In this Edition \ PAGE 1
PAGE 3
PAGE 6
PRINCIPAL’S
NEWS
SOCIAL WORKER
NEWS
CEDAR PARK
PTO
PAGE 8
PAGE 9
PAGE 11-12
UPCOMING
EVENTS
NUTRITION
NEWS FLASH
HOME & SCHOOL
CONNECTION
News from the Principal…
Dear Family and Friends,
On August 31, 2015, Cedar Park STEM Elementary School was validated as a Minnesota School of
Excellence by the Minnesota Elementary School Principal’s Association (MESPA). This prestigious
honor was awarded to Cedar Park for its commitment to 21st century teaching and learning. The
Minnesota School of Excellence Program promotes excellence through a rigorous evaluation process
that showcases dynamic schools of the 21st century. MESPA endorses schools where the principal,
staff, students, and community -- working as a team -- demonstrate the desire to strengthen
education by successfully undertaking the research-based Minnesota School of Excellence school
improvement process. I would like to thank our Cedar Park community for all of their great
support. We have a special school with great staff and students who make learning fun each and
every day.”
In celebration of this great achievement, we would like to invite you to join us on May 20th to
celebrate our state recognition of receiving the “Minnesota School of Excellence Award.” Cedar Park
STEM is only one of six schools receiving the award this year. We are going to celebrate at 2:00 p.m.
on May 20th with the official ceremony and later that evening from 5:30-8:30 p.m. with a
community celebration in our big backyard at school. Our evening event will feature a DJ, games for
kids, bouncy houses, food, and a time to catch up with Cedar Park friends and neighbors. The event
will be free to everyone and a way for us all to celebrate our great school – our Excellent School! I
would like to take a moment to thank all of you for helping make our school the best school we can
be. Your commitment to learning and care shows in your children every day. We are so very proud
of our staff and students and of the accomplishments we share together at Cedar Park. We look
forward to celebrating with each of you on Friday, May 20th.
Sincerely,
John Garcia
Young Author’s Conference
The Young Author’s Conference at Bethel College in March was a lot of fun. Our school was one of
many groups there from around the Twin Cities, and it was very busy. Cedar Park sent 16 writers
from fourth and fifth grades. The Conference has a new theme each year. This year it was called
“Why Write?” It asks us to slow down and think of why we write, because we spend so much time
thinking about how we write.
My favorite session was called Because, Because, Because and it was specifically about why stories
are written, not how. The way the class was set up allowed me to meet a lot of new people.
In conclusion, the conference was great experience and had a good message. Between the fun
classes, book fair, and getting to meet so many authors, I think it was well worth the money.
Katie Krogstad
5th Grade
MN Zoo’s Zooms Design Challenge
We would like to congratulate the following GT and Young Scholar students who were selected as
finalists in the this year's Minnesota Zoo's Zooms Design Challenge Elementary Exhibition. The MN
Zoo and 3M had an overwhelming number of submissions to choose from this year. Over 1900
students participated in the engineering competition, with a total of 552 projects submitted. Of the
top 41 finalist projects, 8 were selected from Cedar Park, including a second place winner.
The top finalists in the Enrichment Tool Design Challenge were:
Yulian Henok
Rosalynn Chagoya-Valdez
Shreyas Pradeep
Sahiti Atluri
The top finalists in the Exhibit Design Challenge were:
Pierre Gehlhar
Ryan Rodesch
Shanti Thakurdial
Kerri Li
Christopher Parson
Jash Parekh
Arsen Hanushchak
and finally this year's 2nd place Zooms Engineering Exhibit Design Challenge winners are:
Emaan Olia
Safiyyah Aziz
Congratulations, again, to all of our finalists!
*Young Scholars Newsletter link: https://www.smore.com/8ag9-the-scoop.
2 Social Worker News
W an t to Str etch Y ou r Food Dolla r?
