Bright Minds, Happy Hearts

Keep Learning and Be Well All Summer Long! 

We ALL need a rest and have earned our summer break after a year of hard work learning and growing at school. Just remember, keeping your brain active and your mind and body healthy is important ALL SUMMER LONG!  Staying engaged in fun activities and keeping your body tuned will ensure that your mind stays sharp!

SPEND TIME OUTSIDE 🌤

Everyone, both children and adults, need to find time to go outside every day. Playing games, taking walks, even just sitting and watching the clouds go by is good for us. The sun gives us vitamin D and other benefits that keep us healthy and boosts our mood.

GO TO BED AT A REASONABLE TIME 😴

We ALL need enough sleep to stay healthy. Even though you might stretch the day out a little longer in summer, be sure to keep a good schedule. Give your body the rest it needs.

THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS 💬

The words we tell ourself are important. We believe what we think. TRY new things. Learn from mistakes. Write your own personal affirmations. BELIEVE in YOU.

MOVE YOUR BODY! 💪 

Our brain and body are connected in more ways than we can imagine. Exercise helps us feel strong and healthy. It keeps our mind sharp and focused too! Run, walk, bike,  play games and sports, swim, climb, dance... Just move!

EXERCISE YOUR MIND TOO! 🧠

PLAY GAMES: Limit time on online video games and try traditional games instead! Card games, board games, and car games (such as I Spy) are all fun and easy to play. 

KEEP READING! Need motivation? Take a SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Baxter Memorial offers a fun Summer Reading Challenge. Barnes & Noble Summer Reading and TD Bank Summer Reading programs also give you another way to earn while enjoying reading.

Enjoy Real Life Experiences. Help compute the change when you shop with your family, or plan a road trip if your parents ok it! Read menus, magazines and newspapers, signs, brochures, maps, guidebooks. 

Anything counts, just READ! 

Be ENGAGED wherever you are. HAVE FUN!

Build healthy habits.
Make summer 🌞  
Your superpower!

In Like A Lion

 

The “in like a lion, out like a lamb” saying makes sense because March is typically when we see the transition between winter and spring. The weather can be wild and windy and less predictable when we begin the month and it usually calms down, warms up, and becomes more settled by the end. We can start to discard all of the warm protective gear that has kept us feeling safe and warm, and begin to enjoy the heat from the sun once again.

Going through transitions and change is much like experiencing the month of March. In the beginning we often experience a variety of strong emotions, and often feel like we have no control. Once we have passed through the change, we often find that we have learned a lot and can even feel stronger.

Here are a few transitions that might feel challenging to manage:

• Changing friendships or social groups
• Beginning school, or changing schools
• Transitioning to middle school
• Moving to a new home or city
• Welcoming a new sibling
• Parents’ separation or divorce
• Losing a loved one or pet

While we cannot affect how the month of March will go, there are a number of things we CAN DO when we experience change. One really helpful activity is called the Circle of Control. The circle of control is a tool that helps us think about what we can and can't control in our lives. It's a way of thinking that can help us focus on what we can change and let go of what we can't. 

What things can YOU control?

Whatever we are experiencing, it is ALWAYS important and helpful
to share our feelings with people we trust. If you are going through a
change, think about your thoughts and how your body feels. Try to name your feeling. Wonder about WHY you feel that way. Then think of ways you can move ahead. 

When we notice and share our feelings, we take back the power they have. It helps us to feel in control and calm.

Change can be scary, but change can also lead to new things. 

Change can help us to grow and feel even stronger than before.

Below are some videos you might find helpful!

2025 Dreams and GOALS

 

Why not DREAM a little this year?

Think about something you really want to achieve. 

Set a GOAL. 

And you will get there! 

Setting goals and working towards them builds perseverance, the ability to keep trying despite difficulties, failure or opposition. In trying, we develop grit and strength we didn't know we had!

