This week, I'd like to mention some of the areas we will be focusing on this semester and also give a brief overview of our CE program.
Nurturing and guiding our children in their own emotional development and spiritual growth is the emphasis of our Character Education program. We help our students with making the transition from knowing what is good to sharing what is good. Some of the ways we do this include using puppets, playing games, journaling, doing art activities, and participating in service projects within our school and community.
The focus for these first weeks of school include -
*Helping children love and respect themselves (exploring feelings, strengths, talents).
*Exploring the question, "Who Am I?"
*Working together to build our community (discovering similarities and differences)
* Being aware of God's love in our families and our environment.
As part of our CE program, we also offer training in peer mediation for students in grades 3-5. Conflict resolution, learning to solve conflicts peacefully, is taught in preschool - grade 5.
Another aspect of our program is Peace Team which involves the fifth grade class. Our year-long focus is on developing personal leadership and being of service. The fifth graders take turns providing service at lunch recess by helping the younger students.
Please stop by the CE house, the one closest to the playground, for a visit. We also have a "peace room" where students can come for quiet, reflective time during their lunch recess.
I look forward to meeting you, and learning and growing with your children this year.
Shirley Rivera * 441-3839 * srivera@midpac.edu