Far e for All E xp res s might be the answer. Far e for All E xp res s offers packages of fresh produce and
frozen meats at up to 40% savings. There are distribution locations throughout the metro area where
packages are sold. There is no need to sign up in advance; come to any location and bring your food home
that day. All of the food is purchased in bulk directly from wholesalers. Utilizing bulk purchasing power
allows us to get product at a good value and pass on the savings to our customers. Far e for A ll E xp res s
strives to offer quality and nutritional food packages. The exact content of the packages changes each
month while the value remains the same. Please contact us if you have questions regarding the food we
distribute. Far e for All E xp re ss accepts cash, credit/debit cards, and EBT cards. We do not accept personal
checks. The regular site in Dakota County is Diamondhead Education Center, 200 West Burnsville Parkway,
Burnsville MN 55337. The dates are Wednesdays from 3:00 to 5:00: April 27, May 25, June 22, July 27 and
August 24. There is also a site on April 12, from 3:30 to 5:30 at Easter Lutheran Church by the Lake, 4545 Pilot
Knob Road, Eagan MN 55122. For a complete listing of other locations, please visit www.fareforall.
Stan dar diz ed Tes ts
In April and May, the 3rd, 4 th and 5th grade students will be taking the MCA test. These tests can produce
anxiety in children. There are a few things you can do to help alleviate the stress and anxiety your child may
feel.
1. Explain that the tests will show how much they have learned. Encourage them to do their best.
2. Limit activities the night before tests. Make sure they get to bed on time to get a good night’s sleep.
3. On test day, give your child an energy-boosting breakfast. Try to include protein (eggs, yogurt, cheese,
meat, and milk) and carbohydrates (fruit, cereal, toast, etc.).
Vide o Ga m ing
Playing video games has become a national pastime for people of all ages. Many children and
adolescents spend 50 plus hours a week in front of a screen. Video games have become very
sophisticated and realistic. Some games connect to the internet which can allow you to play with unknown
people. While many games have educational content, the most popular games emphasize negative themes
and promote the killing of people and animals, abuse and use of alcohol and drugs, criminal behavior and
disrespect for authority and the law, sexual exploitation, violence toward women, foul language, and obscene
gestures.
There is growing research on the effects of video games on children. There are the positive points that they
may promote learning, problem solving, and help with development of fine motor skills and coordination.
However, there are concerns about the effect of violent videogames on young people who play them
excessively.
Studies have shown that children can become immune or numb to the horror of violence and imitate the
violence they see or show more aggressive behavior with peers. Children that spend more time with video
games than with other children can also have poor social skills, become obese, suffer from lack of exercise,
have lower grades, and have more aggressive thoughts and behaviors.
Parents can help children by checking the game ratings to ensure that games are age-appropriate and not
allowing elementary children to play teen games. Play the game first to ensure the content. Many parents are
not aware of what was in the games and were shocked when they saw what their children were playing.
It is also important to limit the screen time for your children to ensure a healthy balance, and set rules for the
use of video games in your home.
For more information about video ratings and reviews go to www.commonsensemedia.org. (Information
taken from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
I am in school Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you have questions or concerns, feel free to
stop in, give me a call, or send and email. My confidential voice mail is 651-683-6969, ext.18795. My direct line
is 952-431-8795, and my email is diane.johnson@district196.org.
Diane Johnson, Cedar Park STEM Social Worker
3 One School, Many Languages
Did you know that, district-wide, Cedar Park has the highest percentage of students who speak a
language other than English. Nearly 30% of our students speak at least one other language, and
some speak three, four, or five. And, we have 30 languages at Cedar Park!
Students receiving EL support only represent 10% of our population, so we have many students with
a great deal of language skills.
