In keeping with this month's Advisory theme, I wanted to share a few of the things I'm grateful for:
1) For three days last week in Nashville, Mrs. Tunick and I were able to reflect, plan, and enjoy thought partnership with our school founder colleagues from around the country. We also had the privilege of visiting Valor Collegiate academies, where teachers and leaders modeled some of their creative and ground-breaking work on social-emotional learning for both students and faculty.
2) I am grateful for getting to work every day with people I truly love and respect. Despite being out of town for part of the week, Mrs. Tunick and I knew the school was in great hands. We appreciate the work our faculty members do every day but we know that last week -- with two days of indoor recess and several teachers out sick -- was particularly challenging.
3) I am also grateful for all of the Charlotte Lab School families who have been so supportive of me and our school vision. We hope that you continue to feel like you are our partners in realizing this dream school and ask you to complete this survey to help us refine and improve our practices.
4) While this school year has been easier, work in schools never gets easy (which is one of the reasons I love it!) so I am always grateful for a break. We hope that you all survive the short work/school week and enjoy the holiday and long weekend as well.
Since the best way to instill gratitude in our children is to model it, I thought I'd share this quick article from Real Simple magazine: "How to be grateful (when you really don't feel like it)" that includes a fun way to share gratitude about your family's unique traditions and an idea (a "thankful" placement ) for a new one.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Mary Moss Brown
Head of School
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WELLNESS UPDATE FROM MRS. WHELAN
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Thankfulness and Gratitude
As most of you know, we are covering our third Character Trait this month: Gratitude, which can be defined as the appreciation for the benefits we receive from others and the desire to reciprocate. During our advisory programs, we have been incredibly impressed with how insightful and thoughtful our children have been when discussing these character traits. Students are excited to share specific examples, books, resources, and conversations around the topic of gratitude, which has been rewarding and heartwarming to watch.
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I find it a perfect time to talk as a family about ways we can increase our gratitude for the many blessings that we have in our lives. Research shows that developing gratitude can also help individuals:
- Improve self esteem
- Increase energy
- Develop a strong immune system
- Decrease blood pressure
- Increase sleep quality
- Reduce and cope with negative stress
- Eat healthier
- Have deeper friendships
- Increase productivity
- Improve school performance
- Become more likable
- Reach goals faster
- Increase feelings of happiness and well being
- Reduce negative emotions such as envy, hatred, and anger
- Increase positive emotions such as love and empathy
- Reduce sadness/depression
Wondering where to start? Here are a few tips to boost gratitude:
- Close your eyes and picture three people who made a difference in your life. Whether they are alive or not, think about them and how grateful you are that these people made an impact on you.
- Send a positive, encouraging text to someone right now, thanking that person for something he or she has done for you.
- Recognize what other people do for you.
- Show appreciation for opportunities.
- Express appreciation by saying thank you or doing nice things for people.
- Be specific when you are showing gratitude. (i.e. Thank you for holding the door for me.)
If you are wondering how best to keep the conversations going, here are some simple f
ollow-up questions for children:
- How would you describe gratitude?
- Give examples of how you can show gratitude at home and at school.
- What are some things you are thankful for?
- How does thinking about those things you are thankful for make you feel?
- What are things or people you could have more gratitude with?
- What are you thankful for at CLS? How could you show more gratitude at CLS?
Website & Video Resources
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| PARENT SURVEY - PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE FEEDBACK |
We have just finished our first quarter, and we invite you to spend a few minutes reflecting on the first 50 days of school. As you know the role of parents is a critical one, and we need your insight, feedback, and suggestions in order to plan ahead and make improvements in our curriculum, program, and structures.
Thank you in advance for your continued support and partnership in helping us to fully realize the Charlotte Lab School vision. Please compete the online survey by Dec 5.
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As the weather gets colder, we thought it would be a good time for a reminder about a few aspects of our uniform policy.
Students may wear any color jacket, hat, gloves etc. to go to/from school, but while in the building, any outerwear (sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets etc.) must be solid navy blue. (A small logo is okay.) Additionally, students may wear boots to school, but must change into sneakers as soon as they arrive.
Beginning after the Thanksgiving holiday, students will be unable to earn their "A" for any class period that they are out of uniform.
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Do to some technical difficulties, we are going to retake the homeroom class pictures on Tuesday November 29. No special preparation needed. (Maybe just an extra minute with a hair brush and make sure your child is in uniform and on time.) All parents will receive a free 4x6 class picture in about two weeks thanks to our fabulous photographer Mandy French.
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| NEED A HELPING HAND FOR THE HOLIDAYS? |
With the holidays upon us, we know that for many families, this time of year can be very stressful. And, we would like to provide some extra help for families who need it. The community is coming together to provide holiday dinners, uniforms, warm clothing, and other basic goods to ease the stress. If your family
would like a little extra help over the winter break, just send us an email and we will be in touch. (You do NOT need to have completed the financial assistance process to participate.)
Food and goods will be distributed on Dec 22. If you are interested in contributing toward this initiative, please
keep your eyes open in next enews for more details.
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| PTSO GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHT |
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The second PTSO General Meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 6 from 6:00-7:00 pm. The agenda will include the following:
- Testing @ Lab (Philosophies and Review) from Dr. Moss Brown,
- General PTSO News, and
- Used Uniform Sale and Spirit Wear Sale
- After the PTSO meeting, beginning at 7:00 pm, Dr. Moss Brown will share a special presentation about our plans for Middle School next year. This is a parent event for current Lab families only.
