PVS DECEMBER 2018 - PAGE 1

Park

land

Villa

ge S

choo

l —

Dece

mber

20

18

htt

p://

park

land

villag

e.p

sd7

0.a

b.c

a/

Christmas Family Fun Night

Thursday, December 20th, 2018

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

We are hoping for a fun filled evening where you can spend quality time with your family Icing and Decorating a Christmas cookie, singing Christmas carols, getting a picture with Santa, decorating a Christmas card, and more. We are 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 5:30 p.m.

REPORT CARD REMINDER

Your Child’s Report Card Is Online

In Your Parent Portal - December 3rd, 2018

Parkland Village School is working towards Parkland

School Division #70’s goal of being paperless. 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.

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 questions or feedback about the

report card, please contact your classroom teacher

or Mrs. Tebay at 780-962-8121.

Please take a moment

before the holidays to check

the Lost and Found boxes at

the school for your child’s

lost items.

Our boxes are FULL.

COLD WEATHER REMINDER During cold weather, please be certain that your child comes dressed with boots, hat, scarf, mitts or gloves, well enough to spend time playing outside during recess and lunch hour. On cold weather days, it is best if students plan on arriving at school close to bell time in the morning and afternoon. When it is ex-tremely cold, students stay in their classrooms during recess. Students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. and asked to go directly home or to the babysitters. In the event of inclement weather or other emergencies, please check our website: www.psd70.ab.ca click on the Transportation menu and choose Bus Status, listen to CFCW or your local radio sta-tion to see if busses are running. Even though busses are running and school is open, the final decision to send your child to school rests with you the parent. If you, as a parent, think the weather conditions make it unsafe for your chil-dren to attend school, please keep them at home.

Read to or with your

Child Every Day!

On Friday, December 21,

It will be Pajama Day and our PVS School Council will be providing a Pancake and

Sausage Brunch for all students.

PAGE 2 - PVS DECEMBER 2018

7 Habits of Happy Kids

Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Habit 2- Begin With The End in Mind

Habit 3- Put First Things First

Habit 4 - Think Win-Win

Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand,

Then to be Understood

Habit 6 - Synergize

Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Students will be learning and developing the

above habits throughout the year. Kindergarten M/W

Ava M.

Hunter P.

Kindergarten T/T

Hudson C.

Corbin F.

Grade 1L

Braelyn A.

Addison B.

Tyron M.

Grade 1/2B

Benjamin D.

Jace M.

Kenley F.

Grade 2F

Anavae M.

Logan N.

Ryli W.

Grade 3L

Adalynn A.

Falyn M.

Jordyn M.

Grade 3/4E

Carson H.

Julie K.

Grade 4A

Jacey F.

Seth N.

Vienna W.

“Put First Things First”

Certificates were Awarded to:

Habit 3 Put First Things First

I make my schedule.

I spend my time on important things.

I study first, then play.

I’m disciplined and organized.

I’m aware of the time.

Parkland Village School Pitches In to Help Our Community

Giving Tree

In the spirit of the holidays our Giving Tree will be up in the school foyer December 3-December 18.

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, de-

odorant, etc.) 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 18, 2018.

Please do not send expired goods, check the date. Thank you for your contribution to our school and community.

Next School Council Meeting

January 17, 2018

@ 6:00 p.m.

CHANTELLE DEBOER AT 780-962-4754

All parents are welcome; babysitting is available.

We would like to “THANK” Mrs.

Awe and Mrs. Milne for coordinat-

ing a beautiful Remembrance Day

Ceremony this year.

PVS DECEMBER 2018 - PAGE 3

Micro Village Elected Officials

Micro Village Members of Parliament

Ashlynn R., MP

Gr. 1

Laila S., MP

Gr. 1

Rowen B., MP

Gr. 2

Ethan S., MP

Gr. 3

Kiri R., MP

Gr. 3

Cheyenne S., MP

Gr. 3/4

Teryn M., MP

Gr. 4

Prime Minister Tyson M.

Deputy Prime Minister

James M.

Congratulations to our elected officials and thank you to all the

candidates who participated and campaigned for the election.