There are many benefits of goal setting ~
It pushes us to take responsibility  for ourselves and our choices. 

Thinking about who we are and what we want helps us to develop purpose, putting our values into action.
Goal setting motivates us to try new things and to take risks. Who knows what we might achieve!
When we set goals and takes steps, we develop organization skills, and when we are challenged, we develop resiliency.

Do You Want to Give It a Try?

The First Step is to DREAM BIG!

Write down your goals, or create a VISION BOARD of all the things you think about and dream of. 

Next, list smaller steps you can take toward your goals. Think about it like it's a To Do list.

Then, set a timeline, even if isn't too specific.

 
Track your progress and celebrate your successes!

Stay positive and remember, 

even when our goals seem out of reach, 

it's in the trying that we grow the most!

November Is National Career Development Month

 

You might still be in elementary school but it’s never too early to think and talk about future job or career opportunities.

What is the difference between a job or career? A job, or occupation, is something you do to earn money. A career is a long-term occupation that you do that often requires special training or education.

You probably don’t know exactly what you want to “be” or “do” when you grow up and that is OKAY!  Our ideas, skills, interests and plans can change throughout our whole life.

Career Development Month is a great time to begin exploring! Below are resources that might be helpful and fun. 

Learn more about yourself! 

Try a Career Interest Quiz or the Multiple Intelligence Surveys and think about how you learn and what skills and interests you have. This will help you begin to think about careers that match your style.

Career Interest Quiz– A picture career interest survey
Interest Survey – Simple
Interest Survey- Detailed
Strengths Survey– For Older Students

Career Videos for Jobs/Careers

Click on the links below to view videos (varying in length) of people sharing information about their jobs and careers.
A- Z Career Lab (PBS)
Career One Stop (Many different careers!)
Careers In A Flash (ASCA)
Curious Kids Career Video (Marine Biology, Artist/Sculptor, etc.)

More Exploration Websites & Activities  

EPIC Career Book Collection

Bitmoji Room

Career Clusters Explained

K-12

Kids Money Career Videos

Career Word Scramble

Word Search

Job & Career Notes Outlines

Sometimes it is helpful to keep a written log of job & careers that interest us. Here is a simple organizer to help you as you begin to explore:

Career Explore Video/Book Organizer– K and up!

Your career is not just a job; it’s a way to make a difference in the world.
Dare to dream big and work to achieve it.

Exploring Career Clusters

What Mark Will You Make on the World?

YOU are already making the world a better place, especially when you follow the Code of Conduct.   Someday you will choose a career where you can be your best you and where you will contribute to the world of work.

THINKING about your future starts with thinking about the things you enjoy as well as knowing your strengths. When you put the two together, we know you will find a path that is perfect for you.

ALL careers are currently organized into 16 clusters. Watch the videos below for an introduction:

Think about it .... what do you LIKE? What are you GOOD at? What do you want to LEARN more about?? Keep your eyes open and keep asking questions we know you will find the perfect job and career that is meant for you!

   Do YOU want to learn even more about careers ? 

Links below:

✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒

Career Fun Bitmoji Room

Maine MOOSE Career readiness Modules

K-12

A- Z Career Lab

Career One Stop

Kids Money Career Videos

Social Skills Are Life Long

 

Did You Know?

      Social Skills are Skills for LIFE

Listening and following directions. Staying on task and using time efficiently. Following school and classroom rules even when no one is watching. Using your organizational skills. Completing schoolwork and homework. Working well in groups. Solving problems appropriately.

The school skills that we have worked on all year

are the same skills that will make you shine your whole life!

Whether you call them social skills, skills for life, or SOFT SKILLS, these skills are people skills, they are JOB SKILLS.

If you demonstrate:

Control of your emotions

Creative thinking

A Collaborative attitude

Good communication

Listening carefully

Time management

       EVERYONE will want YOU to work with them and you will have so many wonderful choices!

