PROJECT : KINDNESS ~ December 11th-14th

Dear JES family and friends,

What a wonderful time of year to talk about COMPASSION, our character trait for December. The Core Essentials definition of compassion is: caring enough to do something about someone else’s need. In talking with our students, it is evident that they know quite a bit about COMPASSION.  You do not have to look far to see our students showing compassion for others! Our JES Fourth Grade Choir has led us by collecting money earned by our students to give to the Buckner Foundation. Our students have worked hard to earn their dollar and we are proud of how they lead us. Also, thank you to all who have chosen to give through our Angel Tree which serves those around us who can use a little help. Your compassion and generosity continues to be amazing!

During the upcoming weeks before the winter break, our students will be making greeting cards during art classes. The cards will be delivered to  the elderly in our community who are in need of a little holiday cheer.
  
Another way to get involved in showing compassion and kindness is through PROJECT: KINDNESS. December 11^th – 14^th , we will be collecting cash donations toward purchasing food baskets and gift cards for our custodial staff and cafeteria workers. If every child, staff, and faculty member donates at least $1, we will have a generous gift to give to those who give so much to our school family throughout the year.

The winter holiday can be stressful for children as well as their parents. Take time to care for your child’s needs for a healthy diet, rest, and exercise and remember that your love, your time, and undivided attention are the greatest gifts that any child can receive. In the classroom, your children tell me that the best thing that we have to share is love. They are pretty smart, aren’t they?

As always, if I can assist you in any way, please email or call.

Kindest regards,

Ziba Johnston

Counselor
elizabeth.johnston@southlakecarroll.edu
  People will never know how far a little kindness can go.
                                                        ~ Rachel Scott of Rachel's Challenge

A Season of Gratitude

Dear JES family and friends,

 Our Core Essential character value for November is CO-OPERATION which is defined as working together to do more than you can do alone. We will be talking about co-operation in guidance lessons. Co-operation is an important character value that can easily be reinforce at home. When we work together our children make twice the progress.

We will be working on several co-operative projects throughout the year to give our students opportunities to “give back”. Research shows that when children (and adults) give, they get positive feelings that lead to a greater sense of self-worth. Giving promotes cooperation, social connections and gratitude. And research has found that gratitude is integral to happiness and health. Watch for opportunities for our students to get involved in the experience of giving.

All JES students are challenged to “earn” a dollar to donate to the Buckner Foundation which is being collected by the JES Choir. The money will be presented to the foundation during the winter holiday concert.

Our traditional Angel Tree will be decorated in the front office before we leave on Thanksgiving Break. Each year, we have our own Angel Tree to provide for children at Johnson.  If you are able to help, I hope you will choose an angel and make it a family project of showing gratitude and compassion for those families at Johnson who can use our help.

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) was completed for second and fourth grade students. Make ups are complete. The results will be sent home around mid semester.

Thank you to Ashley Stern and PTO for arranging the Southlake Firefighters’ visit for Kindergarten -2^nd grade students. The children heard key information about personal safety and each got an opportunity to climb up into the fire truck. It was an informative day. Has your family designated a location to meet outside of your house in case of fire? Ask your child about the suggestions they heard from the fireman.

As always, if I can assist you in any way, please call.

Kindest regards,

Ziba Johnston - Mrs. J

Counselor
elizabeth.johnston@southlakecarroll.edu

"Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging.” Deepak Chopra

RED RIBBON WEEK - October 22nd-26th

Dear JES family and friends,

As we begin the second six weeks, October is shaping up to be a busy one! Our character value for this month is INDIVIDUALITY - discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference.  I hope you continue to discuss the Core Essentials character traits to spark discussions at home that lead to reinforcing what we are sharing here at school about INDIVIDUALITY. Click on the link to sign up for the C.O.R.E ezine monthly parent communication:   Core Essentials Parent Newsletter

On the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4th of this month all second and fourth grade students will be taking the CogAT. The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) measures students’ learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most linked to academic success in school: Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. On October 16th-19th both second and fourth grade will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or ITBS. Although the primary goal of the CogAT is to assess students’ reasoning abilities, it can also provide predicted achievement scores when administered with the ITBS. There is no special preparation you need to do at home for these tests. What you can do to help your student do their best is make sure they are rested, have a good breakfast, and arrive at school on time each testing day. Check your calendar and make sure that you have not scheduled doctor appointments during these days. Testing will take place during the morning when the students are at their best.

RED RIBBON WEEK will be celebrated October 22nd-26th. This is a district wide drug awareness celebration. At Johnson our theme will be “JES Texans Give Drugs the Boot”. Each day of the week, incentives will be given away through a drawing to help emphasize the benefits of leading a drug free lifestyle. During the week there will be a special video presentation, and other special programs to emphasize the message of respect for yourself and others. Please take advantage of this opportunity to talk with your children about the dangers of drug abuse. It’s never too early to share this important message. Our emphasis at school will be on respect and making good decisions.

I hope that the school year is off to a good start for your family.

If I can assist you in any way, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Ziba Johnston
JES Counselor 

FINDING OUR GREATNESS at JES 2012-2013

Dear JES families and friends,

Welcome back to both returning and new families! There is exciting activity going on in preparation for the 2012-2013 school year. I hope that you have had a wonderful summer and a great first week of school. Teachers, staff and students are going to be Finding Our Greatness at JES this year!

On Thursday, September 6th, there will be an informal gathering to welcome the newest parent members to the Johnson family. That is new JES families to CISD and kindergarten parents. This will be an opportunity for me share information about programs at JES such as Rachel's Challenge and our Pet Partner program. There will also be time to answer any questions you might have for me. If you are new to Johnson Elementary drop by the JES library from 8 to 9 on Thursday morning and let us welcome you personally.

Our Rachel’s Challenge initiative to promote kindness and compassion will continue to be a focus on our campus. Your children will have an opportunity to accept Rachel’s Challenge and pledge to be kind and compassionate to others. We will be signing a banner to promote unity and commitment. You can find more information about this district wide program at www.rachelschallenge.com .

Through our Core Essentials program we will be emphasizing the Big 3 which are:  

Treat Others Right

Make Smart Decisions

Maximize Your Potential

Our character trait for September is RESPECT defined as showing others they are important by what you say or do. Chik fil A is generously sponsoring our Core Essentials program again this year. If you are interested in more information about our character education program go to www.coreessentials.org   When you discuss these core values at home it reinforces their importance. Invite your child to share what they have learned at school about RESPECT. When we work together at school and at home “great” things are possible.

It is not unusual for students to be tired and “out of sorts” the first few weeks of school. The change in their sleep and meal routines alone may cause stress and then when you add on the expectations of school - it is understandable that most children will react. If problems persist or are more extreme than you feel is typical for your child, talk with your child’s teacher and/or contact me. If we can do anything to help you or your student, please let me know. You can email or call 817 949 4500 to schedule an appointment.

Kindest regards,

Ziba Johnston

Counselor

Elizabeth.Johnston@southlakecarroll.edu

Enjoy the SUMMER!

Dear JES family and friends,

Summer has arrived and Texasdog and I are off for a summer holiday. Tex is spending a lot of time in the pool and under the shade of the backyard oak tree trying to keeping cool.  I am following his lead.

Thank you to all who donated school supplies at the end of the school year. We were able to send two boxes of supplies with the Dillard family to the street children in Nairobi, Kenya. The Dillards’ grandparents work with orphaned teenagers rescuing them from the streets. The majority of the school supplies were donated to the Munhu organization which supports students in Zimbabwe. The Gumbo family arranges for shipping the school supplies. Thank you for your support to these worth causes.

Remember to continue reading this summer! Children just learning to read tend to regress during the summer so read, read, read! Children are never too young or too old to hear a story read aloud. Maybe you can even do some shared reading. Make it fun!

Although, I will be off for summer break until August 13^th, I will be checking my email regularly, if you have a concern. Those who are new to our school district may register on August 7^th at the Johnson campus.

Enjoy the break and Tex and I look forward to seeing you in August!

Sincerely,

Ziba Johnston - Mrs. J

Counselor

Elizabeth.Johnston@southlakecarroll.edu

A Special Thanks!

May 2012

Dear JES family and friends,

The nearly 400 pairs of shoes collected during our shoes drive at JES have been received at the distribution center for Shoes for Orphan Souls. We have been informed that they are expected to be delivered to children in Ethiopia, Dominican Republic and Honduras as well as some here locally. Thank you to all who contributed to the success of our ONE Day Without Shoes. 

Thank you to the Rachel’s Challenge advisory teams for their planning and guidance. To the KC Kids Advisory group who helped count and pack the shoes for shipping. Thank you to Mrs. Musgrave and her fourth grade class who cut off tags, bound shoes together, and assisted in the hallway. A big thanks goes to parents Tracy Lentz and Ashley Stern for their assistance in the hallway. For your great enthusiasm and behind the scene support, thank you to the best staff in the world! It would not have been successful without each of you doing your part.

Special appreciation goes to Ashley and Scott Nguyen, Cassie’s parents, for taking on the task of delivering all of the shoes to the distribution center in Mesquite. We appreciate your willingness to go out of your way to do this kindness. Mr. Nguyen works in the Mesquite area and took time in his busy morning to drop off the shoes at the distribution center. Thank you!

ORIENTATION for our fourth graders going to Durham Intermediate next fall is on May 8th. All fourth graders will travel to DIS by bus for a presentation and a tour of the building. We will leave around 8:30AM. All fourth grade parents are invited to a Parent’s Meeting at DIS on Monday, May 7th at 5:30PM for an overview of the transition to intermediate school. This will be an informative meeting and attendance is highly recommended.

Rachel’s Rally and Relay for Life are coming up on May 11^th and 12th^th at Carroll High School. This is a community wide celebration of kindness and compassion followed by a service opportunity to walk to raise awareness for the ongoing battle against cancer. There will be fun booths and activities for the children.  The celebration will begin at 6 and goes all night. To get more information or sign up for a relay team go to:  http://www.relayforlife.org/southlaketx  It is not too late! Contact me if you would like to join one of our JES teams.

Our POP TOP COLLECTION to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House is ongoing! Keep those pop top pull tabs coming! We will be emptying our tubs at the end of school. So send in what you have collected. The money raised goes to Ronald McDonald House. Thanks to all those who have contributed.

Our character trait for May is RESPONSIBILITY. The definition – proving you can be trusted with what is expected of you. Bus stops, carpools, packed lunches, signed papers – as a parent we expect a lot from you! But, what is expected of your child? Let’s turn it around this month and talk about the virtue of responsibility. 

As always, if I can assist you in any way, please email me or call.

Sincerely,

Ziba Johnston 

Counselor

ONE Day Without Shoes - APRIL 5th

Dear JES family and friends,

How appropriate that our character trait for April is HOPE! With ONE Day Without Shoes, we are giving children HOPE that they might have a future. One pair of shoes for a child can gain them entry to school, keep them healthy, protect them from injury, and most of all give them the HOPE that someone cares about them.

On April 5^th, we will be going shoeless at school to bring attention to the needs of children around the world who miss opportunities in life because they do not have shoes. Send in a new pair of shoes to donate to Shoes for Orphan Souls on April 5th. For more information visit the Shoes for Orphan Souls website at

      http://www.shoesfororphansouls.org/aboutus.shtml

How can something as delicious as lemonade come from something as sour as a lemon? Well, this month, we are going to teach your child exactly what to do when life hands you lemons by introducing the virtue of Hope – believing something good can come out of something bad. I hope you will take time to talk with your child about your own experiences when HOPE was important to you.

If you haven’t heard…Rachel’s Rally and Relay for Life are coming up on May 11^th and 12th at Carroll High School. This is a community wide celebration of kindness and compassion followed by a service opportunity to walk to raise awareness for the ongoing battle against cancer. To get more information or sign up for a relay team go to:  

http://www.relayforlife.org/southlaketx .

There are also additional opportunities for the younger students to become involved with Relay for Life. More information will be coming about the many ways our students can participate.

Orientation for our fourth graders going to Durham Intermediate next fall is on May 8th. All fourth graders will travel to DIS by bus for an informational talk by the DIS administrators and a tour of the campus. A Parent Orientation is at 5:30 in the Durham Intermediate Cafeteria. Transition to fifth grade can be a challenge. Attending the orientation meetings can ease some of the anxiety by answering many of your questions about procedures, the schedules and the “always challenging” lockers!

STARR testing continues this month. Third and fourth grades will be testing on April 24^th and 25^th.  Our students are well prepared. The most important thing that parents can do is make sure your child is rested, well fed, and in attendance on time for testing days. Thank you for your help.

As always, if I can assist you in any way, please call.

Sincerely,

Ziba Johnston

Counselor

ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES at JES - APRIL 5TH

A SHOE DRIVE TO BENEFIT SHOES FOR ORPHAN SOULS
View Video               APRIL 5th                        
  On Thursday, April 5th, JES will be goingl barefoot at school and collecting new shoes to be donated to children in 75 countries including the United States


Why One Day Without Shoes?  To draw attention to the plight of children who face injury, illness, and miss school and other opportunities due to their lack of foot protection

• Students and faculty will come to school in socks and shoes that are easily removed
• Bring a NEW pair of SHOES to DONATE - leather or canvas athletic shoes preferred
• Tie laces of SHOES together or secure as a pair with a rubber band

                               A Rachel's Challenge Act of Kindness

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!

Dear JES family and friends,

Thank you to the PTO for the special week of appreciation they planned for us last week. We truly felt appreciated! Thanks to the PTO for their continued support throughout the year.

CONVICTION is the character value for the month of March. The definition is standing for what is right even when others don’t.  Just like that one brave flower blooming before all the others, it’s important for us all to have the courage to be the only one to stand up for what’s right. That’s why we are going to spend the month of March talking about the virtue of CONVICTION.

Our time at school is limited so we rely on your involvement as the parent to help us make the virtue come alive each month! That’s why we are sending home 4 CORE Activities for you and your child to do in the car, at home, or in your community that will reinforce the character virtue we are discussing here at school. C – “car time” will provide a link you can follow to download a song that reinforces the meaning of the virtue. O – “open wide” will be a few discussion starters for around the dinner table that will crack open what this month’s virtue is all about. R – “rest” is an age-appropriate book that you can order online or check out at your local library to read at bedtime, or any time of the day. These books are guaranteed to reiterate this month’s virtue and encourage great discussion with your child. E – “experience” is a creative suggestion for a family activity that will put this virtue into action. Thanks for your participation in building these character skills! Check out the attached activities.

As always, if I can assist you in any way, please call.

Sincerely,

Ziba Johnston 

Counselor