New Manchester Elementary School

November is a great time to reflect and give thanks. Thinking back on the first nine weeks of school, I am thankful for our students, parents, staff, and community. It has truly been a "team" effort to provide the necessary foundation needed for the academic, social, behavioral, and emotional success of your child. Our students have been amazing and are so positive and eager to learn. Each student has been an active participant in setting goals and keeping track of their academic data. We will be continuing this strong commitment daily in the classroom alongside your child. We will continue to provide support for you through a variety of means. Please keep talking with your child on a regular basis about school and his/her goals. As always, we appreciate all that you do for your child and their education. It truly is remarkable how well our mission statement, "It Takes a Team to Educate a Child", is seen positively on a daily basis! Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday season and thank you for allowing me and our staff the opportunity to be a part of your child's educational process.

11/1 Report Cards
11/1 AR Reward

11/5 No School for ALL Students - Election Day

11/6 - 11/8 No Pre-K ONLY

11/6 Mr. Ned Show - Ned's Mindset Mission

11/11 No School for ALL Students - Veterans Day

11/13 World Kindness Day - Wear a cardigan or shirt with a kindness saying

11/13 LSIC Meeting at 3:30

11/15 StoryBook Cafe Literacy Bus visits 1st Grade

11/18 - 11/22 American Education Week

11/19 Make Up Pictures

11/21 3rd & 4th Grade STEM Day with WVU Extension Office

11/27 - 11/29 NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Grab & Go and Lunch menus can also be found on our school website page under the tab "food service".

We have an exciting opportunity for Family Engagement occurring every Friday with Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Gamble.

Our "Fluency Fridays" will be posted to Class Dojo every Friday to help you understand the importance of the Science of Reading. Activities and tips will be provided to guide you in supporting your child at home with Reading.

We are hoping for this to be an "interactive family engagement community" in which we can all benefit.
You will be able to receive feedback on any comments or questions you may have.

Look for Episode 1: "How your brain learns to read" on Friday!

Looking to connect better with your child? Parent Coaching pairs you with a parenting coach and therapist-created resources to help you navigate the challenges of parenting. Click here to register: https://cookcenter.info/coaching

Congratulations to the following students for earning a place on the "Crew Chief of the Month" board!

Preschool: Peyton & Emerie

Kindergarten: Lively, Anna, & Simon

1st Grade: Maisyn & Tinlee

2nd Grade: Chase & Ellie

3rd Grade: Nathan, Karsynn, & Teagan

4th Grade: Vance & Landon

Criteria for selecting the students for the "Crew Chiefs" will include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Effort
  
• Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility
• Behavior and self-control
• Attitude toward others/learning
• Good citizenship
• Leadership and integrity
• Demonstrates responsibility
• Respectful to peers and teachers
• Significant progress in the classroom and/or marked improvement in grades

New Manchester Elementary School follows the Expected Behaviors in Safe and Supportive Schools – Policy JG. A condensed version is found in the New Manchester Elementary School student handbook. A complete copy can be obtained in the Hancock County Board of Education office or our school office.

Our theme for the students is "CONSTRUCT"ING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR"

CONSTRUCT stands for a behavior we will focus on each month (C= Character; O = Optimism; N = Nurturing; S = Supportive; T = Trustworthy; R = Respect; U = Understanding; C = Compassion; T = Truthful). Students will work toward earning a hard hat for each month related to the focused behavioral concept. Each student will keep track of their progress each nine weeks. Throughout each month, students will have the opportunity to turn their dojo points in for classroom incentives so that they are rewarded for positive behavior continuously throughout the year.

In November, we will focus on "Nurturing". This is defined as taking care of and protecting someone or something. It is the "training" or "upbringing" which promotes growth. In elementary schools, this is a way of relating to children that helps them develop vital social skills, confidence, and self- esteem, all precursors to becoming ready to learn.

There are several areas in elementary school settings to develop a nurturing environment. These can include transitions and establishing routines; practicing empathy; behavior; language; safety, and wellbeing. Providing "nurturing" experiences for children helps to support their social and emotional development.

November 18 - 22, 2024 is designated as American Education Week. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the importance of public education and the great commitment of our students, staff, and families. We are very fortunate at New Manchester Elementary to have such a dedicated staff, great students, wonderful families, and a supportive community.

Please encourage your child to participate in our fun days celebrating Public Education.

