BIO 20: Don’t forget to click on the attachments to see the Crossroads celebrities highlighted in this week’s BIO 20 pages!
Head’s Note
Dear Parents,
What I hear from many of you is that your child cannot wait to come to school each day. Where does this come from? What sets the stage for this motivation to learn and engage? I believe that this “magic” is the result of our extraordinary mission supported by our exceptional teachers.
Motivation is like a ball rolling downhill. Once it gets going, it picks up speed. If one starts ahead, one stays ahead. This, in a nutshell, is the theory of Dr. James Heckman, Professor of Economics, University of Chicago. His research has led him to conclude that skills beget skills. This tracks with what we know about brain
development in children. The more “exercise” a child gets in a specific part of the brain, the more efficient the brain becomes. This is true for the complementary social, emotional, and cognitive skills students practice daily in all classes. Strengthening one area primes another area for growth, just as the Core Knowledge and Core Virtues Programs complement one another and support the growth of our students. As skills are practiced, new skills become easier to acquire. At Crossroads we call this “stickiness” or “Velcro.” This leads to student investment and to increased motivation. I see evidence of this in every classroom, every day. I believe that this is why our students can’t wait to come to school.
All the best, —Jean
Community Service, Virtue, and Psalm for This Month
April Virtue: Self-control is stopping to think about my actions before I enact them. Self-discipline is giving the best of ourselves and saying “no” to our weaknesses. Psalm 37:1-8 and 19:14
School News
Snack Friday: Thank you to the first grade parents for the delicious Panera lunch.
After-School Program: The May registration is now open. Please remember to pack your child a peanut-nut free snack if they are staying in the After-School Program. A snack time is built in to the program and students are often hungry after their regular school day. Teachers are now planning end of year trips. Please make sure that you do not sign your child up for the After-School Program on days that your child’s class will not be returning to school after a field trip, as we will not be able to reimburse you or extend a credit. Should you have questions, please refer to our website on our policy regarding requests to switch dates or to issue refunds. Thank you. — Pat Frankenfield
Parent Association News
Plant Sale: The 2012 Crossroads Parent Association Plant Sale begins Friday, May 11th and runs until Friday, May 25th. Cedar Circle Farm has generously agreed to collaborate with the Crossroads Parent Association again this year to bring you beautiful plants and flowers for all of your spring planting needs. Each Crossroads family will be emailed a coupon prior to the sale. Print out the coupon, present it before your purchase, and Cedar Circle Farm will donate 25 percent of the profits from the sale of qualified plants to the Crossroads Parents Association. It’s that easy! The sale includes all annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, and veggie bedding plants … all organically grown. You must have your coupon for the Crossroads PA to receive the donation. These funds are used to enhance the lives of our children at Crossroads with projects like playground improvements, family arts nights, outdoor classroom space, and so much more. Any questions please contact Suzy Psomas at suzypsomas@gmail.com or 603.643.4379.
We are having a great time at our new PA outings, so I wanted to be sure to announce the next one. Monday, April 30, 8:30 am at Market Table will be our next coffee. I hope to see you there!
There will also be a very short PA meeting on Tuesday, May 1st after drop-off, in the Lora Robins Library in Bancroft. We’ll be planning for end-of-year activities and regrouping for next year.