Belonging in Pre-kindergarten

 We belong to the Dragonfly class. We belong to the Honeybee class. We belong at Concordia! The PreK children have been exploring a range of experiences that have helped them understand and connect with our Word of the Year: Belong. We talked about how we belong together as a class because we work, play, learn, and eat together, while recognizing that each child brings something unique to our community. We created “We Belong” classroom displays by drawing ourselves as part of our class. Through hands-on exploration, conversations, and creative expression, the children are developing an understanding that belonging is not just about being part of a group—it is about being valued, connected, and contributing to the community around us.

Back to School Night Success

Thank you to all the families who joined us for Back-to-School Night on Thursday! It was a wonderful evening of connection, and we are so grateful for your time and commitment to partnering with us. If you were unable to attend, not to worry, as you can review the slides from our principal at your convenience, and please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher directly with any questions. We are always happy to connect.

Upcoming Parent Social

We also want to give you a heads-up about an exciting event coming soon, our Early Childhood Parent Social! This is a relaxed and fun opportunity to meet and mingle with other Concordia parents in the early childhood community. Whether you're new to Concordia or a returning family, we'd love for you to come, connect, and enjoy some time together.

Parent Tip of the Week

Last year in the Counseling Corner, we explored a different Positive Discipline tool each week: practical ways to build connection, encourage cooperation, and guide children with kindness and firmness.

This year, we’ll continue building on those ideas while adding another lens: self-regulation. Developed by Dr. Stuart Shanker, self-regulation invites us to look beneath behavior and become curious about the stress, energy, and needs that may be driving what we see. Throughout the year, we’ll share small ideas and resources to help us better understand our children, support regulation, and strengthen connection.

To begin, here is a one-minute introduction to What is Self-Regulation?

https://self-reg.ca/self-reg-in-60-seconds-what-is-self-reg/

A question to carry with you this week: When a behavior is challenging, what might be happening underneath it?

Next week I would introduce reframing: moving from “Why is my child doing this?” in the frustrated sense toward the genuinely curious “Why? Why now?”