Vacancies at Three Fires - Join the Pack!
We have two General Education Aide vacancies (12.5 hours per week) at Three Fires. See link below to view job qualifications, responsibilities, and the application process information. Please share with whomever may be interested.
General Education Aide - Supervising students in the cafeteria and on the playground.
No Meal Kit Distributions For the Next Two Weeks
Please remember that due to our holiday break, there will not be meal kit distributions for the next two weeks. Meal kit distribution will resume the week of January 4.
Counselor’s Corner: 10 Tips for Helping Kids have a Great Holiday
10. Make time for physical activity every day. Creating some unstructured time for kids to run around, be noisy, and work off pent up energy will decrease crankiness, boredom, and bad behavior throughout the day.
9. Create and honor your own family traditions. Traditions can strengthen your family’s sense of closeness. With your kids, you can certainly create new and different traditions from the ones you grew up with, but make a point to have a few special things you do together every year.
8. Keep an eye on sugar intake. You don’t have to take all the treats and fun out of the holidays! However, remember that it can make it hard for kids to regulate their behavior, it can leave kids over-energized, and it often results in mood crashes.
7. Teach your kids the joy of giving, not just getting. This can be through an overt conversation, or more subtle, depending on the age and personality of your child. Modeling is an indirect way: say out loud how good it felt to give someone a meaningful gift, and why.
6. Don’t lose all routines. Some degree of routine helps children know what to expect and what is expected of them. This, in turn, helps reduce stress for everyone. Keeping some of their usual routines, appropriate for their age, can help you all feel a little more grounded.
5. Teach your kids to remember others in need. Most communities, schools, and churches have activities around the holidays in which kids and families can help others. This type of action, when done mindfully, can help your child to develop a sense of community, responsibility, and value. Participate as a family and let it be part of your holiday tradition.
4. Kids still need to sleep (and so do parents). Sure, you may not need to keep them to their usual 8:00pm bedtime for the entire break, but try to make sure your kids get adequate sleep. This will help avoid exhaustion-induced meltdowns and it will help them (you) transition better back into their school routine when the holidays are over.
3. Practice mindfulness and gratitude, and teach your kids to do the same. It’s easy to get swept away by the excesses of the holidays. Take time to notice moments of love and joy. Point them out to your children, and then reminisce about them later.
2. Take care of yourself. If you’re stressed out, it will very likely pass on to your kids. It’s ok not to be perfect. It’s ok to say no to some invitations, projects, outings, or decorating extravaganzas. Choose to put your heart into doing the things you and your family really enjoy.
1. Have fun! Enjoy yourself! Enjoy your kids. This year will never come again!
Your partner in education,
Jeanie Nemeth
School Counselor
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