Thursday, May 18, 2023 Volume 17 Issue 31
Can you believe wehave just six weeks of school left at the end of this week? While this year got a late start, we are closing in on the end. As we get to the end of a school year, especially as the weather starts to get hot, we sometimes see student engagement wane. Throughout May, students are taking required state assessments to show what they have learned over the course of the school year. This year when testing ends, we still have about a month of the school year left.
Every day of learning counts! Please help your child continue to have strong routines around school including getting plenty of sleep and being on time each day. Talk to your child about what they are learning at school and try to read with them daily – one of the most important ways you can support your child’s learning!
On the school side, teachers know that trying to increase activities that are engaging to students while still covering curricular content is helpful in June. June is also the time for field day, field trips, plays and other events. Four of our classes will be participating in an Arts Residency thanks to a grant through the Creative Advantage Arts Partnership. A group of our student council 5th graders are also working on a proposal for an end of the year event. It’s great to see the leadership of this group and we will let you know more as details become more clear!
On another note, in my Pup Press articles, I write about things that are happening around the school. I try to cover curricular content, information about our positive behavior program, cultural events at school, areas teachers are receiving training in, etc. From time to time, I may also share general education or parenting information and resources. For example, I have written several times about Common-Sense Media, and organization that gives information about video games, movies, websites, etc. to help parents make good decisions about media use for their children. My goal in sharing this information is to hopefully give parents resources that are helpful to them. Not everything I share will apply to every family. Please take what you find useful and leave the rest if it does not fit with your family’s values or parenting style. Alternately, if you find a resource that you think would be helpful to other parents, please feel free to send it my way so I can share with others. This is how we get some of our best Pup Press information!
In my March 23 Pup Press article, I wrote about tech use and mental health. After reading the article, a parent shared two more studies which challenged some of the earlier studies I had cited, based on research design and the sample study. You can read the later studies at the links below.
Here is another resource that may be helpful to parents:
The Center for Divorce Education is offering virtual classes for parents and adults.
Children in Between Online For Kids (intended for ages 7-14) is offered for free! This is a 90-minute online class that parents are encouraged to take with their children, to support them as parents navigate a divorce. Use checkout code: kids-free
Parents can receive $20 off Children in Between Online (a 4-hour online class for divorcing/separating parents), by using coupon code: washington-20
High Conflict Solutions is 8 hours and for parents who struggle the most with coparenting. This class is $129.95 for a year of access.
You can find more information or register for classes at https://divorce-education.com/
