Mrs. Troman’s Blog

Well, it’s that time of year.  We’ll soon see scarves and hats and heavy coats coming out for the winter months.  With the influx of head coverings and our close quarters, it seems like a good idea to share some information about the identification and control of head lice. 

You will find a complete guide to head lice prevention and treatment in our Holden newsletter this month, but it seems like a good idea to put out a few tips and bits of information here in my blog. 

First, please do not feel embarrassed to let the school know if your child has lice or has been treated for it.  The more we know, the sooner we can act to check other students to try to stop the spread.  It is well known that lice prefer clean, well cared for hair, so think of it as a compliment if they choose you!

Secondly, lice do not jump.  In fact they tend not to walk very far if they’ve found a happy home.  Typically, they are transmitted when a child shares a hat, comb, brush etc. in which a hair has fallen out containing a “nit” (a louse egg).  If it can find a human host within two days of hatching, it will survive.  Please remind your kids not to share articles of clothing or to pile coats, backpacks, etc. on top of one another.

The best way to break the cycle is to thoroughly check your child frequently, to comb out all live lice AND all nits and wash clothing and bedding that may have come in contact with your child’s head.  Items that cannot be washed may be sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks.  Lice can only live approximately 48 hours without a human host, so two weeks should ensure that all lice and any un-hatched nits on the items will be dead.

We will do our best here to continue thorough checking of students periodically, but the best way to be sure is to give them a once over at home every day or so.  It also helps to keep long hair pulled back or braided if possible.  You can check out all of the facts in the back of the latest newsletter.  You can also check in with our Elementary School nurse, Mrs. Nichols during the week if you have additional questions or concerns.  We thank you for your diligence at home!

Julie

     Remember when “looking something up” meant more than just a google search? When words like “skype, wiki and megabyte” were not part of our everyday vocabulary?  At the risk of sounding like one of my parents (gasp!), I confess that I even remember when phones (tele-, not cell) had cords…and DIALS!  By the time you finished actually DIALING “911,” the fire was probably out or the emergency was over!  Let’s face it, we are living in different times.  It’s not all bad though.  We can do more, see more and experience more than ever before in record time with the amazing technology available.  And it is changing and becoming more sophisticated every day! 

     One concern that I have in this new age is that we will become so used to the instant access to digital information, that we will forget the importance of face to face conversation… good old fashioned communication.  This month, we are scheduling parent/ teacher conferences at all grade levels.  I want to emphasize the importance of these meetings, as planned face to face meetings, chats if you will.  By taking a few minutes to meet, you send a strong message to your children.  You tell them, “you are important to me, you are worth my time, school is important, the goals you set in your classroom with your teacher are valuable and, together with school staff, we are a team.  Our goal is not a touchdown, or a basket, or a homerun.  This team wants YOU to be successful, to learn and to grow into an independent young man or woman who will one day use technology in this world with strong character, solid morals and human compassion.”

     Sounds like a lot for just twenty minutes of time, but we all know that our actions speak volumes.  Please take a minute to contact us at 330-676-8400 to schedule a conference if you have not already done so.  Come in and let us tell you how much we love your children, how hard they are working to reach their goals and what we can do together to give them the best school experience possible.  Come on in, we’ll have a nice chat!

Julie

Standing in my closet this morning, I was once again struck by the unpredictable nature of Ohio’s weather.  Fall is such an amazing time of year, with vivid leaves, clear blue skies and fresh cool air.  It is a time of new beginnings, a time of change and a time to think about preparing for the upcoming winter.  One of the reasons that I love this season (and Ohio in general!) is because it is always surprising me.  That is also one of the things that I love best about working with children!

     Nearing the end of the first grading period, you may find that your child is noticing that things are getting more challenging every day.  Expectations for independence increase as well, and the goal of self-monitoring and self-motivation becomes tremendously important.  Parents often wonder how best to support their children as they move toward independence.  There are certainly a lot of journals and books written about the subject, but none of those authors know YOUR child. 

     I would like to take this time to remind you that our teachers, our counselor and our support team at Holden are here to help if you have concerns.  Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or our main office if you would like to discuss your child’s progress academically, socially or emotionally.  We recognize that we are all part of a team, each of us playing a role in the development of each child.  We recognize the importance of making school a positive place where they feel valued, respected and , most importantly, loved. 

