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Don't Forget! Jog-a-Thon Pledges are Due!

Thank you to all the staff, families, and community members who helped make this year’s Jog-a-Thon a successful and FUN day for our kids! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Friendly Reminder: Jog-a-Thon pledges are due TOMORROW, September 25th!

Please place your completed pledge form, cash, and/or checks in the envelope we sent home after the Jog-a-Thon and return it to school so teachers can collect them.

Paying with a Check? Please make your check payable to ASPTC with the student’s name on the memo line.

Prefer to pay online? We accept PayPal!

In case you weren't able to come out, cheer, and join the fun, below is a quick video of how the day went. Thank you for supporting our students and helping make all those laps count!
Join us this Friday for the Jog-a-thon.

Jog-a-Thon

Don't forget this Friday, Sept. 18 is our Jog-a-Thon. Please see the attached flyer for class jog times. Extra pledge forms are available in the front office or online. Please call the office if you have any questions.

Calendar

Principal's Message

Are you wondering about screen time and your young children?
Please consider the findings from the Screen Time Advisory Group.
 
🕒 1. The "Time" Factor: How Much is Too Much?
Does the screen time crowd out essential activities like sleep and play?  If so, reconsider the amount.
Under 2 Years Old: Screen time should be avoided entirely, except for interactive family bonding (e.g., video calls with relatives).
Ages 2 to 5: Limit screen use to no more than one hour per day.
The "30-Minute" Rule: Content is best consumed in short bursts of 30 minutes or less to prevent overstimulation and sedentary behavior.
🧠 2. Content Quality: Fast vs. Slow Pacing 
The type of content is often more impactful than the duration.   There is a benefit to slow-paced media.
The Risk of "Fast-Paced" Media: Short-form videos with rapid scene cuts, bright flashing colors, and complex audio can be overstimulating. This is linked to difficulties in self-regulation and shorter attention spans.
Children process information more slowly than adults. High-quality content should feature:
- Simple backgrounds and limited characters.
- Repetition and predictable narrative patterns.
- Speech presented against silence (rather than heavy background music).
🤝 3. Context Matters: Co-Viewing vs. Solo Use
One of the most significant findings is that how a child watches is as important as what they watch.
Solo Use: Lengthy periods of "non-interactive receptive watching" (just sitting and scrolling) are linked to poorer language development and lower cognitive scores.
Co-Viewing: When an adult interacts with the child during screen use—asking questions, pointing at the screen, and relating it to real life—it can actually improve language and thinking skills, effectively canceling out many of the negative associations of screen time.