K-3 Author Visit & Food Drive!

On December 7, local author Lois Brandt will visit with K-3 students to share and discuss her book, Maddi’s Fridge.

"This title is notable. A thoughtful and well-executed look at the challenge of childhood hunger. The bright, friendly illustrations soften the topic while still conveying the characters’ difficult feelings, such as worry and embarrassment. Gentle, age-appropriate humor releases the tension, keeping readers engaged as Sofia discovers how to best help her friend.” —Kirkus Reviews

BOOK ORDERS: Students may PRE-ORDER a book and have it autographed on the day of her visit.  ORDER FORMS ARE DUE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30. 
Click here to print an order form.

Additional details about her book can be found at http://www.loisbrandt.com  

FOOD DRIVE: During the week of Dec. 7- Dec. 11, Enatai students have the opportunity to make a difference and practice the virtues of caring/service by collecting canned goods for our neighbors in need. All donations will support Hopelink. Each classroom will have a collection bin. Most needed items: canned meals, canned meat, canned fruits or vegetables, cereal, dry beans, pasta, peanut butter, rice, and soup. The food drive is a perfect tie-in with the book!

                                                                                                                       

This Author Visit is funded by the Enatai PTSA. Fantastic experiences like this would not happen without parent participation in our fundraisers. THANK YOU for your support!

NEW Book for Parents: The "Me, Me, Me" Epidemic by Amy McCready

Interview with author Amy McCready recently published in the Seattle Times:  

No one wants to be the parent of a child going viral in a video, screaming in a restaurant or throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle. So how can parents form a foundation that fights back against a culture where it seems kids are entitled to anything — be it a trophy for showing up or the newest jeans everyone's wearing at school? Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, has a few ideas. Her book, "The 'Me, Me, Me' Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World," out in August 2015 describes a land in which kids can hear the word "no." McCready, a Raleigh, N.C., mom of 17- and 19-year-old sons, talked to us about tamping down the scourge of entitlement. This is an edited transcript.

Q: You're a self-described "recovering yeller." What inspired you to write this book?

A: Most of my work has been around teaching parents, from toddlers to teens, how to bring out the best in their kids. Over the years, this topic of entitlement kept coming up. Parents told me about kids not being able to take "no" for an answer, expecting bribes or rewards for expected behavior, kids who were not willing to help out at home, not taking personal responsibility.

The one thing I have found with all of these parents is no one intends to raise an entitled child. It happens out of love. And it happens when we're sort of doing things for our kids that they're actually perfectly capable of doing for themselves. Or we don't want them to experience disappointment, so we step in and rescue.

Q: Do you feel we're seeing more of this entitled behavior now?

A: It does feel like this issue of entitlement has grown to epidemic proportions, and it's not... 

Continue reading the full article here: 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-0811-entitled-kids-20150729-story.html 

Originally published by Alison Bowen from the Chicago Tribune

Reading Motivation

        Some food for thought on this blustery Saturday… a good discussion starter from Education Week.

        I like how she describes the importance of different types of reading. “To become proficient and passionate readers, children need to engage in many different types of reading. One type is guided reading with a teacher. Another type of student reading is self-selected reading. In its truest form, this involves the student's choosing, with little or no intervention from adults, his or her own reading material.”

        I'd love to hear your thoughts, after reading the full article: 

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/10/07/dont-crush-reading-motivation.html?qs=don%27t+crush+reading+motivation

How to get your kid to be a fanatic reader...

This article hit home with me. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share it here. Lots of great advice and resources to help us all.

"The best way to get kids reading more is to give them books that they'll gobble up -- and that will make them ask for another. Yes, it's that simple.    1 + 1 = 2. Kids say the No. 1 reason they don't read more is that they can't find books they like. Freedom of choice is a key to getting them motivated and excited. Vampire sagas, comics, manga, books of sports statistics -- terrific! -- as long as kids are reading. Should they read on e-tablets? Sure, why not? How about rereading a book? Definitely. And don't tell them a book is too hard or too easy. "Great Expectations"? Absolutely. "Finnegans Wake"? Well, maybe not. And remember, books can be borrowed free at libraries." -- Author, James Patterson

Want to read more? See the full article by James Patterson here:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/28/opinion/patterson-kids-reading/index.html 

FREE Admision to National Parks 2015-2016

If you have a 4th grader this year, you and your entire family can visit national parks, federal lands, and waters for FREE.

This “Every Kid in the Park” initiative is made possible by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation.

The objective is to introduce kids to outdoor recreation. Students just need to sign up online and they will get a voucher that grants entrance to the student and a carload of passengers to federal recreation areas for one year.

For a complete list of National Parks in the Northwest, go here: http://www.gonorthwest.com/Visitor/outdoors/parks-usa.htm