If you need childcare, please RSVP to
ptso@charlottelabschool.org
and indicate the # of children you'll drop off. Space is limited so please RSVP by Wednesday, November 30. The cost for each child is $5 (cash only, please) and healthy, nut-free snacks will be served (if your child needs more, please send it). Look out for an update on parking in next week's enewsletter.
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Volunteers for Dec 10 Movie Event
We are looking for parent volunteers to help watch the kids during the
movie. There will be 3 shifts of approximately 40 minutes each, so you will still
have time to shop and mingle with other parents. Sign up here.
Volunteers with Holiday Spirit!
Volunteers are needed to help with the Used Uniform tables at the
December 6th General PTSO assembly meeting. We could also use your help to sell Spirit Wear at the Holiday Movie & Market on
December 10th. Please consider helping and
sign up today. Thank you for supporting the Lab School!
Open House Volunteers Needed Nov 29
We will have another Open House for prospective kindergarten parents coming up on
Tuesday November 29 from
6:00-8:00 pm. If you are interested in volunteering to help welcome prospective families and answer questions about your family's experience at Lab,
please sign up here. If you have never helped out at an open house before, don't worry! We will go over basic talking points together beforehand, it will be a lot of fun.
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Classes ending soon:
- Soccer Shots - last session 11/30 (note change in last session)
- Thursday Art - last class 12/1
- GOTR - last practice 12/3
- Monday Yoga - last class 12/19
There is no after school on 11/23-11/25 and 12/12-1/2/17 (Note, semester long classes resume 1/3/17)
2nd Semester Update
First Semester of After School ends 1/13/17. We are finalizing the second offerings and will publish the brochure next week. Registration opens by December 12. Some new offerings this semester include Born 2 Design (Tuesday, 4-5th grades), Cake Decorating (Monday, 3-5th grades), Violin (Friday, all grades), and Sports Skills (Monday, all grades), and much more!!
If you have not already applied for financial aid and want to be considered for financial aid, please follow the process outlined in the Parent Handbook. If you do not go through the financial aid process, you will not be considered for financial assistance.
Financial aid awards will be determined and communicated at the beginning of the new year.
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| Wed, Nov 23, 2016 |
Teacher Workday- NO CLASSES |
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| Thu, Nov 24, 2016 |
Thanksgiving - HOLIDAY |
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| Fri, Nov 25, 2016 |
Thanksgiving - HOLIDAY |
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| Mon, Nov 28, 2016 |
First Day of Trimester 2 Enrichment & PE Classes |
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| Tues, Nov 29, 2016 |
Class Picture Retakes |
Begins 8:30 AM |
| Thu, Dec 1, 2016 |
Sock & Glove Drive |
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| Tue, Dec 6, 2016 |
Middle School Info Session (Current Families Only) |
7:00 PM |
| Tue, Dec 6, 2016 |
PTSO General Meeting |
6:00 PM |
| Thu, Dec 8, 2016 |
Mindful Pareting Seminar |
8:15 AM or 5:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 10, 2016 |
Movie & Holiday Market |
3:00 PM |
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Next week is the beginning of our Second Trimester of Enrichment and PE classes. Thanks to all of the parents who came and enjoyed the end-of-session showcases. There are
three remaining music showcases tomorrow,
Tuesday, Nov 22.
- Carter: 11:10 am
- Scott: 12:15 pm
- Dreyer: 1:50 pm
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MINDFUL PARENTING WORKSHOP
with Jennifer Hawthorne, PsyD.
Date: December 8
Time: 8:15-9:45 am OR 5:00-6:30 pm
Location: Charlotte Lab School
Cost: $40 per person (sliding scale available)
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We are still looking for volunteer tutors. If you are interested, c
ontact PTSO Tutoring Committee Chair Trish Moffatt at
trishmoffatt@yahoo.com
or (434)660-8860.
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| It's cold outside...Share the Warmth! Gloves & Socks (and Coats) Drive will begin on December 1.
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Loving our Lunch Volunteers! If you can help any day from 10:45 am-12:45 pm, your child(ren) will eat free that day. If your child eats lunch at school, we hope you will consider volunteering regularly for this job. Sign up here.
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Join Yoga in the Park every Thursday at 8:15 am & 9:30 am in First Ward Park. (We are working with UNCC to have an indoor space when the weather doesn't cooperate.) For more info or to RSVP please email Sue Hawes at
sue@madebymode.com
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We still need fun photos of all our students for the yearbook! Please upload your photos from Lab School events to the app ReplayIt. You can download the app from the app store on your smart phone. We are also looking for volunteers for the Y
earbook Committee--specifically 3rd and 4th grade. These people will be in charge of collecting information about their grades throughout the year. If you are interested please email Zoe Balsamo at
zbalsamo@me.com
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Sign up for text reminders using Remind 101. By subscribing to the Whole School AND your child's grade level, you will receive up-to-date text reminders of need-to-know information. Simply text the correct code to 810-10. Standard text rates do apply.
- Whole School - @Fk2c2
- Kindergarten - @2a34d
- 1st Grade - @8g9ccd
- 2nd Grade - @48h447
- 3rd Grade - @hea66
- 4th Grade - @43gf3d
- 5th Grade - @4dha6
- After School - @labschoola
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