Letter TEMPLATE for Classroom BDays (ajasfolks2)

[ajasfolks2]

http://allergy.hyperboards.com/action/view_topic/topic_id/12091


Opening Post:

I thought it might be helpful for us to have a separate thread that works on details and a LETTER TEMPLATE as to classroom birthdays . . . based on the great letter and info in Stinky's other thread.  (Same sort of thing like what we have for letter template from allergist/doctor to school.)

I thought it would be best to separate this out and work on details here and let the other thread have the  and congrats there.

Link to her original thread, if you wish to add your own    there:

http://allergy.hyperboards.com/index.php?action=view_topic&topic_id=12039

So, with Stinky's permission (thank you!), here is her original post from the other thread:

Dear First Grade Families,

We will be celebrating many birthdays this year in first grade.   You can help celebrate your child's birthday by contacting me as your child's birthday approaches to select the most appropriate day for our classroom celebration.   Please help your child select his/her favorite picture book to have read at school.  If you are not comfortable sending a book to school then I will assist your child in selecting a classroom book.  In addition to sharing his/her favorite story, the class will sing Happy Birthday.  Due to student food allergies, district nutritional guidelines and respect for diverse econonmic backgrounds, we will not have students share food and/or material goods (i.e. gift bags).

Thank You,

First Grade Team

I'll put some thoughts and suggestions in follow-on post here.

~e

[ajasfolks2]

Follow on posts

ajasfolks2:

I've made some suggested changes . . . thinking about making the letter slightly more broad (so hopefully no "blame" on any one group/person for the no-food AND no-stuff policy).  Also a couple changes I'd do just for style/clarity, or other detail I thought might be good.





Dear First Grade Families,

We will be celebrating many birthdays this year in first grade. You can help celebrate your child's birthday by contacting me as your child's birthday approaches to select the most appropriate day for our classroom celebration. Please help your child select his/her favorite picture/story book to have read at school. If you are not comfortable sending a book in to share at school then I will assist your child in selecting a classroom or library book. In addition to sharing his/her favorite story, the class will sing Happy Birthday. Due to health needs and restrictions, district nutritional guidelines, and out of respect for diverse backgrounds, we will not have students share food and/or material goods (i.e. gift bags).

Thank You,

First Grade Team


So, there's my input.

Anyone else see something that might be unclear or have any other suggestions?  Please feel free to chime in.


` ` ` ` `

The only thing I still have some concern about is the fact that singing Happy Birthday may not work in some communities if there are families with certain religious beliefs that do NOT include celebration of the anniversary of a birthday.

Perhaps there needs to be wording that handles this?

~e

[ajasfolks2]

Carefulmom:

I think instead of "health needs and restrictions", I would just say "health needs".  My concern is that the word "restrictions" will invite the "why should my child be restricted because of some other child`s problem" argument.  That article in the Media section about the mom who is planning to go to the Governor because her kid can`t bring pb to school is still on my mind.

ajasfolks2:

Good Suggestion! . . .
Note that I also had taken out "student" as to the health needs -- it could just as easily be the teacher with the LTFA as it could a student!

booandbrimom:

Dear First Grade Families,

We will be celebrating many birthdays this year in first grade. You can help celebrate your child's birthday by contacting me as your child's birthday approaches to select the most appropriate day for our classroom celebration. Please help your child select his/her favorite picture/story book to have read at school. If you are not comfortable sending a book in to share at school then I will assist your child in selecting a classroom or library book. In addition to sharing his/her favorite story, the class will sing Happy Birthday.

Due to health needs, district nutritional guidelines, and out of respect for diverse backgrounds, we will not have students share food and/or material goods (i.e. gift bags). This helps to ensure birthday celebrations will be inclusive for all students.

Thank You,

First Grade Team

I added the last sentence and bolded the important part.

CMdeux:

You can help celebrate your child's birthday by contacting me as your child's birthday approaches to select the most appropriate day for our classroom celebration.

Out of respect for differing cultural/religious beliefs...  perhaps that should be re-worded as:

If you would like the class to help celebrate your child's birthday, contact me as his/her birthday date approaches so that we may select the most appropriate day for a classroom celebration.

ajasfolks2:

Thanks ladies!! 

Once we have a well-word-smithed version, I'd like to see a community effort to get this distributed widely.

I mean,

W - I - D - E - L - Y

ajasfolks2:

P. S. -- Suggestions for upper grades (thinking 4 - 6) rather than a picture / storybook?  Would love to see this be useful for all elementary grades (knowing some have still have grade 6 in elementary rather than off to Middle School).  How about sharing name and brief info as to a famous person (or student "hero" -- could even be a parent or other relative) born on same day or in same week?

CMdeux:

LOVE that idea, Ajas.
  Here's another along the same lines...

spend a few minutes sharing with the class about a famous person that SHARES the child's birthday...

[ajasfolks2]

Follow on posts, continued:


KSLaru:

Maybe asking the child to share something special about him/herself?  That would help to celebrate the child.  (And not feel like extra work! 

ajasfolks2:

KSLaru -- great idea as well! 

Suggestions might include: 

> share about WHERE you were born, especially if very diverse classroom -- this could be great experience.

> how/why you came to your special name

. . . etc

thinking -- would need to be careful does not inadvertently become a problem or uncomfortable for a foster child or other with less-conventional family situation.

ajasfolks2 quoting Mfamom

How aboout.....
Celebrate your birthday on your own time.... sorry.  I just think birhdays are so "overdone" these days.  I'm crabby today too. 

I agree, but we'll never win this one.

Too many folks are confused and staunchly believe this is their


RIGHT.

   

[ajasfolks2]

ajasfolks2:

I think this would be the latest/modified version, using the input all have given here in this thread:





Dear First Grade Families,

We will be celebrating many birthdays this year in first grade.  If you would like the class to help celebrate your child's birthday, contact me as his/her birthday date approaches so that we may select the most appropriate day for a classroom celebration.  Please help your child select his/her favorite picture/story book to have read at school. If you are not comfortable sending a book in to share at school then I will assist your child in selecting a classroom or library book. In addition to sharing his/her favorite story, the class will sing Happy Birthday.

Due to health needs, district nutritional guidelines, and out of respect for diverse backgrounds, we will not have students share food and/or material goods (i.e. gift bags). This helps to ensure birthday celebrations will be inclusive for all students.

Thank You,

First Grade Team 




Another option for the activity (instead of the shared book) --

spend a few minutes sharing with the class about a famous person that SHARES the child's birthday... (day or week)

[ajasfolks2]

ajasfolks2:

One more note,

There are some religions that do not celebrate birthdays.  This MUST be taken into account by the school.   Because of this fact, it may violate a student's rights if there is ANY celebration of ANY birthday AT ALL in public school.

IOW, NO birthday celebrations period.

Just a thought.   

[ajasfolks2]

Bumping and wondering if anyone has made recent changes to own version of this letter and might like to share experience?

[ajasfolks2]

Bump