ELC at George Earle Weekly Update

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! Just follow the instructions on the pamphlet that comes home on Monday next week! The kids LOVE these prizes, and the teachers do too 😉

Happy Disability Awareness Month ELC families. We have kicked off the month by completing this bulletin board as a school. Each class received puzzle pieces and directions for how to color. I love how each student at this school was able to leave their mark on our bulletin board.

I created a read-aloud video reading, You Are Enough by Margaret O’Hair and Sofia Cardoso for teachers to share in their classrooms. This story focuses on embracing our differences, being confident, and being proud of who we are. Feel free to talk to your child about Disability Awareness Month and reinforce being inclusive and kind to students with disabilities. Here is a YouTube link for a read-aloud of this story: https://youtu.be/ZYUy9Ydzc08?si=uhKOGNqvrtNO3mUv

I also shared a video for teachers to share in their classrooms about the different tools students see throughout the school being used such as noise canceling headphones, wobble cushions, visual schedules, chewy sticks. I talked about why we might use them and how they are used.

We will have a spirit week from March 17th-March 21st. During this week donations will be accepted for Joan Martin’s Best Buddies program. Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering inclusion and friendships for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At Joan Martin, Best Buddies has helped create a more inclusive environment where all students feel valued, accepted, and supported. Best Buddies is raising money to provide Ben's Blue Bags for all of Hobart's First Responders. Ben's Blue Bags help educate and support First Responders with bags containing sensory items that help to deescalate Autistic and special needs patients during over-stimulating emergency situations. Here is the spirit week information:

How are you being inclusive as an adult and modeling that to your student? Here are some examples of ways to be inclusive.

In the next 2 weeks we will share our special education staff in a “Get to Know Me’ piece in this weekly ELC newsletter. I look forward to continuing to bring awareness to our school and staff during our National Disability Awareness Month.

Miss Newton - LRE Facilitator

The ELC looks forward to it's Family Game Night every year! This is such a wonderful event that reminds us to open that closet and pull out one of those tabletop games! The event will take place Wednesday night here at The ELC! We will have some of the HHS Cheer team here to play games with your families along with some of The ELC staff and their families. We can't wait to see you here! For every family that attends, you will put your child's name in a basket to will a Game Night basket to continue the fun at home. The prize will be raffled off on the morning announcements on Thursday 3/6/25!

Dr. Seuss books are so much fun for so many reasons. One of their favorite reasons... all the RHYMING WORDS! They get so excited when they realize something is rhyming, so this is a great time to practice those rhyming words. There are also several goals we are working on in reading- so take this opportunity to bond with your kiddo over a book and ask them some questions about what you just read.

~Ask them the main idea of the story and some of the key details of what you just read.

~Ask them to identify some of the rhyming words in the story or to make up their own (as Dr. Seuss LOVES to do 🥰)

~Ask them to flip through the book before you read it to them and ask them if there are any words they recognize. They love spotting those words they know on a page and telling you all about it!

~Ask them some questions about the story. What happened to who and where? Or ask them to add on to the story. If the story is open at the end, ask them what they think will happen next!

Order forms came home this week. This is your one and only opportunity to order yearbooks! There are not extras made; they are only available to purchase through the preorder.

If you see anything in these pictures that belongs to your child... please email our SRO at dserrano@hobart.k12.in.us and let him know. He will then get the item back to your child.

Did you know that you as parents can nominate a staff member to be recognized as someone who is Being Excellent On Purpose? Dr. Buffington LOVES to know about and celebrate the positive!

Click here to check out the March edition of Ms. Louie's Counselor's Corner newsletter!

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Winter is here, so please be sure to dress your children for the weather. We will continue to have outdoor recess as much as possible, but students will not be able to go out if they are not properly dressed for the weather. If you need any assistance with winter clothing please reach out to us at 219-942-7263!

If your child isn't feeling well, please keep him or her at home. You must report the absence IN SKYWARD before 10:00AM. There is no need to call the school to let us know. If there are any questions about the absence, we will reach out to you.

Brickies from the Start needs your help! We are a non-profit, self funded program that relies on donations to provide services like developmental screenings, parent support and Community Playroom to Brickie families. During our Month of Giving, you can create a team and collect donations to win a prize. Sign up here: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/monthofgiving/

The School City of Hobart Building Brickies' goal is to strengthen families by empowering parents as their child’s first and best teachers. Every day, we advocate for families so every child-in every neighborhood-can thrive.