So, now let's EXPLORE!

      What excites you? 
            What are your strengths? 
                What are you most excited to learn? 

Use the answers to these questions to begin to think: 

Who am I and what might I want to be?

Play Would You Rather and warm up your brain!

Think about your STRENGTHS too.

What are your skills and talents? How will they help you succeed in a job?

Watch the videos below for MORE ideas!

You don't have to know what you want to do right now. Your ideas will change as you grow and learn and experience more things. The goal is to keep your eyes and ears open to new ideas and to keep being the best version of YOU. 

You already make the world a better place!

HOW DO YOU TACKLE A PROBLEM?

Be a PROBLEM SOLVER!

Being a good citizen means being able to solve problems effectively and fairly. There are a few clear steps we can take to be respectful problem solvers:

First, we name our feelings and calm our mind and body down. This helps us think 
clearly and without strong feelings.

2nd~ Say the problem without blame. Blame assumes that the problem is the fault of one person. True conflict always has two or more sides! What are blame words to avoid?          You always --You NEVER -- 

3rd~ Think of possible solutions. It is important to think of a few possible ideas and to include everyone.

4th~ Explore the consequences of EACH possible solution. Ask yourself, is it fair? Is it kind? What will happen if we choose this solution?

Finally, we Pick a solution to try.

Managing conflict and learning to problem solve is a lifelong skill. It takes courage to stand up for ourselves and it takes respect and compassion to understand our friends, family  and classmates. How will YOU solve conflict?

Conflict

Image from mssepp.blogspot.com on the topic of Conflict.

Learn and Practice More

CHOICE BOARD

Finding and Keeping Our Calm

It's December, time to give ourselves a gift~ 

Strategies to help us feel happy, peaceful and calm.

 December is fun with snow and so many holidays. It can be a happy time! We might also feel other BIG feelings.

If you feel
silly, angry, worried or SAD 
do YOU know what to do? 

Practice and use the Calm Down Steps, and they will be a big help when your feelings feel BIG.

step 1 STOP This is the hardest step when your feeling are BIG. Remember to tell yourself STOP, or WAIT, or THINK to give yourself time to pause.

   

step 2 NAME YOUR FEELING  Happy, sad and mad are easy to remember, but don't forget new words like DISAPPOINTED, FRUSTRATED, ANNOYED AND WORRIED. It is important to KNOW and name our feelings and why we are having them. Say them out loud. Share them with an important grown-up.

step 3 CALM DOWN We all have our own ways to calm down, what are yours? Choose a few that you know will work for YOU!

~ Ways to Calm Down ~

Did you know just NAMING YOUR FEELING begins to help you calm down? Expressing our thoughts and feelings can help us feel more in control, and that feels good! 

Focus on Your Breathing. There are so many different kinds of breath. Try one we learned, or explore with your important grown ups and find more ideas!

Take a walk. Have a drink of water. Hug your pet or a stuffy. Dance. TALK to a friend or important grown up. Listen to music. Play outside. Hug a person or a pillow. Rest.

Use positive self - talk: 

                    I AM STRONG. I AM KIND. I AM SMART. I CAN DO ANYTHING!

Draw, paint or craft, or Zen Doodle to give your body and brain time to relax. 

       

Can YOU think of other ways to calm down?

Did you know that being kind to others makes you happy too? This month and all year, try to practice Random Acts of Kindness. Below is a calendar to get you started!

Even MORE ideas:

Mind Yeti shares some wonderful research-based videos that help kids and their adults calm their minds and focus their attention. 

 Cosmic Kids Yoga has fun yoga and breathing stories!

The Virtual Calm Down Room has virtual ideas for calming down.

In the Feelings Bitmoji Room you will find many different emotions and strategies to explore!

Create your own calm corner.  You'll find a few ideas here!

 

The more we practice noticing and naming our feelings, the easier it is to manage our emotions and

Be Our Best Self!