     In closing, I’d like to leave you with a few tips to share with your child, whether raking leaves or completing class work:

1.      The longer you put it off, the more it will pile up.

2.      Ask for help if you need it.  Sometimes two rakes are better than one.

3.      If you ignore it until after the snow falls, you’ll still have to get it done before the new grass can grow in the spring.

4.      Blaming the trees for dropping the leaves won’t help.  Push yourself to get it done- you’ll be stronger, happier and smarter in the end!

Happy Fall!

Julie

The tradition of homecoming can be traced back to the early 1900′s in the United States.  In fact, many argue that the first “official homecoming” celebration was held in 1891 as the Missouri Tigers faced off against the Kansas Jayhawks.  To ensure a good crowd and encourage the spirit of competition, alumni were invited to attend to support their teams.  Since those times, we have enjoyed such celebrations every fall as our teams take the field, our bands perform and our alumni gather together with our current students to celebrate the pride we have in our schools and in our community.

It is this pride and this sense of community that makes Holden such a special place.  It is the endless supply of time and creativity that families offer that make this a wonderful place to learn and grow.  Whether you are new to the neighborhood or have lived here for generations, we hope that you feel like part of the Holden family.  Many opportunities to get involved present themselves throughout the year.  Some are short term commitments, such as help with our annual book fairs or Halloween Gala.  Other initiatives require volunteers that are willing and able to commit to regular work with teachers and children to help support direct instruction of students.

This year, we are embarking on a new effort called “Project More.”  Built on a model of one-on-one reading support for students, this program helps increase Reading fluency and comprehension for students at all grade levels.  Each identified student is paired with a reading mentor for thirty minutes, four days a week.  Working with a teacher liaison at the building, these mentors assist students in working their way through levels of reading using short stories, poetry and learning games.  If you are interested in getting involved in this project as a mentor, please contact our office at 330-676-8400.  If you are unable to help with this project, but are interested in getting involved in other ways, see our H.S.A. web page, contact me at ke_jtroman@kentschools.net or just stop in our office for more information.

Meanwhile, enjoy the crisp Fall weather, the football and the wonderful traditions of Kent City Schools.  As always, of course, we invite you to come on home to Holden!

Julie

I recently opened my freezer and in the back, behind the bag of peas that no one in my family will ever actually eat was a box of cookie dough.  I did my best to remember the fundraiser that led to that purchase or, at least, remember the year in which I purchased it.  It got me thinking about all of the things, like cookie dough or wrapping paper or candles, that I have purchased over the years and how little of that money actually got back in the hands of the teachers and students who were working so hard to earn money for classroom supplies, activities or field trips.

Last night, at our first H.S.A. meeting of the year, we talked about this as well as the many “rewards” programs that already exist to help schools earn points or money without selling anything or asking families to purchase anything they weren’t already buying.  Our latest newsletter gives a brief overview of these programs and gives parents instructions about how they can get registered.  It is important to note that last year our H.S.A. earned over $400.00 by collecting box tops from products that families already had in their grocery carts.  Each box top that is donated yields 10 cents for the school! 

It seemed like an appropriate use of this blog space to re-visit and reinforce these options for families in the hopes that we can really take advantage of these as much as possible.  In addition to clipping and sending in those box tops points (found on General Mills, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker products- just to name a few), if you or someone you know is an “online” shopper, you can earn extra points by doing that shopping through the box tops site.  Many major shopping vendors are represented there including Starbucks, Lands End, etc.  It is a simple process to register and takes only a minute of your time.  The web address is www.boxtops4education.com. 

Target also has a program that enables shoppers using their “red cards” to get money donated back to the school.  Once registered, your card will benefit Holden every time you shop!  In a similar manner, your Giant Eagle Advantage Card can be linked to a school for Giant Eagle points that allow us to order items for the students at Holden.  To register your card, simply go to www.gianteagle.com and put in our school ID (1866).

If you would like more information about these programs please feel free to contact our office or email H.S.A. through the link on the Holden webpage.  Let’s see how much we can do for the school without ever having to reach for our wallets!  If you are like me, you already have plenty of candles, wrapping paper and cookie dough.

Though the “back to school ads” have been out for months now, it is the intense heat of mid-August that really tells us a new school year is upon us.  We have so many wonderful things planned for this year and, as new students continue to come in to register, so many new faces with whom to share them.   As I sit in my office, I reflect on the many “new years” that I have shared with families and colleagues and, most importantly, kids. 

