| Dragon Moms Are THE BEST!
Wishing ALL of our Mothers of Dragons in our St M community THE MOST fabulous Mother's Day!
| |
| Closing Ceremonies
It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is almost upon us. What a wonderful year it has been!
- Details and schedules for grades K-7 Closing Ceremonies will be emailed under separate cover LATER THIS WEEK.
- Eighth grade end-of-year activities, exams schedule, and graduation info may be found HERE.
| |
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
On May 11, 2023, the St. Michael’s school community recognized National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. This special day began more than a decade ago to shine a national spotlight on the importance of caring for every child’s mental health and to reinforce the message that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development.
Last Thursday, we asked that all members of our community wear green to support mental health awareness. Middle School SCA students created hallway posters to highlight healthy behaviors that promote positive mental health. During the middle school “Character Strong” lesson in advisory on Thursday, students learned and discussed how to effectively manage conflict in relationships with peers. Lower school students also had a morning meeting lesson regarding ways to respond to a friend when s/he is feeling sad, lonely, or scared.
Twenty percent (1 in 5) children and youth live with a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and others. Below are some best practices for parents as they support the development of positive mental health in their children:
- Get good rest and sleep: Children (ages 6-12) need 9 to 12 hours per day; Teens (ages 13-18) need 8 to 10 hours per day; Adults need 7 or more hours per day.
- Encourage movement and exercise: 20 minutes each day clarifies thinking, improves mood, and reduces cortisol (stress hormone).
- Help children name and identify feelings: Be as specific as possible in identifying feelings. Go beyond mad, sad, upset, happy and recognize underlying feelings of annoyed, disappointed, lonely, jealous, embarrassed, unsure, etc. Name the feelings aloud and connect with your child about how s/he is feeling before helping to problem-solve.
- Encourage social connections with family, church community, neighbors, and friends. Supportive relationships are effective in lowering rates of anxiety and depression, increasing self-esteem, demonstrating greater empathy for others, strengthening trust and cooperation in relationships, and improving physical health.
- Help children practice flexible thinking. Assist children in generating alternative explanations for how and why things happen.
- Dr. Kim Hilton, St M's consulting psychologist
| |
3rd-5th Grade Author Visit
Newbery Medal-winning author Thanhha Lai is visiting 3rd-5th graders on Wednesday, May 24th at 10:30 a.m. She will be talking to students about her job as an author, answering student questions, and sharing her new book When Clouds Touch Us, the sequel to the 2011 Newbery award-winning book Inside Out and Back Again. Our local bookshop, bbgb, is facilitating this author visit and you may purchase signed copies of these books for free school delivery.
- Purchase author-signed and/or personalized When Clouds Touch Us and Inside Out and Back Again for your child here: https://www.bbgbbooks.com/st-michaels
- Select your book(s) and indicate name personalization if desired (first name only please!)
- At check out, choose ‘school delivery’ and select ‘st. michael's' from the school dropdown menu and indicate your child's name, teacher, and grade.
- Books will deliver after the author event.
| |
Field Day-Themed Parents' Night Out
When: May 26th, 5:30-8 p.m.
Our St. Michael's parents can have an evening to themselves with a little help from Extended Programs. Extended Programs is hosting Parents' Night Out Field Day-style. There will be games, face painting, a bouncy house, chicken nuggets, and more. If your child enjoys bouncing, potato sack racing, or sno cones, sign them up.
Dinner Served: Chicken nuggets, chips, and fruit; Don't forget your refillable water bottle. Children with allergies will have food substitutions.
Cost: $52 for the first child, $15 for each additional child. Please contact Director of Extended Programs Natasha Reed with any questions.
| |
Time to Find Library Books!
Summer break is right around the corner, which means it's time to start looking for those missing and overdue library books. Mrs. Bryan-Diehl and Mrs. Carpenter are asking all St M students and families to put on their sleuthing hats, pull out their flashlights, lift up the couch cushions, and help find some books!
If a book is truly lost, as some will be, there is no expectation for families to replace or repay the cost of the book. Losing books is a part of library life, but we're hopeful that most of the missing titles can be found and returned so that we can keep our wonderful St. Michael’s libraries fully stocked and ready for reading!
| |
Registration for 2023-24 Lower School Extended Day Closes June 9!
Extended Day registration for grades Kindergarten-Fifth Grade for the upcoming 2023-24 school year IS NOW OPEN!
- Click HERE for information, pricing, and registration details.
- Open Enrollment CLOSES on June 9.
- Contact Natasha Reed, Director of Extended Programs, with questions.
| |
Got Lunch?
Click HERE to place a Yay Lunch lunch order. The weekly deadline is NOON on Sunday.
| |
Summer Camp Registration: Extra Camps Added! Welcome to summer camp, St. Michael’s-style, with exciting offerings for ages 4-14!
Due to POPULAR DEMAND, we have added extra sessions of Lollipop Candy Camp the week of July 10, Slime Camp the week of July 31, and a NEW DogMan Book Series-Inspired Game Design Camp the week of July 31.
We have also added an additional PRESCHOOL Superhero Training Camp the week of July 31-August 4 for rising JK and Kindergarten.
Help us spread the word to your neighbors and friends!
Questions? Please contact Natasha Reed, Director of Extended Programs/Summer Camps at nreed@stmschool.net.
| |
| COVID Reporting Protocol/Form
If someone in your family has symptoms, has been exposed, or is being tested for COVID-19, please inform the School IMMEDIATELY IN WRITING via the COVID-19 Reporting Form linked below. The link is also on the School website.
Upon receipt of this information, St M's school nurse will contact the family. Please keep your child(ren) AT HOME until contacted by Nurse Maben.
| |
Let's Be Friends!
Get connected to keep abreast of St M news, events, calendar changes, and information.
Current and past issues of "This Week at St. Michael's" are now archived on our website under "News and Events," as well as under "Community."
| |
|
Dates to RememberFor planning purposes, click HERE for KEY DATES for the 2022-23 school year.
Looking Ahead: Key dates for the upcoming 2023-24 School Year are HERE.
Never miss an update! Subscribe to our School calendars and receive automatic updates! Please subscribe to the ALL SCHOOL calendar, PLUS the Lower School or Middle School calendar as needed.
| |
This Week
Monday, May 15
Tuesday, May 16
- B Day
- 1st Grade Character Day, 8:15 a.m (Mitchell)
Wednesday, May 17
- C Day
- Chapel, 8:15 a.m.
- 5th Grade Poetry Event, 12:30 p.m.
- 5th Grade Chorus Performance, 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 18
- D Day
- Kindergarten Authors' Day (Adams)
Friday, May 19
- E Day
- Dragon Dress Day
- Kindergarten Authors' Day (Rowe)
NOTE: See the Master Calendar for all sports games and practices this week!
| |
|
