PVS DECEMBER 2019 - PAGE 1

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Christmas Family Fun Night

Thursday, December 19th, 2019

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

We always look forward to our Christmas Family Fun Night evening where we see families Icing and Decorating a Christmas cookie, getting a picture with Santa, decorating a Christmas card, and so much more. We are still busy planning the exciting events for that night. All of our school families and their immediate family members are invited to attend the various

events. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

REPORT CARD REMINDER Your Child’s Report Card Will Be Online

In Your Parent Portal at the end of the day

- December 6th, 2019

You will find your child’s report card online in

the PowerSchool Parent Portal. To access the

website please go to: http://www.psd70.ab.ca/

PowerSchool.php and sign into your account

with your username and password. Click on the

“Report Card K-9” icon. If you can’t access the

report and absolutely need a hard copy, please

contact the office.

There are no interviews following this report

card but if you have any questions regarding

your child’s progress, please contact your

child’s teacher. If you have any general ques-

tions or feedback about the report card, please

contact your classroom teacher or Mrs. Tebay

at 780-962-8121.

Read to or with your

Child Every Day!

On Friday, December 20, 2019 It will be Pajama Day and our wonderful PVS School Council will be providing a Pancake and Sausage Brunch for all.

The staff at Parkland Village School would like to wish our students and families a holiday season filled with happiness, joy and special memories.

See you January 6th, 2020!

CHRISTMAS

GIFT SHOP On Thursday, December

12th, 2019 the Christmas

Gift Shop will be open for

each child to purchase one

gift for each member of

their family. Each present

will be gift wrapped.

PAGE 2 - PVS DECEMBER 2019

Next School Council Meeting

January 17, 2020

@ 6:00 p.m.

SHANNON AUGER AT 780-952-8980

All Caregivers are welcome;

babysitting is available.

Mrs. Blanchet's’ Grade 1/2 ’s Soldier artwork was in

recognition of “Remembrance Day”!

We would like to “THANK” Mrs. Milne for coordinating a

beautiful Remembrance Day

Ceremony and for all her hard

work in collecting stories and

making a glorious display honouring

our families Military relatives.

Kindergarten T/T

Ryder A.

Lucus C.

Isabella U.

Grade 1L

Jeht B.

Grace B.

Taylor C.

Hudson C..

Grade 1/2B

Aubree B.

Max B.

Summer K.

Johnathan T.

Grade 2L

Addisyn B.

Liam G.

Jace M.

Tatum S.

Brinelle T.

Grade 3M

Jack A.

Matthew B.

Sophie F.

Emerysn S.

Dominique T.

Grade 3/4M

Alex L.

Falyn M.

Brooklyn S.

Grayson T.

Grade 4K

Adalyn A.

Alex C.

Carson H.

Natyah S.

Certificates were handed out during our

November assembly to the following students:

Ms. McKeage

Grade 3 class

created beautiful

Poppy artwork.

Our Lost and Found

Boxes are FULL.

Please take a moment

before the holidays to

check the Red and Blue Lost

and Found boxes at the

school for your child’s lost

items.

Items NOT claimed will be

taken to the Goodwill

Centre.

PVS DECEMBER 2019 - PAGE 3

Micro Village Elected Officials

Micro Village Members of Parliament

Prime Minister

Adalynn A.

Deputy Prime Minister

Titus d.

Mya A., MP

Gr. 1

Alexa K., MP

Gr. 1

Brinelle T., MP

Gr. 2 Benjamin D., MP

Gr. 2

Ethan P., MP

Gr. 3

Jordyn M., MP

Gr. 4

Isabelle G., MP

Gr. 4

Sebastian T., MP

Gr. 4

Kiri R., MP

Gr. 4

Matthew B., MP

Gr. 3

PAGE 4 - PVS DECEMBER 2019

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PVS DECEMBER 2019 - PAGE 5

Top 10 Tips for Staying Sane This Christmas adapted article from www.sitters.co.uk/blog/

Does Christmas fill you with festive cheer? The John Lewis ad, hot mulled wine, Michael Buble on Spotify and the aroma of Starbucks’ latest latte. But as December rolls on it can turn from the ’most wonderful’ to the “most stressful” time of year. Pressure mounts up trying to be Instagram perfect & you’re feeling inadequate when your timeline is full of Alpha playground mums with their Kirsty handmade Xmas decorations, Mary Berry puddings & declarations of ‘presents all bought and wrapped’ in September.

So if you’re pondering ways to cut stress, save money and tame over-the-top traditions, setting simplistic strategies in place early will keep you from being swept up in festive madness.

1 Focus on what's most important No time to write Xmas cards and feeling anxious every time you get one in the mail. Ask yourself which are the 10 most important ones – maybe your old aunt who’s not managed to master email? Try sending messages on social media or announce a donation to charity. Without a doubt your friends will be grateful you’re soothing their own guilt.

