Dear Maple Grove School Community,
Just a quick , “Hi” from me this week. It’s been super busy! We’re putting the finishing touches on hiring a prep teacher and we’ve completed our first Pro D day as a staff. The staff has a really good feel this year and we’ve got big expectations for a productive and wonderful year.
Special thanks to our awesome PAC Exec for organizing yesterday’s Meet the Teacher event. It was really a lot of fun… who knew Trivia games could spark soooooo much chatter amongst the students.
Please don’t forget that Goal-Setting Conferences are Tuesday and Wednesday October 16 & 17. School will dismiss at 2:00 PM both days.
Walk to School Week
International Walk to School Week is Coming to Maple Grove!
For the week of October 1st to 5th, we are encouraging all Maple Grove families to walk, roll, cycle or take the bus to school. Students traveling to and from school on transit can take the bus for free! Talk to your friends and plan a walking school bus or ask an adult to walk with you to school. We are asking all families to walk at least two blocks. If you have to drive, park your car a little further away and enjoy a nice walk with your family and friends. For safety reasons, once you are on school grounds, please walk your bike to the bike racks.
Pinwheels for Peace
From our Counsellor, Emi Garzitto
Introduction
As the counselor-teacher here at Maple Grove Elementary, I will be writing monthly articles in the Newsletter to provide support to families in the community, and to let everyone know the lessons that are being provided in classrooms in support of social emotional learning. I describe my role as the “feelings teacher” and my job is to help students take care of their big uncomfortable feelings.
In October, I will be working with Kindergarten and Grade One students talking about what we should do when someone is being unkind. Using Kathryn Otoshi’s book One, we practice using our words and our bodies to stand up to unkind behavior. The sequences are listed below.
- FIRST STEP:
- Say their NAME
- Say “STOP”
- Name the behavior: “YOU ARE…(hitting me, kicking me, making fun of me, excluding me, yelling at me, ect.)
- Name how you feel about it: AND I DON’T LIKE IT
- Repeat: YOU NEED TO STOP!
NAME, STOP!
YOU ARE (NAME BEHAVIOUR) AND I DON’T LIKE IT!!!
YOU NEED TO STOP!!!
- SECOND STEP
NAME, I HAVE ASKED YOU TO STOP (NAME BEHAVIOUR).
IF YOU CANNOT STOP, I WILL GET HELP
- THIRD STEP
Get Help!
HELPER, I HAVE ASKED NAME TO STOP (NAME BEHAVIOUR) AND THEY WILL NOT STOP. CAN YOU HELP ME?
In every step, the idea is for children (and adults!) to get practice at naming their feelings. Students also have the experience of taking care of an unwanted behavior by clearly speaking and addressing the concern.
This unit also emphasizes that “we all take turns at being unkind”. When it is our turn to be unkind, we need to understand that even though we may be feeling angry, lonely, frustrated, sad or hurt, that it is still our job to take care of those feelings and resist the temptation to throw our pain onto someone else.
I am at Maple Grove Elementary all day Monday and Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I look forward to learning more about the community, especially the students.
Dr. Emi Garzitto (Ms. G)
Maple Grove Pac Website (Click to enter)
October 5 – Individual Photo Day 
October 8 – Thanksgiving Day Holiday
October 16th and 17th – Early dismissal at 2:00 pm for Goal Setting Conferences with parents and teachers.
October 19th – Professional Development Day – no school for students
Maple Grove Elementary School 
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