Jigsaw Puzzles - Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Jigsaw Puzzles - Tuesday, March 31, 2020

During this "stay at home" order, how many of you are spending time working on puzzles?  Ever wonder where jigsaw puzzles originated?

English engraver, John Spilsbury is credited with creating the first jigsaw puzzle around 1760, although at first they were mostly pictures of maps and used as educational tools for geography.  It wasn't until the 1930's that puzzles were mass produced and became a popular pastime.

Like today, puzzles were widely used during another American crisis, the Great Depression, because by that time they were inexpensive (or free) and they provided hours of entertainment and distraction for families.

So, if you have one, grab the box, dump out all the pieces, plan your strategy (outside edges first? organize by color?), and either alone or with family, get lost in a puzzle!


(my current puzzle)

~Ms. McGinty

Mindful Monday - Monday, March 30, 2020

Dear McKelvie Students, Parents, and Staff, 

Welcome to our first edition of Mindful Monday! Mindfulness is an important tool to use each and every day to help us deal with the daily stressors of life. Mindfulness means paying full attention to something. When you are mindful, you are slowing down to really notice everything around you. It is the opposite of rushing; being mindful means taking your time. Mindfulness takes practice because you are literally training your mind to behave in a new way. It is normal if it does not come easy to you at first!

Being mindful has so many benefits! Some of these include:

• Increased focus
• Better able to manage stress
• Increased patience
• Feeling more joy
• Better listening skills

Check out THIS BrainPop video that talks more about what mindfulness is. 

Each Monday, we will be posting a new mindfulness strategy!

This week's activity involves slowing down to notice what's around you. When you feel your mind spinning out of control, press the pause button, take a few deep breaths, and walk yourself through the below exercise.

By focusing on all of our senses and paying attention to the world around us, we become grounded in the present moment. If you tried this exercise and liked it, email your counselor and let them know!

We hope everyone has a happy Monday!

Sincerely, 

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Greetings from Nina! Friday, March 27, 2020

Greetings from Nina and Happy Friday!

We made it through Week 1 of remote learning!  Great job everyone!
This week Nina was so happy to get out and play in the snow.  This is a picture of Nina and her neighborhood friend, Lulu.



What did you do this week that made you happy?

Growth Mindset and how it can help during remote learning - Thursday, March 26, 2020

Hi everyone,

You may have heard the term "Growth Mindset" in school.  Growth mindset refers to the belief that you are in control of your own abilities and you can grow and improve with hard work.  Examples of growth mindset thoughts are:

1. I can train my brain through practice.
2. I believe that I can do difficult things.
3. I know failure is an important part of my success.

When you replace "fixed mindset" thoughts (beliefs that your abilities or talents are fixed traits), with "growth mindset" thoughts, you get:

"I can't do this" - - - - - - - - - "I'm going to train my brain in how to do this"
"I'll never get it" - - - - - - - - "Challenges grow my brain, so this will get easier"

Additionally, you may have heard your school counselors talk about "reframing thoughts."  This is when you recognize a negative thought, and you replace it with a positive thought.

When you have negative or scary thoughts during this remote learning time, try to recognize and replace.  For example:

"I'm stuck at home and I can't do anything" - - - - - - "I get to be SAFE in my home and spend time with my family"

"There is too much uncertainly right now" - - - - - - - "While I can't control the situation around me, I can control my actions.  Getting exercise, calling loved ones, getting enough sleep and good nutrition will help me during this time"

Remember, you are all amazing kids, and you got this!
~ Ms. McGinty and Ms. Galluzzo

Feeling Frustrated? - Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Hi McK community, 

It's day three of remote learning. We know that throughout this process, you've probably encountered some frustrating and annoying things. What are some of those frustrating things for you?

Remote learning is challenging. It can be frustrating at times, especially if you don't understand the expectations, you don't understand the material, you miss your friends and teachers, or you feel like you aren't getting the help you need.

Notice what happens to your body when you get frustrated. Do you clench your fists? Do you feel tense? Does your mind start to wander? When these things start to happen, it can help to take a break and start again. Although sometimes we think we need to just "stick with it," doing so can actually get us more frustrated. When we get frustrated, it makes it even harder for us to access our "thinking brain" and complete our work. Take a break. It's okay. It's necessary.

Watch this video to learn more about how to manage your frustrations. It's also a nice way to take a break and move your body so that you can focus back on what you need to do.

We challenge you to think about what "taking a break" means to you. What helps you calm down and refocus? Is it taking a walk, coloring, reading, taking a few deep breaths, or talking to a friend? Find what works for you. We all need to take breaks sometimes. 

Remember, if you are feeling frustrated, reach out! Your teachers, school counselors, and administrators are ALL here to help you! You can push through hard things and come out on top. We are all in this together!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Snowman Contest! - Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Good Morning!

