Dragon Tales  Weekly Newsletter
March 30, 2017   
  
Dear St. George Families,
     Because I am a school principal, I am often asked by parents of younger children what kids need to "know" in order to be successful in high school. "What can we work with our kids on now," they ask, "which will make the biggest difference later?"
     I often respond "Read to your child, and instill a love of reading in them." There's little doubt that kids who develop good reading skills early in life end up more successful later on. But lately, I've also been talking to parents about an exceptionally important character trait we must help our children develop, too.
     In a famous study at Stanford University in 1972, Dr. Walter Michel created a simple test of the ability of four year old children to control impulses and delay gratification. Children were taken one at a time into a room with a one-way mirror. They were shown a marshmallow. The experimenter told them he had to leave and that they could have the marshmallow right then, but if they waited for the experimenter to return from an errand, they could have two marshmallows. One marshmallow was left on a table in front of them. Two out of every three children couldn't wait, and grabbed the available marshmallow before the experimenter returned, some within seconds of person leaving. Approximately one-third waited up to fifteen minutes for the experimenter to return. Here's a simulation of the experiment done more recently, as each kid tries to resist temptation, with some amusing footage:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mWc1Y2dpmY 
     Funny stuff! But the real bombshell came in the follow up study years later, when interviewers measured how the kids in the original study were doing as students. Those who delayed gratification for the full fifteen minutes scored on average 210 points higher on the SAT tests than those who gave in quickly--an astonishing difference given the length of time between tests. And these same children were judged better able to handle stress and cope with frustration during adolescence. In short, they were happier young adults, with more opportunity in front of them. 
     As someone who has worked with students the last 23 years, I don't find the conclusions of this study startling. There are marked positives in academic outcomes from students who are able to defer what is more pleasurable and complete the work in front of them. These are the students who begin writing papers earlier than the night before, who do their homework before they watch TV, who are willing to keep trying new approaches to solve problems and who ask questions when they don't understand a concept.
     At the same time, the very strong correlation of delaying gratification with academic success as shown by the study--the sheer magnitude in importance of that one variable--is disturbing when one realizes how poorly we live by that principle as a society. The explosive growth of the fast food industry in the last twenty five years, the fact that the average American carries a debt of $8,562 on their credit cards (including undergraduates, without a full time job, who have an average balance of $2,200, not counting their college loans--yikes!), the emphasis on the "instant" (instant food, microwave ovens, video-on-demand, etc.) all suggest we don't delay gratification as adults, much less mentor our children in that skill!
     Still, parents can make a big difference. Help them save their money. If you can still find one, the old piggy banks which require breaking the bank to access the money are useful. Require them to do their chores before lounging around the house or leaving the house to play with friends. Make sure homework is done before TV. Talk to them honestly about not being able to afford a new car, or an expensive vacation, so they see that you, too, are not able to do some of what you'd like to do. Help them understand in life, there are no "easy" buttons.
     The evidence is in: teaching our children to delay gratification is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.
God bless,  
Jack Nelson

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER 

Thursday, March 3 0
     Family Night, No Homework/No Activities
Friday, March 31      
     Lenten Offering during Mass (Grades 3, 4 & 5 - see below)

Wednesday, April 5
     Homeroom Class Pictures (See details below)
     Stations of the Cross, 8:00am, Church
     Living Stations Practice (Main Cast only), 2:45pm
Thursday, April 6
     Living Stations Practice, 2:45am
Friday, April 7
     School Liturgy, 8:00am    
     Lenten Offering during Mass (Grades 2, 8, Faculty and Staff - see below)
     Kindergarten Retreat 
 Monday, April 10
     Living Stations Practice, 2:45pm
     Cheer Mandatory Parent Meeting, 6:30pm
     Dance Team Mandatory Parent Meeting, 6:30pm
Tuesday, April 11
     International Day (6th Grade)
Wednesday, April 12
     Living Stations of the Cross, 8:00am
Thursday, April 13
     Passover Meal, 1st & 2nd Grades)
Friday, April 14
     Good Friday, No School, Begin Easter Holiday
     Living Stations of the Cross, Noon
Monday, April 17 - Friday April 21
     Easter Holiday, No School
8X10 Homeroom Class Portrait ~ $10
Pay by Cash or Check
Look for envelope in your child's booksack
DK/K - 5th grade girls must wear white blouse under jumper
HOME & SCHOOL BOARD
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2017-2018 BOARD
 
The SGS Home & School Association is a service and support organization for the school whose members include all parents of the school. Each year, a new Board of Officers is elected.  All officers are expected to serve for 2 years.  
 
Please consider nominating yourself or someone else to a Board position. The available positions for the 2017-2018  school year are:
Secretary - Shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of all organization, and of meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall publish these minutes to the general membership prior to regularly scheduled meetings. He/she shall keep files of the records of the organization and shall conduct such correspondence as pertains to that office. Please contact the present Secretary with questions, Jen Parfait ( [email protected] )
 
Assistant Special Event Coordinators (2) - Shall assist the Special Event Coordinators in all capacities (planning and coordinating events throughout the year such as Grandparents Day, Teacher Appreciation  Luncheon, etc.) for one year and assume the office of Special Events Coordinator the following year. Please contact the present Assistant Special Events Coordinators with questions, Courtney Morel ( [email protected] ) & Ellen Bourgeois ( [email protected] )
 
Please send your nominations to Charlene Lauman ([email protected] ) by April 6. In the event there are several candidates for each position, each candidate will be notified and listed on a ballot for the members of Home & School (all parents) to vote.


YEARBOOKS (2016-2017) ON SALE NOW

  • Yearbooks for this school year are on sale now!
  • Online orders only!
  • www.yearbookforever.com enter St. George School in search bar
  • PRICE $45
  • Price increase on April 17, to $48.00
     
CAFETERIA NOTES
April and May Cafeteria Payments are now due.
April Lunch prices:
Full price $40.60, Reduced price - $5.60
April Breakfast prices:
Full price - $25.20, Reduced price - $4.20

May Lunch prices by grade:
K- $31.90
1st-5th - $55.10
6th-7th - $40.60
8th - $23.20

Please Note:
  • Beginning May 1 only students with more than the above amount in their accounts will be able to purchase seconds and extras.
  • All cafeteria charges must be paid before the end of the school year. Unpaid charges will not carry over.
  • Any overpayments will remain in returning students' account for next school year.
  • Refunds will be available for 8th graders and any student who will not return to a Diocese school next school year.
S PIRIT DAY ~ FRIDAY, MAY 5th 
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Plans are underway for making this year's Spirit Day the best ever!
This is a wonderful fun-filled day for all! To make this day a huge success for our students, we will need lots of parent volunteers.
  • We ask you to please consider signing up for at least 2 fifty minute shifts.
  • Please keep in mind that all volunteers must have completed Volunteer Certification. Information regarding Volunteer Certification can be found on the SGS website under the  "Parents" section.
  • When you arrive on campus, please be sure to sign in for your shift at the sign in table located to the left of the Administration Building.
  • Please arrive and sign in fifteen minutes before your shift.
  • You will be given a wristband and further instructions at that time.
  • Thank you for sharing your time and talents for this special day, and we look forward to seeing you on May 5th!
Click Image to Register
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON  
IN ST. GEORGE CHURCH PARISH?
 
Keep up with the happenings around St. George by reading the St. George Catholic Church Bulletin HERE . 
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St. George Catholic School
(225) 293-1298