Wednesday's Words

As parents, we are dedicated to seeing our children succeed academically, socially, and in life. We provide support, guidance, and encouragement, giving them the tools they need to achieve. However, with the best of intentions, we may be overlooking one powerful, research-proven habit that is key to success: the ability to embrace and learn from struggle.

Why Struggle Deepens Learning

True, lasting knowledge doesn't come from easy tasks. It arises from the effortful process of exploring, encountering obstacles, and struggling productively. This mental grappling is where the brain strengthens connections and real learning happens. Unfortunately, many students fear confusion, mistakenly concluding they are "not good" at a subject.

Psychologist Carol Dweck identifies two mindsets:

Fixed Mindset: Students with this view see intelligence as innate, interpreting difficulty as a sign of failure and leading them to quit when challenged.
Growth Mindset: Students with this view see intelligence as flexible. Challenge is viewed as a sign their brain is working hard, motivating them to increase effort and try new strategies. They understand the struggle itself is the work of learning, which develops the essential traits of grit and perseverance.

What is the difference between struggle and productive struggle?

It's important to understand the difference between ordinary struggle and productive struggle. Ordinary struggle comes when a task is too far beyond a child’s current capabilities and skill set; it can lead to frustration without learning. Productive struggle, on the other hand, is the sweet spot where the challenge is just hard enough to require focused effort and new strategies, allowing a child's brain to form stronger connections and ultimately achieve deeper learning.

How to Foster Productive Struggle at Home

The key to cultivating a growth mindset is focusing on your child’s process, not just the result.

1. Praise the Process, Not the Outcome:

When your child succeeds, focus on the effort and strategies they used. Ask: "What did you do to prepare?" or "Which strategy worked best?" Acknowledge their practice and persistence to reinforce that the process matters more than the final grade.

2. Coach Through Confusion:

When your child struggles, avoid rushing to provide the answer. Instead, coach them to stay engaged in the productive struggle:

Ask guiding questions: "What have you tried so far?" or "What resources can you use?"
Normalize the effort: Remind them, "This is tough, but that means your brain is getting stronger."

We look forward to partnering with you to develop learners who are equipped to persist, problem-solve, and understand that struggling through challenges is often the straightest path to deep and meaningful learning!

Sincerely,

Ingrid N. Allardi

Who are the Parent Leaders?

The Parent Leaders Committee is comprised of a group of parents who have students in the Norfolk Public Schools and are interested in working collaboratively with the district to problem solve issues, discuss educational programming and support efforts towards continuous improvement.

When is the first meeting?

The first meeting of the year is scheduled for Monday, Nov.17th at 7:00p.m. in the Freeman-Kennedy Superintendent’s Conference Room. If you are interested in signing up to be on the Parent Leaders group, please reach out to Adrienne Smith at asmith@norfolk.k12.ma.us and she will add you to the email list.

CLICK HERE for more information!

COMING NOVEMBER 6th - to the FK Cafeteria!

We hope all elementary school parents and guardians will join us for this FREE event made possible in collaboration with the Regional Director of Wellness, Healthy KP Substance Use Prevention Coalition, and the NPS Technology Department.

Created by physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston, the "Elementary School Edition" is a re‑tailored version of her original "Screenagers" documentary, with a special emphasis on younger children, their parents and educators. The film focuses on the issues that kids, parents and educators deal with related to screen time and use of electronic devices. This includes social media pressure, early exposure, and what research says about healthy screen time, managing device use and monitoring video gaming. We hope to see you there! BE SURETO REGISTER!

Watch the trailer here!

REGISTER HERE - It's FREE - Bring a friend!

Norfolk Public Schools use universal screeners and benchmark assessments three times a year to ensure every student is making progress toward academic success. Teachers gain valuable information about each child’s strengths and areas for growth, helping us provide the right support and challenges at the right time. By monitoring progress throughout the year, we can adjust instruction to meet the needs of our diverse learners and work in partnership with families to help all students thrive in a safe, joyful, and challenging learning environment. CLICK HERE to view.

Wear orange for Unity Day!

One of our responsibilities at the Norfolk Public Schools is to help our students become responsible citizens. To help us fulfill this responsibility, we use the Second Step Bullying Prevention Curriculum in conjunction with our social-emotional curriculum. The Second Step curriculum teaches students to recognize, respond and refuse bullying whether they witness it or are bullied themselves. A component of the curriculum is to build a safe and respectful classroom based on class expectations and norms.

The fall lesson will focus on Unity. Students and teachers from the Freeman-Kennedy School will travel to H. Olive Day School on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 for these lessons. These interactions between grades are an exciting aspect of our social emotional learning program and one the children look forward to every year.

To learn more CLICK HERE!

As we head into the colder winter months, it is a good time to share some general information with you about our policies and procedures for closing school, calling for a delay or possible early closing.

CLICK HERE for answers to your most frequently asked questions.