Calder G., MP

Gr. 2

PAGE 4 - PVS DECEMBER 2018

Dece

mber

20

18

Sun

M

on

Tue

W

ed

Thu

Fri

Sat

2

3

Repo

rt C

ard

s

Go

Hom

e

Mara

thon

Mon

day

4

5

6

CIN

DERELL

A P

erf

ormanc

e

at

Hor

izon

Sta

ge

Kinderg

art

en

to G

rade 4

9:3

0 a

m

7

8

9

10

11

Mara

thon

Tue

s-

day

12

13

All L

ibra

ry B

ooks

are

to

be h

and

ed int

o th

e

libra

ry A

SAP.

14

15

16

17

Mara

thon

Mon

day

Join

us f

or

Christ

mas

Caro

ling

in t

he g

ym

8:4

0—

9:0

5 a

.m.

ALL W

EEK

18

Deadline

for

foo

d

hampe

r items

and

the G

iving

Tre

e

don

ation

s.

THANK Y

OU.

19

20

Christ

mas

Family F

un

Night

5:3

0 -

7:3

0 p

m

21

Last

Day b

efo

re h

oli-

days.

Paja

ma D

ay

“Panc

ake a

nd S

aus

age

“

Bru

nch

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Jan

1

Jan

2

Jan

3

Jan

4

Jan

5

CH

RIS

TM

AS

BR

EA

K

Fir

st d

ay

ba

ck a

fter

th

e h

oli

da

y’s

is

Ja

nu

ary

7th

, 2

019

PVS DECEMBER 2018 - PAGE 5

Mrs. Blanchets’ Grade 1/2 class made the

most adorable

“Catching Snowflakes” artwork.

Please come by and see the original work.

Mrs. Awe and Ms. McMahon’s

Grade 4 class wrote about

“Why They Wear a Poppy”

for Remembrance Day reflections.

Ms. Lynds Grade 1’s

bright and colourful

“Pumpkin Patch”.

Mrs. Awe and Ms. McMahon’s Grade 4 class.

This is their version of “The Peace Dove”

and words that are associated with peace.

Mrs. Eidick’s Grade 4

class created

artwork around

John McCrae’s

Story and Poem

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 7th, 2019!

PAGE 6 - PVS DECEMBER 2018

Three Strategies for Raising Children Who Become Thriving Adults

What do you want for your child in 10 years? 20 years?

What dreams do you have for him/her?

These are the questions caregivers need to reflect upon as their child/children are growing.

Caregivers not only have to be concerned with our children’s academic and athletic achievements, but with

their social and emotional development as well.

Why is this the case?

Because the ability to manage personal feelings and understand the needs and feelings of others is the foundation

for positive interactions, which manifest in every area of a child’s life: health, longevity, happiness, and even aca-

demic and career success. Focusing more on social/emotional health is not a trade-off. Simply put, better emotion-

al intelligence and interpersonal skills lead to a better life.

So rather than getting caught up in the cultural trends towards high stakes competition and college prep mania, if

we take the long view on raising our children (remembering the outcome we want 10 or 20 years down the road),

we will help them thrive as children, adolescents, and as adults.

Parenting children has never been more challenging. We are raising children with negative cultural influences

unlike any we have seen before: multiple screens, high stakes academic stress, and overly competitive, time-

consuming athletics.

Things have gone a little (or a lot) crazy! Your child – regardless of all that you do at home – will be exposed to

ideas and influences that DO NOT promote social-emotional health. Our modern culture – with more opportunities

and pressure than ever before – has resulted in an epidemic of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and suicide in our

teens.

BUT there ARE things you can do to provide some protection for your children from these negative influences. You

have a powerful role in promoting your child’s social and emotional health.

Here are three parenting strategies that can make a huge difference in putting your child on the path to thriving

socially and emotionally.

#1 FOCUS ON YOUR CONNECTION/RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILD FIRST

“Connection is why we’re here.” Brene Brown

You are your child’s parent, and the most important thing they need from you is to feel loved, cherished, and

accepted regardless of what they accomplish, what they look like, what they are interested in, and how they are

different.

