|
 |
Dr. Umansky's Website
School Counselor
Voice Mail: 868-3679 Ext. 209 |
 |
Character Trait of the Month |
The character trait for April is cooperation.
Over the course of this year, we address one character trait per month. These are Responsibility in August, Respect for Self in September, Respect for Others in October, Citizenship in November, Compassion in December, Self-Control in January, Friendship in February, Honesty in March, Cooperation in April, and Courage in May.. Each month, children at all grade levels engage in activities of different kinds that emphasize the character trait of the month while still reinforcing character traits from prior and future months. Parents play a critical role by modeling these character traits, by talking about them at home, and by reinforcing them when our children display these qualities.
This month, we are discussing those qualities that allow a child to work successfully with others. Current and future success depends upon one's ability to work with others. In school, children work in groups for projects and problem-solving. Out of school, they should know how to play nicely with friends and cousins. Play activities should be notable for sharing, turn-taking, and fun. With brothers and sisters, children should know how to get along and solve problems quickly and peacefully. Future success for our children at home and in the workplace also will depend on their ability to cooperate with others. Learning how to do this begins now in the home and at school --- we all have a critical role to play in your child's success.
If your child has trouble playing with other children, consider having scheduled play days when you invite one other child to your house to play with your child. As your child becomes better at sharing, taking turns, and following good social rules, add a second visitor and then make it a small group. This way, your child has a chance to gradually apply friendship and play skills in larger and larger groups.
Now, a word about the sharing of responsibilities between home and school. As educators, we often are perplexed and disappointed when our young children come to school wearing eye makeup or provocative clothes, when they wear shorts or T-shirts on freezing days, when they show consistent disrespect for adults and property at school, when they remind us that no one at home cares about how or what they do at school. You see, we consider every child at our school to be a future executive of a big corporation, a successful legislator, a "teacher of the year", a prosperous business owner, a fabulous spouse and parent. We need to work together with you in a partnership to make this happen. Let us all commit to make 2008 the year of our children -- a year when we commit to developing their character more than their videogame skills, their vision for a successful and productive future rather than a vision for the day's television schedule. Let us commit to developing in our children a sound mind in a sound body. Let's do that for our children.
|
The Bobcat Kids |
This year's Bobcat Kids are Michael Arnold, Rainey Bailey, Abigail Bellmer, Molly Billings, Olivia Carswell, Anna Chin, Taylor Crosby, Kelsey Cunningham, Kaitlyn Greenway, Addison Grice, Grace Han, Jessica Ho, Allison Hortenstine, Ashley Jeffords, Mason Johnson, Benton Lovelace, Megan Manning, Cole Nanney, Haland Tate, and Daniel Wiggins.
The first Blue Ridge Art Show was a whopping success. We raised over $1000 for the school art program and $1000 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.Even beyond that, you had an opportunity to purchase your child's magnificent work of art. Sign up now to walk with us at the Relay for Life on April 25th and 26th. A sign-up poster is in the lobby of Blue Ridge. Bring the whole family to show your support for the Blue Ridge Bobcat team and the fight against cancer. Also, April 23 will be Wacky Wednesday at Blue Ridge. Keep an eye out for information coming home about this fun day! |
News from the Gifted Program |
All gifted testing is complete now. Results of all testing will be sent to parents at the end of April. Children who are eligible will begin the program in the Fall of 2008.
Eligibility for the gifted program requires scoring at the 90th percentile or above in math, reading, or core total on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and scoring at the 99th percentile for kindergarten through second grade or at the 96th percentile for third through fifth grade on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test. A child may not be tested two years in a row. Children who move to Georgia who have been eligible for the gifted program in another state must meet Georgia criteria to be eligible for the program here.
Thirty Blue Ridge children are participating in the gifted program this year. |
Giving Our Children Direction |
We hear a lot about the drug problem at our middle and high schools. The thing is that problems which appear in middle and high schools had their roots during the earlier years. That's why it's so important for school and home to forge a common bond to work on some basics with our children.
Children who feel good about themselves are less likely to seek out artificial ways to feel better. They won't need to associate with "problem" kids. They won't have to rely on "substances" to feel good. How do we help our kids feel good about themselves?
-Find activities in which they can excel, which they enjoy doing, which make them feel special. These can include sports activities (not every child is a group sports person, though!), painting, musical instruments, chess, dance, needlepoint, volunteerism, and scouts.
-Every day, when they get home from school, ask, "What was the best thing that happened to you in school today?" That one little question expresses to them the value you place on school. It reinforces the importance of focusing on the positive. It prepares them for doing their homework and lets them know that you are there with them to meet the challenges that school places on our young children.
-Check your children's book bag every night. If you get them used to it now, they won't put up such a fuss when you look in their book bag when they are in middle or high school. And, again, it shows your interest in what they are doing in school. If they know you're looking, they will want to try harder to make the things you see the very best possible.
-Talk about your job and the job that other people have. Help your child develop a vision for their future. Kids who know where they are going are less likely to let themselves be sidetracked by unhealthy lifestyles.
-Limit their exposure to violent television programs and videogames. Know what they are doing on the computer. Use news items as a way to talk about making smart decisions and doing the right thing.
In everything we do, making smart decisions translates into success in the near and long term. Our most important job as parents is to teach our children to make wise decisions when we are around so they will make wise decisions when we are not around. Then, we have been successful as parents.
|
CDs Available for Parents |
| Several years ago, I wrote scripts and narrated tapes for three programs that are now available on audio CD for checkout from the media center. The topics are Bringing Out the Best in Your Child, a program on discipline and behavior management; The ABCs of ADHD, a comprehensive discussion of attention problems in children and what to do about them, and; Potty Training Your Toddler, which might be helpful for some kindergarten children or your younger children. See Ms Flowers or Ms. Ramsey in the Media Center to check out one or more of these CDs. |
|
|
|
|
