Hutchings Hearld 1/29/2021 
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Hutchings Herald

Friday, January 29th, 2021

Families,

 

I hope this email finds you well, and I hope that 2021 is off to as good of a start as it can be given the circumstances. Here at the school, the new year has started off rather well. We welcomed back some students from the Virtual Academy to Hutchings, and we wished a few students well into the Virtual Academy at the same time. We had a fantastic start to Kindergarten registration; and we have a lot of younger siblings coming to the school next year, which I really enjoy. If you’re reading this and just remembered you still need to sign up for Kindergarten or Begindergarten, do not fear. I have the link. K/BK Registration Link

 

My mind has been floating around kindergarten this week and how much it has changed since I was even in Kindergarten. I remember going to half-day Kindergarten, I was a P.M student due to my sleepy nature as a child, and we learned a letter a day normally associated with a monster. I was very excited to learn about Mr. T as that letter was in my name. I felt super cool when I got to stand up and hold the Mr. T monster and proclaim the letter to the class. I remember having a Kindergarten play, tons of recess, and somewhere along the way my teacher taught us how to read. 

 

What I did not realize at the time was how ready my parents got me for kindergarten. I was pretty lucky to have a mother who went to school to be a teacher and after a few years teaching, she was able to stop working and raise her son. I had chores; picking up my laundry, putting away the cups, I had to fake vacuum the house with my toy vacuum that I was convinced was real, and I had to count up the money that I earned for fake vacuuming (looking back I think my mom just reused the five pennies  and gave me different amounts). I found this to be very fun as I had little jobs and felt empowered; and then when my father got home from work I could share all about my day, but it was “supposed to be in the order it happened.” We also read, and we read a lot. I had pretty much every Dr. Seuss' book there was, and I loved every one of them. I would sit and watch my mother hold the book, and she would point to the words. Eventually we got to the point where she would start the sentence, and I would say the last word or letter and get a huge high five or a hug for getting the word right. 

 

What I now realize is that my mother was actually scientifically training my brain. You see in our brains we have gray matter and white matter that both need to be developed. Grey matter is filled with neurons, and without getting too crazy into science, grey matter helps process information in our brains. This grey matter builds well before school beings, but is vital in the learning process. Our brains really enjoy building gray matter, but when we are little we need some help - things like routines, play, exercise, rhythm, and finding patterns help build grey matter.  So while I was doing my “jobs” and counting my pennies, and putting those events in order for my father, I was actually building the capacity in my brain for learning. 

 

It wasn’t a coincidence that I was a pretty solid reader when I entered school, nor was it a coincidence that I had the capacity to follow directions, be a helper to others, and wait my turn. I had learned all of these skills prior from the activities I did at home. I still had my own issues with focus and spelling due to dyslexia during my elementary school career, but I was able to overcome those challenges with support, and some glasses. My brain was in a good spot scientifically. My parents put in some serious time to get me there, and as I finish up my doctoral degree I can see that work paying off every day. 

 

As our kids continue to join the world and new technologies come in and out of fashion, I hope our families here remember the foundational skills that we as parents need to impart into our children. An iPads, no matter what the promise is, will never give a child that feeling of self worth when they say, the final word in the sentence correctly. A chromebook will not give the same facial expression, hand motion; and emotional connection as a parent when a child tells them about their day. That’s all part of being human and ensuring our students get the best shot they can at longterm learning. 

 

Sing songs, play board games, run around outside, speed stack cups, read books, give kids jobs, hold them accountable, let them count coins or cans or rocks, go on adventures, or have them create silly stories about their days. All of this not only builds great family memories but scientifically helps your children develop their brains. 

 

All the best,

Mr. Moore

Health and Safety Protocols

As we approach the one year mark of the COVID-19 crisis, many people are suffering from what the health department has called “pandemic fatigue” and are becoming more relaxed with safety protocols. We cannot let this “pandemic fatigue” creep into our schools, as it will jeopardize our ability to continue in-person learning. If your child is not feeling well or showing any signs of illness, please do not allow them to attend school. If they have been tested for COVID-19 and the results are pending, your child cannot attend school. Lastly, we all must keep following public health best practices like wearing a mask in public, avoiding social gatherings, regularly using hand sanitizer or washing hands with soap and water, and social distancing when possible.   

 

Coffee Chat with Superintendent MacGregor

On Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at 1 p.m. Superintendent MacGregor will host a Virtual Coffee Chat. During the chat, Mr. MacGreogor will provide updates on the upcoming bond projects, reopening the Highlander Aquatics and Fitness Center, and answer any questions you may have. Information on how to join the meeting will be posted on the district’s website and shared in next week’s MacGregor’s Message. 

 

Calendar Change for Friday, February 12 and Friday, April 23. 

As Superintendent MacGregor shared yesterday, the district is making two small changes to the school calendar. Our scheduled half days on Friday, February 12, and Friday, April 23, will now be asynchronous distance learning days for all students. Students will not attend school on these two days but will be provided work to complete on their own from home. Additional details on these days will be shared as they get closer. 

 

 

Counselor's Corner:

Hello, Families! In lieu of offering a lengthy “Counselor’s Corner” article, we are opting instead for a brief and relevant “Quick Tip.” This week’s quick tip: FILL THEIR BUCKETS.

 

With so much going on in our day-to-day lives and in the world at large, it is common to get distracted and forget to fill our kids’ buckets. Kids have two “buckets” that have to be refilled daily: their attention bucket and their power bucket. If these buckets aren’t filled in proactive and positive ways, they will seek to have their needs met in their own (often undesirable) way: misbehavior and defiance.

 

You can fill your child’s attention bucket by asking specific questions about their day, spending a few minutes of quality time doing his/her preferred activity, or cuddling and reading a book.

 

You can fill your child’s power bucket by offering choices whenever possible, giving them opportunities to make decisions for the family (like what to have for dinner), or letting them have big feelings without judgment (by allowing them to express frustration appropriately and validating their feelings, you will lessen their desire to express anger in maladaptive ways).

 

I am always just an email or phone call away!

 

Sarah Marker

School Counselor

 

 

Important Dates

  • February 5th - Comfy Cozy Day
  • February 9th - PTO Meeting
  • February 12th - Virtual 1/2 Day For Students
Posted by deurlooj On 08 February, 2021 at 11:39 AM