DaVinci Connection – October 21, 2022

Thank you to all who were able to come and connect with teachers and staff during Fall Conferences. It is always fun to show what our students have been working on and a great time to set some goals for the rest of the year. Also, thank you to the volunteers who helped with our Book Fair. There is nothing better than Book Fair time in school! It is always fun to see parents in school and we encourage you to reach out to Lindsey Gable if you are ever interested in volunteering. 

I want to shout out a couple of awesome things that we have been seeing in the elementary classrooms. In art with Ms. Whiteford, the fifth graders have been painting birch trees using some watercolors and tissue paper flower blossoms. The stellar second graders had their first annual Comicon where they performed fairytales and wrote their very own comics. The kindergarteners took their very first field trip to Pinehaven Farm. Each student even got to bring home their own pumpkin. The first graders are busily preparing for their Bartering Fair by making ancient Egyptian artifacts in art, learning about ancient Egyptian culture, and learning how to barter. Our fabulous fourth graders are learning the 50 states region by region. If you want to sing the Fifty Nifty United States, hop on into one of the fourth grade classrooms. In our STEM class with Ms. Coughlin students in fourth and fifth grade are learning the proper way to write an email and students in third grade are learning some coding through some exciting games. Our terrific third graders are learning about how bills pass to become laws and have been writing their own bills in hopes of them becoming “laws” in their own classroom. 

One last friendly reminder is with the weather changing, please make sure your student comes to school ready to go outside for recess anytime the temperature is above zero. Students will need a warm coat, hat, mittens, snow pants, and boots as the temperatures drop. If you need assistance with obtaining any of these items, please reach out to our school social worker, Courtney Ferderer.

During the month of September, DaVinci Den students made fleece tie blankets as a service project for the Kids In Need Foundation. 

After the blankets were finished, Alicia Brekkestran and Julie Kresh delivered the blankets to the donation site in Roseville. Students made 8 blankets in total!

October is ADHD Awareness Month! Did you know that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects roughly 11 percent of school-age children? 

It is normal for children to have trouble with their focus and behavior from time to time. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with their social relationships.

A child with ADHD might:

• daydream a lot
• forget or lose things a lot
• squirm or fidget
• talk too much
• make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
• have a hard time resisting temptation
• have trouble taking turns
• have difficulty getting along with others

According to the CDC, scientists are studying cause(s) and risk factors in an effort to find better ways to manage and reduce the chances of a person having ADHD. Risk factors and/or causes for ADHD are unknown, but the most current research shows that genetics plays a role. 

In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including:

• Brain injury
• Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age
• Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy
• Premature delivery
• Low birth weight

Research does not support the popularly held views that ADHD is caused by eating too much sugar, watching too much television, parenting, or social and environmental factors such as poverty or family chaos. Of course, many things, including these, might make symptoms worse, especially in certain people. But the evidence is not strong enough to conclude that they are the main causes of ADHD.

For more information on ADHD or to discuss your child’s health/behavior, reach out to your pediatrician. 

Additional Resources: 

• ADHD Fact Sheet
• Understanding ADHD: Info For Parents
• ADHD Awareness Month

Mindfully Yours,

DaVinci Academy’s Mental Health Team

Phoenix Hathaway (K-4 Counselor) www.calendly.com/mshathaway (763)-754-6577 ext. 1204

Diana Muske (5-8 School Counselor) (763) 754-6577 ext. 1310

Courtney Ferderer (K-8 School Social Worker) www.calendly.com/mrsferderer (763)-754-6577 ext. 1215

Families with no income or low income could get at least $3,000 per child with the Child Tax Credit, plus $1,400 with the third stimulus payment – even if they have never filed taxes before and if they have not filed taxes this year. It is estimated that more than 33,000 children in Minnesota could miss out on this money if their parent/guardian has not filed. 

Use the simplified tax filing tool to claim your Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and any missing amount of your third stimulus payment. Here’s the link to learn more – https://www.getctc.org/en

Get started by November 15th to claim your tax benefits in 2022.

Congratulations to DaVinci Academy alumni and Anoka-Hennepin high school students Ben Hesli, Gracie Brausen, Mujaddid Khan, Brandt Block, Asher Graleske, Andrew Lange Jr, and Kashish Wadhwa, who were recently named Advanced Placement (AP) scholars based on scores on AP course exams taken during the 2021-22 school year.

Great work!

Fall weather is upon us. Please remember to send a light sweater or fall jacket (labeled with your child’s name) with your child if it looks like it will be cooler outside. We do go outside daily and don’t want them to be chilly.