Dear Fiske Families,
December is here and it is a very busy time of the year. Be sure to mark you calendar for the band and orchestra concert on Wednesday, December 20th at 8:45 a.m. This concert is always an incredible display of the musical talents of our band and orchestra students.
December can be a time of joy and happiness, while also increased stress for children. Our School Psychologist, Sharon Grossman, has described some mindfulness practices children can practice to help keep themselves calm during this exciting time of the year.
Mindfulness practices at Fiske School
By Sharon Grossman, Fiske School Psychologist
There are many ways to practice mindfulness at school and at home. Frequently, mindfulness practice begins with a deep breath through our noses as we expand our bellies, followed by slowly and quietly releasing the air through our mouths with closed eyes or looking at a focal point on the floor. It is helpful to place your hands on your belly as you breathe in to fill it up with breath as if it was a balloon expanding with air.
Many teachers use one of these practices (some are adapted from Growing Mindful, created by Mitch Abblett & Chris Ward):
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Tense and Release: Slowly tense and release all of your muscles from your head down to your toes. Feel what happens to your body AND your mind as you do.
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Hot Chocolate: Quietly breathe in through your nose as if smelling a mug of hot chocolate. Exhale by blowing through your mouth as if you are cooling it off. Pretend that you are getting ready to drink it! Adapt this to whatever hot food that you and your family enjoy, e.g. hot pizza, oatmeal.
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Brain Tickle: Place your index finger to your forehead. Quietly notice all the sensations in your finger and forehead—temperature, texture, moisture.. what else?
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Feel your Feet: Take in a deep breath. Imagine the air going all the way down to your feet. Feel the sensations of your feet against the floor. Repeat.
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7/11 Breath: Breathe in for a count of 7 (using your fingers). Breathe out to the count of 11. Repeat.
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Mindfulness Chime: Close your eyes. Listen to the sound of the chime until you can no longer hear it.
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Rainbow Journey: As you walk, look for two sets of objects that represent all of the colors of the rainbow.
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Balloon Breathing: Breathe in deeply through your nose as you expand your belly as if it was a balloon. Slowly breathe out as you watch the balloon and your thoughts float away. Repeat two more times.
These are all practices that only take a few minutes but can help us be in the ‘moment,’ rather than thinking about the past or the future. Practicing these techniques throughout the day can make it more likely that we will have access to them when we need them as a result of a stressful, anxiety or anger-provoking situation.
I hope you enjoy trying out these, and other, mindfulness practices in the days ahead. While the holiday season is fun and exciting, it can also be stressful as our routines and structure are less easily followed. Mindfulness practices will help us all pass through this time with more joy, presence, calmness and gratitude!
Fitness and Health Fun News
By Christina Gerst, Fiske Fitness and Health Teacher
Rollerblading
The 4th and 5th grade students just wrapped up their Rollerblading Unit in their Fitness and Health classes. The students learned how to socially skate. It is like going back in time to the fun roller skating rinks of our youth. Students did the limbo, relay races, played floor hockey, and danced all while on rollerblades! It was very impressive to watch. Many students used their Growth Mindset to overcome their fears of trying something new and being off balance. Please give your child a big high five for all of their hard work in the Rollerblading Unit. They did a great job.
Sneaker reminder
With the cold weather comes boot season. It is very important that students still wear sneakers for Fitness and Health classes. It is very unsafe to their ankle development to be running around in boots. Sneakers provide a great deal of ankle support. Please have students put sneakers in their backpacks to bring to school on days that they wear their boots. If students are not wearing sneakers then they will not be allowed to participate in Fitness and Health class, due to the safety concerns. Thank you for your support.
Walk to School Day
Thank you to all of the walkers and parents who supported and participated at our Nov. 1st Walk to School Day. Congrats to 4G for winning a free Fitness and Health class. They chose to Rollerblade for their free class. They had the highest percentage of walkers participate. Thanks for all your support with helping your children walk to school. The next Walk to School Day is Wed. Dec. 6th. Please sign in walkers by the two recess doors at the back of the school.
Wishing you a joyous weekend!
Important Dates:
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Wednesday, December 6th – Walk to School Day
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Thursday, December 7th – School Council – 7:30 a.m.
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Tuesday, December 19th – METCO Late Day – 3:05-4:15 p.m.
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Wednesday, December 20th –Band Orchestra/Chorus Concert – 8:45
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December 25-January 2 – Winter Recess
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Wednesday, January 4 – Walk to School Day
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Friday, January 5th – Bingo Night at Babson Trihn Hall- 6:00-8:00 p.m.
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Friday, January 12th – Fifth Grade Egyptian presentation, Fiske Library -1:30-3:00 p.m.
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Monday, January 15th – No school in observance of Martin Luther King Day
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Tuesday, January 16th – METCO Late Day – 3:05-4:15 p.m.
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Thursday, January 18th – PTO Meeting/MCAS Presentation – 8:45-9:45 a.m.
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Friday, January 26th – Principal’s Coffee