News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 10/20  
Tuesday, 10/21  NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 10/22  
Thursday, 10/23  
Friday, 10/24  Family Camp Out (Ticketed Event)

Monday, 10/27  
Tuesday, 10/28  
Wednesday, 10/29  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm; Parent Conferences
Thursday, 10/30
Friday, 10/31  Field Day; NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30


Transcript Request
Fifth grade families will begin thinking about middle school options over the next few weeks. We will provide one full copy of your child's transcript upon request.  Please request early, as it may take up to one week to process your request.  

10 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
from familyeducation.com

1. Talk to your child.  Ask your child if there is anything that he would like you to discuss with the teacher.
2. Be prepared. Jot down everything that you want to talk about at the conference.
3. Be on time.  Arrive promptly or a few minutes early.
4. Start off on the right foot. Begin with positive comments about the teacher or the classroom.
5. Stay on track.  Avoid lengthy discussion of topics that are not related to the purpose of the conference.
6. Listen to what the teacher has to say.  Be open-minded to suggestions from the teacher.
7. Stay calm.  Keep your emotions under control.
8. Tell your child what you discussed.  Take notes about what has been discussed to share with your child.
9. Show gratitude.  Express appreciation for the conference.
10. Stay within your conference time.  Do not stay beyond your allotted time.

Bullying or Not?

Through our work with +Works, we have been able to offer parents a handy resource for helping a child who is struggling with a classmate, +Parenting Guide.  You can find the guide on the Roberts website if you don't have a copy.  

We are often quick to term any social struggle as bullying, but it is very important that we help differentiate behaviors to help our children resolve occasional conflicts with peers and friendship issues on their own.  

The article in Teaching Tolerance, There are No Bullies, Just Kids Who Bully, offers good information and explores bully behaviors.  Bullying is repeated, targeted behavior, and is defined in the article as:

For behavior to qualify as bullying, two conditions must exist:

• The aggressor must intend to hurt or intimidate someone less powerful.
• The behavior must be repeated.

If you have concerns about social interactions between your child and a classmate, make sure you reach out to your child's teacher.

School Grounds Closed Friday

The school grounds will be closed on Friday, beginning at 5 p.m. and will re-open on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.