May
29, 2008
CALENDAR
Mark Your Calendar - School Wide Dates to Remember
Thursday, May 29
Last day for After School programs.
Online Calendar
For a color-coded, monthly-format calendar of all Speech School events, visit our online calendar here.
SCHOOL NEWS
Lost & Found
Parents, please check the Lost & Found before school is out. Clothes will be laid out in Gilbert Hall (the cafeteria) from May 29th through June 3rd. On June 4th, all unclaimed items will be donated to Threads, a clothing store for the poor at All Saints' Episcopal Church.
Fun Summer Activities To Do With Your Child
Submitted by Donna Patterson, Ed.S., NCSP School Psychologist
Social Skills Development
Submitted by Nicole Sirrine, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
Social skills refer to a collection of behaviors we use to get along with others, such as initiating interactions, sharing, turn-taking, perspective-taking, and conflict resolution. These skills begin to develop in childhood and continue to develop throughout the life span. Social interactions are complex, and navigating them requires an individual to utilize multiple cognitive processes, including visual and auditory perception, language, and problem solving. Due to weaknesses in one or more of these processes, children with learning disabilities and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for challenges in their social relationships. For example, children with language deficits may have difficulty interpreting verbal cues, expressing their thoughts and ideas, and advocating for their needs. Children with ADHD may also have difficulty reading nonverbal cues, and have poor impulse control and social problem solving skills. Negative social interactions can interfere with a child's emotional and behavioral functioning, but because children learn and practice social skills in multiple settings, including at home, in school, and in the community, parents and teacher have numerous opportunities to help children have successful peer interactions.
Ways to Promote Social Skill Development
• Observe your child in a wide variety of social situations (e.g., classroom, extra curricular activities, free play). This will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of his social strengths and weaknesses.
• Provide your child with positive models of appropriate social skills. Children learn a lot from what they see within their family, on television, and among their friends.
• Help develop friendship skills by discussing ways to be a good friend and by giving your child lots of practice. Enroll your child in group activities or arrange play dates for your child. When selecting these activities, consider your child's interests and abilities.
• Create a non-competitive home (and school) environment wherein the child learns to celebrate his own small victories. Help your child learn to view his progress as compared to his own previous performance, not the performance of others.
• Assist your child in identifying and expressing his feelings, and recognizing the feelings of others.
• Help your child practice problem solving by reflecting on everyday social conflicts. Children often come up with their own solutions by exploring alternatives with an adult.
• Teach children to communicate desires assertively and without anger or whining. One way to do this is to respond to requests only if they are made in a friendly tone of voice, and to ignore them if they are not. Don't forget to praise the specific behaviors that you like.
• Teach children how to listen to others and help them to see things from others' perspectives.
• Be supportive of your child when he tells you about social confrontations or difficulties that he has experienced in order to foster open communication. Thank him for sharing the experience with you and discuss optional strategies that he could have used.
• Teach social skills during relaxed family times. Approach your child at a time when he is receptive (e.g. “Mark, next week you will be going to John's birthday party. Let's practice how you will hand him your gift and what you will say when he opens it and thanks you.”).
References
Lavoie, Rick (1994).”Dos and don'ts” for fostering social competence. Article from www.ldonline.org.
Masty, J. & Schwab, Y. (January, 2006). Ask the expert: Social skills. Article from www.aboutourkids.org.
Ryan, Michael (2004). Social and emotional problems related to dyslexia. Article from www.ldonline.org.
Contact Us
We want to hear what you think about the Spider Web! If you have any comments, suggestions, and/or submissions, please direct them to Paula Ford, our Director of Communications, at pford@atlspsch.org.
KATHERINE HAMM CENTER NEWS
Mark Your Calendar
Friday, May 30
9:30am - Hamm Center graduation ceremony, Sarah Jennings Love Auditorium (see below for more info).
Graduation Ceremony
The Katherine Hamm Center Graduation ceremony will begin promptly at 9:30am on Friday, May 30th in the Love Auditorium. Since the ceremony does not last long, guests are encouraged to arrive on time. Parking delays are possible and carpooling is suggested. Don't forget to bring tissues!
ANNE & JIM KENAN PRESCHOOL NEWS
Mark Your Calendar
May 29 – June 3
Parent conferences.
STEPPING STONES NEWS
Congratulations to our Boulder graduates! Have a great summer!
WARDLAW SCHOOL NEWS
Mark Your Calendar
Friday, May 30
8:00am – All Wardlaw students in class.
8:15am - Wardlaw graduation and end of year ceremonies, Sarah Jennings Love Auditorium (see below for more info).
Year End Festivities
Wardlaw Graduation and End of Year ceremonies will begin promptly in Love Auditorium at 8:15 am on Friday, May 30th. All students need to arrive in their classrooms by no later than 8 a.m. Parents are asked to please sign in at the front desk and proceed directly to Love Auditorium and take their seats. We urge you to carpool to ease the parking situation and to plan accordingly for parking delays. We look forward to seeing you!
Save the Date - Popsicles on the Playground
While August seems far off, it will be here before you know it. Please mark your calendar for Wednesday, August 13th for our second annual Popsicles on the Playground event. Both new and returning students can beat the summer heat by enjoying a cool popsicle treat with their classmates. It's a fun time for parents to catch up too. Please contact either Jennifer Gordon at jennifer.gordon@wachovia.com or Darlene Chatham at llc1199@aol.com with any questions. Hope to see you there!
FOR: New and Returning Wardlaw Students
DATE: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
TIMES: 1:00-2:00 pm - Kindergarten and 1st Level
2:00-3:00 pm – Second and third Levels
3:00-4:00 pm – Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Levels
LOCATION: Atlanta Speech School Playground
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