Reading out loud to your child can not only be a great way to bond, but it can be a great way for your child to learn to read or hold on to those skills they learned this past year and avoid the summer slide. Here are some great books that your child might enjoy. 

1. Holes By Louis Sachar (Ages 10+)
2. Charlotte’s Web By E. B. White (Ages 8+)
3. The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett (Ages 7+)
4. James and the Giant Peach By Roald Dahl (Ages 6+)
5. The Giver By Lois Lowry (Ages 10+)
6. The Harry Potter Series  By J.K. Rowling (Ages 9+)
7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory By Roald Dahl (Ages 8+)
8. Because of Winn-Dixie By Kate DiCamillo (Ages 8+)
9. The Boxcar Children By Gertrude Chandler Warner (Ages 6+)
10. Where the Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstein (Ages 4+)

As parents and even teachers, it can be easy to default to certain phrases that we heard as children. Research has shown over the years that words truly matter and some slight changes can completely change the outcome that we’re looking for. Here are some examples. 

Instead of:                                               Try:

“Be quiet.”                                                 “Can you use a softer voice?”

“What a mess!”                                          “It looks like you had fun! How can we clean up?

“Do you need help?”                                  “I’m here to help if you need me.”

“I explained how to do this yesterday.”      “Maybe I can show you another way.”

“Do I need to separate you?”                     “Could you use a break?”

“Stop crying.”                                              “It’s okay to cry.”

“Do you have any questions?”                    “What questions do you have?”

“You’re okay.”                                             “How are you feeling?”

“It’s not that hard.”                                     “You can do hard things.”

Which ones will you try with someone you love today?

Check this cool video of Mrs. Wheelers Candy Bar Awards! AWESOME IDEA!!!!

East Guernsey is preparing to welcome new kindergarten students in the fall. The kindergarten registration process begins online. Parents that have children already attending East Guernsey will be able to log into the parent portal and link their kindergarten student. If you are new to East Guernsey, go to https://eguernsey.k12.oh.us/parents-students/kindergarten-registration/ , click on View Enrollment Form and Create a New Account. This process will give us your contact information, so that we can contact you to complete the registration process. 

There is only one requirement for enrolling into kindergarten: All kindergarteners must be at least five years of age on or before August 1, 2021. 

Kindergarten registration is a time when students are “signed up” for school. This is what you will need to provide. 

• Original Birth Certificate
• Immunization Records
• Proof of Residence (i.e., utility bill with current name and address)
• Custody paperwork (complete copy must be presented)

Kindergarten screening dates will be in the fall, but they have not been set yet. More information regarding kindergarten screening will be given to parents as it becomes available. Please contact the office if you have any questions.

It’s no secret that the world is much different than it was even a year ago. Some people have found themselves feeling more anxious, sad and uncertain. These feelings are normal. Here are some ways to help lessen the stress. 

Practice Self-Care. Doing things such as exercising, getting enough sleep and eating well can help lessen stress and boost your immune system. 

Find Ways to Focus. Establish a daily routine and create a workspace that is separate from your sleeping area.

Seek Out Support. The level of change that each person is going through during this time is different for everyone. Be sure to seek out help, whether it is talking to a friend every day or seeing a therapist regularly. 

Find Ways to Manage Disappointment. Find ways to celebrate all that you have accomplished during this last year. It also may help to plan ways to recreate important events that were postponed or canceled once things get back to normal.

Limit Media Consumption. Too much news and social media can add to anxiety. Set limits on media consumption and smartphone use.

Focus on Things You Can Control. Remember that you can only control your own thoughts and feelings. 

Congratulations! Buckeye Trail senior Brooke Baird signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Muskingum University. As a senior, Brooke was selected 1st Team IVC North, 1st Team District 12, and was selected to play in the District 12 All-Star Game.

Praising children is very important whether you are a teacher or a parent. Here are some tips that will help make praise mean more to the child.

Be Specific– “Good job, Johnny” is not specific and can be said to anyone for any reason. “Johnny, I noticed that reading that paragraph was tough, but you took your time and tried your best, nice job.” This is specific enough so that Johnny knows that you mean it and it is real.

Give praise when you really mean it.  This teaches children that you recognize when a task is tough for them. It also helps them value the praise that you give.

Quality over quantity- Praising too much can cause a child to feel belittled and actually achieve lower. Give specific praise when praise is due instead of meaningless praise often.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM fosters engineering and design thinking and helps students master math and science concepts.

Many STEM jobs each year go unfilled and there is a huge under representation of women in STEM fields. East Guernsey is working to bridge this gap with our students. We are preparing them for a STEM future.