Lifelong Guidelines and Lifeskills Video

Today at the beginning of the year assembly we reviewed the Lifelong Guidelines and Lifeskills as ideas we focus on at King School. I then showed the first half of the video below and asked students which Guidelines and Lifeskills the monkeys show.

You might watch it again with your son or daughter and ask them what Guidelines and Lifeskills they see.

Congrats to Aaron and Sam

Two former MLK students have been identified by their younger Kindergarten brother Max to be "good big brothers." Nice job, boys!

I'm proud to announce this in relationship to the kinds of behaviors supported by the Lifelong Guidelines and Lifeskills. Aaron and Sam--nice job! You show trustworthiness, responsibility and friendship among many other qualities, and you have shown yourselves to be excellent role models for Max. Keep up the good work!

Jump Rope For Heart Success!

This year, through the efforts of Mrs. Arbour and MLK families and students, King School raised over $8000 for Jump Rope For Heart. You'll remember that last school year, King School was recognized as the most improved school in Michigan after improving 525% from 2005-06 to 2006-07. Nice job, everyone!

In case you didn't know (from the Jump Rope For Heart website):
Jump Rope For Heart is a national educational fund-raising program that is sponsored by the American Heart Association and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).

While participating at King, this program engages our students in a physical activity (jumping rope) with an option for raising funds to support lifesaving heart and stroke research. Students can ask friends and family for donations if parents feel it is OK. Either way, all students participate in physical fitness and better understand the value of community service.

Winter Break, 12/22/07 - 1/6/08

Winter break is upon us! We'll look forward to seeing students again on
January 7--ready to learn!

Please notice that all of the students below are using their Lifelong
Guidelines and Lifeskills. There is no snow throwing, everyone is
included in the fun, and there is lots of cooperation. Nice job to
our MLK boys and girls!

3 on 3 Soccer

Late last year, the full-size soccer goals were removed at MLK (as they were at all AAPS elementary schools) due to safety concerns. Since then it has been a little hard to play soccer at MLK--until a couple weeks ago. That is when we began playing 3 on 3 soccer!


3 on 3 soccer is a game suggested by Curt Hinson in his book Games Kids Should Play At Recess, "Solutions For A Trouble Free Playground". The exciting parts of this game for our kids are:

• everyone gets to play;
• kids get to touch the ball more often during a game;
• everyone knows and understands the rules.

So that parents know too, here are the rules of 3 on 3 Soccer at MLK:
Objective: Kicking; trapping; dribbling with feet; teamwork
Equipment: Soccer ball; four cones; four wiffleballs
Organization: Students form two groups of three. The cones are set up to represent goals, approximately 8 - 10 feet wide, with a wiffleball on top of each cone. The goals should be about 60 to 75 feet from each other. Each group designates one player to be the goalie and the other two players to be the offensive/defensive players. The goalies stand between the two cones at opposite ends of the field.
How to play: The two offensive/defensive players from each team attempt to get possession of the ball and try and kick it, knocking a wiffleball off the opponents cones. A point is scored when a wiffleball is successfully knocked off. The game is continuous. As soon as a goal is scored, the other team may get the ball and head up the field.
Lifeskills tip: The players on each team should switch places with the goalie every three goals or so.

King PRIDE--it shows!

Over the past few weeks, teachers and I have taken note of many, many positive events, routines and small acts of kindness taking place each day at MLK. Some examples:

• Helping someone who fell on the playground;
• Talking about the Lifeskills at home;
  
• Comforting a new student who felt anxious the first time she rode the bus home;
• Telling someone they did a great job;
• Saying "thank you" to the teacher for holding open the door;
  
• Inviting people to play who are by themselves;
  
• Playing 4-square carefully and safely when less-experienced players are on the court;
  
• Discussing King PRIDE in class and writing about it;
  
• Cheering someone up who is feeling down.

These are all wonderful examples! I really appreciate everyone's hard work to make sure we all know how to treat each other during the school day. I hope parents will also continue to talk about King PRIDE at home and praise your children when appropriate. :-)