Report Cards are Going Home This Week

“Report cards are going home this week!”

There aren’t many phrases that have struck more fear in the hearts of young children. However, with advent of electronic gradebooks and their accompanying email notices, grades are not usually a surprise at the end of the quarter. In fact, except for our 1^st graders, we do not even send home paper report cards at the end of the quarter. 

You may be wondering how to have the "report card conversation" with your child. Here are a few suggestions:

1.  Focus on the Growth--Instead of saying “Why didn’t you get an A in social studies” try saying, “What can you do next quarter to get an A in social studies?”
2. Look at the Approaches to Learning and Conduct Grades—We have all heard as children and have probably said as adults, “I don’t care about the grade. I just care that you gave your best.” However, we probably forget these words when our child brings home a “C.”   These two categories measure effort and behavior. Compare them in context to the academic grade. An Approaches to Learning grade of 2 (out of 4) and an academic score of a “C” means the grade could be improved with more effort, while an ATL grade of 4 and an academic score of a “C” means they put forth the effort and that was the result.
3. Grades are Destinations—Look at the journey and celebrate the successes that happened along the way. What behaviors led to success? What habits helped lead to the grade? What should be repeated and what should be revised?

Regardless of the grade your child brings home, I hope you can have a positive conversation and find success in the quarters to come:

                               

*Note: students in EC4 and Kindergarten receive their first report card at the end of the 1^st semester (December) and all students receive paper copies of the semester report cards (December and June).

How was School Today?

“Good”

                --Anonymous

I was scouring the internet and my book of quotes for something profound and wise about parenting or talking with children. I found many, but thought this was the most appropriate quote, since it is probably the way 99% of our students respond when asked about their day at school. Sometimes, if they are feeling particularly talkative, they may say “It was fine, Dad.” Most of my conversations look like this:

So, how do you get more than a two or three word response from your child when you ask them about their day? Three words.

Practice. Practice. Practice. To help you start practicing, here are three tips for fostering conversations about school.  

Ask a specific question that forces a multiple word response. 

 Rather than asking, “How was your day?” try asking “What was the best part of your day?” Then, ask the follow up question, “Why was lunch the best part of your day?” 

Use Renweb as a resource.

 Renweb has a calendar of events and teachers often post assignments, as well as grades. So instead of asking “Did you learn anything today?” try saying “I saw that your class is reading Because of Winn-Dixie, what is that about?”

Use “wait time” and bite your tongue.

Sometimes the best question is the one not asked. When your child gets in the car or you see them at home, just say, “I am so glad to see you” and count to 10. Usually, they will start telling you about their day without you asking. 

 

We easily fall into the habit of using conversational crutches. For example, how often, do you greet someone on the phone or in person by saying, “Hey, what’s going on?” or “What are you up to?” and then just keep on talking because you didn't really expect them to tell you exactly what they were doing, that is just how you start the conversation. Don’t make the same mistake by having your default greeting when you pick up your child be, “How was school?” Hopefully if you can frame different questions using the tips above your conversations will look more like this:

DISCLAIMER: Results may vary, especially if your child is in middle school!

This Little Light of Mine...

How do you let it shine? We ask our students to "Be a Light to Others," but what does that really mean? Here is a scientific explanation of how light can pass through objects:

It can be transparent (pass right through):

It can be translucent (allowing some light to pass through):

Or it can be opaque (allowing no light to pass through):

Imagine that we are the cups in the photos and God is the flashlight. Do we allow God's word to flow directly through us? Do we take in God's word and only reflect what we want? Or, worse, do let sin darken our "glass" so much that God's message cannot be seen at all? 

When we ask our students to be a light to others we are not actually asking them to be any of these. Instead, we are asking them to take in God's word, interact with it, and create something beautiful.  Think of the way light interacts with a prism or crystal:

In this picture the flashlight clearly interacts with the crystal causing its shape to be transformed and into a ball of light that even casts off some rainbow spirals.  By opening up to God's voice and asking for his presence in our lives, we can cast a beautiful light that will help others come to know God better. 

Embracing the Digital and Print World

It may seem like a generational preference, but the explosion of personal electronic devices over the past 3 years begs the question, which is better for reading, E-books or print?

 

A quick Google search will give you plenty of information (which you will of course need to read with an electronic device). Some of the better articles are from Scientific American located here and from Scholastic located here.

If you are not much of an e-reader, allow me to summarize the research answer to the question:
it depends.

As we are quickly learning in the ever-changing Digital Age, rather than being an expert in one platform or way of doing things, it is better to be proficient at adapting to different platforms or different ways of doing things based on the situation.

