Happy New Year!

Every Minute Matters

THANK YOU! for getting your children to school on time, every day! Our attendance rate thus far this year is 98.24%, which is more than 2% better than the same time last year. I know children get sick, and we want them to stay home if they are unwell, but I really appreciate your efforts to prioritize daily attendance at school.

We are revising the schedule a bit starting upon our return from the Winter Break. The new schedule will allow us to better maximize our instructional time. 

I know many of you like to visit during lunch, so I have included the new lunch schedule, below. 

FIRST	11:25-11:55
FIFTH	11:50-12:20
THIRD	12:05-12:35
KINDERGARTEN	12:25-12:55
SECOND	12:40-1:10
FOURTH	12:55-1:25

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Doors to KES open at 8:30 AM. Please do not drop your students off to school earlier than 8:30, especially now that the weather is colder. We do not have staff to monitor students prior to 8:30.

Also, we have recess everyday, unless temperature or windchill are below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Students must come to school with clothing appropriate for the weather (coats, hats, gloves, etc.). Please label all clothing with your child's first and last name. If you need assistance providing these items for your child, please contact your child's teacher or Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Schmeck, or Mrs. Barnes. We will work with you to ensure your child has what they need to be warm at recess.

Parking Lot Safety

For the safety of all students, staff, and visitors, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Do not enter the driveway in front of the school (where the busses come in) during arrival and dismissal times (8:20-9:00, 3:15-4:00).
• Follow signs for traffic flow, including "one way" signs and directional arrows.

Commitment

Each month, we are going to focus on a trait that will support us as we grow and learn together as scholars and members of our community. Quarterly, at our Cougar Rally, we will have an assembly focusing on our trait of the month. This month, we will focus on commitment; here's how you can reinforce it at home.

SAY IT: Commitment is making a plan and putting it into practice.

KNOW IT:

Ask a kid:

• Think about a short term goal you have for yourself right now. Brainstorm ways to reach this goal (who can help me with this, what steps do I need to take to work toward this goal, when during my day can I work on this, etc.).

• Do you care for your family pet, keep your room clean, or participate in an extracurricular activity? These are all examples of commitments that you probably already make to yourself and your family.

Ask a grown up:

• Have you ever made too many commitments at once? How did you accomplish all of these goals? Was it difficult to prioritize your plans?

• How does it feel to follow a plan all the way through?

SEE IT:

Search, http://www.olympics30.com/30greatest/bonnie-blair-speed-skating.asp. This is an incredible story of a woman whose goal to become an Olympian was reached through planning, hard work and commitment. Bonnie Blair is one of the top skaters of this century and has competed in 4 Olympic games earning numerous medals. She committed to the goal of becoming a professional skater at a very young age and made sacrifices and worked hard to obtain her goal. Now she is a motivational speaker and works with numerous charities to give back to her community and the world.

BE IT:

At the beginning of each week this month, sit down with your family and discuss the commitments each family member has for the week. This might look like a list of chores, practices, volunteer opportunities, job responsibilities, date nights, etc. At the end of each week sit down again and evaluate the week. Did everyone follow through with their commitments? Discuss ways to re-commit to a goal if a plan was not followed the previous week.