Date: Wednesday – November 6, 2013

Important Messages from The Cottage School are attached. Please sign this form indicating their receipt and return to the school

with your student tomorrow. Thank You!!

Parent Signature________________________________________

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November 6, 2013

Wednesday Packet

Important Dates/Information

Veterans Day – Monday, November 11th – Thank someone for their service.

3 on 3 Turkey Basketball Tournament – Saturday, November 16th

9 AM-1:00 PM in The Cougar Center

Blood Drive – Tuesday, November 19th 8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Ribbon Cutting – Tuesday, November 19th 1:30 PM Grandparents Day – Friday, November 22nd

8:00 AM in The Cougar Center

Thanksgiving Holiday – Monday-Friday, November 25th-29th

To the PAC Staff Appreciation Team for the wonderful and creative

treats over the Halloween season. You made us all feel special.

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Our GISA Conference was another winner. The opportunity to exchange ideas, update our information, learn about the new research in our field and exchange ideas with our peers is invaluable. Your PAC membership dues help pay for us to send every single teacher to this conference, so Thank You! We are well into the semester by now and I love hearing all the progress our students are making. Every staff meeting in MS and in HS is full of stories detailing strides being made in academics, sports, arts and socially. You can be so very proud of the effort your teen is putting into this school year. We all know that change is difficult and learning new skills, regardless of the area, can be terrifying! Our hourly check system goes a long way to rewarding positive behavior immediately and noting behaviors that need to improve. One area that is not addressed in this system, however, is self-advocacy. That is the skill that allows a student to identify a situation that they would like to see change and take the initiative, appropriately, to ask for that change. One reason this is a delicate skill to develop is that the person who is being bothered is not responsible for the behavior that is annoying. They are not trying to control something that is within their control. They are trying to get others to change what they are doing. Of course, they know that whining or being rude will not get the job done. There is a fine art to politely, but successfully, bringing sufficient attention to a situation that needs to be changed without bringing negative overflow onto yourself! On the other hand, self-advocacy is exactly the kind of skill you need when you leave the shelter of a high school and go into the big, bad world. If our students do not learn to stand up for themselves, they will continue to have to “deal” with other people’s issues. Of course, this is not a situation that is guaranteed, but we at TCS do have a few pointers. We build the training of this skill into our behavioral arsenal in order to assist our students (and their parents) in setting things right. If your child is coming home and complaining to you about something at school, that is good, because they are seeking your guidance. However, you learned a while ago that you cannot fix a problem that exists outside of your purview. What we would like for you to do is brainstorm ways they can handle the situation themselves, at school. First, we want them to bring the problem up here at school, where we can address it before it gets out of hand. Secondly, we want them to be able to suggest ways to correct the problem. Third, we want them to know that they do have some influence about how things are handled and feel empowered by that. Our new building is up and operational. As with any move, there are still areas that need attention, so bear with us as we try to get our outside contractors to complete their tasks (removing the dumpster, etc.) We took advantage of the TWD to do the heavy lifting so the classrooms would be set up for this week, but there will be adjustments along the way. We will have it all completed by the Ribbon Cutting ceremony on the afternoon of November 19th!! See You There!

November 6, 2013

Jacque’s Note

The TCS Advancement Angle

News you can use to help raise money for The Cottage School

Grandparents Day

Friday November 22nd,

8am

Get your envelopes in to

Lesley TODAY! Advance-

ment will mail them out to

your special guest

The Cottage School’s

First Annual

3 on 3 Turkey

Basketball Tournament

Saturday, November 16th

9am to 1pm

The Cottage School Gym

All Participants Must Be 15 or

Older

Registration: $80 per team

All teams are guaranteed two

games.

All proceeds benefit TCS Tuition

Assistance Fund

Registration closes November

10th

Players receive participation

award.

Members of winning team will

receive a gift certificate for a

free Turkey Dinner.

For more information about regis-

tration or sponsorship opportuni-

ties, please contact Lesley Masisak

at

LesleyM@cottageschool.org

Save the Date for the Ribbon

Cutting of

HAGAN HALL

Tuesday, November 19th

1:30pm

More details to follow

TOP HONORS FOR DRAMA AT GISA 4A ONE ACT PLAY

On Tuesday, October 22nd, students from The Cottage School brought home top honors at the 2013 GISA 4A One Act Play drama competition. In addition to winning the One Act Play 4A award, Senior Matthew Smith received an Overall Best Performance individual award, while Seniors Rebecca Custer and Marquez Riley took honorable mentions for their performances.

According to drama teacher, Ryan Lafitte “This is the first time in Cottage School history our actors and actresses have accomplished something like this. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to their performance truly paid off and we are excited to compete again next month at the GISA Class A level in Albany.”

Other students taking part in the performance of Don Zolidis’s “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza” included George Barham, James Dorsey, Alex Elliot, Alex Farrar, Naya Hill, Aminah Hines, Noelle Mace, Will Naitove, Emory Shulse, Noah Storm, and Claire Wylie.

Don’t miss the performance of this award winning show on

Monday, December 9th at 6 PM here at TCS.

The Cottage School Blood Drive (ages 16+)

On the Bloodmobile 700 Grimes Bridge Rd.

Roswell, GA Tuesday, November 19th

8:00 A.M- 3:00 P.M.