It is no different with e-books vs print. In some situations, like travel, there is an advantage to loading books on a Kindle or Nook vs. reading a complex legal document you need to mark, highlight and underline.

 

At CKS, we embrace both the digital world and the print world. Our library recently began to stock e-books for students in 2^nd through 8^th grade, in addition to print books. Accessing these books is easy. Read on to find out how:

• Using your electronic device (cell phone, tablet, or e-reader), download the free Follett Brytewave K-12 Edition app from the App Store or Google Play Store.

• You are looking for this App:
  

• Select Location as Florida
• Type: “Christ the King” as school and select our school

• Enter your child’s AR Username and Password (only works for 2^nd grade and up)
• If you or your child do not know their AR username and password, please email Mrs. Lopez in the library at dlopez@cks-school.org
• Start checking out titles

We hope you enjoy the print and digital services here at CKS!  Now even if the library is closed, a good book can be opened! 

Called to Holiness

With Pope Francis' arrival to the United States this week, I can't help but think how we are all called to holiness. Mostly, though, it makes me reflect about how to define holiness to our students. So often we think of holiness as something reserved for Jesus, Mary, and the saints. That is not the case, though. Holiness is responding to God's love by the way we live our lives.

I recently received notes from the teachers about some of our students who have responded to the challenge of "being a light" and are reflecting God's love in a positive way for others. Here a few of my favorites: 

1) "Caroline recognized the good in another student. She came up to me during class and told me how quickly and quietly a classmate prepared for class. This was a skill I had been working on with the student. Caroline wanted to make sure I recognized him." 

 2) "Santino voluntarily gave the money he brought for an ice cream treat at lunch to the mission representatives for the collection at school mass." 

3) "Every morning Ian walks the track to take care of some younger boys who need the help of an older buddy. He does this willingly and joyfully." 

There are many more examples of students who help a classmate, clean up the classroom without being asked, or show kindness to another student. We are blessed at Christ the King that our students are responding to God's call to holiness. They are being a light to others and setting an example for the rest of us!

What Would You Do With $50?

Last March, CBS ran a story about two sisters, ages 13 and 10, who had to answer this question when a stranger gave them each $50. The stranger was Chris Rosati, who since being diagnosed with ALS several years ago decided he wanted to do good for others. After giving the girls the money, he simply asked them to do something kind.

The girls did something great with it. They decided to help a small village in Sierra Leone where, according to the CBS article, their father worked in the Peace Corps. The girls sent the money to the village so the residents could prepare a feast to celebrate being Ebola-free. Chris Rosati did not know his money had spread this joy to the people of the village until he saw a video from the feast with people holding signs that read, "Thanks a lot for spreading kindness -- Chris Rosati." He was amazed at the impact his gift had on people he had never met and on a cause he did not know existed--all a result of the kind intentions of these two girls. 

He was so inspired that he started a program to give more $50 gifts so more kids can spread kindness. I can not help but think about how we ask our students this month to Be Like Bosco and Be a Light to Others. We may not get $50 randomly, but every morning God grants us the gift of a new day--a day to use the talents He has given to us. Will we we hide them? Will we use them on ourselves? I know how I want my children to use their gifts, and I have a good idea how God wants them used, too. 

However, I did not know I would find the answer in a 5th grade locker here at school:

Please take a moment to leave a comment and tell me what you or your child would do with $50!

What Do You Say to a Principal?

As a school principal, I have heard just about everything you could imagine--good, bad, ugly, unbelievable, and inspiring! The audience that never disappoints and the one I enjoy hearing from the most are the students. Here are the three best things I have heard from students so far this year:

1) Walking by a table of EC4 students in the cafeteria, I saw one boy lean over to another, and I heard him whisper, "We better behave; there's the boss." I might have also heard this walking by a group of teachers in the lounge.

2) Sitting with some new CKS moms at our Lioness Luncheon last week, one mom told me how her son reminded her that he could wear a college t-shirt to school on Friday. When she asked him who said that, he replied "You know, the guy who wears the walkie-talkie, the king of the world." While I haven't officially been given a crown, nor do I think I'd really want one, the students can sure make you feel like a king when you walk around campus.

3) Standing next to a 5th grader in the morning carline, she turned and asked if I liked being the principal. I told her that I did. She commented that I must have to work a lot of hours. I told her that I did. Wisely, she then said, "Don't forget to take time and play with your sons. They probably want to play with you because you're a cool Dad." What else could I say, but "Thanks!"

As we celebrate Labor Day today, and the contribution of all workers to our country, let's not forget to take time for our family and for God each and every day.

Thanks for the reminder, Mia!