Cedar Park has 713 total students. Out of those students…
1 student speaks Adangme
28 students speak Amharic
10 students speak Arabic
4 students speak Bengali
2 students speak Cantonese
1 student speaks Cebuano, Visayan, Binisaya
7 students speak Chinese, Mandarin
488 students speak English
2 students speak Gujarati
2 students speak Hausa
3 students speak Hindi
1 student speaks Khmer, Cambodian
1 student speaks Korean
1 student speaks Lao, Laotian
2 students speak Malayalam
1 student speaks Marathi
5 students speak Nepali
1 students was not specific
6 students speak Russian
1 students speak Sign Language, ASL
42 students speak Somali
62 students speak Spanish
4 student speaks Swahili, Kiswahili
2 students speak Tamil
15 student speaks Telugu
4 students speak Tigrinya
2 students speak Twi
1 student speaks Ukrainian
12 students speaks Vietnamese
1 student speaks Wolof
1 student speaks Yoruba
4 Technology Class News from Mr. Staum
Kindergarten: This past month, kindergartners contributed pages to their class digital ABC book by
completing a letter-themed sentence and drawing a picture of the object beginning with their
assigned letter. Their pages were then published by Mr. Staum on VoiceThread.com and posted on
the Kindergarten page of the CP homepage. Kindergarteners are now studying weather in tech class
by exploring websites such as Sid the Science Kid (pbskids.org), Dress a Bear (Foss Science) and
various iPad apps.
Frist grade: First graders are currently studying and exploring 2D and 3D shapes in their classrooms
and extending this math area into a tech project with Mr. Staum. First graders are learning how to
effectively use digital cameras in pairs where they team up to go on a "Digital Shapes Scavenger
Hunt." Pairs are asked to find both 2D and 3D shapes in real life context around the school and take
pictures of their "favorite findings." First graders will then choose their favorite picture of a shape
and do a voiceover with Mr. Staum through VoiceThread.com. They will discuss how and where they
found their shape and what they realized this shape's job is in real life. These shape VoiceThreads will
be posted on the Cedar Park first grade webpage.
Second grade: Second graders completed a VoiceThread project of their own recently. When they
went on a field trip to the Science Museum, each group had a digital camera, and students were each
assigned to a science-themed system to explore and document with a picture of how this system
works. Students then wrote a description to serve as a script for each picture of their system and
recorded their voice over their picture to create their group's system VoiceThread. These
VoiceThreads are available to watch on the Cedar Park second grade webpage and the VoiceThread
button the on the CP homepage. Next second graders will be learning about Internet safety and
being a leader online through the NetSmartz.org website and DVD.
3rd grade: Third graders continued their typing and keyboarding adventures with Dance Mat Typing
and Typing.com free websites (that are accessed through their Google Classroom Tech Class site),
where we stressed home row keys, body basics and accuracy. Third graders also created a 3D Digital
Shapes project in the Slides app of Collab (196 Google Apps) where they imported pictures of 3D
shapes they found around their third grade hallway and classroom. They then added information
about each shape on each slide. Third graders practiced for MCA reading and math tests in tech class
as well.
4th grade: Fourth graders finished up their Digital Citizenship unit demonstrating positive leadership
online by effectively and responsibly commenting, making connections and asking respectful
questions to their classmates about their "My Heritage" projects that were created via Padlet.com.
These projects are posted in our password-secured Google Classroom My Heritage Blog. Fourth
graders practiced for MCA reading and math tests in tech class as well.
5th grade: Fifth graders worked very hard and showed their artistic sides by using Google Draw in
their Collab accounts to create a "Anti-Cyberbullying Poster." Students used what they learned from
class activities, discussion and their cyberbullying notes they took by using Google Docs (Collab)
from the Cyberbullying video we watched in November. Once students finished these creative (but
serious) posters, we had a class gallery walk-through where students could appreciate their peers’
work. Mr. Staum chose three student posters from each fifth grade class that best exemplified the
themes of "anti-cyberbullying" and "what can kids do to help other who are being bullied at school
and at home online." Fifth graders practiced for MCA reading and math tests in tech class as well.
5 Thank you to everyone who helped raise money for Cedar Park through our spring Chip Shoppe fundraiser.
We sold about $14,000.00 of goods, and all of the sales ended up earning $5,728.00 for our school. Way to
go, Cedar Park families!!
