Port Barre Elementary School

Encourage an early start on weekend assignments When there is schoolwork to do over the weekend, many kids put it off. Then, they panic Sunday night when the work must be done. Encourage your child to tackle assigned work on Friday. Classroom learning will be fresh in your student's mind, so the assignment will likely take less time. Serve a fun dessert as a reward. Then, enjoy relaxed weekends together! https://tpitip.com/?15aW17376

Encourage the qualities that make your child a good friend Having friends at school contributes to students' positive feelings about education. To help your child be a good friend, explain that friends are respectful, polite and listen to what others have to say. Talk together about good sportsmanship and the importance of standing up for what's right without being rude. Encourage your child to be friendly, smile at classmates and say "Hi." https://tpitip.com/?15aV17376

Engage your child in active thinking Here are four ways to help your elementary schooler be an active thinker: 1. Encourage your child to ask questions. Then, listen and answer the questions seriously. 2. Ask your child to find facts to support opinions. 3. Encourage your child to wonder about how things work. Together, you can investigate and find answers. 4. Challenge your child to make estimates: "How long do you think it will take to do this math?" https://tpitip.com/?15aU17376

❄️ It's snowing Lil Red Hots!! ❄️ We want to see how our students, staff, families, and community are enjoying this special snow day! ⛄️ Are you building a snowman, having a snowball fight, or making a snow angel? Share your snowy moments with us by posting your pictures here! 📸 Let's share the winter fun memories with each other! Enjoy this special day, but remember to stay warm and be safe. #PBESsnowday 🌨️

Stay up-to-date on your child's progress When poor grades catch families by surprise, some parents may do and say things they regret later. Avoid such surprises by staying aware of how your child is doing. Review your student's schoolwork daily, and talk about it together. What was easy? What was challenging? Chat often with your child about how school is going and listen closely. The stories students tell can reveal a lot. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to the teacher to get answers and discuss ways to support your child's learning. https://tpitip.com/?15aT17376

Let boredom teach time management skills Time management is an important school skill. Learning to manage free time to avoid boredom is helpful practice for students. Build your child's skills by limiting recreational screen use and encouraging self-entertainment. Express confidence in your child's abilities: "I know you can think of something to do." To avoid trouble, be sure to stay aware of what your child is up to. https://tpitip.com/?15aS17376

Make it easy for your child to tell the truth Honesty is a habit. To help your child develop it, point out honesty when you see it. If your child hasn't done something you've asked, but honestly admits it, praise the honesty. "You do need to go make your bed now, but I'm glad you told the truth." And if your child isn't honest? Ask why not. "Were you afraid of getting in trouble?" Then ask, "What might you have done instead of lying?" Praise your child for coming to the right conclusion. https://tpitip.com/?15aR17376

Your child can learn a lot from tests Students often think that learning is only necessary before a test. But a lot of learning can happen afterward, too. When children review tests and identify the kinds of mistakes they make, they can learn how not to repeat them. Mistakes are commonly careless errors, or the result of lack of preparation or poor habits. Encourage your child to correct mistakes on tests. Then, brainstorm together about ways to avoid making the same kinds of errors again. https://tpitip.com/?15aQ17376

Mrs. Hadley's marine scientists have been investigating how dolphins communicate with their calf. In order to find the answer to this question, students have been learning about wave patterns.

Inspire your child's desire to learn Students who are motivated only by rewards rarely do more than the minimum needed to get by. But children who are motivated by their own desire to learn are more likely to stick with a task, retain what they learn and earn higher grades. To inspire inner motivation, ask what your child wants to learn from a project. Point out progress, and ask your child to share new knowledge with you. https://tpitip.com/?15aP17376

Attendance matters: Our school goal is to maintain a 95% attendance rate. Please help us achieve our attendance goal by ensuring students attend school regularly, arrive on time, and be present for the entire school day. Together, we can reach our goal!

Attendance matters: Our goal is to maintain a 95% attendance rate, but unfortunately we did not meet this goal last week. We need your support to ensure students attend school regularly, on time, and for the entire school day. School hours: Start time 7:45 am and end time 3:00 pm. Attendance plays a crucial role in helping students develop essential skills and succeed academically. Please help us by making attendance a priority. Together, we can reach our goal and give students the best opportunity to thrive! Thank you for your partnership.

Turn history facts and figures into a game When your child has to memorize historical names, dates and events, make it fun by playing a round or two of History Concentration. On one index card, write a person's name. On another, write the event or thing the person is known for. Make several pairs of cards and lay them face down. Take turns with your child turning over cards to see who can find more matches. https://tpitip.com/?15aO17376

Reminder - Bus 564, Kelly Gillen is not running this afternoon.

Set the standard for respectful behavior Self-control and respectful behavior among students make school a pleasant and productive learning environment. To teach these behaviors at home, work with your child to set clear rules and consequences. Talk together about school rules, too, and let your student know that you support them. Then, model the behavior you want to see from your child. https://tpitip.com/?15aN17376

Bus 564, Kelly Gillen, will not run tomorrow AFTERNOON, Tuesday, Jan 14th. Please make the necessary arrangements to pick up your child through the car rider line. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Check out this week's newsletter for important information. https://secure.smore.com/n/9sdbv Read more about: - Attendance matters. It is important that your child attends school daily for the entire school day. Tardy bell rings at 7:50 am and school dismisses at 3:00 pm. - Please check with your child to see if they have their student ID. School IDs are required. Students are charged $1 for a temporary ID daily or $5 for a replacement ID. - We kindly ask all car riders to please be respectful of others' property while waiting in the car rider line.

Strive for balance in your child's schedule Children need a balanced mix of schoolwork, outside activities, family time and free time. Don't worry about trying to cram every possible enrichment activity into this year. Instead, let your student explore one or two activities in depth. Children also need free time to play, read and explore ideas on their own, and family time to build supportive relationships. https://tpitip.com/?15aM17376

Boost thinking skills by reading with your child When families read together, students become better readers and thinkers. Choose books you and your child will enjoy (they can be a little harder than your student could read alone). Then, take turns reading sentences or paragraphs. To encourage deeper thinking about the text, pause often to ask about the story, the setting and the pictures, and whether the book reminds your child of anything. https://tpitip.com/?15aK17376

Provide practice in making personal choices Your child wants to wear a certain type of shirt because "everyone" else is. That's peer influence at work. Later on, peer pressure can make children try riskier behaviors. To build resistance to negative peer pressure, let your student practice making choices, such as what to wear, or what extracurricular activity to participate in. Just make sure all the options you offer are acceptable. Experience boosts children's confidence in their ability to make the right decisions for themselves. https://tpitip.com/?15aL17376