Pontiac Elementary News

Valentines Day is a special day for our students to celebrate their classmates. At Pontiac Elementary, we do request that if your child is bringing Valentines cards, that they do provide a card for every classmate. Your child’s teacher can provide a class list for your child.

If you choose to include an item with your child's Valentines, please note that only non-food items are permissible. Candy, snacks, or any sort of food item will be sent back home with your child on Valentine's day if sent to school. Non-food items are permitted, and there are many pre-packaged Valentines that can be purchased that include a trinket (i.e., pencil, erasers, book mark, etc.).

Many of our students have medically based dietary restrictions and this does not include students on specific diets of family choice such as vegetarian, low sugar, religious, and so on. Monitoring the individual needs and requests is not feasible, thus not safe. In addition, it is frequently reported that several children eat Valentine's treats on the bus, as evidenced by an abundance of wrappers found. This poses a choking risk, as well as exposure for students with specific health restrictions. Additionally, it is important for us to adhere to the federal Smart Snack Guideline that encourages healthy snacks.

Thank you for your assistance in helping us maintain the health, safety, and personal family preferences of our students.

Protecting Your Child’s Health From Toxic Stress

We all work hard to stay healthy but if we don’t talk about toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences, our best efforts will not result in a healthy life. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic experiences that occur during childhood. Some stress is normal but too much can cause problems.

Some Examples of ACES:

Exposure to these caregiver behaviors:

• Humiliating/insulting child · Swearing at child · Pushing, grabbing, slapping child
  
• Inappropriate sexual contact · Family members not supportive
  

Exposure to these household issues:

• · Domestic violence · Household member with substance abuse · Household member with mental illness · Household member attempted suicide · Parental separation or divorce · Incarcerated household member
  

How do ACEs affect children?

• Reduces the ability to respond, learn, or figure things out, which can result in problems in school.
  
• Lowers tolerance for stress, which can result in behaviors such as fighting, checking out or defiance.
• Increases problems with learning and memory, which can be permanent.
• Increases difficulty in making friends and maintaining relationships.
  
• Increases stress hormones which affects the body’s ability to fight infection.
  

GOOD NEWS!

Parents make a significant difference in their child’s life. Instead of adverse childhood experiences, try to expose your child to awesome childhood experiences!

Parents make a significant difference in their child’s life. Instead of adverse childhood experiences, try to expose your child to awesome childhood experiences!

• Having resilient parents: Parents who know how to solve problems, who have healthy relationships with other adults, and who build healthy relationships with their children.
  
• Building attachment and nurturing relationships with adults who listen and respond patiently to a child in a supportive way, and pay attention to a child's physical and emotional needs.
  
• Building social connections: Having family, friends and/or neighbors who support, help and listen to children.
  
• Meeting basic needs: Providing children with safe housing, nutritious food, appropriate clothing, and access to health care and good education.
  
• Learning about parenting and how children grow: Understanding how parents can help their children grow in a healthy way, and what to expect from children as they grow.
  
• Building social and emotional skills: Helping children interact in a healthy way with others, manage their emotions and communicate their feelings and needs.
  

For more info visit:

ACES 101 : http://acestoohigh.com/aces-101/

Triple-P Parenting: www.triplep-parenting.net/ glo-en/home/

Resilience Trumps ACEs: www.resiliencetrumpsACEs.org

CDC-Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences Study: www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/ace study/

Zero to Three Guides for Parents: http://www.zerotothree.org/aboutus/areas-of-expertise/freeparent-brochures-and-guides/