First grade boys and their parents are invited to join Pack 413 at Hallinan Elementary School!  Are you interested in camping, science, archery, crafts, fishing, field trips, playing games, exploring the outdoors, earning patches, or hanging out with friends?  Than Scouting is for you!  Come to the Sign Up Night on November 19^th at 7pm in the Hallinan Library to sign up and learn more about Cub Scouts.  Contact Claire.Osterman@Scouting.org with questions and check out www.beascout.org to see what Scouting is all about.

Hi all,

As you know, we will be honoring Veteran’s Day next week on Wednesday, November 11th.  This may be confusing for some families, as it is a day off in the middle of the week (with no corresponding long weekend).  Extended care will be available at Uplands Elementary.

I like to post some “kid friendly” explanations of Veteran’s Day so that students understand the purpose in having a day free from work and school.  Please feel free to use this if you wish!

Veterans Day

The nation celebrates Veterans Day on November 11 to honor all who have served in the military for the United States. Across America, various parades and ceremonies are held to celebrate the loyal services of our country’s armed forces. Some schools will have special events, too. What will your classroom do to celebrate Veterans Day?

History of the Holiday

At 11:00 A.M. on November 11, 1918, World War I was officially declared over. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson set aside November 11, 1919 as Armistice Day in the United States. Armistice is a term used to describe a formal agreement or truce. Wilson’s intention was to create a lasting peace after the war by remembering and honoring the sacrifices the military made during World War I.

Congress declared November 11 a national holiday in 1938. After a town in Kansas organized a local Veterans Day Parade, a Kansas representative proposed to change the holiday’s title. President Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954.

Showing Appreciation

Today, federal celebrations of the holiday remain close to its origins. The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery, in Washington D.C. The ceremony begins at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns, a monument dedicated to military members who died in service and were unable to be identified. A parade of colors by veterans’ organizations follows the ceremony, with remarks from the President and other government officials.

To help show veterans how much they appreciate their service and sacrifice, some schools are participating in a program called Take a Vet to School Day. An organization called Got Your 6 and TV channel HISTORY have teamed up for this initiative to connect veterans of all ages with students across the country. The program provides resources to teachers and students to gain a better understanding of our nation’s history through a veteran’s experiences.

Resources can be found at history.com/veterans.

I have been hearing about some troubling things happening on the playground after school hours and on the weekends. While we certainly cannot supervise during this time, we hope that parents will continue to encourage safe play that is conducive to a positive school culture and environment. For example:

• Reference the playground rules on the windows near the side entrance if you are in doubt about how to safely use the equipment or play a game.
• Please do not bring toy guys or weapons to our playground.
• Please do not leave your dog unattended (at any time) or let them off leash when children are present.
• Please promote all children being safe, kind, and responsible!

We would like our community to enjoy our playground year round – it is an amazing place for kids to be active and have fun.  Please assist us in keeping it fun and safe for all of our families.  If you see suspicious activity that is questionable in any way, it is always advised to call LOPD on their non emergency line: 503.635.0238.  Thank you!

As always, I was thrilled and honored to lead a short presentation in the gym for all of our grandparents and special friends that joined us on Wednesday.  It has become my practice to share a short video about gratitude on this day for several reasons.  One, it connects with our theme in November of giving thanks and recognizing the many blessings we have as a school community.  Two, it promotes the idea of mindfulness and taking just a moment to think about the many things we take for granted.  Most importantly, it puts an exclamation point on the gratitude we have for the many mentors in our students lives who took time out of their day to be a part of our world for that one hour – it means so much to us!

I am often asked for the link to the video, so I wanted to provide it once again here.  Have a lovely weekend!