Each August shines with great potential and opportunity for growth and change.  With that in mind, I would like to challenge all of the students, staff and of course myself, to make this the best possible learning environment for everyone.  Let’s work together to discover new things with appreciation for individual ideas, opinions and differences in culture, backrounds and interests.  Let’s work to persevere, even when things feel really tough, let’s keep trying new things until we get it right.  Let’s do our best to identify and celebrate each individual’s strengths and use that to build a stronger school community.  Let’s communicate openly, honestly and respectfully with one another to keep doors open and to ensure that everyone feels valued and honored as part of this team.  Finally, let’s focus on using our “moral compasses” to guide our actions so  we can guide others through our decisions and our behavior.

As always, I encourage you to contact me with concerns, ideas (look what happened with our “little garden” idea!) and suggestions.  I am here for you, for this community and for the Holden students.  You can call the school at 330-676-8400 or email me directly at ke_jtroman@kentschools.net.  Have a happy “New Year!”

Julie

Kindergarten Supply List

Grade 1 Supply List

Grade 2 Supply List

Grade 3 Supply List

Grade 4 Supply List

Grade 5 Supply List

Well, it looks like it is finally Spring.  Along with the warmer temperatures, come all of the exciting events of the season.  Field trips, transition activities and, this year, a new garden project at Holden.  A few weekends ago, several community members, parents and teachers gathered to break ground on our new Holden Garden Project. 

We are excited about the opportunity to integrate instruction about plants, nutrition and measurement (and a whole lot more) for our students.  The support and dedication of all of the adults that helped is greatly appreciated!  For updates and more information, you can check out our Garden Project and worm composting site.  Special thanks to Mrs. Stronz’s first grade and Ms. Louis’s third grade for piloting this project!

For a complete list of upcoming activities at the school, check out our calendar and our online parent newsletter!

     One of the most challenging things about technology is trying to keep up with it and with our kids!  I begin with an apology for the length of time since my last post.  Like anything in our lives, it takes a while for something new to become a “habit.” 

     When we hear that word, we typically think of something negative, like the habit of eating that big bowl of ice cream while watching American Idol… but habits can be positive as well.  Elementary school is a great time for children to begin to develop those healthy habits that will contribute to thier life-long learning and good health.  Having a regular homework time, sitting down to a family meal as often as possible and keeping the lines of communication between home and school open are all good habits that we can foster and maintain over your child’s school career.

If you are looking for ways to help develop these healthy school habits, we are here to help!  Holden’s counselor, Ms. Anita Romeo, our Reading expert and consultant, Mrs. Katrina Kelling and our school nurse, Mrs. Vicki Nichols are just a few of the people that you can contact for advice.  Please feel free to make use of the many resources we have here at Holden when you are in need.  Also keep in mind that, when it comes to YOUR child(ren), we recognize that YOU are the experts and welcome anything you would like to share with us to help make your child’s time here most successful.

     As always, it is a pleasure to work with each of your children and with you!  Enjoy the remaining days of winter!

Mrs. Troman

Dear Holden Families,

     It is hard to believe that more than a quarter of the year has already come and gone.  While the time has flown, I’m equally surprised by how wonderfully welcome I feel here.  The Holden community is truly special, and for that I am thankful.

     Monday afternoon, our brave Holden next top models dressed in the fashions of the annual style swap, inviting all families to come and help themselves to the many wonderful “gently used” items available.  The Holden community is truly generous, and for that I am thankful.

    Monday evening and Tuesday, we held our annual Fall conferences.  It was wonderful to see so many parents here, working with teachers to support student success.  Holden teachers are special, and for them I am thankful.

     Our book fair is also underway at this time.  Open during conferences and into the first week of December (visit the H.S.A. website for more details), you can get some great books to read over the long holiday break and support our Holden School Library!  H.S.A. is amazingly supportive, and for that I am thankful!

     Finally, our students, with their many incredible and unique gifts, ideas and boundless enthusiasm make this the most amazing place to be.  It’s not just a job- it’s an adventure.  Holden students are the greatest and for them. I am thankful!

    I wish you all a safe, warm and wonderful Thanksgiving Break.  I hope you all have the chance to be with loved ones, relax and re-boot!

Julie