Family BINGO Night in February was great! Almost 100 people came to eat popcorn and win a variety of
prizes, including gift cards from Chick-fil-A, Smashburger, Culver’s and Target, WaterPark of America passes,
and more! By the end of the evening, P.T.O. raised $166.00. P.T.O. Family Nights are a favorite at Cedar
Park, and we will plan to host more BINGO Nights next year!
March’s spirit night at Chick-fil-A was a great success, raising $214.00 for the school. Mark your calendar for
our next spirit night — April 26th at SmashBurger (4:00-8:00 p.m.). We earn $1 for every entree sold,
including ALL sales - not just Cedar Park. Thank you for helping raise money for Cedar Park!
While it’s still over a month away, the P.T.O. is very busy working with school teachers and staff to organize
the School of Excellence Family Night & Picnic - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20th. Bounce houses, a DJ
dance, food (pizza and hotdogs), and much more will be available during this school-wide evening of fun.
But this huge event cannot happen without volunteers: setting up, working the events, handing out food
and drinks, cleaning up at the end. Please consider signing up to work for an hour at the school carnival.
Watch for more information coming home soon!!
NEW!! This month we will be holding our first annual Buy-1-Get-1-Free Scholastic Book Fair during STEM
Family Night on April 21st. Take advantage of this great deal, and pick up some good books for summer
reading! (cash, check, and credit cards accepted.)
This month, the P.T.O. continued its mission to support Cedar Park financially:
- $80.00 for supplies for Family BINGO Night
- $350.00 for snacks for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders during the MCA testing sessions
- $470.00 for the 5th grade safety patrol trip to Mall of America
- $780.46 for 5th grade track and field day t-shirts
- $349.99 annual fee for P.T.O. website
If you are interested in sharing your ideas or helping with one of the many P.T.O. family events, please join
us at our next meeting! See you then!!
Upcoming P.T.O. Dates:
April 11
April 21
April 26
May 9
May 20
May 24
June 6
P.T.O. Meeting 6:30-8:00 p.m. (in the library)
Scholastic Book Fair at STEM Family Night (Buy-1-Get-1-Free!)
Spirit Night 4:00-8:00pm at SmashBurger
P.T.O. Meeting 6:30-8:00pm (in the library)
School of Excellence Family Night 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Spirit Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Chick-fil-A
P.T.O. Meeting 6:30-8:00 p.m. (in the library)
For more information, visit our website at cedarparkpto.digitalpto.com or follow the link on the homepage
of the school’s website.
6 Gym Shorts
Your children are getting ready to fitness test
as well as participate in some outside springand summer-related games and activities.
Please keep encouraging healthy eating and
staying active. It’s very important for their
bodies and brains to be healthy for their over
all fitness and learning in school!
5th Grade Parents:
We are sending out one last reminder about
the 5th Grade Track & Field Day coming up on
May 9th! We are still in need of about 10 parent
volunteers, so if you haven’t sent in your form
to volunteer, we would greatly appreciate your
help! Volunteers help the day run more smooth
smoothly. Please watch for a volunteer form
coming home in your child’s Friday folders.
Mrs. Douglas & Mr. Hartzheim
Physical Education Specialists
Band Notes
The Cedar Park Band will be performing on
WEDNESDAY, May 4th, at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m. at Cedar Park Elementary. Parents are
welcome to attend the morning and/or late
afternoon concert.
Cedar Park Band “Dress Rehearsals” for the
Concerts are:
Wednesday, April 27th, 8:00-9:00 a.m. ~
Students may arrive between 7:45-7:55 a.m.
Wednesday, April 27th, 3:45-4:45 p.m.
Wednesday, May 4th, 8:00-9:00 a.m. ~
Students may arrive between 7:45-7:55 a.m.
On May 4th, all band students will stay at
school on Wednesday,like a normal big band
rehearsal day. There will be a band bus at 4:45
p.m. for students who normally take the band
bus on rehearsal Wednesdays.
