Friday Q & A
November 8, 2019
How does the House System work? I visited the school and saw the houses' scoreboards but have no idea how they are accumulated or what happens when a house "wins." Every student and staff member is assigned to a house. Students earn house points by going above and beyond with their behavior and/or work at school. At the end of the month, the house with the most points “wins.” Those house members get a special tag for their brag tag necklace.
Just curious to know if teachers & staff are all CPR & first aid certified? I recently saw news report of a child choking of hard candy at school and teacher was unable to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Another teacher across the hall had to come in to assist. Per the district site, about 90% of the district is CPR certified. We have a full time RN on both campuses. We have approximately 20 staff members that are CPR trained. All ASP staff are required to be CPR trained. We also have an emergency response team on both campuses. These staff members are all CPR trained and respond in the event of an emergency. We practice several times per year with our emergency response team.
I really appreciate the number system for carpool. The registration process is a nice added level of security. If we use this system next year, can we have 2 options? The paper and/stickers in our windshield. We also like the safety of the number system. Yes, we will have options available next year. Thank you for asking!
Would the school permit me to place a sign in both directions of the Brown Rd entrance at K-2 campus, illustrating how to merge? I already envisioned it in bright yellow and blue KSE colors with toy cars with the wording, “Merging.....it’s like a zipper!”. I feel this would be a helpful tip, allowing a smoother flow of traffic, a practice in empathy and politeness, and perhaps help to deter shouting and angry hand gestures that some may inadvertently perform in front of our little ones. In a society where image is everything......it’s not a good look folks. We’re all in the same boat. It’s tough for us all. But it’s okay, bc I don’t think being tardy is going to critically impair our little ones’ academic career. At least not in K-2. Plus, we’re showing them an example of impatience, intolerance, and ugliness, and frankly I’m trying to create less jerks to deal with for their future. Also, if you’re upset the line’s not going fast enough, maybe one day you’re not late you can volunteer to help get the kids out and move the line along. I’ve seen one dad do this a few times the last couple weeks, and it is appreciated! Get involved in your kids’ world. Be proactive. Don’t wait for something to change for you, when you can easily change it yourselves. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance... So let me know on the signs. I will pay for it and hang it. Thx. And keep smiling!!! I’m always up for a fun sign! A zipper is a great visual.
Lost and Found! It’s that time of year when coats come on little bodies each morning and end up in lost and found at the end of the day! Please don’t let your kiddos come home half dressed!
Editorial Comments:
To my fellow parents, and our teachers and staff.... reading the Q&A I find myself needing to remember, "Kids do well when they can." Or more so, "parents do well when they can." Week after week, I see parents complaining about other adults or other people's kids, often with harsh criticism. Just one example from the most recent edition: accusing a parent requesting more communication from their teacher of being uninvolved, disengaged, and/or unresourceful. These comments hurt my heart. Attacking each other is alienating and not constructive. Let's all commit to extending grace to the others in our community and to considering that another individual's experience may be different than our own. We want KSE to stay a warm and inviting place, and we all need to own our role in that. (PS the phrase "kids do well when they can" is from Dr. Ross Greene's book The Explosive Child -- a wonderful resource. I didn't make it up!)
To the mom in the black Tahoe that regularly enters the exit drive, parks right next to the school (blocking the walkway, in a no-parking zone), and doesn’t feel the need to stop at the stop sign on her way out: please cut it out. You are not special or better than anyone else, and your blatant disregard for basic traffic and safety protocols at an elementary school is just gross. And more importantly, ITS DANGEROUS!!!