Doing the right thing in school |
| October 8, 2013 |
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By Principal Gary Pfleuger Valley View Elementary Teaching students to do the “right thing” is always what we are after at school. Teaching students to stand up to their classmates who are doing the “wrong thing” is a very difficult lesson. But this is what we need to do! Conflicts or bully situations can be relatively easy to help with. All you need to do is politely ask one of the people involved in the conflict to come along with you. This will usually defuse a situation. The harder situations occur when a classmate is trying to be funny and the joke starts going too far. Disrespect can come in very fast and under the radar. Before you know it, you can be part of the problem. When you are in a group and the crowd starts getting loud and rowdy, what can you do? Can one person make a difference? I say, yes you can! Quietly walking away is one way to help defuse a situation. Another way is to deflect a group through humor. We all have a sense of when things are going too far. If we do not step in to make things right, we can clearly be part of the problem! Please talk to your child about strategies that make a situation better. Next week, October 14-17, is the PTO Book Fair! This annual event is designed to promote literacy, increase positive community relations and raise funds. The Book Fair is open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday is Family Night; the Book Fair will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.: and the free supper and storytelling begins at 5:30 p.m. A book is one of the best gifts a person can give to another! Come and get your Christmas shopping finished early! Free Parenting Class! Being a parent is, arguably, the most important, yet most difficult job a man or woman will ever do. Unfortunately, there is very little training before a person becomes a parent, other than the example of one’s own parents. A monthly class/discussion group, focusing on communication and parenting techniques, will be offered at Valley View Elementary School, room #6. The monthly meetings will be held on Thursday’s from 6 to 8 p.m. on the following dates: October 24, November 21, December 19, January 23, February 20, March 20, April 17, and May 22. For more information, please email adrienne.warren@mail.bcsd101.com or leave a message at Valley View, (208) 267-5519, and someone will get back to you. In closing, a few odds and ends for your consideration: The Fall Aluminum Can Drive will run until October 17. The funds for this drive go to support the fourth and fifth grade ski lessons at Schweitzer. The class that brings in the greatest amount will be awarded an ice cream social. For each large bag of cans brought in by a fourth or fifth grade student, the student’s name will be placed in a drawing to receive a free ski scholarship on his or her ski day. Students who bring in large amounts of cans will receive special recognition and a surprise. Make sure your name is clearly marked on the bag. Mario’s Mexican Restaurant is donating $5 to Valley View Elementary School for every dozen tamales sold: beef, pork, chicken, vegetarian, cheese and jalapeno, or sweet tamale. “Tamales for the Holidays!” There is now a “Lice Prevention” product available in select stores. For more info go to www.AmysAllNaturals.com in Sandpoint. Upcoming Events: 10/14-17 Book Fair Sponsored by PTO 10/17 Family Night with free supper!!! 10/21-24 Red Ribbon Week! The theme this year is “Friends don’t let friends bully or do drugs!” Monday ribbons will be handed out, Tuesday wear Crazy Socks, Wednesday we will make a school-wide pledge, Thursday wear RED! |