Mrs. Firchow
Band Specialist
7 Music Notes
Congratulations to third and fourth graders
upon completion of their wonderful music
programs! Heartbeat Chorus also celebrated
Music in Our Schools Month with an exciting
performance. Cedar Park is very proud of you
and your hard work!
Second graders are “watching the weather” as
they prepare for their upcoming concert in May.
Concerts will be at 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. on
Thursday, May 12.
Start thinking about end of the year Variety
Show acts. There are many talented students at
Cedar Park and we look forward to a fun-filled
show!
Mrs. Ploeger
Music Specialist
UPCOMING EVENTS
EVENTS
UPCOMING
Monday, April 11th
Culver’s Community Day
PTO Meeting – 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 21st
3rd Grade Exploratdome
Earth Day Spring Clean-Up
STEM Family Night – 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Friday, April 22nd
NO SCHOOL – Data Analysis & Instructional Alignment
Saturday, April 23th
Math Masters
Tuesday, April 26th
Kindergarten Field Study to Target Field & the Como Zoo –
9:45 a.m.-2:50 p.m.
2016 Crazy Hair Day!!!
8 Nutrition News Flash
April 2016
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Kemps has been delighting families
throughout the upper Midwest with
wholesome and delicious dairy products
since 1914.
www.kemps.com
Kemps is headquartered in St. Paul Minnesota. They operate five
manufacturing facilities in Minnesota and Wisconsin and have
more 1,126 employees. One hundred percent of their profits go to
dairy farmers and their families.
April 11, 2016
Local Lunch Day and the Twins Opener
Elementary – Chicken giggles with biscuit, butter and jelly, carrots,
and edamame corn
Middle and High School – Tortellini and marinara sauce, fresh carrots with
hummus dip, edamame and corn
Every purchased meal comes with an optional
Kemps chocolate ice cream malt cup.
Fun Fact: Kemps set Guiness World Record with 3,010 pound
“World’s Largest Ice Cream Scoop.”
Chocolate Milk Myths Busted
Got Chocolate Milk?
Bill Promotes Flavored Milk in Schools
Without milk, it is extremely difficult and expensive for kids to get the
proper amount of calcium, potassium, Vitamin D and other nutrients that
dairy foods supply. Milk supplies three out of four of the nutrients
typically short in American diets.
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and co-author of the bipartisan
senate bill said school meals are an important way to teach children
healthy eating habits.
The overall per-capita milk consumption has slid 19 percent since 2000.
There is a broad agreement on one point: school children drink less milk
when chocolate and other flavored varieties are not available. This
bipartisan draft bill to reauthorize school lunches and other child
nutrition programs would mandate a Department of Agriculture study of
“milk consumption data and trends for children” before determining what
varieties of milk should be available in school meals.
For more information:
www.bna.com/chocolate-milk-bill-n57982068192
The text of the senate draft child nutrition
bill is available at http://src.bna.com/c32
It’s time to set the record straight on some common
misconceptions about chocolate milk.
Myth: Chocolate milk comes from brown cows.
Fact: Chocolate skim milk– is white cow’s milk with added cocoa and vanilla.
There are 9 more grams of sugar (36 calories) in ISD 196 chocolate skim milk
than white skim milk.
Myth: Chocolate milk is not as nutritious as white milk.
Fact: No matter what the flavor, milk will always be the same delicious and
nutritious beverage that provides nine essential nutrients. The major difference
between white and flavored milk is the higher carbohydrate and calorie content
due to the addition of sugar.ISD 196 milk does not contain high fructose corn
syrup. Leading health and nutrition organizations have recognized the
importance of small amounts of added sugars in nutrient-dense foods like
chocolate milk. For some people, the calories from sugar in flavored milk are a
worthwhile trade-off for all of the nutrients milk provides. In fact, dairy companies
have come together to lower sugars in flavored milk available in schools by 38
percent. This lower-sugar, fat-free option has an average of 134 calories per 8
oz., which is only 36 more calories than white skim milk.
