Mustang Memo - September 27, 2024
This week we had a chance to reflect on how we can all contribute to acts of Truth and Reconciliation as a part of Orange Shirt Day. We learned about the origins of Orange Shirt Day and residential schools in a safe and supportive environment. Students also participated in an act of reconciliation by writing out ways they feel safe at school on an orange shirt cut out.
As our students wrestle with this tricky topic, we make it a priority to remind students that they are not responsible for this history. Our role is to understand what happened and why it happened so that we can move forward in a way that honours and respects all treaty people. We learn so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and so that we can become part of the solution.
Thank you to all of our students who demonstrated respect, compassion and the desire to move forward with love and kindness in their hearts for all who share this country.
Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson
Principal & Assistant Principal
A place where you belong!
Table of Contents
Week At a Glance
Action
- WOW Wednesday is Back!
Opportunity
- Terry Fox Assembly and School Run
- Counsellor's Corner
- Chill & Chat with Ms. Julia
Information
- Parents Make the Difference
WEEK AT A GLANCE
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| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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ACTION
October 2 is WOW Wednesday!
WOW Wednesday is back for the 2024/25 school year! This means on the first Wednesday of each month (which is the same day as early dismissal) we encourage parents and/or their kiddos to get their bodies moving by walking, biking, rollerblading or scootering to school! Each month every class will tally the number of kids who walked or used their non-motorized wheels to get to school and at the end of the school year the class with the most students who walked or wheeled all year will win a prize! Last year Mrs. Hansen's Grade Four class won Jugo Juice for the entire class! Who's class will be next?
Parents driving their children to school or kids who take the bus can still participate! For those who drive to school, park a little further away and walk part of the way to school together with your kiddos! For our students who take the bus, you are encouraged to walk or run around the soccer field twice at recess! Let's get our bodies moving, have fun and take every opportunity to get out in the fresh air! Go Mustangs!
OPPORTUNITY
Terry Fox Assembly and School Run
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, our Grade 5 students will be hosting our first school assembly of the year all about Terry Fox. We can't wait to learn more about the Legacy of Hope in our student led assembly. After the assembly, our school will participate in the school walk/run event.
Students will have many opportunities to learn about Terry Fox and his legacy of hope throughout the week both through activities in class as well as through information on the morning video announcements.
Volunteers are invited to attend the assembly at 12:55 p.m. and then join us for the walk/run beginning right afterwards. Parents are always welcome to join us for the run outside! If you want to run with us, meet us outside at 1:15 p.m. and get ready to sweat! If you cannot join us for the run, consider donating a toonie to the Terry Fox Foundation that we are collecting at the school all week!
Counsellor's Corner
Co-Parenting Resources
Thanksgiving is fast approaching! Holidays can be a challenging time for all families, with the pressures of scheduling, hosting, navigating family conflicts & creating memories all piling up at once. The added pressures of co-parenting after separation or divorce, can make this time especially stressful for some families. Below are some resources you may find helpful as you navigate co-parenting during this time.
- Top Tips for Co-Parenting During the Holidays
- Co-Parenting Apps
Useful apps you can use to help make co-parenting easier
- Family Mediation – Government of Alberta→ Click here for more information
Families coping with challenges such as divorce, separation, child custody and access can meet with a mediator to talk about these issues. The goal is to reach a mutual agreement that focuses on the child and avoids going to court. Family mediation is confidential and informal.
- Parenting After Separation Course→ Click here for more information
This course is for parents or guardians who are separating or getting a divorce. Sometimes the course is required, or one can voluntarily take the course. The course work book (available online) provides guidance and a template for creating a parenting plan.
Chill & Chat with Ms. Julia
Have you met our Mental Health Capacity Builder, Ms. Julia yet?
Are you planning on volunteering to hand out snacks as a hot lunch volunteer on October 9th?
We have an opportunity for you! After you are finished with Hot Lunch delivery, why not drop by Ms. Julia's room (Room 213) for a Chill & Chat? Ms. Julia is opening her doors to invite parents to drop by and have a moment to chill and then chat about nurturing positive mental health in kids as well as a place to make connections with other DCE caregivers!
When: October 9 from 12:20 to 12:50 p.m.
Where: Room 213 (upstairs)
Who: any DCE caregiver!
INFORMATION
Parents Make the Difference
Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:
Navigating social challenges leads to increased confidence
When adults are overly involved in children’s social lives, kids can’t develop the confidence and resilience they need to thrive. Swooping in and saving your child from every social challenge won’t help in the long run—and it might actually hurt your child.
Your elementary schooler is more likely to establish healthy friendships and feel more confident when prepared with social skills. And these skills won’t just help your child navigate the playground successfully. They’ll make your child feel more confident in the classroom, too.
To strengthen social skills:
- Empower your child to take action. Listen closely when your child comes to you with a problem. Say, “That sounds frustrating. What did you do next?” Then, give your child a chance to think of a solution. Sometimes, all kids need is someone to listen to them.
- Model resilience. Talk about your own social struggles and how you faced them. When children hear stories about how family members overcame obstacles, they become more resilient in the face of challenges.
- Teach your child to be assertive. Show your child how to speak up. Ask your child to make a strong case for why you should grant requests for desired items or activities. Or, have a family debate night. When children are encouraged to speak up at home, they find their voice at school and in the world.
Reprinted with permission from the September 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.