*Photos of the Week and Assembly Live Streams can be found in the Parent Update.
**Krista will be off campus from Thursday, October 1 (noon) through Friday, October 9, on an Accreditation visit. Please see Stacy for support.
Please head to playground B at 10:15 am. The fourth grade will begin leading classes to the field to create the peace sign at 10:20 am. Flag bearers should meet up with Maribeth, Shawn, and Monika (on Playground B) to get their flags and then follow them to the field to make the final circle of the peace sign. If we all do our part to arrive on time, we should be finished in time to allow students their 20 minute recess and teachers their 20 minute break. Thank you, in advance, for your flexibility and cooperation in supporting the fourth grade's math problem solving project.
The Elementary PSA has graciously offered to purchase pumpkins for us, again this year. Please indicate how many pumpkins you would like per class for your grade level. Pumpkins will be delivered on October 28 for carving, counting, cooking seeds, etc. The PSA kindly requests if you carve a pumpkin that you drop it off on playground B on October 30st, so they can use them on the Trick or Treat route.
Please complete this form no later than Wednesday October 14th (by 12 noon). Erika will be sharing numbers with the elementary PSA that afternoon. If nothing has been entered for your grade / team by this time, we will assume you do not wish any pumpkins this year. The 2014-2015 orders are shown below the 2015-2016 so you have a reference for last year. Please keep in mind the number of students you have and modify accordingly.
Please indicate your pumpkin requests here.
*“The 10 Most Challenging Types of Parents – and How to Work With Them” by Brett Novick in Principal Leadership, September 2015 (Vol. 15, #1, p. 44-48), sorry no e-link available
In this article in Principal Leadership, New Jersey social worker/family therapist Brett Novick lists some troublesome parent behaviors and suggests ways to deal with each one:
My child is never at fault – “Stick to the facts,” advises Novick. “Document your conversations… Documentation can help clarify facts, reduce emotional exaggeration, and avoid legal disputes.” To prevent teachers, administrators, and other adults being played off against each other, he suggests including the student in meetings.
The teacher or administrator must be wrong about what my child did – Let the parent have his or her say first, says Novick. “Encouraging parents to share their worries first enables you to remind them in a firm-yet-understanding tone that the rules of the school apply even if they don’t necessarily agree with all of them.” It’s helpful to have another educator present at the meeting.
He’s your problem now – “Some parents are drowning in a world of financial despair and/or emotional, physical, or family issues,” says Novick. “First, see if these survival concerns are being met.” If the parent isn’t in a position to help with a child’s issues, work with the school counselor to find rewards, motivations, and consequences within the school.
Second-guessing teachers and administrators – Don’t always assume the worst and avoid getting defensive, says Novick. The parent may be using questions about the curriculum and other matters to understand what’s going on and feel part of a child’s education. “The more information that these parents have on the front-end, the less apt they are to question how things were handled on the back-end,” he says.
Harassing, intimidating, or bullying behaviors – When parents are in this mode, Novick advises against using e-mail (it can come across as confrontational) or picking up the phone while angry. Timeliness is also important – getting to the parent with the school’s side of the story before the child has a chance to stoke anger at home.
My child will attend school when he or she chooses to – Look for patterns in children’s absence, advises Novick, as well as signs of abuse or neglect, and provide missed work for chronically absent children.
Passive-aggressive behavior – Becoming too friendly with parents – accepting a daily cup of coffee or a bagel, chatting on social media or the soccer field, accepting a compliment that includes an invidious comparison with another educator – can come back to haunt you, says Novick. Maintain appropriate boundaries at all times.
My child is being victimized by teachers (or other students) – Steer the conversation away from blaming or victimizing, says Novick. “Remind them that it is the behavior that you are addressing. You are not condemning their child’s character or, consequently, their parenting skills.” In addition, it’s important for the school to work toward consistent discipline policies from classroom to classroom.
Helicoptering – Be proactive in contacting these parents and affirming their deep and passionate concern for their children’s well-being. “These parents are concerned that their child will not be able to handle the proverbial ‘real world’ without their intervention,” says Novick. “When you report successes to the parents, it helps them to realize that they do not have to do everything for their child.”
Distrustful of public schools, administrators, and teachers – “Don’t focus on being right or wrong,” says Novick. “Focus on what is right for the student.” And look for face-saving “win-win” solutions.