NewsletterVolume 22 No. 10 November 3, 2017

https://sites.google.com/a/northampton-k12.us/nps/our-schools/jackson-street-school

If you wish to have a copy of this letter written in Spanish, French or Arabic, please contact the school department at 587-1315. Si le gustaria esta carta en Espanol, es possible. Llama 413-587-1315. Si vous voulez une copie de cette lettre en Français, veuillez contacter le Département de l’École 587-1315. 1315-587 يف ةسردملا ةرادإب لاصتالا ىجري ،ةيبرعلا ةغللاب ةبوتكم ةلاسرلا هذه نم ةخسن ىلع لوصحلا يف بغرت تنك اذإ.

MESSAGE FROM MS. AGNA

Mindfulness at JSSThere are many ways and places that we practice mindfulness at JSS. I lead the school, on the intercom, on Monday and Wednes-

day mornings at 8:50 (ish) AM in a Mindful Meditation. Students, of course, have a choice whether to do this or not – the expectation is there is quiet in the classrooms. We also begin our monthly assemblies with a “Moving Meditation”, led by Ms. Janet Aalfs, from Valley Women’s Martial Arts. She has done this for a few years now – somewhat like tai chi – and it serves to begin our gathering in a settled way. Ms. Rebeca Allessi, our Tiered Support Specialist, has a “mindfulness/yoga” period with every class in her “studio” – again students can watch if they’d rather. She is well-versed in a curriculum called “The Zones of Regulation” as well as Responsive Classroom and 2nd Step. She weaves strategies in with her time with students in finding ways to self-settle and return to calm. Ms. King and Mr. Justin, school counselors, also work with students in groups, in classrooms, and individually, on regulation and mindful ways of resolving internal and external feelings and problems. And finally, many of the classroom teachers have included and integrated mindfulness and movement breaks into their daily schedules.

As you may know (or been told when you go for an appointment), physicians are “prescribing” mindful breathing as a well to re-duce stress, depression and other challenging emotions. In case you didn’t see it, there was an excellent article in The NYTimes recently on Mindfulness in Children. Here is the link to the article – and then, below it, I’ve copied a few sections. Please let me know if you have questions and/or would like to check in with me.

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/mindfulness-for-children?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN

By David Gelles

Children of all ages can benefit from mindfulness, the simple practice of bringing a gentle, accepting attitude to the present moment. It can help parents and caregivers, too, by promoting happiness and relieving stress. Here, we offer basic tips for children and adults of all ages, as well as several activities that develop compassion, focus, curiosity and empathy. And remember, mindfulness can be fun.

What Is Mindfulness, and Why Do Kids Need It?

From our earliest moments, mindfulness can help minimize anxiety and increase happiness.

HOW IT HELPS

Adversity comes at us from the moment we are born. Infants get hungry and tired. Toddlers grapple with language and self-control. And as children develop through adolescence to become teenagers, life grows ever more complicated. Developing relationships, navigating school and exercising independence — the very stuff of growing up — naturally creates stressful situations for every child.

At each developmental stage, mindfulness can be a useful tool for decreasing anxiety and promoting happiness. Mindfulness — a simple technique that emphasizes paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner — has emerged as a popular mainstream practice in recent decades. It is being taught to executives at corporations, athletes in the locker room, and increas-ingly, to children both at home and in school.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northampton-Public-Schools-Massachusetts/179921372117715https://www.facebook.com/jacksonstreetpto http://www.jsspto.org/You may also connect with us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/#!/NPSDistrict

JSS Office 587-1510

GUIDED MEDITATION: MINDFUL BREATHING

This short guided meditation by Annaka Harris focuses on the breath and is designed for children ages 6 to 10. A longer version, in-tended for children who have had some practice, is available on her website.

Children can benefit from mindfulness to adjust as they move through school — and start to experience a wider world.

IN SCHOOL

As children move through elementary and middle school, mindfulness can be a powerful tool, allowing them to deal with adversity more skillfully, and also enhance their understanding of the world and themselves. “Everything can be received and met with this kind curiosity,” said Ms. Morey. “That can then translate into their own self attitude, giving them space to figure out what they want to do with their lives and who they are.”

