Lower School Notes Archive

Monday, December 3, 2012

Third-Grade Beatles Enthusiasts Lead the Assembly

 Last Wednesday, our Lower School assembly featured the third-grade sharing Beatles songs that they have been practicing on Friday afternoons. First through fourth grade music classes had practiced "Eight-Days a Week" too, so we could sing one song together. (To get a taste, click on the video below.)


Pajama Drive and Pajama Day Organized by the Third-Grade

Do you like to snuggle up with a good book in your pajamas at night? Well, so do many people, but not everyone is able to do this. That’s why the Lower School is holding a very special pajama drive to gather pajamas for children and adults who are living in group homes, shelters and orphanages.
Here’s how it works:
·      If you can, between now and December 7th, please donate new, warm pajamas (any size from newborn to adult) to the bins in front of Mrs. Rullo’s desk.
·      Pajamas must be in complete sets or nightgowns and must be intended to be pajamas (so they are flame retardant and safe).
·      Wear your own pajamas to school on Friday, December 7th so we can celebrate what we have accomplished by working together!

Now here’s the best part…
For each pair of pajamas we collect, Scholastic will donate a new book and Carters, Inc. will donate another new pair of pajamas to the organization that receives our donations!
This is a really good opportunity to help those less fortunate than you, so we hope you’ll get involved. We’ll see you in your PJs on December 7th!
Your DE Third Grade Friends


Getting Ready for Recess in the Winter



Well dressed for winter recess!
It is important for younger students to get outside whenever possible, all year round! Being able to test and challenge themselves physically in unstructured ways is critical for developing children. Learning to participate in activities where rules and relationships are negotiated helps develop the social skills that promote self-confidence. Simply being outside, even if it is cold or a little rainy, can reinvigorate children in a way that indoor activities cannot. In fact, those few days when we are forced to have an indoor recess, all teachers notice that students seem restless and less available to learn.


It is our hope that parents are supportive of the school’s policy to have students outside for part of every day. Of course, there may be times when it is pouring rain or the wind-chill is so low that even a shortened recess is not prudent. There also may be times when a documented medical condition will keep a student indoors for short periods. 

 Just the physical release is worth the trip outdoors. Add to that the social benefits, and it is a slam dunk. To make sure that students can take advantage of all that recess has to offer, it is important that they always come to school with appropriate outerwear. It is easy to take off unneeded clothing, as students often can stay surprisingly warm once they start running around, even on the coldest days. They should have warm jackets, hats, and mittens during the winter months. If it snows, students love to dig and roll in the snow, which we support, but only if they have snow pants and snow boots so they can avoid an afternoon of sitting in wet clothing.

Being On Time Helps to Start the Day Out Right
Third-grade math team members work
 on a problem together
It is very important that students arrive at school on time.  Coming late does not feel good for them. Arriving late  means that they can't settle in, greet friends and start on their morning work in a relaxed fashion. Late arrivals can also disrupt the learning of others. Students in grades preschool through 2nd, are expected to be in their classrooms ready to begin their day at 8:25 a.m. and students in grades 3rd-5th, at 8:20 a.m.  

 Yes, sometimes weather and traffic cause unavoidable delays, but I am seeing more and more students arriving late consistently.  
The fifth-grade exponent math group share solution strategies

 Hints for arriving on time:

  • Give yourselves a cushion. Set a start time that allows for traffic and other unexpected delays.
  • Establish routines that take the struggle out of mornings. (Ten minute warnings with no negotiations, pleading or whining allowed.)
  • If children have difficulty getting up in the morning, make sure they have had enough sleep ( 9-10 hours). 
  • Be sure to build in time for a healthy breakfast
A Note from Dr. Niles – D-E Lower School Psychologist


Following natural disasters, especially those that hit very close to home such as the recent Hurricane Sandy, we often see increased range of negative symptoms in children such as separation anxiety, fear of death, jumpiness, anger or irritation, shame, helplessness, emotional numbness or disconnect, or
At recess, kindergartners practice catching a
football thrown by Mr. Coyne.

psychosomatic symptoms - such as stomach aches and headaches. I have heard from several children
and parents about such symptoms recently and wanted to offer some information. Also, please know that you can contact me to schedule an appointment at any time (nilesa@d-e.org or ext. 3255).


 Whether or not you were directly impacted by the storm, there is an emotional aftermath for all of us. Normally, these fearful and unsettling thoughts and feelings will fade and life will return to normal but we want to be tolerant and open to our own, and our children’s, reactions.

 Following the disruption from the storm – the missed school days, loss of electricity, sleeping in an
unfamiliar place – it’s best to focus on reestablishing routines. Children take comfort in the familiar and
this will minimize the emotional stress. Spend time with your children eating meals, relaxing, playing games, reading books, taking walks, and just chatting or listening.

 One of the most important things that you can do for your children is to limit their exposure to the media and news around such disasters. Most news programs are overly dramatic and often create a great deal of fear for children.

 Helpful websites:
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Bracelets on Sale Wednesday to Raise Money for Hurricane Sandy Victims
These bracelets are $2.00 each. The money will go to the American Red Cross Foundation and will help people who lost their houses in Hurricane Sandy. The bracelets will only be on sale this Wednesday.