Strathmore Elementary School
December 2021 Newsletter
Mrs. K. Bera, Principal
- December 3 School Spirit Day. Wear Strathmore Spiritwear
- December 15 Star Student Meeting 6:30 PM
- December 16 & 17 School Store
- December 20 BOE Meeting at Lloyd Road School
- December 23 Four Hour Session School dismisses at 1:20
- December 24 - Jan 3 Winter Recess
December 15
December 20
December 24-January 3
Friday 12/17/21 Ugly Sweater Day!
Wear your ugliest holiday sweater
Monday 12/20/21 Grinch Day!
Dress in Green!
Tuesday 12/21/21 Winter White Out!
Wear white to welcome winter
Winter Hat Wednesday 12/22/21
Wear your favorite Winter Hat
Thursday 12/23/21 Winter Pajamas
Wear your coziest winter pajamas! No slippers please
Dear Parents/Guardians:
I can’t believe that 2022 is just around the corner!
Before we leave for winter break, please note the important information below:
· On Thursday, December 23, 2021 there will be a four hour session.
· School will be dismissed at 1:20 PM. Please make arrangements so that someone is at your child’s bus stop or that you pick up your child on time.
· Lunch will be served in the cafeteria.
· · We will return to school on Tuesday January 4, 2022.
On behalf of the entire Strathmore Staff, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a safe New Year. See you on January 4, 2022!
Happy Holidays from the Strathmore Staff
MS. FEEN’S SCHOOL-COUNSELING CORNER
December, 2021
Our Month of Giving & Sharing
There are so many ways to “Give”. But giving back isn’t always about donating money. Volunteering is a good way for children to learn about giving and sharing of their time. It also helps children develop empathy, compassion, and a giving spirit towards mankind.
Volunteering is also a good way for children to learn about gratitude, to do something positive for the community, and appreciate what they have compared to those less fortunate. Students learn valuable life skills when they volunteer, including teamwork, communication, responsibility, time management, and goal setting.
Researchers have also found that students who volunteer do better academically, and are more likely to graduate high school. Colleges and employers look for community service on resumes, plus it helps students as they explore career options. Young people who volunteer often see health benefits too, ranging from improved self-esteem to fewer high-risk behaviors like drug abuse.
Before your children start volunteering, talk to them about why it’s important to do good deeds for others. Lead by example and explain the ways you can help those less fortunate, and show that giving back isn’t always about donating money.
Enjoy the Holiday Season with your Families
Winter Alert....Delayed Opening Information
In an effort to clarify what a delayed opening entails, listed below are the details to be followed for Strathmore Elementary:
90 MINUTE DELAYED OPENING:
· School begins at 10:50 AM
· Students cannot be dropped off prior to 10:40 AM
· School ends the same time as a regular day – 3:35PM
· There is no Y time in the morning for a delayed opening
· There is no breakfast for a delayed opening
With regard to Bus pickup, please add 90 minutes to the time that is listed on your child’s bus pass. For example, if your bus is due to arrive at 8:50 am, in a 90 minutes delayed opening, the time for that bus would be 10:20 AM. The procedure of being at your bus stop about 10 minutes before would still apply in a delayed opening.
We hope the above information will assist you with any confusion regarding a delayed opening.
Dress for the weather
· When weather conditions permit, the students do go outside to play during recess. Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing to wear outdoors.
· The temperature in the building ranges from classroom to classroom. It is suggested that your child dress in layers so that they can feel comfortable at all times during the school day.
Winter Heart Health
Heart Risk Factors During Winter Weather
Some activities such as snow shoveling, walking through heavy wet snow or in a snow drift, downhill and cross-country skiing, snow-boarding, can strain the heart enough to cause a heart attack.
Snow shoveling can be more strenuous than exercising full throttle on a treadmill. While this may not be a problem if an individual is healthy and fit, it can be dangerous if not.
Shoveling, even pushing a heavy snow blower, can cause sudden increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and the cold air can cause constriction of the blood vessel and decrease oxygen to the heart. All these work in concert to increase the work of the heart and trigger a potentially fatal heart attack.
Individuals who are at risk of a heart attack during cold outdoor activities include:
- Those with a prior heart attack
- Those with known heart disease
- Those with high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- Smokers
- Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle
Such individuals should think twice about shoveling snow and should talk to their doctor before taking on such a task.
Tips for Protecting Your Heart
Before You Shovel Snow
- Talk to your doctor before you shovel snow.
- Avoid shoveling immediately after you awaken as most heart attacks occur early in the morning when blood is more prone to clotting. Wait for at least 30 minutes and warm up.
- Do not eat a heavy meal before shoveling: blood gets diverted from the heart to the stomach.
- Warm up your muscles before starting by walking for a few minutes or marching in place.
- Do not drink coffee or smoke for at least one hour before or one hour after shoveling or during breaks. These are stimulants and elevate your blood pressure and heart rate.
While Shoveling Snow
- Use a small shovel: shovel many small loads instead of fewer heavy ones.
- Begin slowly and take frequent, 15-minute breaks.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
- Dress in layers, to avoid hypothermia (low body temperature) or overheating.
- Cover your head and neck (50% body heat lost thru head and neck).
- Cover your mouth (breathing cold air can cause angina or trigger breathing problems).
- Watch for warning signs of a heart attack, lightheadedness, dizziness, being short of breath, or if you have tightness or burning in chest, neck, arms or back. If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911.
- We ask that all Parents/Guardians please make sure to update any changes in phone numbers or contacts in the Parent Portal.
- Notices are uploaded on to the Virtual Backpack periodically. Please make sure that you go in every so often to view any new flyers.
- An adult must sign in/sign out students when dropping them off late, or picking them up early. Students should not be dropped off at the door to buzz in by themselves.
- Should your child be absent for illness/death in family/emergency, please make sure to supply a note to the child's teacher.
Have Fun One-On-One
What means more to a child than almost anything else? Undivided attention from parents. Spending time alone with your child is like saying, "You're important! I love you! You're fun to be with!" It also allows the two of you to share your values, experiences, worries and dreams. How should you spend one-on-one time? Any way your child wants! Here are some suggestions:Go out to eat. Make a weekly or monthly "dinner date" with your child. Or plan a special before-school breakfast.
Enjoy hobbies. Think of interests you share with your child, such as basketball or cooking. Then plan activities that involve these interests.
Exercise. Take a daily walk with your child to keep your bodies—and your relationship—in shape.
Work together. Sometimes the best conversations happen while you're focusing on something else, such as washing dishes or folding laundry.
Educate each other. Let your child introduce you to a new skill, food or musical group. Do the same thing for her.
Volunteer. Is there a cause you and your child both believe in? Team up to make a difference.
Take a drive. One of the best places to talk with your child is in the car. Since she knows your eyes are on the road, she may say things she wouldn't otherwise.
Hang out. Ask your child what she wants to do. If the answer is "nothing," do just that—together.
Say goodnight. Tuck your child in or have her say goodnight every evening. Ask about her day and end the night with an "I love you."
Note: In some families, one parent does most of the child care. If this is the case in your home, make sure the other parent spends some one-on-one time with the kids, too.
Brought to you by:
Strathmore Elementary School
Kelly Bera, Principal
Copyright (c) 2016 The Parent Institute, a Division of NIS, Inc.