October 2018 Challenger Newsletter


 The Challenger Difference


Empowering Students with Positive Discipline

by Hugh Gourgeon, Challenger CEO

Discipline is an important component of any education. It teaches children to respect themselves and others and provides the means to accomplish their objectives—it taps into their personal motivation. The word discipline, however, may be one of the most misunderstood terms in childcare.

What Is Discipline?

Discipline is not punishment. Punishment is the act of inflicting a penalty, causing pain, or taking vengeance. Just as we teach children that they do not have the right to hurt others, we also must teach them that no one has the right to hurt them. That includes the adults in their lives whom they trust to teach and love them.

What, then, is discipline? Discipline is teaching—giving instruction to correct, guide, and strengthen students’ confidence in the power of their own choices. It comes from a place of love and a desire to help students live in greater harmony with those around them. Proper, positive discipline empowers students to behave correctly.

Learn more about how positive discipline works.

 This Month


Important Dates

October 4
Managing Child Behavior Workshop

October 8
Columbus Day (K–8)

October 15–19 (G4–8)
National Geographic Bee

October 26 (NV)
Nevada Day—No School

October 26 (G1–8)
Mid-Term Notices Go Out

October 26 (G6–8) (ID, UT)
Halloween Social/Dance

October 30–31
Halloween Dress-Up Days

October 31 (G6–8) (CA, NV, TX)
Halloween Social/Dance

Managing Child Behavior Workshop

Challenger teaches children to manage their behavior and make good choices. Learn how you can use these effective methods at home!

Our Managing Child Behavior Workshop on October 4 is offered at no cost to you and is designed to help parents equip children with the behavior management skills that will prepare them for a lifetime of success and happiness.

We’ll have some helpful resources available for purchase at the event.

See your invitation or visit our website at ChallengerSchool.com for details.

Note: Childcare will be available for children 2 years, 9 months and older. Cost is only $10 per child. Stop by the office to reserve a spot for your child.


Geography Bee (4–8)

This month, students will have the opportunity to answer questions about the world during our annual Geography Bee. Students may hone their knowledge of geography facts by going online to www.nationalgeographic.org/bee/study and participating in the GeoBee Challenge by downloading the app.

Students will first compete in class. Finalists will advance to the campus bee. Challenger students have traditionally performed very well in this contest. Maybe your child will be our next geography whiz!


Columbus Day (K–8)

Although not the first European to set foot in the new world, Christopher Columbus was an explorer, navigator, and colonizer who opened the way so that Europeans could settle in the Americas.

To commemorate people like Columbus who helped open the doors to freedom in the world, classes will discuss events surrounding the discovery of America, the founding of colonies such as Jamestown, and the significance of the European exploration of the American continents.


Communicating Student Academic Progress

Mid-term notices for students in grades 1–8 will be sent home later this month.

At the end of the semester, preschool teachers will prepare Reports of Progress for parents, and kindergarten–grade 8 teachers will send home Achievement Reports. See the Parent Calendar for dates. These official communications occur twice during the academic year.

Feel free to contact the school at any time if you’d like to meet with your child’s teacher.


Halloween Dress-Up Days (PS–8)

Halloween Dress-Up Day is October 31. (Preschool students in TTh programs will dress up on October 30.) Elementary students may wear either costumes or their uniforms to school that day. (It is not a free dress day.) Students who wear costumes will remain in the costume all day and should not plan on changing into other clothes. We encourage creative costumes, but remember that your child will have regular school activities all day. Please leave masks, glitter, and toy weapons at home.

Preschoolers may also dress up on their party day, and teachers will be in costume, too. Preschoolers will have games, an exciting skit, and lots of fun! Parties are geared for students in the intimate classroom setting; however, both preschool and kindergarten parents are welcome to watch a short parade. Look for a notice (PS) or check your Classroom News (K) for parade time.

Middle schoolers are also invited to a Halloween event on either October 26 (ID and UT) or October 31 (CA, NV, and TX).

Note: Please do not send food or favors to your child’s class. Challenger will provide a snack for the festivities.


 Announcements


In the Spotlight:

Anthem Essay Contest Winners

Last spring, after Challenger eighth graders finished reading the Ayn Rand novel Anthem in class, they entered the 2018 Anthem Essay Contest sponsored by the Ayn Rand Institute.

This is the seventh year that Challenger’s eighth grade students have participated in the event, which is open nationally to students from eighth through tenth grade.

Challenger eighth graders performed very well in the contest. Dhruv R. of Ardenwood (CA) garnered third place honors, and Albert C. of Ardenwood and Yassna K. of Sunnyvale (both CA) were finalists. Nine students were named semi-finalists: Claire M. of Almaden (CA), Mihika B. of Ardenwood (CA), Nimai T. of Berryessa (CA), Emmett S. of Lone Mountain (NV), Heather M. of Sandy (UT), Pujita T. of Strawberry Park (CA), and Diptanshu S., Mahi R., and Ruhi S. of Sunnyvale (CA).

Broadcom Masters Top 300

Five Challenger students were named to the Top 300 of the prestigious Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering Rising Stars) competition with their projects from last spring’s Science Fair. Congratulations and continued success to Nithika K. of Berryessa, Arhana A. of Strawberry Park, and Diptanshu S., Henry Y., and Sonia S. of Sunnyvale (all CA).

The Top 300 were selected from a record 2,537 applicants who each scored among the top 10% at regional science fairs across the nation. Thirty of the Top 300 will be selected as finalists.

Picture Days (PS–8)

During the school year, a professional photographer will be visiting campuses to take individual portraits for parents to purchase. Look for specific information to come from your campus.

Picture days are special function days. Preschoolers wear their uniforms, and students in K–8 must wear their full special event uniforms, including the required cardigans.

Oxford University Press Online References

We are pleased to provide Challenger students online access to the Oxford University Press online references.

Since much of the reference information found on the Internet is unreliable, these professionally curated references will further inspire Challenger students to embrace the value of clarity and precision in their thinking and writing.

To access these reference sites, click the Student Resources link. Contact your campus for log-in information.

Challenger Phonics Fun Works!

Have you picked up your copy of the amazing Challenger Phonics Fun reading program yet?

With DVDs, music, and activities, Challenger Phonics Fun uses original, upbeat phonics songs and humor to teach critically important reading concepts. For children ages 2–8, Challenger Phonics Fun is a key to the world of reading.

In the words of a satisfied parent, “I can’t tell whether my child is having fun while learning or is learning while having fun!”

Our experience shows that our students learn faster and more confidently at school when they have Challenger Phonics Fun at home because it uses many of the same concepts and methods our teachers use in the classroom. Students recognize the characters and songs, and they have fun while reinforcing their learning!

For more information, stop by your campus, or purchase your kit online at TheLearningCrew.org. Kits will also be available for purchase at the Managing Child Behavior Workshop on October 4.

Send Us Alumni Stories!

We’d like to hear about the achievements, successes, and experiences of our alumni since graduation. Are you a Challenger graduate or the parent of one? Are you a teacher who has kept in touch with a former student?

Please update us. Submissions will be considered for publication in a future newsletter. Feel free to drop us a line at marketing@challengerschool.com.

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