At this age, mindfulness practice can also help children in school. A recent study found that fourth and fifth graders who took a four-month meditation program demonstrated improvements in cognitive control, working memory and math test scores. Other studies have shown that mindfulness can be especially helpful to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and also reduce children’s aggres-sion, anxiety and stress. And around the country, many educational institutions — from elementary schools to graduate programs — are bringing mindfulness training into the classroom.

Pass the Cup

By passing a cup full of water without spilling a drop, we can cultivate attention and learn about teamwork.

TRY IT!

RELIEVE THE PRESSURE

Even with mindfulness, parenting can still be a challenge. As children experience the natural highs and lows that are part of growing up, it is all too easy — even natural — for the parent be buffeted by the child’s emotional roller coaster. But in time, mindfulness practice can relieve parents and caregivers from some of the pressure of identifying with every up or down the child experiences.

“That’s where this sense of not having strong grip on a sense of self is so important,” said Ms. Greenland. “Not only do they worry about the kids, but they worry that kids are a reflection on them. It gets conflated. If the kid is acting out or not going to Harvard, then the parent worries that that is a reflection on them.”

A simple exercise, known as R.A.I.N., can help us stay in the present moment and not get caught up clinging to the experiences of oth-ers, or our own emotions.

• R: Recognize. Acknowledge what is happening, just noting it in a calm and accepting manner.

• A: Accept. Allow life to be just as it is, without trying to change it right away, and without wishing it were different somehow.

• I: Investigate. See how it feels, whether it is making you upset or happy, giving you pleasure or pain, just note it.

• N: Non-Identification. Realize that the sensations you are feeling make for a fleeting experience, one that will soon pass. It isn’t who you are.

Additional Reading/Resources

Here’s a selection of our favorite books about mindfulness for kids and parents.

Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting

Authored by Myla Kabat-Zinn and her husband Jon, the founder of mindfulness based stress reduction, this is a comprehensive guide to mindful parenting.

The Mindful Child

Written by Ms. Greenland, this is a helpful guide for parents that includes techniques to help children develop mindfulness.

Mindful Games

Created by Ms. Greenland and Ms. Harris, this activity card set was the inspiration for several exercises in this guide.

Sitting Still Like a Frog

This book, written by Eline Snel, features exercises that can help children deal with anxiety, improve concentration and handle dif-ficult emotions.

A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen monk, wrote this guide for parents who want to introduce their children to mindfulness and meditation.

Sitting Together

A comprehensive guide to mindfulness for parents and children by Ms. Kim, this three-volume set includes a study guide for parents, lesson plans for children and an activity book.

FAMILY DINNERS CONTINUE!!Next Thursday is the 3rd grade Family Dinner! Please see the attached sign-up form for details – we need you to let us know if you are

coming!

And more greenhouse construction is happening on Saturday & Sunday, 11/4 & 11/5 from 9-4PM!

Have a great weekend! And don’t forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night!

With great respect and affection,

Gwen Agna

SCHOOL DIRECTORIES!School directories went home on Friday.

Every family receives a copy of the directory (if you have siblings in the school, only one of them may have gotten one).

If you did not receive one, or need another, please let me know.

We hope it will be a good way to stay in touch with your child’s classmates, friends and other families. There is a staff index and an event index in the front and student and parent name indexes in the back.

In order to respect students’ privacy, we only print information that families submit to be included in the directory - on the form in the back-to-school packet, by email or at Open House. But if your child was not listed and you would like them to be, or there is a mistake in your listing - first, apologies! - and please let me know so we can print corrections in the newsletter.

Thank you!

- Liz Horn, Volunteer Coordinator, ELHORN@mindspring.com

ELECTION DAY BAKE SALE ON TUESDAY - VOLUNTEERS AND BAKED GOODS NEEDED!

