Support your child when trauma strikes
When children are dealing with a traumatic event in their lives, it can affect their emotions, health and schoolwork. Whether it is a death, a family problem or even worries about events in the news, be alert for signs of distress in your child. Calmly explain the situation as best you can. Help your child put feelings into words, then say that you will cope with things together. Offer a sense of control by providing chances for your child to make small decisions about things like meals or clothes.
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School Choice applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open. Here is the link to the application and letter: https://5il.co/1q30x

Cooking makes math and reading tasty fun
Cooking with you helps your child practice valuable skills such as reading, following directions and planning ahead. Have your child read each step in a recipe aloud. Then, ask questions like, "Which do I put in first, milk or flour?" You can also challenge your student to do the math of doubling a recipe, or to look up cooking terms in the dictionary: "What does mince mean?" Working with you to feed the family can also make your child feel useful and needed.
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https://www.cocacolaunitedd2c.com/PortBarreElementaryCoca-ColaFundraiser
🥤COKE FUNDRAISER 🧃Today is the last day. Get your orders in before it is too late. (DEADLINE to sell is March 2) As of Friday, 2nd grade was in the lead of selling the most cases. Please support our school by helping your child fundraise. It’s easy! 🥳
⭐️COPY the link & this sample message, and send it to family in the family group chat, coworkers, and friends.
______ is selling Coke products as a fundraiser for school. Your support is greatly appreciated! The deadline is March 2. 🙂
Pick up is March 11 at Port Barre Elementary from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Students in grade 3 and 4 participated in an Black History essay contest. Students selected one quote and explained what the quote means to them. Thank you to all students that participated in the contest. Congratulations to our winners!

Give your child room to mature into adolescence
As children grow into adolescents, their craving for independence grows, too. This can lead to conflict with the adults around them. To keep it to a minimum, allow your child appropriate independence and polite assertiveness. But also continue to set limits and explain why they are important. The safe, loving and respectful home environment you provide gives your child a strong foundation for success.
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Ask questions to help your child decode unfamiliar words
When your child is reading and gets stuck on an unfamiliar word, ask questions to help your student sound it out: "What sound does the first letter make?…What sound does the last letter make?...Are there any letter combinations you recognize in the word? What sounds do they make?" Have your child point to each letter in order and slowly say the sound it makes, then blend them together faster.
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Test your child's nerves with this science experiment
To help your child learn how nerves work, fill three large bowls with water: one with cold, one hot (not scalding), and one room temperature. Have your child put one hand in the hot bowl and one in the cold bowl for one minute. Next, put your child's hot hand in the room temperature bowl. Ask, "Is it hot or cold?" Do the same with the cold hand. Your child's hot hand will feel cold, and the cold hand will feel hot, even though both are in the same water. That's because nerves sense temperature changes relative to what they are used to.
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🎉🎭 Port Barre Elementary students are invited to wear a Mardi Gras (purple, gold, or green) or Black History (red or black) shirt this Friday, February 28, 2025, for FREE! Let's come together and celebrate both the spirit of Mardi Gras and honor the rich history of Black History Month. 🎭🎉
🎉Port Barre Elementary will celebrate Black History Month with a Black History Program on Friday, February 28, 2025, in the cafeteria starting at 1:00 pm. for Pre-K to 2nd grade and starting at 1:55 pm for 3rd and 4th grade students.
Kona Ice will be on campus tomorrow, Friday, February 28. Find those refillable cups and put them in your child's backpack. Prices range from $3 - $7. Please send money with your child in the morning.

https://www.cocacolaunitedd2c.com/PortBarreElementaryCoca-ColaFundraiser
🥤COKE FUNDRAISER 🧃 Please support our school by helping your child fundraise. It’s easy! 🥳 (DEADLINE to sell is March 2)
⭐️COPY the link & this sample message, and send it to family in the family group chat, coworkers, and friends.
______ is selling Coke products as a fundraiser for school. Your support is greatly appreciated! The deadline is March 2. 🙂
Pick up is March 11 at Port Barre Elementary from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
PBES St. Patrick's Day Math Night & Scholastic Book Fair Family Night:
Parents, please complete and return the flyer that was sent home with your student by Friday, February 28. This will help us get an accurate count of interested families for our St. Patrick's Day Math Night and Scholastic Book Fair Family Night, scheduled for Wednesday, March 12 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. We want to make sure there's enough fun and resources for everyone. Thank you!

Congratulations to this week's Positive Office Referrals!

Congratulations to February Lil Red Hots and Employee of the month at PBES! Lil Red Hots: Karter H. (not pictured), Emily S., Ahnalyse F., Bailey D., Genesis E., and Jamison T. Employee: Heather F. These individuals have consistently modeled positive behavior, good character, and strong work ethic! Keep up the great work!

School will be closed for Mardi Gras Break on Monday, March 3 through Wednesday, March 5. Students return on Thursday, March 6.
Conversation starters enrich family meals
With a little imagination, mealtime can be a time for enriching conversation that develops skills like listening and speaking, thinking and sharing. To get the conversation started, try placing an interesting object in the center of the table to discuss. Or, cover old maps in self-stick plastic to make placemats and use them to plan a fantasy trip. You could also fix dishes from another culture and discuss that culture while you eat.
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🎉🎭 Mardi Gras & Black History Month ! 🎭🎉
Port Barre Elementary students are invited to wear a Mardi Gras (purple, gold, or green) or Black History (red or black) shirt this Friday, February 28, 2025, for FREE!
Let's come together and celebrate both the spirit of Mardi Gras and honor the rich history of Black History Month. 🙌
Listen to negative feelings, but don't encourage them
Some children seem to have been born with a negative outlook. You may not be able to change your child's personality, but you can make coping easier. First, accept the person your child is, outlook and all. But don't pay more attention to negativity than other feelings. Your child may learn to use it to get attention. Instead, listen to complaints so your child feels heard, then change the subject to something your student feels more positive about.
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Create a schoolwork routine that works for your child
Some children have more trouble concentrating than others. That can make working on assignments at home challenging. Establishing a study routine will make it easier for your child to get down to work. Turn off the TV and other distractions, and encourage your child to make daily to-do lists. Together, break big tasks down into smaller chunks. Then, let your child take a five-minute break after every 20 minutes of working.
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