Appointments Preferred Parents – Sign up with Donnaire in the main office (770) 641-8688

Students – Sign up On Ashley’s Door Please remember to eat iron-rich foods and drink plenty

of non- caffeinated beverages prior to donating

You MUST Bring a Photo ID, and a permission slip if you are 16!

Toys for Tots and

Warm Coat

DRIVE

Sponsored by: Interact Club and Student Council

November 11th through November 22nd

Toys for Tots

Toys go to

Roswell Rotary Club

Warm Coat Drive

Coats go to NFCC

Please bring in new,

unwrapped Toys

Bring in gently used,

warm winter coats

in good condition

Thinking about college? VR can help

Join us for a Webinar on November 7

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/573441682

Calling all high students with disabilities who want to go to college! This webinar will be co-presented by a current college student with disabilities and a Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Counselor. Hear from a college student who applied for services, became eligible for services, and identified services needed from VR. VR may be able to help you too! Join us and learn more.

Title: Thinking about college? VR can help

Date:

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Time: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 8, 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Mac®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.6 or newer

Mobile attendees Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet

MS November Activities

DATE TIME Activity RAIN-

OUT

TCS$ Things to bring

Friday

11/8

Off Campus

8:15

10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Levels

Georgia Dome

Lunch

Georgia Dome

Homeroom

$273.70

All students going off campus

must bring a sack lunch unless

pre-ordered through lunch

program. There will not be

microwaves.

Friday

11/8

On Campus

8:15

10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Levels

On Campus Fall Activity

Lunch

On Campus Fall Activity

Homeroom

$262. 60

Friday

11/8

Academics $289.80 Academic Materials

*Remember to bring an

independent reading book if

you complete your work early.

Friday

11/15

Clubs

Academics

$156.40

$165.60

Academic Materials

*Remember to bring an

independent reading book if

you complete your work early.

Friday

11/22

8:00

GRANDPARENTS DAY

$156.40

Open to grandparents, aunts,

uncles, or other special friends

of TCS Students

Friday

11/22

Clubs $156.40

Club materials

Friday

11/22

Academics

$165.60

Academic Materials

*Remember to bring an

independent reading book if

you complete your work early.

Monday-

Friday

11/25-

11/29

Thanksgiving Holiday

No School

No School

Middle School

Character Education

Developing a Problem

Statement

Take a look below at what we will be discussing with your student and take some

time to continue these discussions at home!

Objectives:

Develop joint problem statements for hypothetical problem situations.

Develop a joint problem statement for a problem in their life.

Discussion questions for you and your student:

Why should we develop an accurate problem statement before attempting to solve

an interpersonal problem?

How do we develop a joint problem statement?

Key Terms to discuss:

Personal lens, negative attribution, negative attributional bias,

interpersonal problem, joint problem statement

Mix It Up Lunch

The Middle School participated in national “Mix It Up Lunch Day” on October 29th. The students were assigned to different tables (for lunch) and in keeping with the “Halloween theme”, were asked to take turns pulling questions out of a pumpkin (in the center of each table) that were created to help the students get to know their fellow peers. Mix it Up Lunch Day is an important step in a nationwide effort to eliminate social boundaries and bring youth together in their schools and communities. Nowhere on school campuses are the boundaries of group membership more clearly drawn than in the cafeteria. “They” sit at those tables, and “that group” hangs out over there. “Mix It Up Lunch” encourages students to move out of their “comfort zones” and realize the rewards of meeting new people.

HS November Pay Offs

DATE TIME Activity RAIN-

OUT

TCS$ Things to bring/U.S. $

Friday 11/8 1:10-

2:40 Clubs Materials for your club

Saturday

11/9

8:00-

3:00 Saturday School

For students who owe hours

All textbooks, notebooks, planner,

lunch and a change of clothes for

P.M. work detail

Friday

11/15

Academics

8:15

10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Levels

Academics

Lunch

Academics

Homeroom

$299.46

Academic material to complete

work and spare reading materials,

if you will be in academics all day!

Off-Campus

10:00-

2:00

2:40

Atlanta ZOO Homeroom

$289.80

Real $ for lunch

On-Campus

10:00

12:00

12:45

2:40

Minute to Win It Lunch

Kickball Homeroom

$280.14

Athletic wear and court shoes for

the afternoon

Friday

11/22

Grandparents

Day

Invite your grandparents, aunts,

uncles, Godparents or any adult to

share this special day. There will

be breakfast, speakers, and tours

of the campus. Those with an

adult present can leave at 10:00

A.M. to enjoy the afternoon!

There will be an ON Campus

Community Service Day in PM

for remaining students

Monday –

Friday

11/25-29

No School

Thanksgiving Break

What: Cagle’s Family Farm Corn Maze

When: Friday, November 15 at 6:00 pm

Where: Cagle’s Dairy Farm, Canton, GA

Cost: $10 for admission, plus money for food

My child, , has my permission to attend the trip

to Cagle’s Dairy Farm. We will load buses and leave the school at 6:00pm and return to

school at about 9:30pm. I have included $10 for the admission and understand that

he/she will need to bring extra money for dinner if needed.

Parent Signature

Permission slips and money are due by Tuesday, November 12.

Post-Secondary Acceptances and

Scholarships

Congratulations!

Rebecca Custer on her acceptance to Brenau University.

James Dorsey on his acceptance to the University of

Louisville.

Arthur Leach on his acceptance to Beacon College and

The Art Institute of Atlanta.

Senior Scholarships 2013-2014

Rebecca Custer – Brenau University - Trustee Scholarship Award $50,000