Dear Parents,

A few weeks ago, Ms. Vivian, our Pedagogical Coordinator, hosted a Coffee Meeting in which she discussed the topic, “Conflict Resolution with Young Children.”  Please find attached the notes from this discussion.

Should you have any questions or would like to speak to Ms. Vivian regarding more information on this topic, please schedule through the front office.

Thank you!

Conflict Resolution with Young Children

Dear Parents,

Thank you again to those of you who joined us last week at our MISD “One World” Gala.  It was a beautiful evening filled with love and laughter and we truly appreciate all of you that came and showed your support!

Our photographer, Sean Cox, has provided an online gallery for your enjoyment.  You are able to download up to 10 photographs for free by clicking on the cloud icon on the bottom of the image.

Please click here to view the beautiful gallery of our joyous evening.

If you should need a photographer in the future, Sean Cox, specializes in family, wedding, event and advertising photography.  Please feel free to contact him as he graciously offered to donate next year’s gallery to MISD for free if someone books with him and mentions “MISD”.  Thank you!

The online auction closes tonight at 10pm!  Be sure to place your best and final bet on the item you love- don’t let someone outbid you 😉

If you haven’t gone to check out the items being auctioned, or, if you were waiting until the last minute to quickly sneak in there and outbid someone, now is your last chance!  Remember, anyone can bid so feel free to share the last minute items with friends and family! 

Click here to visit the online auction!

Happy Bidding and Good Luck!

3 More Days Until The “One World” Gala!

Thursday night we look forward to seeing all of you at The Lot in La Jolla for the MISD Annual Gala!  Come support your school and have a night out with MISD parents, teachers and staff!  The evening is as follows:

• Cocktail “Hour”
  • Sign up for Teacher Fun Days, Yearbook, Classroom Wish Lists
  • Take pictures in front of the Photo Backdrop
  • Enter into the Wine Raffle
  • Enjoy the h’ordurves and mingle with parents 
• Dinner
  • Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and a glass (or two!) of wine
• Live Auction
  • Classroom artwork auction
  • Teacher Professional Development
  • Scholarships
  • Baskets
• Dessert

There is still time to get your tickets!!! Click here to purchase your tickets to the Gala AND to bid on our online auction.  Remember- even if you are not able to attend the Gala, you can still place bids online!

Dear Parents,

The Gala is in less than a week!  We are getting excited– I hope you are too!  If you haven’t done so already, be sure to  Click here to visit the Bidding For Good Website to bid on auction items and to purchase your Gala Tickets TODAY!  

As promised, below is the list of this year’s Teacher Fun Days!  Sign up is on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Gala.  Here are the activities for this year:

• Cooking, dancing and splashing at MISD with Ms. Lily, Ms. Asa and Ms. Maria (suitable for Toddler children only)
• A French Fiesta at MISD with Ms. Kathleen, Ms. Adri and Ms. Fernanda (suitable for Primary children only)
• A visit to the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista with Ms. Heather and Ms. Liliana (suitable for Primary and Lower Elementary children)
• Game night at MISD with Ms. Analaura and Mr. Jaime (suitable for Lower Elementary children)
• Bowling with Ms. Liz, Ms. Gigi and Ms. Sara (suitable for Upper Elementary children)

Click here to buy your tickets now!

Happy Friday!

As a reminder, our Gala Kick Off event is on Tuesday, January 23rd at 8:30am in the trailers.  Please RSVP to Ms. Sara and we hope to see you there!

Last night, we had a wonderful Toddler Education Night in which Dr. Dubovoy handed out an inspiring page on how to re-phrase our sentences into “Golden Statements”.  Please enjoy! 

Happy New Year!  We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday vacation and is rested and refreshed for the 2018 Spring Semester!  The children are busy back in their classrooms and are happy to be with their friends and settling into the routine.

