PTG Meeting (3:15pm)
• March 10 - Pops Concert (7pm)
• March 12 - Elementary IST
• March 12 - 1st Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 16 - Sunshine Singers (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 17 - 2nd Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 17 - 3&4 PTG Bingo (3:00pm)
• March 19 - 2nd Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 19 - 1st Grade Paint Night (6pm)
• March 20 - Elementary IST
• March 20 - Kind. Rhythm Band (1:30pm)
• March 23 - Sunshine Singers (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 24 - 3rd Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 26 - 2nd Gr. Folk Concert (1:30pm)
• March 26 - 3rd Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 26 - 3 & 4 PTG Someone Special Dance (6:00pm)
• March 27 - Superintendent's Conference Day - No School for Students
• March 30 - Sunshine Singers (after school until 4:15pm)
• March 31 - 4th Grade Board Games (after school until 4:15pm)
• April 1 - Attica Elementary Wellness Day
• April 2 - Attica Elementary Talent Show
• April 2 - 15 Minute Emergency Release Drill
• April 3 - Spring Recess begins - No School for Students
• April 13 - Back from Spring Recess!