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The MPH Community Welcomes its Newest Member!
MPH English teacher Jason Zencka and his wife, Flor, welcomed
Tomás Agustín Zencka-Lauria, born at 12:14 a.m. on April 5, 2020. Weighing 7.7 pounds and measuring 19 inches long, baby Zencka, along with mom and dad, are healthy and happy. What a cutie!!
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Spring Break Fosters Community Connections
Even though we have been are grounded this Spring Break, we managed to travel to the beach, San Francisco Bay, New Zealand, and even to outer space, thanks to Zoom virtual backgrounds. Our Spring Break programming featured lots of optional opportunities for students to connect with their classmates, for families to check in, for kids to show and tell, and for pets to join the fun. Staying connected to our MPH community is good for our health! Let’s continue to find creative ways to practice physical distancing and social connection! Netflix Party, anyone?
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While we're all facing our own difficulties during this time, one group within our community needs a little extra TLC -- our international students. Because they are far from home with no definite return date, and their worried families are so far away, Librarian Liza Morrison felt compelled to do something to help this special group of students. So, she partnered with the other half of the self-named "Cheer Committee," Joy Strickland, and they sprang into action! Together, Liza and Joy created "MPH Cares Packages, -- MPH tote bags filled with snacks and candies, small gifts, and a personal note from Dave McCusker, who expressed concern and empathy on behalf of all at MPH. Many thanks to all involved in making this happen, especially Liza and Joy. We're in this together!
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Pre-K Class Is “Case Zero” for
Kindness Contagion
Our Pre-K students are building their social skills while learning big words like “contagious,” “exponential,” and “viral” as these words can easily be applied to kindness. Their teachers have launched a “Kindness is Contagious" Project to help their students spread kindness and make it go viral throughout the MPH community. If the Pre-K class shares pictures of their creations with the kindergarten and first grade classes, and each of these two classes shares some kindness with two more classes...well, this Kindness Contagion could get out of hand quickly! How might you spread kindness and care within your family, your class, your advisory group, your neighborhood, and beyond?
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Banner to Thank All the Helpers Is
Underway!
MPH will soon have a visible representation of our collective gratitude to everyone working on the front lines to battle COVID-19. Individual letters are being cut out and decorated by students in grades 4, 5, and 6 and assembled into a banner that will say, “Thank You, Helpers!” Scientific research shows that
gratitude boosts our physical and mental well-being. Even in the midst of these challenging times, it is good to count our blessings.
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A Berry Delicious Spring Break!
Looks like Second Grade Teacher Kate Berry has a future chef in the family! And a videographer! Kindergartner James shows us how to make yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, while his seventh-grade sister, Lizzie, captures it on camera for our enjoyment. Thank you for sharing, Berry family! This video is a sweet treat!
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“We Like to Move It, Move It!”
One of the great ideas that emerged during Spring Break was for some of our older students to make short and easy videos to get the MPH community moving while we stay at home. Check out
Zumba Kids on YouTube for inspiration and send your short videos to
eperryman@mphschool.org
.
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Flatten the Curve of COVID-19 and Fatten the Curve of Resilience
Being kind and caring for others are not simply nice things to do. They are activities that
build resilience and reduce anxiety and depression
even in “normal” times. In the present worldwide crisis, reaching-out-while-staying-in is vitally important. During Spring Break, lots of good ideas have emerged: homemade masks are being sewn to wear and to share, cards are being sent to isolated elderly friends, and care packages are being dropped on doorsteps. Each act of kindness includes a double dosage of benefit, for both the giver and the recipient. As we go “back to school” next week, our students can continue to build their resilience muscles by actively caring for one another and for our community. We want to hear your good ideas! Please email them to
eperryman@mphschool.org
.
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Just For Fun!
Remember that having fun is good for us! We can all boost our immune systems by spending time outdoors, even in today's unseasonable snow showers! Pre-K Giavanna has been taking advantage of the recent sunshiny days
by playing outside, swinging in her back yard, and flying a kite!
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