As we start the new year, we would like to bring your attention to a few important reminders:

• The importance of being on time! We know getting back into the school routine presents its own sets of challenges, especially in the morning, but it is very important that your children arrive on time to school.  Children who enter the classroom late miss the ritual of the work day which makes them feel uncomfortable and without a sense of order for how to begin their day.  Additionally, it is important for children, as they grow and develop in all areas of life, to develop the habit of punctuality.  If you are struggling with your morning routine to get to school on time, please feel free to reach out to your teachers for advice on how to structure the morning.  As a reminder, below are the drop-off times for each grade level.  Please note that while there is a grace period for the morning drop-off, it is important that you remain in your window of opportunity as these are implemented to create a flow of traffic and to respect the AMI guidelines of a 3-hour, uninterrupted work period.

Elementary: 8:00am

Primary: 8:15-8:30am

Toddler: 8:30-8:45am

Pick-Up For the Children’s House: Please be mindful during afternoon pick-up to pull your car forward to allow space for passing cars.  Additionally, if you are not the first 3 cars in line, we ask that you please remain in your car before coming to sign your child out. 

• Sickness:  As the cold weather persists, we ask that you please be extra sensitive with your children and any symptoms they may be experiencing.  In an effort to keep everyone healthy, and in compliance with California State Licensing, if your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, we ask that they stay home and remain symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to school:

Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, drainage from nose, severe cough, unusual color to skin or eyes, stiff neck and headache, difficulty breathing or wheezing, complaints of any pain, seeming to be abnormally tired and in need of rest.

Thank you and we look forward to another wonderful semester together!

Vacations and the Young Child

By: Vivian Dubovoy Perlo

Winter break is here! Many families are looking forward to spending some special moments together. I wanted to share with you some suggestions to keep in mind when you have a young child at home:

• The first and most important thing to remember is that children live in the moment; they might have to be given some time to warm up even to our closest relatives. Children do not develop the sense of time (e.g., “yesterday”, “in one hour”, “you will see them again tomorrow”) and therefore benefit greatly from knowing how their day will be like. Prepare your child; let him/her know who you are going to meet, if they are to be seated at a restaurant or who you will receive at home. If you have photos to show that would be even better.

• Children thrive on routine and vacation time is characterized by the change of flow. Children eventually learn about this switch of schedule during vacation times but it is hard to grasp for a younger child; this doesn’t mean skipping the activities but altogether trying to respect their routine as much as possible. If you are traveling remember to bring some item that makes them feel at home elsewhere, like a book you read at night, a blanket or a favorite toy.

• Children love to help and it is a great way to keep them busy and involved. Let them help in setting the table, preparing food and welcoming guests. These activities help the child getting used to the guests at the house and also allow family to get to know your child better without him/her having to perform for them.

• Keep your expectations real; if your child feels overwhelmed by too many adults this is not going to change just because we want them to be in their best behavior. As adults, we have a better idea of how we want to spend our vacation time or holiday season, but for the child being offered our time, patience, understanding and love is the best way to spend their vacation time.

• Don’t overload your days as this is usually the trigger to more emotional moments; children and parents at the end of the day are tired and feeling overwhelmed. Plan activities according to what your child can manage (e.g., going to the Zoo and looking at the elephants or the gorillas) and also activities you enjoy yourself.

• For the young child it is important when planning a trip to remember they need to touch, climb and move. Try to avoid places where they need to stand in long lines and remember the real world is interesting enough for a child under the age of six. Try to keep your trips based on reality and not fantasy as children need tangible experiences to make sense of the world around them (e.g., going for a walk, smelling the flowers, collecting stones, building a sandcastle).

• Be mindful that if you traveled to visit family or friends or welcomed guests at your home, that your child will need some time to get used to going back to the routine; especially when loved ones leave. Children are very sensitive to change and do not comprehend fully at this time the concept of saying good-bye (as opposed to the everyday bye-bye) and many times keep looking for the guests or relatives. Showing them pictures of the activities you enjoyed together might help them ease through the transition.

… filled with much love, joy and blessings!

Ms. Vivian