On Tuesday, Nov. 7 there will be no school at Jackson Street, but the building will be open as a polling place. With so many people coming through our school, it is a great opportunity to raise money for JSS! We will be hosting a bake sale from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Can you bake or buy something to sell at our bake sale? We also need volunteers to staff the bake sale. Children are welcome to accompany you, and if you can only come for part of a shift, that’s fine too! Please specify if you are donating a dish, volunteering a shift or both. Food donations are welcome anytime during the day (or can be dropped at school the day before). Thanks for any help you can provide… - Liz Horn, ELHORN@mindspring.com

Jackson in Action! News from Physical Education @ JSSMs. Janis Totty / Ms. Lauren Barry

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AT A GLANCE - IT’S NOT CALLED GYM CLASS

Happy November from Physical Education! Our “PE” program has gotten off to a great start in the first two months of school! All students at JSS receive Physical Education classes twice each week. Each class is 40 minutes long. PE class is so important! When we ask students why PE is important, they say things like: It’s an activity break in school. / It’s fun! / It’s a chance to get your energy out. / It’s healthy and we learn about being healthy. / We can learn new ways to move / Etc.

As Physical Education Specialist Teachers, we have this to say: Physical Education is a unique chance to provide students with differentiated learning experiences that support them to develop in “physical literacy.” These learning experiences support students to: 1) develop enduring understandings relating to the importance of physical activity to health and wellness; 2) explore and appreciate the skill development that can result from work in a movement discipline or art; 3) gain insight into the semantic and expressive value of movement in our lives, including the ways that movement is connected to culture; 4) explore the ways our physical selves can help us to self-regulate and find social-emotional “balance” throughout the experiences of any given day; and 5) help us grow in appreciation for and understanding of what it means to be part of team - whether that team is a classroom, a group playing a game, a school community, and more. It is an exciting, interesting, and deeply meaningful adventure to work as Physical Education special-ists. We are so grateful for the students, families, and colleagues of every sort that together make Jackson Street School a great place to teach and learn.

This year, we have welcomed Ms. Barry as a teacher in our

PE program. Ms. Barry also teaches in the ELL program at JFK. Students in Ms. Carlton’s first grade, Mrs. Reed’s kindergarten, and Ms. Jen Reed’s kindergarten all have Ms. Barry for PE this year. The other 15 classrooms at JSS have Ms. Totty. Go, students! Go, teachers and staff! Go, families!

CALLING ALL SNEAKERS! Many students are coming to PE class on most PE days

wearing sneakers - yay! We’re ready for action when class begins! That is fantastic news to report. We are asking adult caregivers at home to know these things:

1. SNEAKERS are the only shoes we use for PE. In the past, we have allowed certain types of sandals, but that hasn’t worked well. If a student does not own sneakers and you are not able to get them, we are happy to lend them until that student has their own.

2. When students wear their own sneakers, they are usu-ally more comfortable, and more of their time in PE is spent being active.

3. Whenever possible (and of course sometimes it’s not), it’s greatly appreciated when students come to school already wearing their PE shoes. A large number of students forget to change into sneakers before PE (school is busy!), and then they lose minutes in PE, borrowing shoes or going back to get their own.

4. We don’t wear light-up shoes in PE. This was decided a number of years ago, in consult with the school nurse. Flashing lights can trigger a variety of health issues. They can also create distraction and overstimulation. Your support of our effort to keep flashing shoes out of PE is appreciated. Again, shoes can be borrowed if a student does not own a different pair.

THANK YOU & STAY TUNED!We will share more about PE class in other newsletters.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any reason!

BE KIND T-SHIRTS & MUGS!!

BE KIND t-shirts and mugs are now available for order! This year the JSS PTO is offering t-shirts and mugs with the image of our beautiful new mural. Samples will be available for view in the Family Center. Order forms are attached to this newsletter and are due on November 10th. For any questions, please contact Alana.kaczmarek@gmail.com

3rd Annual JSS Film Festival

Have you ever looked at a film and thought, “I’d like to make one of those”? Now is your chance! We are calling all eager film-makers to come forward. Some students signed up for the challenge at Open House. If you were not one of these, but would like to join the fun, please email Scott Biddle at scottnik@hotmail.

com. The entire process is very rewarding, but know that it comes with a bit of work (for parents as well).

