Frenchtown's Family Update
October 16, 2026
Breathing exercises help kids calm down because slow, deep breaths send a signal to
the nervous system that the body is safe. When children feel angry, scared or
overwhelmed, their bodies react automatically. They enter a “fight, flight, or freeze” state where their heart beats fast, their muscles may tighten and their breathing turns shallow. Breathing helps to slow the heart, relax the muscles, activate the calming system and clear the mind. Breathing helps to teach children self-control. Children will learn to pause between their
big feelings and their reaction. Children can use objects (such as the bubble wand below) to aid them in controlled breathing, or they can use something as simple as their hand for a five finger breath. Breathing can help to ease transitions. Breathing before bedtime, or between daily activities, teaches them how to navigate transitions smoothly, helping them to shift from high energy to a state of calm and physical relaxation.
Make your own Breathing Wand at Home:
Get a pipecleaner and 5 beads. Fold and twist the pipecleaner to make a loop. Add 5 beads. The beads slide down the pipe cleaner to keep track of the number of breaths to take. Take a deep breath in and blow it through the bubble (hole). Slide one bead down. Take a second breath and blow through the bubble and slide the second bead down. Repeat the breath 5 times, moving the 5 beads down with each breath you take.
Ms. Derby, Social Worker
Room 214 word makers spent time creating compound words during a variety of activities. Some made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, others put together "baseballs," and a third group cut, pasted and illustrated new compound words.
Trunk or Treat is now next Friday, October 23rd. Sign up now for the Frenchtown Trunk or Treat & Costume Bash! Buy tickets here: https://frenchtownelempta.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/407645
With the change of date, we are looking for a few more cars for the trunk or treat. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JoK3eGj2Lo8RB3N7A
Cherrydale Fundraiser:
A huge thank you to everyone who has registered and sent invitations to friends and family near and far! We really appreciate your help! The fundraiser closes October 19th. As we work toward our goal, we’d love for every student to register online and add at least 10 contacts, if possible. Every registered student will be entered to win from more than 1,000 prizes, including Apple AirPods, MacBook Pros, Visa gift cards, and more! Get registered here: https://www.shopfund.com/Create-Account
Upcoming Events:
PTA meeting: October 21 @ 7pm
Frenchtown Friday Night Lights at Trumbull High School: October 30th!
Pink Pledge (we encourage all kids to wear pink and donate $1): October 23rd
Don’t forget to renew your membership to become a member of the Frenchtown PTA by visiting the PTA website HERE.