McKelvie is currently holding a contest to see who can build the best snowman!  The contest will begin today, Tuesday, March 24th and will end on Wednesday, March 25th at 5pm.  Here's how to enter the competition:

Go outside and build a snowman. 
Take a picture of your snowman and email it to Mrs. Parsons at (parsonsj@sau25.net)
Voting will be conducted by McK Staff.  We have some McKelvie swag for the winners!

Use McKelvie colors,  be creative with your design. Most importantly, HAVE FUN with this.
Good luck, and may the best snowman win!

.  

Be Kind Online! - Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Tuesday, March 24th, 2020

Hi everyone!  I hope that you have had a positive start to remote learning.  Since we are relying almost entirely on technology for learning and communicating, I thought it was important to think about our online behavior.

We are all being asked to practice social distancing right now.  This can cause us to feel a little isolated!  Some of you may be talking with friends and classmates using various types of social media or technology platforms.  It is important to remember that we are all responsible for creating a positive online community.

As you continue to communicate via Google Classroom with teachers and peers, and stay connected to friends using texting, or social media, think about whether your online-behavior matches your real-life personality, and ways you can stay positive and inclusive online.  Share them with us!

~Ms. McGinty and Ms. Galluzzo

Get Organized! Happy Day One of Remote Learning! - Monday, March 23, 2020

Good morning hardworking students!

Happy day one of remote learning! As you begin your work today, you might be feeling very overwhelmed. We get it. This is new for the adults, too. One strategy that we encourage you to focus on is your organization.

Find a way to organize your time and your assignments. Each day, create a list of the assignments you need to complete. Write it down, instead of trying to hold it all in your brain. Once you complete an assignment, cross it off the list. Crossing things off the to-do list is the best feeling! Here's an example of a way to organize your daily assignments:

Here is a blank copy for you to use if you would like:

Good luck on your school work today! Stay organized!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Greetings from Nina! - Friday, March 20, 2020

Friday, March 20, 2020

Happy Friday everyone!  I know it doesn't really feel like a normal Friday but it is going to be pretty important to keep schedules and routines as we start our remote learning next week.  Since Nina comes to school on Fridays, we will continue to post pics, videos or greetings every Friday!
Here is Nina today wondering where all her friends are!


Sincerely,

Ms. McGinty, Ms. Galluzzo, and Nina

What Can You Control? - Friday, March 20, 2020

Hello Wonderful Students!

We know these next few weeks are going to be stressful. There is so much going on in the world, and sometimes we feel like everything is spinning out of control around us. We all know the feeling. In a time where there is so much that is outside of our control, it is important to focus our attention on what we CAN control.

Can you control someone else's sickness? No.

Can you control when school gets reopened? No.

Can you control your pesky little brother stealing your toys? No.

Can you control when you get your school work done? Yes!

Can you control how much social media and news you watch? Yes!

Can you control your attitude toward this new, changing time? Yes!

We want to challenge you to focus your attention on the things that you CAN control! This is one of our most powerful tools when it comes to managing our stress and anxiety. We can use up all of our energy worrying about things we cannot control, or we can choose to focus our energy on the things we can control.

Here are the some things we are focusing on, and some things we are letting go...

And now it's your turn! What can you control? What is outside of your control?

Now take a deep breath, and let those things outside of your control go.

You've got this! Good luck with your first day of remote learning on Monday! Remember, your teachers and counselors are here for you!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Create a Routine - Thursday, March 19, 2020

Hello McK parents and students!

As we begin our transition to remote learning next week, we are committed to supporting you through the process! Just like we are here for you each day while we are in school at McKelvie, we will still be here for you each day digitally. With remote learning comes new challenges and many, many uncertainties. Ms. McGinty and Ms. Galluzzo will be working hard to be with you every step of the way. Please check back to this blog regularly! We will be posting helpful strategies to support you through this brand new experience. We'll also make sure these resources are available on our website for easy access later. We are all in this together!

Today, we want to focus on getting you set up for remote learning. Although some of you may have already heard from your teachers this week, remote learning officially starts on Monday. It will be so important to create a daily routine. Having a daily routine helps to maintain some normalcy and structure in this not so normal time. What are some steps you can take to create a daily routine while you are remote learning at home? Here are some of our suggestions:

• Wake up at the same time everyday. Get ready for the day like you normally would.
• Create a visual, daily schedule for your day, such as the one below. Be sure to include physical activity, fun activities, meals, screen breaks, connecting with friends, and chores.

• Set up a designated "work area." Whether this is a desk in your bedroom or the kitchen table, make it your own! Make sure it is set up with all of the materials you will need for your work, such as your Chromebook, textbooks, pencils, and notebooks. Some flowers, a favorite pet, a photo, or something to make you smile will brighten up the space!
• Give yourself breaks!! At school, you typically get up and move at least every 45 minutes. Do the same at home!
• Ask for help!! Your teachers, counselors, and parents are all here for you. 
• Minimize time on social media and watching the news. 
• Go to bed at a normal time each night. 

As always, reach out to us if you need us!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty