Parent

power

east Baton Rouge parish school system

 
volume 14, issue 8  |  March 2022
Dear parents and guardians, I am so excited to welcome you to our Parent Power Newsletter. We're thrilled that you’re interested in learning more from our dedicated team at EBR Schools and can’t wait to start sharing with you.

Inside this Issue

01

 
Parent University Virtual Sessions 
for Spring Semester 2022
 
A Reading Checklist:  Help 
Your Child Become a Reader

02

03

Typical Language Accomplishments 
for Children Birth to Age 6

05

Upcoming Fine Arts Events
 
 
March 11 is International #SEL Day

06

07

Teaching Responsibility Isn’t as Hard
as You Think ... If You Start Young
EBR Energy Wise!  A Wise Approach
 to Saving Energy

08

09

Health Centers in Schools
 
I CARE Tobacco and Vaping Campaign
 
10
11
March Calendar
Parent University Virtual Sessions for Spring Semester 2022
01
Parent University was created as a supplemental strategy to build the capacity of parents to be actively engaged in their child's education. The goal of the program is to "educate and empower parents as partners, advocates and lifelong teachers in their child's education through educational courses and leadership opportunities."
 
Through this platform, I will be sharing information regarding a wide array of educational topics. Please feel free to suggest any topics that you would like to see covered. 
The Parent University sessions listed below will be conducted virtually. I will send a link to the virtual session on the day it is scheduled. The sharing sessions will last no more than an hour.
 
DATE:  Thursday, March 17
TIME:  11:30 a.m. (lunch & learn)
TOPIC:  “Don't Be Green About Bullying”
PRESENTERS:  Tanya Griffin, I CARE Program                                                                 & Dr. Sahara Haney, Instructional Technology
LINK TO REGISTER: https://bit.ly/ParentUMarch
 
 
DATE:  Thursday, April 21
TIME:  6 p.m.
TOPIC:  “Homeownership”
PRESENTER:  Marion Zachary, Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC)
 
DATE:  Tuesday, May 17
TIME:  6 p.m.
TOPIC:  “Teen Driver Safety/Safety Tips for the Summer”
PRESENTER:  Crystal Pichon, CEO, The Safety Place
LINK TO REGISTER:  bit.ly/ParentUMay
 
Please feel free to suggest any topics that you would like to see covered via Parent University. Send suggestions to Marlon Cousin at mcousin@ebrschools.org
A Reading Checklist: Help Your Child Become a Reader
02
There are many ways that you can encourage your child to become a reader. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to make sure that you are keeping on track:
 
For Babies (6 weeks to 1 year)
  • Do I provide a comfortable place for our story time? Is my child happy to be in this place?
  • Am I showing my child the pictures in the book? Am I changing the tone of my voice as I read to show emotion and excitement?
  • Am I paying attention to how my child responds? What do they especially like? Are they tired and ready to stop?
For Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
 
All of the questions above, plus:
  • Does my child enjoy the book we are reading?
  • Do I encourage my child to "pretend read," joining in where they have memorized a word or phrase?
  • When I ask questions, am I giving my child enough time to think and answer?
  • Do I tie ideas in the book to things that are familiar to my child? Do I notice if they do this on their own?
  • Do I let my child know how much I like their ideas and encourage them to tell me more?
  • Do I point out letters, such as the first letter of their name?
For Preschoolers (3 and 4 years)
 
All of the questions above, plus:
  • Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify sounds and letters and to make letter-sound matches?
For Kindergartners (5 years):
 
Remember: Children learn step by step in a process that takes time and patience. They vary a great deal in what holds their interest and in the rate at which they make progress.
 
All of the questions above, plus:
  • Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify some printed words?
  • Do I let my child retell favorite stories to show that they know how the story develops and what's in it?
For Beginning First-Graders (6 years):
 
All of the questions above, plus:
  • Do I give my child the chance to read a story to me using the print, picture clues, their memory — or any combination of these ways that help them make sense of the story?

Typical Language Accomplishments for Children, 
Birth to Age 6
03
Learning to read is built on a foundation of language skills that children start to learn at birth — a process that is both complicated and amazing. Most children develop certain skills as they move through the early stages of learning language. By age 7, most children are reading.
The following list of accomplishments is based on current scientific research in the fields of reading, early childhood education and child development. Studies continue in their fields, and there is still much to learn. As you look over the accomplishments, keep in mind that children vary a great deal in how they develop and learn. If you have questions or concerns about your child's progress, talk with the child's doctor, teacher or a speech and language therapist. For children with any kind of disability or learning problem, the sooner they can get the special help they need, the easier it will be for them to learn.
 
From birth to age 3, most babies and toddlers become able to:
  • Make sounds that imitate the tones and rhythms that adults use when talking.
  • Respond to gestures and facial expressions.
  • Begin to associate words they hear frequently with what the words mean.
  • Make cooing, babbling sounds in the crib, which gives way to enjoying rhyming and nonsense word games with a parent or caregiver.
  • Play along in games such as "peek-a-boo" and "patty-cake."
  • Handle objects such as board books and alphabet blocks in their play.
  • Recognize certain books by their covers.
  • Pretend to read books.
  • Understand how books should be handled.
  • Share books with an adult as a routine part of life.
  • Name some objects in a book.
  • Talk about characters in books.
  • Look at pictures in books and realize they are symbols of real things.
  • Listen to stories.
  • Ask or demand that adults read or write with them.
  • Begin to pay attention to specific print such as the first letters of their names.
  • Scribble with a purpose (trying to write or draw something).
  • Produce some letterlike forms and scribbles that resemble, in some way, writing.
From ages 3-4, most preschoolers become able to:
  • Enjoy listening to and talking about storybooks.
  • Understand that print carries a message.
  • Make attempts to read and write.
  • Identify familiar signs and labels.
  • Participate in rhyming games.
  • Identify some letters and make some letter-sound matches.
  • Use known letters (or their best attempt to write the letters) to represent written language, especially for meaningful words like their names or phrases such as "I love you."
At age 5, most kindergartners become able to:
  • Sound as if they are reading when they pretend to read.
  • Enjoy being read to.
  • Retell simple stories.
  • Use descriptive language to explain or to ask questions.
  • Recognize letters and letter-sound matches.
  • Show familiarity with rhyming and beginning sounds.
  • Understand that print is read left to right and top to bottom.
  • Begin to match spoken words with written ones.
  • Begin to write letters of the alphabet and some words they use and hear often.
  • Begin to write stories with some readable parts.
At age 6, most first-graders can:
  • Read and retell familiar stories.
  • Use a variety of ways to help with reading a story such as rereading, predicting what will happen, asking questions or using visual cues or pictures.
  • Decide on their own to use reading and writing for different purposes.
  • Read some things aloud with ease.
  • Identify new words by using letter-sound matches, parts of words and their understanding of the rest of a story or printed item.
  • Identify an increasing number of words by sight.
  • Sound out and represent major sounds in a word when trying to spell.
  • Write about topics that mean a lot to them.
  • Try to use some punctuation marks and capitalization.
 

Teaching Your Child Self-Control
04

When kids melt down in the middle of a crowded store, at a holiday dinner with extended family or at home, it can be extremely frustrating. But parents can help kids learn self-control and teach them how to respond without just acting on impulse.
Teaching self-control is one of the most important things that parents can do for their kids because these skills are some of the most important for success later in life.
 
Helping Kids Learn Self-Control
By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes.
For example, if you say that you're not serving ice cream until after dinner, your child may cry, plead or even scream in the hopes that you will give in. But with self-control, your child can understand that a temper tantrum means you'll take away the ice cream for good and that it's wiser to wait patiently.
 
Here are a few suggestions on how to help kids learn to control their behavior:
 
Up to Age 2
Infants and toddlers get frustrated by the large gap between the things they want to do and what they're able to do. They often respond with temper tantrums. Try to prevent outbursts by distracting your little one with toys or other activities.
For kids reaching the 2-year-old mark, try a brief timeout in a designated area — like a kitchen chair or bottom stair — to show the consequences for outbursts and teach that it's better to take some time alone instead of throwing a tantrum.
 
Ages 3 to 5
You can continue to use timeouts, but rather than setting a specific time limit, end timeouts when your child calms down. This helps kids improve their sense of self-control. And it's just as important to praise your child for not losing control in frustrating or difficult situations by saying things like, "I like how you stayed calm" or "Good job keeping your cool."
 
Ages 6 to 9
As kids enter school, they're better able to understand the idea of consequences and that they can choose good or bad behavior. It may help your child to imagine a stop sign that must be obeyed and think about a situation before responding. Encourage your child to walk away from a frustrating situation for a few minutes to cool off instead of having an outburst. Praise kids when they do walk away and cool off — they'll be more likely to use those skills in the future.
 
Ages 10 to 12
Older kids usually better understand their feelings. Encourage them to think about what's causing them to lose control and then analyze it. Explain that sometimes situations that are upsetting at first don't end up being so awful. Urge kids to take time to think before responding to a situation. Help them to understand that it's not the situation that has upset them — it's what they think about the situation that makes them angry. Compliment them as they use their self-control skills.
 
Ages 13 to 17
By now, kids should be able to control most of their actions. But remind teens to think about long-term consequences. Urge them to pause to evaluate upsetting situations before responding and talk through problems rather than losing control, slamming doors or yelling. If necessary, discipline your teen by taking away certain privileges to reinforce the message that self-control is an important skill. Allow them to earn the privileges back by demonstrating self-control.
 
When Kids Are Out of Control
As difficult as it may be, resist the urge to yell when you're disciplining your kids. Instead, be firm and matter of fact. During a child's meltdown, stay calm and explain that yelling, throwing a tantrum and slamming doors are unacceptable behaviors that have consequences — and say what those consequences are.
 
Your actions will show that tantrums won't get kids the upper hand. For example, if your child gets upset in the grocery store after you've explained why you won't buy candy, don't give in — thus demonstrating that the tantrum was both unacceptable and ineffective.
 
Also, consider speaking to your child's teachers about classroom settings and appropriate behavior expectations. Ask if problem-solving is taught or demonstrated in school.
 
And model good self-control yourself. If you're in an irritating situation in front of your kids, tell them why you're frustrated and then discuss potential solutions to the problem. For example, if you've misplaced your keys, instead of getting upset, tell your kids the keys are missing and then search for them together. If they don't turn up, take the next constructive step (like retracing your steps when you last had the keys). Show that good emotional control and problem-solving are the ways to deal with a difficult situation.
 
If you continue to have difficulties, ask your doctor if family counseling sessions might help.
 
Date reviewed: June 2018
upcoming Fine Arts Events
05
 
Traditionally, Arts in Schools Month is celebrated in March. However, state testing is a priority/focus during March and the first part of April. This year, the Fine Arts Department will celebrate/highlight the district's arts programming during the last week of April. Please see event descriptions, dates, times and locations in the tables below:
 
Date:  Monday, April 25
Event:  Movie night
Location:  McKinley Middle Magnet
Time:  6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Description:  
This is an evening of fun for the Baton Rouge community to explore the types of arts programming offered to students (K-8) in EBR Schools. Parents and students will be able to talk to amazing arts teachers and administrators to learn more about artistic programming and arts opportunities in elementary and middle school. 
 
We will also have an outdoor movie night, featuring the blockbuster hit “Sing 2.” Please bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy a night of fun, food and singing! 
 
Concessions will be sold.
 
ADMISSION: FREE

Date:  Tuesday, April 26
Event:  Poetry slam
Location:  Glen Oaks High School (auditorium)
Time:  6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Description:
This poetry slam and showcase will feature EBRPSS students using their oration and writing skills to empower others through written and spoken word. The poetry slam is sponsored by the Department of Fine Arts, Department of Literacy and Baton Rouge Police Department. 
 
We will also have a few well-known special guests!  
 
ADMISSION: FREE 

Date:  Wednesday, April 27
Event:  College night
Location:  Tara High School
Time:  6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
 
This arts night will focus on students in grades 8-12 who have an opportunity to explore colleges and universities from around the country that have dynamic arts programming. 
 
If your child would like to major/minor in music, theater arts, dance, media arts or visual arts, this will be the event for you! 
 
Come out and learn about many phenomenal institutions from across the country that may meet your child’s future artistic pathway.  
 
ADMISSION: FREE  

Date:  Thursday, April 28
Event:  Film festival
Location:  Woodlawn High School
Time:  6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
 
This night will spotlight students in media and graphic arts classes who have created films for our third annual EBR Student Film Festival.
 
Come out and see this year’s nominated movies and see who takes home this year’s highest honors!
  
ADMISSION: FREE 

Date:  Friday, April 29
Event:  Teacher art exhibit
Location:  TBD
Time:  TBD
 
This exhibition will highlight the talents of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System visual arts teachers.
 
ADMISSION: FREE 

Date:  Saturday, April 30
Event:  SaturDAY Fever!
Location:  Baton Rouge High School  
Time:  12:30 p.m.
 
This fun-filled afternoon of talent will feature the performing arts teachers in our district. This teacher showcase will show our teachers' talents themed around the sounds of the 1970s!   
 
Come out and dress to impress in your ’70s attire. The best audience costume will receive a PRIZE!  
 
ADMISSION: $5 (Children under 5 FREE) 
 

Date:  Sunday,  May 1
Event:  Art, jazz and pizazz
Location:  Galvez Plaza, Downtown Baton Rouge  
Time:  1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
 
This day of arts will showcase the “best of the best” art and music in EBR schools with a look at magnet school availability for the 2022-2023 school year. 
 
Live jazz-themed performances, school displays and free admission to downtown arts museums will be available for the day! 
 
The day will end with a performance by EBR jazz students and the Southern University Jazz Band.
  
ADMISSION: FREE 
 
March 11 
is International #SEL day
06
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities; manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals; feel and show empathy for others; establish and maintain supportive relationships; and make responsible and caring decisions. 
 
March 11 is designated as SEL Day 2022.  Please click the link below to access a free event where parents who are SEL experts share what helps their kids thrive.
 
SEL Day 2022: Parents, EQuip Our Kids! Tickets, Fri, Mar 11, 2022 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite
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Teaching Responsibility Isn’t as       Hard as You Think ...     IF You Start Young
 
07
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Teaching Responsibility Isn’t as Hard as You Think...
If You Start Young
 
It is true...
 
Being a parent is the toughest job you will ever undertake. But, it doesn’t have to be difficult, if you teach responsibility at a young age.
 
You can make your job easier by allowing your children to take on age-appropriate responsibilities. Notice I said “allowing,” not “expecting.” Young children are eager to help. You’ve seen the delight in a child’s eyes when they discover they can do something new. You’ve heard the excitement in their voice, “I did it! I did it!”
 
If we’re not intentional, we miss many opportunities for children to enjoy learning responsibility. Children rise to our level of expectation when it’s balanced with loving intention, which means teaching perseverance not performance. The process is more important than the outcome. Making the bed when they jump up in the morning is more important than how well it is made — when children are young.
 
Remember the old adage, it’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game that counts.
 
Get your children involved as members of the family. Give each child a job to do for which each is solely responsible, such as setting the table, emptying the garbage cans or feeding the pets. Help your children form good habits before bad habits have a chance to form. Have a designated place for schoolbooks and supplies for the next day. Once a week, leave a love note for your children to find when they put their school stuff in the proper place. Teach your children to hang their school clothes on a doorknob before bedtime with socks and shoes sitting below.
 
What is your end goal in raising your children? To be successful in life? To be rich? To be No.1 in class? To be the most popular, the most beautiful, the most handsome kids in school? Or is it to develop humble confidence? To be unselfish? To be the best that they can be? What do you really want for your children? The attitude of your heart determines the success your children will have in school and in life. 
 
 
Jill Rigby Garner
Manners of the Heart 
March 2022

 

EBR Energy Wise!
A wise Approach to Saving Energy
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What’s Throwing Your Thermostat Out of Whack?
3 Possible Reasons
 
Ever wonder why your air conditioner kicks on even though the room already feels cool enough? How about when your heater does not come on even though you raised the thermostat setting? It may not be the air conditioner or heater that is the problem but what is located near the thermostat that is causing the issue. To operate efficiently, thermostats need to be away from direct sunlight, drafts and sources of heat. Below are three things to keep away from your thermostat:
 
1.  Appliances: Even though lots of appliances and electronic devices are made with technology that reduces heat, things like copiers, printers, coffee makers, minirefrigerators, televisions, video game consoles and other appliances still give off heat as a byproduct. This heat prevents the thermostat from accurately sensing room temperature.
2.  Windows and doors: If you have drafty windows or doors near the thermostat, chances are it’s going to pick up on cooler or hotter air that is entering the room. If that is the case, the thermostat will not be reading the actual room temperature.
 
3.  Air vents: The thermostat’s job is to detect the temperature in the room. Well, if the air vent is blowing cold or warm air right onto the device that’s detecting the temperature, it’s going to produce an inaccurate temperature reading. So, adjust the air vents to minimize air blowing on the thermostat.
 
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(*) ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. Learn more about ENERGY STAR.
 
This energy conservation tip is provided by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Aramark Energy Management Team.  For more information, please contact us at (225) 226-3723 or savoie-don@aramark.com.
 
Health Centers in Schools
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Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Centers in Schools and community-based teams are the collaboration of education, public health and school health professionals to improve our children’s development and well-being. Our school-based health centers provide comprehensive health services and wellness education to students in grades K-12 in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, operating seven full-service clinics.
 
