Challenger Chronicle 5-25-18 

Challenger Chronicle 5-25-18

Parents-

We are so excited to once again offer our summer reading program to families.  We will have our kickoff event on June 6th at Challenger.  This evening will kick off our summer reading nights as well as offer some fun literacy activities for families.  The first "summer" reading night will be on June 20th.  The format will be very similar to last year.  A sack lunch will be offered by Salvation Army, students will receive a free book and treat, and special guests will read with students.  Thanks to all of our Challenger staff that have been planning for many months to ensure these events are fun for families.  

These nights are always a great time at Challenger.  Who doesn't love a free book, ice cream, and a trip to our playground on a warm summer night.  Although these events are always fun, I never want to lose sight of the real reason for all of this effort.  The real reason is for students and families to build a love for reading.  We hope that Wednesday nights are an opportunity to grab a great book that will lead into students reading on Thursday mornings or Sunday afternoons.  We hope that students grab a book written by authors such as Shel Silverstein during one of the summer reading nights that will then lead students into wanting to find more of his books at the library.  We will know we have been successful, not just by a test score, but when a student in the fall is excited to share a book they read over the summer.  

Thank you to families for making time for these evenings, for reading to your children, and for leading your children to a love of reading.  We are always excited to partner with you and provide great experiences for your children.  We are excited to see you on the 6th and each Summer Reading Night in the summer.  Look for the pink sheet that came home this week with dates and times.  

Have a great weekend!

Mr. Cherry

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 Summer Lunch Bunch

 

Once again, The Salvation Army of Livingston County will be hosting its summer meal program The Summer Lunch Bunch at several locations in our community. The Summer Lunch Bunch is a free community meals program that ensures access to plentiful food during the summer months. Summer Lunch Bunch is not just about free food!   Just as important is the fun, featuring guest speakers, games, prizes, contests, art, science, nutrition, literacy, physical education and more. Summer Lunch Bunch is a great meeting place for friends, and everyone is welcome! For more information on the Summer Lunch Bunch, please click here.

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The Howell Carnegie Library’s Summer Reading Challenge is a great way to encourage reading and engagement all summer long!  There are programs that cover all ages from Pre-Readers through Adults and families can read together and complete Missions side-by-side. 

Research shows that when kids read and are engaged over the summer, they are less likely to academically drop when they return to school in the fall. 

Everyone can register online at www.howelllibrary.org beginning June 1.  You can sign up now for an e-mail reminder at howelllibrary.readsquared.com. 

Beginning June 1, Pre-Readers & Kids can register online or in-person at the Howell Carnegie Library; they can track their reading online or on paper.  The Summer Reading Challenge ends August 17 with the library’s “End of Summer Extravaganza” 4:00-6:30pm on the library lawn.

More details about the Howell Carnegie Library’s Summer Reading Challenges can be found here: http://www.howelllibrary.org/summer_reading_challenge_2018.htm

Howell Carnegie Library’s summer events for ages 0-18 is here:
http://www.howelllibrary.org/youth_services_activities_summer_2018.htm

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Free Play in Nature

Summer is almost here, which leaves parents wondering how to fill the unstructured time. One simple, low-cost suggestion is to encourage time outside. Megan Delaney, an assistant professor in the Department of Professional Counseling at Monmouth University in New Jersey, researched the relationship between anxiety and nature. She found that the more time children spent outside, the less anxious they were. Even five minutes a day can boost well-being, improve interpersonal skills, eliminate stress, and reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

Here are ten low-cost options for outdoor fun:

  1. Have some “outdoor only” playdates. No tablets or video games allowed! Give your children some basic tools - like a stick, a ball, and a blanket, and let their imaginations run wild!

  2. Go for a walk. This is especially helpful for people who struggle with anxiety and social skills.  Walking side-by-side, rather than looking the other person face-to-face, can help some people engage more easily in conversation.

  3. Plant a garden. Choose your favorite flowers or vegetables and chart their growth.

  4. Put your child in charge of walking the dog.

  5. Have a picnic.

  6. Go on a nature scavenger hunt or a “color” walk and look for interesting items. Take pictures. There are good ones available at https://buggyandbuddy.com/30-free-printable-scavenger-hunts-for-kids/.

  7. Find some unique rocks in your yard and have your children paint them. Pay it forward by hiding them for others to find: https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/.

  8. Explore with geocaching, an outdoor recreational activity in which participants use a mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world: https://www.geocaching.com.

  9. Play with sidewalk chalk. Let your young artist have freedom on your sidewalk or driveway while working on fine motor skills. Start a picture and encourage them to use their imagination to finish it.

  10. Visit a local park. Check out the library or local newspapers for outdoor adventure ideas.

Enjoy this time with your family!

​​​​​​​Kim Martin

Posted by williaml On 12 June, 2018 at 2:40 PM