Myth: Drinking chocolate milk causes weight gain.
Fact: A study of more than 7,000 children and adolescents revealed that
drinking flavored or white milk was not related to an increase in body mass index
when compared to children and adolescents who did not drink milk. The key to
anyone wanting to maintain a healthy body weight is to balance calories
consumed with calories expended by physical activities.
.
Myth: The added sugars in chocolate milk will make my child hyperactive.
Fact: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no scientific
basis that sugar and other sweeteners cause hyperactivity.
https://dairygood.org/content/2014/4-chocolate-milk-myths-busted
What kind of milk do you get with
an invisible cow?
“Evaporated milk”
Lunchroom Joke Corner
Check out the Food and Nutrition home page for up-todate information regarding dates and times at
www.district196.org, select “Meals” on the left side.
Reminders for All Students and Parents:
Breakfast is FREE for all kindergarten students and students who qualify for FREE or REDUCED-price school meals.
Lunch is FREE for all students who qualify for FREE or REDUCED-price school meals.
Please try breakfast at your school. A nutritious breakfast is an important start to a child’s school day!
Parents/Guardians: FeePay has the option for you to set a low-balance reminder via email.
We don’t just serve breakfast and lunch……..we serve students!
9 Monday, July 11
Through
Thursday, August 11
at
Cedar Park
Echo Park
Oak Ridge
This institution is an
equal opportunity
provider.
Employment
opportunities within
Nutrition Services
are available.
E
E
R
F
MANY LANGUAGES, ONE DISTRICT
Celebrate Multilingualism in District 196!
Fun Activities for the Whole Family, Food, Performances
Thursday, April 21, 2016
5:30-8:00pm
Falcon Ridge Middle School
12900 Johnny Cake Ridge Road • Apple Valley, MN
Questions? Call 651-423-0607 or email manylanguages1district@gmail.com.
10 Home&School
Working Together for School Success
April 2016
CONNECTION
®
Cedar Park STEM School
Mr. John Garcia, Principal
SHORT
NOTES
Solve the mystery
When your youngster
reads a mystery, encourage her to pretend she’s the detective. Can she solve
the case before the book ends? Suggest that she jot down clues as she
goes and try to predict the solution.
She’ll practice comprehension skills
that will make her a better reader—
and she’ll enjoy the story more.
Treasure traditions
Every family has traditions, even if
you don’t realize that’s what they are.
Talk about activities you do regularly,
such as eating a special brunch on
birthdays or taking a walk on the first
day of spring. Then, tell your child
about traditions you remember from
childhood. Your youngster may discover one he wants to try.
?
DID
YOU
KNOW
About 10 percent of
12-year-olds say they’ve
had alcohol at least
once—a percentage that increases
sharply in older kids. Help prevent
your child from sampling alcohol now
by making sure she knows it’s illegal
and may make her sick. Also tell her
that people who start drinking before
age 15 are more likely to develop alcohol problems than those who wait.
Worth quoting
“I would like to paint the way a bird
sings.” Claude Monet
JUST FOR FUN
Q: How many
peaches grow on
a tree?
A: All of them.
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
11 Build background knowledge
Everyday activities, conversations, and outings have something in common: They can
boost your youngster’s background knowledge. This collection of information will
help him to understand and
analyze material in school.
Consider these tips.
Experiences
Give your child opportunities to touch and handle new
things. For instance, if you use
a garlic press or a Phillips screwdriver,
tell him what it’s called, and teach him
how to use it. Show him how you check
the oil in your car or sew a button on a
shirt, and let him try. He’ll learn how
things work and gain new vocabulary.
Conversations
When you have company, invite your
youngster to participate in the grownups’ discussions sometimes. He will
learn about the world by listening to
adults talk about current events, their
jobs, or their daily lives. And if your
guests are from a different cultural
background, he may also pick up information about their language or customs.
