The Principal's Corner:
The Florida Tragedy
The tragedy in Florida makes the normal work grind and school grind seem small. It makes curriculum decisions, schedule conflicts, grading practices, and other school tasks seem inconsequential. Our minds are racing about lock down procedures, school safety, and the families that were impacted by this horrible act. Fault is placed on gun groups, lack of mental health support, missing red flags, legislation, law reform, and the like.
But that is not our focus today. Today there is a group of people we are truly responsible to - our students. Our students are receiving information that most are not ready to handle or capable to handle at such a young age and it is coming in massive waves. As elementary students they do not fully grasp what occurred or the magnitude of how far away it was, while one student may understand Florida is far away another student may think it happened just down the road because of how personal it was. So comes an incredibly difficult question of our time – how do we help students process these tragedies when we as adults have a hard time understanding it as well?
I’ve added a link here that has some great tips on talking to children about the news for families looking for a resource. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/news.html
At Hutchings, student safety is held in the highest regard. To continue to ensure this safety, please review some of our procedures.
- All visitors must check in at the Main Office. Even if you come before school hours or after school hours, please check in to let us know you are in the building.
- Only enter the main doors located near the parking lot.
- When entering the main doors, do not hold the door for anyone else or let anyone in as you leave. If they are an employee, they have a keycard to swipe in, or they will simply need to buzz in after you enter/leave.
- We continue to monitor hallways and doorways with cameras, practice emergency drills, and support students with a team of mental health professionals.
It is our responsibility to model for our young people how to navigate the waters of tragedy and we do that by how we act towards others on a daily basis, how we care for those in need, and how we choose kind. If you have any questions or concerns about school procedures please feel free to reach out to me.
Mr. Moore
LOC Reminder
Just a reminder that the LOC Credit Union has been picking up steam with the kids. I feel now the kids are starting to see the value of saving their money and the students who have been involved with the process are really enjoying it. If you are interested in having your child open an account let us know!
MacGregor's Message:
Register Your Kindergarten Student Online
This year, Howell Public Schools is offering online registration. This will allow parents to complete all of the required registration paperwork ahead of the Kindergarten Registration event on March 6. To register your child online, please visit the Kindergarten Registration webpage at https://goo.gl/k5pC8X. Parents who register their child online are encouraged to stop by KIndergarten Registration on March 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for a tour of the school, to meet our kindergarten teachers and their principal. Additionally, all students registered on March 6, will receive a special stuffed animal with their graduation year on it.
Counselor’s Corner
The internet can answer a lot of questions for families, if you know where to look. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and HealthyChildren.org have launched a parenting website that is backed by 66,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, social, and emotional health of children.
Whether you're looking for general information related to child health or for more specific guidance on parenting issues, this website provides information from the nation's leading child health experts, as well as scientific research supporting all recommendations.
Here are some of our favorite features of healthychildren.org:
- Mobile app recommendations for Apple and Android devices
- Ask the pediatrician - view answers to questions submitted from parents and caregivers
- Find a pediatrician - search for an AAP member pediatrician, pediatric subspecialist, or pediatric surgical specialist
- KidsDoc symptom checker - make smart decisions on what level of care (if any) is needed and how to provide speedy symptom relief for minor illnesses or injuries you can manage on your own
- Webinars - view parent webinars on topics like “The 10 Rules of Picky-free Parenting” and “Morning Madness: 7 Secrets to a Stress-free Start to your Family’s Day.”
Parenting is a big job, and we are here to support you! Please reach out with any questions or concerns about your child’s physical, mental, social, and emotional health!
Your Partner in Education,
Jennifer Starkey
School Counselor