
Social interaction is part of what makes online gaming so popular and engaging for kids. Of course, online communication can come with some risks. Show your kids how to keep their gaming experiences fun, healthy, and positive.
Video: bit.ly/olyRCv1


Wednesday, December 7th is an Early Release Day for Olympia students. OHMS will dismiss at 11:30 a.m. and elementary schools will dismiss at 12:00 p.m.


:: Give them the right words ::
Kids learn about appropriate verbal and physical communication from watching you. But online conversations can be invisible. Occasionally, narrate as you're writing texts or social media comments when your kids are in earshot.


:: Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online::
Soon after kids start reading and writing, they often begin interacting with others online. Whether they're chatting within games or texting family members, kids need the skills to interact respectfully. These skills will help kids -- and the people they're communicating with -- have positive experiences online. Throughout December, be on the lookout for these 4 Family Tips for elementary families who are looking to build a strong foundation for online relationships and communication!


Happy Friday from pre-k and 4th grade! We love book buddy day!!



My kid seems addicted to her phone. What do I do? It may seem like your kid is addicted (and may even "feel" addicted) to the phone, but it's more likely normal teen behavior.
Read more: bit.ly/Oly_QA2


Help kids identify healthy behaviors.
Practice talking about feelings -- both physical and emotional -- during screen and non-screen activities.


Watch and play together.
Choose quality, age-appropriate media to enjoy with your kids. Visit commonsensemedia.org to find shows, games, and more.


How to Set Screen Rules That Stick Easy tips for limiting kids' computer, TV, game, and movie time. | Caroline Knorr | 2/21/2019
https://bit.ly/OlyMBSR


Today first grade 'turkeys' collaborated and persevered during a Thanksgiving themed Escape Room! They worked hard and managed to escape just before the farmer caught them! Happy Thanksgiving!


Healthy Media Habits for Young Kids
Now that screen-time recommendations are more flexible, it's time for new rules. | Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/OlyMBCK


Third graders practiced engineering problem solving by designing solutions to make a house more secure in a windstorm.




Establish clear family rules.
Decide together what kind of media and tech is OK -- and when it's OK to use it. A family media plan can help get everyone on the same page.


Congratulations to the students at Olympia West for filling their PBIS spartan ticket bucket. Students in fourth grade celebrated with a pajama day, fireplace reading, and a free book.


West first graders had "the best day ever"! It's PJ day for Red Ribbon Week, they earned a fuzzy pal day for filling the class bucket, AND it is an Out of the Blue day so they had a flashlight reading party!


Set content limits that make sense for your family. Alongside conversations about healthy media habits, use features such as content filtering, privacy settings, and time limits offered by the apps and platforms your family uses to help manage access and exposure to media.


Join the Olympia High School Dance Team for a Mini Dance Clinic and an opportunity to perform with the dance team at a basketball game! See the attached flyer for more details. We hope to see you there! Please email Coach Weyl at emily.weyl@olympia.org with any questions.

Thank you to all the student, staff, and community volunteers for your work in making the Community Claus Spaghetti Dinner such a success!




It’s GLOW day in 4th grade at Olympia West! Mrs. Swartzendruber’s room has been transformed to go along with the neon dress up day. Students created doodle draws with neon glowing highlighters to illustrate the main themes of the book being read aloud.



