WOH For Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020
More than Just Tummy Trouble? By Lucy Kuhn, 4th Grade Teacher
Welcome to 2020 and the second half of our school year at Hope! Just prior to Christmas break we had our amazing Scholastic book fair and I was able to add many new books to our classroom library courtesy of our funds raised. One extremely popular style of book that many intermediate age students (grades 3-5) enjoy is the graphic novel. I was extremely happy to purchase a few in my shopping spree to spark student interest in reading, and I really felt like I was Christmas shopping for my kids! At the time, I made my selections based on cover appeal and popularity with students, not really knowing much about some of the authors. Luckily, I was fortunate to choose a few by graphic novelist is Raina Telgemeier.
Ms. Telgemeier has written several autobiographical graphic novels which students enjoy and connect with on a personal level: Smile, Sisters, Drama, Ghosts, and most recently, Guts. I am guessing that some of the titles are familiar in your household if you have an intermediate or middle school child. They are humorous, which always helps when discussing life and relationship issues. In Guts, Telgemeier shares some of the ways she was able to cope with a universal, and sometimes debilitating, mental health issue (anxiety) which arose in a big way for her in fifth grade.
Impressively, our first Scholastic News issue of 2020 (one of my favorite classroom resources) featured an excellent student reporter interview with this very relatable author, and an informative sidebar about anxiety and simple relaxation techniques to help manage it. The Scholastic company always does an excellent job with coordinating content and timeliness!
Anxiety is a life issue which everyone deals with in a variety of ways, and I really appreciate the opportunity for students to read about and discuss this important topic as a peer group. Fourth and fifth grade can be an age of onset for anxiety, and I feel students who need help managing anxiety will be more likely to seek assistance from parents, teachers, and coaches if they are introduced to some coping skills, and feel that they are not alone in their struggles with “tummy troubles”, which are a frequent symptom of anxiety.
When children feel comfortable accepting professional help for anxiety, it can save them from much more severe symptoms and issues later in life when they might not be willing to ask for help from parents. Anxiety producing situations will always be present in our lives, and toughing it out alone does not work for everyone. How we choose to deal with anxiety, whether through prayer, counseling, exercise, meditation, and/or medication, should not be a mystery, but something to share with friends and family so that we are not managing this in isolation.
Thank you to this author for bringing this to light for our intermediate students!
Tues. 1/21: 6:30 PM Auction Meeting
Wed. 1/22: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Grade 3
Jan. 26 to Jan. 31: Lutheran Schools Week
Sun. 1/26: Church Services – 8:00 AM Preschool Sing / 10:30 AM K-8 Students Sing
Tues. 1/28: 6:30 PM Auction Meeting
Wed. 1/29: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Mrs. Okabayashi
Lutheran Schools Week
Each year, we celebrate being part of the Lutheran Schools community during Lutheran Schools Week. This year, the theme of Lutheran Schools week is “Joyfully Lutheran”, and we will celebrate this theme all next week with special activities.
On Sunday, January 26, please join us at Hope Church as preschool students will be singing at the 8:00 am service and K-8 will be singing at the 10:30 am service. Students will take an online missions trip each day to Mongolia, as we discover more about student life there. Students will also participate in a hygiene kit service project mid-week, with each student creating a kit to then hand out to someone who needs it. Students in younger grades will create crafts, and then later in the week all grades preschool through 8th grade will bring in baked goods to assemble Good Neighbor Baskets to deliver businesses and residences in the community around us.
We are looking forward to an exciting week celebrating Lutheran schools!
Re-Enrollment for Fall 2020 Continues Through January 24
Last week you have received our re-enrollment packet with information on enrolling through K12online. All students have received a new student number and access key.
If you have any questions about re-enrollment, please email or call the school office or admissions director at sheit@hopeseattle.org. On January 27, 2020 we will begin processing new applications from the community.
Hot Lunch Program – Chicken Strips & Pizza– 2nd Half of School Year Orders
You can now renew or sign up for the 2nd half of the school year for either pizza or chicken strips or both for your child to enjoy on Monday’s and Friday’s. Order forms are being sent home today and can also be found on our website under “Parents” link here. Order forms are due Thursday, February 6th and please note we are unable to process late orders. Chicken Strips for the 2nd half will start Monday, February 10th and pizza begins on Friday, February 21st. Contact Heather Menashe at 206-755-2365 or 1975heatherleigh@gmail.com with questions.
PTH General Meeting – February 4 @ 7:00 PM
Come join your PTH Board and learn of the exciting things planned for 2020 and beyond, upcoming PIP opportunities, and more! The meeting will begin promptly at 7:00 pm in the Church Commons. Street side parking may be available as well as in the lot just southwest of the school on 42nd Ave. SW and Oregon.
School Clubs at Hope – Visit Here
Visit our school website for updated information on our school clubs at www.hls.hopeschool.org.
LEST (Lutheran Elementary Schools Tournament) Update
Students in grades 5-8 will see an updated LEST schedule in the Tuesday envelopes today. This updated schedule includes tentative basketball games for boys and girls. Still to come are music times, drama, and Knowledge Bowl match times. We hope to have those to send home next week in LEST folders. Go Eagles!
You can visit our event page on the school website or through this link: http://www.cu-portland.edu/admission/lutheran-elementary-school-tournament
Parent Involvement Program or PIP Opportunities
Lunch & Recess Help Still Needed – Tuesdays & Fridays
Hope Auction – Please consider signing up to make this the best auction yet and EARN PIP!!
Auction Meeting – Tuesday’s at 6:30 PM
Church News & Activities – Click Here
Seattle Lutheran High School Open House – Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020 from 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Join us for our Open House featuring a look at the exciting courses offered during
J-Term, including our ecology trip to Fiji. It will feature a tour of the facility, as well as interaction with Seattle Lutheran’s faculty and administration. We are located at 4100 SW Genesee Street, Seattle, WA 98116. For more information contact Rachel Bigliardi at 206-937-7722 or visit our website at www.seattlelutheran.org to RSVP for the open house.
Seattle Lutheran High School’s J-Term written about on the West Seattle Blog.
From world travel to escape-room design, J-Term at Seattle Lutheran HS. Check out the article here:
https://westseattleblog.com/2020/01/schools-from-world-travel-to-escape-room-design-j-term-at-seattle-lutheran-hs/