November Newsletter
November 1, 2026
Happy November, PMES Families!
November is here, and we have so much to look forward to at PMES! We are kicking off the month with our Fall Math and Literacy Night on November 5th from 4:00–5:30 PM! Join us for an evening of fun, hands-on learning, games to take home, and cookie decorating! We can't wait to see our families there!
On November 11th at 8:30 AM, we will host our Veterans Day Assembly, where we will come together to honor and thank the brave men and women who have served our country.
As Thanksgiving and Fall Break approach, I want to take a moment to share how thankful I am for our incredible students, staff, and families. The growth we continue to see at PMES is a direct reflection of the hard work, dedication, and partnership of our entire school community. We have so much to be proud of, and we are just getting started!
Let's keep doing something EPIC!
Caroline Eaves
Principal, Pete Mirich Elementary
Hello Viking Families!
Your learner might know this about me, but I haven’t had a chance to share this with you, but I love learning about our brain! I am fascinated with understanding how our brain works. This month, I wanted to share some brain science with you!
Evidence-based understandings tell us that we have an average of 6,000 thoughts in a day! That’s a lot! Some thoughts can be so habitual that we don’t spend time thinking about them (like when we come up to a door, we know to open it); others can take up more space in our minds (like a disagreement with a friend or family member).
Research suggests that 70%-80% of those thoughts lean negative. It’s how our brains work! Those thoughts have been hard-wired for threat detection. These are the thoughts that are intended to keep you safe. That’s not all! Research also says that 90%-95% of those thoughts are repetitive.
What does that tell me as a person? This tells me that I remember the hard moments over the joyful moments. I don’t like that idea, so I have to be more intentional and mindful about the thoughts I am thinking, and the thoughts I hold onto. I want to give myself a better chance at holding onto the positive, so I will write myself little notes, tell myself something kind after a negative thought, take deep breaths so I can exhale the negative and inhale the positive. What do you do to hold onto the joyful, positive thoughts?
What does this tell me as a person who’s around children? Our learners experience all of that in the same ways that we do. The difference is that we can support them in developing more positive thoughts that help release the negative thoughts that don’t serve them. In my classroom, we would have a weekly Compliment Train. While sitting in a circle, each person chose a popsicle stick with someone else’s name on it and they had to deliver a compliment to that person. They had to speak to who the person is, not their clothes, toys, or what they looked like. This was a favorite activity for every class I’ve taught. They seemed to love the act of giving and receiving that positive thought. This was just one way that I work to help create more positive thinking in the children around me. What are some things that you do to help your learners develop positive thinking?
I challenge you to find moments in the morning or evening where you can practice positive thinking together. Maybe everyone shares a compliment to one another, or has to celebrate themselves with kind words. What ways can you bring greater positive thinking to the people in your life? For me, I’ve found it’s an easy thing for me to do at school, but harder to do at home. So I will be joining in this challenge! I’d love to hear about the ways you get your family involved in positive thinking! Feel free to reach out to share, and I will do my best to share as well!
Thank you for your time!
Emily Metzler
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A Month of Gratitude, Kindness & Helping Others!
As we head into November, we are taking time to focus on gratitude and the importance of showing kindness to those around us. November is a wonderful opportunity to remind students that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a BIG difference!
This month, our SEL lessons will focus on being helpful, showing gratitude, and looking for ways to make a positive difference in our school and community. Students will explore what it means to be helpful, how to recognize when someone needs a helping hand, and how their words and actions can make others feel valued and included. This will all lead into what it means to be a leader and how we can all benefit from working together as a team. Team work takes practice so we are going to practice in class.
At home, take a few minutes each day to share one thing you are thankful for. Encourage your child to find one way to help someone each day. It could be helping with chores, checking on a friend, or simply offering a kind word.