Olivet Elementary School

Important Dates

Dec. 5 – Field Trip, Carter, Brown & Levesque

Dec. 5 – Lunch with the principal (Olivia and Emily L.)

Dec. 9 – Governing Board Meeting – Room 24, Schaefer School, 7pm

Dec. 10 – School Site Council Meeting – 2:45pm, library

Dec. 12 – Olivet Parent night out – 5-9pm

Dec. 15 – Awesome Osprey assemblies, 12:50 & 2pm

Dec. 15 – Olivet Families meeting, 6:30pm in the library

Dec. 16 – POEF meeting, Room 24, Schaefer School, 7pm

Dec. 17 – Santa Hat Day

Dec. 22 – Jan. 2 – Winter break, School resumes January 5^th

Jan. 9 – 7pm, Olivet Bingo Night

Jan. 16 – Progress alerts go home

Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King Day – No School

Lifeskill of the Month:  Compassion

Canned Food Drive:  We will be collecting canned goods and dry goods for the Redwood Empire Food Bank through the 15^th of December.  The class that collects the most cans will have a special popcorn and movie party on December 19^th in the MP room from 1:20-2:35!  I have challenged Olivet School to collect 2,000 pounds of food!  Please go through your pantry and find some extras to donate to a less fortunate family during this holiday season.

Technology Drive:  Do you have an extra WORKING (but older) computer, laptop, monitor, keyboard or mouse lying around the house?  If so, please contact Mrs. Davis to see if it could be used in the computer lab.  We also could use Leapfrog pads that work or any other device that isn’t being used because your children grew out of it!  Please call before bringing your items to make sure we need them.  We will be having an e-waste event later in the year, so save your non-functional devices for later!

Notes from the Office

There are increasing numbers of phone calls late in the day asking us to tell children not to take the bus, or advising children who will be picking them up.  It is becoming very disruptive to classroom instruction, and the teachers have asked that you let us know BEFORE 12, so that we can just put a note in the teacher’s box.  If you call after 12, there is no guarantee that the message will reach your child before dismissal!

Also, please do not pick your child up early unless he or she has an appointment.  School is important and we need your help and partnership in this matter.

Please remember to call the office at 522-3045 or send a note if your child is absent. 

Tardy Policy

Tardies are getting better, but many children are still coming to school late.  Please make sure to allow enough time for your child to be at school on time!  It is important that you make every effort to ensure that your child is ON time to school. Tardiness disrupts not only the school program, but also the progress of each child in each class is impacted. Tardiness seriously interferes with your child's academic progress. Being on time teaches your child to be responsible and to practice good time management skills. We honor "responsibility" as an essential lifeskill and we ask that you and your child choose to do the same thing.

Are You Stressed???

Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done?

Have you ever thought how great it would be if there were ten of you instead of just one?

Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out because of all of the work to be done?

Don’t fret and don’t fear because strategies are near,

They will help you stay cool, calm, collected, and clear!

Below are some hints that can help get you on your way

Share them with your family, your friends, and use them throughout the day!

December is a time when your children are getting into their routine but may be feeling a little overwhelmed with all the things that they need to do: homework, after school activities, chores, and etc. Share these helpful hints with your children and try implementing at least one in your daily routine.

Give it a try and see if it makes your days a little bit easier and less stressful.

Proven Stress Reducers:

• Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning.

• Prepare for the morning the evening before. Make lunches and put out next day clothes.

• Procrastination is stressful - whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

• Plan ahead.

• Say "No!" Saying "no" to extra projects, social activities, and invitations you know you don’t have the time or energy for can clear your mind and help you focus on what is a priority.

• Get up and stretch periodically if your job requires that you sit for extended periods.

• Get enough sleep. If necessary, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed.

• Create order out of chaos. Make lists and organize your living area so that you always know exactly where things are.

• When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe in short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of the tissues is incomplete and muscle tension frequently results. Check your breathing throughout the day. If you find your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax all your muscles and take several deep, slow breaths.

• Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective.

• Inoculate yourself against a feared event. Before speaking in public, take time to go over every part of the experience in your mind. Imagine what you’ll wear, what the audience will look like, how you will present yourself, what the questions will be and how you will answer them. Visualize the experience the way you would have it be.

• Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving.

• Every day, do something you really enjoy.

• Take a hot bath or shower (or a cool one in the summertime) to relieve tension.

• Do something for somebody else.

• Eliminate destructive self-talk; "I’m too old ...” or "I’m too short"

• Do one thing at a time.

• Allow yourself time, everyday, for privacy, quiet, and introspection.

• If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with. Then, the rest of your day will be free of anxiety.

• Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing something or saying anything that could make matters worse.

• Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.