From the Director’s Desk:

To think that this time last year, I did not even know your precious children and each of you–what was I thinking?! ? How blessed and rich my life has become being a part of Satori. I am so grateful for the opportunity and look forward to watching satori soar and its students thrive–much more fun ahead! In a week, the walls will be bare, the halls too quiet, and the rooms clean and empty and silent. While there is much to do to prepare for next year, I will miss these little ones so very much! I know many will be in summer camp, but for those who aren’t, I would love drop in visits! Take very good care of our student body over the summer and bring them back safely to us in August!

Calendar of Events

Tuesday, May 24th–Science Fair; judging begins at 8:45 and all should be concluded before lunch. Please feel free to stop by after noon or after school to check out student projects and award winners! Tuesday, May 24th–We are still in need of someone to cover After Care on Tuesday afternoon; if we cannot find anyone, I will let you know if it will be cancelled. Wednesday, May 25th–Last Books & Breakfast (I will be treating my bookworms to breakfast!) Thursday, May 26th–Field Day and Cook out at school; please be sure to check over the list of items you child is responsible for. WE NEED BBQ GRILL VOLUNTEERS! Don’t forget that we will go to City Council meeting at 4 p.m. to receive our proclamation for our award winning NEED award. Friday, May 27th–Last Day of School; Upper School awards at 10 a.m. Parents of those students are invited to attend. The School will provide pizza for all students that day for lunch, so only send snacks on Friday!

Message from Phonics and Ms. Hunt:

As you plan your summer, be mindful of the following suggestions:

• Be sure that your child reads every day; try to schedule weekly trips to the library.
• All students should read aloud to parents for a while each evening.
• Upper School students and strong readers in Lower/Middle School should be asked questions after completing silent reading.
• Please be sure children understand all of the vocabulary. Engage your child in conversations. Use the reading topic as a springboard for discussions.
• Incorporate your experience or your child’s experiences to advance their understanding of the text. This daily reading will deepen skills for advanced readers and maintain reading skills for newer or less confident readers. Of course, it also makes life easier for everyone when school begins in August!

From the Director’s Desk:

As I analyze your children’s ITBS scores and prepare to send them home with report cards, I have some “Cliff Notes” (do they still use those?!?) to prepare you as well.  Research tells us that optimism is one of the strongest predictors of adult happiness; optimistic people will not wither after a few setbacks–pessimists do!  It is the repeated experience of mastery that help build an attitude of optimism.  Here are some tips to remember as you go over your child’s scores:

1. Be sure that you and your child know the difference between achievement and mastery.  Achievement is a benchmark, while mastery is a feeling.
2. The feeling of mastery is the great motivator; the more you can lead your child to experience mastery, the more internally motivated your child will become.  Those of you who play golf understand that hitting one good shot overrides all the flubbed ones and motivates you to play again.
3. Don’t expect praise to take the place of the experience of mastery. Sometimes adults believe they can instill self-esteem simply by offering praise–it doesn’t work.  Self-esteem and confidence com from the experience of doing something well yourself!
4. Explain that pain and frustration precede mastery.  Offer it as a point of information, a curious fact you want your child to know is that we often purchase the price of mastery with some pain.  So when your child complains about how hard something is or how frustrating it is not to be able to do better, say, “it is actually really good you are feeling that way.  That means you are stretching yourself.  And that means you are getting better.  Just keep at it; you will see!”

Our children learn from parents how to react to problems.  It is their non-genetic inheritance.  They will learn from your explanatory style and they will inherit your attitudes and behaviors (no pressure, right?!?).  We as parents and educators can do a lot to foster the development of optimism as a learned way of viewing life!

Calendar of Events:

• Tuesday, May 17–Drama after school; last class before the play.
• Wednesday, May 18–Books & Breakfast, 7:45 a.m.; Upper School to the Zoo!
• Thursday, May 19–Spring Music/Drama Performance, Moody Mansion, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 24–Middle/Upper School Science Fair, 8:30 a.m.
• Thursday, May 26–Field Day; lunch time cookout on the playground
• Friday, May 27–LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (please note the calendar change on this!)

Upper School:
Students will go to the Houston Zoo on Wednesday; this is a free field trip because Ms. Corley and her class participated in the Eco-Learning Lab–Water and Wetland Conservation Program and were selected to be a part of the free program!  Don’t forget to send lunches and snacks, a hat, walking shoes, and Satori shirt.

Art:
Students are working on art for the spring musical for two songs, “A Frog Went A’Courting” and  ”Do Re Mi.”

Spanish:
Students have ended the direction section of Rosetta Stone (on top of, under, in, and around).

PE:
Students still training for Field Day.