Our services are available on-site during school hours Monday through Friday with same-day appointments available. We are staffed by a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, licensed social worker and medical assistant who work in coordination with your child’s regular provider(s) and school nurse. Access to scheduling and messaging are available through MyChart.
 
Services are offered to any student with a consent form completed. All students under the age of 18 must have a parent complete a consent form and have on file.
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Services provided include:
  • School physicals and sports physicals
  • Well-child checks
  • Diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries
  • Nutrition and weight counseling
  • Referral for specialist care
  • Immunizations/vaccinations
  • Mental and behavioral health services
  • Individualized and group counseling
  • Substance use education/counseling
  • Age-specific health education and testing
Locations:
  • Broadmoor High, (225) 924-7707
  • Glasgow Middle, (225) 924-7709
  • Glen Oaks Middle/High, (225) 442-1987
  • Istrouma Middle/High, (225) 831-9983
  • Northeast Elementary, (225) 654-4830
  • Northeast High, (225) 654-7325
  • Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Middle, (225) 774-8953
  • Westdale Middle, (225) 930-8155
 
I CARE 
Tobacco and Vaping Campaign
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The  I CARE  Program recognizes March as Tobacco and Vaping Prevention month as Kick Butts Day and National Youth Day of Action are March 31, 2022! Working collaboratively with the Baton Rouge American Heart Association of the Capital Area and local hospitals, the 
I CARE  Program provides school-wide education to promote safe and healthy choices outside of vaping and tobacco use. 
 
E-cigarettes
 are a rapidly emerging and diversified product class. These devices typically deliver nicotine, flavorings, and other additives to users via an inhaled aerosol. These devices are referred to by a variety of names, including “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” and “tank systems.” 
  • E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that the user inhales.
  • The liquid usually has nicotine, which comes from tobacco; flavoring; and other additives.
  • E-cigarette products can also be used as a delivery system for marijuana and other illicit drugs.
     
American Heart Association: What parents can do.
As a parent, you’re a powerful influence — even if your teenager seems to disagree with everything you say. Here are some of the most effective ways you can steer your kids away from tobacco:
  • Maintain a dialogue. Start early — begin talking with your kids about smoking and vaping in kindergarten. Be honest and open to seeing things from your child’s point of view. And don’t stop. Keep the conversation going as kids get older.
     
  • Think more than cigarettes. Explain that smokeless tobacco, hookah and e-cigarettes all have dangers, including nicotine addiction.
     
  • Prepare your kids for peer pressure. Discuss what they might say if a friend offers a cigarette or e-cigarette.
     
  • Set a good example. If you smoke or vape, the best thing you can do is quit. At a minimum, don’t smoke around your children.
     
  • Establish a smoke-free home. Don’t allow family members or friends to smoke in your home or car. Make sure the places your child spends a lot of time are tobacco-free.
If your child has started smoking or vaping, try to learn why. This may help you talk with him or her more effectively. Instead of punishment, offer understanding and help to resist the dangerous lure of tobacco use and addiction.
 
As always, reach out to the I CARE  Program for more information and support!
 
Article submitted by:  Tanya Chapman-Griffin, Licensed Prevention Professional
 
March calendar
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The East Baton Rouge Parish School System and all of its entities (including Career and Technical Education Programs) do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability or gender in its educational programs and activities (including employment and application for employment); and it is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of gender by Title IX (20 USC 168) and on the basis of disability by Section 504 (42 USC 794). The Title IX coordinator is Andrew Davis, director of Risk Management (ADavis6@ebrschools.org), phone (225) 929-8705. The Section 504 coordinator is Elizabeth Taylor Chapman, director of Exceptional Student Services (ETaylor@ebrschools.org), phone (225) 929-8600. The Title II coordinator is Dr. Sandra Bethley, administrative director of Federal Programs (SBHorton@ebrschools.org), phone (225) 922-5538.
 
All students have an opportunity to participate in Career and Technical Programs of Study, including, but not limited to areas of health care; construction crafts and trades; automotive technology; IT computer technology; culinary programs; criminal justice; and agriculture. Admission requirements for each course can be found in the student course guide/schedule packet of the individual campus where the course is being offered. Please contact the guidance counselor at the specific school site for additional information, program requirements and/or any questions you may have.
 

Parent Power is a publication of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System

Dr. Sito Narcisse, Superintendent of Schools

sitonarcisse@ebrschools.org

 

Alexandra Deiro Stubbs, Chief of Communications & Public Relations

astubbs@ebrschools.org

 

Marlon Cousin, Community Liaison

mcousin@ebrschools.org

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