2 Drop high-stress rituals The pantomime, ballet, Elf on the shelf, grottos, carol singing, Santa train, Xmas eve box, Santa letter, PNP video, home-made advent calendar… do you feel frazzled just at the thought of them?. If you’ve over-planned but struggling to deliver - make a switch. True, families thrive on traditions, but it's less about the event itself, which your kids may have outgrown, and more about time together. Drop expensive, high-stress rituals in favour of something simple. Or just the ones they really love.

3 Be satisfied with "good enough" Ask, “If I don’t do this, what will happen?”. Don't always go for bigger and better. Does the tree have to be hand-picked from an enchanted forest? Will it ruin Xmas day if you haven’t got 7 types of veg? Think back to the most magical memories you had as a child and they will likely be based on more simple rituals.

4 Remember to have fun Give yourself permission to reclaim a bit of festive fun & let go a little. At the same time as you’re planning your party dress, don’t forget to book your childcare. Booking a babysitter an hour earlier than you’re out the door gives the kids time to settle and you time to get ready without someone calling for ‘mum’. You can even book a babysitter for the morning after a huge event and sleep .

5 Love your lists Getting things down on paper can really help you stay sane in the silly season. With everything on your plate it’s easy to buy a gift twice or miss someone off your list. Even planning meals on paper can prevent you from buying enough food to last you til Easter.

6 Delegate You can't do everything so divide chores between your family and if you have visitors to share the burden You can even dele-gate childcare to a babysitter so you have time to get those roots or nails done or just get the house or presents organized.

7 Hold on to everyday routines If the kids need down time or you like to read for half an hour before bed, don't give that up in favour of yet another Christmas chore. If escaping on a date night with your husband keeps you sane … keep it that way. Our everyday practices help calm and center us.

8 Cut the gift list Rein in gift exchanges that have been outgrown or lost their meaning. Limit gifts to children only or organize a Secret Santa for the wider family or friendship groups. Shop on the web . If you want to hit the high street, book childcare so you can enjoy browsing and lunching without the pressure of being rushed.

9 Limit travel if you can No one likes long car journeys. If you have to see both yours and your partner’s families and a plethora of relatives to boot, why not arrange to see one set a few weeks before/after Christmas. It’s really difficult for children to maintain first rate behaviour when doing the rounds of friends and relatives and not everyone remembers what it’s like to have young children.

10 Don’t be afraid to say no Relax by looking at what you can and can't do. Instead of having pre-Christmas drinks with every group of friends & work colleagues, how about pushing some back to the New Year? This gives you a little pick me up when the Christmas cheer has faded.

PAGE 6 - PVS DECEMBER 2019

This Is Why Parents Should Establish Family Routines By Alyson Schafer

Did you make a New Year's resolution to invite more calm into your family life this year? Congratulations, you are one of the many parents who are feeling like a frantic chicken running around with our heads cut off and who want the chaos to stop!

If you want more Namaste in your family life, my recommendation is that you put your energies into tackling better family routines. I consider this to be one of the master skills of parenting, and it's so worth the investment! Here are the top pointers on why routines are important and how to set them up and enforce them. Why routines are so important Routines are predictable and consistent, which make us feel safe. First we hang up coats, then we put our boots on the mat and then we wash our hands before snack. We are safe! In doing so, we can predict what happens next and we know what we're supposed to do. There are no surprises nor potential dangers now that we know this sequence, so now we can relax and turn off our stress re-sponse. According to a 2012 study published in the journal Sage, there's a correlation between chaotic homes and behavioural problems in children. And researchers at the University of Louisville, Columbia University, New York University, and Virginia Polytechic Institute found that the more chaotic a family's life is (in which household chaos is defined by disorganization, lack of routine, excessive noise, crowded-ness, and an overly fast pace), the more likely their kids will encounter a string of issues, including smaller vocabularies, lower IQs, more stress, higher levels of aggression, poorer sleep patterns, less positive relationships with parents and siblings, and worse overall health. The reality is that most of us default to the routine of yelling at the kids to get out of the damn bath, beg them to put on their pajam-as, and then negotiate on whether we read one or 10 bedtime stories. The fact is, we as parents are largely inconsistent and unpre-dictable in establishing and maintaining routines, and our children's bad behaviour proves this. Tips for setting up new routines 1. Start small and be consistent I can't stress this point enough. Just pick one simple routine you want to work on and don't tackle any others until this one is going smoothly. A good starting point might be clearing your plate from the dinner table, scrapping the leftovers into the compost, rins-ing your plate in the sink and placing it in the dishwasher. Don't tackle your biggest issues first. 2. Take time for training Don't assume your kids know how to do everything — sometimes, they must be taught. Scraping a plate takes some dexterity. Know-ing the best way to load a dishwasher takes experience. Help them practice and learn what is expected. Your mindset should be that

Giving Tree In the spirit of the holidays our Giving Tree will be up in the school foyer December 2-December 13. This year students can decorate it with new or homemade toques, warm mitts, socks and scarves for boys and girls. We will also be collecting hygiene products (tooth brushes and toothpaste, soap, deodorant, etc.) which will be sent to a women’s shelter.