World Kindness Day is a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world. This day, celebrated on November 13 of each year, is recognized to encourage everyone to understand that compassion for others is what binds us all together. Every staff and student is encouraged to wear a cardigan (sweater) to represent the kindness that the late Mr. Rogers spread.

"There are three ways to ultimate success. The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind." - Mr. Rogers

New Manchester Elementary School has a School Wide Title I program. Mrs. Cole, our Title I teacher, is an excellent resource in our building. If you have questions in regards to the Title I program, please contact the school office or Mrs. Cole.

As the weather gets colder in November, take steps to keep your children warm. Adjust winter clothes for children’s needs. Dress babies and young children in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions. Keep exposure to the cold at a minimum. Babies and young children do not have the same tolerance for cold that adults do. It is important to limit time outside. Do not forget winter accessories. Remember warm boots, gloves or mittens and a hat, which makes an enormous difference in keeping young children and babies comfortable.

November is also National Diabetes Month. Over 38 million children and adults have diabetes in the United States. Early detection and treatment is important! Common symptoms of diabetes: urinating often, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing cuts/bruises, weight loss, tingling, pain, and/or numbness in the hands/feet. The A1C test can be used to diagnose diabetes or help you know how your treatment plan is working by giving you a picture of your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. Talk to your doctor if you have symptoms of diabetes today!

I recently learned two new terms: “Technoference” and “Phubbing.” Both children and adults alike can relate to these terms and the potential problems they can cause.

Technoference is shorthand for technology-based interference. It refers to the frequent interruptions and distractions caused by digital devices and technology, which can have a significant effect on students’ ability to focus, learn, and develop important social-emotional learning (SEL) skills. Phubbing is phone snubbing, which is the tendency to pay more attention to one’s phone than the people we are with. Both can negatively affect friendships, family relationships, and school/work performance.

As much as I dislike blaming most of our current issues on Covid restrictions, it appears the pandemic drove many of us even deeper into screen time marathons both for work and social contacts. Most of us were grateful to utilize virtual platforms and/or social media for business, personal relationships, and entertainment. These new patterns of virtual engagement, which some might refer to as an “addiction” or dependency, are likely responsible for the complaints of phubbing – snubbing friends to focus our attention on our phone. The result is compromised social ties and weakened relationships. Sometimes a friend really needs empathy, understanding, and our full attention. Having someone text or scroll through feeds while we are talking to them can leave us feeling devalued or “less than,” if not downright upset.

Research has shown a relationship between the amount of technoference by a parent and a child’s behavior. The more time a parent spends on a smartphone, the more time a child has to get into trouble or the harder they might have to work to get the parent’s attention. Also, the more challenging the child’s behaviors become, the more the parent might turn their attention to technology as a distraction.

It was accepted for years that families that eat together do better. However, family mealtimes are also under siege: 47% of families report using mobile phones at the dinner table. If you are committed to reducing screen time while increasing family connection, consider the following suggestions:

· Make a family device plan which can help your family decide how and how often media will be used.

· Parents can be a “media mentor,” which means modeling healthy device habits like using devices in moderation, not letting them interfere with family time, sleep, or being active.

· Use a device basket when the family convenes at the end of the work/school day.

· Take control of our phones by turning off social media and email notifications, putting it on grey scale, and keeping only essential apps on the home screen.

With the weather changing on a daily basis, please make sure to dress your child accordingly. All grades go out daily for recess.

• • November is the last month of the fall season.
  • November 1 is National Cook for Your Pets Day (I don't know about you but I'm sure my dogs would love a good steak).
  • November's full Moon is traditionally called the Beaver Moon because during the Colonial Era this was the month to set beaver traps before the swamps froze and beavers retired to their lodges.
  • November is National Peanut Butter Lover's month (maybe we can combine this with Cook for your Pets Day and make them peanut butter treats).
  • While November is likely to be chilly and full of falling leaves in our area, countries in the Southern Hemisphere are just getting into spring.
  • Football is the main sport watched in the United States during November.

• Roll a single die. How many dots do you see? If you wish, keep rolling and keep a running total of your rolls; but, if you roll a "1", you score "0" for that round. The key is to roll as many times as you can without rolling a "1". Older students can play by the same rules with two dice. If "1" comes up on both dice, your total score goes back to "0".

"It Takes a Team to Educate a Child"

Email: cyeater@k12.wv.us
Website: newmanchester.hancock.k12.wv.us
Location: 128 Frankfort Road, New Cumberland, WV, USA
Phone: 304-564-3242
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Elementary-School/New-Manchester-Elementary-School