Attica Elementary Newsletter
February 2025
Now that we have said good bye to February, we are hoping that we will start to see some sunshine and warmer weather! We are ready to shed our boots and hats!
I have sent home a reminder to all families regarding parking lot safety. I realize that parking can be tight in the area at dismissal, but we must do our best to maintain the safety of our students. Please adhere to the following:
Handicap Spaces: Parking in designated handicap spots is strictly prohibited unless you have a valid handicap tag displayed.
Designated Parking Areas: All vehicles must be parked in clearly marked parking spots only. Parking in undesignated areas, blocking driveways, or stopping in crosswalks is not permitted.
Orderly Traffic Flow: Please follow all posted signs and staff directions to maintain an orderly and safe traffic flow during arrival and dismissal times.
Stopped Busses: Please do not pass stopped busses in the bus loop for pick up or drop off. This creates a high level of risk for our staff and students.
Our theme for the month of January was KINDNESS. Our goals for the month were:
We are kind to each other and ourselves.
We choose to do good deeds and bring happiness to others.
We are considerate, thoughtful and friendly
Congratulations to our student's of the month for FEBRUARY, these students were nominated by the elementary staff for demonstrating KINDNESS and CHAMP behavior in our school.
PreK: Delilah Comfort (AM) & Colt Zajac (PM)
Kindergarten: Jason Harloff
1st Grade: Kennedy Ford
2nd Grade: Lucy Bohall & Connor Cade
3rd Grade: Ruthie Meyer
4th Grade: Drew Franz
Throughout the month of March, the Elementary school will focus on COOPERATION as our theme! We will focus on the following ideas:
We work together with our classmates to complete tasks and solve problems.
We share ideas and listen to others to make sure everyone's voice is heard.
We take turns and work together to achieve common goals.
We support each other’s efforts and celebrate our teamwork achievements.
Caring and cooperation are positive behaviors we'd all like to see in our children; however, very young children tend to see themselves at the center of their world. As they grow, children start to develop social awareness and learn to care more about other people and their feelings, reactions and perspectives.
As young children build relationships, they learn how their words and actions affect others. They come to understand that what they say and do can make people feel good or make people feel sad. If children see thoughtfulness and cooperation modeled, they learn to collaborate, practice kindness, and do things for others.
Tips to Help Children Learn to Care and Cooperate
- Acknowledge that child development is a journey and give choices. Set reasonable expectations for cooperation for your child. Some young children are able to wait patiently while you help a neighbor; for others, that might be a challenge. Some young children might want to draw a picture on a card for a friend's birthday, while others might prefer to give a hug.
- Talk with children about their feelings. Teach them words that identify emotions. Children need to be aware of their own emotions before they can empathize with and respond to someone else's. Ask children how they feel about different situations. Talk about real life scenarios and discuss possible choices. Ask questions that require a child to take another's perspective, "How do you think he felt when he fell down?" Read children's books about people cooperating, demonstrating kindness, and helping others and discuss while reading together.
- Validate caring behaviors when they occur. "It was very kind of you to help Stewart when he fell of his bike." Or, "Thank you for helping me put the groceries away."
- Empower children by asking for their ideas and suggestions about a situation. If another child at school is experiencing difficulties or challenging behavior, ask your child questions to extend his understanding of what transpired. Teaching them to care is a great way to help children learn how to build meaningful friendships. "How do you think that child is feeling?" "What do you think you can do to help?"
- Explain situations and expectations beforehand. "Aunt Mary is coming to visit. It would make her feel so happy if each of us say 'hi,' smile at her or give her a hug when she arrives. What else do you think we can do to help her feel happy?"
Above all, model the values we want our children to learn. As families, we are the first and most important teachers for our children. None of us is perfect but we can all be thoughtful and make concern for others part of our family culture. By helping others, donating toys and books, reaching out to someone new, or expressing gratitude, we can all guide our children to create a more compassionate world!
Welcome to Miss Crowley’s Counseling Corner where every month I will include information, facts and tips regarding Mental Health.
For the month of March we are talking all about Coping Strategies/Coping Skills. Having healthy coping skills can be the key to getting through tough times. Coping skills help us tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in our lives. Managing stressful situations can help you feel better physically and emotionally.
Kids experience a vast array of feelings, just as adults do. While most of us experience any number of emotions from day to day, we are not necessarily taught how to deal with them or how to cope. Kids especially need to learn skills to manage their emotions in a healthy way. It’s important to teach them coping skills that can help them face their fears, calm themselves down and cheer themselves up.
