F E B R U A R Y
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Jerome Harrison News
Kindergarten AllStar Reader
Program
Please visit the North Branford
Public Libraries to get involved
in our Kindergarten All-Star
Reader Program. Through this
program students are
encouraged to read and
participate at local libraries for
the chance to win prizes and
gain school and community
recognition for their efforts. At
this point we have about 1/3 of
our students involved. We
would love to have 100%.
Please visit your library to get
involved!
St. Baldrick’s at JHS
Recently JHS held a St. Baldrick’s Head Shaving Event to
support research for Childhood Cancer. This event was
organized and led by second grade teacher, Judy Bannon. It
was a wonderful event that supported our vision to teach
students the importance of caring, noticing others, giving and
getting involved in their community. The event also was a
wonderful representation of the North Branford community’s
commitment and involvement in a cause to help others. Thank
you to all who participated, volunteered, and supported this
event. It was inspiring to be a part of it!
Save the Date!
Read Across
America Day
3/6/15
Festival of the
Arts Day
3/26/15
PTO Events
Father Daughter
Dance: 3/6/15
Mother Son
Event: 3/20/15
PTO Meeting
3/2/15
6:30 PM JHS
Cafeteria
BOE Meeting
3/19/15
School Climate
School climate refers to the quality and character of
school life. School climate is based on patterns of
students', parents' and school personnel's experience of
school life and reflects norms, goals, values,
interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning
practices, and organizational structures.
A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth
development and learning necessary for a productive,
contributing and satisfying life in a democratic society.
This climate includes:
• Norms, values and expectations that support people
feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe.
• People are engaged and respected.
• Students, families and educators work together to
develop, live and contribute to a shared school
vision.
• Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize
the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning.
• Each person contributes to the operations of the school
and the care of the physical environment.
Please take a moment follow the link below to complete the survey regarding the school
climate at Jerome Harrison. As you know school climate is very important to us and your
honest and open feedback helps us address areas of weakness as well as build on strengths.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this very important survey. Building and
maintaining a positive school climate will always be a major foundation of my leadership!
The survey remains open for your participation until March 17th, 2015.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/237WWQR
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Ways to support school efforts at home: Academic
and Behavioral
Given them a sense of responsibility
Games and Activities to Promoting Thinking
As parents one of the best things we can do for our
children is instill a sense of responsibility in them.
We have to fight the urge “to just do it ourselves”
and instill in them a sense of helping the family
cause. For my own children they have a weekly
chart of daily responsibilities and they put a star
sticker on each day when they complete the task.
At the end of the week if they are successful with all
activities every day they get some type of reward
(preferred activity, small reward, or allowance).
This has worked well as it promotes task
completion, a sense of independence, and
responsibility.
We all face the challenge of keeping our children
engaged during car rides and other activities while
they are waiting, and with technology we are all
tempted easily to just hand them an IPad or other
device. To balance technology with my own
children I often use the following thinking games:
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Would you rather?...then give them two
options such as “would you rather live near
the beach or in the mountains?”
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How do they relate?...pick three items and
then ask them how they are related, you will
be amazed at the difference in answers and
thinking.
-
What doesn’t belong?...ask them which item
doesn’t belong in a group and to tell you
why not, again you will be amazed at their
line of thinking.
-
Top Three…someone picks a category
(movies, foods, etc.) and each person gives
their top three in that category
-
Trivia…my daughter loves princess trivia:
which princesses wear purple, live with pets,
etc.…my son loves sports: which teams won
more than one Superbowl, which basketball
teams did Ray Allen play for, etc.
Examples of tasks/responsibilities include:
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Feeding the dog
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Organizing their bags for school
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Picking out outfits for school
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Making beds
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Putting away laundry
-
Loading the dishwasher
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