Field trips
A visit to the post office, the grocery
store, or even a dentist’s office can turn
into a field trip. Before you go, help your
child list questions he might ask or find
answers to. Examples: “What’s the newest stamp you have?” or “What does an
eggplant look like?” Also seek out new
or unusual places to visit, like a yarn
store, garden center, or tack shop.♥
How to prepare for IEP meetings
If your child has an IEP (Individualized Education
Program), here is advice for the next meeting you
attend to review and update her plan:
● You’re an important part of the IEP team, so plan
to share information and ideas. Write up a summary of your youngster’s strengths and needs.
Also, list questions you have, such as “How many
students will be in her small group?” or “How will you
help her calm down if she’s upset?”
● If possible, take a spouse, relative, or friend with you. There may be a lot of people
around the table, so having a support person could make you feel more confident.
● Have a positive attitude. Remember that every member of the team has the
same goal: to help your child do her best.♥
Home & School CONNECTION
April 2016 • Page 2
®
Bullying: Know
the facts
Bystanders make
a difference. Studies
show that more than
half of bullying incidents stop when
a bystander steps in.
Have your youngster
think of things she
could say if a classmate
is being bullied. (“Want
to play with me?” “Let’s
go sit over there.”)
Teaching your child about bullying can
help her handle it better if she sees it and
also make her less likely to bully others.
Share these facts.
Verbal bullying is more common.
Teasing and threatening happen more often
than physical bullying like hitting or shoving. If your child is bullied verbally or physically, she should tell a grown-up right away.
Excluding others can
be bullying, too. When
a child urges other kids not to be friends with someone, that’s
bullying. Encourage your youngster to be kind to everyone and
not to exclude others. She might say something like, “I decide
who I’m friends with.”♥
ACTIVITY
CORNER
A family history quilt
Youngsters love hearing about relatives’ childhoods. Making this “quilt”
together can teach your child about his
family’s past.
1. Give each person an 8ʺ x 8ʺ square
of poster board. Your youngster could
mail squares to out-of-town relatives.
2. Ask everyone to draw a favorite
childhood memory on one side. Examples: cooking with
Grandma, a
trip to the
state fair.
On the
other side,
they should
write about the memories. (“While
Grandma and I made chicken parmigiana, she would tell me about growing
up in her little village in Italy.”)
3. Help your child arrange the squares
into a quilt and connect them with clear
tape.
4. Use the quilt to enjoy your family’s his-
tory. You might take turns picking a square
and talking about the memory, or make a
family time line based on the squares.♥
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ideas
that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Q Money managers
&
We can’t afford to give our son an
A Q:
allowance. How else can we help him man-
age money and get off on the right foot financially?
A: Games and books are ideal for teaching children
to make decisions about money.
Choose board games that involve money like Life Junior or
Payday. When it’s your turn, talk about the financial decisions
I don’t
you make. (“I’m going to save money instead of borrowing more because
want to pay interest.”)
the
Also, read stories with financial literacy themes and nonfiction books on
Money
Lucky
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(Karen Chinn) or The Everything Kids’ Money Book (Brette McWhorter Sember)
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Encourage your youngster to retell
show what he learned about how to spend wisely or pay bills.♥
Learn to take initiative
Do you want your child to do chores
or fill out her reading log without being
asked? Teachers and employers value
initiative, too. Here are ways to help
your youngster become a self-starter.
do. You could say, “Do you have everything you need for school?” instead of
“Don’t forget your backpack.” Try this
regularly, and you may find her asking
herself the same questions!
Write a list
Recognize progress
Making her own list can inspire your
child to take initiative. Suggest
she check off each item as she
completes it—she’ll see how
good it feels to accomplish
everything on her list.
Ask questions
Rather than telling your
youngster what to do, ask
about what she should
When your child takes out the trash or
starts homework without
a reminder, point out
that she’s showing initiative. Tell her how helpful it is that you didn’t
need to prompt her, and
she will be more likely
to repeat the behavior
in the future.♥