In honor of March being known as “March Madness”, I created a March Madness Coping Strategies Bracket that you can complete for fun with your family to decide what coping strategy your child likes the most! This is an easy way to talk to and teach your child healthy coping strategies, and a fun way to find out which strategies they find the most useful.
Miss Crowley
“Be the reason someone feels welcomed, loved, heard, seen and supported today”
We had an incredible February, highlighted by our first-ever PTG Bingo night, which was a great success! We can't wait to have other opportunities to host events like this again:
March Events:
- Spirit Wear Sale Coming Soon! Get ready to show your school spirit! We're excited to announce a Spirit Wear Sale, featuring Attica clothing items. To purchase, visit the link once shared on ClassDojo and Facebook.
- St. Patrick's Coin Drive Fundraiser (March 13-23): Students are encouraged to bring in spare change for a chance to win the grand prize for their class.
- 3rd & 4th Grade Someone Special Dance (March 20, 6-7:30 pm): 3rd and 4th Grade Students and their special guests will enjoy an evening of fun, with this year's theme being "Lucky to Have You."
Get Involved! Our Next PTG meeting is March 18th at 6pm. It's never too late to get involved! We have our annual carnival coming up, along with other end-of-year fun. Join us to help make these events a success!
MARCH IS NATIONAL SLEEP AWARENESS MONTH…
Sleep allows the body and mind to recharge and refresh; as well as boost the immune system, help
wounds heal, and treat inflammation. Being sleep-deprived impairs the ability to concentrate, think clearly, and process memories.
While adults should get 7 to 9 hours per night, sleep experts recommend more for children.
According to the Sleep Foundation, preschoolers should clock 10 to 13 hours and elementary-
aged kids need 9 to 11 hours of slumber daily. Not only do kids need more sleep, but they
need a sleep routine to help set the foundation for future sound slumbers.
To help elementary-aged kids get a better sleep pattern, many experts recommend the Four Bs.
This set of four pre-sleep habits can help your child understand when it’s time for bed — and
sleep more soundly once that time comes.
- Bathing: Research shows that a warm bath can help us fall asleep faster — that includes
energetic kids. A bath warms our body temperature, which makes us sleepier, and it’s
also a soothing bedtime ritual that will help your kid understand when it’s time to wind
down.
- Brushing: This one is pretty self-explanatory. Having your child brush their teeth before
bedtime isn’t just good hygiene; it’s another element of a consistent pre-sleep routine.
- Books: After bath and brushing, read to/with your child. Bedtime stories can foster the
bond between you and your child, but the benefits don’t stop there. This verbal
interaction is shown to boost kids’ development, increase their vocabulary and, as an
added bonus, make them drift off to sleep easier.
- Bed: Tuck your child into bed safely and comfortably. Pay attention to their bedroom’s
sleep environment, adjusting lighting and minimizing noise to help them sleep more
soundly.
Although every child sleeps differently, using these four steps can help you find the right
bedtime routine for you and your child.
To help your little one adjust to Daylight Saving Time in early March, try adjusting their
bedtime by 15-20 minutes nightly a few days prior. This can make the spring forward go more
smoothly for your child — and for you!
The Blue Devils Café is jumping into March with all sorts of excitement happening! For our very 1st week of the month, we are celebrating BOTH Reading Week and National School Breakfast Week with our students! Students will have the opportunity to enjoy various “specialty items” for breakfast throughout the week, finishing up on Friday with homemade smoothies! Lunch all week will be inspired by books selected to be featured during Reading Week – be sure to check out our flyer with your student and encourage them to dive into reading fun with our Main Menu choices!
Wrapping up the remainder of March will include a special treat for St. Patrick’s Day, the celebration of National Ag Day, Build Stations on Tuesdays and NY Meals on Thursdays. Each day we provide a variety of fruits and vegetables to be paired with student’s menu choice of the day. Student’s are required to select one fruit or vegetable with their meal, but are encouraged to select up to 2 fruits and 2 vegetables to enjoy! Nutritious meals fuel the body and brain, we are proud to support student’s growth and success at school!
Did you know?? Students have the opportunity to purchase a 2nd lunch if they are still hungry. Students can pay cash, or use account money accompanied with a note stating they can use their account money for a 2nd lunch purchase. 2nd lunch cost is $2.55 for an entire meal, or $2.35 for just a 2nd entree. Any questions regarding this matter, please reach out to the elementary school kitchen at extension 2239!
“Feeding Kids is a Work of Heart!”
Mrs. Kayla George
Elementary Cook
585-591-0400 ext. 2239
