N O V E M B E R
2 3 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 5
El Semanario
Edison Language Academy – Together Through Two Languages (310) 828-0335 www.edison.smmusd.org
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK: GRATITUDE -- AN HEALTHY EMOTION FOR CHILDREN
ANNOUNCEMENTS Site Council Elections –Ballots to select Site Council Parent Representatives are due to the Edison office by Friday, November 20 before 3:00 p.m. Vote for THREE candidates as parent reps. Site Council Meeting – November 18, 4:00-6:00 pm. Edison Community Room. The Agenda for this meeting will be to review and finalize goals and strategies for the 2015-2016 Site Plan. A draft budget will also be discussed. Site Council is an elected body but meetings are open to the whole Edison community and there is always an agenda item for public comment. UCLA School Function Project Launching a Parenting Support Network - On Wednesday, December 3 at 8:30 am in Room 208, the UCLA School Function Program will be launching and supporting a parenting support network. This bilingual network is open to all Edison parents. Contact Bobby Verdugo for more information BVerdugo@mednet.ucla.edu. Bullying Prevention Program Parent Information Night –– You’re invited to learn more about SMMUSD’s Olweus Anti-Bullying Program at a Parent Information Night for the JAMS Pathway on Thursday, November 19 from 6:00-7:30 pm in the JAMS Cafeteria. IMPORTANT WINTER CONCERT DATES – Please note these important dates – some have been adjusted from the dates announced in the Back to School “refrigerator sheet”: Kindergarten: December 11th, Friday evening, 6:30-7:30 pm nd 1st&2 Grade: December 15th, Tuesday evening – 6:30-7:30 pm 4th Grade : December 17th, Thursday morning, 8:40 9:40 am 5th Grade: December 10th, Thursday morning, 8:40-9:40 am
The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is a great time of the year to understand the importance of fostering gratitude – in ourselves and our children. Research on the effects of the practice of gratitude indicates that it is good for kids – providing the following kinds of benefits:
Physical: Children who have stronger immune systems, are less bothered by aches and pains, lower blood pressure, exercise more and take better care of their health; sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking. Psychological: Students who have higher levels of positive emotions, are more alert, alive, and awake, experience more joy and pleasure, report more optimism and happiness Social: Students are more helpful, generous, and compassionate, more forgiving, more outgoing, and report feeling less lonely and isolated.
Being grateful for what we have doesn’t mean that we ignore the difficult things in our lives, nor that we gloss over things that can be improved. But it helps us start from a place of appreciating the things we do have. The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California Berkeley (http://greatergood.berkeley.edu) is a really good resource to understand the positive for ideas about how to practice gratitude with children. There you can watch videos of Robert Emmons discussing the power of gratitude or check out Emmons' list of "10 Ways to Become More Grateful"--and print it for your refrigerator! One of the suggestions for helping children cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” is developing a daily habit of naming something every day that we can be thankful for (a beautiful day, a hug from a family member, a smile from a friend). Gratitude journals can also be an effective tool. A simple spiral notebook where children reflect on one thing at the end of each day that they were grateful for can be easy to incorporate into bedtime rituals. Younger children might need to draw a picture and have parents scribe a sentence for them. If you want to try an on-line tool, check out http://www.thnx4.org which will lead you through a three-week experience of daily journaling on gratitude. And consciously modeling gratitude for children is one of the most powerful things we can do for our kids. Start by vocalizing the small things you are grateful for each day and invite children to reflect with you.
November 25 PTA Association Meeting 8:30 am
November 25 Minimum Day – th Kindergarten -5 Grades
November 26 & 27 Thanksgiving Holiday NO SCHOOL