In Today's Newsletter



Upcoming Events:
 
Feb 15 - Teacher Work Day - No School
Feb 18 - President's Day - No School
Feb 19 - Parent/Teacher Conference Day
Feb 28 - Re-Enrollment Begins


Love and Logic at MCS - How does it work?
 
Occasionally you may see students sitting in the office or in the hallway or talking with teachers and wonder what is going on.  We are working on Short-Term Recovery.  Teachers and students working to find a solution that will meet the needs of the student, the classroom, and the teacher.  Sometimes this process is easy.  Other times it is difficult, messy, frustrating, exhausting - but always valuable. 
 
T eachers are encountering more students that demonstrate disruptive behavior and appear to be unmotivated, but I am sincerely thankful that we have adopted the Love and Logic approach to discipline.  It is good to hear from a student's perspective what they think, how they feel.  I am thankful that students are given the opportunity to get to the bottom of the problem with the help of their teacher so that needs can be addressed appropriately. 
 
C hildren love to learn.  Children want to please their teachers.  The more we learn about how the brain works, how trauma affects our actions and reactions, and the more we consider how to prepare our children for their future, it is imperative that we work with our students/children to hear them. Listening allows time for problem solving and recovery to occur.  All this must take place in the context of Proverbs 22:6 - "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it."
 
- Elaine Obbink


AUCTION MEETING TODAY!
Come check out the auction progress and see where you can get plugged in.  We'll see you in the Teacher's Lounge at 3:15 pm.  Yes, you get service hours just for attending the meeting!  (E-care is available at no charge.)
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE - DATE CHANGE
Conferences will be held on Tues., February 19, and appointment times will be sent home soon.  If you have a preference on time of day, please contact Laurie (laurie.fielder@monroechristian.org).  
  • Thursday, February 14 - SCHOOL IN SESSION (Preschool - 8th)
  • Friday, February 15 - No school (Accreditation Workday)
  • Monday, February 18 - No school (Presidents' Day)
  • Tuesday, February 19 - PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE DAY (NO SCHOOL Preschool - 8th)
2019-20 REGISTRATION
Watch your email for registration information this week.
POPCORN DAY
This Wednesday, 1/23, is the next TAPP popcorn day.  $0.50 for popcorn or $1.00 for popcorn and Capri Sun.  Pay your teacher for the day or pay in full at the office.
AUCTION ITEMS
Here is a glimpse of some more auction items that we've received:

Cedar Springs Camp Battlefield Live Laser Tag Party
Family Portrait Experience
Ride the Ducks of Seattle Tickets
Stained Glass Six-Week Course
Arizona vs. WSU Baseball Tickets

We ask every family to procure at least one donation item for the auction.  Click here for auction donation ideas.  The deadline for procurements is February 22, 2019.

COLD AND FLU SEASON HAS ARRIVED
In order to minimize the spread of illness in the school, please review our policies below:
 
Children with any of the following symptoms must be kept home or will be sent home if already at school:

Appearance and Behavior - Unusually tired, pale, lack of appetite, confused, or irritable
Eyes - Thick mucus or other draining from the eye; Pink Eye
Fever - Temperature of 100 degrees or more
Nasal Discharge/Cough - Continuing nasal discharge and/or chronic cough
Sore Throat - Especially with fever, swollen glands, a cough
Diarrhea - Please keep home - student may return to school after there have been no episodes for 24 hours.
Vomiting - Please keep home - student may return to school after there have been no vomiting episodes for 24 hours.
Rash - Body rash with fever or itching
Ear Infection - If no fever, does not need to stay home; however, the child should see a healthcare provider
Lice - Children may not return to school until they have been treated and are free of lice and nits (eggs).
 
Bottom Line:  If you suspect your child is coming down with a cold, the flu, or any other illness, please keep him/her home.  Any student taking antibiotics may return to school after 24 hours on the medication, if his/her symptoms are significantly reduced.
LOVE AND LOGIC TIP
Never before have teachers encountered more disruptive and unmotivated students.  Over twenty years ago, research was suggesting that many classroom educators were spending as much as 60% of each class period dealing with behavioral issues rather than teaching curriculum.  By many accounts the time spent dealing with problems has dramatically increased since that time.
 
Sometimes some students need to be someplace else... temporarily... so the teacher can teach and the students who are ready to learn can learn.
 
While the Love and Logic approach is mostly about building positive relationships and preventing disruptions, here is the strategy for maintaining a calm learning environment when preventative strategies don't work. We call this strategy Short-Term Recovery. Here are some high points:
 
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Disruptive students have an opportunity to calm down where they won't create problems for anyone else.
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Teachers are not burdened with providing immediate consequences or counseling to the student.
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The student is allowed to return to class as soon as they can do so without creating any problems.
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The students who are ready to learn can do so.
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All of this is done with great empathy and with the goal of preserving everyone's dignity.
 
Great teachers never give up on disruptive students.  Nevertheless, they understand that they cannot allow such students to interfere with the rights of the group.

-Dr. Charles Fay
FREE & EASY WAYS TO HELP OUR SCHOOL
Matching Employer Funds - Many larger employers offer matching funds when their employees donate to the school through their portals. Check with your employer to see what they may offer!

General Mills Box Tops For Education - Save Box Tops from all participating products. Please drop off accumulated Box Tops in the school office.

Fred Meyer Rewards - Go to www.fredmeyer.com, click on  "Rewards," choose Community Rewards from the drop-down menu and follow the instructions to link your card. If you have already designated MCS as your Community Reward, please take a minute and check if it is still active. (The community reward must be renewed yearly.) 

AmazonSmile - Go to Amazon Smile for more information and instructions to register. 

My Coke Rewards - Save the lids from bottles and the codes on the inside of 12 or 24 packs of Coke products. Bring the accumulated lids & codes to the school office.

Together for the Kingdom - Drop off clothing and reusable household items in our collection bin. For more information regarding the non-profit: www.togetherforthekingdom.com.