Christmas Food Hampers Each class will be collecting non-perishable goods for our school community Christmas Hampers. Items urgently needed are: peanut butter, pasta sauce, pasta and juice. Canned goods, canned tuna, dried goods, crackers, sugar, tea/coffee, rice, toys, etc. All items will be gratefully accepted. All food items must be in on or before December 17, 2019. Please do not send expired goods, check the date. Thank you for your contribution to our school and community.

Parkland Village School Pitches In to Help Our Community

PVS DECEMBER 2019 - PAGE 7

of a patient teacher instead of cursing them for being sloppy and doing things wrong. 3. Invite children to participate in routine-setting Children are more likely to be co-operative if they feel they had some say in the rules and routines they are expected to live by. Of course this is an age-dependent factor, but live by the rule that the more say they have, the more co-operation you'll likely get. My children once requested a change to the family routine: They want-ed to have private reading time before the family bedtime stories. So, we adjusted our timing accordingly so lights out was still at the same time.

How to enforce the routines We're all good at setting routines, but get frustrated when our children don't comply. Here are three fast ways to hold them accountable: 1. Natural consequences What would happen if we did nothing? If their dinner plate is still on the table when breakfast is being served, you can say, "I would love to serve you breakfast, but there is a dinner plate in the way." The reality of their need to look after their plate will come to light and then they can hustle to get it in the dishwasher. 2. Logical consequences You can also create a consequence, either on your own or with your older children. Simply ask them to help you come up with an appropriate consequence. For example, you could say, "We all know we are supposed to clear our plates from the table after dinner. What should happen if someone doesn't do their job?" Make sure the consequence is related (logical) to the behaviour. "When ___," and "then ___" statements replace threats and yelling. Simply state the routine and the order that must be fol-lowed: When your dish is cleared from the dinner table, then I know you're ready for playing cards. When your pajamas are on then I know you're ready for stories. Use the clock or timer to keep the routine on schedule. "I'm sorry, your pajamas aren't on, but the clock says tuck-in time is over. There is no time left for stories. Tomorrow night we can try again and see if we can move faster through the routine to ensure we get story time."

What to do if you aren't getting anywhere. If you're thinking to yourself, "I've been there, done that but with no success," then here are five key questions to ask yourself:

1. Have I been totally consistent?

2. Have I been persistent? Don't give up too soon!

3. Am I in a power struggle? Kids won't comply to routines if they perceive you as being controlling.

4. Have I made too many routines? If your house feels like a military regime, your children may rebel quietly or overtly.

5. Who can I turn to for help?

There is always more to learn about raising kids. Don't get overwhelmed, just recognize that it's one of the best investments of your time. If you need more help with your parenting I recommend you move in ascending order from the most generic to the most ex-pensive, but also the most in-depth. Ask your pediatrician for recommendations of other resources in your neighborhood. These can include: Parenting books or podcasts, classes with trained facilitators and peer support, and Family counselling.

Sometime over the holidays you may want to address the issue of your child’s lunch bag and backpack. Please see the tips below:

The Solution to Germy, Smelly, Dirty School Lunch bags

If you are hit with a bad smelling, sticky, dirty lunch bag here are some tips below on how to clean insulated lunch bags.

Fill sink with warm water, add a teaspoon of detergent, swish through water.

Submerge the lunchbox into the water.

Use a cloth to wipe over the lunch bag, paying particular attention to corners.

Use the toothbrush to clean crumbs from zippers and remove dirt and food from seams.

Rinse with clean water. Pat dry with a tea towel.

Leave it on the dishrack to dry overnight, or better yet place on clothes line to thoroughly dry.

If you find the lunch bag has a smell, sprinkle baking soda into the bag (into corners and seams) and sit overnight. Shake the baking soda out in the morning and wiped over with a damp cloth. Some lunch bags can be thrown into the washing machine on the gentle cycle along with the backpack to get cleaned. The dishwasher is another option that works really well. Remind your children to put their rubbish and scraps into the rubbish bin as soon as they’ve eaten it, to help reduce the dirt, stick or smell forming. Back to school on a daily basis, the quickest and simplest solution are antibacterial wipes. This is a handy way to kill germs on the spot and tidy up their lunch bag.