Be their greatest supporter and the person with whom they want to share victories and defeats. Celebrate with

them and provide a loving, supportive shoulder to cry on when they face the inevitable mistakes, failures, and set-

backs that are part of life.

Your child will have many adults in their life who are not their parent – teachers, coaches, advisors. Those people

will – for the most part – not put their relationship with your child as their top priority. They will focus on drills

and achievements and measurable stats.

Give your child one safe place where they know they are loved regardless of whether they scored a goal or got an

“A.” Let that safe place be you.

How can you build a close connection with your child?

Be together, doing fun things, as much as possible. Find at least one hobby you enjoy doing together, and make

it a regular activity. It can be anything: reading, crafts, playing cards, backgammon, chess (or another game),

hikes, bike rides, surfing, playing Frisbee, or fishing. The most important thing is that you both enjoy doing the

activity and will continue to do it together regularly – even (especially!) during their adolescent years.

Make “hygge” (pronounced hoo-ga, a word that has no English translation, although “we-fullness” or

“togetherness” could possibly suffice) – the Danish concept of cherishing moments part of your family habits.

Set aside a weekly time where you just cozy up together, unplugged. You can do this by the fire, and outdoor

campfire, or with a few candles. This can include a family game you play, a book you’re reading together, or just

PVS DECEMBER 2018 - PAGE 7

a weekly family chat to catch up on what’s going on with everyone.

One-on-Ones: Make sure that every day, without fail, you take just a few minutes to give your child your

undivided attention and listen to them talking about their day, a story they want to tell you, or anything at all.

Unplug: Turn your phone off or put it away, and listen intently to your toddler’s elaborate story. They will learn

that you are available and interested and will tell you bigger stuff later.

If your children are older and immersed in their devices, have designated family unplugged times every day and

at least one longer period every week. Our children are learning from us how to manage their devices and focus

on real relationships. They are NOT getting good examples from their peers and the rest of the world. They will

get their best example from you.

#2 PROMOTE SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL GROWTH

Unlike academics and athletics, which can be easily assessed with grades or stats, social and emotional growth

needs to be viewed instead as a group of skills our children need to develop over their childhood and adoles-

cence. We see glimpses of the skills our children already have or still need to develop through their behavior.

What are some of the social and emotional skills children need

to develop?

Emotional self-regulation skills (able to identify feelings, calm down,

not “flip their lid”)

Understanding others’ feelings and needs

How to interact positively with others

Ability to delay gratification

Be able to deal with setbacks, disappointments, failures (resilience)

What can caregivers do?

Get comfortable with their (and your own) discomfort. Let them handle

their own mistakes, failures, and social snafus.

Learn a good, empathetic response, “Oh, that sounds really hard…”

Empathize, ask questions – “What are you thinking about doing?” Ex-

press confidence in their ability to handle the situation.

Think of yourself as a “friendship coach,” encouraging them where

they have social strengths, providing gentle coaching in areas where

they have deficits.

Share your own feelings, “I was frustrated when…” “I was really disap-

pointed when…”

#3 MODEL THRIVING (focus on your OWN well-being)

Focus on people and face-to-face connections – People are a great use of time. Take time on your own friend-

ships outside of work/family.

Say “no” to over-scheduled, crazy family life and yes to connection with your family, friends, neighbors. Match

your own and your family’s schedule to your values. Make sure you have congruence. If you LOVE sports, then

spending 15 hours of your family time a week on sports might be okay. But what if you value reading or hiking

or volunteering and haven’t set aside any time for those activities?

Find your own FLOW (“Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully

immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In

essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does”). Show your child what a thriving

adult human does – spend time on your activities/hobbies/interests (even if that means hiring a babysitter,

trading babysitting with a friend, or taking a weekly craft or reading night and letting your spouse be with the

children).

Take care of yourself– If children see moms and dads as frazzled, overworked, and unhappy, what motivation

is there to grow up and get a job? They might just consider it depressing and anxiety -inducing to go to

college/get a job/ become an adult? Why not just stay in the basement playing Xbox?

It’s a complicated, anxious world our children are growing up in, but these parenting strategies can help us guide

them through childhood and adolescence and into a thriving adulthood.