The MUS Lower School Blog

Let them gain their independence

Encouraging resilience. Allowing failure. How to let go without letting them down? Hands-on "shape and mold" vs. learning when to back off. What price do children pay for parent's overprotection? Wow. These challenging issues were addressed this morning by TIME Magazine's Nancy Gibbs and Dr. Gayle Saltz on this morning's TODAY. We should consider an opportunity to have a constructive Coffee Talk about their discussion one day soon. Thanks to Mrs. Schuhmacher for bringing it to our attention.

Party reminder

Seventh grade parents, don’t forget the Parent Party is this Friday, October 16. This will be a great way to meet the parents of your son’s classmates. Join us from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the home of Beth and John Kakales at 6423 Blue Heron Cove, 38120. The attire is dressy casual. Jeannie Jones has planned a delicious menu, and she needs helping hands to cook or volunteer. To help, e-mail Jeannie at jeannie-jones@att.net. If you can’t attend, please send your regrets to Beth at bkakales@yahoo.com, so we can adjust the menu accordingly.

Hope to see you there!

From the counselor

Staying Connected to Your Teenager by Michael Riera, Ph.D. is a great resource for parents. If you have not read this book, we recommend you do! Please see the attached notes from this morning’s parent book club meeting: Download Staying Connected To Your Teenager

We look forward to seeing you next month on October 15 when we will discuss Your Child’s Strengths by Jenifer Fox. Remember, Davis-Kidd Booksellers gives a 20% discount on the month’s selection, and you don’t have to read the book to come and join the discussion. Please email Catherine Schuhmacher (left column here) with any questions.

 

Thanks for coming

Well, glad that's over with! Just kidding. Some teachers and I were just discussing how much we enjoy Parents Back to School day because it allows everyone some practical context for moving forward with Junior. Hopefully you found us to be both "fair and reasonable," as Coach Tyler often says about expectations in Lower School, and where you may have lingering questions, objections, or where you request points of clarification, now that you have a name with a face, maybe we can respond more effectively and to your satisfaction. Please try our poll to the left.

It is still early in the school year. Therefore, there is time for boys to right the ship where necessary. I truly believe that our faculty and staff and parents have the same goals and desires for these boys, and therefore our partnership should be mutually enjoyable, to the boys' ultimate benefit. As we turn the page into this second half of the First Quarter, let's all try to build upon the positive spirit of today, tweaking the little things, encouraging discipline, verifying that the boys are indeed doing their reasonable service towards attempting all of their assignments with the honor and dedication needed to be successful here. 

Parent Camp tonight, 5:30

Please be reminded to have a parent or family representative come tonight to the Lower School building for our Parent Camp orientation. We'll serve sandwiches, cookies, and water for all. Football practices will be in session, so please come in the building and escape the heat before we officially begin promptly at 5:30. Also, please bring medical forms, Owl Camp forms, and of course, your questions! see you tonight. 

Of summer reading, mathpacks, and alarm clocks

July, we barely knew ye. 

Start the countdown, friends. You're not alone. Hard to believe that we can go from the empty, quiet halls of today to ones teaming with various degrees of sputtering testosterone. It all falls into place thanks in large part to some good people serving behind the scenes at MUS all summer. From Mr. Broer and Mrs. Clark securing the complex variables that become student schedules, to Mr. Fowlkes and his team in the business office overseeing a hoard of paperwork from facility maintenance to student contracts to book sale organization... and the list goes on. 

A special recognition goes to the Lower School team of Mrs. Schuhmacher and Mr. Tyler who, in my absence this summer, have made sure that the specific details for a number of our particular needs have been addressed. I couldn't do it without them. Soon, you who will be new to the school will meet all these people, and hopefully experience as smooth of a transition as we all hope your family to have.

Until then, brush up on the summer reading, review the content of those math packs... and get the boys to practice waking up before noon.

Parent speaker series continues this Thursday

Freedom from Chemical Dependency speakers will be on campus all week meeting with students. They will also speak with parents this Thursday, October 30, at noon in the Wunderlich Auditorium. Lunch will be provided so please RSVP by e-mailing Catherine Schuhmacher. We had some misunderstandings the last time we requested RSVPs for lunch orders, so please let us buy your lunch. If you happen to drop by without making a lunch reservation, we welcome you. Please wait until everyone is served. You just might get lucky.

 

Notes for Grandfathers' Breakfast

Tomorrow morning, there will be a lot of activity in the Lower School/Campus Center parking lot. We need your help in seeing that we minimize any potential traffic congestion and maximize your son's and their grandfather(s)' experiences. Please instruct the driving grandfathers to park as close to the Campus Center as possible as we have reserved those spaces for them.

The breakfast program begins with the serving of coffee and food at 7:30 sharp, so we suggest arrival on campus at 7:15. Boys are to drop off their book bags in the Lower School before entering the dining hall. Grandfathers are welcome to escort their grandsons into the building if they want to, and following the breakfast they will have an opportunity to take a campus tour with the Upper School Ambassadors as their grandsons head on to class. The tours will begin roughly at 8:20 a.m. and last about 30-45 minutes.

The bookstore will be open in the morning, so if granddad desires some Owl Bling, we will gladly offer the opportunity.   

If your son is not attending the breakfast, that is perfectly fine. However, he will not be allowed to enter the dining hall for his usual breakfast fix if indeed he is in the habit of doing so. Maybe junior needs to eat breakfast off campus before coming to school because we will not allow McDonald's bags all over the building.

We hope your family experiences an enjoyable Grandfathers' Breakfast and campus tour. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Rachel Krantz in the Advancement Office, 260.1412 or email her at rachel.krantz@musowls.org.

RSVP reminder for Phyllis Gardner

Please remember to email catherine@musowls.org to reserve your place for Thursday's noon lunch meeting in the Wunderlich Auditorium of the Campus Center. If you have all ready emailed her, do not do so again, please.

Judge Gardner will discuss the legal implications about underage drinking, what happens to parents who allow underage drinking, and she will provide practical anecdotes from her years of experience. For those of unfamiliar with Judge Gardner's style, please know that she has a great sense of humor as well as a command of the law. This will be a lively session that you won't want to miss.

Parent to Parent notes

Counselor Schuhmacher here:

Busy week with parent education events this week….

Parent to Parent got off to a great start with 25 participants yesterday!  This group meets each Wednesday at noon in the Halperin Gillespie room. If you would like to join the group, but didn’t attend this week, please let me know and we will order extra workbooks.

Parent Book Club began this morning, and we had over 20 parents! We discussed the book Drive: 9 Ways to Motivate Your Kids to Achieve by Janine Walker Caffrey, Ed.D. Please see my notes here, Download drive_918.pdf, and be sure to join us next month for our discussion of Michael Thompson’s latest book.

The Parent Speaker Series kicks off next week with Judge Phyllis Gardner speaking about the legal implications of teen alcohol use on Thursday at noon. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Lunch will be served.

For more information about all parent events, click on the Parent tab on the main MUS website.