Stay Safe!

 Hello Shell Lake parents and families,

We have kicked off our year here at school with reminders and reteaching about our Laker Way expectations:  Be safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be a problem solver.  This week the focus is on safety.  School should be a place where all students feel safe from harm both physically and emotionally. 

Safety at school means clear boundaries around what is allowed on the playground so no one gets hurt, kids keeping their hands to themselves and giving others their personal space, and following directions from the teacher.  Everything from waking in the hall to sitting properly in a desk comes from a mindset of safety.  Parents, you probably have your own safety rules at home too:  don't leave the house without asking, don't ride your bike outside this perimeter, don't jump on the trampoline without a net, etc.  

Recent research shows that mental health is another safety issue as more families are concerned about anxiety and depression post-pandemic, which makes it a topic for all of us to address.  (Read this article to see what parents are feeling and worrying about these days:  Pew Research)

It is our desire to create an atmosphere at school where all children feel welcomed and have a voice, where kindness and empathy are part of our school culture.  We can all help with this by modeling and expecting our children to treat others with respect, to listen with care to what others are sharing, and to remember to think about how their actions might be perceived by their peers.  

Thanks for an AWESOME (and safe) first week with your children!