Jackson Street students are invited to make and submit a short film, which will become part of a special festival screening at school in February. You can shoot on a phone, an i-pad, a video camera - and if you’re interested but don’t have access to a device, please let us know. Also, if you would rather not make a movie alone but would like to collaborate with others, let Scott know - he will put together a list and hook up other interested collaborators with you. Remember that your film must tell a story...that is, it must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. And it should be told in under two minutes. If you think you can do this, then great! Send Scott a message by November 14th and include your name and teacher’s name. At that point, we will notify everyone of the next steps.

For inspiration, you can check out the past two JSS Film Festival entries on YouTube:

Film Fest 2017 https://youtu.be/fI6LP5yLrUM

Film Fest 2016 https://youtu.be/IxmTeDw53_w

Okay........lights...camera.....roll ‘em!

The JSS Film Festival Crew

IN THE NEWS$ Ursula Grant, 3rd grader in Ms. Gerould’ class contributed “A Leaf’s Story – Me, the Oak Leaf to the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Weekly Writing Corner.

COMMUNITY EVENTSFrom the Northampton High School Environmental Club:

Thursday Nov. 9thHeat Smart Northampton Info. Session7pm NHS Library

NORTHAMPTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER OPEN HOUSE

Monday, November 13, 2017, 10AM-5PM. Room 102 at the Pu-chalski Building behind City Hall.

Ribbon-cutting at 11AM with Mayor Narkewicz, John Provost, Superintendent, and Pam Plumer. Student Services Director.

The Early Childhood Center is a resource for local families and young children for connecting with other families to share ideas and to make friends, for information about playshops, workshops and programs for your children and/or finding out about having a PCHP (Parent Child Home Visiting) home visitor become part of your child’s worlds.

For more information, please call Erika Frank, Early Childhood Outreach Specialist, 587-1471.

Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Sequel film showingThursday Nov. 16th7pm NHS Black Box Theater

Upcoming but date tbd: Town hall with Jim McGovern NHS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR – We’re always adding new dates so keep checking. PLEASE check the Northampton Public Schools

website for district calendar updates.Parents Hour in the Family Center every other Wed. from 9-10AM, beginning Wed. Sept. 6.

Walking School Bus (Fall & Spring) – Ms. Agna alternates on Fridays around 8:10AM between the bike path (starting behind Stop and Shop) and Hampshire Heights, starting at the bottom of the hill near the CVS plaza.

Tues. Nov. 7 Election Day – NO SCHOOL/Faculty & Staff Work Day PTO ELECTION DAY BAKE SALE!

Thurs. Nov. 9 FINAL HOLA CLASS FOR THE SESSION! 3rd grade Family Dinner

Mon. Nov. 13 RIBBON-CUTTING for the new Northampton Early Childhood Center 11Am, 212 Main St., Rm 102 (Entrance is the lower level, next to the Round House). Hours that day 10AM-5PM

Tues. Nov. 14 2nd grade Family Dinner

Wed. Nov. 15 PICTURE RETAKE DAY! 1st grade Family Dinner

Thurs. Nov. 16 KDG Family Dinner

Fri. Nov. 10 NO SCHOOL – Veterans Day (observed) Holiday

Wed. Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Break begins at 12:20PM

Thurs. and Fri., Nov. 23 & 24 NO SCHOOL

Tues. Nov. 28 HOLA session begins

Wed. Nov. 29 WORKSHOP: How Children Learn to Add

Thurs. Nov. 30 Kindergarten 2018-2019 Information Meeting 6:30PM at JSS

Wed. Dec. 6 Teacher Work (Half) Day – dismissal at 12:20PM

Fri. Dec. 22-Tues. Jan. 2 (first day back) NO SCHOOL – December Holiday Break

Jan 18 Session 2 HOLA ends

Thurs. Feb. 15 Kindergarten 2018-2019 Information Meeting 6:30PM at JFK Middle School

JSS FAMILY DINNER YES, we are coming to the 3rd grade Family Dinner Wed., Nov. 9

Who is coming?

__________ Adults to 3rd grade Family Dinner

_______________________Children (ages) to 3rd grade Family Dinner

Dinner of pizza, salad and cookies is served from 5:30-6PM

6-7PM Grown-ups meet in the cafeteria

Children meet in the library with Ms. Russell and Ms. Deirdre

Please tear-off and return to your child’s teacher or to the office.

Thank you!