Essex Elementary Extra

It's hard to believe we are already half-way through October--- time is flying! Our students are doing amazing, and it's been wonderful to see their excitement and growth each day. Our fall activities are in full swing, and it's been great to see students so engaged and enthusiastic. Thank you for being such awesome partners in creating a school where our kids can shine!

We hope to see many of you at tomorrow night's Book Fair (5-7pm in the library) and Hoe Down (5:30-6:30 in the gym).

Next Friday, October 25th, we will be having a "Walk, Bike, or Roll" to School event! Weather permitting, we encourage students to hit the streets and get some exercise in the morning before the school day starts!

I'm inviting students to join me at the Essex Public Safety Building next Friday morning at 7:50am to join me on a walk to school! If your child is interested, please drop your student off no earlier than 7:40am on Friday at the Public Safety Building (11 John Wise Ave). Let's get those steps in!

We've had a recent increase in students using their Smartwatches throughout the day to text and access apps. As a reminder of our handbook, cell phones are to be off and away in backpacks throughout the day and smartwatches are to be used as a timepiece only. Please ensure that school mode (or School Time) is set up on your child's watch. Directions for set up can be found here.

If your child is using their cell phone or watch inappropriately during the school day, the teacher will collect the device and it will be held in the office until the end of the school day.

October is Bullying Prevention Month

Here at EES, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all students. Bullying prevention is a team effort, and parents & caregivers play a vital role in ensuring our school remains a welcoming place for every child. During the month of October, I’ll be sharing some tips and resources for how you can support our bullying prevention efforts at home.

Week 2: Understanding Mean Comments, Conflicts, and Bullying

This week, we’re focusing on helping children distinguish between a mean comment, a disagreement or conflict, and bullying. At school, we guide students to understand that a mean comment is often a one-time occurrence, while a disagreement or conflict happens when two people have different opinions or perspectives and may argue, but it’s not bullying unless one person is repeatedly targeting the other. Bullying, however, is repeated, intentional behavior meant to hurt someone.

To continue this conversation at home, Simon’s Hook by Karen Gedig Burnett is a great resource that teaches kids how to handle teasing and mean comments positively. The PACER Center’s Kids Against Bullying website also has interactive tools for kids to better understand bullying and how to deal with it.

I will be starting our mandated screenings at the end of October and will start with screening hearing and vision.

The mandated screenings include:

Vision: K thru Grade 5

Hearing: K thru Grade 3

If you wish to opt your child out of the vision or hearing screening, please let me know by Monday, October 21st.

Now that the academic year is in full swing, it’s common for children to experience anxiety about some aspects of school, such as an academic subject, shifting peer dynamics, or riding the school bus. Anxiety is a normal human emotion, just like happiness or sadness, and is not necessarily a sign of a bigger problem. As caregivers, there are things you can do to support your children when you are noticing signs of anxiety or worry:

· Showing empathy and validating their emotional experience—this doesn’t mean you have to agree with their behavior! Try to avoid blaming them or criticizing them for feeling nervous or scared. Express confidence in their ability to handle situations that might be eliciting anxiety. Example: “I understand that you feel anxious about going to school. Let’s talk about it. I’m here for you and I know you can do this.”

· You can teach your child ways to cope with situations that might make them feel nervous or worried, and you can model those coping skills yourself.

o For example, if you notice negative self-talk or a lot of “what if” questions, you can teach them to notice those thoughts and encourage them to think about other ways things could turn out.

o You can model that it’s normal to feel worried by talking about worries that you have experienced and how you have coped with them.

o Child-friendly grounding or breathing exercises can be found online and can give elementary school children a tangible task to help them calm their bodies when anxiety starts to ramp up.

· Remember to praise brave actions—positive reinforcement is a very effective way to encourage behavior that you want to see more often.

These strategies can go a long way in managing anxiety in your elementary school student, but if anxiety or worries start to get in the way of your child’s daily functioning or enjoyment of their activities, you may want to seek out support from a mental health professional.

(Tips provided by licensed psychologist, Dr. Kaitlin Gallo)

Thursday, October 17, 2024 and Friday, October 18, 2024: Bookfair

Friday, October 18, 2024: Hoedown 5:30-6:30pm and Night Bookfair Hours 5:00-7:00pm

Wednesday, October 23, 2024: Early Release at 11:45am

Friday, October 25, 2024: Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day

Friday, November 15, 2024: Messy Art Night

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4EAFAD2CA1FBC34-51359879-hoedown#/

Want to learn the dances?

Here you go!

Spaulding Education Fund's biggest fundraising event of the year, The Night of Stars, is coming soon on November 2nd from 4-7pm. In preparation, we are looking for talented community members to audition! Auditions will be held on 10/16 from 4-7pm and 10/19 from 9am-12pm.

To sign up to audition or to buy tickets, please visit: https://www.spauldingeducationfund.org/events

Registration: Click Here

Scholarships Available!: Click Here

• Open Door will run its mobile market at Essex Elementary on the third Wednesday of each month from 2:45-3:30
• This resource is available to anyone in the community!

The Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund supports children in our community by providing gifts for local families. Please click here for information on how to donate and how to apply for support.

The Eastern Essex Regional Public Health Coalition (EERPH) was formed by an agreement between Hamilton, Wenham, Essex, and Rockport, and exists to improve the ability of local health departments to meet state legislated requirements for public health services. EERPHC staff, consisting of a regional social worker and Regional Public Health Nurse, assess and help provide needed public health nursing, mental health education and support, and social services in the community. Residents are welcome to reach out directly to EERPHC for support.

MERSD is on Facebook!

Friends of Essex Elementary School is on Facebook!